Relish: A Vicious Feast Book 2 (11 page)

“Because you’re right.” Luka pushed off the chair and joined me by the window. He took my hand and placed a chaste kiss at the center of my palm. I allowed the touch because…how could I not? This was Luka we were talking about. There was no denying him. “You also have to know how deeply sorry I am for everything that happened at Lunar Manor. I should have known better. I shouldn’t have let my feelings cloud my judgment.”

I pulled my hand away and tucked it into my pocket, ignoring the warmth emanating from it—a remnant of his touch. “That’s the shrink talking.”

“Is it working?”

I bit down on the laugh wanting to get out at the hope in his eyes. “You really like messing up my plans, don’t you?”

More hope filled those devastatingly blue eyes. Damn. My personal brand of Kryptonite. It also didn’t help that having him standing so close wrapped me in his body heat. I was all too aware of how male he was. How broad his shoulders were. And how much taller he stood compared to me. The fucking guy made me feel petite. I hated him. My hand still burned from the contact with his lips.   

“I know you want to travel the world.” His grin made another appearance. “Why not travel in style with us?”

I scoffed, flicking my gaze at him. “Please. After Yana’s payment for the photos? I can travel in style if I wanted to.”

“Ah, but there’s style, then there’s the way we travel.”

His tease earned him a punch on the shoulder. “Obnoxious jerk.”

He took my hand again and flattened it over his heart. My palm felt its powerful, steady beats. I should really stop giving him reasons to touch me. But it was Luka. My Luka.

“The pictures were magnificent.”

Another thing I hated. All this time I pretended the dean’s, Larry’s, Silvia’s, the people who came to see the photo’s opinions mattered. In reality only one opinion mattered and I just got a dose of it. Fuck. I was so done for.

“You like them?” I asked because I was a compliment whore.

“Like them? I
loved
them.” He kept my hand on his chest by placing both of his over it. Heat started from my palm and climbed up my arm until it saturated my entire body. “That’s why you’re the only one who can do this book with us. I’m not using you. Don’t think of it that way because without you there wouldn’t be a book. I want to work
with
you. No one else will do.”

“Are you asking me to take your picture or writing a song?”

“Maybe both?”

His teasing got me every time. Shit. “On a couple of conditions.”

“Pack your bags. We’ll talk about them in the car.”

The triumph in his gaze scared the bejesus out of me. Here I stood, making deals with the devil as if I hadn’t learned my lesson the last time. I really must crave pain to let Luka convince me Vicious needed no other photographer but me.

Could anyone say “here we go again?”    

C
HAPTER
T
WELVE
C
ONDITIONS

I packed my bags amidst Luka’s lingering sweet and spicy scent. Opening all the drawers and cabinets I used to store my clothes, I systematically folded everything. Away from Luka’s all-consuming presence and the spell he always seemed to cast on me, I could think clearer. How the hell did I allow myself to take the job? Of course, part of me jumped for joy. I loved the photo shoot today with the fashionable actresses, but there was something about watching Vicious behind the lens of a camera that brought me back to life. The other part of me remained terrified of getting hurt again. I really needed to get a handle on my emotions when Luka was around. Maybe there was a shot I could get? Some sort of vaccine? Or a Luka Visraya immunization. Did they give those out? I was so doomed.

Luka said he’d wait for me in the car across the street. He’d left behind his trench coat. I scoffed, looking at it. What did he think? That I wouldn’t return the thing to him? Or that I would run away?

As I packed, I knew running away wasn’t a possibility anymore. Yana I could refuse, but Luka? Way too many questions jumbled themselves up in my brain as I stuffed my new laptop on top of my clothes. I missed the old one no matter how much faster the new one processed. I couldn’t bring myself to sell it, so I had it sent along with my other stuff to Mom’s farmhouse.

I’d called ahead for check out. Once I had everything tucked away, I reached for Luka’s trench coat and shrugged it on. The size overwhelmed my frame. It still held some of his warmth, cocooning me in cozy heat. I tugged the collar to my nose and inhaled deeply. I couldn’t get enough of his smell. Damn. I really had to do something about that. With trembling fingers, I picked up my camera and slung its strap over my head. The leather strap Demitri had given me for Christmas fit comfortably against the back of my neck. I let out a much needed sigh of relief. The weight of the camera gave me the courage to pick up my bags and leave the room.

At the marble lobby of the Charing Cross, I handed my credit card to the concierge and tapped my fingers on the counter. A smile of excitement tugged on my face. I’d be travelling the world with Vicious. Screw independence. I didn’t know what I was thinking refusing Yana’s offer. Now I could finish what I started with the band. And how bad could it be to have a tour book on my resume?

“Leaving us so soon, Ms. Collins?” the woman behind the counter said, making small talk while she processed my check out.  

“Got an offer I couldn’t refuse,” I joked. Yet the truth of it hit me in all the best places. I knew where I belonged in this stage of my life, and I hated that it had to take Luka coming over for me to understand that.

She smiled. “With this late checkout, please understand that we cannot refund your final two days of stay here.”

I waved her words away. “Not a problem.”

I must have taken a little too long because when I glanced at the door, Eli was striding toward me. I waved at him. A corner of his lips twitched. It was the most I would get out of the stern bodyguard while on duty. Big, burly, and bald. The suit might be different, but he was still same old Eli. I wanted to hug him.

“Problems?” he asked.

Shaking my head, I turned to the woman who blushed profusely at the sight of humongous Eli. “Just checking out.”  

He gave the concierge a curt nod. The woman blushed redder. At one point, I thought she’d faint she was so red. Chuckling, I turned my attention to the bodyguard.

“He’s getting impatient?” I asked, thinking what else was new. He might be in therapy but Luka was still bossy, unbearable Luka.

“He just wants to make sure everything is going smoothly.” The eyebrow twitch that came with Eli’s response confirmed my suspicions.

After the woman handed me my card and I signed my hotel receipt, Eli picked up my bags and led me to the SUV. The night air had dropped several degrees since I’d come in. I wrapped Luka’s trench tighter around me and looked both ways before crossing the street. A week on and I still had to remind myself the Brits drove on the wrong side of the road.

“How do you get that tank around?” I asked Eli’s broad back.

“Very carefully,” he told me over his shoulder.

Another light breath entered my body. Breathing became easier now that I wasn’t running away anymore. I slowly began accepting my place in all this. 

Eli opened the door for me and I scooted in after one giant step. “Ever think about riding around in something smaller?”

“What took you so long?”

I failed to notice the brilliant scowl on Luka’s face until his question reached my ears. I poked at the valley the coming together of his golden eyebrows created. It smoothed, bringing a chagrined smile along with it. I picked up my camera and took his picture. This seemed to pacify him further. Eli pushed a button on the back of the SUV so the rear door closed slowly as he made his way to the driver’s seat on my side this time. So weird.

“It’s obvious that you’ve never had to check in or out of a hotel before, but these things take time,” I said in my most uppity voice. Luka’s smile turned genuine.

“Might as well call me spoiled.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” I winked at him, settling deeper into my seat. The last time we were in an SUV together it ended with me sexually frustrated. Not this time. Luka may have some magic powers over me but now that I was aware of it he wouldn’t get the best of me again.

As the SUV glided into the light evening traffic, I got down to business. “So, my conditions.”

“Already?” Luka crossed both his arms and legs. “You look good in my trench, by the way, but I want it back. It’s my favorite.”

“Now I’m not giving it back,” I teased. “How long do we have until O2?”

“About 24 minutes,” Eli replied.

“Then I really do need to get down to business.”

Looking forlorn, Luka nodded. “You might as well. Let’s hear it. What are your conditions?”

I ticked off each with my fingers. “First, I’m not signing an NDA.” I may have heard a gasp from Eli, but I couldn’t be too sure.

He seemed to consider it. “What’s your reason for this condition?”

“I think you need to trust me enough not to divulge any of your secrets. I don’t want the pressure of an NDA on my shoulders anymore.”

“Alright.”

“That was easy.” I studied him in utter surprise. “I thought you’d fight me on it more.”

“Why should I?” He shrugged in that maddening way of his. “I told you, I need you for this project. Anything you want and it’s yours. And you’re right.”

“Wow! Luka Visraya admitting I’m right about something?” My stomach tumbled like a bolder down a mountain. “Therapy really is working for you.”

He pinned me with a scowl. “Trust is a two way street. The fact that you’re in a car with me shows I need to extend the same courtesy. So no NDA, but you will want to sign a contract stating you are collaborating on this project with us.”

Collaborating. I liked the sound of that. “Okay. On to my second condition.” He gestured for me to continue. “I can leave any time I want.”

This raised his hackles a bit. I saw it in the blue flames his eyes had become. I steeled myself for the coming argument that never came. As soon as Luka’s face hardened his expression dissolved right back into soft acceptance. He knew the reason for this condition as well as I did. I wanted to avoid another early morning jaunt into a snow-covered forest, thank you very much.    

“Alright, you may leave any time,” he said under his breath, not totally okay with what I wanted based on his tone.

“I want it stipulated in the contract.”

He tilted his head in admiration. “You’re learning.”

“I’m covering my bases.” I nodded once. “Lastly, I retain all rights to my work. I will leave my fee up to you.”

“Is that all?” He eyed me patiently.

I thought about it. Was that all I wanted? I got the feeling that if I asked him for the world he’d give it to me. Yet I wasn’t that kind of person. I loved taking pictures for a living, and now I got to take pictures of Vicious professionally. Everyone around the world would be able to share my art. This was enough for me, so I nodded.

Luka whipped out his phone and said Yana’s name. It autodialed. I heard the first ring before he placed the receiver on his ear. Seconds later, Yana must have picked up because Luka said, “I have her. Draw up a contract with the following stipulations…”

He spoke quickly and precisely, enunciating every word. I listened intently to the smooth cadence of his voice. I could never get tired of hearing him speak with that accent. It was softer than how Russians spoke in English but not as refined as some of the way the Brits spoke. He paused when he mentioned the NDA. I stuck the tip of my tongue out, imagining Yana red in the face at my request. A half-grin tugged at one corner of his lips when he caught my expression.

“I understand,” he said with a nod. “But it’s also important that we trust her, don’t you agree?” Another pause. I counted down the second Luka’s brow creased. He would lose his patience in five, four, three, two… “Just do it, Yana.”

“So good to know therapy hasn’t cured you of everything,” I said after he disconnected the call.

He snorted. “I have a long way to go.”

I looked him over. He seemed less melancholy since the last time I’d seen him. More relaxed in the way he sat, so still he almost didn’t seem to breathe. “I don’t think so.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” I took another picture of him. “When Yana came to Wexler and told me you were in therapy, I almost didn’t believe her. She said you were doing so much better.”

“What’s changed then? What made you believe I’m different?”

“Well, first off, you didn’t try to sexually harass me this time.”

The car jerked to a stop before it moved forward again. I slanted my gaze toward Eli and caught a slight blush on his cheeks from the rearview mirror. Luka shifted in his seat.

“What about you?” he asked, turning the tables around on me.

“What about me?” I asked back, not so sure what he’d meant by the question.

He pressed a button and the privacy divider separated us from Eli. I swallowed, my shoulders tensing. I scooted farther away from him on instinct. Luka waved my unease away.

“I won’t touch you,” he promised.

“You won’t?”

“Don’t sound so disappointed.” He winked. “I won’t touch you unless you want me to.”

Well that made me uncomfortable in places I shouldn’t be thinking about. I tilted my chin up. “Not gonna happen.”

“Good.” He stared at me intently. “The dreams. Are you still having them?”

I shifted again, squeezing my sweaty hands between my thighs. He couldn’t have made me more uncomfortable if he’d tried to sexually harass me again. It took me a while before I could respond to his question.

“They’re getting worse.” I bit on the corner of my lip. “I don’t know. Larry says I should see a shrink about them.”

“Larry?”

“A friend of mine.” I left it at that.

“Maybe Samrah can help.”

Done talking about this particular topic, I twisted away from him and looked out the window, resting my chin on the heel of my hand. “Maybe.”