Page 28 of Ruthless Bonds

He kissed up the side of my neck, goosebumps breaking out across my arms. “Are you OK?” he murmured into my ear. Before I could answer, he gripped my chin and turned my head toward him, then kissed me deeply.

I panted against his lips and smiled. “Of course.”

He looked at me in the mirror, his face unreadable. After a moment, he pulled away, picking up his clothes from the floor. “Get dressed.” His voice seemed cold suddenly. Not as soft as it had been just moments ago.

Maybe I was imagining it. I mean, this was the first time I’d had sex, and I knew that guys supposedly changed after. Was that what this was?

It didn’t matter. I didn’t want to overthink it.

I tugged my pants back on, then my tank top. My skin was flushed and still on fire from where he’d marked me. I splashed cold water on my face, instantly cooling down.

He was fully dressed when I came out, texting on his phone. It was quiet for a moment, neither of us saying anything as I stood there awkwardly, trying not to fidget. After what felt like an eternity, he pulled an envelope from his coat pocket and handed it to me.

“What’s this?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

“My phone number. I always keep my word,kotic. I owe you for saving my life.”

I opened the envelope, my eyes widening at the cash inside. “And the money?”

“For your new apartment. Get away from your stepfather. Build a new life.” He took a step forward, my butt hitting the dining room table. I didn’t like the way he was looking at me.

He moved my hair behind my ear, then wrapped his hand around the back of my neck. “You should stay far away from men like me.” His lips brushed against mine softly before he pulled away. “I’m going to take a quick shower. Stay here and I’ll get you a ride back to Brooklyn.”

With that, he walked back to the bathroom and shut the door.

He’d “get” me a ride back to Brooklyn, not “take me back.” And what was that whole “stay away from men like me” thing?

My happy little bubble had burst in less than thirty seconds. I’d made a lot of mistakes in my life, but sleeping with a stranger after I’d watched him kill someone? That took the number one spot.

I grabbed my hoodie from the chair and slipped it back on. He’d known I would leave the second he went into the bathroom, otherwise he wouldn’t have given me the money first. I wasn’t an idiot. This was his wayof letting me go so he wouldn’t have to deal with me.

Well, message received.

I shoved the envelope in my pocket and slipped out the front door.

Have a nice life, K. I hope I never see you again.

Chapter Five

Present Day

Alora

The leather chair creaked as I shifted. K—which apparently stood for Kreos—sat across from me behind a massive desk. The air around us was charged with unspoken words.

He looked—different. Imposing and muscular. It was as if he had grown into his power. An aura of authority surrounded him, screaming power, control, money, from the perfectly fitted charcoal suit to the fifty-thousand-dollar Rolex he wore on his left wrist. That definitely wasn’t a knockoff. He was annoyingly handsome, even more so than six years ago. I hated I was attracted to him, seeing how he was the leader of a US branch of the Russian mafia and my life was now in his hands.

His eyes were cold and calculating as he typed on his phone, and when his gaze locked onto mine, the urge to flee was intense. But I couldn’t. I sat frozen, fully aware that I was sitting across from a predator.

A lump formed in my throat, making it difficult to swallow. What were the chances that I was leaving here alive? Not very good. My only saving grace was that he owed me for saving his life. The question was, would he keep his word?

He rolled up the sleeves of his white button-up, his forearms covered in tattoos. I wished he would say something. Anything. But he’d been completely silent since we left that shithole basement.

My mind had been racing with worst-case scenarios ever since he’d untied me and brought me here. Where? I wasn’t sure exactly, but it appeared to be an apartment in Manhattan. Everything about the place screamed luxury, although I tried not to look around too much. It was clear, though, that I was in the lion’s den.

I’d been naïve to be unafraid of him all those years ago. Foolish to let myself be charmed by a ruthless killer. And that was exactly who he was. A cold-blooded murderer.

Not my friend. A killer. Who I had stolen from.

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