Chapter 10
I can see he’s not in your good books,” said the messenger. “No, and if he were I would burn my library. - William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing
Dimitri
It was all I could do not to toss her over the warm hood of my car, wrench up that dress, and spank her ass crimson.
“What’s wrong?” Emma bit her lip as her beautiful brown eyes widened with anxious fear.
Barely keeping my anger in check, I ground out through clenched teeth, “Get your ass back inside and change out of that outfit.”
Her hands smoothed over the tight fabric that clung to her hips, a movement that only pushed the top curve of her breasts up higher, putting them even more on display.
“I don’t understand, don’t you like it?”
“It isn’t you. Now go and take it off immediately .”
Her rouged bottom lip stuck out in a pout as her tiny fists rested on her hips. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Wrapping my arm around her nipped-in waist, I snatched her to me.
She stumbled on those ridiculous heels as she fell hard against my chest. Even in those shoes, her head still only barely reached above my shoulder.
Placing a curved finger under her chin, I forced her gaze up.
My eyes narrowed as I got a good look at the thick fringe of plastic over her eyelashes and heavily kohl-lined eyes.
“Let me explain slowly and carefully so you understand.” My voice took on a deep, menacing tone. “I never want to see you displaying yourself like a whore again.”
Her artificial red lips opened on a gasp.
“Strutting up and down the sidewalk in this tight dress and fuck-me heels, your face covered with all that crap. From now on, you will wait inside till I arrive at your door, like a good girl. And you will be dressed appropriately, like the woman I fell in… like yourself.”
I was in such a rage, I had almost blurted out that I was in love with her. It was a ludicrous notion, of course.
In lust with her, yes.
Fascinated by her innocence and unassuming na?veté, absolutely.
Intrigued by the spark of moxie and intelligence I saw behind her gorgeous eyes, fuck, yeah.
But in love? No.
Men like me don’t fall in love.
That didn’t mean I didn’t have every intention of claiming this distracting little minx to be mine and mine alone.
She belonged to me. Period. End of argument.
I may have only known her for a short duration of time, but I hadn’t gotten where I was in the world by not snatching up what I wanted when I wanted it… and I definitely wanted her.
I was overreacting to her appearance, and I knew it… but that would not stop me. It angered me she thought I needed her to become a woman she wasn’t. That somehow I was such a superficial Neanderthal as to expect her to conform to society’s version of the perfect female.
I was attracted to Emma just as she was… with her cute sweaters, messy ponytails, blushes, and naturally pink lips.
“You are insulting my roommate’s dress, which she was kind enough to lend to me! I’m sorry it doesn’t meet your high standards. I’m sorry I don’t either.” Her lip trembled as her chocolate eyes sparkled with unshed tears.
Looking down at the creamy expanse of her exposed cleavage, I sneered, “You definitely meet my former standards.” The jibe was an undisguised reference to my unapologetic use of escorts before meeting her.
Her arm flew up to slap me. My fingers wrapped around her wrist before she had a chance.
“Let me go… you… you… brute!”
Securing her arm behind her back, I shifted my hips till she could feel the hard press of my erect shaft. Just because I didn’t like her displaying herself to the entire neighborhood didn’t mean I didn’t like the show.
“Isn’t this how we first met?” I quipped.
Through the heavy makeup, I could just see the dark pink stain of a blush as it crept over her cheeks.
“I never want to see you again!” she huffed.
With my free hand, I ran the back of my knuckles down her cheek before slinking my fingers around her neck just beneath her jaw. I leaned down to whisper against her lips, “That will be difficult since I plan on seeing a great deal more of you very soon.”
At my sexual double entendre, her head shifted to the side as she tried to twist out of my grasp. Her movements only inflamed me more.
My determination to not touch her till tomorrow, giving her body a chance to heal from our first rough fucking, was fraying.
There were other ways I could possess her.
The image of her on her knees as I smeared her crimson lipstick with my cock had me curling my hands into fists as I suppressed a frustrated groan.
“Now are you going to be a good girl and change or do we have to do this the hard way?”
Her response was to stick out her cute little pink tongue out at me.
The corner of my mouth lifted. “Wrong answer.”
Or right answer, depending on your point of view.
Pulling her arm from behind her back, I hoisted it high while I bent low, pressing my shoulder into her midsection.
“Dimitri!”
The clumsy heels fell off her feet onto the grass as she kicked and cried out. In a few long strides, I reached the outer door of her apartment, taking note of the busted, unsecured lock before swinging it open.
Carrying her wriggling form down the narrow, dimly lit corridor, I asked, “Which apartment?”
“Go fuck yourself!”
“Such language from a respectable librarian!” I teased before swatting her ass.
“Ow!”
I swatted her again. “I can do this all night. Which apartment?”
“Over here!” called out a brunette dressed in rolled-up jeans and a red bandana as she waved at me from the end of the hall.
“Mary! Mary! Call the police!” cried out Emma as she clawed at my shoulders, trying to raise herself up. I spanked her ass a third time.
“Ow!”
“I warned you.”
I followed the brunette, who I assumed was Emma’s roommate, around a corner. I had to dip my head and lower my body to cross the small threshold.
As I stepped into the cozy apartment, I immediately noted the shabby, insufficient locks on their door and the windows with no bars or additional protection. Two beautiful women had no business living in a first-floor apartment in this neighborhood. Let alone one without proper security.
There was no fucking way моя крошка was spending one more night here.
As I straightened to my full height, the roommate took a step back and exclaimed, “Oh, my God.”
Knowing the first impression my imposing, muscular frame and shaved head usually made, I gave her a wink and quipped, “I get that a lot. It’s actually Dimitri.”
“Mary! Help! Call the police!” Emma cried again as she continued to struggle in my grasp.
“Sorry, sweetie! Somehow I think this is for your own good,” replied Mary with a smile on her lips as her eyes surveyed me up and down.
Pointing to the two partially open doors to the right of the living room, I asked, “Which one?”
She gestured to Emma’s bedroom. Kicking the door fully open, I carried Emma inside and slammed the door shut with my foot before tossing her onto the tiny bed. After a single bounce, she shimmied her ass to the edge as she climbed off it.
Stretching out my arm, my brow lowered as I warned her in a stern voice, “Move off that bed and I take off my belt.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Try me.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she stubbornly turned her head to the side. She really was fucking adorable when she was angry, like a little butterfly furiously flapping her wings, but only causing a soft ripple in the air.
Assuming the only other door in the room was her closet, I swung it open.
“No! Don’t!” Emma called out as she moved up to her knees and grasped the worn metal railing at the foot of the bed.
Too late.
My eyebrow rose as I surveyed the sexy poster she had hidden away. Nympho Librarian?
Well, fuck if that didn’t sum her up perfectly.
Prim, proper, and shy on the outside but on the inside she was a little firecracker just waiting for someone to light her spark. Good thing I was the one with all the matches.
Striding back to her, I grabbed her jaw and tilted her head back. Not giving a fuck about the red lipstick, I claimed her mouth in a brutal kiss. Sweeping my tongue inside, needing to taste the innocent sweetness underneath all this paint and theatrics.
She fell back breathless as there was a soft knock on the door.
Giving her a warning glare, I turned the knob and opened it only halfway.
Mary held out a wet washcloth, smirking when she saw me. No doubt I had red lipstick smeared across my own lips. “Thought you might need this.”
Taking the terrycloth from her grasp, I nodded. “Thanks.”
Her flat palm came up to stop me as I started to close the door. “You hurt her and I’ll kill you.”
We both knew it was an empty threat, but still I appreciated and respected the fierce loyalty she was displaying toward my baby girl. I wouldn’t forget it.
My lips thinned as I met her gaze before nodding solemnly. “You have my word.”
Turning back toward Emma, I wiped my face before tossing the warm cloth at her. “Wipe all that shit off your face.”
With a sniff, she pulled off the fake eyelashes before using the cloth to rub at her face.
I had to twist my shoulders to fit within the tight confines of her closet.
Sifting through the various hangers, I selected a pale cream sweater with tiny pearl buttons and a navy blue pleated skirt.
Tossing the outfit on the bed, I placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head back.
Her ivory skin glowed a fresh pink and her large doe eyes shone bright, unblemished by any heavy black liner.
Using the pad of my thumb, I caressed her lower lip. “Beautiful,” I murmured.
She cast her gaze down, twisting the ends of the now dirty washcloth between her fingertips. “I thought you’d want me to look like one of those glamorous Russian women you were probably used to.”
I tugged on one silky curl to get her attention. “You thought wrong, моя крошка.”
It was tragic that this darling girl somehow thought she wasn’t enough for a man.
Although I guess I should be grateful? If another man had recognized what a hidden diamond she was earlier, then she probably wouldn’t be here with me now.
That was the only way someone as innocent and na?ve as her could have crossed paths with a dangerous, irredeemable man such as myself.
“Put this on. We will be late for our dinner reservations.”
She climbed off the bed and turned her back to me. Sweeping her tawny curls over one shoulder, she gave me a shy glance. “Would you help me with the zipper?”
Reaching for the short metal tab, it surprised me to see my hand shake.
Jesus Christ, this small slip of a girl tied me in knots.
Here I was twitching like a fucking untried schoolboy.
Clearing my throat, I tightened my jaw as I focused on slowly lowering the zipper, trying not to react to the soft expanse of skin it exposed.
“Thank you,” she whispered as she turned, holding the dress over her breasts.
My cock swelled. I was painfully aware of the bed just inches away from us both. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind I would break the frame the moment I thrust furiously into her tight heat, but I didn’t give a damn. I’d buy her a new bed.
Opening and closing my fist, I reined in my lust.
Dinner first.
At least attempt to show this girl you can put on the civilized trappings of a gentleman for a few hours before fucking her like a primal beast.
“Would you mind turning around?”
With a growl, I stomped over to her bedroom door and threw it open. Begrudgingly, knowing she was correct in not wanting to strip fully naked in front of me. Judging by my body’s reaction, my tenuous control would likely have snapped.
Mary was in the kitchen, which opened off the living room, with a bottle of tequila. She poured a shot and held the glass out to me as she cast a pointed look at my crotch. My suit pants did nothing to conceal my painfully swelled cock. “Looks like you could use this.”
It wasn’t vodka, but it would do. Without saying a word, I kicked back the shot, needing the harsh burn as it coursed down my throat. Slamming the glass on the counter, I nodded.
She poured another.
Raising her glass, her lips lifted with a cheeky smile. “Cheers!”
Glowering, I muttered, “За женщин!”
“What does za zhén-shsheen mean?”
“It is a common Russian toast. It means to women .” The God help us poor men was implied.
Just then, Emma’s bedroom door opened.
She had brushed out her hair till it hung in soft curls, loose over her shoulders.
The ivory sweater I chose made her pink and cream skin glow.
She paired the cute blue skirt with a pair of dark brown knee-high boots.
Around her neck she had secured a simple strand of pearls. Only a sheer gloss covered her lips.
She looked achingly beautiful.
This was the woman I had fallen in love with…
Dammit.
There was a tap on my shoulder. I peered down to see Mary handing me another shot. “Remember what I said.” For emphasis, she drew her finger across her throat.
Without a word, I took the glass from her and downed the last shot of tequila.
Stalking toward Emma, I clasped her hand firmly in my own and marched her out the door.
The very second this dinner was over, I was taking her to my bed.
I had reached my limit.
Tonight, I would once more claim her as mine.
And mine alone.