Page 68 of Smoke and Shadows

Viktor glared at her. “You sleep with your assets now?”

“No!” Marissa yelled.

“Babe, I thought we had a moment in the car,” Morgan managed to choke out.

Another growl vibrated deep within Viktor’s chest. His hand tightened around Morgan’s thick neck, but the idiot had to taunt the beast further even as he was turning purple under the faint light of the moon.

“Shut up, Stan. Viktor, let him go.”

Viktor’s hand released Morgan, but before Marissa could blink, his hand clamped around her wrist and dragged her a few feet away.

“You scrape me off and have my replacement in less than a week!” Viktor’s voice was a near roar.

“Hey, man, back off,” Morgan said angrily. “I was messing with you.”

Viktor turned to face the other man, the planes of his face cast harshly like clay fired in a kiln. “Stay out of this or I—will—gut—you.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

“Morgan, damn it, here are the keys. Go inside. Stay there. Oh, and the key card disables the alarm.” She felt like a teacher having to referee between two children. Unfortunately,these were two lethal, very adult men having a pissing contest. Thankfully, Morgan decided that he was causing more damage than good, and accepted the keys after exchanging hostile looks with Viktor.

Viktor’s eyes tracked Stan Morgan into the house. His eyes sliced back to her, deep pools of ink, and even in the darkness Marissa could feel them drilling into her.

“How did you find me?”

“Chat room,” Viktor said. “You really pissed me off this time, Marissa.”

“Me, piss you off?” she said incredulously. “Did you have a lobotomy or something? Have you forgotten how you told someone else how you felt about me?” She broke off and snorted. “Or should I saynot feltabout me instead of having the courtesy of telling me first? The woman you’re fucking?”

“Maia caught me off guard.”

“It was the way you said it that killed me. You made it sound like it was a joke to be in love with me.”

“You’re making it such a big deal!” Viktor yelled. “Judge my actions, not my words, Marissa. I’ve never said those words, even to Maia.”

“Spare me—” Marissa paused, her eyes widening. “You’ve never told Maia you love her?”

Viktor shook his head. “Words, Marissa. Maia knows how I feel. She knows I’d kill for her, give my life for her in a heartbeat.” He raised his hand to cup her cheek. “I’d do the same for you.”

Marissa considered this for a minute. It still didn’t make up for the humiliation he’d caused her when he told Maia he didn’t love her. She threw what he said back at him. “Words, Viktor. Go home. I’m not doing this with you.”

She pushed past him to go into the house. Somehow, Marissa knew he wasn’t that easy to get rid of.

He grabbed her arm and whirled her around. “What doyou want me to say? That I love you? Then hell, yes, I love you. Are you happy now?”

“You’re such an asshole,” she snarled and tried to yank her arm out of his grasp, but he grabbed her shoulders instead and hauled her against him.

“Tell me what you want from me,” Viktor said brusquely. “Because if you think I’m letting you go, you’re mistaken.”

“See? This is exactly why we shouldn’t have started this up,” Marissa said. “A relationship is a two-way street. But it always has to be your way.”

“I let you have your way sometimes.”

“I’m not talking about what to have for dinner.” Marissa stomped a foot. “Gah! Go home, Viktor. I’m not ready to get into this with you.”

“Not leaving you here with him,” Viktor growled. “And don’t ever fucking hide from me again. You have no idea what I want to do to you right now.” His nostrils flared. “You wouldn’t be able to goddamned sit or walk for week.”

Heat bloomed between her legs; a rush of moisture flooded her core. A memory of his head between her thighs—licking and eating her up—made her shudder.

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