Page 2 of Devil's Bride

“Just watch me.” A beautiful smirk plays on her lips. “I know men in your world are misogynistic. I guess your worst nightmare is being taken down by a woman.”

I nod curtly. “You’re right.”

She frowns at my answer. My indifference is getting to her, pissing her off. “Do you think this is a joke?”

I shrug. “Isn’t it?” I ask, just to make her even more angry. It’s either that or I back her up against the wall and kiss her like she’s never been kissed before. A cocky grin plays on my face.

“No, it’s not.” She pouts and shoots a venomous glare at me. “What’s with that smug smile? I’m talking about all the crimes you’ve committed and how you’ve endangered the women in New York, and all you do is smile? What’s funny?”

I sigh. “To be honest, I’m barely hearing a word you’re saying over the thought of kissing you.”

Her spine stiffens and her jaw drops. She looks like she’s about to cuss me out, but she’s somehow too stunned to say a word for a moment.

My grin widens. I have her right where I want her. A soft waltz plays in the background, intensifying the tension between us.

“Cat got your tongue, malyshka?”

Her cheeks turn a bright red. “Don’t call me that! I am not your baby.”

“You are to me whatever I say you are.” I close the remaining inch between us. She smells like flowers on a sunny spring morning, so seductive and sweet that I want to inhale it and keep her scent with me forever. “Consider this as advice, do not go looking for trouble.”

She breathes. “Is that a threat?”

“A warning. Advice. Threat. Whatever you want to call it, as long as you don’t stick your cute nose where it doesn’t belong.” My fingers itch to cup her face. I curl my hand into a fist in my pocket. “It was nice meeting you.”

“I can’t say the same about you,” she snaps, rolling her eyes. “I hope never see you again unless it is you being taken away in cuffs.”

I chuckle. “Wish for something better and I’ll make your dreams come true.”

One of her perfectly arched brows rises. “Are you a genie or something? How about I wish for you disappear from this world?”

“How about you wish for something even better?” I angle over her, inhaling her that intoxifying scent. “Like me kneeling between your legs and making you feel everything no man has ever made you feel?”

She steps back, flushed. “Pig,” she spits at me.

My laughter reverberates across the room, ringing over the music. I can tell from how much harder her nipples are now that her body is reacting to me in ways she does not like.

“Alexei Vadim.”

My laughter fades at the sound of that voice, my spine steeling as I turn to face Irina’s father, Matteo. Her brother is standing next to him. “Well, well, look who we have here.”

“Dad,” Irina calls out to her father from behind me.

Matteo ignores his daughter and pins me with an angry stare. He doesn’t like the fact that I was getting along so well with his daughter. “Shall we have a word outside?”

I nod. “Lead the way, Matteo.”

Matteo’s gaze slides to his daughter, and then back to me. He starts off toward the balcony and I follow, but not before winking at Irina and smirking at her idiot brother.

The sky is starless tonight, and even the full moon barely has a glow to it. At least there’s a cold breeze whispering in the night.

“I don’t have all night,” I say as we reach the balcony and I rest on the intricate railing. “Make it quick.”

“What the hell were you doing with my daughter?” Matteo demands, his eyes gleaming in the dim light. I don’t like his tone one bit. No one talks to me like that and gets away with it.

“At least we weren’t fucking.”

He scowls at me and opens his mouth to say something.

---