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“Of course.” I rise, quickly setting my napkin on the table and stepping around my seat to take his arm.
My brothers keep a stiff distance in the foyer. They nod their goodbyes with grudging politeness as the Matron expresses her delight at having seen them all again. Another backhanded comment, seeing as the last time they saw her, she had a knife to Cassio’s throat.
Her exchange with my parents is far less painful. They both demonstrate an overabundance of decorum as they kiss her cheeks and welcome her into the family.
Then, as Pyotr says his own goodbyes, the Matron pauses before me.
“You are a beauty, aren’t you?” she asks smugly, gripping my chin with well-manicured fingers.
“Thank you,” I murmur, heat warming my cheeks.
“I look forward to bringing you to New York. You’ll make a fine wife for my Pyotr.” Her lips turn up in a mocking smile, and then it’s gone almost as quickly as it started. “I’ll be waiting in the car when you’re done saying your farewells, son.”
With that, the Matron turns, exiting with three of the burly Russian guards.
Pyotr shakes my father’s hand. With a nod, Father turns to my brothers.
“Let’s let these two have a moment in private,” he commands, ushering the rest of my family from the foyer.
My brothers look like they’re about to protest until I give them a reassuring smile. I can manage a few moments alone with Pyotr. I’m not that helpless. And I better get used to it before he takes me to New York. Where I’ll be on my own.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Silvia,” Pyotr murmurs, his slight accent growing thicker as he steps close to me.
“I’m glad we met,” I agree, tipping my head back to meet his silver gaze.
The crisp, masculine scent of apple, birch, and ambergris fills my nose as Pyotr leans dangerously close. His eyes hold mine, peering deep into my soul.
“Moye vladeniye,” he breathes, his lips mere inches from mine.
I don’t know what it means, but the liquid Russian words pour from his lips with a spellbinding effect, leaving me powerless to the draw pulling me toward him.
He pinches my chin lightly between his finger and thumb, tilting my face up as the air catches in my lungs. Then he captures my lips in a chaste kiss. My eyes flutter closed as fireworks crackle across my flesh.
No one’s ever been so bold with me before. The heat of excitement burns through my veins at the intense connection. Like a live wire, I spark from my first kiss. His lips are full and soft and shockingly gentle. And then, slowly, Pyotr withdraws.
A shiver runs down my spine as I open my eyes to find his.
“Good night, Princess,” he whispers, his face hovering dangerously close to mine.
I desperately want to feel our connection again, to close the distance between us. But I’m not nearly brave enough to initiate another kiss. “Good night,” I breathe.
A smile dances across his lips, and then he’s gone. Stepping through the front door, he disappears into the night, his guards ghosting behind him.
Holy hell.Our marriage might be arranged, but I’ve never felt anything like that before. Excitement hums through my veins, and my lips tingle with the memory of our kiss. Slowly, I run my fingers across them, reveling in the new and dangerously enticing sensation. Maybe marrying Pyotr Veles won’t be the end of the world like I’d thought.
If that’s what kissing is like, I could get used to a lifetime of it.
1
SILVIA
Two Months Later
Breathing in the hot late-August air, I smile as I look across the Rosehill campus. Over my summer vacation, I’ve missed the open greenspace that stretches between the art buildings. It’s nice to be back at school.
Across the way, Emily and Travis make their way up the steps of the graystone arts building, Travis gesturing animatedly as he tells some story–probably one of his summer adventures. His deep purple hair, streaked with cerulean blue, is like a beacon across the distance between us.
I take a step in their direction, ready to join my classmates for our first-period sculpting class. Then I stop short. Heart skipping a beat, I frown as I look more closely at the tall, dark-haired figure heading in my direction.
