Page 38 of Ruined By Sin

Maybe she's self-conscious about it or it's something she's not ready to share yet. I just haven't earned that part of her story. I am part of the reason she's been isolated from her family too, so that's going against me.

"When can Marina get me something?" I ask.

"She's pushing for it. The family's cooperating but they're cautious. Sergei runs a tight operation and they don't pass around photographs of family members without good reason. Marina told them it was for alliance verification purposes, whichis true enough. She thinks she'll have something within the week."

"Tell her it's urgent. I need this closed out." What I really need is my nephew off my back. He's acting like a little king and I'm ready to put this behind me.

"I will. How's everything else? The fights?"

"We've got a card coming together for the twenty-third. Your Australians are confirmed. I need their travel details and fight records sent to Kaz by the end of the week so he can set the matchups."

"Done. I'll have it to him tomorrow."

"Good... Look, I gotta go. Get me that image, alright?" I hate sounding like a nag, but I want to move on. The sooner I confirm this, the sooner Kazimir will accept that Kira is who I think she is. And then I can really pour out what I'm feeling for her.

This may not be some perfect twin-flame match made in heaven, but Kira is pretty much the woman of my dreams—in the world, coming from an ally's family, beautiful and smart and funny, and damn, does she make my heart do strange things. Every time she looks at me, I think I might stop breathing.

Yeah, I have to confirm she's a Belova, but I already know, no matter what, that she's mine.

And I'm not giving that up no matter who she is.

18

KIRA

Iturn the water as hot as it'll go and step under it. The pressure in this shower is ridiculous, like standing under a waterfall, and I tip my head back and let it hit my face until my skin burns. It's a welcome distraction from the thoughts running rampant in my brain, of what Victor said about Timur's friend, Morin, and how that directly conflicts with my place in his world. A very real place he spoke about wanting me in.

But I'm a Mirov, not a Belova, and Morin is set to wipe out my entire family. If Victor is right and those hits are slaughtering my loved ones, I don't know if I want to be with Timur at all. And even if he's not condoning it, or he's been deceived into allowing Morin to do as he pleases, it still means I'm on the list too. I've lied to him about who I am, and when he finds out, won't he just tell Morin to dispose of me too?

I work shampoo through my hair and scrub at my scalp with my fingertips, digging in hard, working up a lather that runs down my neck and over my shoulders. If only it were so easy to wash away my sins. Like stains on my resume, I'm afraid Timur would never see the real me anymore. He sees what he wants to see—a beautiful ally who got trapped in the wrong place at the wrong time. But I'm nothing more than one of his enemies too, and it's only a matter of time before he figures it out.

The water pools at my feet and spirals into the drain and I watch it go, wishing I were anywhere but here. I confessed to him that I have feelings for him, and those feelings are very real. I believe him when he says he has feelings for me too, but they're based on a lie, not the truth. When he learns the truth, he'll question whether or not all of this was even real. No matter what I tell him, he won't believe me. He'll never trust me.

All because that snake in the grass, Morin, didn't kill me. I sigh and turn into the water, letting the suds rinse down my body and away. That man has been playing both sides, telling Timur things about my uncle's businesses while selling secrets that Timur's brother would kill over back to my family. It's no wonder my uncle wants to kill the man, and Timur should too... or if not him, at least Roman.

I push the curtain back and grab the towel off the hook, refusing to let the anger get to me. After such a sweet dinner the other night, I've been in a good mood. I want to stay that way. So as I wrap them around myself and tuck the corner in above my chest, I squeeze the water out of my hair with a second towel and suck in a deep breath. I want to focus on positives, like the fact that Timur and I really connected.

If that connection holds, I'll be right in his ear every time he feels close to me to plant more seeds of doubt until the truth comes out and my family is saved. The Mirov organization is not coming for Timur's family. We've been minding our business running our club alongside our other businesses doing just fine. Morin is the one who stirred up this hornets' nest, and when he's removed, everything can go back to being peaceful.

With my mind readjusted and ready to put those negative spirals behind me, I push into the bedroom, nothing but my towel around my body. And when I walk through the door, I see Morin seated in the armchair by the window where I sit and watch birds. He's got one leg crossed over the other and a gun resting on his knee. His hand is draped over it loosely, like it's a cup of coffee or something, not a deadly weapon. And he's scowling at me.

It sends a shock of fear through my whole body, causing every muscle to go rigid and the hairs on my arms to stand on end. I've seen him stand outside my window to guard the house, but he's never come into my room.

"Dryden!" I shout, feeling the panic in my chest swell until I almost can't breathe. "Dryden!"

"He's not here," Morin says. "I sent him on an errand."

"You can't send him anywhere. He works for Timur, not you."

"He works for the family, and I outrank him when Tim's not home." He uncrosses his legs and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. The gun stays in his right hand, barrel pointed at the floor. "Sit down, Kira. Or whatever the fuck your name is."

"Get out of my room..." I hiss, shaking now. I glance at the door and wonder if I scream if Sonya would come running, or Timur. Where are they? Why am I alone with this monster?

"What's your real name?"

"That is my real name." My bottom lip trembles as I take a step back toward the bathroom. I could lock myself in there, but he'djust break the door open. He probably has a key too, like the one he used to get into this room. The thought makes me shudder.

"Sit down." He rises, flicking the tip of the gun at the bed, but I shake my head and point at the door.