Page 37 of The Bratva's Sold Bride

“Tell me whatever you want,” I urged, my hands roaming up to cup her heavy tits. My eyes nearly rolled back at the feel of her nipples tightening as I ran my thumbs across them.

Instead of speaking, she pulled my head down to kiss her again, her fingers digging into my shoulders before running down my arms. The warmth of her skin, in contrast to the cool water in the pool, only enhanced the electricity her slightest touch seemed to cause between us.

The hot sun, my gorgeous wife’s lips on mine, her body pressed close, and her soft moans ringing in my ears. What more could I want? What more could I ever ask for?

“Dima,” she said again, suddenly pushing away, but keeping her hands firm on my shoulders.

She looked up at me with her eyes sparkling with tears, causing a stabbing sensation in my chest.

“What is it?” I asked, moving her toward the shallow end. “What’s wrong, Liv?”

“I don’t…” her voice was strangled, and she trailed off, looking like she was being tortured.

What was going on behind those eyes of hers? Was she about to tell me she didn’t accept that we were real after all?

Chapter 23 - Olivia

The constant calculations were exhausting. Should I act this way or that way? Trying to stay one step ahead was killing me, even when it came down to having a light conversation over breakfast. It wasn’t in my nature at all to be so deceptive, even though it was in the interest of my self-preservation.

Now that I had met Zoey and thought I could get her to help me, I was torn up with guilt for leading her to believe that Dima was abusive. I’d been absolutely gleeful to see the worry in her eyes as he led me out of the coffee shop earlier.

And here I was, just as happily making out with him in the pool. Just getting him in here so fast, so that he’d forget his stupid background check and possibly not let me see Zoey anymore, had been an act. For all of five minutes, anyway. Until he kissed me.

It had to be because I was so starved for company, right? The last couple of weeks had gone by in a blur, and on top of working constantly, Dima had been careful to give me space since I freaked out over him wanting me to call my father. All of a sudden, he wanted to spend time with me, and I was enjoying it way too much.

I had been pretending and calculating every move I made around him, every last smile or sentence I spoke. After all, I had a plan I needed to stick to, so it was fine. But right now, I didn’t want to pretend. Not about this. The way he made me feel when his hands roamed up and down my sides, and the way I felt when he kissed me like I was the last drink of water in a desert was all too real.

Iwantedto keep going, wanted it like I wanted my damn freedom back. The two things could never be compatible, so Ihad to pull away, which would put us back at square one. It took every fiber of my being to wrench away from his kiss, and the stress from all my lies and acting had tears about to start pouring down my cheeks.

“What is it?” he asked as I slowly started to short-circuit.

The concern on his face was going to be my undoing. His blue eyes were dark with what I could easily make myself think was real. Couldn’t I believe he cared for me, maybe even loved me?

No, never that. He only wanted me, nothing more.

And I wanted him, damn it. Desperately.

“What’s wrong, Liv?” he asked again.

The sweet nickname, the tender tone in his voice, and the fact that he wasn’t blustering and making demands the way I expected pushed me beyond my limits.

“I don’t…” I trailed off, because how could I explain that I didn’t want to fake this. And I couldn’t afford for it to be real.

Just those two words out of my mouth seemed to hit him like a punch with brass knuckles, and I wavered, putting my hands on his chest. His very hard, warm chest. I’d almost forgotten we were in the pool until a breeze blew past, chilling my exposed skin.

Even as he kept his gaze locked on my face, he smoothed the goosebumps that erupted down my arms, waiting patiently for me to explain.

There just weren’t any words, or at least none I could speak out loud, and by then, I was well past caring about anything but getting that pain out of his beautiful eyes.

“I just want you so much,” I sobbed. Truer words were never spoken.

A moment later, he had his arms wrapped tight around me, his mouth nuzzling the side of my neck. Sizzles of heat radiated from everywhere he touched me, and I grabbed for his hair to bring those lips to mine.

“I need you,” he growled, yanking me tight to his body.

Every muscle was coiled, and the stiff bulge that ground against my belly made me moan. I wrapped my legs around him, to feel his shaft rub my tender clit, already so swollen and needy that I was nearly frantic to get him inside me.

He had other plans, though. Gripping me firmly around the waist, he lifted me to the edge of the pool as if I weighed no more than an inflatable raft. As soon as my backside hit the smooth edge, Dima spread my legs and pulled himself up close, grinning up at me. With his hands firmly on my thighs, he plunged his face between them.

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