Page 69 of Tarnished Reign

He smiles, and it’s brief but gorgeous.

“You’re not going to need a safe word, Adriana.” Then he adds, “Not this time, anyway.”

I’m going to have sex with the man who is holding me captive. I’m going to have sex with a man who is a criminal. Me. The goody-two-shoes who was saving herself for a good man is about to let this beast rip my dress off.

I can’t wait.

17

DIMITRI

When we get back to the boat, I issue orders for the night to the men, pour Adriana a glass of champagne, and then lead her to the suite I’m in. I push open the door and let her peer in. “If this place gives you bad memories, we can go elsewhere.” She slept here, but she was scared on her own. I don’t want her first time in a room she’s not entirely comfortable with.

“It looks totally different.”

“I had the awful crap Dorian had in here ripped out and had new furniture delivered.”

“But … are you keeping the boat? That seems like a lot of expense if not.”

“Not sure.”

“So, you did all this for a few weeks?”

I nod. “If I’m going to stay here, I might as well be comfortable. I doubt we will be here for weeks.”

“What?” Her voice lifts. “You said you’d keep me safe for the next few weeks.”

“I will.” I give her more information, not wanting to keep her in the dark. She’s already being dragged around like some sort of pet, and she must feel like she has no agency. “You know my stepfather wants the party on the yacht; I’ve already discussed it with you.”

“Yes.”

“Well, after that, we should go and stay at the compound. It’s so much safer there. I have everyone that I can looking into this group who wanted to buy you, but it takes time. We can relax more at the house as there are so many armed guards and drones. And a friendly police station within a few minutes.”

She nods. Maybe I should tell her about this Prince dude and the picture, but it might freak her out so much it puts her off the idea of sex, and I’m far too selfish for that.

She walks tentatively into the room. Her gaze cuts to the bed and then to me. As if I’m going to throw her on it right this minute and ravish her. Instead, I lead her to the double doors, which lead out to a small, private balcony.

“Come sit outside a while.”

Her gaze is perplexed as if she expects me to rip her clothes off right away. “While you drink your champagne,” I say.

We head onto the balcony, and she goes to sit in a chair, but I grab her and gently pull her onto my lap. She’s looking out over the twinkling lights of the bay, her back to my front, and her legs dangling. I scoop them up and put them over mine, sideways to me, so she’s properly in my arms, providing me a gorgeous view of her profile.

“This view is amazing,” she purrs.

“Isn’t it just.”

She turns to me, sees my gaze on her, and laughs softy. “You smooth talker, you.”

“What’s your favorite food?” I ask. I have a burning desire to know more about her, beyond this situation we find ourselves in, and that should be a big red flag.

I don’t normally care what the women I’m fucking like to eat.

“Sushi,” she says. “But vegetarian.”

“That’s a misnomer, isn’t it? Vegetarian sushi?”

“No, it’s very much a thing.”

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