Page 8 of Dmitri

Honesty shines right through her that she couldn’t lie. “No. Edmond wouldn’t risk it.” Poor girl has no idea whereher stepfather’s finances lie and if he’s as devious I believe the bastard is.

“It explains why he wants to use you as a bargaining chip. Your stepfather won’t play ball, and kidnapping you would do the trick.”

“Do you work with that guy?” She points to the phone.

“No. I don’t deal with Romano. He’s one of the people I would have associated with in my old life. Dangerous, powerful, and with no reservations about killing. I don’t have a problem with him except when it comes to you. If he comes after you again… my civility ends.” A soft smile comes over her face, but mine hardens. She has doubts which I understand, so no matter how painfully blue my balls get, this little heated sexual tension must be put on ice.

I lift her off my lap, take her hand, and lead her out of the room. “Time to finish dinner and head off to bed.” We enter the dining room, and I’ve lost my appetite. “Tomorrow, I’ll be gone most of the day because I need to rearrange the business meetings I left when I ran after you. Mikhail will be here with you. If you behave, you’ll be able to call your stepfather and tell him you’re safe.”

“And if I don’t behave.” There goes those challenges again, but I can’t tolerate her not following orders. It’s not safe at the moment for her to be trying to run away.

“You won’t call him.”

“God, you’re such a damn tyrant.”

“I want the best for you and unfortunately we’re in a tough spot, so please bear with me at least until tomorrow night after I get home from work.”

“Fine.” We finished dinner or at least what we could manage to stomach. We’re both in a bad mood and I find that I don’t like her upset.

“I’m done. I just want to lie down.”

“Goodnight, my precious Cora.”

“Goodnight, Dmitri.” She heads to bed while I continue to work on business matters that I put off. When fatigue hits me, I head into one of the guest bedrooms near mine. It’s not fully furnished, but all I need is the bed, so I undress down to my boxer briefs and fall asleep.

Chapter Four

Cora

The next morning, I’m summoned down to breakfast, so I wear just his shirt, smiling as I do so. It only reaches right below my ass and I’m playing with fire by tempting Dmitri.

When I entered the room, I watched his body stiffen up. I have a thousand questions for him, but the first one falls from my lips without any forethought. “How am I supposed to trust you?”He lifts his eyes from his plate.

His eyes rake up and down, focusing more on my bare legs. “You just will one day. I can’t say anything that will make you believe me. Like I told you yesterday, I spotted you in the piazza getting gelato from that fucking pervert who wanted you for himself. By the time I got down there someone else had their hands on you, and I did what I had to do to keep you safe.”

“You killed that man,” I said. It wasn’t a question, but I was looking for confirmation.

“And many others. That’s the kind of man I am and the man I’ll always be.”

My heart already knows the answer, but I need to hear it from him. “Will you hurt me?”

“I’d rather die, malyshka. For the first time in my life there’s a feeling I can’t describe when I see you, touch you, and just think of you. You’re mine whether you know it or not.”

“Dmitri, what does that mean?” I asked, trying to figure out what he’s calling me.

“Malyshka?” I nodded. “It means baby girl.”

The sexy endearment makes my heart races and lust returns in full force. I push it back, reminding myself that I know nothing about him. “Where do we go from here?”

“Wherever the fuck we want. I have three more homes, two in Russian and one outside of Seattle. When you’re ready though, I’m going to lay you down and strip you bare, taste your entire body and then breed you.”

“You want me to have your baby?” I asked, pressing my hands on the back of the chair, needing to hold onto something just in case my knees buckle.

“Of course. You’re the only one who will have my children and be my wife.”

“Whoa, this is moving at lightning speed. We need to pump the brakes,” I insist even though I’m panting in heat for this man.

“It’s the natural progression of our relationship. I know what I want, and nothing is going to change my mind. You just need to catch up.”

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