Page 26 of Doubts & Fears

I ground my hips into her once more for good measure, then moved off her, taking her blade.

“Asshole,” she muttered.

I thought to myself once more about how beautiful she was, especially when she was angry. The lingering arousal she was feeling only intensified my desire for her.

“We like to vote on things. Perhaps you could still plead your case, but either way, we will vote. It’s all part of the game of consequences you find yourself in. Remember, you were warned.” The sound of her blade opening and closing filled the space between us.

“You can vote all you like. I don’t care.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and walked into the bathroom.

“Where are you going? Do you prefer to be alone to finish? I’d love to watch, if you don’t mind,” I called out after her.

“Hell will freeze over before you see me doing any such thing. Get out, creeper. I’m making you an appointment with a professional. Maybe we can vote on that tonight instead,” she said as the shower turned on.

Whistling, I shut her door behind me, giving her privacy.

Chapter 9

Ivan

Job Offer

Alek, Nik, and I gathered around the dining table, a hint of anticipation evident on all our faces. Nik sat with his back straight, his aura composed as ever, while Alek claimed his spot at the head of the table.

An air of authority effortlessly emanated from him. I occupied the space between them—a balance, if you will. The topic from earlier had taken a turn I hadn’t expected, and we were veering into uncharted territory.

I’d tried to tell myself game night was an anomaly for Alek. A distraction for him to disengage from the stress of being the Reaper. Only time would tell how this ended. I, for one, was distancing myself.

A soft sound drew my attention, and there she was, framed in the doorway like an unexpected breath of fresh air. Her outfit had to be new—a baby-pink flare skirt that had laces in the front, drawing my eyes. It was short, and her muscular thighs greeted me, the skin looking smooth.

My eyes moved up her body, and more skin greeted me. So much for distance. I hungrily drank her in. The white crop top had a ridiculous character on it, and I wanted to laugh. She was wearing aHello Kittytop. I had to wonder if she bought it on purpose with Alek’s nickname in mind.

The smell of honeysuckle wafted in, and her damp hair let us know she’d just come from the shower. It cascaded around her shoulders, and her face was free of makeup, revealing her natural beauty.

As she stepped into the room, her movements were light and unhurried, and I couldn’t help but notice she wasn’t wearing any socks or shoes. Her tiny feet padded silently against the hardwood floor. A slightly darker pink graced her toenails.

The atmosphere changed immediately as she took her seat.

Nik gazed at her, simultaneously assessing and approving of her outfit. It was right up his kinky-ass school-girl-fantasy alley. Alek’s posture remained unchanged. Who the hell knew what he was thinking at the moment. She was a wild card, and I couldn’t wait to see how tonight ended.

“So good of you to join us. How was your shower?” Aleksandr asked.

“It was amazing once you left. It’s called Wild Honeysuckle, in case you were still wondering.” She took her seat and focused her attention on him.

“What’s called Wild Honeysuckle?” Nik asked.

“My body wash. Your brother here is obsessed with it. I didn’t think men were into flowery scents, but apparently, I was wrong.” Alek glowered. He was embarrassed, and the thought alone made me want to laugh.

“I could lend it to you, or maybe Marcus can pick you up some.”

“Since when do you care what a girl uses in the shower, Brother?” Nik teased.

“Fuck off,” he grumbled.

“How was your day, Ivan?” she asked, turning her attention to me.

“It was fine once I knew you were on your way back home. We need to start train—”

“We don’t use that word,” she cut me off.

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