Page 84 of Velvet Chains
I raise an eyebrow, pointedly looking him up and down. “Well, for starters, you look like you just went ten rounds with a bottle of vodka. And lost.”
Victor’s jaw clenches, and for a moment, I think he’s going to snap at me. But then he sighs, his shoulders slumping. “It’s been a long fucking night.”
Alright, he’s definitely not in the mood for jokes today, got it. That frown could scare off a clown.
I want to press, to demand answers, but I know better. Victor’s not exactly the sharing type. If he wanted me to know, he’d tell me.
So I just nod, settling back into my seat as he pulls out of the driveway. The silence between us is heavy, awkward. I fiddle with the strap of my purse, trying to think of something to say.
“Thanks for letting me go to the bookstore today,” I offer, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye. “I really appreciate it.”
Victor grunts, his eyes fixed on the road. “Don’t mention it.”
I bite my lip, frustration welling up inside me. Would it kill him to have an actual conversation? To act like he doesn’t completely despise my presence?
Should I tell him what I saw on Dimitry’s phone?
But I swallow down the words, knowing they’ll only make things worse.
“Did you, um… did you have breakfast?” I ask, immediately cringing at how lame I sound.
Victor’s eyebrows lift, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “No. Did you?”
I shake my head, my cheeks heating. “No. I wasn’t hungry.”
Liar. You were too busy freaking out about seeing him to eat.
We lapse into silence again, the only sound the hum of the engine and the muted rush of traffic outside. I fiddle with the hem of my skirt, trying to work up the nerve to make the situation less awkward. Like trying to start a conversation in an elevator with someone who just saw you trip over your own feet.
“How was dinner with the family?” Victor asks suddenly.
I startle, caught off guard. “Oh, um… it was fine. Good, actually. Your dad seems to be doing better.”
Victor nods, something like relief flickering across his face. “That’s good. I’m glad,” he grunts with a sardonic snort. “Old man’s tough as nails. Papa would stand up and march on, heart stabbed with a knife and all. Stubborn doesn’t half describe him.”
I laugh. “Reminds me of someone I know.” I give Victor a pointed look, my lips curving into a teasing smile.
Victor’s eyes flick to me, a smirk playing on his lips. “Careful there, kiska. You don’t want to cross the line with me. I might just have to pull this car over and punish you.”
His words send a shiver down my spine, and I feel heat pooling in my belly. Damn him and his ability to turn me on with just a few words.
I swallow hard, trying to ignore the way my body responds to him. “Is that a promise or a threat?”
Victor chuckles, the sound dark and dangerous. “With me, it’s always both.”
Something in his tone makes me worry. His look of amusement has changed to one of primal hunger, that predatory glint in his eyes that surfaces at random moments, always catching me off guard.
My breath hitches. My heart starts to pound. An electric charge shivers over my nerve endings. From one moment to the next, I go from being annoyed with him to feeling like a mouse that realized there’s a cat crouching right behind it, ready to pounce.
“I’d like that.” I gasp. I can’t believe that I just admitted that out loud.
He reaches out to hold my hand, “Sweet little kiska, if you keep tempting me like this, I won’t be held responsible for what I do to you. I’ll have you screaming my name, begging for more.”
His words make me press my thighs together, trying to alleviate the ache building between my legs.
Fuck, how does he do this to me?
I pull my hand back, pretending to adjust the seatbelt that’s digging into my stomach and breast.
