Chapter Thirty
Roman
I lift her up out of the thorns, wrapping her legs around me. Fuck, I love the way our come drips from her onto my abdomen. She lowers her legs to a stand, pulling at the sides of her skirt over her mouthwatering hips. I kneel on one knee, grazing my fingers over her cuts, kissing them one by one. She runs her fingers over the crown of my head, webbing my hair between them. I drag my lips over her outer thigh, savoring this moment. She is becoming something different but all in the same.
I reach for my gun in the holster when I hear footsteps behind us. Drawing my Glock, I stand and point down the dark path as she moves behind me throwing her shirt on.
Nikolai, Alexei and Sergey, become clear once they pass the shadow of the trees. “Where the fuck have you been?” They say in unison.
I lower the Glock, bending over for the holster and I secure in place. Ava starts to shift back and forth nervously as they grow closer. To ease her anxiety, I kiss the top of her head because she doesn’t have to be afraid of them. They won’t even let it cross their minds about what is mine. They know in the end it’s my decision.
I dress the holster over my bare shoulders and grab the leather jacket for Ava. Holding it out, she places her arms in as she gives me a smile. Her beautiful green eyes captivate me as the boys approach. They stop, waiting for a response, but I don’t want time to start again. I clench my back teeth, lost in her eyes
Ava tugs a corner of her lip at me and turns, “Hey boys,” she says softly.
Tick-Tick-Tick
Alexei takes a step forward, “Oh, hey Ava! Are you not cold out here?” He looks at the cuts on my arms, “Never mind,” he says, stepping back, embarrassed he asked.
Ava giggles and it is the sweetest thing I have ever heard. She enjoys me, even if she is using me to plan my demise.
Nikolai straightens his posture clearing his throat, “Uh, I got your text. Then I got a call from the police.”
I grab Ava’s hand and start walking toward the house, “What did they say?” I know they are probably being nosy about why the lost brother is making waves and I don’t give a fuck as long as they stay away from Ava.
It won’t stop me at what I have to do.
The boys follow us and Nikolai strides quickly to my side, “Nothing, just their cut for keeping quiet. They asked who the girl was that was there and I said I don’t know. Some people who were there called them, I am guessing, because there were no cameras when I checked.”
“Good, thank you Nikolai.” They are not getting shit from me, not a fucking dime. Do what they want with that, but I have a feeling they won’t do anything.
We walk the path to the glass backdoors. I stop, letting go of Ava’s hand and turn to Nikolai, “Stepan is trying to join with the Italians. I am guessing the Don is his boss now. Which means we all become a part of it too.” Sergey clenches his fists at his side as Alexei rolls his eyes.
I open the door for her, “I’ll be right there.” I watch her walk across the open space as the glass chandelier glows orange above her. I wait for her to reach the foot of the stairs, knowing our conversation is not for her ears. I turn back to Nikolai, “Tomorrow we will meet around twelve in the upper office. The party starts at two and that will give us enough time.” They know I don’t like that office but it is the safest option if anyone decides to try and snoop around tomorrow, especially Stepan.
Alexei laughs, “ Around twelve? I don’t think I have ever heard you say, around, about being on time for anything.” I ignore him.
Nikolai’s eyes plead with me, and I know what he is thinking. That is the same office my father killed my mother in, but I will never be like my father.
I nod and look over my shoulder to see if Ava is eavesdropping, “Bring Sarah there and I will bring Ava.” My heart twists when I say, Ava .
This is it, and not sure what will come from it. I know I can’t have anyone mess up what I was created to do, I just don't know what I will do with her if she is who we think she is.
Ava
I wait at the stairs and watch as Roman and Nikolai converse in hush tones. Roman shuts the door with a silent sigh, flexing his shoulders slightly as he turns to me. The way he walks is different from all the other times. He isn’t slithering his darkness toward me like usual, no, he is smiling at me. My heart flutters a bit as his eyes light up, ever so slightly. He narrows them down at me. He finds his hands around mine and kisses the top of my head as I close my eyes. The heat of tingles ignites in me again as I breathe in his closeness.
I pull away from his chest, “So…So I have a question,” I say softly, not sure I should even ask about what they were talking about and what tomorrow will bring.
He tilts his head slightly with waiting eyes, ready to listen.
I shake my head, “Never mind, it’s not important.”
He throws me over his shoulder, “I don’t know how many times I have to say there are no stupid questions, Cottontail,” he says in a low tone.
I laugh, “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you I have legs,” I fold over him without fighting, and run my fingers over his tense back, tracing his tattoos as he takes the stairs to the second floor. I am melting into him as his hands hold onto the back of my thighs, stroking his thumb back and forth. His touch stirs my heart, filling it up with a weight that I wished wasn’t there.
I wanted to ask him about Stepan, and what that was all about, about tomorrow, and about us but I am almost certain he wouldn’t tell me, and I am not sure why I would even care. I was fucking changed somehow, and the more I am with him, the more I am having a hard time understand it.
He walks through his bedroom door, and shuts it. Though he had supplies in his car, to clean the man's blood off of him earlier, mine still lingers on his hands.
He sets me on the bathroom vanity, and turns on the shower. My body is sore, hurting, and all I want is a shower and a bed. As much as I love his touch, and the heat that seems to linger, I want his intimacy and to be close to him.
I gulp, afraid of what tomorrow will bring, but tonight I don’t want evidence, I don't want to know who I was at this moment, why he has shown me mercy or why he wants me around. He could have called the deal off and talked with Stepan about it long ago. But I can only wonder if he knows this and possibly is feeling the same way about me. That he doesn't want this to end just yet. That he was saying I was his because he truly needs me, not to just own me as a debt to his family.
Fuck, Ava. Just stop. He doesn’t want you.
You need to snap out of it.
He practically strips completely down as I was in my trance of thought. He takes my hand and guides me off the counter. I don’t wait for him to take my clothes off as I remove each layer off one by one.
He watches me as he opens the glass door, and I follow him into the steam. Sliding the door closed, he embraces my hips with his forearm as he lowers his lips to my ear, grazing over it gently back and forth and whispers, “You are not going anywhere. You are mine.” His voice forces my eyes close as I lean into his soft lips.
Maybe he feels the same way.
It was like he could read me, or maybe it was just because the masks I wear are starting to flicker and fade, exposing me. My gut drops at the thought.
The water trickles over us, inking our blood into a spiral on the gray tile, as he held me against him.
I wish time would stay in this moment.