AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I truly hope you find someone you never want to end it with. Because I want you to experience the feeling of when they want to end it with you.”
He frowns, but I don’t care. Walking away from him, I go into the dining room, where Maxim and Francesca are seated at an intimate table for four. His eyes are glued to her, making me uncomfortable—like he’d much rather have her be his meal.
A waiter I hadn’t noticed steps forward and pulls out a chair for me opposite her. The table is neatly made up with shiny cutlery and a few tall candles in the center. Milton takes his seat beside me, opposite Maxim. With a click of a finger, four male waiters step forward to put dishes before us, pulling off the dome lids simultaneously. The food looks delicious. I just don’t have an appetite.
“I hope you enjoy,” Maxim says.
“This looks nice….” Milton glances at Francesca as his knife slices into the morsel on his plate. “And rich in iron.”
Maxim clears his throat, but I don’t miss the small smile lifting the corners of his mouth at what Milton said. I’m clearly on the outside of a joke. Even Francesca flinches with knowing.
“So, Milton…” Maxim takes a bite of his meat, chews, and then swallows. “You had a visitor.”
Leaning back, Milton takes a sip of wine. “I did...”
“Thatpodonokis getting brave.” Maxim sounds deadly as he says this. I don’t know what he just said, but the word was laced with venom. “How did he have access?”
“I gave it to him.” There’s a clatter. Maxim’s fork has fallen onto his plate.
He wipes his mouth with his napkin, and I jump when he suddenly slams it down. “Outside.”
Maxim’s chair scrapes against the hardwood floor as he gets up and storms out of the room. Milton stands with a sigh, but before following Maxim, he stops behind me and bends down to my ear. My back instantly straightens, my breath hitching when I feel him breathe me in.
“I’m not sure what you think you heard earlier…” My heart vibrates as he whispers this down my ear. I’m not sure Francesca can hear—I can’t look her in the eye. “But we’re not finished. Not when I plan on doing terrible things to you while wearing this dress.”
Then he’s gone, walking away. When he’s out of sight, I sag in my seat. Francesca does the same. As I reach for my wine and take a gulp, I can’t believe him. He’s not just hot and cold. He’s lava and ice—a catastrophic contradiction.
After a few moments of silence, I can’t take it anymore. “I’m not sure if we’re allowed to speak to each other…but your boyfriend is scary.”
She flinches. “He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Oh…I just thought…never mind. Are you from around here?”
“Horn Hill,” she says. It’s wary. Stilted. I get it—she doesn’t know me. Usually, people who ask too many questions want something.
“I’m from there too.” She gives me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes, though she does seem like she’s trying to figure out if we’ve ever met before. We haven’t. I would’ve remembered her.
“I’m sorry you are,” she murmurs, and I smile weakly. So shedoeshave a sense of humor.
Right at that moment, Maxim throws open the door and saunters back inside with a black stare. Milton’s right behind him, his own clouded with frustration. Their argument has riled them both up. Enough for Maxim to growl out, “Kotyonok.”
Rising from her chair, Francesca leaves with Maxim.
“Leave us,” Milton addresses the staff in the room. They file out one by one, and I take a sip of wine for liquid courage that only adds to my panic. Once the door closes, he turns slowly to me. “What do you think you heard?”
“You told Hilary that we needed to end.” No point in delaying. We were bound for this road.
He surprises me by letting out a laugh. I turn to glare at him. That’s all he can do?Laughat me? He lets out a long, drawn-out sigh next and shakes his head. “That’s not what I was talking about.”
Shoving back my chair, I head for the door, not wanting to stick around to hear this bullshit. My legs are weightless from the alcohol like I’m floating. It slows me down, and he’s already there, invading my senses and space, putting himself between me and the exit—not that there are many places to go.
Slamming my hands into his chest, I try and shove him back. He doesn’t move. I go to push him again, but he grabs my wrists and pushes me back. Back. Back some more. I gasp out when I fall against a wall, his hips pinning me as I struggle out of his grasp. His expression’s like stone, lips thinly pressed, but his eyes are excited. As is his cock. Hard and digging into my stomach. Enough to draw a shudder from me. “Get.Off. Me.”
“It’s not what I meant.” Each word grates my chest. When our eyes meet again, he’s back to being angry. “Have you not listened to a word I’ve said?”
“I’ve listened to enough.”
“Hilary was expressing concern for you. In fact, she begged for you to stay with me.” His grip on me tightens until it’s close to being painful. “But you can’t be here. Not while I’mtryingto fucking protect you, which was the original agreement—”
