Page 70 of Crimson Flames

He is wearing a light tan linen suit that molds to every inch of his body perfectly. The white undershirt accentuates the tan he seemed to get from only being outside for a total of thirty minutes.

There is no way this man is full blooded Russian. His mother had to be Spanish or Italian with the way he tans so easily.

He notices the way I am practically drooling as he adjusts his sleeves, a sly smirk playing on his full lips.

“See anything you like, my little fox?”

I approach him seductively, swaying my hips as my heels click on the floor. Reaching out, I place my hand over his bicep and lean in to whisper, “I would rather see a whole lot more.”

Before I can undress the man, Cillian pulls me back, making me laugh.

“Rude, I got dressed up too and you didn’t even notice.”

I turn in his hold, appreciating how the red tattoo on his neck stands out against the black collar. My finger traces the lines as he keeps me close.

“I will always notice you, Killer.”

I stain his lips red with my lipstick as I press our mouths together.

Boris crowds my back, making me feel centered for the first time in a long time.

“I love you,” I whisper, reaching back to squeeze Boris’ arm, saying the words to both of them.

“We love you too, Sweetheart. So much so that even though it pains me,” Cillian steps back and grabs my purse, handing it to me, “I must insist on dinner.”

He gestures to our private elevator, graciously accepting Boris’ outstretched arm.

It feels strange to be out with them again, having spent the last two and a half months in a very large but somehow crowded home in Norway.

Part of me longs for the chaos of it. Seeing all of the kids happy and thriving gives me renewed energy on the rough days, but the silence here helps too.

I can feel the tension starting to leave me even now. I’m also sure the three orgasms I’ve had today only added to my good mood.

We head to a small restaurant two blocks down the road and sit outside on the patio. Twinkle lights hang above us, illuminating the space with a soft glow.

We order seafood, and I almost gag a few times as we watch Cillian eat what I feel can only be described as a giant octopus tentacle. Boris has lobster, and I decided on the tilapia with risotto.

Cillian attempts to share his meal, but Boris and I both decline, opting to share with each other instead.

It’s all kind of strange but comfortable. We sip on espressos as we share stories from our childhood. I find out that Boris’ mother was actually from Spain and that she died during childbirth. He never talked about her before now, but for all of us it seems normal not to chat about where we came from.

As we make our way back and the sky starts to darken, my chest starts to feel a weird ache. By the time we get to the room, I am rubbing at it, my anxiety spiking with every pass of my hand.

Boris’ cell chimes as I sit on the couch and remove my shoes. He scoots in beside me and holds up his phone with a picture on the screen and a small text bubble from Kai.

Kai: In case she is missing her. Let her know I’m watching Aiden tonight.

My lip trembles for a moment as I compose myself. It startles me just how well Cillian and Boris know me sometimes, but the way Kai seems to understand me so thoroughly is heartwarming.

“Tell him I said thank you and that we will be back soon to tell him all about our old boring lives,” I say, handing Boris his phone and loosening the tie on my dress.

He types out the reply and sets the phone on the coffee table before pulling my feet in his lap.

“I do not think we are boring,” Boris says as he begins to massage my feet, his thumb pressing in just the right spot that makes my toes curl.

“Who the feck said we were boring?” Cillian asks, walking out of the bedroom. There is a devious look in his eyes, leading me to believe he’s up to something.

“Nessa told Kai we were boring,” Boris informs him, and I reach out to playfully slap him on the chest. Before I make contact, Cillian stops my hand and pulls it behind my back as his knee presses to the couch behind me.

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