Page 46 of Ruby Menace

“I understand that,” I say huskily. “You bought me.” I hate being reminded.

“That is not what I mean, little bird.” He brushes the tip of his nose against mine. “You are mine, Tiana. And that means everything to me. Don’t you know that I would do anything for you?”

I don’t know how to answer him. I feel like I already know the answer, but it scares the hell out of me. To admit that I belong to him means that he has complete control over me – and that terrifies me. But at the same time, it excites me. I want to be with him always, no matter what happens.

I nod mutely, trying to take it all in. “Thank you,” I finally whisper, feeling like that really doesn’t cover it.

“Why do you thank me?” His face is still barely an inch from mine, his lips a whisper away. “This is how it is. It is what I do.”

His words sink in slowly, and begin to take hold as a thousand puzzle pieces start to fall into place. This man cares about me. In the only way he knows. Truly and deeply. It’s not simply some sort of ownership thing. Not a wild obsession. He cares. And that’s irresistible to my lovelorn heart. It’s what I’ve always wanted, needed.

“Kirill…” I trail off. The intensity of his eyes forces me to continue when I find myself hesitating. “I love you,” I whisper against his lips as he leans in again for another kiss. He pulls away again, tilting his head slightly as if in question.

“I mean… I really love you,” I repeat, trying to sound more confident than I feel. “I love you so much it makes my heart hurt and feel all warm both at the same time.”

His expression softens as he takes my hand in his own and stares down at it for a moment before looking back up at me with a small smile on his face.

“Of course you do,” he says softly. “How could you not?” He leans in again for another kiss, but this time it’s different – it’s deeper and more intimate than before. It feels like he’s trying to show me something about himself – something that he can’t quite put into words yet, but that makes my heart race with excitement and fear all at once.

When our lips part, I feel myself smiling.

“What?” he asks.

“Of course you do?” I say in a gravelly impersonation of his deep voice. “Do you know that you’re the most arrogant asshole I’ve ever met?” I wink.

“I do.” He nods, and that makes me laugh a little because the man would never deny it. He’s just that sure of himself. And I love that about him too. I love everything about him. And now that I’ve told him once, I’m going to keep telling him every day, whether he says the words back or not.

“I love you,” I say again.

Chapter Eighteen

Kirill

“I love you.” Her words hang in the silence between us, and I know that she’s expecting me to respond. It’s not my way, even though her admission fills me with a warmth that surprises me. I want to say something, to tell her how I feel, but the words get stuck in my throat.

Blyad.

I don’t know how to do this.

Instead of words, I pull her into a kiss, my lips meeting hers in a silent attempt to convey all the emotions swirling within me. Her lips are soft as they part beneath mine, still slightly salty from the tears that had streamed down her face earlier. I explore her mouth, our tongues dancing as I pour in all the love, desire, and longing that has been simmering beneath the surface for far too long.

“Ti takaya krasivaya,” I murmur against her lips, my voice husky with emotion. “Ty moya.”

She doesn’t understand the words, but her eyes darken with longing. “I want to understand, but I don’t,” she whispers.

“You will,” I promise. “I’ll teach you everything.”

“Tell me now,” she urges, leaning back a little and running a fingertip over my bottom lip.

“I said that you are beautiful. And that you are mine.” I nip her finger lightly.

She smiles and leans forward; her response is a soft kiss, a tender affirmation that she’s willing to learn my language, my culture, and my world. It’s a promise of a future together, a life filled with the kind of happiness I never thought possible. Not for me. Not after all the shit I’ve done.

I deepen the kiss, surprised at how much pleasure I get from it. Kissing was always a precursor to more interesting activities, but with this woman, just brushing my lips against hers makes my cock throb.

I move to cup her breast, and she stills my hand, shooting a look at the partition between us and the driver.

“He can’t hear us. Or see us. This car is designed for privacy.”

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