Page 11 of Used By the Bratva

“Are you an artist?”

She nods. “Yeah. Oil painting, specifically.”

“Explains the paint on your thumb.” I take her hand in mine, lifting it to my mouth and pressing a kiss over the paint speck. “You know, I think you would like the paintings in my penthouse.”

Her eyes light up when I stop in front of the apartment building. The building is made of gray stone, rises over sixty stories, and tapers toward the top.

Natalie gets out of the car as the valet opens her door. I get out and hand my keys to the valet. “The top two floors are the penthouse. Where it tapers off, with the larger windows and the terrace.”

Her eyes widen as she looks at me. “Your penthouse is two stories?”

I press my hand to the small of her back and lead her to the glass doors under the white canopy. “You know, they say the man who owns this building is one of the most charming men in New York.”

She scoffs, her eyes narrowing as she turns to look at me. “And who would the owner be?”

“Leonid Orlov.”

Those warm brown eyes light up in amusement, and one eyebrow arches. “And is Leon by any chance short for Leonid?”

I nod, opening the door. “Correct.”

“Well then, the most charming man in New York remains to be determined.”

The cheeky smile she wears as I lead her to the private elevator that leads to the penthouse sends lust coursing through my veins.

She gasps as she steps out of the elevator, and her gaze immediately falls on the Renoir painting hanging above the walnut table in the entrance hall. “Where did you get that?”

I take off my shoes and hold out a hand to steady her while she does the same. “I bought it at an art auction many years ago. Do you like it?”

“Like it?” Natalie’s eyes widen as she stands before the painting, analyzing the brushstrokes. “I love it. Renoir is renowned for capturing feminine sensuality in such a raw way. The Large Bathers is one of my favorite paintings, but this is a close second.”

The woman in the painting is lying on a lounger with her back to the artist after taking a bath. When I first bought it, I didn’t think much of it, but after it hung in my hallway for a few weeks, I liked it more and more.

Natalie turns to me, excitement sparkling like diamonds in her eyes. “I don’t know how you got your hands on this, but it’s incredible.”

“I didn’t think you would be interested in nude paintings. Most women aren’t.”

“Most women don’t have an appreciation for their bodies.” Natalie turns back to admire the painting, pointing out the slope of the woman’s waist. ‘Look at how delicate she looks here, but there’s a stiffness in how she holds her head. Resilience and delicacy.”

I watch as she tilts her head, and all I can think about is slowly brushing my mouth along the column of her delicate neck, teasing, and nipping her.

Natalie tiptoes deeper into the penthouse before looking back at me, a question on the tip of her tongue, but she holds it back.

I shuck my suit jacket and lay it over the light blue chair next to the door. “If you want to look around, you are more than welcome.”

The innuendo is clear. So is the mischief shining in her eyes.

She knows exactly what she’s getting into. She drops her purse on a side table and keeps her back to me as she walks on, hips swaying, before glancing over her shoulder. A sexy, sly smile plays around her lips, and I almost lose control of myself. Fuck me, this woman is doing crazy shit to my body.

“Are you going to give me a tour … or not?”

Chapter 6 - Natalie

When I walk into the living area, I am taken aback. A wall of windows offers a view of Central Park, and a large sliding door leads out onto the terrace.

The floors are polished white stone, and dark wood tones run through the living room, right up to the massive dining table in the middle of the room and the open-plan kitchen.

My breath catches as I walk over to the kitchen area–the sheer expanse of the room defies my childhood memories. Marina and I enjoyed a cozy life snug in a small house. Our whole house would have fitted into this living area.

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