27. Ilias
ILIAS
G alena was propped up in bed with her Kindle, a smile ghosting over her lips as I entered the room, already peeling off my shirt. She was wearing a thin white tank, and even from here I could see the shadow of her nipples.
Christ, during dessert when she’d taken a piece of baklava with her fingers and licked the honey off them slowly, it had been so hot.
She hadn’t even been aware at first that I was watching her.
The pink tip of her tongue, with the shimmer of sugar on her mouth, as she savored each bite, had made me want to touch her then.
I’d wanted to slide my fingers between her thighs and rub into her pussy until she came.
Of course, I’d had to be a gentleman, and we’d had company.
She looked up, taking in everything at a glance. “Hey. How was your conversation with your sister?”
I gave her the rundown while I stripped to my boxers before climbing into bed next to her. Galena turned to face me, curling on her side, her hair loose around her shoulders. She was so beautiful with those eyes of hers and the blush of her cheeks.
She tucked an arm beneath her head, giving me her attention as I talked. “She feels betrayed. Sounds like she’s right to feel that way, but you love her. It’ll work out. You made the first step to open the door to the truth. That was the right thing to do.”
“Thanks, sunshine . I needed to hear that.” I tilted forward and brushed noses with her. “Dinner was fun. Seeing you with Theo and Angelo. Theo is a little bit of a wildcard.” I brushed a hand over one of her hips and the curve there, savoring the silkiness of her skin.
“She’s awesome.” Her eyes lit up. “I like her.”
“I’m glad.” I paused for a minute and then continued, “How are you doing? After today.” Worry for her penetrated the question.
We hadn’t had a chance to talk about what had gone down at the warehouse yet, since we’d had company at the house immediately.
She’d seemed to need the noise, but I knew more than anyone that even though someone deserved to die, taking that life still took a toll.
She scooted closer to me, so our bodies nearly touched, and she nestled against me.
“I don’t feel bad that they’re dead or that I killed them.
” The words were thoughtful, her lips brushing against my chest, her fingers tracing a small star pattern there.
“My mother didn’t deserve what happened to her.
She was a good person.” I pulled her closer, placing a hand on her back.
“After everything happened,” her voice hitched.
“I realized that I didn’t know her that well.
And after I met you and Maxim, I saw there was a whole other side to her life.
I have a lot of questions, but I also know that she was brave to leave with me. ”
My heart broke for her as I felt a tear hit my chest, and she sniffled. Her mother had been very brave to take Galena and run. Both Maxim and Dimitri had their own stories of Alexei’s reign of terror during their childhoods, and it wasn’t pretty.
“She fought for me so hard. Her whole life. I owed it to her to do it myself.” She gave another little sob. “Can we just lie here?”
“Yeah, baby. Let me hold you.” Pulling her close, I held her as the tears started in earnest. All I could do was hold her tightly while she cried herself out, murmuring nonsensical things that I hoped she’d take comfort in until she finally drifted into a deep, exhausted sleep.
Unfortunately for me, I lay awake late into the night thinking hard about all the balls that I had up in the air and the feelings that wound so inexplicably around me that I almost choked on them.