Page 47 of Cruel Russian Monster
My breath stalled in my lungs. Why was Vera so riled up? And did she really mean that about wishing she had married Lev? Just the fact that she was thinking about it pissed me off.
“As the underboss, there are things you can’t do,” she said slowly. “In case you have forgotten, I grew up in this world, too; I know the rules just like you. Your faction is already bleeding. If you and Lev begin to fight each other, everything crashes. I knew I was crossing lines with Lev, but someone had to.”
She paused, her gaze softening.
“And I’m already the enemy, right? So let him be pissed at me instead of you. I had nothing to lose by doing it…but you? You'd lose everything.”
Vera sighed and sank onto the sofa. “Look, I’m tired. Can you just leave?”
I took a step toward Vera. “As you said, you’re the enemy. So why would you care what happens to our faction?”
Vera rolled her eyes. “In case you’ve forgotten, my sister and nephew live here. So does her husband, and his siblings. Despite everything that’s happened or is happening between both factions, I’m not heartless.” Her voice grew softer. “I care about the people Katya loves.”
Does that mean she….
“Why do you care?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow.
I saw the anger brewing in her eyes again. Vera hopped to her feet, a look of disbelief on her face.
“You mean, why would I care if my sister would be devastated if her loved ones were hurt?” Her voice cracked with fury. “I love Katya. What the fuck, Jaroslav?”
I took a slow step toward her, locking eyes.
“So what you’re saying is,” I drawled, “when Lev was disrespecting me, you stepped in and cared only because I’m someone Katya loves?”
“Is that so hard to believe?” Vera folded her arms.
Now we were standing mere inches apart.
“And when I got shot…you didn't leave me to die, and you only cared because I'm someone Katya loves…?”
“That is correct.”
Vera's words and tone said one thing, but her body language said something else. Her pupils dilated and her breathing sped up.
“And when you came home, you called Tomas and a doctor, plus got me medication. You cared only because Katya loves me?”
“Yes.” Her voice faltered as I placed my hands on her upper arms. I noticed the goosebumps that erupted along her skin.
She didn't push me away, her fingers curling in my shirt, pulling me closer.
I leaned forward, our lips almost touching.
“And you stayed up with me two days straight to take care of me…only because you didn't want Katya to be devastated if something happened to me?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
Fuck it.
My lips crashed against hers. Vera moaned and melted into me, her hands sliding around my neck, fingers threading into my hair as she tugged me closer. I gripped her waist, pulling her flush against me, not ashamed of letting her feel how hard I was.
We kissed like we were starving and desperate, like fire and oxygen.
I needed this…I needed her.
She tasted better than I remembered, and my hands moved to her ass and cupped it. She arched into me and moaned.
After a few breathless minutes, she pulled back just enough to speak.
