Page 107 of Twilight Sins

I yelp and jolt up, just as Yakov pops the strap of my bikini top. I instinctively cross my arms over my chest to make sure the girls don’t spill out. “What are you doing here?”

More specifically, what is he doing hovering over me like the angel of death? His mouth is twisted into a frown and his eyes are narrowed. He’s looking at me like I’m the one who just interrupted his Corona commercial of an afternoon.

“I’m trying to figure out why you’re naked by my pool.”

“I’m not naked. I’m wearing a swimsuit.”

“I’ve seen you naked. I know what it looks like.” His green eyes make a slow study of my body. “It looks a hell of a lot like this.”

I uncross my arms and lie down again. My back may or may not be slightly more arched than it was a second ago. No one can be sure.

“It’s called a bikini, Yakov.”

He kneels down next to me, still smoldering. “It’s called ‘twenty-four hour surveillance.’ Do you have any fucking clue how many guards have been watching you sit out here in your ‘bikini?’” He drawls the last word with a dose of sarcasm that even Mariya would be impressed by.

I roll my eyes. “If you can’t control your employees, that’s your problem. Not mine.”

A second later, a towel lands ungracefully on my head.

“Hey!” I throw the towel to the ground and stand up. “Last I checked, I’m free, remember? Unless you have handcuffs and a prison jumpsuit you’d like me to wear instead, I’m going to wear whatever the hell I want.”

“Handcuffs.” His eyes flash. “There’s an idea.”

My entire body shivers despite the warmth. “It was a joke. Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

He closes the distance between us, wrapping an arm around my lower back so I can’t escape. “As long as men on my payroll are in the guard shack watching you, you’re not going to run around in nipple pasties and a thong. Cover yourself. Or I’ll do it for you.”

I slap my hands against his chest. He might as well be a brick wall for as much as he moves, but after a moment, he releases my waist and takes a step back.

“What’s the new rule then? Is this like a school dress code? Maybe you should write down everything I can and can’t wear so I can keep track of it all.”

I plant my fists on my hips. Squaring off with Yakov is laughable. He’s so broad that when he’s standing in front of me, there isn’t anything else. He fills my entire vision. My entire brain.

“How about I make it easy for you to remember?” A dark strand of hair falls over his forehead and my fingers itch to smooth it away. “If I’ve put my mouth there and made your knees buckle, no one but me should see it.”

I gulp. Looks like I’ll be wearing a circus tent then.

“My body doesn’t have a ‘you break it, you buy it’ rule,” I snap past the embarrassed knot in my throat. “You’ve touched me, but you don’t own me.”

I shove against his chest again with all the strength I have out of a sudden, wild impulse to dunk his infuriating ass in the aqua-blue pool behind him. But this time, he doesn’t budge. Not even a hair out of place.

Yakov wraps his massive hands around my wrists and peels them off of him with a cruel chuckle. “Nice try, princess.”

I scowl. “It seemed like you needed to cool off.”

“If I need something, I’ll let you know.” His hands slip to my waist. “You, however, are burning up.”

“No! No, I’m not.”

He runs a finger along my neck. “Dripping with sweat.”

“It’s tanning oil, Yakov.”

He shakes his head, dangerous amusement sparking in his eyes. “No. You’re burning up, Luna. Very, very hot.”

Yakov picks me up and spins me towards the pool.

“No! Stop! Don’t—!” I shriek and flail, but there’s no loosening his hold on my waist. So I do the only thing I can: I attach myself to him. I throw my arms around his neck and hook my legs around his waist just as he readies to throw me.

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