Page 49 of Beautiful Cruelty

"I want the real thing," I admit.

The fabric of my pants feels uncomfortably tight, and my cock is screaming to be let out of its restraint. My fingers tighten ever so slightly against the back of her head.

It would be so easy to bring her face forward.

Lacey's stare doesn't leave mine as her hand rises. Blood pounds at my ears, against my throat, and through my cock in anticipation.

But she doesn't reach for my pants. Instead, her delicate fingers find the tip of my tie and gives it a light stroke.

"The real thing." She tilts her head. "Do you think you deserve it?"

I lean in, close enough to feel her breath on my lips. "Don't you want to find out?"

Her fingers curl around my tie, tugging me closer. Just as I feel the heat of her body rising up towards mine, and just as I can practicallytasteher lips, the door suddenly swings open.

"I have some crutches and ice for you, dear," Lenka announces as she walks in, and stops short in surprise when she sees me. "Oh! Vadim Petrovich! I wasn't expecting you in here."

I pull back, straightening my tie where Lacey's fingers had curled around it. My heart hammers against my ribs as I try to steady my breathing. "Spasibo, Lenka Feliksovna."

"Of course, Vadim Petrovich." Lenka sets the crutches against the wall and places the ice pack next to Lacey. Her knowing look pierces right through me.

Without waiting for either one of them to respond, I walk out of the room, raking my fingers through my hair as I try and put as much distance between myself and Lacey as I can.

What the fuck am I doing?

I haven't lost control like this.

Not in a long time.

But as I walk away, I can't help think about the way Lacey challenged me so effortlessly, and the way she turned my own game against me with such ease.

She hasrealpower over me, whether she realizes it or not.

Or perhapsbecauseshe realizes it.

I need to remember why I brought her here. This isn't about attraction or desire: it's about my war against Kirsan. Gaining access to that cathedral is all that matters.

This is strictly business.

But even as I tell myself this, I know I'm lying.

Because the truth is, I like the way my body responds to her presence. I like how easily she cracked my careful façade of control with just her eyes and a few whispered words.

I want to be next to her again. I want to feel my blood singing in my veins as I pull her into my arms. And I want to feel her breath—hot and needy—catching in her throat against my ear as she impales herself against me.

And more than anything, I need to feel her body take me in—warm and deep and desperate—until there's nothing left between us at all.

14

LACEY

I lean backagainst the headboard, ankle propped up on a pillow with an ice pack. The crutches Lenka brought lean against the nightstand, but that's not what I'm focused on.

My heart still races from what happened just now.

Whatalmosthappened.

Thank God Lenka interrupted us. Another minute and I don't know what would've happened.

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