Page 12 of Savage Little War

So, when Dmitri finally touches me, I cling like he’s the only solid thing left.

“All of this arson is making me nervous,” I say as I lie on top of him on the couch, my head resting against his chest as he rubs my back.

“I don’t expect it to make you happy,” Dmitri replies, his chest vibrating with amusement.

I lift my head and rest my chin on his chest, peering up at him. I’m glad he’s joking around more, but I fear for his life every single time that he leaves the penthouse. “I have this heavy feeling in my chest.”

Dmitri frowns and pushes a strand of hair out of my face. “Like a bad feeling?”

I nod, my skin tingling where his fingertips graze my cheek. “Every single day when I wake up, especially after you burned down that smuggling hub. They’re going to retaliate, Dmitri. And they don’t care who they hit to get to you.”

“I have patrols looking after my properties and other important Bratva businesses,” Dmitri assures me. “If they try something, we’ll see it fast. And we’ll hit back faster.”

“Stay with me today,” I plead with him as I run my hands up his arms and shoulders. “We’ve barely spent any time together since...”

“I’m sorry,” Dmitri says, sounding genuinely guilty. “I just can’t stop looking for the men who hurt you. They deserve to be punished.”

“I want to find them too,” I assure him. “But I miss you. The thought of being back with you is one of the things that helped me get through what I went through.”

Dmitri holds the back of my shoulders and helps me scoot up his body. “I’m right here,” he says, and his hand doesn’t let go.

I search his eyes as I lean closer to him, hoping that he doesn’t pull away this time when I kiss him. I’m tired of him always pulling away, leaving me feeling unwanted and confused.

Dmitri closes the remaining distance and captures my lips in a gentle kiss, one hand sliding into my hair.

I shut my eyes and melt into him, my hands clutching his shoulders.

Dmitri curls his fingers around my strands of hair, his lips pressing and brushing against mine slowly. He parts his lips, and when his tongue meets mine, heat rolls low in my belly.

Every cell in my body thrums with eagerness as his free hand rests on my hip, his fingertips teasing the skin underneath my shirt.

Dmitri pauses for a second, and I think that he’s going to pull away like usual, but he surges back forward instead, kissing me harder and deeper than before. It’s like the floodgates have finally burst open, and all his pent-up desire is rushing out.

Excitement ignites within me as I slide my hands up to his face, my fingers grazing the stubble covering his jaw. It’s ecstasy on another level feeling his hands all over me again. For a moment, I feared that this wouldn’t ever happen again.

I wonder what changed, but I can’t bring myself to stop and ask him. Like I can’t bring myself to shake things up by telling him that I’m pregnant.

I need to tell him, and I will, but we barely see each other lately. When we are together, I try to just enjoy being near him again. I don’t want the truth to push him away.

Dmitri slowly sits up, coaxing me to lean up and let my legs slide to either side of his waist until I’m straddling him. He moves his hands up my back under my shirt, caressing my bare skin.

I stop myself from grinding on his lap needily, but I don’t stop myself from kissing him deeper.

Dmitri fists the material of my shirt like he’s ready to rip it off my body when he draws away, making my heart sink. “I’d like to take you somewhere.”

My eyebrows lift in interest and surprise. “Where?”

“Somewhere there’s a lot of people so that we can blend in,” Dmitri replies as he loosens his grip on my shirt. “I haven’t taken you out anywhere besides for business.”

A smile splits across my face. “Dmitri Ivanov, are you asking me out on a date?”

He cracks a grin. I’ve missed that smile. “Are you saying yes, milaya?”

I answer by pecking him on the lips. “I’ll go get dressed.”

My heart races happily as I dig through the clothes that Dmitri bought me. It was too dangerous grabbing the ones at my old apartment, but it’s nice to have some new options. The thought of wearing jeans or any type of pants sounds like torture, so I pick a flowy, short skirt, a white shirt, and a jacket to fight any chill in the air that night may bring.

“Ready!” I call out once I’m done fixing my hair and putting on a touch of makeup for the first time in a while.