Page 61 of Her Cruel Empire
Dimi doesn’t seem fazed. If anything, his grin grows wider. “And yet here I am. Couldn’t stay away, cousin.”
Eva steps into the room, positioning herself subtly between Dimi and me. The movement is so smooth I almost miss it, but the protection—or is it possession?—sends a flutter through my chest.
“What are you doing here?”
“Can’t a man visit family without an ulterior motive?” He stands, smoothing down his rumpled shirt. “Though if you must know, I had a rather spectacular row with a certain princess. She’s gone home to Monaco in a huff, so I’ll have to chase her down. Figured I’d stop by to check on you before I left. Papa said you’d be here in Paris again. You haven’t missed much, I’m afraid.” His eyes flick to me again. “But now I see whatI’vebeen missing.”
Eva’s jaw tightens almost imperceptibly. “Go sleep off your drunken idiocy elsewhere.” The words are harsh, but her tone is mild.
Dimi clutches his chest in mock offense. “You speak to wound, Madam Novak. And here I thought I was your favorite cousin.”
“You’re my only cousin,” she returns. “And you scared Robin. Not very gentlemanly, Dimi.”
I watch the interplay between them, fascinated despite myself. There’s genuine affection beneath the barbs.
“Robin,” Dimi says, turning to me. “I offer my abject apologies.”
“It’s fine,” I say vaguely.
“It’s not fine,” Eva contradicts me. “And Leon should have known better than to let you in.”
Dimi grins. “He’s amused by me,” he says. “Always likes to hear my stories. I’m truly in love this time, though. I’m a changed man. You’ll find out for yourself one day. Love will change you, too, Eva.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” The words snap out of Eva’s mouth like bullets, making me jump a little.
“Still the ice queen.” But there’s fondness in his voice, the kind reserved for family you’ve known your whole life. “Some things never change.” He winks at me. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. She’ll treat you fairly, if nothing else. And I apologize again for being such a brute as to fall asleep on your lounge.”
Eva’s shoulders relax a fraction, and she actually looks at her cousin with something approaching warmth. “Will you stay for breakfast?”
Dimi snorts. “Certainly not. Why dine in a hotel when I could begetting servicedin a royal palace?” He retrieves his coat from the chair, shrugging it on. “See you around, cousin.”
He moves to Eva and kisses her on both cheeks in the European fashion, then turns to me with that same wolfish grin. “A pleasure meeting you, too, Robin.”
With that, he strolls out of the suite, whistling something that sounds vaguely like a waltz. Silence falls heavily in his wake.
“He’s very...” I search for the right word. “Charming.”
Eva rolls her eyes. “He likes to think so. Yes. I’m sure he only came here to get a look at you.”
That startles me as much as any other event of the night. “What do you mean?”
For perhaps the first time I’ve ever known her, Eva bites her lip. “Nothing,” she says quickly. “He’s just nosy. That’s all. What were you doing up at this time of night, anyway?”
“Oh, I…” With Dimitri’s invasion, my plan to be sexy and seductive now seems a little silly in the cold light of the overheads. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep earlier. I wanted—” I stop, not sure how to explain what I’d wanted without sounding desperate. “I’m sorry,” I say again.
Eva steps closer, close enough to make my pulse quicken. “No need to apologize. But you’ll have to make it up to me.”
My breath catches. “How?”
A wicked smile curves her lips, the kind that makes my knees weak and my heart race. “By coming back to bed, of course. Right now.”
She takes my hand, her fingers warm and sure, and leads me toward her own bedroom. As we cross the threshold, I catcha glimpse of my reflection in the darkened window—flushed, eager, completely under her spell.
Maybe I’m not as inexperienced as I thought. As clumsy as my attempt might have felt, I’m still headed to bed with Eva Novak.
And no matter how many women might have come to Paris with her before me, I’m the one here with her now.
I’ll damn well make sure she remembers me, too.
