“Do you want to tell me how you somehow lost and didn’t lose your virginity all in one night? I could really use the distraction.”
I exhaled.
“Fine.”
I leaned back slightly, still holding her.
“It started with my mouth,” I said dryly. “I should’ve kept it shut.”
10
The Honorable Piece of Shit
—Maksym—
Istepped out of Valeria’s building and into the thin morning light, the city still half-asleep and smelling like piss and smoke. I should’ve felt nothing. That was my default—numb, functional, clean-cut detachment. But something was wrong. Something had shifted. There was a faint tug at the corner of my mouth, like the ghost of a smile. A hum in my chest I hadn’t felt in years. No—hell—I don’t think I’ve ever felt it.
And the worst part? I knew exactly what caused it.
I slid into the driver’s seat and shut the door behind me, sealing myself in silence. I picked up the shirt she’d been wearing—myshirt—and brought it to my face. Inhaled like afucking addict. Vanilla and sweat. Skin and sex. The heat of her body still soaked into the cotton. My cock twitched at the memory of her mouth. Her eyes—wild, furious, begging.
I dropped the shirt on the passenger seat and ran a hand down my face, trying to pull myself back to center. It didn’t work.
She was a fucking idiot for going to that club. That part hadn’t changed. Of course she walked into that place like she owned it, tight dress, too much skin, full of fire and zero fear. At least she didn’t take the drug from that bastard.
She could’ve died.
She nearly did.
And I almost didn’t make it in time.
I’d been too slow. Too fucking slow. One minute later and I might’ve found her cold on the floor—or alive and broken, raped and left breathing just enough to remember it. I didn’t know which was worse. The thought tore through me, violent and unforgiving.
I’d thought she’d scream. Cry. Freeze up when she saw what I did—what Ihadto do. I’d painted the floors of that club red for her. But she took it all in without a flicker of fear.
She looked at me like I was her anchor. Like I made sense when the world didn’t.
This morning, I caught something strange—overheard her saying to Valeria that she’d seen worse. Worse than last night. Worse than almost being raped. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. What the fuck had she lived through that mademefeel safe to her? That thought alone coiled tight in my chest. Nothing about it sat right, and I knew sooner or later I’d have to figure out what had been done to her. But for now, my mind drifted back to the night before—how everything had spiraled the moment we stepped inside.
She asked me to bring her home.
From the second she said it, I knew I was fucked. I’d been trying to stay away, because getting close to her meant surrendering control—and I don’t do surrender. But she was scared, and I couldn’t say no. I brought her home like a fool, knowing full well the storm between us was only waiting for a locked door and silence. And once it was there—once we were there—there was no stopping what came next.
And then there was her mouth.
That smart, filthy mouth that got her in trouble just as fast as it made me hard. I’d tried not to touch her. I’d made that promise to myself over and over. She was too young. Too messy. Too fragile, even if she liked to play at being sharp.
But then she brought up Mila.
And I saw red.
Of course she doesn’t know. She couldn’t. But her voice when she said Mila’s name—it cut through me like a dull knife. Mocking. Careless. She had no right to speak it. No right to put her mouth around that name like it didn’t cost me everything.
So I made her regret it.
I was rough on purpose. I made her gag around my cock, made her feel the weight of every wrong word she’d ever said. I thought—maybe if I scared her, she’d stop. Maybe she’d finally be afraid of me. Maybe she would stop romanticizing me.
But she didn’t back down.She didn’t tremble like a girl afraid of monsters.She moaned like she’d found hers.
