His eyes narrowed dangerously as he braced his hands on the back of the couch. “Maybe not, but he is a pussy.” “You don’t even know him,” I accused. The subtle, dry look he gave me only affirmed my suspicion they knew each other, but the thought faded when fury reflected in his gaze, his voice harsh. “Mention him to me again, and you’ll be sleeping outside with the dogs.” Uncertainty tugged at my throat. I countered one of his long strides, quickly taking a few steps to match it. “Stop sweet-talking me,” I said breathlessly. “I don’t think my heart can take any more romance right now.” He almost looked as if he wanted to laugh—this man who was stalking me like a psychopath—but the darkness in him contained the humor. “Your mouth isn’t going to save you this time.” I didn’t know what he meant, but I also didn’t care at the moment. When I stepped to the side, he mirrored the motion. Nervousness radiated in my every cell, pouring out in winded words. “I hope this isn’t how you normally get laid. It’s exhausting.” A humored brow rose. “It’s a first for me, but thankfully, I’m open to new things.” It was so nice he found the situation amusing while my heart was close to stopping. “I’m sure there are a number of nice women in Moscow who will accommodate you for a decent price.” He watched me, shadowing each of my slow steps. “If I wanted another, it would take a single peach emoji text to have a woman here begging me to fuck her ass.” The dirty mental image played behind my eyes, rose an innocent flush to my cheeks, and sent a cramped sensation to my chest. The feelings were so at odds with themselves that when he stepped around the couch, I faltered before finding my footing. “T really can’t figure out how you get a woman after you open your mouth.” “You'll find out in a moment.” The weight of his stare made my throat dry. I was growing a little dizzy from moving in a circle—especially with the small amount of food I’d consumed lately—but it didn’t stop my mind’s endless circus. I wondered about peach emojis and Nadia. I wondered if Ronan had been to the opera lately; if the singer wrote him another note and