Page 167 of Sexting His Assistant

After a second, she places her hand in mine.

Her fingers are cool.

I close mine around them and guide her into the elevator.

The men follow, because they must, but I hate their presence more with every passing second. Nina stands beside me, close enough that the edge of her dress brushes my trouser leg. She keeps her eyes on the elevator doors, but her hand remains in mine.

That small fact helps more than it should.

The elevator descends without stopping.

Pavel’s on his phone. Dima faces the door. Sergei watches the floor numbers. I watch Nina in the reflection of the polished metal doors.

She catches me. Her cheeks warm.

I look away only because she asked for secrecy and I’m trying to honor at least one rule tonight.

When we reach the parking level, the security detail moves first.

I keep Nina behind me until Dima gives the signal.

The garage is brightly lit now. Too brightly. Every corner washed in white light, every pillar monitored, every service door guarded. The concrete has been cleaned. The bullet marks repaired. The blood is gone.

I still see it.

Nina must too, because her fingers tighten around mine.

I look down at her.

Her face is calm, but her eyes have gone to the pillar where I pulled her down that night.

I squeeze her hand once.

She inhales and looks back at me.

Neither of us says anything.

The men guide us to the car. I’m driving tonight because I want control of the route myself, and because I don’t want a driver listening to Nina breathe beside me in that dress. The security detail will follow in a separate car.

Sergei opens the passenger door for her.

Nina pauses before getting in and glances at the men, then at me.

“Wow,” she says softly. “I’m surprised you didn’t bring a whole entourage.”

“I did,” I say. “They are in the second car.”

She gives me a look. “Of course they are.”

“I’m not taking chances this time.”

Her breath catches.

I don’t soften the words. She needs to know I mean them.

“No one gets near you tonight,” I say.

For once, she does not argue. She gets into the car.