AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Vitaly smiles. “I told you. The sticks are too thin. I’m used to something with more girth.”
Even with Matvey’s hands still guiding mine, I’m laughing too hard to make it a good shot, and the ball rolls uselessly across the table, barely nudging the solid red ball I was aiming for.
“Sorry,” I say around another laugh.
Matvey kisses my cheek. “No worries, baby. We’re still going to win.”
And thanks to him, we do. By the time the game is over, Emily is asleep with her head resting on Roman’s lap, Simona and Danil have already called it a night, and Lev is whispering something in his wife’sear that has her blushing a deep red before she laughs and pulls him out of the room.
I watch them disappear, happy for them even as a stab of jealousy hits me. I wish I could grab Matvey’s hand and lead him upstairs, not a care in the world except whether or not we’d actually make it to the bed before he bends me over and slides into me. The longing that shoots through me is almost a physical pain, and when I feel Matvey’s arms wrap around me, I lean into his touch, needing the comfort.
“I hate to see you looking so sad,malishka. It breaks my heart.”
“I’m fine.” I force a smile and meet his dark eyes, but he sees right through it.
“You don’t ever need to lie to me. Tell me you’re sad, tell me you feel like shit and don’t want to get out of bed, tell me to go to hell because you’re sick of me suffocating you, but please don’t ever lie to me.”
“I could never get sick of you, Matvey.” I watch my brother pick up his sleeping, pregnant wife, scowling at him when I think about his still-healing wound. He smiles as he walks by.
“I’m fine. Stop worrying.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to be doing that with your stitches,” I remind him.
He laughs and keeps walking. They’re all just as stubborn as I remember them being. Proving my point, when we’re alone and I turn back to meet Matvey’s eyes, he’s waiting for me to finish telling him why I’d looked so sad.
“I’m fine.”
When he raises a dark brow at me, I sigh and add, “I just got a little jealous because I wish I could grab your hand and pull you to bed.”
“Why can’t you?”
“You know why.”
His face softens at my words. “That’s not what I mean. If you want to take me to bed, take me to bed. If all we do is hold each other and fall asleep, then that’s all we do.” He smiles and gives me a quick kiss. “I’ll still love it.”
“You’re too good for me.”
He shakes his head at my words. “I’ll never be good enough.” Lowering his head so our lips are almost touching, he whispers, “But you can still take me to bed,malishka.”
The heat of his breath against my lips has my own parting. My fingers clutch his shirt, gripping tightly as I close the distance and kiss him. He swallows my groan when his tongue runs along mine. His hand cups the back of my head, gently fisting my hair, and when both his hands drop to my waist so he can pick me up and set me on the pool table, I moan his name against his lips. When I spread my knees, he stands between them. I feel the hard length of him against me, but when memories threaten to overtake me, I start to pull back.
“Easy, baby,” he whispers against my lips. His hands cup my cheeks. “It’s me.” His scarred thumb traces a path along my skin. “It’s just me.”
I nod and let out a shaky breath. “I know it’s you. I’m okay now.”
He waits, making sure I really am okay before he gently kisses me again. My hands run through his hair, pulling him closer, and when I start to hear Konstantin’s voice in my ear and smell the first hint of sandalwood, I force myself to ignore it. I won’t let him steal this moment from me. I’m determined to see this through.
Tightening my legs around Matvey, I give his tongue a hard suck before pulling back to say, “Take me to bed.”
I know he wants this as badly as I do, so when I give his bottom lip another soft suck, he groans and slides his hands under my ass, lifting me up with ease. He carries me down the hall to our room, kicking the door shut behind him before quickly closing the distance to the bed. My legs stay locked around him when he lowers me to the bed, and when I’m laying against the mattress, I rock my hips, stunned by how good it feels. It’s been so long since I’ve felt anything good between my legs. It’s been nothing but pain and suffering, and I want so badly to feel something good and erase all the bad.
“Alina.”
His raspy voice is a question and a plea and a declaration all atonce, and when I grip the bottom of his shirt and start to pull it up, he lets me, understanding that this is my answer.
“Fuck, baby,” he growls, sliding a hand up my shirt so he can cup one of my breasts. His thumb grazes my lace-covered nipple, forcing me to arch off the bed. My fingers run over his scarred back, savoring the feel of him beneath my hands once more.
Such a good fucking pet.
