Page 48 of Unwilling Bratva Bride

Turning over his shoulder, Ivan met my eyes and held the door open. “After you, sweetheart.”

I was already in trouble. This wasn’t the time to dawdle, so I stepped up the last few stairs and walked past Ivan into his room.

His presence loomed over me as I passed by, and even though I couldn't be sure, I was damn near confident that he sucked in a long breath when I shuffled around him and inside, a predator scenting his prey.

I was fidgety and jumpy as I rushed forward into the room. I didn’t know where to go or what to do with my hands. I settled for standing in front of the bed and wrapping my arms around myself as I stared at the floor.

“Well, it looks like you already know why I brought you up here.”

Looking at Ivan was out of the question. It didn’t matter how even and calm his voice sounded or how badly I wanted to see his eyes, to lose myself to those stormy blues.

Even stranger was how the anticipation bubbling through my body felt…good.

I hadn’t ever really been given the chance to see if I was an adrenaline junky. But as far as sneaky little kids went, I did that shit constantly growing up.

That side of me had been dormant for so long with my parents’ failing bodega and health. Being around Ivan, especiallylike this, was bringing it out again. And I didn’t know if that was a good thing.

“Answer me, Adley.”

The command made my eyes flick up in his direction, and I swallowed hard. “Y-yes.”

He stepped forward, closing the door behind him and locking it. “Yes, what?”

I faltered. Did Ivan really want me to just blurt out that I’d dug through his desk? Or was this something else? My brain churned for what to say as he got closer, moving within just a foot of me and towering over my much shorter stature.

“Yes…sir?” The word just fell out of my mouth, and I looked up at Ivan, shaking from head to foot.

He chuckled at me, his dark smile twinkling in the low light. “Well, that’s not what I was going for, but I willdefinitelytake it.”

His hand crawled up my arm before snaking around to the back of my neck. His thumb brushed over my cheek lightly and then smoothed across my bottom lip, pulling it down.

“What did you do, Adely? I want to hear you say it.”

The tremble that rocked my entire body was equal parts fear and arousal. Why did this feel so alluring, having Ivan demand my honesty for something stupid that I’d done? God, I felt terrible for snooping, and there was a large part of me that was ready to get down on my knees and ask for forgiveness.

Which was ludicrous, but here we fucking were.

“I…” Ivan held my stare as strong as iron, and it was impossible to deny him. “I looked through your stuff.”

Ivan hummed, his thumb still stroking. “Looked through? Leaving out a pretty crucial part about the drawer, aren’t you?”

The tension in his fingers ticked up a notch, pressing into my neck just enough to get the words spilling from my mouth.

“I broke into the drawer.” A pathetic whimper left me when Ivan’s grip tightened just a bit more. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done it. I was just…”

His brow cocked, his mouth inching closer to mine. “Curious?”

I nodded briskly, trying to look down, but Ivan’s hand kept my head in place. “Yes.”

That condescending hum left his lips again, this time inches from mine, and I was sure that if he didn’t break this tension soon—get me off the hook I was dangling on—I would explode.

“If you’re curious about something, sweetheart,” he ghosted his lips across mine, “you need to just ask me. I won’t tolerate snooping around behind my back.”

“I’m so sorry. I’ll never do it again. I—”

But then Ivan gripped my neck and squeezed. A lick of discomfort skittered down my throat, and I squeaked. As if that weren’t enough, Ivan spun me around so that he could sit on the bed, and the next thing I knew, I was draped over his lap.

“I don’t think you will, but there are still consequences to face, sweetheart. And naughty girls get spanked.”

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