Chapter 31
I fucking hate opera.To me, it sounds like cats yodeling after a few shots of tequila.
I might be the only one that feels that way, judging by the rapt crowd. Everyone’s attention is on the stage, on the performance of Carmen, while my attention is wholly captured by the woman in the box directly across from mine.
She refuses to look my way.
I deserve her wrath, and I’ll fucking regret that kiss with Katerina until the day I die. It was unwanted and definitely uninvited. She tasted all wrong, nothing like Liza’s sweet, sun-kissed flavor that’s forever imprinted in my memory. I pushed Katerina away, but the damage was already done.
Hurting Liza was never part of the plan. The flash of pain in her eyes when her soon-to-be sister-in-law pressed her artificial, pillowy lips to mine made my heart twist.
Liza might wear another man’s ring, but I’m the one she wants … and the man she’s going to get.
Truth be told, the plan to stay away from her shattered the moment I laid eyes on the bruise below her eye. Because I know a bruise is never just a bruise. First it”s a bruise, and then a black eye, then a broken arm, and then it’s your mother lying in a pool of blood while your father gets to move on with his life because you were too chicken-shit to stop him until it was too late.
I won’t make that mistake twice.
I’ve spent my whole life making calculated decisions, thinking with my head and not my heart. In the time since London, my head and heart have finally gotten on the same page.
I’m not willing to stand by and watch Liza marry a man who doesn”t deserve her and whose abuse will only get worse. But I have to restrain myself because my ruthless actions will have major consequences. For me, for Liza, and for the Belov Syndicate.
Now, more than ever, I need to bide my time until the moment is right to make a move. Judging by Antoly’s shadiness, that time might come sooner than later.
From across the opera hall, Liza finally turns my way, and damn, she’s practically spitting fire from her eyes. If looks could kill and all that.
After a minute of death glares, she deliberately turns away. Despite her focus on the stage, I feel her energy directed at me like a silent storm across the divide.
I nearly laugh to myself. She’s fucking adorable when she’s angry. But she has no need to be, and I’ll set the record straight at the first opportunity.
Beside me, Katerina releases a little giggle as her hand creeps over my thigh, settling over my crotch. Her manicured talons run gently over the fabric of my pants in an attempt to get me hard. Like I could even get a semi for her.
I sweep her hand away and shoot her a warning look. “Like I said before, not happening.”
She pouts—a move that’s probably worked with many before me. I find it obnoxious as fuck.
“We can find a back room somewhere.” Her breath coasts over my ear, her sickeningly strong perfume invading my nose. “Or I can blow you right here. We’re high up enough so no one can see.”
She’s saying that just for my benefit. Katerina wants people to see us. It’s all about making sure everyone knows she’s the one on my arm tonight.
“Pass.” I hiss out a breath of annoyance.
She can’t take a hint. This was never a date; I came to her with a business proposal, nothing more. Being seen together tonight was part of her terms—she wants the world to think she’s bagged a high-ranking member of the Belov Syndicate. It’s far from the truth, but I have to hold up my side of the bargain.
I look up just as Anatoly whispers something in Liza”s ear, then stands and leaves their balcony. Once Liza is alone, her gaze drifts back towards me. She scowls, and I smile. Others might not take her hostility as an invitation, but I guess that’s what makes me different.
“I have a business matter to attend to,” I tell Katerina, then stand and button my suit jacket.
She frowns. “It can’t wait until intermission?”
“It can, but I don’t want it to.”
Her friendly mask drops, and the real Katerina shines through. The one that’s famously petty and bitchy. “Whatever. I don’t care about this shit anymore. I’m going to find my friends at the bar.” She stalks off, teetering in heels and her designer crimson dress swishing dramatically with each step she takes.
I don’t know who told her she looks good in red, but they must have been colorblind.
Liza doesn’t hear me enter her balcony. She doesn’t notice when I close the curtain and take a few steps closer, the sound of my approach drowned out by the orchestra”s crescendo.
But she does notice when my hand reaches around and covers her mouth. Her body stiffens and she attempts to turn around, but I don’t let her.
“Shh,” I coax into her ear as I crouch down behind her seat.
With a hand wrapped in her hair, I force her to remain in place, taking this opportunity to breathe her in. Her subtle scent is like a breath of fresh air.
She squeals in displeasure.
I chuckle. “I know, milaya, you’re pissed at me. I have to say I’m flattered by your reaction. You made it pretty clear you weren’t interested, but I dunno… You might want to rethink your choice if I inspire that much emotion.”
She attempts a response but it comes out as a muffled noise of discontent instead.
Her anger only fuels my hunger. Maybe I won’t clear up my involvement with Katerina but use it to my advantage. There’s a thin line between love and hate.
“This is what’s going to happen,” I tell her. “You’re going to be a good fucking girl, sit back, and watch the show while I make you come all over my fingers. Are we clear?”
This wasn’t my intention when I walked in here, but knowing she despises me as much as she wants me has inspired a new approach.
She shakes her head and attempts a scream, but it’s useless with my hand still covering her mouth. With my other hand, I fist her hair and twist her face around so she can see how serious I am.
“If you disobey or make noise, everyone will look up and see my hand up your dress. Is that what you want?”
She freezes, her eyes locking onto me with a murderous glare.
“I didn’t think so. Anatoly is off smoking cigars with his buddies and being an obnoxious ass, so don’t worry about him.” I lick a long, hot trail up her neck, from the base of her collarbone to just under her ear, before I wrap my lips around her earlobe and suck it into my mouth, savoring the contact.
Fuck, I’ve been obsessed with tasting her again and she’s just as delicious as I remember.
She inhales sharply through her nose, but instead of yanking away, she closes her eyes, enjoying the feel of my hot tongue on her smooth skin.
“You know I’ll make you feel good, right?”
Eyes wide, she nods vigorously.
“Are you going to be a good girl and stay quiet if I take my hand off your mouth?”
Liza thinks for a moment before nodding again. Then she does something surprising.
Her tongue snakes out between my fingers, the tip flicking over my skin, before she wraps her lips around a digit and draws it fully inside of her mouth. It feels like heaven, and I bite out a curse, my brain short-circuiting.
That is until I feel the sharp sting of teeth sinking in my flesh.
”Ouch,” I whisper sharply.
She spits my finger out as if it’s poison. Her teeth marks are evident on my skin.
Shit. She did not hold back.
“How dare you try to make moves on me when you’re here with another woman!” she hisses, turned in her seat to face me. “A woman you couldn’t keep your hands off of a hot second ago.” She shoots daggers at me as she pushes at my chest, trying to get as much space away from me as possible.
My lips quirk up. I’m pleased that I inspire such fire in her. She”s not as indifferent to me as she’d like to think.
I stand and calmly take the seat Anatoly vacated earlier. Now we look like two people just enjoying the show side by side.
I lean in to her. “There’s nothing between Katerina and me. It’s business, that’s all.”
“Oh yeah, ‘business’.” She angles her body towards mine, making air quotes. “Is that what we’re calling it these days? I hate to break it to you, but that kiss didn’t come across as all that professional.”
“Liza,” I say through gritted teeth. I cup her jaw in my hands so she’s forced to look at me. “She kissed me. Trust me, I’m not the least bit interested, but I need something from her and taking her as my date tonight was the only way to get her to agree to my terms. If I knew she was going to be all over me, I wouldn’t have agreed. She’s nothing to me.” I carefully run my thumb over Liza’s lips. I don’t need another set of bite marks. “You”ve consumed my every thought, my every breath, since we”ve been apart. Deny it all you want, but you belong to me. You were always meant to be mine.”
The air crackles like a live current between us. I don’t know who makes the first move, but the moment our mouths connect, she tilts her head back and matches my fierce kiss with equal passion. Our tongues dance together, and she moans.
I capture that sound, savoring her surrender as I explore her mouth, imagining it’s more than just my tongue pressing between her soft lips. Which it will be, soon.
But not now.
As much as I want to keep this scorching makeout session going, I also don’t want to be caught—for her sake, not mine. Liza is the one with something to lose. Yeah, we’re in the highest-level balcony and it’s dark except on the stage, but all it takes is one busybody with binoculars to see us. If we keep on going all hot and heavy like this, we’re going to attract unwanted attention.
I break from our kiss, and she releases a little whimper that I feel down to my balls. She’s not immune to my touch, just as I’m not immune to hers.
“Sit back in your seat,” I whisper to her. “And lift your dress.”
Still breathing heavily, she gives me an “are you serious” look. I give her an “I’m dead serious” look back.
Even in the dim light, she’s so damn beautiful that my heart stops beating in my chest. With her wide, green eyes and high cheekbones dusted with the smallest collection of freckles that she can’t completely hide, I could look at her forever.
But tonight, I’m going to do a lot more than look.
She’s breathing hard, but her gaze doesn’t waver from the stage. I lean towards her, reaching down to grab the hem of her dress, and flip it upwards so she’s exposed to me. After seeing the white scrap of lace she wore at the auction, I didn’t expect the simple cotton pair of panties she’s wearing now.
My hand settles on her bare inner thigh, and I push her panties aside and dip between her legs, running a gentle finger up and down along her slit. Her mouth hangs open, her eyes fluttering closed with just the barest touch from me.
My good girl has been craving this as much as I have.
“Fuck,” I grit out, my cock straining against my dress pants.
Pavel might have been right about my blue balls because no matter how much I jerk off with Liza in mind, my dick is craving the real thing. To be buried to the hilt inside of her.
“This is a bad idea,” she whispers, even while gripping the armrests of her seat and parting her legs to give me better access to her entrance.
“Since when did I let a bad idea stop me?”
I sink two fingers inside her. Her eyes go wide and she quivers, biting her bottom lip just in time to suppress a little moan of pleasure.
“We’re … going … to be … caught,” she barely manages to choke out.
“If anyone walks in, I’ll shoot them.”
Her eyes fly open, and she looks at me. Horrified.
I give a little laugh. “My guard is waiting outside and will stop anyone from coming in. Even Anatoly.”
I hate having a guard shadow me, but since the attack on the port a few days ago, I need someone watching my back. At least until we know more because the culprits are still out there, unidentified.
With that settled, she’s moving her hips in little circles, attempting to get off on my fingers. Her pussy is so wet and needy. I let out a hiss when her inner walls clamp down on my fingers.
“Such a good girl,” I praise her.
I hook my fingers forward to rub on her G-spot, and even in the dark of the balcony, I see her eyes roll back in her head.
“Oh my God,” she mewls, disguising her pleasure with a well-timed cough. Her breaths are coming fast and hard, and she’s grinding down on my hand, chasing her release in a theater with hundreds of people.
Goddamn.
The only thing that would make this moment more perfect is if Liza was writhing on my cock, not just my fingers.
That’s in the cards sometime soon. She just doesn’t realize it yet.