“Yes…”

“And they always will be.”

“Yes…”

He leans over so the warmth of his chest is an inch away from my back and his hot breaths tickle the side of my face. “I’m going to fuck you and you’re going to cry for me.”

My spine tingles, and the orgasm that still didn’t release me yet rushes back in with wrecking force.

Adrian slams inside me in one ruthless go that knocks the breath out of my lungs and the thoughts out of my head.

“Fuck,” he groans when he’s sheathed deep inside me, and I meet it with a moan, because no matter how many times he does it, being this tangled with him always feels new. Like this is our first time, or worse, like we both get more addicted with each touch, each fuck, each joining of our bodies.

Adrian grabs a fistful of my hair and my assaulted ass as he thrusts deep inside me, hitting that sensitive spot over and over.

I’m so close to the edge that I’m sobbing again. Tears stream down my cheeks and my moans echo in the air.

He releases my hair and glides his strong, lean fingers across my cheek, taking the tears away before pressing his middle and index fingers against my lips. I open, letting him slide them inside.

“These tears and moans are fucking mine, Lenochka.”

I suck on his fingers as a reply while he slides them in and out of my mouth, matching the rhythm of his cock inside me.

The moment he slaps my burning ass, I’m coming again, clenching around him with a wordless cry.

Adrian joins me soon after, his body going rigid before the familiar warmth of his seed fills me.

Then, in the midst of the carnal pleasure, everything turns black.

18

Lia

I’m faintly aware of strong arms carrying me in their cocoon. Ones I recognize even with my eyes closed.

I’m placed on a soft mattress and a warm cloth wipes between the valley of my breasts, brushing against my nipples before sliding to my sticky core.

“Mmmm.” I sigh in my half-asleep state as I bask in the soothing sensation.

I probably would never admit this out loud, but Adrian’s aftercare is addictive. It’s so tender in contrast to his brutal touch. So patient, too. He takes his sweet time cleaning my every pore like he finds pleasure in touching me this way.

I’m about to fall back asleep as usual when his strong voice filters in the silence, “Who were you talking to in the lingerie shop, Lia?”

My eyes snap open, my breath hitching when I find him standing over my lying position, the contours of his face shadowed by the dark. “W-what?”

“The man you were touching that red lingerie in front of. Who the fuck is he?”

Shit!

“A-Adrian…”

His hand wraps around my jaw. “It’s better that you freely divulge information or I’ll find him and rip his heart out while you watch.”

“No, Adrian…please.”

“Who is he?” His tone is frightening, harsh.

I shake my head frantically.

“It was me.”

Our attention snaps to the figure sliding inside my room from the balcony. I gasp as Luca comes into view, holding a gun.

“Looks like you have to die sooner rather than later, Volkov.” And then he shoots, the bullet lodging straight in Adrian’s chest, and he falls face-first against my lap, blood exploding on his white shirt.

“Noooo!” I shriek, bolting up.

My eyes open, and I quickly take note of my surroundings. I’m in my room, the morning light filtering through the balcony’s muslin curtains.

Luca isn’t in view.

There’s no blood either.

Please tell me that was a nightmare. Please.

I retrieve my phone with trembling fingers, going straight to Adrian’s number. He entered it the first time he was here in case I need him, but he’s always the one who texts to ask what I want for dinner.

This is my first time to contact him.

My unsteady thumb swipes over his name and I place the phone to my ear. I’m shaking, my limbs sweaty as I listen to it ring.

Please tell me he’s busy working or doing whatever he does when he leaves my apartment.

Heavy footsteps come from outside the bedroom before Adrian appears in the doorway, wearing only his boxer briefs. A sheen of sweat covers his sun-kissed skin, causing the full tattoo sleeves to shine in the morning glow. His glorious abdomen and chest muscles ripple with every movement.

His long legs cross over each other as he motions at his phone in his hand. “You called me?”

At first, I don’t believe what I’m seeing. I think it’s another sick play of my imagination. That this is the nightmare and the one from earlier is reality.

I dig my nails in my wrist and release a sigh of relief when pain rushes to the surface.

Without thinking, I scramble out of bed. Then I cry out, stumbling over the sheets when burning pain explodes in my ass.

Holy shit. That hurts.

Adrian is beside me in a second, grabbing me by the arm to stop me from falling.

I hold on to his forearm as I regain my footing and study his chest and side, making sure that it was indeed a nightmare.

“Take it easy, Lenochka. We don’t want you to hurt those talented legs.” His voice holds mild amusement.

My lips part at the fact that for the first time, I didn’t think about my obsession with keeping my legs safe in my haste to make sure he was okay.

That’s when the current situation dawns on me. “You’re…here.”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“But you always leave in the mornings.”

“I don’t have work early today.”

“Oh.” Is that why he was leaving early all along? Or is this only another excuse?

“Oh isn’t a word. Use actual ones.”

I blush at the obvious way he’s openly checking my nakedness. I find myself watching him, too, the way his muscles are taut to perfection or how the fine hairs travel to the waist of his boxer briefs.

“What…” I swallow. “What were you doing?”

“Push-ups.”

The sweat makes sense, but I still can’t force my gaze from him. Adrian has physical perfection that’s so different from what I’ve witnessed before. I’m used to seeing models and dancers who don’t shy away from removing their clothes and changing in semi-public places. But that type of beauty is pretty—aesthetic, even. Adrian’s rugged, harsh, and comes with an edge that’s complemented by his calm yet ruthless personality.