Page 233 of Evil Hearts

“You flatter me, lyubimaya.” The endearment rolled off his tongue, smooth and sensual. “Though I fear my manners are merely a relic of a bygone era.” A wistful smile touched his lips. “Perhaps I should open a school.”

“Good idea. I bet you’ll have a line out the door.” Amelia laughed, the sound bright and musical in the night air. She drew his jacket tighter around her, savoring the warmth and the faint scent of his cologne.

“And what would you teach?” She tilted her head, studying him. “There’s something about you, Dimitri. A certain...mystery.” Her expression was light and laced with intrigue. “You can teach about the allure of a good mystery.”

His gaze was focused, making her feel like the only woman in the world. “I don’t know. Etiquette, maybe. Or the art of witty banter.”

“You seem to excel at both.”

Dimitri stepped closer, his presence exciting and unnerving. He reached out, tucking a stray curl behind her ear.

Amelia’s heart sprinted as she held his stare. There was something magnetic about Dimitri, an allure that went beyond his striking looks and old-world charm. It was as if he could see into her soul, understand her in a way no one else could.

Her cheeks flushed with heat, and she felt a rush of desire that left her breathless. His presence wrapped around her like a silk ribbon, binding her closer to him. Her attention wandered to thoughts she dared not voice—of his lips on hers, his hands exploring...

She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the lust that curled low in her belly. “Dimitri...”

“Yes, lyubimaya?” His accent caressed the word, making it sound like a seduction.

Amelia knew she was treading on dangerous ground. Dimitri was unlike any man she had ever met, and the attraction between them was combustible. But she hardly knew him, and her life was complicated enough without falling for a mysterious stranger.

“Tell me, Dimitri,” she said, needing a distraction, “are the legends about Shadowfield Manor true?”

He raised an eyebrow, his expression turning somber. “Which ones do you mean?”

“Ghosts. Vampires. Things that go bump in the night.”

“Ah, those.” He chuckled softly. “Every old manor has its stories. They add character, don’t you think?”

Amelia’s heart thudded just a little faster. It wasn’t the stories themselves that intrigued her; it was the way he said it, as if he knew more than he let on. She had always been drawn to the unknown, to the mysteries that lay just beyond the veil of everyday life.

“Sure. But do you think that any of them are true?”

“Truth is often stranger than fiction, Amelia.” His accent was low, sexy. “What if I told you some legends have a grain of truth?”

Her thoughts wandered to all the tales she had heard growing up—rumors of creatures lurking in shadows and supernatural folklore that never died.

“Then I’d say you’re teasing me again,” she replied.

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not.” He leaned closer, his cool breath against her ear. “Would you like to find out?”

The proximity of his presence started evoking a swirl of heat that enveloped her body. She had continuously felt likean outsider in her own life, trapped by expectations and obligations. Yet here was Dimitri, offering her a glimpse into a world where rules didn’t apply.

“Depends,” she whispered, unable to tear her gaze away from his.

“Life’s greatest mysteries are often the most thrilling to explore.”

That resonated with something deep inside her—a longing for escape and the unknown. Was she ready to step into this world he hinted at? It felt like standing on the edge of a precipice, knowing one step could change everything.

“You’re maddening, you know that?” she teased.

“Yet here you are, walking through my garden on this moonless night. Alone and unchaperoned.”

The garden seemed to close in around them, each shadow hiding secrets she yearned to uncover. Being with him made her feel alive in ways she couldn’t explain or even fully understand.

“All true,” she said, feeling the allurement of his charm tighten around her heart.

She wondered who he really was and what he wanted from her. Her life had always been so carefully planned out and it was time for something unpredictable.

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