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This was it.
Fuck. Maria was hooked deep inside my heart, buried far within reach, in a place I’d never felt before. Not in all the years I had spent with countless other women.
It fucking terrified me, yet here I was—playing the wild card. Playing with fate. This sweet Angel was shaking the grounds, the firm, iron-fisted control I had over everything. My life. My business. My fucking empire.
There was no going back.
Chapter 13
Maria
My eyes fluttered open and closed, the bright sunlight affecting my sight. I eventually decided to keep my eyes closed and just burrow deeper into the warmth penetrating my naked back.
The band of steel around my hips made me smile, and I placed a hand over it. Lyov’s hold was firm yet gentle. Strong and protective. In his sleep, his grip tightened around my waist, and I felt him pulling me closer.
I melted into his embrace and stayed quiet. It was early in the morning. Usually Lyov would always wake up before me and leave our bed, but never before feeling my lips against his. I would wake up, my lips tingling from his morning kiss, and I would watch him leave. Then, I would fall back asleep in my small, little happy cocoon.
But today was different. Today, I had a chance to admire Lyov in the morning light.
Turning around in his embrace without waking him up, I wrapped an arm around his waist and cuddled into him. My head rested on his chest, and I listened to his heartbeat.
Slow. Calm. Steady.
Everything it wasn’t when he made love to me. Every time.
Three weeks ago, I had seen another side of Lyov, when he first made love to me. He was always in control. Commanding. The aura around him was always dark, something akin to menace. There was nothing sweet about Lyov Ivanshov.
But with his body against mine, his icy grey eyes had softened and his expression had held something of wonder. The liquid fear in the pit of my belly had melted away, turning into something else. A sensation that had my body respond to him.
It had been a sweet ache between my legs as I welcomed him into my body and allowed him to take my virginity.
He laid on top of me. Our chests pressed together. And with our bodies connected, in the aftermath of our lovemaking, I had felt his heartbeat.
Strong. Hard. Fast. There was nothing steady or controlled about his reaction. His heart pounded against mine, and his chest rose and fell fast. He held me tightly as if he never wanted to let me go.
And I held him back. Because I never wanted to let him go either.
We had been breathless, and our heartbeats had created a song.
My hands traveled up his arms, and I could feel his muscles underneath. His bicep bunched under my wandering touch, and a smile tugged at my lips. Every inch of him was hard and defined.
I looked up and up until my eyes were on his perfectly sculptured face. He hadn’t shaved for a few days, so his jaw was covered with some rough stubble. I liked it.
I liked it even more when he would purposely rub his face against my naked skin to tickle me. His eyes would light up at the sound of my laughter; that was how I knew he loved it.
“Good morning.”
My eyes widened, and I automatically hid my face in Lyov’s chest. His chest vibrated with his chuckle, and my cheeks heated in slight embarrassment.
“There’s nothing wrong with you checking me out, Angel,” he rasped, his voice gravelly with sleep.
His fingers were in my hair, and he tugged until I was forced to look up into his teasing eyes.
I cleared my throat and pouted. “You’re teasing me now.”
He leaned his head and gave me a loud, smacking kiss on my pouty lips. “And I love this pout. So freaking cute.”
I stuck my tongue out, and he laughed even harder. “See? Cute,” he tried to convince me.
He took my palm and placed it flat on his cheek. “Explore all you want, baby. It’s all yours, and you know it.”
I couldn’t hide the smile. My fingers explored, and when they reached his lips, he kissed them. My heart warmed, and my stomach did somersaults.
Could he be any more perfect than this?
His fingers traced some patterns over my lips where the bedsheet had ridden low. We were both naked from last night’s activities. It was how every night ended.
I spent the morning with Lyov in bed. The rest of the day with Lena. Oh, bless her sweet soul. I was absolutely in love with this tiny woman whose heart was a gigantic place of warmth and love. Lyov and I would have all our meals together.
And after dinner—Lyov and I were inseparable. Sometimes, I would play the piano. Other times, I would read him a story, a book I found in his library. He would be quiet, just listening to me read to him.
