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“Finance.” I wasn’t putting all my eggs in one basket, hoping for a football career, but I was one of the top recruits in the state. However, if it didn’t work out, I thought any type of degree in business would be a solid decision.
“That’s a sensible choice.”
Artynom’s cell chimed beside his plate, and he frowned as he studied the screen. “Excuse me, I have to take this.” He stood up and walked over to the edge of the lawn, running a hand through his hair as his phone was stuck to his ear. Arty constantly received calls at all times of the day. The man was driven by his work and charities he sponsored. As if I couldn’t help it, I turned my attention back to my sister.
“You look like you would rather be anywhere than here.” Sorina spread some caviar on a cracker.
I raised an eyebrow. “Why? The company here is so pleasant.”
She smirked and took another deliberate bite for my benefit. “The only one who is less than pleasant tonight is you.”
“Because I don’t fawn over you like Arty does?”
She sniffed, like she found my company distasteful, before shoving the rest of the cracker in her mouth. “Someone is snippy tonight. Maybe you need a hug.”
I didn’t need a hug. I needed to fuck. I tugged on my collar, wishing the champagne glass was filled with something stronger…like vodka. “I need something,” I mumbled, wishing I could skip this dinner and head over to my friend Mike’s house for the graduation party. I had a handful of girls on speed dial at my beck and call. Who wouldn’t bother the shit out of me and drive me nuts. Who weren’t off-limits. Who didn’t try to pry into my life. Instead, I was here…sparring with Sorina.
I also wondered why Arty had kept the information about Irina to himself.What sins was he talking about? I knew he carried guilt, but shouldn’t Sorina know the truth? Obviously, Arty had some twisted obsession with Irina after all these years. Was I destined to have the same fate? The thought popped up unexpectedly.Christ. I was losing my goddamn mind. I downed the remaining champagne and poured another glass, cursing myself to perdition with my unfiltered thoughts.
“You should be happy. You’ve graduated. You’re about to embark on a new journey.” Sorina’s sing-song voice cut through my fucked-up thoughts.
“Are we having a moment? Because I feel like I’m watching an episode of a cheesy high school sitcom.”
She laughed. “For you to even make that analogy is funny. I assumed you would’ve left your grumpy attitude at home for tonight, since this is a special occasion.” She grabbed an oyster and doctored it up with horseradish and cocktail sauce before holding the half shell to me. “Haven’t you heard? The world is your oyster.”
I narrowed my eyes at her in suspicion. Her subtle taunting was grating on my last nerve.
“Go on, take it.” She nudged it closer to me. “I hear oysters are an aphrodisiac.”
She had a smug look on her face, and her act to be cute made me want to wring her neck. But if she wanted to tease, I would indulge her. “I don’t need a fucking aphrodisiac.” I clutched her wrist, tugging it toward my mouth, sucking down the raw oyster. She was leaned over the table as I still held her firmly. The swell of her tits pressed against the fitted bodice of her dress. Her flushed skin was tempting me to drag my tongue over her smooth curves and taste. The urge was so strong I had to steady my nerves.
Then, fuckingthen,she asked, “What is it you want, Dmitri?” My name rolled off her tongue like a seductive request, teasing me, making my dick tighten against my pants. Perhaps she didn’t understand she was playing with fire, or maybe she did.
“I want…” My words were heavy as I stared at her tits before me. The thought that my erection strained painfully against my zipper was disturbing. And this wasn’t the first time it’d happened, which made me wonder if I was some kind of sick reprobate. However, I held on to my disdain and said something that would piss her off. “I want you to stop throwing yourself at me. It’s embarrassing.”
“What?” She yanked her hand out of my grip. “You’re delusional if you think—”
“This is your play at seeking attention, isn’t it?”
Instead of denying it, she said, “Why not?” She slapped her hands down on the edge of the table and snarled in my face. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “I have to get attention somewhere, since you’ve basically run off every person at school who tried to get to know me. Thank god you’ll be gone soon, because things will besodifferent next year.”
She knew exactly what buttons to push with me, and I fought to devour her mouth into silence. Prove just how much attention I would give her if she provoked me enough. Make her remember and ruin her for all the others. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes glittered. I gripped her chin. “Be careful what you wish for,zaychik.” Without thinking, I traced her bottom lip with my thumb. She trembled under my touch. I was seconds away from making a bad decision. A very bad decision, and I was almost to the point of not caring one way or another. This was inexplicable. I released her and sat back in my chair, attempting to feign a casualness that was far from the truth. “Try to control yourself for the rest of dinner.”
She opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. Artynom stepped back into the picture, pocketing his phone, and Sorina lowered herself in her chair, glowering at me like she would love to say more, but knew she couldn’t. He studied both of us, and his ice-blue eyes leveled on me like I did something questionable. I gave him a blank stare. “Business call?”
He nodded and smoothed his tie, taking his seat again.
Dinner passed without another incident. Sorina excused herself to go to the restroom, and like a moth to a flame, I watched the sway of her firm, well-rounded ass as she walked away. Fighting every instinct to shoot out of my chair and follow her and get her alone…
I heard the chink of silverware on a plate and settled my attention on my father. I leaned back in my chair, crossing my legs leisurely. “Everything okay with work?”
“Everything is fine.” He frowned at me before meticulously wiping his mouth with his napkin. “The eyes want what it cannot take,” he said quietly.
I traced the stem of my champagne glass, saying nothing. His words were a veiled threat, and I wasn’t foolish enough to demand he elaborate. Arty was throwing out subtle warnings. The message was very clear. He was too astute to be a fool.
They say nothing good happens after two in the morning. That’s why I showed up back home at five a.m. The graduation party was supposed to be epic. To most, it was. After finishing dinner, I jumped in my car, making a beeline to Mike’s house, with the full intention of getting drunk, debauched, and anything else in between. This would be the last blow-out party of my senior year. All my focus was forgetting abouther,because she was seeping into my veins like a potent shot of heroin, making me think about her far too much—and not in a brotherly way. There was no rhyme or reason for the way I felt. I must’ve been bored. A change of scenery would do me good.
When I arrived at Mike’s, I made it my fucking mission to indulge myself. Act like the king I was at this school. All I had to do was crook a finger and I could have anything I wished. Guys were envious of me, and girls wanted to be with me. I wasn’t complaining.
