“Is it so wrong to want to keep you from killing yourself with work? I’ve never seen a woman work so fucking hard.” There was admiration in his voice. Respect.

That brought her up short. It was genuine. She was a shifter whether or not her leopard had emerged. From a very young age, her female had made her presence known to help her. One of the very first things she’d done was to aid her in hearing truth or lies. He definitely respected her. He meant every word he said.

She pushed a hand through her hair in agitation. He didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with taking over her life. Dictating to her. She knew it was the shifter in him. The leopard. She couldn’t live with his dominance, and that was one thing she wasn’t going to kid herself about—Alonzo Massi, or Fyodor, was an extremely dominant male.

“It isn’t wrong to want to see that I don’ work so hard, Alonzo,” she said patiently, her voice low and soothing. She couldn’t help that either. It was ingrained in her. That soft tone. Defusing every situation. Self-preservation. “If you’re concerned, you should talk to me about how to solve the situation, not just take over.”

“You would argue with me.”

She might just kick him in the shin again. “I’d give you my point of view.”

“It is the same thing. Arguing when there is no need. I don’t do that, woman. I make the best decision and I carry it out. In this case, calling in a cleaning crew and hiring you help alleviates the problem. You go home earlier and have less work. How is that not a good solution?”

“Oh. My. God.” She actually fisted both hands in her hair and pulled. “You’re makin’ me crazy. Fine. Let’s just go before I do somethin’ drastic. And keep your hands to yourself. I mean it. I have no intention of having a physical relationship with you.”

Again his mouth hinted at a smile and for just one brief second, the hard lines in his face softened. “Because you know you can’t resist me. That once I take you, there will be no other man to satisfy you.”

She deliberately rolled her eyes, but she didn’t answer him. He was leopard and he could hear lies.

6

“IN this house you will always call me Fyodor when we are alone,” Alonzo decreed. He had to give that much of himself to her. His real name. The fact that he was Russian and proud of it. He would give her as much of himself as he possibly could.