Page 16 of Unwilling Bratva Bride

“Now, hold on there a minute. What was that all about? What ‘never mind?’”

Adley frowned, tilting her head as she huffed out a breath. “It’s not important. Let’s go.”

She pushed against my arm, but I wouldn’t budge. When Adley glared at me, I took her duffle and tossed it into the hall, putting myself between her and the exit. To her credit, Adley didn’t back down, and damn, did I love this dance between us.

“Tell me.”

“Why? It’snotimportant. Why won’t you just drop it.”

I smirked, still blocking the door with my arm, and I shifted in front of her when Adley tried to cut around to the other side.

“Just tell me.”

I could see the fury blazing behind Adley’s eyes, her frustration making her clench her jaw. She looked so adorable all worked up like that, and my cock twitched behind my fly.

“Ugh!” She threw up her arms, taking a step back. “I was going to go to art school. We couldn’t afford it. Now let’s fucking go already.”

Closing the distance between us, I took Adley’s chin in my grip, forcing those blue eyes to look up at me.

“So, she likes to draw, hmm?” I lowered my mouth toward hers, hovering just over her lips because I enjoyed teasing her too much to resist. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The moment hung, stretched, and taught like a bowstring. I admired the way she didn’t flinch, trailing my gaze over Adley’s face. I wanted so fucking badly to kiss her right then, but I knew myself too well.

I wouldn’t stop there, and when I fucked her, I wanted Adley to be able to scream my name.

But maybe just…

“Be quick in the bathroom, sweetheart. We have a date back at my place.”

Locking my eyes on her until I couldn’t, I leaned past her lips and found the smooth skin behind her ear, buried behind those honey waves cascading down her back. I pressed my lips to the spot, absolutely living for the way Adley’s breath shuddered out of her and her skin prickled with goosebumps.

As I walked away, I could just make out the hard shape of her nipples beneath her tank top.

Chapter 7 - Adley

By the time Ivan and I were back in his car, and on our way to his house, I didn’t know which was up or if the sky was, in fact, blue. That stunt he’d pulled in my bedroom still had my blood boiling in my veins.

He’d kissed me.

And yeah, it wasn’t on the lips, but I had a feeling that was only because he enjoyed teasing me.

Well, two can play at that game, asshole.

But what was I thinking? I couldn’t be like that with him. Ivan had upheld his end of the bargain, which was the only reason I was still going along with this ridiculous deal of his, but I wasnotgiving myself to him.

Wife or not, I had my dignity, and as much as I’d just sold it away, I would cling to that card for as long as I could.

Still, some part of me knew that I was fighting a losing battle. Ivan was charming as hell, and I kind of hated that, sure, but I couldn’t deny it. The way he talked that cocky, sarcastic air of his, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t at least a little attractive.

“We’re almost there, sweetheart. So, you should probably know that it’s not just us who’ll be living in the house.”

My heart skipped, stuttering before my pulse leveled out again. As it was, a light sweat touched my forehead, and I stiffened in my chair.

“I’m sorry, what?”

I knew I sounded annoyed, but I wasn’t going to be schooling how I sounded. If Ivan really wanted me all that much, he was going to have to get used to it.

He smirked, clearly amused by my panic. “I have two brothers that share the house with me.”

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