Damn Dimitri and his penchant for switching rooms nightly. Now it had extended to changing hotels too? Or was this move directly tied to me?
As we approached a three-story terra-cotta house on the canal, an uneasy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach, and I stopped in my tracks.
“What is this?”
Dimitri turned around, a dangerous glint in his eyes.“This?” he said, walking slowly toward me. “This is a place you and your colleagues haven’t been able to infiltrate.”
He moved in so close that I had to arch my neck to look up at him, and then he grabbed my chin roughly.
“You asked me once why I change sleeping arrangements so often. The answer is you. You’re the reason.”
It wasn’t the wind chill coming off the water that froze me to my core right then. It was the pure loathing in Dimitri’s stare.
“No more spying.” He jerked his hand away from my face, turned on his heel, and opened the door.
I could choose to follow or I could renege on the deal and head back to my brothers. I knew which was the safer option, but that would mean breaking the deal and letting down my chosenfamily. I wouldn’t do that. I could handle Dimitri and whatever he decided to throw my way, no problem.
Throwing my shoulders back, I sauntered into the house but was immediately blocked by Omar and his security guards in the foyer. They, along with Dimitri, circled me, and while it was an intimidating sight, I wouldn’t be rattled.
“Here to escort me to dinner? Or am I on the menu this evening?” I said with a smirk.
None of them cracked a smile, because of course not.
“Make sure we weren’t followed,” Dimitri instructed Omar, who immediately headed outside with one of the guards, while the other guard left the room.“Take your clothes off,” he said to me.
“Pardon?”
“Take. Your clothes. Off. I won’t ask again.”
“Oh? Don’t you want to do the honors yourself? Give me a pat-down?” I gave a little shimmy, but all I got back was a pissed-off stare. “All right, then.” I let my coat fall down my arms to the floor, kicked out of my boots, and then pulled my sweater over my head. I kept my eyes locked on Dimitri’s face as I tucked my thumbs into my pants and briefs and slid them down my legs to the floor.
I stepped out of them, removed my socks, and did a twirl.
“Completely naked, as you wish,” I said. “Going to search me now?”
“Yes.” He ran his hands over me in a methodical, almost robotic way. There was no funny business this time, no lingering touches. Just a thorough once-over that made me feel like I should be bending over and coughing for him.
“Happy?” I said, when he finally took a step back.
“Far fucking from it.” He bent and gathered my clothes then headed to the door his guard had left through.
“Um, hello, I need my clothes.”
“No, you need whatever I choose to put you in for the next two weeks,” he said, opening the door and handing my clothes off to someone who passed him a robe. “As of now, you will wear what I want and do what I tell you. Your belongings are gone, along with any devices or special little tech items you had stashed away in there. As far as you’re concerned, you are mine to dress, feed, and do whatever I please with for the time we have left together.”
Of all the ways Dimitri could’ve picked to hurt me, destroying my belongings might’ve been close to the top.
“I can’t believe you took my things.”
“And I can’t believe you fucked me for your leader.” Dimitri shoved the robe into my hands. “That’s what you call dedicated.”
“I didn’t do that for anyone other than myself.”
“More deception, more lies.”
“Non,I?—”
“Get dressed. Dinner is waiting for us, and when we step out of this room I expect you to look and act natural. In other words, do what you’re fucking told.”
