The Russian Billionaire's Fiesty Serb

Now that I think about it I should probably call and check up on them, just to make sure they're safe on their cruise. It's been a while since I last heard from them.

I'm just about finished packing when I sense Nik in the entryway of my door, 'What are you still doing here? Shouldn't you have already left!'

He walks up to me and hugs me from behind, 'Look Jas, I'm sorry I overreacted. When I thought about what could have happened to you if you were here when the robber broke in…' he squeezes me tighter to him as if he were afraid to lose me. 'It's unthinkable!'

He turns me around to face him and holds my chin tilting it up, 'You are mine to protect. I can't afford to lose you.' The look he gives me is devastating, it's as if he is a man that has nothing in the world when he should have everything.

I pull his head down and kiss him with so much love and warmth, so that he can confirm that I am still here and safe in his arms. I let go of his lips and say, 'I understand that you are worried about me, but please just communicate that with me because I can't always read your mind.'

He gives me a repentant look, 'Ok I understand, I will try to do that from now on.' He pulls me in by the waist and leans his forehead against mine, 'I have to admit, it doesn't come naturally to me, so you'll have to be patient with me ljubimaja.'

I chuckle, 'Oh I know it doesn't, believe you me.'

'Oh you wound me' he says as he holds his hands up to his heart as if a knife had struck him.

I snicker, 'Wow I never figured you to be one for the theatrics. I stand to be corrected.' He smirks at me and drops the charade.

Suddenly I have a thought and zero in on him.

He lifts a brow at me, 'What is it?'

'I have been meaning to ask, what does ljubimaya mean? And for that matter, I think there's another two you say often.' I click my fingers together, 'Yeah that's it, it's kiska and krasotka!'

I stare at him expectantly.

He laughs, 'I thought you would've looked them up by now. Guess you aren't as astute as I thought.'

I roll my eyes, 'Just spit it out already!'

He squashes my cheeks together and gives me a peck, sweet and too short for my liking. He lets me go and explains. 'Kiska means – kitten and krasotka means – gorgeous.'

'hmm…I suppose they aren't the worst things to be compared to. Wait a minute what about the other one?'

He stares into my eyes, with a serious and warm look. One that he gives me in those intimate moments we share, when he thinks I am not looking. My heart beats in anticipation as he leans down, his mouth next to my ear, and he murmurs, 'That one, you'll have to look up kiska' I shiver from the seductive note of his voice. He leans back his eyes taking on a predatorial edge, as if he wants to devour me on the spot.

We continue standing there, just staring at one another. The tension between us builds until it's practically palpable, the air thick with it. My face flushes from the desire blossoming inside me.

"Perfect, perfect, You're too good to be true (you're too good to be true)" my mobile starts blaring the lyrics to my newest ringtone, and breaks the heated moment between us. I begrudgingly turn to the bed and pick up my Iphone to see who is calling me at this exact moment and it's Stev.

'Hey dude, are you still alive?'

I roll my eyes, 'Glad to hear from you too Stev!'

He laughs through the receiver, 'You haven't checked in for a while had to make sure my best worker hasn't fallen out of the sky because of a bad pilot.'

'Mhmmm…Yeah I can hear the concern, your voice is practically dripping from it.'

'Anyways cuz I'm calling you to double check that you are coming to our Slava this Saturday. If you don't my parents will come for me and kill me, then they'll probably come after you.'

I snicker, 'Yeah right, they love me. They wouldn't lay a finger on me.'

I didn't realise Nik had left the room, but now he's in front of me with the bouquet of flowers and gesturing to them and the phone in my hand. A light bulb moment goes off in my brain and I put the phone on loudspeaker as I ask, 'Right - I've been meaning to ask but why do you keep sending roses to my apartment with cryptic messages. Do you really have that much money to burn on your cousin?'

He snorts, 'which sorry soul has been sending the ice princess flowers. May he rest in peace.'

I make eye contact with Nik, 'So those weren't from you as a prank.'

'Nope. Though I do admit that's not a bad prank but that's so not my style. I'm offended you know I am way more inventive than that. Anyways…'

I tune him out as I silently ponder who the hell has been sending me these flowers.

'Ok Stev, I'll see you on Saturday, gotta go bye.'

'Wait—'

I end the call without any remorse.

Nik's expression is stormy again, anger boiling just under the surface.

He looks resolute as he walks up to my bed and grabs my packed suitcases, 'You are staying with me, until we figure out who the hell left you these flowers and broke into your apartment.'

'Now hang on just a second. I've got it all sorted, I'm going to my parents place. There's no need to worry.'

He drops the bags with a loud thump and walks up to me grabbing my face in his hands, his expression grave, 'Kiska, you have no idea what kind of sick evil people there are out there in the world.'

I arch a brow at him, 'And you do?'

A shadow passes over his gaze for a moment, and his expression becomes cold. His beautiful green gaze, turning a pale and ghostly green, 'You have no idea.'

That statement floors me. He said it with such a note of finality and melancholy. As if he had committed some grave sins in the past that no amount of atonement can make up for.

I touch his heart, feeling it beat healthy and warm under my palm, 'Listen I may only know a fraction of the evil out there, but I know that there are also good men out there like you that protect people. That's why I am not afraid.'

His gaze is still faraway when he looks at me but some of the zest has returned to it, 'Then come stay with me. Let me protect you.' There's a blossoming bud of hope in his eyes that pricks my heart.

This whole time I had been hesitating for my own selfish reasons. I knew that if I agreed I wouldn't be able to keep my feelings at bay with him. If I stayed in his house and got to see all the parts of himself that he keeps hidden from the world, I'd probably fall for him.

I mean who am I kidding, I probably already have.

That doesn't mean I have to be happy about it or willing when I know that he doesn't want a relationship let alone love.

All we have is something physical. Which is great, but I am starting to want more. Especially when he treats me like this, like I'm someone important to him. But I can't keep denying him any longer, especially because I want to spend more time with him.

I let out a sigh, 'Okay, I'll stay with you. As long as you are sure that I'm not gonna be putting you out or anything.'

Nik smirks at me, 'You definitely won't be, I wouldn't worry about that.'

I stare at him in confusion.

'Hasn't Stev ever showed you pictures of my place?'

'No' I say still not connecting the dots.

He chuckles and grabs my bags, 'Guess you'll just have to see for yourself.'

I raise an eyebrow at him feeling annoyed that I'm the butt of some joke, 'Whatever, you said it. You can't regret it now. I'm gonna be the most annoying roommate you've ever had.'

'You are the first and last roommate I'll ever have at my house.' He says winking at me.

I murmur under my breath, 'You don't even understand what you do to a woman's heart with your words.'

He turns around with an odd expression, 'I didn't catch that, what did you say?'

'Nothing' I grumble scowling at him, he still looks curious about what I said but doesn't inquire further.

We exit my apartment complex and are back in his car when I realise that I forgot to report the break in to the police. I slap my forehead, 'oh my god!'.

'What is it?' he asks.

'I literally forgot to report the damn break in'. In a rush I shuffle around in the back seat looking for my mobile. He puts his arms on mine, halting my efforts, 'Don't worry I told you I would take care of it and I did.'

I stare at him confused, 'What does that even mean?'

'I don't want you to worry about. Just know that I've taken care of everything.' He turns the car on as if that's the end of the conversation.

I groan, 'Come on Nik, you can't expect me to know what that entails?'

He takes his hand off the steering wheel and brushes my cheek softly with his hand and stares at me with a look of protectiveness that warms my heart, 'we're leaving now because the police are coming to check the place and close it off for investigation. My friend Ryka, is going to be leading the investigation and will pop over to my place once your settled in, to take your statement.'

'Oh right, I guess you've got it all covered then.' I say genuinely surprised that he went out of his way to do all of these things for a woman that is just warming his bed for him.

He sits up straight and pumps his fist on his chest in that typical Slavic way, 'O, moy bog of course! What do you take me for? I am a CEO of a billion dollar corporation after all. This kind of thing is a simple thing for me.' He says with a cheeky twinkle in his gaze.

I stare at him with warmth, 'Thank you, I appreciate that.'

He leans down and captures my lips in a soft and dominant kiss that makes me feel all warm and gooey inside. He releases my lips, rubbing my lips with the edge of his thumb in an affectionate manner, 'No thanks needed. But I guess if you really want to, you can thank me later in other ways.' He releases my lips and stares at me with so much carnal desire that the intention is obvious.

I feel breathless but manage to get out, 'Right. Guess we should get to your place then, so I can get settled in.'

He smirks at me, 'Da Kiska.'