Chapter 24

Ash wanted to punch something but managed to refrain, not wanting to break casino property, which his scarred fists were entirely capable of. He followed her into the elevator looking like the lethal killer he knew he was.
Anya looked at him out of the corner of her eye, some of her annoyance fading to be replaced with fear. It wasn't his intent to scare her, but he wanted answers. Like why the fuck did she keep showing up where he was, the epitome of his fantasy woman, twitching her little tail and then running when things got serious?
"What's with you?" he asked, stepping in front of her, crowding her. "Why are you leading me on and then pretending there's nothing between us? I know you feel it, feel whatever this connection is."
He could tell she was seriously considering not answering or pretending she didn't understand. Then she did the worst thing he'd seen her do so far. She collapsed a little, her small shoulders slumping, and her blue eyes looked at him with fear and vulnerability.
"I'm complicated, Ash," she admitted quietly. "If there's one thing I've learned over the years, its that I'm not worth the effort. I'm a spoiled brat who doesn't give a damn about anything but the next good party."
Ash was confused. Her words didn't jive with anything he knew about her so far. Granted, he had only met her once before, but there was nothing about her that indicated she was the person she had just described.
"I don't buy it," he said. "Yeah, you're a strange mix of mouthy and hot. And while I'll give you the label brat, I don't see party girl. You aren't on drugs. I would know. You look like a loner that gives zero fucks about what people think of her, but not spoiled. Give me a reason why we can't spend time together. Two loners, hanging out."
She sighed, frustrated at his perceptiveness, and looked him in the eye. "I can't be with you, Ash. I don't belong to myself."
"What do you mean, you don't belong to yourself? You told me you were single when I was balls deep in your hot little cunt," he said, his crude language a purposeful attempt to shock away her sudden melancholy.
She shook her head, frowning. "I'm not attached, but there's more than one way to belong to someone else. You should know that. You're the one that's up for sale, fighter."
"I don't belong to any man," Ash corrected. "I choose the contract and I walk away when I'm ready. Are you telling me someone own's you?"
"In a manner of speaking," she replied hesitantly.
A chill went down his spine. It explained her tough and sexy personality. Sexual slavery happened. It was entirely possible Anya was owned by someone, or a group of people, like the mafia. Had they sent her to seduce him into accepting a contract? Furious, Ash growled, "I'll buy your contract."
She laughed, a little hysterically, and shook her head.
"If they won't sell, then I'll kill them. The cocksuckers won't even know what hit them."
She was looking at him strangely now, her head tilted back and her eyes studying him, as though seeing him for the first time. Finally she spoke. "You really meant what you said. About us, about wanting to be with me?"
"I mean every word. I'll kill for you, if that's what it takes."
She shook her head and smiled sadly. "I'm not a slave, Ash. I don't belong to anyone in that way. But I'm not free to choose you either. It's better for both of us if we just walk away from this."
"Now that I've had a taste, I'm not walking Anya."
"You'll change your mind." She shook her head sadly. "They all do."
The implication of other men wanted him to break something. It was so unlike him to become this emotionally charged over anything, let alone a woman. He had stopped using drugs a lifetime ago, but they had left him with permanently dulled senses. Until Anya followed him into the locker room, he had considered himself a machine. Living to protect the casino owner and his interests, but rarely enjoying life. Now that he'd had a taste of Anya , of joy , he wasn't letting go. It was everything he could do not to reach for her and force her to stay with him. But he realized on a more rational level that he needed to get to know her better. Find out what made her tick. Then kill it so she could come to him free and clear.
The elevator chimed and the doors opened. Both of them saw the group of people at the same time. Near the casino lobby stood Khalid, owner of the casino, flanked by two of Ash's hand-picked bodyguards. In front of them were three huge Russian enforcers. One of them was Boris Grekov, right hand to Vladimir Sitnikov. The man was so good at his job that even heavyweights in the industry like Khalid and Ash kept their distance. The big, scarred man turned and watched Ash and Anya leave the elevator with such chilling intensity that Ash felt as though someone was crossing his grave. Literally.
"Are you bulletproof Ash?" Anya asked from next to him.
"No man is," he snorted, starting to suspect where exactly she may be connected.
She nodded. "That's why we say good-bye now."
They approached the group. Khalid's gaze landed on Anya, eyeing her coldly. "Anastasia."
Ash felt instant anger, annoyed that his boss knew who his mystery woman was before him.
She jerked her chin toward Khalid in acknowledgment. "Khalid. Congratulations on your recent marriage and impending fatherhood. We have a baby gift for you when you and your wife are ready to receive."
Khalid looked furious at the mention of Shania, as though Anya had just directly threatened her welfare. What the fuck was going on? Ash was about to turn his attention to Anya and demand some answers when she stepped away from him and approached Sitnikov's man. She spoke in soft fluent Russian, her voice wrapping around each word like liquid sex.
Boris' shoulders relaxed slightly and he nodded at her then stepped back. "Da."
Anya turned around and, pointedly ignoring Ash, spoke directly to his boss, her words conciliatory. "I mean no disrespect Khalid. We're all friends here. I was meeting with your man to negotiate the terms of a fight contract. If I was incorrect in my information, that he is available for sale, please do let me know and I will back off immediately."
Khalid looked at her calculatingly and then over at Ash, who's suspicions were being confirmed with every word that was spoken. Now he really wanted to hit something. Specifically, he wanted to bend her over and spank her ass until she was glowing red for daring to play such a dangerous game with him. He felt like a chump. He'd heard of her, but he'd never set eyes on her. From what he'd been told over the years, she was illusive and very much under the protection of Vladimir Sitnikov.
"You're information is not wrong, Miss Sitnikov," Khalid replied.
Ash's face was stony, his brawny arms crossed in front of him. He stood at his boss' side glaring down at her. She stared back, her eyes shuttered once more. He despised the way she spoke around him to Khalid, as though Ash had become a ‘thing' to negotiate over and not the man that had be fucking that tight pussy of hers only moments before.
Finally, after digesting their conversation, he said in a deadly quiet voice, "Sister?"
She nodded, almost distractedly.
Ash could have strangled her for not telling him he had fucked one of the most dangerous women in the city. The little bitch waited until she was flanked by fucking mob enforcers before coming clean. He visualized his fingers around her neck. She must have sensed the sudden danger in him because she stumbled back a step, the three Russians closing in around her. Boris stared at him murderously and placed a hand on Anya's shoulder.
It probably saved Boris' life that she shrugged his hand off and stood staring back at Ash. "I couldn't tell you," she said quietly.
"I disagree. You should have started with that information the very first time we met."
Her temper flared, turning her eyes into blue fire. "I have reasons, Ash. I don't tell anyone. It's safer."
"For who?!" he sneered. "You or them? Fuck, your games are going to get someone killed one day."
She stared at him, daring to look betrayed after the bombshell she'd just dropped on him. Angrily she snapped, "This is where you walk away."
Ash probably would have lunged for her if Khalid hadn't put a restraining hand on his shoulder. He flexed his muscles and continued to stare at her, the silence building around them.
Finally he nodded, "You're right," and walked away.
The next time he set hands on her, he would make damn sure she didn't have her brother's enforcers at her back. He would force her to tell him everything and then he would make her understand exactly who she was playing games with.