Page 17 of Vengeful Embers

His response is swift:Understood. How close should I get to Tara?

A surge of jealousy flares within me. The thought of Konstantin near her is unsettling. But I suppress it.

I message back:Do what's necessary.

Konstantin’s replies:Understood.

I return to the bed, watching Tara sleep. She looks peaceful, innocent. I can't blame Gavriil for falling for her. But if I can't have her, neither can he—and I’ll keep her from him no matter what it takes.

6

TARA

The first thing I feel is heat—his heat. A furnace of a body pressed against mine, his arm draped over my waist, anchoring me in place. His scent lingers on my skin, a reminder of the night before.

I blink, adjusting to the dim light filtering through the curtains. The bedside clock reads 5:30 AM.

Shit.

I need to go.

Carefully, I slide out from under his arm, trying not to wake him. He stirs but doesn't wake, his brow furrowing slightly before settling back into sleep.

I take a moment to look at him. Even in sleep, he exudes danger and power. His chiseled features are relaxed, but there's a tension in his jaw, a hint of the storm beneath the surface. The dragon tattoo coils around his torso, a guardian etched into his skin.

I dress quickly, gathering my things and slipping out of the suite. The hallway is quiet, the early morning hush wrapping around me as I make my way to the elevator.

As I step out into the cool morning air, a voice calls out.

"Tara!"

I turn to see Irina hurrying toward me, her gym bag slung over her shoulder.

"So, I take it you and Dr. Steve had a hot night of sex after all," she teases, looping her arm through mine.

I feel my cheeks heat. "Actually, Steve stood me up. Again."

Irina raises an eyebrow. "Seriously? That guy is the worst. This is what? The fifth time he’s done this."

“It’s time number six,” I laugh, a little embarrassed. "But I met someone else. A stranger at the bar. We... connected."

Irina grins. "You little slut. Good for you."

I smile, the memory of the night still fresh. "It was... intense."

“Intense good or intense bad?” she asks.

“Oh, good.” I nod, flashes of the night running through my mind. “Very, very good.”

“Then, I’m glad Dr. Steve stood you up,” Irina says. “I hope this time you ditch him. He doesn't deserve you."

We walk together for a moment before I turn to her. "I've decided. I want to do the surrogacy."

Irina stops, looking at me with wide eyes. "Are you sure?"

I nod. "Yes. I knew last night, and I still feel the same."

"Thank you, Tara. This means so much to us." She hugs me tightly. “But let’s not tell Gavriil that we spoke about it without him. And let’s not mention your night with a hot stranger.

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