Page 59 of Guarding The Phoenix: Vol. 2

I might be on the cusp of twenty-four. But I’d lived more life than most ever did. And my soul was weary.

At the sound of the bedroom door opening, I swallowed my revulsion and waltzed into the room with my shoulders back and head held high. I would do my best not to cower before him.

Luka stood in a commanding stance, watching his men while they carried in a dining table, chairs, and place settings.

How sweet. He wanted to have a candlelight dinner with me.

Blech.

“Ah, I knew that dress would look fantastic on you. Turn,” he demanded, circling his fingers.

I hid my distaste and unease, then performed a full three sixty turn. My skin crawled at the lust in his gaze. A man like him would take pleasure in my pain.

“Lovely. Have a seat.” He held out one of the chairs for me.

Steeling my spine, I took the seat he indicated and let him push my chair in. Luka sauntered around the table and sat opposite me. He stared with a possessive light in his eyes, while his staff served us. My stomach was still raw, the scent of the meat and vegetables were repulsive. But then a glass of champagne was placed by my plate.

“Are we celebrating something?”

The way he stared reminded me of a snake right before it struck its prey. An evil, satisfied smirk appeared. “Of course. Drink up. If I remember correctly, Cristal is your favorite, no?”

It disturbed me to no end just how much this man knew about me. “Yes, it is. Thank you.”

I reached for the champagne flute, unable to hide my trembling fingers. Something he found amusing. Bastard. I wanted to take the silver fork and stab him with it. But I knew it would be a short-lived victory.

Lifting the glass to my lips instead, I took a few long sips of the bubbly. It was a drink I imbibed rather frequently when my husband was alive. It helped dull the edges, so that I didn’t care.

I drank a little more before I asked again. “What exactly are we celebrating again?”

“Why the demise of your bodyguards, of course? It’s been confirmed that their bodies were discovered in the rubble of your treasonous husband’s former house.”

I gripped the glass tight while my heart shattered. I was glass, and I was breaking. How could they all be gone? “I see. Thank you for telling me.”

I drank some more bubbly to hide my pain. He would mock me for it or use it to his advantage.

“Only they weren’t really bodyguards, were they? But undercover CIA agents posing as your bodyguards. Tell me, just how long have you been in league with the CIA?”

I choked on the alcohol. “What? They were CIA?”

How did he know that when I had just discovered it myself? I prayed my act was convincing. What if he didn’t believe me? I tried to appear stunned at the news.

Luka tilted his dark head and narrowed his eyes. “Hmm, I would have thought you were smarter than that. But from what I understand, you weren’t above fucking them. I just assumed you knew they were CIA.”

“No. I didn’t know. And Carlos was a lousy lay.” I shook my head, unwilling to divulge any secrets. Let him think I just wanted to be a tramp with men I thought had just been bodyguards.

The room began to seesaw. My field of vision grew wonky. I looked at the glass in my hand in dawning horror. He had poisoned the champagne. It’s why he wasn’t drinking it. It was the oldest trick in the book.

And I was a moron.

The glass slipped out of my hand and shattered on the floor. I shoved away from the table, holding my head with one hand.

“What the hell was in that?”

“Just a little something to make you sleep.” He rose from his chair. “You will soon learn that I always get what I want.”

I stumbled away from him. I had no idea where I was going. But the only thought surfacing was that I had to escape right now. That I wouldn’t have another chance. That even if I had to take my chances with the ocean, I would be better off.

I made it into the hall with Luka’s sardonic laughter behind me.

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