Page 43 of Dmitri

I swear this server is stealthier than a ninja with the way she keeps showing up out of the blue. Either that, or I’m way too entranced by the woman across from me to stay aware of my surroundings. I hope it’s not the latter. I can’t afford to be lazy in that department. Especially after the news I got a few weeks ago.

Fuck… I don’t want to think about that right now. It won’t do me any good because I can’t go back and change a damned thing.

I can’t save him.

Never could.

“—you mean.”

Wait. What did she say? I missed it. And where did Rory go? “Repeat that?”

“I said yes, I liked it, in a gory, dangerous, adrenaline rush kind of way, if that’s what you mean.”

I don’t even remember the question I’d asked. Grabbing my water to buy myself time to re-collect my thoughts, I’m fucked because there’s no water left in my glass. The ice at the bottom tips and falls into my face.

“I like it rough,” Daelyn says casually. “It’s usually the only way I can come. I need that extra oomph to penetrate my chaotic brain and dominate it so my body will submit.”

Sweet Jesus. I remember what I’d asked now. And her answer has my dick hard as steel. “How do you know it’s the only way you can come?”

“Uh, because it’s me and I know me.”

Not good enough. People make new self-discoveries all the time. “I bet I could show you other ways.”

She rolls her eyes so hard I don’t know how they haven’t detached. “Eat your steak, Dmitri.”

“I’d rather eat you.”

She leans back and frowns. “We’re shit at conversation.”

“I disagree. Murder, orgasms, and beaches are perfectly acceptable topics for a first date.”

That makes her laugh. God damn, she’s beautiful. I’m dying to strip her down, both physically and mentally, to see the real woman hiding beneath the mask she keeps wearing around me.

A terribly brilliant idea hits me. “Have you ever heard of the Monarch Club?”

Chapter 11

Daelyn

I’m out of my motherfucking mind. After we finished breakfast, Dmitri dropped me back off at my house with explicit instructions to, “Wear a nice dress. Hair down. Be at the Monarch Club’s front door at seven sharp.”

I’ve been staring at my cell ever since he blazed down the road on his motorcycle, leaving me stunned speechless on the curb. He’d put his number in my contacts list, along with the address to the Monarch Club, and saved both under the nameD.

D for Dmitri.

D for danger.

D for death.

D for don’t go, it’s a trap.

As I head inside my house, I check Addie’s location and see she’s still at Tasha’s.Phew. Pulling up our text thread, I type with shaking fingers,I love you.

Then delete it.

I only reach out like this when I’m stressed, and I don’t want to lean on Addie for comfort when I’m the reason for the mess I’m in. Scrubbing my face, I sigh heavily and get a new plan going. Rage cleaning for the rest of the day with heavy metal blasting might fix me.

My life might be a mess, but that doesn’t mean my house is too.