Mitya looked from his woman back to his cousin. “You entertained the idea that she was out to kill me.”
“It is possible.”
“Why would I want to kill you?” Ania snapped, exasperated with them.
“My father wants all of us dead, I told you that,” Mitya reminded.
“But it has nothing to do with me. I didn’t even know you until my tire blew on the way home from that horrible date . . .” Her voice trailed off as she saw the look on Mitya’s face and knew he realized what had happened that night.
“You were set up,” Mitya said. “They’re back to trying to kill you, and you know it.”
“I don’t know,” she corrected. “I suspect. And no, Sevastyan, I don’t want to hurt Mitya or you or anyone else you care about. I’m trying to get Mitya to back off and let me take care of my own problems.”
Sevastyan shook his head. “I’m not certain women are worth all the trouble they put you through, Mitya. She’s out to get someone, that’s for certain.”
“Who is it, Ania?” Mitya demanded. “Before you answer me, know that I’m moving into this house to aid your father. I’m also sending you back to mine with Sevastyan to lock you up and keep you alive until I have talked sense into you.”
She paled visibly. “Mitya . . .”
“These things are nonnegotiable. If you don’t cooperate, you give me no choice.” He folded his arms across his chest and kept his eyes on her, willing her to comply. To come to the right decision.
“Is he always like this?” she demanded of Sevastyan.
“He gets worse.” Sevastyan told the strict truth.
“Do you know how utterly unfair you’re being right now?” She began to pace again. “I can’t know your business, but you can know mine. You can make decisions that have nothing to do with you—”
He held up his hand, narrowing his eyes at her. “Let’s be very clear on this, Ania. You’re my business. From the moment I laid eyes on you, you became my business. You are claimed. No leopard would dare go against that claim. Our world is kill or be killed. You can tell yourself a million times that you aren’t going to have a relationship with me, but we both know it’s total bullshit. You are mine, and I will use any means at my disposal to keep you safe. Everything you do is my business.”
She took a deep breath. “I ran across one of the men that was here that night. He was in the Bannaconni building. I had just come down in the elevator and he was standing beside it as if waiting for it. He was dressed in the same suits as the men Bannaconni has working for him. They’re scattered around everywhere, looking like bodyguards. They’re armed and without a doubt, they’re leopard. This man was leopard. I didn’t react, I just kept walking. I went to the parking garage as I always do, but this time, I got into a discussion with the parking attendant. The man came out and I watched to see what car he went to. He pretended to get something out of it and walked away.
“I attached a tracker to it as I walked by. My heel is a wonderful addition when I need to adjust my shoes. Men always buy it.”
“Then you followed the tracker.”
She nodded. “He went to Houston. But he also drove to Louisiana on the weekend, New Orleans to be precise. I have every place he stopped logged in my room.”
“Do you know his name?”
She shook her head slowly. “I don’t want to kill him until I’m certain of the others. And I’m not yet. I’m just confused.”
Sevastyan gave his cousin a faint smile. “See what I mean, Mitya? More trouble than they’re worth.”5ANIA lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling. Night poured in through the window, and along with the darkness came the rain. She loved the way the drops sounded hitting the roof and windowpanes. She had a series of great arching windows that ran the length of her bedroom. She loved them, loved the way she always felt so free, bringing the beauty of the landscape right into her room. Or the storms. Or stars. It didn’t matter; she had them all and never covered the windows so she wouldn’t miss a thing.
She had the entire second floor to herself. Her parents had never invaded her space unless she’d invited them, which was often to show them some new thing she’d changed. She often painted or added little treasures she found in the way of furniture. She liked to find old solid pieces and restore them. Her covered balcony ran the entire length of the second floor on the side facing the rolling hills with all the trees and bushes. She would put the piece of furniture she was working on there in order to keep the smells of paint and thinner out of her rooms.