Page 52 of Married to the Don (Kornilov Bratva Duet 1)

He moves towards us slowly, one foot in front of the other, his body swaggering from side to side like a drunk cowboy. When he stops in front of me, he’s only two steps away. Fedor tilts his head to the side and pulls his mouth into a smirk. “I’d love to have this one working on her hands and knees for me.”

He reaches out a hand to cradle my chin, but just before he can touch me, Viktor lashes out with lightning-fast reflexes and bats his hand away.

Rage flares in Fedor’s eyes as he looks at his brother, but it dissipates quickly, replaced with a mild annoyance.

“Off. Limits.” Viktor’s annunciation is as crisp and clear as his meaning. But to bring the point home, he spins me around, putting himself between me and Fedor until I can’t see anything beyond the silhouette of him.

I look up into Viktor’s bright blue eyes, which are a much more natural shade than the electrifying green of his brother’s, and he winks at me.

“Don’t let us distract you from your work any longer,” he says quietly, smoothing his hand up my side until his thumb is brushing against the curve of my breast. Even with Fedor standing two feet away, I feel my body light up under Viktor’s touch. Heat warms my body, driving out the fear and confusion that has been eating away at me. “Stay out of the way until I need you.”

If he’d spoken to me like this under any other circumstances, I’d stomp on his foot and knee him in his groin again. As it is, however, I understand the meaning. Stay out of sight until Fedor is gone.

I move my head to nod, but just as quickly as he swatted away Fedor’s hand, Viktor reaches up and grabs my chin. His fingers are warm on my skin and his grip is velvety, but strong. He forces my face up to his, and a shaky breath slips between my lips.

Slowly, Viktor leans down and presses his mouth to mine.

His lips are soft and open. He curls his tongue up to flick at my top lip before sucking it into his mouth. Desire falls over me like a blanket, so thick and heavy I can’t move. Can’t think.

I stretch up onto my toes and slip my tongue against his, opening his mouth, and I feel his hand clench on my side. His thumb swipes over my body again, moving more solidly over my breast.

“I get it,” Fedor sighs from behind him, reminding me of his presence. “You don’t have to establish your dominance right here. She’s off-limits.”

Viktor pulls away slowly and looks down at me, his eyes dark and dangerous. By the time he turns back around to face his brother, he has situated his expression into a neutral mask.

I’m not as successful. I can feel warmth radiating off my face and neck, and I cross my arms over my chest to try and pull the desire inwards, to keep it contained.

Fedor raises an amused brow at me and tips his head to the side. “On second thought, dominate away. I’d like to watch.”

The desire in my stomach turns to shame, and it’s like someone threw a bucket of ice water on the flickering flame.

Viktor rolls his eyes and points Fedor in the direction of his office, but just before he follows his brother out of the kitchen, he gives me one more look over his shoulder. It’s full of uncertainty, and I try to smile, to tell him it will be okay, but I’m not so sure it will be.

When I hear the office door close upstairs, I run upstairs and directly into Theo’s room.

---