Page 85 of Wrapped in Perfection

The alarm goesoff and wakes me up. Dmitri snatches it and turns it off, but I slide onto his chest and kiss him.

He wraps his arms around me and flicks his tongue in my mouth until I'm breathless and straddling him.

He groans. "I have to go, kotik."

"Now?"

"Yes. My flight takes off soon."

"Flight? Where are you going?"

"I've got a work trip. I'm going to be gone for a few days. I think it might be best for you to go to your brother's. You can stay here, but you'll be alone, and you haven't seen your family in a few days."

I sit up. "Why didn't you tell me you were going out of town?"

He raises his eyebrows and cockily smiles. "You had a gift for me last night. It was only fair for me to show you how grateful I was."

I tilt my head. "Dmitri—"

"Please don't be upset. I wasn't thinking about anything but us last night."

I shouldn't be mad at him. All night, he only focused on me. He ignored phone calls. At one point, his brothers rang the bell, and he told them to go away. "Okay."

He pecks my lips. "I got you something, too."

"What?"

"A new phone."

"Why? My other one works fine."

"You can't use it. You aren't comfortable blocking him right now. I don't want to call Viktor to talk to you or your brother if you choose to stay there. And your family shouldn't have to call me to contact you, either."

I slide back on him. "Did my brother call you?"

"No, he did not call me."

I quietly ask, "Why are you pushing my brother on me?"

He puts his hands in the air. "I'm not. But I don't want him to think I stole you and am keeping you hostage here."

I snort. "He probably would."

Dmitri kisses me again. "I'm going to be late if I don't get moving. Stay here or at your brother's. But at least go visit him and Vivian."

"Can you tell me why you're pushing them on me?" I repeat.

He sighs. "Family is important. Yours is just as crucial as mine. One is not more important than the other. We are together, and both of our families need to be in our lives."

I freeze. All Mitch did was try to eliminate my family from my life. He made me feel guilty whenever I had an event or just wanted to see them. I used to visit my parents during the workday so it didn't inconvenience him, or I didn't have to argue about it.

I pop up on my knees and kiss Dmitri. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything. But mostly just being you."

He opens his mouth to say something but shuts it.

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