“Didn’t you lock that?” Olivia slurred, looking at Jack before turning towards the door.
Tamir strode in, and summed up the room in one second. Jack’s hands were on Olivia’s jacket, pushing it downward. His legs were pinning her against the wall. Tamir slammed the door shut in the face of his security agent, stormed over to Jack and pushed him forcibly away. He took one look at Olivia, weak and unable to focus, and he lost all control of his temper.
He lifted a fist and slammed it into Jack’s pretty face. It sent the blonde man flying, but Tamir didn’t care. He turned to Olivia and made a sound of frustration. She was leaning against the wall, for support. He scooped her up, holding her over his shoulder, and marched her straight out of her apartment.
“Hey!” Jack followed after them, but he was wobbly on his feet.
Tamir made another groan of anger. “Stay with him,” he commanded one of his security agents. “Make sure he doesn’t swallow his tongue overnight.”
He carried her to his waiting limousine and placed her on the back seat. She was wearing a suit, much like the one she’d been wearing the day she’d come to his embassy. He reached across and buckled her in, then sat beside her.
“What are you doing here?” Olivia blinked her eyes, trying to focus on him.
Tamir clenched his fists by his side, and stared at her. “Your hair is short.”
She ran her fingers through it self-consciously. “I know.”
“You’re drunk.”
She hiccoughed, then laughed. “I know that too. Do you like my hair?”
He looked at her with an inscrutable expression. He reached out and flicked his fingers through her cropped hair, without answering.
She tilted her head back against the leather seat. “What are you doing here?”
“Trying not to strangle you, right now.”
She flicked her eyes to him, but holding her head up was difficult. “Oh…Go away.”
He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her head to his shoulder. “Shut your eyes, Olivia.”
She wanted to scream at him, but she was too tired. And too sick. She did as he said, and breathed in his scent gratefully. “I hate you, you know.”
His smile was grim. “Understandably. Shut your eyes.”
She couldn’t have kept them open if she’d wanted to. Even when they arrived at his embassy, and he carried her inside, she barely stirred. He placed her down on the bed that they’d shared the first time they’d slept together, and he stared at her. She was the most beautiful, perfect, frustrating woman he’d ever known.
He picked up the black phone on his bedside table and spoke into it quickly. Then, he sat beside Olivia, and ran a hand over her hair. “Hey,” he spoke softly, his accent thick. “Olivia. Wake up.”
She blinked, but it was too hard to lift her heavy eyelids.
A knock sounded on the door, and she felt Tamir stand from the bed. He returned moments later. “You can sleep, I promise. But first, drink this.”
She made a sound of complaint and pushed up to sitting. Her mouth felt disgusting. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Quite possibly. But it’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” Tamir remarked quietly, a smile on his lips. He handed her a bottle of water. “Drink this.”
She did as he said, forcing herself to swallow the ice cold liquid even though she just wanted to sleep. She finished the bottle, then handed it back to him.
His eyes were heavy with accusation, and it made her stomach ache. “Lie down, Olivia.”
“I have to shower,” she murmured.
“No.” His laugh was soft. “Tomorro
w morning. For now, sleep.”
He eased her backwards onto the pillows. “Mir?” Her voice was made almost incomprehensible by alcohol.