Page 52 of The Cute Psycho

It's also probably the reason why I'd accepted his offer in the first place. Not that I wouldn't mind living a little, but his persona seems to intrigue me more than the outside world.

I'm not dumb, though. I could tell that there was something he was hiding from me. I hadn't really bought his flimsy excuse that he wantsto do a favor for his friend, or that he may need my help in the future. And even to his ears it must have sounded too phony.

Still, with him occupying my mind for so long, I'd just jumped at the opportunity to know more about him. Especially considering that duality of him, the way he'd seemed more beast than man at Sacre Coeur, or the way he'd felt too much of a man under me.

A blush envelops my features as I remember just how good that had felt or how he'd seemed embarrassed by his own body's response.

The internet has a wealth of information, and from what I've read, he's anything but indifferent to me.

It should scare me, this foreign feeling that seems to have made its home in my body. But while I feel some apprehension since Idon'tknow Vlad that well, I want to remedy that.

Tapping the screen of my phone, I anxiously wait for his message, since he'd promised to take me somewhere tonight.

My phone buzzes and I'm quick to open the text.

Open the window.

I do, looking down onto the lawn where Vlad is waving at me. Frowning, I glance around, since I'm sure Marcello had increased the number of guards around the house recently.

"Down," he mouths to me, using his fingers to point toward the ground.

"How?" I mouth back, watching as he takes his phone out to text something.

Jump! I'll catch you.

I read the message twice, looking between my phone and Vlad, then raise an eyebrow at the outrageous idea.

Seeing the skepticism written on my face, he shoots me another text.

Promise to catch you. Trust me?

I tilt my head to the side, looking at him for a moment. He has an inviting smile on his face, as if he's daring me to jump, ready to mock me if I don't.

Taking a deep breath, I hike up my skirt and climb out the window, my head already spinning as I look at the distance between my room and the ground.

"Come on," he says, his arms open, his hands motioning toward him.

I guess it's now or never.

Without dwelling too much on it, I close my eyes and take my hands off the windowsill, flinging myself forward and into Vlad's waiting arms.

My landing is not what I expected. True to his word, Vlad's arms come around me, locking me tight into his embrace.

Our faces are millimeters apart, and as I stare into those black eyes of his, everything else fades away.

"Oops," he whispers, wobbling a little before tilting back and falling, with me on top of him.

"I shouldn't make a habit of falling on top of you," I whisper, my pulse speeding up as I feel the heat emanating from his body.

"Next time you can fall under me." He winks at me, and it takes me a moment to realize what he means.

"You..." I clench my fist, ready to wipe the grin off his face, when I hear a sudden noise.

Vlad does too, because his features change immediately, his playful expression gone and replaced with a serious one.

Quickly helping me to my feet, he wastes no time in throwing me over his shoulder and running in the opposite direction of the noise.

He stops in front of a car, placing me on the hood. His arms braced on either side of me, he gives me a droopy smile.

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