AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Women,” I reply flatly. “Very attractive women.”
“Like me?”
“Awfully bold of you,” I reply, but I can’t hide a smile. She knows she’s good-looking, and she’s not going to let me say otherwise. It’d be a blatant lie if I did.
Lily pouts her lips, sitting up on the couch and turning her body to me. She parts her legs, putting her hands between her knees and leaning forward. “I doubt you have very many women in your house.”
“What makes you think that?” I ask.
“No hair conditioner,” she says, clearly proud of her deductive reasoning. “My hair is all dry because I had to use your shitty three-in-one shampoo.”
I’ll admit, I’m surprised by how observant she is, but I shouldn’t be. Dimitri practically raised her, and he would’ve taught her to keep her eyes and ears open at all times. That’s a key point in the Bratva. You don’t allow yourself to stop paying attention to the little things.
“I have some observations about you, too, sweetheart,” I say, slowly getting up from the couch across from her. “If you’re willing to hear me out.”
She sits up straight. Crossing her arms and clamping her thighs together. She’s nervous now that I’m closer to her. She only likes to flirt when she knows I’m too far away to do anything about it.
“Say what you will, but I doubt you can read me like you think you can. Even Dimitri was surprised by some of the things about me,” she declares.
“I know you’re single,” I say, taking a slow step toward her.
“Duh, I’m a bitch. I’m practically always single,” she replies.
I love her attitude more than she could possibly know.
I take another step toward her. “I believe you like older men. Maybe they’re more mature, more comforting than guys your age. You’re attracted to strength, and as much as you hate to admit it, danger also excites you.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “I don’t date older guys, sorry. My last boyfriend was six months younger than me.”
“But you’re not together anymore, so that obviously didn’t work out,” I tease, standing over her now. I cast a dark shadow over her face, but her eyes twinkle regardless. She’s not the least bit tired, and neither am I, despite the late hour.
“I wouldn’t date you. I’m leaving tomorrow, anyway. Tonight is the last time we’ll see each other,” she says, but her voice has little confidence left in it.
I lean in, lowering my voice so low that she has to get within an inch of my face to hear it. “Then let’s make tonight a night to remember.”
9
Lily
It was wrong to flirt with Ivan. I feel it in my bones as he leans down in front of me, his lips moving in a hypnotic fashion as he speaks. I played with fire, and now the devil is staring me in the face, tempting me to set myself ablaze.
With all I’ve been through, I have very little to hold me back from self-destruction. Dimitri is gone, the Red Hitters apparently want to torture me for information, and I’m spending the night with a Bratva boss who clearly wants nothing more than to tear my shirt open and devour me on his velvet couch.
I can smell the smoke on his breath, and I wonder if it tastes like my mouth does, or if his experience smoking a cigar is somehow different. I imagine it’s better, but I don’t know why it would be. Maybe I just want to kiss him.
Before I can make my mind up, he makes it up for me, pressing his lips into mine. A jolt of electricity runs through me, making my toes curl and every little hair on my body stand up. I shudder, but I don’t pull away.
Ivan’s hand finds the back of the couch, allowing him to lean in and support himself as his mouth explores mine. I open up to him, and his tongue pushes in, tasting me in ways I’ve never been tasted.
No man has ever kissed me with such raw and unfiltered passion. I have goosebumps on my entire body, and I’m trembling with excitement. He was right when he said I was excited by danger. I’m reckless when I want to feel good, and getting this close to a man so evil and violent is just about as reckless as I can be.
I grab Ivan’s arm, supporting myself with his unwavering strength as waves of euphoric exhilaration hit me. It’s also an excuse to feel the bulge of his muscles underneath his tight-fitting dress shirt. They’ve been calling out to me ever since I saw him naked.
I run my fingers up the grooves of his triceps, reaching his shoulder and lingering there as I’m engulfed in a feeling of pure desire. I need him right now, and I don’t think I can wait for the bedroom.
Never before have I been so willing to give myself to a man I barely know.
Ivan’s free hand finds my face, holding my cheek as blood fills the little veins beneath my skin. His fingers are surprisingly soft, but there are calluses where they meet his palm.
