Page 12 of Sinful Union

I don’t flinch; I don’t react at all. Instead, I tilt my head slightly, as if he’s murmuring something sentimental, some sort of brotherly advice.

Piotr pulls back, smiling down at me. I play the part of the devoted sister perfectly as I smile, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. His hand tightens briefly at my waist before he releases me, shifting his focus to Pavel.

“Brother,” he says simply, offering his hand.

I glance at Vlad, searching for reassurance. His gaze is serious and unreadable, but he finally steps forward and pulls me in for a hug. “Good luck,” he says quickly and quietly.

I feel my chest tighten. “I don’t need luck.”

“Remember, it’s not too late. It’s never too late, until—”

Pavel reminds me it’s time for us to head upstairs, preventing Vlad from finishing his sentence. He doesn’t have to. I know I can back out until the second Pavel’s lips touch the glass.

Vlad pulls back, his jaw twitching, but he says nothing else. Instead, he turns to Pavel, shaking his hand and giving him a subtle nod.

I inhale sharply as Pavel’s hand settles on the small of my back, guiding me toward the exit. My skin burns under his touch, my body betraying me once again.

One more hour. That’s all I have to get through.

The elevator doors slide shut, sealing me in with the one man around whom I should never let down my guard. My body still hums from his kiss and the way he made it feel like he still had the right.

I lean back against the wall, exhaling sharply. My feet are killing me. I bend down, ready to yank off my heels, but before I can, Pavel steps in front of me, his large hands wrapping around my wrists, stopping me mid-motion. His touch is firm, commanding.

“Let me,” he says, already lowering himself to one knee.

I freeze.Oh hell, no.

Before I can argue, he slides his hands down my calves, taking his sweet time as he reaches my ankles. A sharp jolt of heat flares up my spine, and I grip the railing behind me for balance.

His fingers make quick work of the delicate straps, peeling them away from my skin with a gentleness that belies the dangerous man he’s become. When his thumb brushes the arch of my foot, I have to prevent myself from moaning.

“You’ve been on your feet all night,” he says. “You should’ve worn something more comfortable for the reception.”

I narrow my eyes. “You mean like combat boots? Might not have had the same aesthetic appeal.”

His lips quirk. “Maybe, but at least you wouldn’t be wincing in pain.”

His grip tightens slightly before he begins massaging my foot with slow, deep circles. My head tips back against the elevator wall, a sigh slipping out before I can stop it.

“Better?” he asks.

This man is ruining me with nothing but his hands, and he knows it. I swallow hard, trying to ignore the way my body reacts, trying to remind myself that I’m supposed to kill him tonight. But then he moves to the other foot, and I can barely suppress the full-body shudder that rolls through me. By the time he’s done, I feel boneless, my body betraying me yet again.

He stands, my strappy heels dangling from his fingers as he towers over me. I reach for them, desperate for a reason to put some space between us.

“I’ve got them,” he says smoothly, his tone making it clear that there’s no point in arguing. “Let me help you.”

I glare up at him, forcing my voice to remain cold and steady. “I don’t need your help.”

His smile is slow, almost indulgent. “You do; you just don’t like admitting it. You’ve always been that way.”

The doors slide open before I can snap back at him, and he gestures for me to step out first. The moment I do, my breath catches.

The view from our Four Seasons suite is breathtaking. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the New York skyline, the city lights glittering in the distance. A massive king-size bed sits in the center of the room, draped in luxurious white bedding. A bottle of champagne waits in an ice bucket on the table next to a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries. It’s romantic, intimate.

Completely at odds with the fact that he will be dead before sunrise.

I take a step inside, my heart hammering against my ribs. I can feel Pavel’s presence behind me like a dark shadow curling around my spine.

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