Page 111 of Unhinged

Fucking perfect.

I needed this.

I missed this.

We collapse onto the bed, the smell of sex thick in the air.

She grins up at me. "I’m game for doing that again."

I chuckle, pinching her ass.

She squeals. "That hurts! You spanked the shit out of me."

"Didn’t give you half of what you deserved," I grumble.

She tilts her head, hopeful. "Is that a rain check?"

I shake my head. "Yeah, baby. It’s a rain check."

We lie in the quiet, my fingers threading through her hair.

I cradle the back of her head, pressing her to my shoulder.

It feels right.

Too fucking right.

"You’re better," I murmur. "But we need to talk.”

She freezes, but before she can say anything, I continue.

"Listen. I talked with Polina."

She stiffens.

I nod, my throat tightening. "Remember, Polina is loyal to Rafail. She has to report anything that could be… concerning. Anything that could impact our Bratva. Potential blowback."

Her brows knit, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Yeah. I won’t forget that."

I swallow, then go for it.

"Polina told me that the condition you have right now can be genetic." I pause, watching her face. "But that it’s likely from scar tissue."

Her expression doesn’t change, but she goes completely still.

"Anissa. Is that true?"

She’s silent for a long moment before she whispers, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

I tighten my grip, my fingers pressing into her skin. I’m careful not to hurt her. “You have to.”

“Why?” Her voice is raw. “It’s in the past.”

I lift her hair, twisting gently, just enough to tilt her chin and force her to meet my eyes. Her gaze is wide. Unblinking. But she doesn’t look away. And the raw pain in her eyes makes me vow to kill whoever hurt her.

I’d do anything for her.Anything.

“Because I need to know,” I say, intentionally gentling my voice. I lean in, my lips grazing her ear, my breath hot against her skin. “If there’s someone in your past who hurt you—someone stillbreathing—tell me now.”

---