Page 112 of Dangerous Beginnings

“I know I know; you’ll hunt me down.”

His beautiful greenish eyes twinkle with amusement. “You can bet on that.”

It’s real, and it’s scary. It scares the shit out of me. My heart becomes a victorious monster in my chest, trying to climb out. I have made him care for me, I have made a man like him bow to my will. He has made exceptions only for me. He even begged me. It makes my heart clench in strange ways.

And as our lips meet, like they have multiple times in the last couple of weeks, another sensation fills me. Pulsing waves of sweetness within me. It starts at my mouth and ripples through me. My brain melts away. Like it has for the past couple of months, or whenever it came to him.

The old version of me disappeared, its darkness creeping its thorns around me and my principles. She was a fool.

I’m no longer standing on the edge of the cliff, I’m diving headfirst into the abyss, and into its dark depths below. Into thedark depths of our tangled interaction where it might engulf me.

The lines between right and wrong slowly blur into oblivion; just one thought keeps its chokehold on me; is our passion worth the price of my innocent soul?

Chapter 60

The Sweetness of Obsession

Isabella

I make my way inside the cabin again, using my sleeve to wipe sweat off my forehead. Running through these woods has become my new hobby, building some sort of a condition and wiping my mind clear.

Immediately I’m stopped, my body tenses, and I freeze as I notice the usual wooden table isn’t empty. There are four men seated, and only one of them I recognize: Dominik.

Smoke hazes in the room as it surpasses one dimly lit light bulb. The other three men stare at me like I’m some exotic animal they have never seen before. One of them is chewing on a toothpick, while another leans back in his chair and brings a cigarette to his lips. I hate smoking. I only enjoy the aftertaste when my lips find his.

Aslanov’s suit jacket lays carelessly open, white button-up beneath, no tie. Where is he?

I cough on the smoke that slowly lingers and finds its way into my nostrils.

“Potushi sigaretu.” The man looks behind me and immediately puts his cigarette out and throws the butt in the ashtray.Put out your cigarette.

The demand lingers from behind me and his Russian tickles my back equally cold and hot. I’ve never been involved in anything in his work business, it feels off.

I turn around, only to be met with broad shoulders and a shirt. I’m not tall, but he is immensely tall. I tilt my head up, surelymeeting his gaze.

“What’s this?” I barely choke out as I nod at the table full of men I’ve never seen in my life. His gaze falls between me and the table. The atmosphere is tense and even though I should not fear him anymore, it alwayslingers. As he wants to stroll past me towards the table I stop him, unable to deny the empty space it leaves when he passes me. Strangely, these men scare me more than the boss who commands them. Aslanov stands behind me as he turns me around to face the table.

My eyes dart nervously between each of the men as they watch me with varying degrees of interest. One of them nods in acknowledgment, while another offers me a tight-lipped smile that does nothing to ease my unease.

Aslanov’s hand finds the small of my back, guiding me forward until I’m standing in front of the table, facing his men head-on. “Gentlemen,” he addresses them, his voice carrying a weight that demands respect, “This is Isabella. She’s...important.”

I swallow down the rising tide from my morning coffee. I croak out a dimmed, “Hi.” They greet me with a wave or a ‘privet’. Remembering Aslanov has taught me this word, and I return it. They hint a sly smile at me, my pronunciation probably sucks. They are scary-looking, but not nearly as intimidating as the man behind me.

After a small couple of other exchanges, Aslanov dismisses his men. They obediently get up and greet him with a lowered gaze before exiting.

Once they left, I immediately turned to Aslanov, “You said it would be dangerous for me to be known, and now you let these people in here?”

“I need more people to be able to watch over you when I’m gone more often.”Gone? More often?

“Where are you going?”

Aslanov closes the door and crosses his arms over his perfectchest.“I have some important business to attend to, it won’t be too long.”

To watch over me? The statement makes me feel like a two-year-old. But that is what I am, a young easy target. “Are you expecting more trouble?”

“I always expect trouble, you know that.”

“Dominik will accompany me; I need someone here to watch for your safety.”

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