Page 78 of Love to Defy You
Dammit, I hate when he’s right.
“Don’t let the Order stop you from living your life,” Alek says. “Let me worry about that.”
“But if something happens to you…” My voice cracks, and I hold a hand over my mouth as though it will stop the tears threatening to spring forth.
If Alek dies, I won’t be able to go on without him. At that point, the internship wouldn’t even matter because I refuse to live in a world without Alek in it.
“Come here.” He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me onto his lap. When he wraps me in his warm embrace, he kisses my neck. “I’m going to make it. We both are. Our lives will go on, and you’ll come to regret passing this opportunity up.”
I melt against him, burrowing my face into the crook of his neck. All I want is to lose myself in the safety and comfort I feel when he holds me in his arms.
“Finish your breakfast,malishka,“ he whispers. “And after that, you’re going to email the publishing house back and arrange the interview.”
“And if I refuse?” I ask.
“Good girls get rewards.” He slides his hand over my breast and rolls my nipple between his fingers. “Disobedient ones don’t get to come.”
He nips at my neck, and it sends a thrilling shudder down my spine. Sex is my favorite coping mechanism, and if doing as he says promises an escape from secret societies and homework and terror, I’ll do anything to get it.
“Fine.” I reach for the food tray and pull it toward me, then cut off a huge chunk of my crepe with my fingers and stick it in my mouth. “Just promise me one thing.”
“And what’s that?”
I swallow my food. “That you’ll survive all this bullshit so you can come with me to London this summer.”
He grabs my wrist and pulls my hand to his mouth. After licking the chocolate hazelnut sauce off with an obscene swirl of his tongue, he releases my fingers with a pop. “I promise.”
Chapter 17
Alek
April
Willow hasn’t noticed me standing in the doorway to the closet yet. She turns in front of the mirror, smoothing out the blush-pink chiffon dress over her hips. Next, she holds up a green floral dress on a hanger in front of her, alternating between the two outfits while chewing on her plump bottom lip.
I’d rather be the one to make her lips swollen instead.
I stride into the closet and walk up behind her. “The pink one.”
Willow jumps and spins around, clutching the green dress to her chest. “Jesus, you scared me.”
I don’t point out that she’s been on edge lately and startles easily. Ever since the Trial of Lust, Willow is more withdrawn and tends to lose herself in her thoughts, but I don’t blame her. I went through something similar after the first two trials.
I step into her space, and on instinct, she steps backward until she hits the mirror. Silly littlemalishka, always letting me back her into a corner. It’s like shewantsto be caught.
I place my hands on her hips and grind against her. “This week away will be good for you. You haven’t been back to Andarusia since we left.”
Her breath hitches when I lean down to kiss her neck. “I just wish you could come with me.”
If I step foot in Andarusia again, I’ll be arrested on sight, but such is the life of exile. However, I’ve made my peace with it; there isn’t anything left for me there.
Except I don’t like that Willow and I will be apart for an entire week. Her being somewhere I can’t get to if she needs me makes me nervous. But her father is getting married, and she can’t miss that.
“Give David and Galina my regards.” I start to drag her skirt up her legs and resume kissing her neck.
She rewards me with a breathy sigh. “That oil painting you bought them is too much.”
“It’s an investment,” I whisper against her soft skin. “Once the artist dies, the valuation will skyrocket.”
