Page 12 of Wicked Ambition

With a nod, the man handed Ayla the small folder with her keycards.

The lobby was mostly empty. A group of men sat around a coffee table and another man was off to the side, reading a newspaper. His face was concealed as he held the paper up, but Oz recognized the brand of watch the man wore. It was amongthe most expensive in the world. Likely some businessman from a neighboring country.

He led Ayla to the elevator, and when they got on, she pressed the button for the fourth floor. “What’s your room number?” he asked.

She opened the folder and glanced down. “412.”

When the doors opened, the carpeting wasn’t as plush. Instead of rich wood paneling, the walls were painted. It was obvious this was the hotel’s new wing. Ayla stopped in front of a door and reached to put her key in the lock. Oz picked up his pace. “Hang on, Pollita. Let me check out the room before you go inside. I want to make sure it’s secure.”

For a moment, Oz thought she might argue, but she shrugged and handed him the keycard.

After setting down the suitcase, he said, “Stay in the hall until I give you the all-clear.”

It didn’t take much to check the room. It was small. There was one full-sized bed taking up most of the space, a dresser at the foot with a flat-screen television, an upholstered chair in the corner, and two nightstands on either side of the bed with lamps. Two paintings with a historic feeling hung over the headboard. The bathroom was utilitarian, and its size matched the room.

He returned to the hall. “It’s safe.” Oz picked up the suitcase and gestured for Ayla to precede him.

“It’s tiny,” she said as she tossed her hat on the bed. Oz set the suitcase down between the dresser and the foot of the bed. He turned in time to see her shrug. “But Ididask for the cheapest room they had, and it’s just me, so I don’t need a lot of space.”

Oz nodded. “Make sure you keep the door locked all the time.” He took a few steps away from the bed, but his body brushed against Ayla’s and they both froze. The floral scent of her shampoo teased him, reminding him of the night they spenttogether. Her warm skin seemed to radiate right into his being. The shallowness of her breath told Oz he wasn’t the only one reacting to their closeness.

For an instant, he thought she was about to lean into him, and his heartbeat quickened. But Ayla merely took a step away and turned to face him. “Well, thank you for the rescue. I’ll be fine now.”

“Ayla—”

“I appreciate your help. Really. Thank you.”

“Be careful,” Oz warned her, “and be damn careful who you trust.”

“I will. Thanks.” Ayla closed the door to the room behind him. Oz stood in the hallway until he heard her turn the lock. It felt wrong to leave her, but he was on an op and she couldn’t get rid of him fast enough.

Shaking his head, he walked down the hall and around the corner to the elevator. He pressed the button and then realized he hadn’t told her to use the bathroom door wedge to help secure her door. Ayla wouldn’t like him returning, but he headed back to talk to her.

As soon as he rounded the corner, he spotted two men outside her room. One knocked. He picked up his pace as the door opened. Oz recognized both of the dudes.

They worked for Yaromir Ivanov, a notorious Russian crime boss.

Chapter 6

Ayla was oddly bereft when Oz left her. Uneasy, too. The heat between them made her uncomfortable, but his absence underlined one fact. He made her feel safe.

Before leaving Los Angeles, she intended to locate Io by herself. She should be determined to do the same now. She’d unpack, come up with a plan, and everything would be fine.

Setting her jaw, she lifted the crossbody bag she wore over her head, but a knock at the door stopped her. Her heart beat a little faster. It had to be Oz.

He must have gotten to the elevator, realized he forgot to issue some additional warnings and came back to give her more advice. When she noticed she was smiling, Ayla sobered her expression, turned the lock, and opened the door.

It wasn’t Oz.

She tried to close the door.

Two men pushed forward. Her strength was no match for theirs and she couldn’t shut it. The room was small. She had no way of evading them.

Ayla opened her mouth to scream. Before sound emerged, one of them grabbed her, using his hand to muffle the noise. Hercry for help became a whimper. She tried to bite his fingers, but his hold was so tight she couldn’t open her jaw.

“Be quiet, Iona,” the man ordered. He spoke English with an Eastern European accent.

He thought she was her twin. What kind of trouble was Io in?

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