Page 30 of Tangled Vows

He strolls off, lowering his head, leaving me in a state of confusion. I follow him inside, wondering what in the world he means.

“Excuse me?” I pitch my voice higher, and he turns to me.

“Forget I said that,” he commands. “How have you been? My men said you met with Dr. Yuschenko.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” I confirm, my tone calmer. “I just wanted some company, and your men aren’t exactly friendly. So, will you tell me why you look like hell?”

I can’t wait to hear his explanation. Ordinary people talk when they need to.

Not Leonid.

Again, he chooses to keep me in the dark. He seats himself and leans back, his eyes shut. He runs his fingers through his hair, pushing the air out of his lungs. My first instinct is to complain. I’ve been waiting to see him for days. The least he can do is have a chat with me. The topic doesn’t matter; anything would do. His second sigh is what changes my mind. Something is tormenting him. Maybe he’s just not ready to share it with me.

“I’ll be upstairs when you decide to talk,” I announce, turning on my heels.

“Wait.” His voice stops me in my tracks. “Come here,” he requests, tapping the cushion next to him.

I decide to oblige him, although his earlier attitude doesn’t sit well with me. I want to listen and help if possible.

“So, I’m a distraction?” I ask, folding my arms across my chest.

“You are,” he admits, his tone steady. “But what I did last night wasn’t your fault. It was mine. I should have known better.”

“What did you do?” I wonder, squinting up at him.

“I want to punish the Armenians, Clare,” he mutters, leaning forward with his hands together. “I want to punish them for treating you and the other girls like crap. That desire led me to make a big fucking mistake last night. I kidnapped one of their underbosses to get information about the car bombing.”

“Kidnapped?!” I exclaim, my eyes widening.

“Yes,” he nods, hanging his head. “I should have cleared it with my superiors first. Those people are considered untouchable. To get to them, I need permission. I didn’t get it. My boss got pissed. Man...” he whispers, leaning back until his upper back hits the couch with a thump. “How could I have fucked up like this?”

He stares up at the ceiling, giving me a chance to process his words. His determination makes my heart flutter. I suspected he would want to punish my kidnappers. Now, I know he’s got every intention of doing that. His own desire, however, was what had clouded his judgment. He messed up, then came here to get it off his chest.

“I don’t know what to say.” My voice is but a whisper as I lean across. My lips hovering half an inch from his cheek, I swing my arm over his chest. I let my fingers slide up until they bypass his Adam’s apple. He turns his head in my direction, his pupils dilating in the dim illumination.

“What have you done to me, Clare?” he asks in a gentle voice, his wet lips beckoning.

“I was just about to ask you the same thing.” The urge to taste him rises within me. I’m not going to fight it. I don’t care if he made a mistake. That’s his business; I won’t criticize him for that. All I know is that he did something noble for me. Yes, it’s a crime, but that doesn’t change the fact that he was willing to hurt someone in order to find our aspiring killers.

I press my lips over his, my fingers stopping over his chin. He swings his arm over my shoulders and eases me into a side hug. Our kiss deepens and his masculine scent flows through my nostrils. My knee bumps into his thigh. He grips my calf and caresses my skin before trailing his fingers up my leg. They stop at the bottom of my skirt and squeeze my flesh.

I can feel my heart beating harder, juices starting to gather in my core. His lips move down to my chin, his grip on my leg lighter. He lays a soft kiss on my chin and eases back, opening his eyes. My breath washes over his face, our gazes meeting once more.

“I can’t believe you kidnapped somebody for me,” I confess with a whisper.

“I’d do even more if it helped to keep you safe,” he claims, his smooth voice caressing my senses like a feather. I have no reason to doubt him. He’s got an iron will; he proved that by kidnapping that Armenian.

I swing my leg over his waist and lean in, a wind of desire blowing through my system. His hands clasp my hips, and I feel his hard shaft through his pants. I wanted him badly on the night of our first encounter. Now, I’m desperate to have him. I’m desperate to feel his pulsating shaft inside of me, taking what is his.

Chapter Fifteen

Leonid

That girl is finer than French wine.

Smoking body. Crazy sex drive. Insatiable appetite.

But I already knew these things about her. None of them surprised me. I enjoyed them until the crack of dawn. There was something else before this that blew my mind even more than hours and hours in bed with her.

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