Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Lilith
Andrei's embrace was so warm. I buried myself against him, and the terror of being harassed by those thugs faded away. Finally, the longing broke through like floodwaters bursting a dam.
I couldn't deny my own heart. I missed him.
These past days, I'd been waiting for him. At work, I kept zoning out, staring at screens full of design files that needed processing, forcing myself to stay focused.
Every time my phone buzzed, my heart would pound. Then I'd see it wasn't from Andrei, and my heart would sink all over again. This cycle of hope and disappointment had repeated so many times I thought I'd gone numb. But seeing him suddenly appear before me now, my heart still jumped out of control.
Whenever there was danger, he always stood in front of me without question. Everything pointed to him loving me.
I should trust him. These past days, he'd just been busy with business.
But I still couldn't stop wondering—during all those days we didn't see each other, was he somewhere I couldn't see, secretly with someone else...
"Andrei..." I didn't want to keep torturing myself with guesses. Whatever the answer was, I'd made up my mind—I wanted to talk to him properly.
"Your hand... you're bleeding!"
I pulled back from Andrei's embrace and suddenly noticed a tear in his shirt cuff. Underneath was a wound roughly bandaged with strips of fabric, blood seeping through and soaking the cloth.
That's when I caught the strong smell of gunpowder on him.
"You're hurt?" My voice shook.
"Just a scratch." Andrei glanced at the wound, smiling unconcerned. He reached up to touch my face. "Must've bumped it just now. Baby, why are you still out this late..."
"This much blood can't be just a scratch."
I cut off his attempt to downplay it, grabbing his uninjured arm directly. "Come home with me first. Let me take care of it."
"Lilith, don't panic, it's really not serious..."
"I said, come home with me." I raised my voice, my tone serious.
"Okay, whatever you say."
Andrei seemed surprised by my attitude. His lips slowly curved into a smile, and he said nothing more, letting me pull him home obediently.
I dug the first aid kit out of the cabinet, pressed him down onto the couch, and knelt in front of him, starting to undo his buttons.
"Really, it's just a scratch. I can do it myself." He caught my hands.
"Don't move." I pushed his hand away. "I'm in charge."
He looked at me and didn't argue again, just let me peel his clothes off bit by bit, exposing the wound beneath the bandages. He sat quietly, letting me have my way. Those eyes that were usually sharp or deep now just rested on my face intently, as if he was enjoying being taken care of.
"Little princess, you're so fierce today, but... I like it." His voice softened, carrying a hint of restrained amusement, but more than that, sincerity. "I'm fine, really. Don't be so worried."
"Shut up." My voice came out hoarse, my eyes burning. "Don't talk."
He obediently closed his mouth.
Thank God. The wound was shallower than I'd imagined, but the edges were still seeping blood. I used a cotton swab with disinfectant, my movements gentle. He made no sound. I could feel his gaze, but I didn't look up.
I actually had a thousand questions I wanted to ask.
I wanted to ask what his business actually was, why he'd gotten hurt... why these past days he'd barely messaged me, what he'd been doing.
But I swallowed all those questions down, keeping my expression cold, my hands methodical and precise, as if I were a dutiful nurse and not a fiancée who'd spent days both missing and cursing Andrei.
I was scared.
Scared that his wound was connected to some secret, scared that his business involved violence I couldn't accept.
And scared that, just like Luca had said, Andrei was no different from other men, that Rebecca was just proof of his infidelity, scared of getting an answer I couldn't handle—after I'd already given him my heart.
But more than anything, I was scared something would happen to him in danger.
So I asked nothing. I just kept my head down, wrapping the gauze round and round, movements clean and efficient. But the tears that dripped onto Andrei's hand betrayed my fragility.
"Lilith." Andrei's voice turned anxious. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"
He looked at me in alarm, his eyes full of concern. "I'm fine, really, I promise."
"Don't worry, okay?"
"How can I not worry?" I looked at Andrei's false calm, and anger surged up.
For a moment I broke down. "All these days, I couldn't see you, only got a few half-assed texts from you, didn't even know what you were doing.
But the moment you come back, you're injured, bleeding everywhere. Do you know how scared I was?"
I covered my face, crying. "Andrei, I was so scared... What kind of business are you really doing?"
"I'm sorry, Lilith." Andrei's expression shifted. He wiped away my tears regretfully. "It's my fault. The situation was too urgent... But I promise, no matter what I do, I won't hurt you. I love you. And I won't let anyone hurt you either."
"What about Rebecca?" I looked at Andrei, finally voicing what had plagued me all these days. "At your birthday party, I saw Rebecca leaning against you."
Andrei's brow furrowed slightly. He didn't immediately deny it or look guilty. After thinking for a moment, he spoke. "She was drunk that day. I was holding her up. That's all."
"You kissed her!" I stared into his eyes, speaking each word clearly. "Don't lie to me! I saw it with my own eyes! In that hallway, Rebecca was all over you, and you kissed."
Andrei froze, his expression showing a shock I'd never seen before.
"That's impossible." His tone was firm. "Lilith, I never kissed her."
I looked at him and was already half-convinced, but that uncertain feeling in my heart still hadn't completely gone. He said nothing, just turned and pulled out his phone, dialing a number.
"Sergei, pull up the hallway surveillance from the restaurant on my birthday. Now." His voice was cold, carrying an undeniable authority.
The footage was pulled up immediately. Andrei handed me his phone.
The screen showed that corner of the hallway.
Rebecca stumbling into his arms, him reaching out to steady her, her lifting her head as if to kiss him—but Andrei had turned his face away.
Rebecca's lips only brushed the edge of his cheek.
From my angle that day, it had looked like a perfect overlap.
I stared at the footage, checking it over and over.
I'd been wrong. The stone that had pressed on my heart for days crashed to the ground. I'd misunderstood Andrei.
"She's Lev's sister. I owe Lev my life." Andrei said, a flash of pain crossing his expression. "Lev was my buddy. He died saving me. Before he died, he asked me to look after Rebecca. But that doesn't mean she means anything to me. Lilith, you're the only one in my heart."
So that was it.
"I..." My throat tightened. "I'm sorry. I misunderstood you."
"So that day, you saw that and started being cold to me?" Andrei asked. I nodded shamefully. "I..."
Andrei cut me off. "Lilith, I'm glad—that you pulled away because you care about me, because you were jealous. But at the same time, it hurt."
"These past days, thinking about your distance, your coldness, I was scared you wanted to leave me. Lilith, if you ever tried to leave me, I'd lose my mind. And then... I might do things you couldn't accept."
I froze.
I'd always thought Andrei was so strong, that he handled everything with ease, never imagining my coldness could hurt him enough to drive him crazy. The guilt from misunderstanding him surged up again, piling on top of itself until I didn't know what to do.
"I'm sorry." My voice caught. "I shouldn't have just gone silent and avoided you like that. I shouldn't have only thought about my own feelings, not trusted you, then ignored you."
"I'm really sorry, Andrei. Will you punish me?"
"Punish you? How could I punish my little princess?" Andrei looked at me and slowly smiled. "But you do owe me."
"How?"
He didn't answer, just gripped my wrist and pulled me closer. His lips were right there. I understood what he meant.
Even though my heart pounded like a drum and my body felt stiff, I still leaned in and kissed Andrei's lips. Not just out of guilt—I'd really missed him...
My kiss was soft, my tongue barely brushing against his lips.
He let me lead the kiss, giving back all the hurt and longing I'd bottled up these past days, bit by bit.
The kiss deepened gradually, our lips moving with a hunger that had been building for far too long.
Andrei's breath hitched against mine, warm and ragged.
My hands roamed his broad shoulders, tracing the hard lines of muscle beneath his shirt, but when my fingers brushed the bandage on his right arm, I froze.
Andrei caught my wrist gently with his left hand, pressing my palm back against his neck. "I'm not that fragile," he murmured, his voice low and rough, laced with that familiar mix of reassurance and challenge. His eyes locked onto mine, intense and unyielding, daring me to trust him.
I reached down to unbuckle his belt, my fingers trembling slightly with anticipation.
The metal clasp gave way with a soft click, and I tugged at the fabric, freeing him inch by inch.
He helped as best he could with his good arm, shrugging out of his shirt and pants while I peeled off my own clothes, layer by layer, until nothing separated us.
The cool air of the room kissed my heated skin, raising goosebumps along my arms and thighs. Andrei's gaze devoured me slowly, appreciatively—lingering on the curve of my breasts, the dip of my waist, the flush spreading across my chest.
"Beautiful," he whispered, almost reverently, his left hand rising to cup one breast, his thumb circling the sensitive peak until it tightened under his touch.
He leaned forward, his mouth closing over the other nipple, hot and wet, sucking gently at first, then with more insistence.
I arched into him with a soft moan, my hands threading through his thick hair.
His right arm remained mostly still at his side, but his left hand explored freely—kneading, teasing, sliding down to grip my hip.
I moved against him, straddling his lap as he leaned back against the couch cushions. I was careful, so careful, positioning myself so my weight avoided pressing directly on his injured right side. The thick length of him pressed against my core, hot and insistent, making me ache with want.
I set the pace at first, rocking slowly, taking him inside me gradually. The stretch was exquisite, filling me completely as I sank down. Desire urged me to move faster, to lose myself, but the wound anchored us in this careful intimacy.
Andrei relaxed beneath me, surrendering in a way I'd never seen from him before.
This man, usually so controlled and commanding, now let me lead, his head falling back against the couch with a low groan.
His left hand gripped my waist, guiding but not dominating, his fingers digging into my flesh just enough to send sparks of pleasure through me.
Caught up in the rising heat, his right arm twitched involuntarily. He jerked and grunted, a flash of pain crossing his features as the movement pulled at the wound.
I froze immediately, hovering over him, my hands gently cradling his face. "Andrei, are you okay? We can stop—"
But he just laughed, that deep, husky chuckle that vibrated through his chest and into me.
"Keep going. I'm not the only one in this room who's been desperately missing you.
There's also this buddy... You've been neglecting us for far too long," he rasped, thrusting up into me twice with deliberate strength to prove his point, his hips snapping up to bury himself deeper.
The motion stole my breath, sending waves of ecstasy rippling through my body.
I leaned down to kiss him again, our mouths fusing messily, tongues tangling as I rode him with increasing confidence. My hands braced on his chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heart.
"I want more," I gasped finally, my voice breaking with need. "Faster, Andrei. Please."
With a surge of that familiar dominance, he sat up, careful despite the fire in his eyes.
He laid me back on the couch, arranging my body with his left arm and careful nudges of his legs.
He lifted my legs onto his shoulders, opening me completely to him.
The new angle made everything sharper, deeper.
Then he took over, pounding into me hard and relentless.
Each thrust drove the breath from my lungs, the couch creaking beneath us. The intensity bordered on overwhelming.
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes from the sheer force of it, my body clenching around him as waves built higher and higher.
"Let go," he commanded hoarsely, his rhythm faltering as he neared the edge. I shattered first, my orgasm crashing over me like a storm, muscles pulsing and spasming around him. I cried out his name, back arching off the cushions, vision blurring with white-hot bliss.
Andrei followed moments later, burying himself deep with a guttural groan, his body shuddering as he spilled inside me.
A long time later, I lay against him, listening to his steady heartbeat. The night outside had gone deep. Only one small lamp lit the room, painting everything warm orange.
"Andrei," I called softly.
"Yeah?"
"In the future... can you not get hurt?" I looked at his wounded arm. "When I saw you injured, I was really scared."
He was silent for a few seconds, then held me tighter. "I'll try."
I knew how fragile that promise was. Because he'd never really explained what his business actually involved.
But tonight, I chose not to push.
I buried my face against his chest, breathing in the smell of him mixed with disinfectant.
At least tonight, the thing with Rebecca was cleared up. That was enough. As for everything else—I wasn't ready to face it yet. So let it wait a little longer.