Drake Sisters 06 - Turbulent Sea

either,' Ilya pointed out. He waited impatiently for the man to administer the shot to Joley's arm, before placing her on the bed. The medic went out, closing the door, leaving the two of them alone.
    Joley tried to say something, to stop her worst nightmare from happening, but no sound came out. She hadn't been able to bring herself to come right out and tell Jerry that she had worries about whether or not Ilya was in the Russian mob. And she certainly wasn't going to admit to sleeping with him. The best she could do was push ineffectually at him with her hand.
    Ilya pretended not to notice her distress. 'Lie back. I'll get you some orange juice. You can drink that while I finish sewing you up.'
    She made a face at his back, struggling into a semi-sitting position that made her feel less vulnerable. 'You're not coming near me with a needle.' She meant to sound firm, but her voice was thin and a little hoarse, as if her throat was raw.
    He shot her a quelling look. 'Don't waste your energy on arguing. You couldn't fight your way out of paper bag, Joley.' He pushed the glass of juice into her hand and pulled her arm closer to him to inspect it. Swearing under his breath, he placed his hands over the wound and sent warmth to speed healing and hopefully numb the area while he worked.
    Tears coursed down her cheeks, but Joley didn't complain or try to pull away from him. He was as gentle as he could be.
    'John Dylan is the member of your crew who you thought was friends with Dean. Dylan paid two kids to plant the charge to bring down the platform. He told them it was only going to shake the platform and he'd record you falling on your butt for the Internet. They thought it would be "cool." Stupid kids.'
    Joley let out her breath and pressed her free hand to her mouth to keep from weeping. Her arm hurt like hell, and Ilya's touch was so gentle it ripped at her heart. T didn't do anything to him. I didn't even talk to him.'
    'He knows you spotted him. He doesn't know how, but he knows you did. He's covering something up and doesn't want you questioning him or telling anyone that he was the one you saw that night with Dean.'
    'He'll figure I told you. You were with me.' 'He'll try to kill me.' Ilya was matter-of-fact. 'I'm going to give him his opportunity'
    She sucked in her breath sharply. 'That's stupid. You aren't a stupid man.'
    He paused for a moment and waited until she looked up at him. 'In some areas, I can be very stupid, Joley. I hurt you and I'm sorry for that.'
    Her stomach protested the turn in the conversation. She didn't want him to be nice. She didn't want him near her at all, because she didn't trust herself. She was weak when it came to Ilya, and just like every other person in the world, where she was weak, she could make a terrible mistake. 'Don't worry about it. I'm a big girl.'
    His eyes glittered dangerously and her pulse leapt. 'Joley, whatever happened the other night…'
    'Stop. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. I'm tired, Ilya. And I have to catch a plane tonight. I hurt like hell and I think someone's trying to kill me. If I had any idea why, maybe I could figure it out, but I don't, so I'm screwed. I don't want you talking to me, or being nice to me, or pretending there's anything at all but sex between us, because you made it clear there wasn't. I don't like mixed signals, so don't throw them at me, especially now.'
    He bent over her, forcing her across the pillow. The deep sea of his eyes went from calm to stormy. 'You're running from yourself, and the things you need in a relationship, not from me. I might not say what you want to hear, but there are no mixed signals. I'm fully committed to you. Now. Always.'
    Her heart slammed hard in her chest, and as hard as she tried, her body went into meltdown from his aggression, his strength, the raw possession and hunger in his eyes. Even with one hand wrapped around her throat, his thumb tipping her face up toward him and his thick chest weighing her down, she realized he was careful of her arm, careful to keep from jarring her. 'You want sex, Ilya. You don't want to share who or what you are.' Her gaze slid from his. 'You know you can rule me in the bedroom, so yeah, it's probably a great turn-on for you.'
    'Be very careful what you say to me, Joley. I know you're hurt, and you're pushing me away, but sooner or later we're going to be alone together and you're going to have to face everything you've said or