Page 95 of Cruel Promise

I appreciate that she’s a smart woman, and I want her to get her education.

I just wanted her to be mine more, which is why I bought her from her father. I’m a monster.

But I’m trying to be better—for her.

I haven’t gone after Maxim even though everything inside of me says to kill him. I’ll leave him alone to have peace for Ava’s sake.

Everything was so much simpler before her. I fought and I killed and I hurt people because I could. But I can’t do those things to her.

I don’t want to do those things to her.

The urge to get into the bed with her so strong, I have to leave the room before I actually do it. I shut her door and head back into my own room, where, for the first time, it feels lonely.

Dimitri waltzes into the house like he owns the place.

If Ava wasn’t standing right next to me, I’d probably try to shoot Dimitri just for that fact alone. But I keep my composure. I have to try.

For her.

“If I’d known you were coming over,” I say, “I would have told Edmund not to open the door.”

Dimitri cracks a smile. “I know you’re joking, but I also know you’re not joking.” He throws a wink at Ava, and it takes everything inside me not to put my arm around her like a possessive asshole.

Except when he turns to her and takes her hand and kisses the back of it like he’s in an old school romance novel, I can’t help myself. I place my arm around her shoulders and draw her in closer to me.

Ava gives me a flustered look that better be from me and not Dimitri.

“Nice to see you again, Ava.”

“You, too, Dimitri.”

He turns to me. “You know, if it weren’t for my help, your wife here never would have found and saved you from Maxim.”

“Yes, because you couldn’t come help me yourself.”

He shrugs. “What do you expect from me, Nik? I can only do so much. I have a club to run. And speaking of my club,” he says,walking past us into the living room and flopping onto the couch, “I have some exciting news.”

I grit my teeth as he puts his feet on the coffee table.

“That’s rude, you know,” Ava says.

Dimitri blinks at her. “What’s rude?”

“Putting your feet on the coffee table. With your shoes on, too. That’s rude.”

I stare at Ava in shock. She’s becoming more and more bold as the days go on. I’ve never heard her speak to Dimitri like this, but I like it.

Actually, I fucking love it.

Slowly, Dimitri lowers his feet back to the floor. “Sorry, your highness. I didn’t know.”

“It’s common courtesy,” she continues.

“Too bad I was raised by wolves.”

She rolls her eyes.

“Why are you here?” I ask him, crossing my arms. “We don’t have work to discuss.”

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