Page 27 of Bound by Blood

He reached out a massive hand and tweaked one of the braids that lay against her shoulder. She glanced down at his hand but didn’t move. Though he hadn’t pressed her sexually, they had lived in close quarters for four days and, much to Boris’ delight, she had been forced to accept some level of intimacy from him. His touch didn't bother her as it once had.

“What is with the braids?” he asked. “You look like school girl.”

She shrugged. “The braids keep my hair off my face while I train or work.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “So would… how do you call it… a tail?”

Laney frowned at him for a minute and then realized what he was getting at. “A ponytail? Like on top of my head?” She pulled her braids back in a faux ponytail.

“Yes, like that. Why not like that? I like the braids, but is unusual,” he said studying her as though he wanted to know everything about her and what made her tick.

She flushed and dropped her hair. The man really had spent a lot of time watching her during their time in the United States. She hadn’t given him enough credit, assuming he simply wanted to get in her pants.

“I wear the braids because they’re easier to hide weapons in that a ponytail,” she said with a shrug as though that’s what every girl would want to do with braids.

A frown bit deep between his eyebrows. She didn't like the look that came into his eyes, as though he were trying to figure something out about her. Had she just given something away about herself? But what? He’d checked her hair for weapons before, so clearly, he knew that was a popular hiding spot for persons of their ilk.

“Next question,” she chirped.

He narrowed his eyes on her. “Why are your eyes blue? You are from Japan, yet you have blue eyes. You are clearly of Asian descent, except for your eyes. You are not completely Japanese?”

She titled her head to the side. She hadn’t expected that question, though she probably should have. She really didn't want to have this conversation, it was getting far too close to some uncomfortable truths about her. “Was that two questions?”

“Don’t fuck with me, Laney. If you want to go topside, start answering my questions.”

She sighed. Her big Russian could be very sweet one moment and quite an arrogant beast the next. “My mother was English.”

He looked startled. “From England?” he asked incredulously.

She nodded her head. “I took my last name from her. You never wondered about Paul? It doesn’t sound very Japanese.”

He shrugged. “I wondered, but you look Asian so I guess I didn't wonder for long. Why did you take your mother’s last name? Where is your father?”

“Which question are you asking me?” she asked sweetly, looking up at him with innocent sapphire eyes. “You only get one more question.”

“Fuck,” he growled and looked as though he wanted to shake the answers out of her. Laney rarely gave him anything personal. This rare glimpse into her life was a definite treasure trove. He didn’t want to relent, yet he didn’t want to waste his last question either. “Neither. I want to know how many lovers you’ve had.”

Laney swallowed hard. Nowthatquestion she had been expecting. She stared at him, not wanting to answer but knowing she had to. She’d promised him three questions and Boris would hold her to that promise. She sensed he was reaching the end of his patience. He was sharing a cabin with the woman he’d obsessed over for seven long months, but he still couldn’t touch her. The best thing she could do now was appease him.

“One,” she whispered biting her lip and looking away.

“Are you lying to me?” he demanded, his voice suddenly deeper and more guttural.

Laney shook her head, her heart hammering in her chest. She sensed significance in his demand, but couldn’t understand why it was important to him.

“When were you last with him? Is he your fiancé?” he demanded.

She shook her head and forced her eyes up, making them as glacial as she could when they met his. “You got your questions,” she said as icily as she could. “I want to go up on the deck.”

His thick brows lowered over stormy eyes and she realized she made a mistake right before he grasped her ankle and yanked, pulling her flat on her back on the bed. He moved swiftly for such a huge man, covering her body with his and pinning her to the mattress. She cried out and brought her hands up defensively, going for the pressure point in his neck. He captured her wrists and held them over her head in one of his massive hands.

Using one thick, denim-clad thigh, he shoved her legs apart so she couldn’t kick him. Then he used his weight to hold her down until her struggles calmed. It took Laney less than a minute to figure out his strategy and stop beating herself against a brick wall. Forcing her muscles to relax, she lay passively beneath him and tried to think of anything but the huge erection pressing against her hip.

He wrapped his free hand around her jaw and forced her head up until her blue eyes clashed with his dark ones. “Tell me what I want to know and I will let you up and escort you topside.”

“Liar,” she hissed.

His fingers bit into her jaw for a second before loosening. “Start speaking,” he growled.

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