Page 23 of Stalk Me

Something inside me breaks—a wall I didn’t know existed, crumbling under the weight of his words. My resistance dissolves like smoke.

“Please,” I whisper, barely recognizing my own voice. “Daddy.”

His eyes flash with triumph and possession. The hand in my hair tightens further, tilting my head back as he claims my mouth again.

I break away from the kiss, my lips tingling and breathing unevenly. “I should get home.” The words come out rougher than intended.

Nikolai’s hand remains at my waist, his touch burning through the silk of my blouse. “I’ll drive you.”

“That’s not necessary.” I step back, needing distance to clear my head. “I can get an Uber.”

His expression darkens. “You think I’d let you enter a stranger’s car after what happened tonight?”

“I’ve managed just fine on my own until tonight,” I retort.

“Clearly.” His tone carries an edge that makes me shiver. “And how did that work out with your previous protection?”

I grab my purse from the desk, refusing to concede the point. “Fine. You can drive me. But you’re not coming up.”

A knowing smirk plays across his lips. “Sofia.” The way he says my name sounds like silk over steel. “A woman like you requires proper courtship. Dinner, wine, the full experience before inviting a man into her home.”

Heat floods my cheeks at his implication. “And you think you know what kind of woman I am?”

“I’m learning.” His fingers brush my chin. “Every moment reveals something new.”

I slide into the sleek leather seat of Nikolai’s Bentley, my pulse still racing from our encounter in the gallery. The interior smells of cedar and expensive leather, matching his cologne.

His hand finds my knee as he pulls away from the curb, thumb tracing circles through my silk pants. Even that simple touch sends electricity through my body.

“You’re trembling.” That lethal undertone in his voice sends a shiver of fear and desire through me.

“Eyes on the road.” I try to sound stern, but my voice comes out breathy.

He chuckles, his hand sliding higher up my thigh. “I’m an excellent multitasker.”

At a red light, he turns to me. Before I can protest, his hand tangles in my hair, pulling me into a searing kiss. His other hand wraps around my throat, not squeezing, just holding.

“Call me Daddy,” he murmurs against my lips.

I pull back, my heart pounding. “No.”

His grip tightens slightly in my hair. “No?”

“I won’t call you that.” I meet his gaze defiantly.

A dangerous smile plays across his lips. “It’s only a matter of time,malishka.” His thumb strokes my pulse point. “You’ll beg for it.”

The light turns green, and he releases me, returning his attention to driving. His words stay with me, carrying a truth I don’t want to acknowledge.

The Bentley glides to a stop outside my brownstone. Nikolai’s hand catches my wrist before I can reach for the door handle. He pulls me toward him, his other hand cupping my face.

“One more,” he murmurs.

I melt into the kiss despite my earlier resistance, feeling his hand wrap around my throat as his tongue teases mine. The leather seat creaks as my fingers curl into the fine wool of his jacket, drawing myself closer despite every survival instinct screaming to retreat.

When he finally breaks away, I’m breathless. His steel-gray eyes find mine, dark with promise.

“Sweet dreams,malishka.” His fingers trail down my neck. “Dream of me tonight.”

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