“That’s not my name,” I snap, tugging my wrists.

He turns to me, his eyes narrowing. “What did you say?”

“I said that’s not my name!”

“Give me half an hour, John. I’ll call you back.”

He ends the call and shoves his phone into his pocket, before stepping back in front of me. “What is your name?”

I just stare at him.

“I’ll find it out,” he threatens.

“Go right ahead, find it out. If you can do that, why are you asking me?”

He growls and turns, storming over to his desk.

“And what makes you think I matter to him?”

“I can read people’s eyes, Jessica. He cares about you. I saw it.”

I shake my head and sigh. “Not in the way you think.”

“Caring is caring, it will push him to do what I need him to.”

“You’re wrong, he’s not going to risk his life, his crew’s life or—”

“Or what?” he snaps.

“Or his girl’s life.”

His eyes widen for a moment with shock, but he quickly covers it. “He cared. That’s all I need.”

“Would you risk your lover’s life for a girl you cared just a little bit about?”

“I care about no one, so yes, I would.”

I shake my head. “That’s exactly what’s wrong with your plan, Dimitri. You don’t care, so you can’t possibly understand it.”

“Believe me,” he says, turning back to his desk. “He’ll come for you, and when he does, I’ll be ready.”

“You’d take a man away from a woman who has given up her life for him. His lady, she adores him. Does that not bother you at all?”

“I adored my mother, it didn’t matter to him when he had her killed.”

“Did you ever wonder why he had her killed?”

His eyes flare with anger. “Why is of no importance to me—the fact that he did is enough.”

I shake my head and turn away.

“There are clothes here for you, I’ve had some brought in,” he begins, just completely passing our conversation off. “You’re going to be staying with me. I’m sure you’re not stupid enough to jump over the side of a ship, but if you are, then you’re signing your own death warrant. Until we’re out in the water a good distance, you’ll stay cuffed.”

I glare at him. “I’m not staying with you.”

“You don’t get a choice.”

I stare over at his bed and then around the room. “Where am I supposed to sleep? Your plan isn’t very well thought out. Maybe you should consider reorganizing it before you end up embarrassing yourself,” I mock.

He walks over, kneeling on the bed and getting right up in my face. “My plan is without flaw. My bed is big enough for two and I suggest you keep your mouth closed, before I give you a reason to open it.”

I gape, my mouth wide open. “I’m not sleeping next to you!”

He looks away, bored. “It’s a bed, it’s comfortable. Sleep on the floor if you wish.”

I tug on my cuffs. They merely rattle, causing the bed to shake just slightly. “Fine by me.”

He shakes his head, walking over to his desk. “We’ll see how long that lasts.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He gives me a hard stare. “It means the floor is hard as stone.”

I hate being cuffed to his bed, but at least one of my hands is free. I watch as he pulls out his guns and lays them on the desk. Then he throws a phone down and a few pens from his jeans pockets before taking hold of his shirt and lifting it over his head. My eyes widen, and I will myself to look away but I can’t. Goddamn that level of perfection. He runs a hand down his abs, then he lifts one up and scruffs his hair before heading to the bathroom.

I just watch.

Shit.

This isn’t going to end well.

Dimitri

The hot water runs down over my body.

It’s tense, I can feel it in every muscle on every limb. My shoulders are stiff, my head is pounding, and my back aches. I reach around, rubbing my shoulders, trying to ease some of the tension. It’s no use. Looks like I’ll need to go and find Livvie after all tonight. She has a way of easing my body.

I think about Jess, and my head seems to haze over.

If that’s not her name, then what is? If she’s not who she says she is, what has she done to feel the need to hide so much of herself? Curiosity burns, I can’t deny it. I’ve met a lot of women in my time, but never one so determined as she. She’s not willing to break, not willing to show a piece of herself that’s anything other than hard.

She’s just like me, in a sense.

That never makes for a good combination.

CHAPTER NINE

Jess

I stare at his gun. I really want to be able to get to it. Like, I really, really want to. I hate the sick feeling swirling in my belly right now, because it means that I’m actually considering the worst. The worst is killing Dimitri, so that he won’t hurt the people I love. I can’t let him hurt Indi and Hendrix. Those two have become the only family I know. And I will fight against everything I am to protect that family.

Steam fills the room as Dimitri steps out.

He’s got a black towel around his waist. He’s got little beads of water trickling down his abs, disappearing into the thin line of dark hair that goes to a place I’m trying very hard not to think about. His hair is still so damp that it’s stuck to his forehead and his eyes are almost hazy. He looks relaxed. He’s got a bruise forming on his cheek and his lip is a little puffy.