Page 15 of About Love and Revenge

“You don't know what you're doing.”

I take a step closer. “There won't be a second warning.”

Finally, his hand leaves Elina's neck and the jerk starts to walk away, but not before stopping one last time. “This will not end like this. You shouldn't have gotten involved. You don't know the trouble you've just created for yourself.”

I don't look away from him for a second, and in this silent war, I'm the absolute winner. I almost smile when I see the fear that, until a few minutes ago, he imposed on Elina, now shining in his eyes.

“Perhapsyoudon't know the trouble you've just created for yourself by threatening me, Naim.”

Odin

CHAPTER FIVE

After he's gone,I can finally turn my attention to the woman who fascinates me.

However, any admiration I feel towards her beauty is completely forgotten when I see the red marks that his fingers left on her throat.

Hate is not a foreign feeling for me. I guess I could say it's more familiar than any other feeling or emotion I've ever experienced—apart from sexual pleasure—but seeing the result of that bastard's brutality against her makes me want to kill him.

Elina stares at me, and although she doesn't lower her head and there's not a hint of shyness on her features, she looks like prey at a predator's mercy.

I've never been this close to her, and my body reacts unexpectedly.

I deal well with my own desires. I have no problem letting them surface.

But what happens now takes me by surprise. It's as if my entire system vibrates in anticipation.

Something pulls me to her, and before I can think about what I'm doing, I let my fingers slowly trace the area of her throat, which just a moment before was being abused.

She's soft as silk. Hot.

There's a lot of warmth in the woman I've dubbed in my head as "the ice maiden."

I should turn my back and leave, but I can't.

I'm stuck with the sexual attraction she arouses in me.

The image of her twirling around in the library yesterday, dressed only in a silk nightgown, comes back to my mind.

I watch a vein throb in her throat, and I run my fingertip over it.

She doesn't back down or ask me to stop. Her body shudders slightly, and her heart rate increases, which only deepens my desire for her.

I've never felt anything so powerful towards a woman.

Finally, I look away from her neck and focus on her face. She shows no fear, but she knows that even though I saved her, I'm not a hero either.

Smart girl.

With my fingers still stroking her neck, I run my thumb along her bottom lip with my other hand. I look down and see that her nipples are hard against the fabric of her dress, and I have confirmation that the arousal I'm feeling is mutual. Her skin is flushing, and her breathing fails.

“Open your mouth for me.”

She raises her pale green eyes. “Why?”

I keep touching her lips. “Open. I wanna taste it.”

Instead of obeying, she shakes her head from side to side. “I don’t know you.”

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