Page 109 of Sweet Animosity

Wow. Even I couldn’t believe that had just come out of my mouth.

That was how crazy this man was making me with his over the top, controlling, Neanderthal behavior. I was actually turning down a Bloomie’s outfit.

“Your clothes are already at my place.”

Forgetting my resolve to give him the cold shoulder and not look straight at him, I twisted in my seat. “Tell me you didn’t.”

He shot me an innocent look. “What?”

“Var, tell me you didn’t steal all my clothes?”

“You stole my luggage.”

“Not the same thing. Tell me you didn’t take all my clothes out of my apartment.”

He shrugged as he kept his gaze trained on the traffic ahead of us. “Not all of them. I had my boys leave the ball gowns and winter coats behind.”

With my face buried in my hands, my voice was muffled. “I can’t fucking believe you.” Then facing him again, I blurted out, “This is not okay, you understand me, Var? This is not normal behavior!”

He frowned as he glanced at me again. “It’s normal for a Russian.”

“Oh. My. God. Are you serious right now? You can’t just go into my apartment and take my clothes.”

“They also got your makeup, hair things, and any framed photos lying around. I want you to feel like you have a home at my place.”

I pointed to my chest. “I already have a home, Var. My apartment.”

His gaze narrowed. “Which is obviously not safe. We’ve discussed this.”

The car pulled up to the Four Monks. Instead of a beautiful Queen Anne home, I saw a prison. As the heavy parking garage door slowly rose, I heard a drawbridge in my head.

Reaching to my side, I tried the car door.

Holy shit!

It was unlocked.

Without thinking it through, I unbuckled my seat belt, threw open the door… and bolted.

With the stupid feathery flip-flops hampering me, I would not get far.

Kicking them off, I ran through the grass lawns toward Michigan Avenue. It was only a few blocks away and was always crawling with Chicago police cruisers.

If I could only just get to?—

A weight slammed into me from behind, knocking me forward.

Before my body hit the ground, a powerful arm wrapped around my waist and spun me. I landed on Var’s hard chest as his body absorbed the hit before rolling on top of me. “I warned you about pissing me off, krasivaya.”

My breath came hard and fast. “Let me go!”

His lips curved at the corner. “Not a chance.”

Then he crushed his mouth against mine. His tongue swept inside as his hand wrapped around the back of my head, holding me captive. He gave no quarter. This wasn’t a kiss. He was making a point.

I was his now.

Whether I liked it or not.

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