Page 45 of Sinful Betrayal

He moves his hands on my waist and leans forward to rest his forehead against mine.

“It is. It might not always feel like it, but it’s helping her, Anton.”

“Half the time, she barely knows who I am, and it’s heartbreaking.”

My eyes sting with tears.

He shuts his eyes. “I feel selfish even saying that out loud.”

“You’re allowed to hurt.”

He shakes his head. “My pain is nothing compared to hers.”

“Anton,” I whisper, taking his face in my hands. “I hope you know how amazing you are. I don’t know a single person who would go to such lengths to care for their loved ones.”

“It’s really not a big deal.” He shrugs. “She’s my mother. I would do anything for her.”

The more I learn about Anton, the more I realize that whatever it is that my father has planned for him, he doesn’t deserve it.

He’s the most kind and selfless person I’ve ever met and whatever it is that happened between him and Maxim must have been justified.

I’ll do whatever I can to prove it, if only to convince my father to call off this vendetta before it’s too late.

“She’s lucky to have you as a son,” I whisper before leaning in and pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

His shoulders relax at my touch, so I continue to pepper kisses along his stubbled jaw. “You’re one of a kind, Anton Koslov.”

“So are you, Nina Balakin.” He moves his hands to rub them up and down my thighs.

My skin pebbles beneath his touch, and I’m suddenly very aware of the fact that I’m not wearing any panties.

Last night with him was incredible, and we didn’t even have sex. Exploring each other with our tongues and mouths felt incredibly intimate, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt such intense pleasure in my life.

Though the dull ache between my thighs serves as a reminder of what I missed out on.

Maybe it will be the perfect distraction for Anton, to get him out of his head for a while…

“Anyway, enough about me. What about you?” He snaps me out of my lust-induced daydream.

“What about me?”

“Are you close with your family?”

I can’t stop the nervous laughter from spilling from my lips.

“That’s the last thing I would describe my family as.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Anton’s brow furrows as he looks at me, and I have to look away.

The last thing I deserve is his sympathy.

“It’s really no big deal. I mean, when my mother was alive, we were inseparable. I was her mini-me in every sense, and that’s something that can’t be taken away from me.”

“Did she dance too?”

“She studied ballet a little as a child, but it was always more about the music with her. She played the piano beautifully, and I would always dance around it as she played.” I smile at the memory. “We always joked that one day when I was grown up, we would tour the world as a mother-daughter duo.”

“She would be so proud of you.” Anton leans forward to rub his nose against mine.

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