Page 24 of Triplets for the Russian Boss

“Really,” he asks, his eyes sweeping me for the thousandth time since we met. “Aren’t you usually up later than this?”

“What time is it?” I ask, looking around for a clock.

He shrugs. “I don’t know. Does it matter?”

I sigh. “I’m not here to play games. Are you going to show me to my room, or not?”

Kostin reaches out, placing his large hand on my shoulder. I sink down under the weight of his arm, my knees wobbling as I struggle to hold myself up. If he wanted to push me down to my knees, it wouldn’t take much effort.

“You’ll be staying in the guest room. You’ll find clothes there that should fit you.”

I raise an eyebrow. “You’ve entertained other women before?”

He smirks, a storm brewing in his deep blue eyes. “I’ve done a lot of things in my life, some of which would shock you to the core, Bonnie. You’re better off not asking questions.”

The way he says it makes me believe him. A Mafia boss is bound to have done some horrific things, especially a man as powerful as Kostin. He acts like he owns the entire country, and with the amount of money I’ve seen his hauling around, I’m also inclined to believe that.

Kostin squeezes my shoulder. The ring on his pinky sinks into my skin, fiery hot from his skin; the red ruby gleams like fresh blood, under the small circular lights overhead. He doesn’t say anything for a moment, but he looks straight into my soul.

Then, he turns around, taking his hand off me and letting me breathe for the first time since we touched. “Alright, let’s go,” he says, already beginning to walk away.

I hurry after him, having to walk with twice the number of steps to keep up with his long strides. He’s a tall man, well over six feet, and probably closer to seven. His broad back is like a wall in front of me, thick and well-defined. Even through his suit jacket, I can see the muscles that support his massive body. Every movement shows what he has built and maintained over the years. It’s hard not to be impressed.

The thick scent of his cologne, mixed with fine cigar tobacco and smoke, follows him as well, delighting my nose even though I detest that I enjoy it. You can hate a man and love the way he smells, but it’s infuriating to experience such a dramatic mix of emotions.

The second we leave the pool room, the crisp cold air in the hallway hits me like a blanket of snow. I clutch the small towel closer to my bosom, but it does little to keep me warm. I just hope the guest bedroom isn’t far.

A bald man in a suit passes us in the hallway, giving Kostin a small nod but ignoring me completely. He’s wearing a rifle across his chest, and I assume he’s a guard here. I wonder how many of them there are, and if I’d get in trouble for talking to them.

On second thought, I’m not sure if I’d want to talk to them. They look less friendly than Kostin, and I’m a sensitive person. As much as I like to put up walls and play tough, I’d crumble into tears if a guard were to yell at me or point one of those rifles my way. I don’t deal well with aggression.

“Your room is here,” Kostin says, stopping abruptly in the hallway.

I run into him, bouncing off his back and stumbling back.

He turns and grins at me. “I like an eager woman.”

I scoff. “Just let me go to bed, will you?”

“Certainly,” he replies, pulling the door open and motioning into the room with his hand. “Go right ahead.”

“Thanks,” I mutter, stepping through the doorway and waving my hand around along the way for a light switch. The second I find it the door slams shut behind me, and I hear the sound of a bolt being slid into place.

I guess I’m not going anywhere, other than to sleep, tonight, but I wasn’t about to attempt an escape. If I thought it was a good idea to leave Kostin, I already would’ve, but I have to think of the boys. They need me to provide for them, and I can’t let them down.

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