“He’s waiting to hear from you. Since I was coming this way anyway, I told him I’d talk to you.”
“You know where this meeting is going to take place?”
“Nine o’clock at Volya. I can make a call if you need things to be more private.”
I shake my head. “No. There won’t be a need. I need to swing by to see Kaz, he’ll have a good head for how to deal with Jacob. He’s still at Alexander’s. I’ll talk with them both.”
Lev nods and looks off to the closed bedroom door. “She’ll be safe tonight.”
“What club is your sister taking them to?”
“Nicolette is unpredictable.” He frowns. “But I have two men on her all night. One she’s aware of, the other she won’t know of. That way she can’t give him the slip.”
“She does that often?”
“She tries.” He shakes his head. “I was cursed with a little sister.”
I laugh. “I understand the feeling, and it only gets worse when you find a woman who you love almost as much, and she makes you want to pull your hair out.”
He cocks an eyebrow. “Another Volkov wedding?”
“Ivan.” The bedroom door flies open and Vee storms back into the living room, shaking her phone at me. “Why did Mr. Banderas call to tell me he’s returning my rent check?”
“I should go.” Lev slithers to the front door. “Let me know if you need me tonight. I have a thing but can cancel.”
“I’m not sure he’s going to be alive tonight for a playdate, Lev.” She shoots a hot glare across the room, which—if she could manage it—would set the place on fire.
“I’ll let you know.” I walk Lev out and bolt the door once he’s gone to keep anyone else from interrupting.
“Ivan.” She huffs. “You can’t pay my rent.”
“You’ll find I’m capable of doing a lot more than you think.” I grab my suit jacket from the kitchen chair and slide it on.
“But you gave me the money, you can’t…” She sighs. “You can’t just pay foreverything.”
“I can.” I take her phone from her and drop it on the table before capturing her face between my palms. “And I will. Now, remind me, what was the first rule I gave you?”
“The first rule?” Her brow pulls together in the most adorable knit of confusion.
“The other night, when I picked you up for the charity dinner. I gave you the first rule, what was it?” I remind her, running my thumb along her bottom lip. “Or do you need a reminder?”
“You said something about not returning gifts, but that’s not what this is.”
“It is.” I brush my mouth across hers. “Now, here’s more rules for tonight. No drinking too much. When you find out where you’ll be going, text me. I also want a text when you get there, while you’re there, and when you leave.”
“Why don’t you just put one of those little tracker things on me like people do with their pets in case they run away?”
I drop my hands to her hips, squeezing. “You know, that’s not a bad idea.”
There’s already a tracking application on her phone, but I won’t bother telling her about it. If I know her, she’ll figure out how to find it and will tamper with it.
“But until I can get the doctor to come over and put the chip in, you’ll just have to be my good girl and obey my rules.” Her pupils expand, and a soft blush brushes her skin.
“Can you do that? Can you be my good girl tonight?” I run the back of my knuckles across her cheekbone, leaning into her until my mouth is a breath away from touching hers.
“Yes, sir,” she whispers.
I reward my girl with a kiss meant to remind her who she belongs to but end up leaving myself winded when I break away. Her tongue runs along her lip, chasing the taste of me lingering on her skin.
