Page 79 of Ruby Malice

“Makes sense. A girl like you has no shortage of guys who wanna give her rides.”

There’s something suggestive in his tone. Rayne hears it, too. Her neck flushes a pale pink color. “It’s my brother-in-law, actually.”

“Not your boyfriend?”

“Definitely not my boyfriend.”

It’s not a conversation that has ever come up, but it felt like a safe assumption that she didn’t have a boyfriend. If she did, he’d likely be pretty upset when he finds out she touches herself to thoughts of me. Shortly after that, he’ll probably have a complaint or two about all the bones I’d break in his face.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Dmitry asks. I can’t see Rayne’s face, but he laughs shortly after. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m being pushy, aren’t I?”

“Not as pushy as some,” Rayne mutters.

She’s talking about me. That much is obvious.

“I can see that. It’s not every day I come across someone as beautiful as you. It calls for a little pushiness,” he says. “So was that a no, or…?”

I’m torn between wanting to bash him in the back with the front door and also stay put and hear the answer. Rayne is so guarded with me. It’s strangely nice to hear her more relaxed. Even if it is with another man.

“No. I don’t have a boyfriend,” she says. “And I’m sorry, but I’m not really looking for one.”

“Me neither,” Dmitry jumps in. “Glad we got that sorted.”

Rayne laughs, a carefree tinkling noise that sets my teeth on edge. “You’re funny.”

“Do you like funny?” he asks. “I can be funny.”

Rayne nods. “I like funny. I could always use more funny friends.”

Dmitry presses his hands to his heart like he’s been wounded. “Ouch. That’s the wrong ‘F’ word.”

A red sports car comes down the drive. Rayne steps off the porch. She turns back to smile at Dmitry, and I duck behind the door to stay out of view. “A smooth guy like you, I’m sure you’ll recover.”

“That implies I’m giving up,” Dmitry calls after her. “I think the two of us are just getting started.”

Rayne laughs again and ducks into her brother-in-law’s car.

I back away from the door and wait. When it finally swings open, Dmitry is still smiling. But when he looks up at my face, his smile falls away.

“Don Zaitsev.” He bows his head. “I didn’t know you were here. I’m sorry. I was just—”

“Talking to my woman,” I finish for him.

In the back of my mind, I question the title. Rayne is not mine. Not yet. Not ever. But Dmitry doesn’t need to know that.

His eyes practically bulge out of his head with panic. “I had no idea. I swear, I never would have—She wasn’t interested. She turned me down flat. Nothing happened.”

“Lucky. If it ever does, I’ll kill you,” I tell him. “If you ever even look at her again, I’ll break your legs. For each offense, you lose another limb.”

Dmitry is trembling from head to toe. He nods. “Understood. It won’t happen again, sir.”

I dismiss him with an angry slash of my hand. I turn as he scurries down the hallway, just to find German standing at the base of the stairs.

“Goddammit,” I mutter. “Today is not my fucking day.”

He grins. “Your woman? I don’t smell sulfur and brimstone, so I’m guessing that wasn’t Viktoria out there on the porch.”

“Yesterday, you wanted me to marry her and now, you’re calling her the devil?”

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