Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35111 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35111 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Up on the deck, Mykolas arrogantly asked her to rub sunblock on his back and give him a massage as well. She politely told him to drink the sunblock and massage himself to death.
Mykolas, who was lying on his chest on the wooden lounge chair, lifted his head and turned to her, saying silkily, “If you do it, I may be persuaded to share a little about myself.”
She snatched the sunblock from his hand. “Give me that,” she grumbled and pushed him back down on the chair.
Mykolas obeyed with a grin, and he let out a grunt of pleasure as Velvet’s soft hands rubbed oil on his back.
Mykolas’ back was smooth, hard and all sculpted muscles. Velvet would never admit it to a living soul, but she loved giving Mykolas a massage, loved the feel of his sinewy muscles reacting to every stroke of her fingers.
Mykolas turned his head to the side so he could watch Velvet. She was dressed in a skimpy red bikini, one of the many things he had personally ordered for her weekend wardrobe. And good thing he had bought her clothes, since the first thing he had ended up doing when they met was rip her dress apart.
“Ask then.” It was something she had frequently pestered him about whenever they were talking on the phone or exchanging texts.
“Tell me something about yourself that no one knows.”
He thought about it carefully. “It’s not a good thing.”
“Tell me still.”
He looked at her squarely. “I believe everything, everyone, has a price.”
Velvet blinked, her hands momentarily stopping its ministrations. “Oh. You’re right. That’s a totally shitty thing to believe.”
“But it is true, agape mou. It does not mean that there are no good people left in the world. It only means that for the right price, every person can be made to do something.”
She shook her head. “What about love?”
“Can still be bought.”
Her parents came to mind, and her smile faded. “I guess.”
Mykolas was stunned at Velvet’s agreement. And though he would never admit it, he was bothered by it, too. He didn’t like seeing the dark look in her eyes, didn’t like at all the thought that she had to suffer to understand his words were true.
“It is your turn. Tell me something about yourself that no one else knows about.” And he had a feeling there were quite a lot, for Velvet had long proven herself to be a woman who held her cards very close to her heart.
Velvet couldn’t help but laugh at the arrogant command. “And what if I don’t?”
“Then I do this.” Before she could react, Mykolas had captured her wrist and tugged her down, causing her to fall on him, her breasts squashing his face. He readily took advantage of course, and when he started to suck on one bikini-covered nipple, that was when Velvet realized how she would pay if she didn’t agree to his demand.
“Okay, okay,” she yelped as pleasure threatened to take over and make her forget everything but the agonizingly sharp pleasure of his mouth on her breast, “I’ll tell you one thing.”
Reluctantly, Mykolas released her nipple.
She immediately pulled away, and just to be safe, she inched back to keep herself out of reach.
“Tell me.”
“It’s not nice either.”
“I’m tough, agape mou.”
Velvet’s lips twisted. “Well, that’s the thing. That’s my secret. I’m not tough at all.”
Pain.
Too much pain in her jade-green eyes that it made him swear and pull her close. As she fell on top of him, he demanded, “Who has hurt you?”
She shook her head. “It’s not some kind of breakup heartache. It was just that...there were people I thought I could trust, only to find out that they weren’t trustworthy.” She forced a smile as she met his gaze. “So I guess, I believe the same thing, too. Given the right incentive, people can be made to do things that you believe they could never be capable of doing...” Her voice trailed off, Velvet biting her lip in time.
She did believe in the same thing. How could she not when her parents had chosen themselves over her?
But then there was Mykolas.
For some stupid, inconceivable reason, her heart was trying to convince her that Mykolas Sallis could prove her wrong. That maybe, maybe with Mykolas Sallis, she had found someone who would never betray her – never choose anything or anyone over her.
Because now she knew...
Oh my God!
Velvet fell to the floor.
“Cristo!” In the next second, Mykolas was out of the lounge chair and bent down on one knee as he helped a dazed-looking Velvet up. “Are you all right?”
“I...I...”
I love you.
Shiiiit!
Velvet bit her lip hard.
No, no, no!
How could she be in love with Mykolas Sallis when today was the first time they had met? That was impossible! Impossible!
But was it really, an inner voice asked. Today may be the first time they had met, but hadn’t they known each other far longer than that? Hadn’t Mykolas proven himself in many different ways that he treasured her over others?