Page 26 of Caught By the Bratva Beast

“I don't think we could call that not good at hunting. I think we could call that abysmal effort.”

“You’ll do better the next time.”

I laugh and roll out my shoulder, pretending that the shot hurt me. “I don't know if I'll ever get this stance right.”

“It takes some time, but you won't feel it after a few practice rounds.”

“Are you willing to hang around with me for a few years?”

He laughs and nods to the right. “Let's go this way. The last time I was out here visiting, there were some hares this way. That should be easy enough to catch if we’re able to spot one.”

“I don't know about that. The partridge is probably going to find them and tell them that I'm a horrible shot.”

His grin grows as he shakes his head. “Well then, that's probably good luck for us. They're all going to gather around and laugh at you, and while the hares are busy pointing and laughing, I'll be able to shoot one.”

“You're using me as bait?” I ask, my tone colored with mock disbelief. “I should’ve known you had ulterior motives for bringing me out here.”

“I suppose I am.”

“All right. Lead the way. Bait at the ready coming through.”

The laugh he gives me makes me feel like I've said the right thing, encouraging him to keep walking and think that this is nothing more than a stroll through the woods with a woman who wants to hunt but hasn't the faintest idea how.

We keep walking until there's another rustle in the bushes. Maxim holds up his hand, motioning for us to stop in place. A brown hare hops out of the bushes, its tail twitching, its ears going wild just upwind from us. Maxim leans his gun against a tree, moving slowly, careful not to make a sound or step on a twig as he positions himself behind me.

His body frames mine as he shows me how to hold the gun, his arms wrapping around me, hands closing over mine. I can feel every inch of his body pressing against mine, the heat seeping through his clothing. There's something about having him behind me that makes me feel safe, even though I know I'm anything but with him.

He wraps my finger on the trigger holding it and helps me aim at the rabbit. When he takes a deep breath in, I inhale too, holding it until he exhales. Our fingers squeeze around the trigger together.

“You did it,” he says as the hare falls over. “It looks like we're going to be eating good tonight.”

His hands don't fall from my body immediately. Instead, he takes his time skimming his fingers down my arms, along my breasts and waist, landing on my hands. His cock strained against my ass, the bulge digging hard against me.

I should hate it.

Right now, I should tell him to get away from me, to stop putting his body on my body, and to stand as far away as possible. I shouldn't want him to strip me bare and hold me up against the tree pounding into me until I don't even know my own name.

And yet, it's all I can see.

Maxim’s breath fans across the back of my ear. “I swear I can feel your heart racing.”

“I don't think that's my heart racing. Indigestion, maybe.”

He barks out a sharp laugh. “I don't believe that. And I know you don't believe that either. Hell, I bet if I would kiss you right now, you’d never want me to stop.”

“I think I've spent enough time trying to risk rabies, thank you. We should get out of the woods and head back to the house.”

Maxim turns and nods, grabbing his gun. “All right, if it's back to the house you want to go, it's back to the house we go. But don't think I can't do anything in there that I can't do out here.”

“How many times do you think I'll have to remind you about our contract before you finally remember the terms of it?”

“At least a dozen more times, maybe two dozen. Who knows? My teachers will tell you that I didn't listen much in school.”

I try to smother a laugh, but I can't. The sound bubbles up out of me.

As I follow him back to where we left the horses, I realize that I like spending time with him. Despite the ruthless killer that he is, right now he is the most pleasant and fun man I’ve been around in a long time.

He's the devil who tore my family apart, but when it's just the two of us like this it's easy to forget about who he is.

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