Page 20 of My Hunger, Your Soul

During the drive to the Kozlov house, I keep rehearsing in my mind what to say. How to act like he doesn’t get to me. If I come across as distant and not interested, hopefully he’ll back off, and also take away the fluttery feeling I get every time I’m in contact with him.

I’m not sure how long the drive was, my mind is so distracted I can’t even remember the journey here as I pull into the driveway. Contractor vans fill half of the drive and the outside is a hub of activity with all of the workmen preparing for the first day on site. Seeing all the contractors has eased my anxiety, jolting me back to reality as to why I’m here and what I’ve been paid to do. Please God, let this project be completed ahead of the deadline so I don’t have to be here longer than needed.

I jump out of the car, and as I gather my things from the back seat, I notice in my peripheral vision a car slowing down outside of the gated driveway. It stops, and a man takes out a phone and starts to take pictures of me. Just as I’m about to run over and say something, he notices that I’ve seen him, and speeds out of there before I get a chance to take his plate number. Who the fuck was that and why are they taking pictures of me?

“Good morning,” a low timbre voice says from behind me, making my spine turn rigid with awareness that Ivan has found me. I turn to face him, but the confused look on my face from spotting some creepy dude makes Ivan look at me in an assessing way. His eyes squint, focusing on my face. This is one of the few times I’ve seen him without a smile and I have to say, he’s fucking intimidating.

“Why is your face like that? What's wrong?” he asks.

“My face?”

“Yes, it's all scrunched up and weird.”

“Thanks. How flattering. But to answer your question, I’m wondering who the guy was, parked outside of here, taking my picture.”

“What guy?”

“How the hell would I know who he was? It was a small car idling outside and a guy inside with his phone taking pictures of me.”

“What kind of car?”

“I don’t know. A small one.”

“You know, the more bitchy you are, the more I like you?” he says, and the alluring smile returns, completely morphing his face into a new person. It's odd. But it hooks me more into getting to know him.

“Feeling is not mutual. I need to go speak to the contractor. I’ll call out if I need you.”

Ivan leans in, his face so close I can smell the toothpaste on his breath. Who knew mint would be so sexy?

“Nowthat, I can’t wait to hear. You. Calling out my name,” he says, then intentionally sweeps his pierced tongue over his lip in the most pornographic way. My traitorous dick twitches in my pants and my skin starts to warm.

“Stop it.”

“I’m not doing anything. I’m not touching you.”

“You’re crazy, you know that?”

“Yep, and don’t forget it,” he says with a wink before striding off into the main house, leaving me standing here like a clueless chump. Bastard.

Before I know it, three hours pass and I’m getting ready to head back to my office. Ivan hasn’t bothered me again, and I know I sound like a hypocrite, but I’m disappointed. Maybe it's the attention that draws me to him. It’s been so long since I’ve dated, or had anyone show any interest in me, though to be honest, the level of interest Ivan’s showing is a first. I need to start dating, make my personal life a priority, or before I know it I’ll be old and alone.

“Everything okay?” a voice says from behind me as I pack my car. I turn to face Lev and his partner, Aaron.

“Yeah. Everything is going to plan. I can’t see any issues so far,” I say. Both of them just stand there watching me, and it's freaking me out. These men are actually insane. Gorgeous, but not normal. They all have different levels of unhinged about them. The more time I spend here, the more I believe what Noah told me. Aaron watches me carefully, those beautiful deer-like brown eyes stare into my soul. He’s beautiful but wears his trauma like armor.

“I meant with Ivan,” Lev says, redirecting my focus back to him.

“He’s been good. So far.”

“Good. He mentioned you noticed someone outside of the house when you arrived. Taking pictures of you.”

“Yes. Sorry, I don't have any details, I was too shocked to pay attention.”

“If you see him again, let me or Ivan know so we can deal with it,” Lev says as he grabs the back of Aaron’s neck in a tight hold.

“Sure.”

“You should come to the bar sometime,” Aaron says to me with a smile I can only describe as demonic spread across his gorgeous face.

---