Page 33 of Frozen Heart

Civilians.There was a shock as I realized that’s what I was. And then a second shock when I realized that I wasn’t, anymore. I didn’t have that protection now. If someone murdered me, it would beBronwyn Hanford, a known associate of the Aristov mafia family.

“What do you…do?I mean, drugs, or prostitution or…?”

“Mainly what you’d call...white collar crime. Bribes and sometimes blackmail so I know which pieces of land will become valuable. Backroom deals so my property company gets the contract. We run a lot of gambling in the city, move stolen goods, sell guns. We take a piece of other people’s activities and we run protection for a lot of neighborhoods and businesses...but no, we aren’t involved with prostitution, or trafficking. And we don’t sell drugs.”

“The man I saw you kill, Borislav. He was...bad?”

“He was a rapist piece of shit,” said Radimir coldly. He told me about all the women Borislav had attacked, and I felt a tiny bit of the tension in my chest unwind.

“And that’s why you killed him?” I asked hopefully.

“No,” said Radimir bitterly. He explained about The Eight and their order to kill Borislav, even though he was Spartak’s brother, and the two families had a truce. My head started to spin again.How can he just kill someone, on an order?I didn’t understand his world and I wondered if I ever would. “And if the guy at the funeral…” I asked nervously. “Spartak...if he finds out you killed his brother…”

“He’ll come for me,” said Radimir. “And everyone close to me.” He looked at me and I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes.

My stomach lurched and I must have gone pale because Radimir marched over to me and put his hands on my shoulders protectively. “That’ll never happen. He’ll never find out.”

I nodded weakly but the fear barely receded.How do they do this? How do they live their lives knowing there are people whowant to kill them?I had to focus on something concrete or I was going to lose it. I pushed off from the window and looked around the rest of the apartment. There was a wet room with a rainfall shower, another bathroom with a beautiful copper, freestanding tub, a gym with a weights bench, floor mats and a punch bag and an office. That only left…

I pushed open the final door and found a bedroom with a king-size bed. I stood there staring at the plump white pillows and crisp sheets as Radimir walked in behind me.

“There’s only one bedroom,” I said, my voice slow with shock. I whirled to face him. “How is there only one bedroom, it’s a freakin’ billionaire penthouse!”

“There were three bedrooms,” said Radimir, tugging his waistcoat straight. “But I had one converted into a gym, and one into an office. Why would I need more than one bedroom?”

“But there’s only one...bed.”

We stared at each other. I saw the heat rise and flare in his eyes and felt the traitorous depth-charge of heat bloom in my groin. I quickly looked away and started pacing, running my fingers through my hair. I’d had this thought as soon as he proposed but I’d been pushing it out of my mind. I couldn’t put it off any longer. “We need to talk about how this is going to work.”

He crossed his arms. “Very well.”

“I presume that part of this arrangement is that you get sex. That’s the deal, right? I get to stay alive, and you get to do whatever you want to me.” My heart was hammering, and my breathing was tight.From fear. It’s completely from fear.I turned to him. “Right?”

He moved closer and I swallowed. Those frozen-sky eyes had gone molten, and I saw his lips form the shape ofyes.But he said nothing for a heartbeat, just stared into my eyes. And then?—

“If something happens,” he said, his voice ragged with lust, “it’ll be because you ask for it. I wouldn’t touch a woman against her will.”

I swallowed.And now I want him even more.It was suddenly very quiet. I licked my lips to speak, and his gaze instantly flicked to them. What would it take, right now? Saying his name? Just parting my lips a little? I could feel thatpulltowards him, like I was sliding over a cliff…

I broke his gaze, staring at the floor as I silently counted to three. I had to resist. I had to stay cold and clinical, like him. Negotiate this stuff the way one of the mafia women would.

I lifted my gaze and banished all emotion from my voice. “I guess if this isn’t a real marriage, I can’t expect you to be faithful.”

He hesitated. Then, in a voice as cold as mine, “That’s right. There’ll be other women.”

I tried not to let that affect me.Why should I care?I pulled away from him and walked over to the window.Cold and clinical.“Fine.”

“Fine,” he agreed. Then his voice changed. “Wait, are you saying the same applies to you?”

“Well...yeah. If I meet some man and I want to fuck him then?—”

I heard him march across the room in three big strides. He grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him. Suddenly, all pretense was gone. He scowled down at me and the possessive fury in his eyes made me go weak. “You arenotfucking anyone else!”

“Well...then I guess you aren’t, either,” I muttered.

He nodded, glowering. But I didn’t miss the flicker in his eyes:relief.

While Radimir worked in his office, as ruthlessly efficient as a machine, I wandered the penthouse, getting a feel for my new home. I couldn’t get over what a long walk it was, from one end to the other. In the bedroom, there was a walk-in closet that was bigger than my entire bedroom. It was full of Radimir’s suits, shirts and ties, all meticulously arranged, and it smelled of him.