Page 33 of Cruel Russian Monster
“Head to the library,” I told Tomas.
“Yes, sir.”
My jaw ticked as anger hummed through me. I was pissed mostly at myself for thinking I could trust someone who’d already proved she wasn’t worth it. And at Vera for sending me on a damn wild goose chase when I had more important things to get done.
The real question was, would she still be at the library when we got there?
I glanced at the phone screen. The car hadn’t moved, but her tracker was still shifting inside the library. Either Vera was inside, or she’d handed off her phone to someone else.
I closed my eyes for a few seconds to reel my anger back in, but it was no use. My eyes shot open.
“For her sake, she had better be inside when I get there,” I muttered to myself.
Ten minutes later, Tomas pulled into the library parking lot. I got out and headed inside.
From a distance, I spotted Vera gliding through the aisles, pulling books from the shelves, flipping through them before either placing them back or stacking them in her arms.
She wandered deeper, disappearing into the rows at the back. My eyes locked on the hypnotic sway of her hips, the curve of her ass perfectly framed in those skin-tight jeans.
I followed her slowly, mesmerized, drawn to her like a tide to the moon.
Her hair was up in a ponytail, and all I could think about was pressing her against the nearest wall, fisting her hair just enough to tilt her head and trail kisses down her neck.
Her pulse would speed up under my lips as my fingers slithered down her stomach to her jeans. As I unbuttoned them, she'd widen her stance, giving me room to slip my fingers into her panties. I'd palm the wetness of her folds that always awaited me, as she moaned my name, “Jaro…”
My cock twitched, and I cursed under my breath.
I stopped.
Breathe, Jaroslav. Vera is a pawn. That’s all. A means to end a war. Nothing more. You can't walk up to her with a fucking hard-on.
I shoved the image from my mind, pulled myself together, and then walked toward her.
Chapter 10 - Vera
I sensed him before I saw him, and my heart skipped a few beats.
I held my breath and flipped through my book until he was standing right next to me.
“Vera, you can’t keep sneaking out of the damn house.”
I hugged the books to my chest and looked up at him. His face may have been blank, but his eyes swam with emotion.
“I didn’t sneak out.” I smiled and shrugged. “Our deal says you’d give me freedom, and I promised not to run again.”
I brushed past him, letting my fingers trail along the spines of the books on the shelf beside him. Jaroslav turned to face me, arms folded, but I kept my gaze on the shelves. I wasn’t about to let him drag me back to that house. I’d leave the library when I was good and ready.
“Yes, freedom,” he whispered, “but common courtesy says a wife tells her husband where she’s going.”
I let out a soft laugh and looked at him briefly. His jaw ticked.
“Husband? That’s a very loose term based on our situation, don’t you think?”
He caught my arm firmly, forcing me to face him. I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened.
His voice was strained when he spoke. “You aremywife. And I’m the underboss of a Bratva faction with enemies growing by the day. I’d appreciate it ifmywife let me know where she was, so I can protect her.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And I’d appreciate it if you let go of my arm.”
