Page 61 of Brutal Promise

“There’s food on the plane. Is that okay?” He looks up from his phone, sends his text, then slides it into the pocket of his jeans. Grabbing his long coat off the dining room chair, he turns to me. “Did you bring a coat? It’s still freezing in London this time of year.”

“I don’t have one here,” I reply defensively, but it’s not my fault. How was I to know? Things are moving faster than the speed of light.

Our eyes meet, and his softens. His face is long, even angular. I wonder if he looks like his brothers.

“It’s fine. You can use mine. A car will pick us up at Heathrow. Everything is set for our arrival.”

“What do you mean? What’s everything?” I search his dark brown eyes for answers, but he’s guarded. When will he trust me enough to confide in me?

“If I tell you everything, it will ruin the surprise. Don’t you like surprises?”

“Normal surprises, sure. But, in case you haven’t noticed, my life has turned into an action-adventure movie.” I scoff.

He holds his coat open for me, and I slip inside the cashmere warmth. He’s close, so close I feel his body heat.Damn him.Sex appeal drips from him like an elixir that cures loneliness.

Am I lonely? Yeah. I’ve gone almost a year without sex. That’s not normal. The only men I am friendly with are Alena’s friends, and that lasted until school finished. Most of them were busy working. Everyone seems to be moving on with their life, but I’m stuck in the past and have no idea what my future will bring.

I’m jobless. My life is a colossal disappointment. I can’t even contact my aunt due to safety concerns, and to top it off, my fiancé isn’t hiding the fact that he wants to get me pregnant. I wrap the coat around me and tie the belt. It’s comfy and smells of him.

Dmitry moves stiffly to the door.

“Does your leg hurt?” It’s then that I realize the cold might affect him physically.

“Nothing to worry about,” he replies. But from his pained expression, I can tell something is hurting.

Dmitry opens the door, and I walk to our private elevator.

In the forced proximity of the elevator, I remember the last time we were here and how we almost had sex. I close my eyes, and euphoria wash over me. Suddenly, his lips are on mine. My eyes remain shut. I know where he is and snake my hands around his neck and through his hair. His fingers trace a line between my cheek and neck. Our tongues dance playfully. He opens the front of my coat and leans his pelvis into me.

He’s hard with need. I reach down and grab him. The soft moan in his throat tells me he’s enjoying this. Our mouths ravish each other, smearing my lipstick for sure. The elevator dings, and he pulls back, exiting as if nothing happened, but his lip color tells a different story.

Anton is waiting in the garage, and for once, I wish the elevator had gotten stuck.

I lag behind him. The mixed signals are confusing, one minute wanting me, the next minute walking away. He’s a tease.

He waits for me at the open car door.

“What’s wrong?” He asks. “You were happy a minute ago.”

I pull my shoulders back and hold my head high. “A second ago, I thought I would get fucked.”

“Patience is a virtue, or so I’m told.” His eyes twinkle with a devilish glint. He’s playing me, and we both know it.

“I’m nervous this won’t work,” I say, getting into the SUV. He slips in beside me and closes the door.

Anton speaks into a mic attached to his collar and puts the vehicle in gear, and we join a line of identical black SUVs. This reminds me of a funeral possession, and I desperately hope it’s not a bad omen. I clutch my purse.

“It will work,” Dmitry murmurs taking my hand in his, then giving it a tiny squeeze.

It’s as if he can read my mind. His presence calms me. I relax against the seat. The drive to Teterboro is as smooth as can be expected with city traffic.

“Is someone following us?”

“Not if everyone did their job,” he replies, and I notice a slight nod from Anton, so I’ll assume we’ve cleared the riskiest part of the plan.

“So, what’s there to do in London?”

He releases my hand. I didn’t realize I was gripping his so hard.

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