Page 13 of His Public Claim
“Is it a wing of the house that has a rose that represents your enchantment into a monstrous form and that time is running out as each petal falls?”
“Definitely it’s that,” he says dryly.
“What is it, then?”
“It’s just a room,” he replies patiently. “And you’re not allowed to go in.”
I sigh and cross my arms, and that makes him chuckle and shake his head.
“Are you going to take off the mask?” If I stay, I’ll see him eventually, right? But now he’s barred one thing from me, I want my own back. He took my virginity, he won’t tell me about his mystery room that I probably wouldn’t have even realised about unless his house is a lot smaller than the money he just dropped on paying my family debts would indicate, and now I’m desperate to see the top two-thirds of his face.
Totally rational.
“That’s not a good idea.”
I’m intrigued. “What do you mean?”
He stays silent.
“Do we know each other in real life?”
“Isn’t this real?”
“Puhssh.” I wave that away. “You know what I mean.”
“That’s a trap.” His mouth twitches. It’s wide and generous and a tickle of recognition flits through my mind.
“We do!” I knew it. We couldn’t have had that connection without knowing each other, surely?
“Do not push this, Nicole. Please.” There’s a hint of fear in that last word, but I don’t believe it.
“Mmm.” I put on a teasing voice. “Are you a mysterious stranger, then?”
“Is this an interrogation?”
“Not a very successful one, since you won’t tell me anything.”
He chuckles, and the sound ripples through me.
“I’ll have to try another tactic then!” I grab his mask and pull it off his face, tossing it away.
Then I stare in disbelief.
6
NICOLE
“Oh my god,” I breathe.
Because the face that’s revealed to me is chiselled, with high cheekbones, sparkling grey eyes, and black stubble on his square jaw that I’ve wondered how it would feel on my skin as he kissed me.
It’sLev.
Lev Vasiliev, kingpin of Dalston. Billionaire mafia boss. Way older than me. Star of my smutty dreams. And my brother’s best friend.
For a few seconds there’s nothing but the dark night, the rush of wind, the stars above us, and the headlights filling the small winding lane before us.
“See,” he says with a twist of despair, “this is why I said you shouldn’t take off the mask.”
