Page 59 of A Dangerous Proposal

Taking the drink, Madison reached for her purse, but Ivan held up his hands. “On the house.” He smiled at her, but this time his expression had a slightly oily look. “I’m glad you came in. We didn’t really get to talk last time you were here.”

Yeah, because I was your girlfriend’s guest, Slimeball.

Madison shrugged. “I’m surprised you even remembered me.”

Ivan lifted the bottle to refill her glass, but she shook her head and covered the glass with her hand.

“You aren’t exactly a woman a man’s likely to forget.”

His eyes trailed down her body, and she scrunched her face in disgust. Madison opened her mouth to tell him how gross he was when his eyes landed on something behind her, and his face paled drastically.

“Letting other men buy you drinks, Angel. I’m crushed.”

The silky voice behind her sent shivers up her spine.

“Just happened to be driving by again?” She smiled, feeling happier than she should to see him.

“It’s my brother’s club,” Alex murmured in her ear and then pressed a kiss to her temple. “I hope you’re taking good care of my future wife.”

The words hung in the air, the deadly undercurrent in his voice impossible to miss.

Her pulse picked up pace, and her thighs pressed together as lust shot through her. The possessiveness in his voice shouldn’t affect her like this. She hated bossy men, but his voice—those words—sent something wild rushing through her veins.

What is wrong with me?

“Alex, I’m not—” Her objection was cut off when Alex took her hand and squeezed, his eyes never leaving an obviously terrified Ivan.

“Of—of course.” Ivan swallowed roughly. “Can I get you a drink, Mr. Kovalyov?”

Alex didn’t bother to answer. Using his hold on Madison’s hand, he pulled her to her feet. “Come on, Angel. If you want vodka, the good stuff is upstairs.”

“Wait!” Madison said as he towed her up the steps. “Where are we going? What are you doing here?”

“We are going to raid my brother’s stash, and then you are going to tell me what’s wrong.”

“Why do you think anything’s wrong?” she asked, allowing herself to be propelled up another flight of stairs and into an office.

Alex opened the bottom drawer of the small desk and pulled out a bottle half full of clear liquid and two short glasses. Madison assumed it was the vodka he’d mentioned, but she wasn’t sure because the label was in Cyrillic.

Alex held the glasses up to the light and then set them back down, making a face, and lifted the bottle to his lips instead.

“I can’t believe it’s half full. My brother is slipping.” Alex took another swig from the bottle and then handed it to her. “This stuff won’t give you a nasty hangover.”

Madison stared into his intense, silvery blue eyes for a moment before taking the bottle and a tentative sip, and then a larger one. “This is vodka?”

It didn’t taste like anything she’d ever had. Turning the bottle, she looked at the label. “What’s the name of it? It’s delicious.”

Alex chuckled, taking the bottle from her. “You can’t buy it in the States. Now, tell me what happened.”

She snatched the bottle back. “Are you following me?” In her annoyance, she swallowed more than she meant and began coughing.

“Easy, there’s no rush.”

Madison glared at him. “You didn’t answer the question.”

“I’m not following you. My cousin saw you on the street and said you looked upset. He saw you come in here.”

“Yourcousinwas on the street.” She gave him an ‘oh really,’ look.

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