Page 69 of A Devious Arrangement

I’d kill myself before I’d ever admit it to him, but he may have actually ruined me for anyone else. He’d skated the line between pain and pleasure, teetering on the edge until I was about to give up before plunging me back into bliss. Any thought I managed to have was fried when he’d handled me like he could read my every thought.

By the way it hurts to move, it took a toll on my body, but I can’t say I mind. If anything, I have to be careful not to grow addicted before this all comes to an end. My fingers skim over the cold side of his bed. Did he leave? It’s the sound of rushing water coming from the closed bathroom door that has my breath releasing in a sigh. I refuse to acknowledge the relief easing mymind because I’d have to admit I’d been disappointed he wasn’t here in the first place.

Vrrr…Vrrr…Vrrr…I ignore the twinge beneath my ribs and grab my phone. Shit. Six missed calls from Nikolai. There’s no way I would have slept through them all. I glance at the bathroom. Did he have something to do with this?

Inhaling through my nose, I let it out slowly before answering in my most cheerful tone. “Hi, Niko.”

“Hi? Hi? Is that all you have to say to me after ignoring my calls for the last four hours?” Oh, he sounds mad.

I move the glass of water so I can see the time. My mouth falls open when it shows past noon. I haven’t slept in like this for years. No wonder Niko was worried.

“I’m sorry, I must have had my phone on silent.” Lie, but I’m not explaining the situation to him. I can only imagine how that would go…Oh, my pretend boyfriend broke someone’s hand for touching me, and it got me so turned on I ended up having crazy sex all night that caused me to pass out for several hours.Not a freaking chance. I’d rather chew off my own arm.

I clear my throat, still thick from sleep. “I’m sorry for worrying you. It was a mistake.”

“Are you just getting up? Were you with that bastard Everette?” The accusation is clear in his tone.

I freeze, every joint going rigid. I’d purposely kept him in the dark. As a little sister raised by her older brother, I’ve learned a few things. One of which is that he’ll absolutely lose his shit if he finds out I’m sleeping with Bash. Which is honestly how I’m supposed to feel, yet here I am, having mind-blowing sex with the devil himself. I put on my innocent tone I take out for special occasions. “Of course not. Why would you even say that?”

“Don’t mess with me right now, Ana. Do you have any idea how many picturesthere are of you two making out?”His toneswitches from anger to concern, and I relax. He never could stay mad at me.

I rub my hand over my face, pushing back my hair. My fingers tangle in the wild strands, providing further proof of my wild night. Thank God Niko didn’t FaceTime me, or I’d have been completely screwed. “Calm down. I told you I had a plan. I’m so close to getting my hands on the Kokoshnik Tiara. Just a few more days.”

He scoffs, incredulous. “And Bash is how you’re planning on doing it?”

“Yeah, he is a Lord of the Order of Saints. If anyone can help me, it’s him,” I say, each syllable more clipped than the last. He might be my brother, but he has some audacity to judge how I get this done. “You’re going to have to trust me to do this. We need that tiara, and this is our chance.”

“You know I’m going gray prematurely because of you, right?” He blows out a breath in defeat, knowing full well he isn’t winning this one.

“Haven’t you heard? Gray hair on guys is totally in right now.” I try to lighten the mood, and he chuckles, at least pretending he thinks everything’s okay.

I know he’s going to worry until I get this done.

Changing the subject, I ask, “You’ve been with our family for a bit now. Hear anything useful?”

There’s a long pause that has my hair standing on end. “Something’s not right here, Anastasia. I’m figuring it out.”

The use of my full name has me uneasy. “What does that mean?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I’ll let you know when I do.”

I want to demand answers now, but if I want him to trust me, I’ll have to trust him. My brother’s more than capable of taking care of himself.

“Fine…just be careful,” I say.

“You’re one to talk.”

I laugh. I have nothing to say to that. If I told him I plan on sneaking back into the Vault, with Bash Everette, of all people, he’d likely lose his mind. We share some small talk for a bit before getting off the phone. Whatever’s up with him, I’m going to have to wait until after I get the tiara to find out.

I swing my legs off the bed, then freeze as the silky black sheet slips, revealing the top of my bare breast, and clasp it to my collarbone. I’d been too exhausted to get dressed last night, choosing to collapse in place instead. I expect to feel sticky, but I’m clean. The idea of Bash wiping me down, careful not to wake me up, has unwanted fluttering in my chest.

The bathroom door opens, and Bash steps out, surrounded by thick steam. My heart races, and I swallow hard as he approaches. Water drips down his chest, following deep grooves between his muscles until they disappear into the low-slung white towel around his hips. My thighs rub together as I take him in, my mouth suddenly dry with the want to catch the rivulets with my tongue.

“You keep looking at me like that, Princess, and I won’t be responsible for what happens next,” he says in a thick, gravelly tone.

My gaze snaps to his face, and where I expect to see his usual playfulness, it’s replaced by a dark, heated hunger. Goose bumps rise along my arms. If we keep this up, it’ll be me jumping him.

Cowardly, I wrap the sheets around me and scurry to the bathroom, his chuckle following me through the closed door.

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