Page 56 of Soulless Rivalry

I expected him to freak out any time now, but to my uttermost joy, he never did.

Instead, Konstantin put his wet fingers into his mouth and sucked diligently. I sighed, watching him as exhaustion caught up with me.

My heart hammered inside my chest when he closed his eyes and groaned around them, clearly appreciating the taste.

“Fucking delicious,lebedochka.”

ELYSSA

Iwoke up feeling like I was burning up. I was engulfed in a big, heavy blanket, and I had never been more comfortable in my life.

The moment when you’re waking up, not dreaming anymore, but not exactly aware of your surroundings either—that moment is bliss. Because it’s the one time where you don’t think about the things that await you in the real world.

No responsibilities, no expectations, just warmth, sleepiness, and comfort.

Until the thing I believed to be a blanket against me started moving.

That’s when everything dawned on me.

My heart skipped a beat and my eyes sprung open, taking in the darkness of the room I had fallen asleep in. It was still cold around us, but Konstantin’s body had kept me warm all night, I had no idea how. He was only wearing a long-sleeve t-shirt and I suddenly had a flashback from last night of him pushing his sweatshirt onto me before I fell asleep, bone tired.

I had no idea sex could be so exhausting, especially when I hadn’t done anything but be on the receiving end of it.

Light shone through the cracks on the door up the stairs, meaning daylight had come.

Doing my best to sit up without waking the resting Russian next to me, I grabbed my phone and checked the time.

It was almost seven in the morning.

Breakfast was served at seven-thirty and I knew Mia would come and fetch me as she always did. I cursed under my breath before disentangling myself from Konstantin’s death hold on me. My heart was beating fast, not only at the idea of getting caught but also because this felt like a betrayal.

We’d shared a lot last night and knowing it had been a first experience for both of us made me feel out of breath. I loved it and hated it at the same time.

Loved it because of that secret little crush I’d had on Konstantin during all those years, despite his behavior and our rivalry.

Hated it for the exact same reason.

Because the mere idea of us getting together was laughable.

Our families would never accept it.

I knew deep down that my grandfather had plans for me: marry me off to the highest bidder, and see what his ugly duckling could eventually bring him.

That was the only reason why he’d taken me in and agreed to give me an education that equaled those of my cousins’: because I could be an asset to his schemes.

Still, a little voice in my head kept on whispering,‘What if?’

The Korolov family did not care about mafia codes, they weren’t scared of my grandfather, or anyone in my family for that matter. The hope that maybe last night meant something other than sex to Konstantin blossomed in my chest. If he wanted me, he wouldn’t let my grandfather hurt me. I knew it deep down. He’d take me in and protect me, but I couldn’t let myself think about that.

Hope was for the weak.

My mother had been full of it when she met my dad.

A whole lot of good it did her.

By the timeI arrived at my dorm, showered, and got dressed, it was already seven twenty-five. I sighed in relief because it meant I was on time. When a knock came on my door, I quickly grabbed my bag and went to answer it, fully expecting my cousin to stand on the other side of it.

What I didn’t expect, however, was that she would be bawling her eyes out.

---