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“Two,” Simone announced at the same time.

Their heads whipped toward each other again.

One of her dark eyebrows quirked. “Two,” she repeated with a shake of her head. “Ryan, I hardly know you well enough to share a room with you. Three dates do not equal one bed.”

Dammit. His back teeth snapped together. He’d wanted one bedroom to better protect her.

And to increase your odds of fucking her. Don’t even lie to yourself.

No, no—he was not going to fuck Simone. That had not been on the to-do list. Or, maybe it hadn’t been until he’d kissed her, and his whole body had surged with the strongest lust he’d felt in years. Or, maybe, ever.

No. You do not fuck women when you are lying to them. That shit is not cool. You do not do that. You’re an asshole, but you are not a total bastard. At least, not yet.

“Two rooms.” Frederick tapped his chin. “Done. All guest rooms here are fully stocked with necessary toiletry items and bathrobes.”

Wasn’t that convenient? Ryan rolled back his shoulders and focused on his host once more. “The rooms will need to be next to each other.”

Looking smug, Frederick nodded. “Sure. I can make that happen.”

Outside the third-floor window, a flash of lightning blazed across the dark night.

No thunder rumbled. Not yet. Ryan found himself waiting for the sound. Maybe the storm wasn’t as close as old Freddie was trying to predict.

Thunder boomed.

Simone sucked in a sharp breath. Her hand rose to linger over her chest.

That sexy, sexy chest…her gorgeous breasts pushed hard against the dipping top of her red gown.

Be a gentleman, asshole. Stop staring at her breasts.

His gaze whipped up. For just a moment, he could have sworn that he caught…amusement…in her stare. But, no, surely not? Because this was not some fun scene. Men had just pointed guns at her.

Simone’s long lashes swept down, and when she stared at him again a moment later, her expression showed her fear. Her worry.

He found himself easing ever closer to her. Wanting to protect Simone. She was in way over her head. The woman had no clue that she was swimming with sharks. “It is unacceptable,” he bit out as one hand closed around her shoulder, “that your men pulled guns on Simone tonight. She must be terrified.”

She wet her lips. “I’ve never…never had guns aimed at me before.”

He glared at Frederick. “And your guards are still here, hulking about. Don’t you think it’s time you sent them away?” He especially didn’t like the way Alexei was eyeing Simone.

“Their job isn’t complete yet,” Frederick told him. “You both have to be searched before you are allowed to leave the gallery.”

What the fuck? Now he wasn’t just holding Simone’s shoulder. He’d launched his body right in front of hers. “Any man who tries to search her will find his fingers immediately broken.”

Frederick laughed. “Such a bold claim.”

Yeah, shit. It had been bold. He’d meant the words, but he’d dropped character for a moment when the visual of Alexei or Frederick putting hands on Simone flashed through his mind. He was supposed to be the billionaire who did not get his hands dirty. He certainly didn’t engage in fistfights in the middle of posh, private galleries. So, different tactic time. Though he had, one hundred percent, been truthful about his intent to break fingers. If one of those bastards tried to frisk Simone, fingers would be broken. “How is this for a bold claim?” He sent a smile straight at Frederick. “Forget my offer of an investment. If you can’t trust me to stroll into your precious gallery and not steal from you, then clearly you cannot trust me in a business deal.”

There it was. A break in Frederick’s mask. Desperation. The man wanted money. Badly. So badly that he’d been willing to work with some extremely dirty international players. The kind of players that routinely dumped bodies and made their enemies disappear.

Frederick was getting pulled into that dark world, and he needed a lifeline.

Unfortunately for Frederick, Ryan wasn’t so much a lifeline as he was…the man who is going to send you to prison. So, surprise.

“Fine,” Frederick bit out. “No physical searches of your bodies.”

Damn straight there would not be any of those.