Page 44 of The Bratva's Auctioned Bride
And I never had a chance to explore more with her. Maybe because I was holding back, maybe because she washolding back. I have no idea. But this came too quickly. This moment. I’m not ready for it. I don’t know what to do.
Panic flows rapidly through my veins, and I fight it, trying to act calm as Jaroslav says goodbye.
Behind me, Angelika brushes her hand against my back. “Was that my brother?” she asks.
“Yes, he says no longer needs a bodyguard, but that you’ll be required to stay home where you can be safe,” I mutter, my mind spinning.
“Dammit, it never ends with them,” she huffs, walking toward my office door, then out of it, leaving me to scramble after her.
Why am I the one chasing her? How does she have this control over me?
***
Driving toward her brother’s place, I have to continuously fight the urge to reach out and place my hand on her thigh. I want to touch her. I want to pull over on the side of the road and fuck her again, but more than that, I want to reach out to her. Connect with her. Talk to her. I want to know what she’s thinking and feeling while she sits quietly next to me, watching the lights flash past the window.
I clear my throat, and she glances at me.
“I’ll stop at the penthouse so we can get your things,” I say, thinking I can offer her a coffee. A few more moments.
“No, it’s ok. You can have them sent over tomorrow.”
Dammit.
“Alright.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek, trying to figure her out. So sweet and innocent, yet leaving me guessing.
What does she want from me?
Do I even know what I want?
Not really.
Yes, you do know. Don’t deny it.
I stare straight ahead. My eyes are intent on the road. The pools of light are splashes by the street lamps. The right storefronts and the other cars around me. Focus. Stop letting her distract you.
The bottom line is that I can’t be with her.
That’s it.
That’s all there is to it.
She’s a Shev for crying out loud. Thelastperson on the planet I should be messing around with. I should never have slept with her the first time. And certainly not again after that. This is me, taking reckless to a whole new level. My brothers will tear me to shreds if they find out. And Jaroslav… I’m pretty sure I’ll be hanging, skinned alive, in his torture chamber, bleeding to death, the dayhefinds out.
Still, I find myself driving slower than usual. Stretching these last moments out. I have no idea when I’ll see her again or what the circumstances will be. I have no idea if she’ll ever talk to me again. Are we even friends? What are we?
Nothing, by the way she’s acting. A fling. A bit of fun.
A lot of fun.
Eventually, the inevitability of our arrival becomes unavoidable, and no matter how much slower I drive, we find ourselves parked beneath the stone steps of his home.
Angelika looks across the car at me. For the briefest of moments, I see reluctance in her eyes. Longing? But as quickly as I glimpse it, it’s gone again.
“Thanks for everything,“ she says casually. “I’m sure Jaroslav is pleased with you, and the alliance stuff will benefit from all of your help.”
“Alliance stuff?” I repeat, confused.
