Chapter Thirty-one
Alessia
Something brushed my cheek, and I stirred in my sleep. A low sound escaped my throat as I turned over, half-asleep, until the scent of coffee pulled me fully awake.
Rodion sat at the edge of the bed, coffee in hand, his other hand resting on my hip, tracing slow, soothing circles. My heart lurched, and the memory of what we did rushed into me. I yanked the duvet over my head and curled beneath it, wishing I could vanish and pretend none of it had happened.
Warmth and the faint scent of him clung to the sheets. I buried my face in them, as if hiding could freeze time long enough to breathe. My skin burned with the weight of realization. I hadn’t prepared to wake up knowing I slept with Rodion.
He took everything.
My breath.
My body.
My virginity.
Panic enveloped me, but beneath it, something dark and dangerous simmered. I wanted it. I wanted him. Every part of me longed for him, and I didn’t regret it. I just didn’t know how to face the truth. It was pain tangled with pleasure, rough and beautiful and terrifying.
The bed still held the warmth of his body, though I hadn’t noticed when he got up.
My limbs were heavy, and my body sore in places I hadn’t known could ache.
The reality settled in deep, too loud to ignore.
This wasn’t a mistake I could blame on anything but myself.
I let him, and I had to live with the aftermath.
Rodion’s phone rang, and he shifted beside me. His deep voice broke the silence as he answered in Russian. Thank God he walked out.
I exhaled and shoved the duvet off. I had two options: dash to my room and pretend none of it happened, or find the bathroom in his room and gather whatever pieces of my dignity remained.
When I swung one leg off the bed, a hiss slipped through my teeth. My bones ached. Every step reminded me of him.
Still naked and flushed with shame, I picked up my tee crumpled on the floor.
As I was about to pull it over my head, Rodion walked in.
I stood, holding the shirt to my chest like it could hide everything he had already seen and touched.
My pulse quickened with every step he took toward me, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a cup of coffee—the same scent that woke me earlier.
Rodion stopped right in front of me. My eyes stayed fixed on the floor.
“About last night...” he started.
“No,” I said too quickly, before he could finish. I didn’t want to hear it. If he meant to say it meant nothing or I shouldn’t get attached, I didn’t need to hear it. I stared at his chest, forcing down the lump in my throat. “I know. You don’t have to say it.”
“I see.” He fell quiet for a moment, then asked, “Was it bad?”
My eyes raised to him. “Sorry?”
“The sex,” he said calmly. “Was it bad?”
I wanted the ground to open and swallow me. My cheeks burned. Was it normal for him to talk about it so casually? As he lifted the coffee to his lips, I grabbed the cup and took a huge sip.
The bitterness hit my tongue. I groaned, coughed, and hissed, “Why the fuck is this so bitter?”
When he smirked, I took another sip. Somehow, the bitterness helped. After downing the rest, I handed the cup back to him. “I need a shower.”
He took the cup but didn’t release my hand. His fingers curled around mine. With his usual effortless confidence, he hooked a finger under my chin and lifted my face.
“You didn’t answer the question.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“So it was bad?” he asked.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You are behaving like it.”
I blinked. “No.”
Rodion studied me. The corner of his mouth twitched like he was holding something back. “You also said a lot while sleeping.”
“No, I didn’t.” Taking a step back, I pointed at the bathroom. “I’ll use the shower.”
He didn’t say a word. I grabbed the T-shirt from my feet and backed towards the door. His eyes stayed on me, puzzled, like he couldn’t grasp why I didn’t want to flash my bare ass.
Once I opened the door and stepped in, I ran to the mirror and stared at my reflection.
Jesus.
My hair stuck out in every direction, my lips were swollen, and a small trail of dried drool marked my cheek. I wiped it off, dragging my fingers through my hair and cursing under my breath.
Faint love marks along my neck caught my eye. I touched them, feeling the ghost of his lips. His gentleness last night was the part that bothered me the most. I didn’t expect him to hold me or stay in bed afterwards.
I looked down at the tender outline between my legs. He marked me. My legs pressed together on instinct, and I bit my lip. I was sore, but it wasn’t bad. It was the kind that made your body remember every second. And even now, a dangerous part of me craved more.
The door opened, and I turned so fast I almost slipped. My pulse slammed in my chest as Rodion walked in, completely naked. I backed away, reaching for my T-shirt like it could protect me.
My eyes dropped to his cock before I could stop them. I looked away so fast my neck twinged. He was half hard, as if one touch would wake him fully. He walked past me like I wasn’t even in the room, turned on the shower, and stepped under it.
What the hell was wrong with this man? I found my tee and clutched it as I moved towards the door. He rubbed his chest like none of this was strange. Like we were a married couple easing into a lazy morning.
“I... I’ll use the other room.”
“Just get in here, Alessia,” he said before I reached the door.
My hand froze on the doorknob, and my eyes closed. I could still feel his touch and the softness. If I stepped into that shower, I would kiss him. I knew it.
The T-shirt slipped from my fingers when Rodion grabbed my wrist and turned me toward him. His eyes stayed on mine as he guided me to the shower. I stepped in, the water hitting my skin with a slow, coaxing heat. My body tensed, then eased.
Rodion released my wrist and grabbed the shower gel. He poured some into his palm, then handed the bottle to me. I took it, poured, and handed it back. Turning away, I washed my hands and shoulders.
The moment he stepped in behind me, my body reacted before I could think. His hands slid slowly over my hips. One touch and I forgot how to wash. He leaned in, his chest warming my back.
Water spilled from above, soaking us both. His jaw brushed my cheek, freshly shaved. But I couldn’t focus when his hand slipped lower, fingers stroking my pussy where the memory of last night still lingered.
He touched me with maddening ease, his fingers gliding up and down. When he pulled away, I thought it was over.. But he let the water run over his palm and pressed it between my folds, cleaning me. He didn’t just clean me, no, he explored, his touch slow and devastating.
My knees wobbled, and I leaned into him, my head resting against his chest. I didn’t stop him. I let him touch me like he already owned every part of me. And maybe he did.
His fingers teased again, circling my entrance but never pushing in. Instead, he found my clit and stroked gently. His lips brushed my earlobe, his warm breath chasing a shiver down my spine.
I parted my lips and closed my eyes, breathing fast. I tilted my face toward his, searching blindly for his mouth, but he didn’t kiss me. He kept rubbing, letting me chase his jaw with my lips while I crumbled under his touch.
His hips shifted forward, and his hard cock pressed against me. A moan slipped out, but I bit my lips to stay grounded. I reached down, needing to hold something—anything.
But he caught my hand and placed it over my breast, his hand guiding mine until I massaged myself. His fingers kept circling below, pushing me further until my legs shook. I couldn’t hold it anymore.
Pleasure rushed through me, silencing everything but the broken whimper I couldn’t contain. My legs buckled, but he caught me, holding me until I found air again.
The world finally slowed. He held me until I caught my breath. Once the tremor faded, he started rinsing me. His fingers combed through my hair, washing the strands while I cleaned my face in silence.
A low rumble from outside broke the silence, and my hand froze mid-motion. I turned to Rodion, who looked completely at ease. “I think someone is here.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “Finish up,” he said. “We are going out.”
Out? I hated going out after an intimate moment.
Did he change his mind? He stepped out of the shower, grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around his waist. Water slid down his spine as he walked to the door. I watched him, my eyes tracing the strong cut of his shoulders and the lean muscle down his back.
Sensing my eyes on him, he turned and caught my gaze. “You’ll eat breakfast out,” he said, answering the question I hadn’t asked.
“No more Leonid, right?” I asked.
He stayed silent for a moment, then gave a single nod. “I have business, and I can’t leave you alone here.”
Nodding, I rubbed my arms. “Okay.”
He reached for the knob. “I’ll bring you a towel,” he said and stepped out.
Only then did I notice there wasn’t another towel in the room. Warmth bloomed low in my belly, and I hoped it would stay.
After the shower, I dressed quickly, leaving the memory of his touch clinging to my skin. By the time we stepped out, the sun had already begun to climb.
The car was quiet as he drove, but not in the strained way it used to be. I didn’t care where we were going as long as I could breathe some fresh air and not think about last night. One stray thought, and the burn he left in me roared back to life.
My gaze drifted to the console where a manila envelope rested. Someone dropped it off while we were in the shower. I figured it had to do with whatever business he was going to handle.
We pulled up outside a boutique nestled between a flower shop and a barber shop. Rodion grabbed the envelope and stepped out. I followed, brushing my hair out of my eyes as I shut the door. He didn’t head for a back alley or some shady office.