Page 15 of His Public Claim
I laugh, although my heart bounces with stupid hope. “I’d have to see you for that.”
“I’m often around.”
“I’d like that,” I reply, and I guess he has no idea how much. I’d love to strip him naked and photograph him from every angle. I’d like to make videos of him. Or even better, of him and me together, so I could remember more clearly. I’ll never forget our night, but memories fade in a way that images remain sharp and vivid.
“Your still-life photography.” He nudges my thigh with his knuckles and the small touch is heated. I grab his hand without thinking, desperate to keep hold of this moment. He stills.
“I like doing flat-lays with books,” I say, looking straight ahead. I pretend I’m not lacing our fingers together, his palm so big and warm. Chattering about my photography, neither of us acknowledges that our hands are slowly exploring. Clasped, linked, his thumb brushing over mine, his fingers covering my whole hand, making me feel dainty and small.
Words flow out in a way that isn’t like me usually. I tell him all about my dreams and aspirations, him adding another question when I trail off. The competitions I want to enter, how I’d love to make a business of my art. How sometimes I feel limited and trapped in by how my family won’t let me be anything other than a mafia princess.He drives and after a while he just holds my hand tight. As though he can’t bear to release me.
We draw up in front of what I suppose is Lev’s home. It’s totally different to the mouldering old pile of fussy ornamented luxury of the Essex mafia’s mansion. With the moon covering the ground with pale white, I can see huge expanses of glass and curved metal and wood. The roof is such that the house appears to have wings, the modern angles creating the impression of it being a bird. It’s the reverse of the fusty old dark wood and gold, free of all ties to the past.
Lev shifts around in his seat to look at me fully for the first time since his identity was revealed. A rainbow of emotion goes through his silver eyes.
“Nicole…” My name on his lips is full of yearning like I’ve never heard before. I’ve certainly never heard it in relation tome.
“It’s so good to see you,” I babble, filling the silence. “I haven’t seen you in ages. Well, obviously we haven’t seen each other.” I have this bad feeling. I don’t want to hear what he’s going to say.
His gaze lowers to where our hands are still entwined.
“Your brother?—”
“I know,” I interrupt him. I can’t bear for him to tell me his friendship comes first. Of course it does. It was one thing when I wasn’t aware of who he was, but by ripping off his mask I spoiled everything. I could have stayed forever. Quiet, anonymous. Happy with my wolf. And I really shouldn’t want to cry. “But before we part, can I have a kiss?”
Just one. A way to remember him as Lev, not only as my wolf.
He doesn’t answer, wordlessly releasing our seatbeltsand pulling me towards him. He sweeps a stray tendril of hair from my cheek and tucks it behind my ear before thrusting his fingers into my hair, tightening passionately at my nape and leaning in.
“Myshka,” he whispers against my lips, then captures me in a kiss. I moan as lightning strikes wet heat to my core. I’m more aware of my body than I’ve ever been before. It’s like Lev has parted the clouds and suddenly everything is revealed. The slide of his lips and the strokes of his tongue as he kisses me, holding my head still as he devours me, is sending fireworks over my skin.
I want him so much. We’ve had sex, but this is more intimate. It’s loving and filthy and pure need. And while on the stage in front of everyone, there was the smell of history and sweat and masculine fragrances battling behind the delicious scent of Lev, now it’s just him and I breathe him in. So hauntingly familiar. I’m an addict.
Whatever we said, never mind. I’ll pretend. I’ll never contact my family again. I did my duty by Highbury. I love my family, but I want to be Lev’s good girl more than be a daughter and sister. They’d prefer me to be happy, right?
They’ll never know if I stay here as his whore. I wriggle against Lev and our fingers tighten to painful intensity. I need him.
Lev plunges his hands further into my hair, pinching as he fists it and brings me even closer to him, controlling the kiss. One hand slides to my neck, circling it possessively, keeping me in place and he kisses me in long erotic strokes and short thrusts. Someone is moaning, and I fear it’s me. I had no idea I needed this so much. And Lev is equally ravenous, as though he’s been longing for this moment as long as I have.
As though I mean the world to him.
“Nicole?! Thank god you’re alright!” My brother’s voice cuts through our kiss.
Lev doesn’t let me go. Doesn’t even break off our kiss. I’m frozen, torn between horror of what my family is going to think, and the sheer rightness of being held by Lev. Of his tongue plundering my mouth.
David’s tone turns hard. “What the hell are you doing tomy little sister?”
7
LEV
Nicole wrenches away, and I release her as eagerly as I’d allow three of my internal organs to be ripped out.
“David, what are you doing here?” Nicole practically falls out of the car and halts in front of her brother. “Did the debt not get paid?”
I follow more slowly, wishing with all my black heart that this scene wasn’t about to happen, and cursing myself. I forgot that I told David about this house. I rarely bring anyone here, to my home outside of London.
I’d said I’d check in with him in the morning, but presumably David got impatient. I expected to have to give her up, but I damn, I hoped for more stolen hours with Nicole, on our own. I thought I could return her quietly, and we could slide back into our old ways of her taking beautiful photos and me covertly capturing her beauty with my own camera.
