Chapter 18 —Demyon
I lounged on the velvet couch in the VIP section, my legs crossed with an arm draped over the headrest. The music was loud, its base thrumming beneath my feet. Vibrant lights streaked the dark atmosphere as a swarm of writhing bodies danced to the rhythm of the DJ’s hypnotic beat.
The crowd threw their hands in the air, the frenzied faces a mask of pleasure and excitement. They seemed to be having a time of their lives, dancing away their sorrows and depression.
All that madness was happening below the VIP section, where my cousin and I were lounging. Up here, the atmosphere was different: just two Tarasov brothers surrounded by a bunch of strippers. One was performing on a pole in the middle of the space, moving her body like her bones were elastic.
My cousin, Adrik, sat on the sofa across from me, cradling a glass of vodka. His eyes were fixed on the pole dancer, a cocky grin playing at the corners of his lips. His dark brown hair caught the vibrant light, loose strands framing his face.
Two naked women were seated on both sides of my couch, their manicured hands caressing my body. They whispered seductive words in my ears and fluttered their long eyelashes at me every now and then. Their breasts grazed the fabric of my suit as they leaned in, caressing my body.
“What’s the matter, handsome?” one of them whispered, her hand reaching for my hair. “Don’t you find us attractive enough?”
I seized her hand midway before the tip of her fingers could touch a strand on my head. “Don’t.” My voice was cold, my expression blank.
“Argh,” she let out a quiet groan, her face contorting into a faint scowl. “You’re no fun at all.” She rose to her feet and walked away.
The other one—a brunette—seemed unfazed by my attitude. “Don’t worry, I’m not in a hurry to leave,” she said, her voice smooth and enticing.
I glanced at her, my eyes roaming her body for a moment. She was slender with slightly saggy breasts and a pair of full lips, painted a bold shade of red. Her long brunette hair cascaded down her shoulders, stray strands framing her oblong face.
Whenever she smiled, she revealed a glimpse of her perfect dentition, and her green eyes crinkled at the corners. The young lady was beautiful. No doubt. Perhaps if I hadn’t already had a taste of Eva, I would’ve considered taking her to a hotel.
However, as charming and seductive as she was, I could only admire her. Nothing more. Nothing less. In my mind, none of these women came close to my Eva, and for some reason, I wasn’t willing to get entangled with any of them.
I reached for my wallet, withdrew some cash, and handed it to the young lady. “Here.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “What’s this for?”
“To leave me alone,” I answered, my voice cold and distant.
The lady stared at me in silence, her head tilting to the side with a look of confusion on her face. “I don’t…I don’t understand…” she stuttered.
“Just take the money and go.”
She swallowed hard, then looked around as if to be sure she wasn’t the only one seeing this. Quietly, the girl accepted the money and rose to her feet. She didn’t leave right away; instead, she towered over me, her expression softening by the second.
I reached for my glass of vodka on the table before me, and while taking a sip, I sensed her gaze lingering on me. When I glanced up at her, I caught a glimpse of something in her eyes—something that told me she hated this life.
“Thank you.” Her voice was laced with genuine gratitude, and her cheeks were red with a hint of embarrassment.
She crossed her hand over her chest, concealing her breasts as she walked away in silence.
My cousin’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief as his gaze followed the girl until she disappeared from his sight. “Whoa, what was that about?” he asked me.
I leaned back on the couch, swirling the glass in my hand with my usual blank expression.
The girl’s reaction had surprised me as much as it surprised him. I only wanted to get rid of her without being rude; I didn’t think it would have that much effect on her.
Clearly, she was new to this and was doing it only for survival. I had no idea how much I gave her, but it was more than enough, given her reaction. Deep down, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction, like a reward for doing something right.
Adrik dismissed his women, and as they left the VIP section, he edged closer, elbows on his knees. “Talk to me,” he said. “What’s going on with you?”
“What do you mean?” I lifted my glass to my lips.
“Don’t bullshit me, Demyon.” A small, cocky grin tugged at the corners of his lips. “Is this about the girl?”
“What girl?” I teased, sipping my vodka.
He let out a soft scoff and relaxed back on his sofa. “It is about the girl.” He adjusted the tie around his neck. “You’ve tasted the forbidden fruit, haven’t you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He chuckled. “She must’ve been really good for you to chase all these sexy women away.”
Indeed, she was.
That instant, memories of our time together came flooding into my mind—the sounds of her moans and the images of her face, masked with pleasure. It took everything in me to stop myself from drifting away and getting lost in those memories.
“What’s her name, anyway?” His voice snapped me back to the present.
I hesitated. “Eva.”
“Eva,” he repeated, crossing his legs. “Nice.”
I noticed the grin on his lips and asked, “What’re you smiling about?”
“Nothing,” he replied. “Just didn’t think I’d live long enough to see the great Demyon Tarasov fall in love.”
My brows knitted together, his assumption striking me harder than I expected. “Me? In love? You must be joking.”
“Am I?” He curled his lips into yet another pesky little smirk. “Ever since you took the girl home, you’ve been different,” he began. “You zone out during important meetings, you get easily distracted—not to mention the fact that you took her on a trip to Russia.”
I locked my jaw, displeased by the truth I didn’t want to hear.
“You’ve never flown any woman in your jet before. Not even one.” He brought his glass to his mouth and took a sip. “And now…now you act like other women suddenly repulse you.” He locked eyes with me. “How do you plead, cousin: guilty or not guilty?”
I drained the drink and set the empty glass on the table. “Not guilty.”
He laughed lightly. “Yeah, that’s what the guilty always say.”
Based on his analysis, it seemed he was on the right track—and I hated how everything pointed toward his assumption. He was wrong. Love was a strong word, and men like me were unfamiliar with that emotion.
Was I lusting after her?
Yes.
But that’s all it was. Lust. Nothing serious.
If that were true, then why was I irritated by the mere thought of being with other women? I’d never had an issue with using and dumping them afterward. But this time, things were different.
The one who was supposed to repulse me kept drawing me in like a fuckin’ moth to a flame. And those whom I was supposed to be attracted to were the very ones that irritated me.
These women would do anything to share my bed, but I didn’t want them. I only wanted her, Evaline Harlow, the girl who dared to defy me every chance she got.
By the end of the night, I drove back home, eager to set eyes on her again. Before now, I’d never had a reason to return home early, never had anyone to come back to.
As fascinating as this new chapter of my life was, it came with something foreign: fear. The fear of losing her and the emptiness she would leave behind. That alone terrified me more than any enemy ever could.