Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“Yeah, I’m not sure how I managed that.” I glanced over at him as I asked, “I’m not sure how I managed to wind up in your bed either.”
“That was me. I thought you’d be more comfortable in here.” He ran his hand over his face and yawned before he said, “When I tried to leave, you wouldn’t let me.”
“I wouldn’t let you?”
“Let me rephrase.” He turned and looked at me with a smirk. “You asked me to stay with you.”
“Oh. I don’t remember that.”
“Happened just the same.” Concern flashed through his eyes as he sat up and asked, “How’s the toe?”
“It’s fine.”
“Good.” Sergei got out of bed, and my breath caught when I noticed he was only wearing a pair of boxer briefs. I could feel the heat rush to my face as my eyes skirted over his muscular chest and drool-worthy abs. I couldn’t imagine how often he’d have to work out to get such a perfectly defined physique. Whatever the answer, it was worth it.
The man looked like a Greek god as he walked over to the end of the bed. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he eased the comforter back and exposed my bare foot. I was too busy gawking at him to realize what he was doing, but at that moment, I just didn’t care. He could’ve thrown the covers to the floor and had his way with me. I wouldn’t have protested.
He lowered his hand to my foot, and a rush of heat surged through me when he ran the tips of his fingers along the top of it and over my ankle bone. I started to silently curse myself, wishing I’d been better about shaving my legs.
He was still studying my foot when he said, “It’s pretty bruised, but I don’t think it’s broken.”
“It’s fine.”
“It needs some ice.”
“It’s fine.” I pulled my foot back under the covers as I asked, “Where have you been?”
“I had things I needed to take care of.”
“What kind of things?”
“Work things.” I gave him a look, and he cocked his brow. “I have a casino to run, remember.”
“So, it had nothing to do with the kiss?”
I couldn’t believe that I’d actually had the nerve to ask him that outright, but I did. The words were out there, and Sergei seemed as surprised by them as I was. He was considering his response when there was knock at the door. Looking almost relieved, he grabbed his pajama pants and said, “Hold that thought.”
17
SERGEI
Sergei
Itold myself I didn’t need her.
That I didn’t want her in my arms or feel her mouth on mine.
That I didn’t want her in my bed or to claim every inch of her.
But it seemed that she was determined to make a liar out of me, and it was fucking with my head. I’d been attracted to many women in my time but never had I ever been so utterly consumed by one. Lina invaded my thoughts, my dreams, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I was at the brink of completely losing it after that kiss. It lit a fire in me that I feared would never go out.
And I wasn’t alone in this catastrophe in the making.
I saw the way she looked at me when I was checking her foot, and her eyes drifted over my bare chest. It had been a long time since I’d spent much time with a woman, but I knew what that look meant. I just didn’t know what to do about it.
Thankfully, a knock at the door gave me a moment to think it over.
Or so I’d hoped.
It was early, so I figured it was Nikolai stopping by to aggravate me once again. I was almost to the door when there was another knock. This time louder and more impatient. Annoyed by the rush, I looked through the peephole and groaned when I saw Viktor’s face staring back at me. He scowled as he ordered, “Open up!”
I swung the door open, and before I could berate him for being a fucking nuisance, he shoved past me and roared, “Did you know?”
“Know what?”
“About Alina?”
His chest was heaving, and anguish marked his face. My brother was hurting, and he was hurting because of me. He studied me for a moment, and then his eyes narrowed. “You knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That she was dead!” He took a step toward me. “You sorry son of a bitch! She’s dead, and you knew it, and you didn’t have the fucking decency to tell me!”
“Viktor…”
“Don’t!” He jabbed me in the chest. “You knew what she meant to me. You knew she was one of the only people I ever gave a damn about back in that hell we called home, and you didn’t even pick up the phone to call me. What the fuck is wrong with you?”