Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
Drago
One part of me, the part that is desperate to feel her, to watch her come undone beneath my hands, is screaming for me to drag her into the bedroom and take what she’s already offering.
The other half of me remembers how she felt in my arms. How fragile she was. How much she trusts without even realizing it.
That part knows she deserves better. Because no matter how badly I want her, I refuse to be something she regrets. I refuse to be a moment she looks back on and wonders if she misread me.
I don’t want to be a fling. One that leaves her feeling used and dirty afterward.
I want to be the man she trusts with her life. The man she chooses to submit to, not because she’s overwhelmed, but because she feels safe enough to let go.
And that means earning it.
This isn’t restraint. This isn’t denial. This is me giving her something far more dangerous than my body.
My heart.
Because if I’m doing this… I’m giving her all of me. And she already knows parts of me that very few people have ever known.
I pull back just enough to breathe, my hands still cradling her face. Her lips are swollen from my mouth, her cheeks flushed a deep, beautiful red. She looks wrecked. And it nearly undoes me.
“Lily, will you go out on a date with me?” I ask.
Her head tilts, brows knitting together as she searches my face. “A date?”
I nod, steady, even though every nerve in my body is screaming.
She chews on her lip. “Drago, if you don’t want to sleep with me, you can just be honest. I understand there will be consequences for you…”
I shake my head and slide my hand down to her throat, my fingers lacing there, not tight, just enough to make her eyes widen, to remind her how easily I could lose control if I let myself. She’s worth every consequence, and I want to show her that.
“I want you in so many fucking ways, lastochka,” I say low. “But I’m not a man after just one thing from you.”
Her breath stutters.
“I’m a man after everything from you,” I continue. “Spend the day with me. The real me. The man I don’t let anyone see.”
My thumb brushes along her jaw as I lean in, my mouth grazing her cheek. “And if, after that, I’m still who you want,” I murmur, “then I’ll fuck you in every possible way and make you come so hard you won’t remember your own name.”
Her lips part on a shaky breath as my fingers trace down her side, stopping at the hem of her dress.
I press my mouth to her cheek again, softer this time. Hiding the fact that I’m barely holding on. “Your panties are soaking for me, aren’t they?”
She nods. “Please, Drago.”
And God help me, I want to say yes more than I’ve ever wanted anything. But wanting her isn’t enough. I want to deserve her.
“Then say yes to my date,” I whisper against her cheek.
A devious grin spreads across her lips. “I’ll say yes,” she murmurs, “if you give me a little taste of what you have to offer.”
My eyebrow arches. “A little taste, baby? You think a man as starving as I am for you could simply give you a little taste?”
“I think a man wanting to prove himself would,” she says softly. “I think he’d stop me from getting in the shower to get myself off. Because that’s exactly what I’m about to do, Drago. And I’ll be picturing you the entire time.”
A low growl rips from my chest.
She’s pushing all the right buttons. Like she already knows who I am beneath the surface. How I crave control in the bedroom. How her pleasure will always come before my own.
“You’re playing a dangerous game,” I murmur, my mouth brushing her cheek without quite touching it. Close enough that she feels my breath. Close enough that she knows exactly what I’m doing to her.
“I’m not,” she whispers. “I just really want you. This isn’t who I usually am. Something about you…” She trails off.
I grin. “Drives you crazy?”
“Yeah.”
My fingers tighten slightly around her throat. She’s been my obsession for five years. “I will give you everything, Lily,” I say quietly. “Things you didn’t even know you craved. But right now? You need to understand the importance of trust.”
I lean in one last time, my lips brushing her ear. “And when I finally touch you, you’ll know exactly why I made you wait.”
She sucks in a breath as I release her. “Now, go and have your shower, baby. You’ve got half an hour to get ready. I’ll bring your bag in.”
“Okay, boss.” The sass in her voice makes my hand twitch.
Instead, I grip her waist and kiss her hard. Enough for her to remember for the rest of the day.
I watch as she heads into her bedroom, and I let out a breath. Fuck.
I head into the kitchen and pour myself a glass of water. That’s when I see it on the side.
Picking up the dark blue bottle of cologne, my heart sinks. It feels like I’m keeping sordid secrets from her. Letting her continue on this quest to find the scent of the man who saved her. I’ve seen her emails with the company she’s using, trying to recreate that scent. I’m not entirely sure why.
He was me. That scent was designed just for me by my former client, who owns this penthouse.
I pick up the note and sigh. I haven’t smelled this in years. I stopped wearing it the night after the ballet because all it did was remind me of what I saw. I open the lid and inhale. It’s still as good as ever.
And then I read the note.
Drago.
Your signature scent. Enjoy your time in Monaco.
Sam.
I shove it in my bag and pick up Lily’s. I need to keep that fucking hidden before too many truths come out.
What will she really think of me if she knows how much I’ve witnessed of her life?
Will she think I’m a fucking monster for hiding for so long?
Fuck.