Page 21 of Possessive Vows

The total rings up to less than a quarter of what he gave me.

I head back toward the vehicle anyway, hoping he’ll forget, but after opening the trunk and placing the bags inside, he takes a jerky and cheese combo pack and steps back. With a flick of his eyes, he demands I choose a snack. I sigh and grab a protein bar and bottled water.

With him as a crowd deterrent, I nibble my way through half the protein bar as we visit the bakery next door. After I pay for our selections, he peels the paper back from mine and swaps it for the protein bar.

The freshly baked mini loaf of sourdough warms my hand, and I fight the urge to close my eyes and moan as I savor the first bite.

We stash our new wares in the vehicle and visit a few other shops before he leads me into a tiny sit-down diner. He settles me into the corner booth with my back against the wall and pulls up a chair to sit at the end of the table, where he can still see the rest of the restaurant and out the glass front door.

I don’t taste the food, my nerves too jumbled as we sit in silence, the sense of intimacy unexpected.

The muscles flexing in his jaw as he chews create the sexiest show I’ve ever seen. His Adam’s apple bobbing with every swallow fills me with erotic thoughts. The way his lethal fingers handle his utensils lights a spark in my core.

I tear my eyes away from him and focus on my plate.

He doesn’t pressure me to eat more when I stop after eating less than half of my meal. Even though I threw everything up, yesterday’s enormous meal and the bread still make me feel heavy.

After we finish eating and pay the bill, I leave the rest of the money on the table, tipping the waitress more than she probably makes in a week and meet Dimitri’s eyes, challenging him to correct me.

He doesn’t.

When he steps into the next booth to give me room to pass, his eyes flit to our waitress, and no longer tucked into a corner with him filling my senses, I realize by the roundness of her belly that she’s several months pregnant. Ice infects my veins and my soul feels hollow for a second, but I remember Perla’s tiny fingers curled around my thumb and square my shoulders.

Giorgio, Nico, and Ermanno wouldn’t hesitate to tip the woman, but the Russian’s approval still shocks me. His icy expressions and the brutality lurking in his eyes make him look like an emotionless killer, which is why any show of kindness knocks me off guard.

I swallow the ball of emotions in my throat and lead the way back to the car.

Less than thirty minutes later, he pulls into the parking lot of a tiny rundown motel and instructs me to stay buckled in the car before he rolls the windows down half an inch and turns off the engine. I sit with my heart in my throat as he shuts and locks the door before stalking into the lobby.

Even though he returns before the sun warms the car, sweat trickles down my sides when he returns. The acrid stench of my fear breaks through my body spray, and I wish I could reapply, but don’t want to drown the car and give myself away, so I stare out the window as he wedges himself behind the wheel.

He drives around to the back of the building and backs into the parking spot in front of the last room furthest away from the main entrance.

I check for any type of security and find none. When Dimitri steps out and walks past my door without a word, I stay in my seat and watch him enter the room through the side-view mirror.

He returns a few seconds later and transfers the bags from our shopping into the room before closing the trunk, opening my door, and offering me a metal key on his palm.

I take it, avoiding touching his flesh as much as possible, and close my fist around it so the ridges dig into my skin.

My joints complain as I rise from my seat and limp along the side of the car. Fear sweat gathers on my nape. The bandage pulls on my cheek. With stiff movements, I step onto the sidewalk and into the room.

The AC unit hums. A table and two chairs sit in front of the window while a queen bed takes up most of the space. The toilet and tub shower combo have a door to separate them from the rest of the room while the sink, counter, and mirror are beside the mini fridge and microwave. A television sits on a narrow ledge across from the bed.

Our groceries overflow the table. My larger bag sits on the corner of the bed.

A shadow falls over me.

I step deeper into the room with growing dread. When Dimitri joins me and shuts the door behind him, the space feels matchbox tiny.

He pulls a chair away from the table. It wobbles and nearly falls apart. He scowls down at it and wedges it under the door handle before trying the other chair.

Even after he lowers his weight onto it, the room feels too small.

His icy blue eyes meet mine. My stomach freefalls when the lines bracketing his eyes soften.

“I do not lie,so´lnyshka,” he says.

My chest tightens even as the tension in my muscles lessens as I recall his words about gaining my trust.

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