AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not yet. We’re going out tonight.”
“Where and why? I’m exhausted.” It’s true, I am tired. The beach really took it out of me and I just want to shower, crawl into bed, and forget about the world. Forget about a dark-haired, brooding man.
“We’re going racing,” he says with a grin, “And it’s time to make a certainD’yavolyjealous.”
Leo wants to take me street racing with him to make Nikolai jealous. Wow, who even is he? Usually, he only races the Russians to prove he’s better, and he generally is. But this time he wants to rub in Nikolai’s face that heownsme. As if I’m a house.Hisproperty.
Fuck him.
“Fine,” I say with a sigh, “Let me get ready.”
“Dress to break necks, sweetheart.”
“‘Kay.”
An hour later, I’m dressed in high-waisted shorts that show my ass a little at the bottom, combat boots, and a crop top that may as well be a bra. I styled my dark hair straight this time and put on winged eyeliner that makes my green eyes pop. I apply red lipstick and call it a day, not bothering to put makeup on my face.
“Let’s go, we’re going to be late,” Leo says as I go down the stairs.
Yeah, yeah.
I don’t say shit, though; I just follow him out to his gun-metal gray Porsche 718 Cayman. I’ve been in it enough times that it doesn’t faze me anymore, but I can’t deny the black leather seats and sleek design are gorgeous. Still not better than the McLaren I was riding in today, but I won’t say that.
The sigh of relief I expel when he closes the door makes me relax a little, yet I’m nervous that I’ll mess this up somehow. I don’t want to be with Leo in front of him. It feels wrong after what I did today. Everything feels wrong. I’m not sure why that is.
The truth is Leo and I won’t be together until we’re married. The papers matter to my family. They expect nothing from me until the deal is signed and sealed. They know I can be rebellious. Even still, I’m always scared shitless to piss them off and get killed. Anything could trigger it, really, but specifically fucking around with Nikolai would cause my father to lose his shit. He would’ve killed Nikolai all those years ago if he knew.
Leo speeds all the way over to the deserted parking lot, right next to the famous bridge where it all goes down. I should be surprised there are never cops on this street, but I’m not. They’re more than likely being paid off for one night of fun a week or some shit. Rich kid shit. More like Bratva and Cosa Nostra shit. The police in this town know that these two crime families, and others, have been here for decades, and we are all kind of untouchable. The money this town generates, well, a lot of it is thanks to us.
He parks the car away from the others, and my heart stops beating when I see the McLaren.HisMcLaren. Leo gets out of the car and comes around to open my door, holding out his hand to help me out. I take it and smile, trying not to give my annoyance away. I don’t want to be here, knowing Leo is going to do something stupid. I just know it.
We walk toward the others gathered in a large group, but Leo stops mid-walk and grabs me by the arm, tugging me closer. His grip is tight, and with his free hand cups my ass and grabs it roughly as his lips crash against mine. There’s no spark though, no electricity. No fireworks. There’snothingat all.
I open my eyes just as Leo thrusts his tongue into my mouth, tasting of mint, and my eyes connect with Nikolai’s. Every emotion he showed me through those silver eyes is gone. Now they’re gray like ash, like the remnants of a wildfire.
Like that night.
He keeps looking at me with hard eyes. Blank. Cold. Deprived of any life. Nothing like he was earlier, but I guess that’s what happens when you mess up. How am I supposed to seduce him and make him want me when Leo pulls this shit?
Nikolai looks away first, his face hard as stone, and I close my eyes. It’s because I want to enjoy this kiss, try to see if I can feel something. Definitely not because I feel rejected by the man who killed my brother.
He killed your brotherstùpida.
After what feels like forever, lots of conversation and not one glance from Nikolai, we finally go back to the car and get in. Leo drives out of the lot slowly, then goes to the right lane, aligning himself with Nikolai’s McLaren. I see Leo staring over at him with a smile while I keep my eyes forward, not interested in how this will go down. He reaches over and grabs my breast, kneading it firmly between his fingers, and my mouth opens on a gasp.
“Stop putting on a show,” I tell him, getting angry.
“Thank me later…” he says with a chuckle.
The girl in what looks to be lingerie raises the flag, and Leo revs the engine. She signals for the race to start, and both guys zoom past her. There’s straight paths and also turns, but no matter how sharp the turns are he doesn’t slow down for them.
Nikolai’s McLaren is ahead of us by a lot, and Leo just keeps pushing and pushing his car. It scares me thinking it’s going to blow up like in the movies about racing. I guess it’s a possibility, right?
“I’m gonna beat him, watch.”
I shake my head, “Stop, Leo!”
Before he can do it, Nikolai speeds up even more and finishes the race, getting to the spot where everyone is waiting. He doesn’t stop, not even to celebrate. Rather, he keeps going until he’s completely out of sight.
