Page 16 of Knocked-up Bratva Bride
“Tattoos and rough hands. And no, I don’t have a thing against ink on skin. It’s just…your hands, and those symbols. I want to believe that there are backstories that haven’t seen the light of day. Stories that go beyond the walls and boundaries of white-collar jobs and city-view offices.”
I couldn’t help it; I laughed, and it made her smile brighten. “You’re one of those people that does the psychology shit?”
“Psychology shit? You mean therapists? That’s a bit presumptuous.” She rolled her eyes. “No, but I’m a marketing executive at Luxe Nest. We, uh, provide the best luxuries for home owners. Sorry, I’m diverting. What I meant to say was, my job description comes with reading the room, observing the market, and paying attention to detail.”
“It’s impressive.”
“Thank you,” she chirped, seemingly pleased by the compliment. “What about you? What’s your eight-to-five day job diversion?”
“Does your job description come with a lot of questions being hurled at strangers?” She tucked her hair behind her ears,and I sensed an apology forthcoming, but I cut in before she had the chance. “You seem to make a lot of observations, so I’ll let you tell me what you think.”
She cleared her throat. “Mm. If you aren’t a full-time businessman, my first thought would be a stockbroker? Real estate? Or definitely something in the corporate sector: investments, finance, or—no, wait, wait. What’s this new currency thing—Crypto?Forex trading?”
I allowed my amusement to linger long enough. “Those are a lot of options, but I’ll tell you one thing for sure: It’s not FX trading or crypto. Most of the time, I prefer dealing with traceable money. Does that help your imagination?”
“Not really. Can I…can I ask another question?”
I urged her with a shrug.
“Um….” Her voice seemed softer and wavering. “Why are you standing so far away?”
My body went rigid, and my eyes were hard. “Do you want me to come closer?”
She took a deep breath through her parted lips, and I saw her chest heave with uncertainty.
We both knew her answer would change not only the topic we discussed but also the entire course of the night, which would lead us down a more dangerous route.
And yet, I wanted to hear her say it.
Our gazes locked, and the glaring sexual tension around us only intensified. There was no use denying its presence. I felt it.Shefought it. But ignoring the attraction didn’t make it any less real.
When I arrived at the club, I didn’t in the least expect to bump into anyone, much less a woman, powerful enough to distract me. Matvey and a bunch of the other men had tried, springing up conversations that left me further disinterested.And when they invited the strippers, I got up and left, needing some air.
“Yes, please. The distance is bothersome.”
Now, staring at this woman, that need was momentarily forgotten. My feet moved with a mind of their own, not stopping until I stood inches away from gazing into the dark flecks of her eyes.
“Come with me, Elena.”
Without a word, she was quick on my heels while I led us to a door through a dark corridor. I knocked thrice, and her short, puffy breaths shrouded the space while we waited. Shortly, the door creaked open, and Roman stepped out, eyes quietly looking at the young woman behind me.
“Prosledi, chtoby nam ne meshali.” Make sure we are not disturbed.
He nodded once and stepped out of the private room, creating a clear path for us to enter.
“Wait, that’s….” Once inside, I slammed the door shut, pressed her back to it, and trapped her between my chest. She stared at me, eyes wide. “I’ve heard that language. You’re Russian.”
I didn’t hide my smirk. “And doesthatdisturb you?”
Her gaze fell to my lips, and the heat in them scorched me.
“No…no, not exactly.”
The heat I felt wasn’t just in my chest or face—it was in my fingertips, behind my eyes, curling low in my stomach. It pulsed in silence, loud and urgent, thick and magnetic. Completely irrational, the space between us was charged, aching, waiting.
“Take off your jacket.”
It was a rough order, one she readily obeyed. The nude blazer dropped to her strappy heels softly, and she shudderedunder the impact of the cold. And I wanted to tell her she wouldn’t be cold for long, that I would willingly heat her up, but I couldn’t focus on forming words in English.
