Page 30 of Ruthless Bratva King

He takes a step closer, and I feel the air shift. The intensity in his eyes has me rooted to the spot, unable to look away even though every instinct screams at me to retreat.

His hand lifts to brush a strand of hair from my face. His touch is light, almost reverent, but it sends shivers down my spine.

“Tell me you hate me,” he murmurs, his voice a seductive whisper. “Make this easier for both of us.”

“I don’t hate you. Why would I hate you? What have you done?”

He winces slightly, like that was the last thing he expected to hear.

“Tomorrow at six,” he says, walking over to the bedroom door. “I’ll collect you. Be ready.”

24

ELENA

The following evening…

Itug at the hem of a dress so short it might be mistaken for a belt. The neckline plunges so deep I feel like I might accidentally flash if I sneeze. “Maybe I should change,” I say.

Veronica lounges on her bed, her head propped on one hand, watching me with a smirk. “First date, yes, but no time like the present for him to take you up Pompeii.”

“Doesn’t seem likely.”

“He said he wants to fuck you, Elena. It’s unsubtle, but a good sign, especially when you show him a dress that sexy.”

I tug the neckline up, but it stubbornly slides back down, threatening to expose far more than I’m comfortable with. “This isn’t a dress. It’s lingerie doing a bad impersonation.”

She snorts, sitting up and crossing her legs. She’s wearing a silky robe that barely covers her thighs, looking like a glam pin-up model. “It’s calledconfidence,Elena. You should try it sometime. That dress will make Dmitri spontaneously combust.”

“I’m not trying to kill him. I just want to look nice. This is too much!”

“Too much?” She gasps dramatically. “Oh, sweetie, youaresuch a nun sometimes. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to join a convent instead of seducing the Bratva King.”

I shoot her a glare over my shoulder, my cheeks heating. “I amnottrying to seduce him.”

“Sure, you’re not,” she drawls, getting up and sauntering over to her closet. “Then why are you here, raiding my closet? Face it, girl, you want to impress him. And you should. Men like him don’t come around every day. He’s got that ‘I could destroy your life or your pussy’ vibe that we all want.”

I groan, covering my face with my hands. “You’re impossible.”

“Nope. I’m helpful.” She starts rifling through her closet, pulling out another dress that’s somehow even smaller.“Here, try this one.’”

“Veronica, I’d like something that doesn’t get me arrested.”

“Come on, live a little!” She tosses it at me with a grin.

Reluctantly, I step into the dress and wriggle it up over my hips. The fabric stretches over my body, clinging to curves I usually try to downplay. I turn to the mirror and sigh. “Okay, it’s good. But it’s also obscene.”

She circles me, inspecting her handiwork. “Hmm. You look sexy. Maybetoosexy. This might scream ‘I’m about to make some very bad decisions.’”

“Exactly my point.”

“Okay, fine. Let’s dial it back.” She digs through her closet again and pulls out a sleek black wrap dress. “Try this. It’s classy, sexy, and you can actually breathe in it. Win-win.”

I slip it on, tying the sash at my waist. The fabric skims my body in all the right places, hinting at my shape without puttingit on full display. It’s elegant and understated—exactly what I feel comfortable in.

“Much better,” I say, spinning in front of the mirror.

Veronica claps her hands together. “Perfect! Hot but not desperate. Dmitri’s going to drool.”

---