Page 130 of Ripped Veil (Ripped Bratva)

Unable to argue with that, I sigh in defeat and head towards the staircase. Anna walks with me as far as the living room and then gestures for me to go inside. I plant a kiss on Theo’s forehead, take a deep breath, and walk inside to whatever’s awaiting me.

27

Elyssa

Phoenix is standing by the sliding glass doors, looking out at the pool.

I stop a few feet away from him but he doesn’t even acknowledge my presence until I clear my throat. Only then does he slowly turn to face me.

“Our room was locked this morning,” I tell him.

“A result of your friend’s late-night visit to my office. Mylocked,private office.”

I sigh. “Charity can be impulsive, but she doesn’t mean any harm.”

A wry smile plays across his lips. Lips that I’d dreamed about last night, as a matter of fact. Lips that kissed down my spine, up my thighs, between my…

I push away the thought immediately. I don’t want Phoenix to know how deep in my head he’s gotten.

“‘Doesn’t mean any harm’?” he repeats. “She personally threatened me.”

“Empty threats,” I say. “She’s just… protective.”

“There’s no such thing as an empty threat.”

“Maybe not in your world,” I say. “But what power does she really have? She has her looks and her wits.”

“And those things have gotten her into very important places with very important men,” he says darkly. “Anything is a weapon in the right hands, Elyssa.”

A burst of adrenaline rushes through me the moment he says my name. But I cast it aside and balk at the insinuation in his tone. “She has nothing to do with those men! Apart from…”

“Fucking them?”

I cringe. “Well, yes. She did what she had to do to survive.”

“I’m not judging her life choices, Elyssa. Merely telling you what I have to do in response to who she’s become. More than that, I’m just pointing out certain… coincidences that have popped up since you and your friend entered the picture.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Are you accusing me of being a spy again? We’ve been down this road already.”

I try to say it strong and bold. To let him know I’m not afraid of him. But somehow, it has the opposite effect. I sound like a petrified little girl asking for approval.

He doesn’t answer me. Instead, he reaches behind him and pulls out a small bag. “Here.”

I take it but I don’t look inside. “What is this?”

“Your first lesson,” he tells me coolly. “And you’ll need that.”

I open the bag and reach for whatever’s inside. To my surprise, I draw out a black one-piece with a daring V neckline and a scooped back.

I stare at Phoenix in confusion. “This is a swimsuit.”

“Very astute. Put it on.”

“Why?”

“I just told you: you’re about to have your first lesson.”

I glance towards the pool, realizing what he’s trying to do. “You’re going to teach me to swim?”

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