Page 75 of Beautiful Beast

“Oh, is that all?”

At that very moment, Erik kisses me. I let myself lean into it just for a second before ripping away from him.

“No. You don’t get to do that. Not after what you did to me. Not after what you did to Nadia. Bringing her back to my father’s house when you know he beats us is a despicable thing to do.”

“Fine. I won’t kiss you. You were just looking delectable in your little shorts and t-shirt. So, sue me for wanting to touch you. If you really want to know what happened today, I got shorted. I was trying to buy some guns?—”

“Some guns?”

“—and things got out of hand. Dante sent some men after us. Ivan got shot. You remember Ivan.”

“Of course. He seems like the only decent man I’ve met so far who works for the Bratva.”

“He got shot and is angry with me because I messed up the deal.”

“How?”

“I got a little distracted, that’s all.”

“Distracted? With what?”

“You sure do ask a lot of questions.” He walks past me into the living room and sits down on the couch with a groan. “I’m getting old.”

“You’re thirty-five. You’re not old.”

“Says the twenty year old.”

“You’re getting blood on the couch.”

He raises an eyebrow. “So? Edith can just clean it up later.”

“Clean an entire couch? What’s wrong with you? That’s so rude to ask her to do that.”

As if one cue, Edith, the housekeeper, comes out of the kitchen and gives Erik a smile.

“Edith, are you fine cleaning this couch later?” he asks her.

“Of course, Mr. Koslov.” With another smile, she heads back down the hallway.

Erik gives me a pointed look. I throw my hands up and scoff. “So, you got lucky.”

“I tend to get lucky.” He goes quiet and stares at me in that piercing way of his I both love and hate. “I could’ve died today, you know.”

“Really? I thought you were invincible.”

“Even I won’t live forever. I’m sure you’re counting down the days until you don’t have to deal with me any longer.”

I cross my arms. “Pretty much.”

He laughs to himself as he rakes his hand over his face. “It was a shitshow. How was your day today?”

There’s no point in lying. “I called Viktor.”

He immediately drops his hand. “What?”

“You had his number in your office. You didn’t make it hard. I called him to ask if he’d reconsider marrying Nadia.”

“And? What did he say?”

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