Chapter 2 - Katerina
Artur is shining in his new role after taking over from my uncle, and this party is an all-out declaration of his power and wealth.
He’s playing this part to perfection. Clearly, my uncle made a name for himself here because people are falling all over Artur, and it’s a bit nauseating to watch them gushing like that.
And as soon as they realize I’m Katerina Krolik, sister to the great and powerful Artur Krolik, they come gushing over me, too.
My younger sister, Marie, isn’t here. She’s lucky.
She got out of it. And my other two brothers obviously don’t have to deal with the same shit I do as a female.
Abram and Fabi look like they’re having fun, gloating in the overflow of power they have since Artur took over.
I guess it would be a fun party if I weren’t spending the entire night fending off constant suitors, flirting, and fighting for my attention.
It’s not even genuine. I can feel how fake the niceness is. They know who I am. They think I’ll put in a good word with my brother for them.
I glance at Artur, pleading silently with my eyes locked onto his, but he ignores me and doesn’t rescue me from the old man who’s literally pawing at me. He’s not encouraging the men to show interest in me, but he’s not saving me from it, either.
He hasn’t intervened once, not even when this married asshole started hitting on me the moment his wife went to get another drink. I glance up and down his tall, lanky body. He’s wearing a black suit; pretty much all the guys here are wearing black or gray.
He steps closer to me and sneakily runs his hand over my waist.
“So, how is it that a girl like you hasn’t been snatched up yet?” he purrs.
“I guess I’m too smart to fall for anything that doesn’t blow my mind,” I shrug, politely stepping away from his touch.
He steps closer again. “I assure you, I know exactly how to blow your mind.”
Scrunching my face, I glare at him. Don’t do it, Kat, just bite your tongue and walk away.
But I can’t.
“I see. So, then, perhaps you can explain to me, do you expect me to be your side chick, or do you plan on leaving your wife and then cheating on me with the next hotter, younger girl who crosses your path?”
Dammit. I couldn’t just keep my mouth shut. It’s something I’m still trying to learn.
I might have put my foot in it now. This guy is pretty powerful in the city, and definitely someone my brother wanted to form an alliance with.
I bite my lower lip, shifting my weight from side to side, wishing I hadn’t said anything.
But at the same time, I’m proud of myself for not letting this slimy moron walk all over me.
He narrows his eyes at me, his mouth pulled tight for a second. Dammit. I pissed him off.
Or perhaps not. One corner of his mouth curves upwards. Now he looks more amused than offended.
The asshole takes a step closer to me and slips his damn hand around me again.
“You know, I do like them feisty.”
I want to gag.
So, now I’m some kind of challenge for him? Has he no shame at all?
Seeing as Artur clearly has no intention of stopping the constant onslaught, I decide to make my second escape attempt of the evening. “Please, excuse me, I need to use the ladies’ room,” I say with a cold smile, removing myself from his grasp.
“Hurry back.”
“I’ll tell your wife I say hi,” I mutter under my breath as I hurry away from him. My skin feels icky, like I want to take a shower after standing too close to that creepy idiot.
Desperate for fresh air and not to be walled in by other people, I head over to the balcony, relieved when I find it empty. Obviously, the chilly autumn air isn’t for everyone. For me, it’s a fair trade-off for some time alone.
Leaning against the edge of the stone balustrade, I stare down at the city lights. A fresh, icy breeze brushes over my arms and across my chest.
A cold shiver runs down my spine, making me feel alive and free after being trapped inside that party all night. I know tonight means a lot to Artur, but I just wish it were over.
My family has been in chaos since Uncle Boris died.
Half of them are excited about our new role in the Bratva world; the other half are skeptical.
Sure, we’re rich now. We don’t ever have to worry about money or needing or wanting for anything, but with that comes a huge burden.
How involved do we need to be? What are we going to have to do to hold on to this position?
Our lives are in danger now, because with power comes enemies, too, and our freedom has been limited.
I mean, it’s not like Boris died of natural causes.
Artur hadn’t been in touch with Uncle Boris for ages. He always knew he would take over one day, but I guess we didn’t expect it to be this soon.
So, yes, my family is divided at the moment, and I’m tired of the arguments.
And I’m definitely tired of playing nice at this party.
With a heavy sigh, I lean forward, looking further over the edge of the balcony, feeling a rush of excitement at the thrill of it.
“Don’t jump. The party isn’t that bad.” His voice runs over me like dark, rich caramel.
The low chuckle that rumbles through him immediately pushes a smile onto my face.
I don’t turn to face him, because for some reason my heart is racing, and I don’t want him to see that I’m pleased he found me again—the stranger from earlier who helped me calm down after I escaped that old guy who was practically pushing me against a wall.
“If it’s not that bad, why are you out on the balcony?” I ask, amusement touching my voice.
“I saw a really beautiful girl come out here. I came to find her, maybe finish the conversation we started earlier…have you seen her anywhere?”
I turn to face him, and he’s searching the rest of the very empty balcony. His mouth pulls down at the corners behind his black satin mask. “So strange, I could have sworn I saw her coming out here.”
The giggle slips through my lips easily.
Standing with my back to the ledge, leaning my ass against the balustrade, I tilt my head to the side and fold my arms over each other to try and fight the cold as I study the tall, handsome stranger.
He’s much taller than I; his broad shoulders and muscular physique make him imposing and give him a dangerous aura. His hair is as dark as the mask he’s wearing, and he has a strong, angular jaw shadowed with the lightest touch of black stubble.
His suit was clearly sculpted for his perfect body, fitting him like it was stitched onto him.
I bite my lip, my body spiking with adrenaline as an image flashes through my mind of his arms wrapping around me.
Wow, Katerina. Spend all night escaping pervs, and now you’re the perv.
I giggle again as I tear my eyes off his perfect form and up to his face. Gorgeous, light brown eyes look back at me from the other side of his mask. He cocks his head to the side, shrugging his jacket off.
“You must be cold,” he muses, casually stepping close to me and wrapping his jacket over my shoulders.
My first instinct is to politely refuse it, but I don’t. And when he pulls it around me, still holding on to the front collar to adjust it comfortably over me, I catch the scent of his cologne.
Ocean air, fresh and crisp, salted skin and hot sun.
I bite my lip again and can’t find anything to say as an overwhelming feeling floods through me.
“Is that better?” he asks, his eyes searching my face, gentle and intense.
“Yes, thank you,” I mutter, my cheeks blushing a light, warm shade of pink.
He steps away from me, leaning against the balcony, watching the city below us. I turn as well and let my eyes wander over the same view, too nervous to look at him.
What is going on with my heart? It’s beating a million miles an hour.
After a long moment of silence, he looks at me and grins. “Are you going to run away from me again?” he asks, teasingly.
“I might. Would it bother you?”
He laughs, a low rumble that makes my heart beat even faster.
I bite down hard on my bottom lip, trying to stop this crazy surge bolting through me.
“It would bother me, Kat.” His voice is so serious, so dark, it sends a dusting of goosebumps over my skin beneath the soft lining of his jacket.
“Are you here alone?” I ask, realizing he might be just as married as the other morons who have been flirting with me tonight. Fuck. I hope not.
“Indeed, I am,” he nods. “You?”
“I am. Is anyone, um, waiting for you at home?” I push.
He grins, dimples forming on his cheeks just beneath the lower edge of his mask, his eyes flaring with mischief. “Do you want to come home with me and find out?” he asks, but his voice is playful, nothing like the slimy creeps I’ve been dealing with all night.
This guy is different. He’s not just different from tonight’s guests, he’s different from everyone I’ve ever met.
I narrow my eyes as I study his golden, beautiful stare. I wonder what he’s hiding beneath that mask. I would love to lift it off his face and see him. Tentatively, I lift my hand. It hovers in the air between us before I chicken out and quickly pull it down again.
Amusement flickers in his eyes, and that gorgeous half-smile steals onto his face.
“So, Kat, what is a beautiful girl like you doing in a place like this?” he asks, looking at the city lights again.
“Do you mean in the city, or at this party?” I ask, trying to calm my racing heart.
“Either, or? I’ve just never seen you around. I definitely would have remembered if I had.”
“How can you tell? I’m wearing a mask,” I tease.
“Oh, I can tell. Trust me, your charisma shines far too brightly to be hidden by that mask.”
He’s staring at me a little too intently, spiking currents of desire that rush through my bloodstream. I’m blushing again.
He must have moved closer to me at some point, because the heat of his body is soaking into me as his arm brushes against mine.
He turns, facing me. Standing over me, he stares down with darkness in his eyes, a deep yearning that spills over into me as he steps even closer.
His body is pressed against mine, his chest against my breasts.
I can barely breathe. I can’t think straight.
In slow motion, he reaches his hand up towards my face.
His fingers trace over my jaw, drawing soft lines over my cheek and then down the side of my neck. He threads his hand around the back of my neck and pulls me closer. My hands slip around his waist as he leans down, his lips hovering above mine. If I want to stop this, now is the time.
But I don’t want to stop this.
I couldn’t even if I tried.
His mouth locks over mine, and his fingers lock around the back of my neck, holding me in place as he presses into me.
One thick, toned arm slips around my back, holding me as though he never wants to let me go.
The kiss is intense. Intimate. Electric. Passionate.
It steals my breath and stops my heart. It silences my thoughts and sets my body on fire.
When a low growl rumbles from his lips, showing his pleasure, my knees go weak, and I almost collapse against him. He pushes his tongue into my mouth and deepens the kiss.
I’m melting against him, caught in the moment, forgetting who and where I am.
Never in my life have I been this attracted to someone before. Never have I felt this type of physical connection, this level of need—a feverish desire.
My body has a mind of its own as my hands run up his back, slipping beneath his shirt to brush over the heat of his bare skin. Muscles on top of muscles. He’s a solid wall of art, every piece of him crafted to perfection.
When he pulls away, I’m breathless, and my lips are swollen and red.
His breathing is heavy as he stares down at me.
“Do you want to get out of here?” he asks, his voice husky and low.
Say no. You can’t just leave. It’s reckless and irresponsible. You’ve never done anything like this in your life. You haven’t even been with a guy before, and now you’re standing here contemplating leaving with a total stranger.
Do I tell him I’m a virgin? Does he need to know that? Is it any of his business?
For crying out loud, Kat, aren’t you overthinking this?
“Okay,” I answer before I manage to talk myself out of it.
“Okay?” he grins, looking relieved.
“Okay,” I say again, with more confidence and a wide smile.
He steps away from me but slips his hand into mine.
I let him lead me off the balcony, back into the party, his jacket pulled tight around me and my head low so that I don’t see anyone I know and end up having to answer questions.
No one stops us as we slip into the elevator.
The doors slide closed behind us, and he pulls me into his arms again. His lips find mine, and I’m shocked at how comfortable I am. How right it feels.
I have no idea how my life is going to change now that my brother has taken over as leader of the family in this city, but I do know that for tonight, I don’t care. Tonight, I’m being reckless. Carefree. Adventurous.
Tonight is all about me.
And this tall, dark, mysterious stranger.