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“Another time, perhaps. I am afraid I must catch up with my brother,” Marat replied, removing her hands from his body, and stepping back.
I watched as emotions I didn’t think he had crossed Marat’s face. Anger and repugnance were the most prominent. I felt bad. It must have been hard being called a pup, and Adrik’s body vibrated with what I recognized was that humming growl he made when angered. I couldn't hear it because of the noise, but he was obviously upset. I pressed my hand to his chest and moved my body closer, wanting to comfort him.
“You okay?” I asked Marat, feeling Adrik’s eyes on me while I addressed his brother.
“Of course I am. Brother, I hope you don’t mind me saying, but you look beautiful tonight, Sofia,” Marat said, slipping his casual playboy mask back on.
“I don’t mind if you compliment her, as long as it’s in front of me. Besides, she does look beautiful,” Adrik agreed, lowering his gaze to my breasts, and squeezing my waist.
“Standing right here, guys,” I muttered, feeling my cheeks burn as they spoke about me like I wasn’t even there.
Marat smirked, and I rolled my eyes. The ass. I was starting to think of him as an annoyance, but I knew Adrik loved him so I supposed kicking him in the shin would be wrong. We stood together a little while, before I noticed Marat’s gaze sharpen on something or someone across the room.
“He’s here,” he said to Adrik.
“Fine,” he growled, turning to me. “I must talk to our host alone for a few minutes, but Marat will watch out for you while I am gone. Okay?”
“Sure, but I am okay alone,” I said, not wanting to stir up any lingering feelings he might have about me and his brother no matter how misguided.
I did not want Marat. Not in the slightest.
“Not tonight, Zaika. This deal has brought out some unsavory characters and I need you protected at all times. My brother will watch you.”
And that was that I supposed. He leaned down to kiss me, and it was the first time in my life a man did something like that in public. Tipping my head back, he captured me by the neck and face, laying claim to my mouth and completely ruining me for any other man ever. By the time he lifted his head, his obsidian eyes flashed, and he ran his thumb over my bottom lip, tugging it slightly.
“When I come back, we are leaving and I am going to fuck this mouth, make it mine. Say yes, Zaika,” he growled low enough for my ears only.
My body sizzled. I felt my nipples harden beneath the dress and my panties absolutely soaked by my sudden and heady arousal. I nodded my head, but Adrik would not be persuaded to let go of my lower lip until he heard me agree verbally, so I did.
“Yes,” I replied, heat filling my vision as I stared up at him.
His smoldering gaze was nearly my undoing, but somehow, I managed to stand there and not turn into a puddle of goo. He turned around quickly and walked across the room to where Matthew Castle stood with his sister, Missy. She was staring right at us, and the look that crossed her face was something I had never seen on the flighty woman before. She looked positively green with envy. That wasn’t a look I usually got from other women, especially not wealthy women like Missy.
Why would she be jealous of me? Oh, because of Adrik. Duh. Too bad she didn’t know he was only with me because of the fucked up arrangement we had. He wasn’t in love with me. He didn’t want me for keeps. And knowing that almost sent me to my knees every time I thought it.
“What has you so pensive, little Sofia?” Marat asked, snagging a flute of champagne from a passing server, and handing it to me.
“Oh, nothing. Just my ex-boss is glaring at me from over there,” I replied, motioning towards where Adrik was standing talking to Matthew.
“Missy? Yes, well, she’s had her eye on Adrik for a long time now,” Marat replied and shrugged.
“She has? I worked for her for months, and I never heard her mention him,” I said, stunned to hear the news.
“Yes, well, she made the mistake of thinking Adrik liked women who played hard to get. She simply did not understand he did not want her. Period.”
“Really?” I said, stunned.
Missy was spoiled, but she was beautiful. I’d never known her to play anything or anyone long-term. Like most of the elite, she thought life was a game with a running score. To Missy, it all depended on how many likes she had or comments to determine whether or not she’d won. Was it wrong I was glad she hadn’t won in this case? Maybe. But that was the selfish part of me that wanted to keep Adrik. The childish part that secretly believed it was possible for the ex-crime lord to love me.
Foolish little girl.
“You know,” Marat started, looking pensive as she leaned down to talk to me. “I have been digging into Matthew Castle. Both Adrik and I, but we can’t find a single reason why he is withholding the sale of CoreTech. He needs the money. Castle Corps is practically drowning in debt,” he said, and I wondered why he was talking to me about it.
I knew nothing of that kind of business or finance or any of it. So, I shrugged and replied with the one connection he might have been trying to make.
“I don’t know,” I said, nibbling my lip. “My job was handling Missy’s social calendar. I did not have any direct contact with Matthew except for meetings, and the man gave me the creeps.”
“What meetings?” Marat asked.
