Chapter 52 – VALENTINA
Fifty-Two
VALENTINA
The last of the patrons is wrapping up their session while a new employee sweeps the shell casings under each stall. I watch from the window of my office, the same one I was bent over and pressed against just minutes ago.
Thank God for one-way tints.
I feel Maksim’s warmth before he even touches me. Then his chest settles against my back as he drops a kiss on my shoulder and pulls me flush to him, arms banding around my waist.
“You know,” he says, “I’m never going to get the image of you on this desk out of my head.”
I melt into him. “I’d be offended if you did.”
His hands slide lower, fingertips tracing the waistband of my pants, light but restless, as if he’s fighting the urge to fold me back over. Despite my body still humming, I know that I won’t say no.
“Valentina…” There’s something in his voice I don’t hear often. Hesitation.
I turn in his arms until my back meets the cool glass, and I look up at him. His eyes are on mine, conflicted, fierce, and soft all at once. Maybe I’m still riding the high of my orgasm, my mind still a little hazy, but I’m certain I heard what he’d started to say.
And for now, that’s all I need.
I rise to my toes, nails teasing the nape of his neck. “Shut up and kiss me.”
The taste of me still lingers between us, clinging to his lips when his hungry mouth crashes onto mine—biting, licking, kissing me like he’s trying to rewrite whatever he couldn’t bring himself to say.
“Today…has been interesting,” I murmur, leaning back against the glass as he cages me in.
“I’m sorry for barging in here like that.” His mouth ghosts a grin. “No, actually, fuck that—I’m not.”
A quiet laugh slips out. “Good. Because I needed it. Especially after what happened.”
Maksim’s entire demeanor shifts. The heat in his eyes ices over, and his jaw flexes.
“Talk.”
“Some guy snuck into our garage today,” I say, looking down at my fingers, hoping I'd washed all his blood from out of my nail bed. “Caught us off guard...or maybe that’s what we did to him.”
“What. Happened.”
“He’s dead.”
A muscle in his cheek jumps.
“But the weird part? He was unarmed except for a pussy switchblade in his sock. While Ares starts them young, this one didn’t fit the MO. Because from what I know, trainees and members never go into the field without a weapon.”
“So what are you thinking?” His question seems innocent enough, but his voice is barely restrained. And maybe he doesn’t realize it, but he’s fisting my waistband and tugging me closer with every word.
“Could be just some asshole from another crew, trying to snoop, get intel on what we’re driving.
It’s not unheard of.” I reach into my back pocket, pull out my phone, and swipe to the photo we snapped of his scorpion tattoo.
“Except this raises some questions. Sub umbra venimus—we come from shadows. It’s very Six coded, but no faction I’ve ever heard of. ”
Maksim grips the phone. “I agree.”
“Aunt Amalia is looking into it for us—”
His hand closes around my neck, thumb tilting my chin before I even register the shift. “Why am I just now hearing of this? And not the moment it happened?”
“Are you getting overprotective on me, Maxy?” I tease, poking the button on his shirt.
He jerks me forward so fast, I crash into his chest.
“My cum is dripping out of you as we speak, Valentina. You’re mine.” His grip tightens just enough to make my pulse jump as he drags his mouth against my ear. “When my cock splits you open…when you break crying my name—Mine.”
I roll my lip between my teeth, hand sliding over his dick as fire ignites inside me again. “You better show me one more time,” I whisper, stroking him slow and long as I drop to my knees. “I don’t think I learned my lesson.”