Page 92 of Vulnerate

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask for his number but then we’ll both be pissed over what can’t be changed.I trace his brow bone with my finger to distract myself and change the topic sounding bitter as fuck.

“What’s your reputation?”

I saw the way everyone gave him a wide berth tonight. The only people brave enough to interact with Val were hisbusiness associates, whatever that means. There’s one word I would never use to describe Valentin — diplomatic. But that’s what he is right now as he answers without telling me anything.

“I’ve done a lot of shit in my life Dani. I can’t apologize for it. but I only ever wanted things between us to be right, honest, and good. I only ever wanted you. I’d go crazy knowing you weren’t sleeping in my bed or spending every second obsessing over me like I was with you.”

He doesn’t let me think on what he says and instructs me to lift my hair up. I can’t see what’s in his hand because his lips are on mine. It’s all emotion and deeper as something cool touches my neck. His voice softens as he moves back and brushes the tip of his nose against mine.

“It was always yours. I shouldn’t have taken it back.”

Touching my chest, the vines have me relaxing.I’d been accustomed to wearing it every day for years and it’s right to have it back. I cross my arms over my chest refusing to let him get away with not apologizing.

“That doesn’t sound like ‘I’m sorry for being an asshole Dani.’”

The bastard smirks and pulls me over his dick, grinding me against him, while I think of every horrible thing that could suppress my lust.

He moves forward and kisses my neck. I’m losing control already. He swirls a pattern with his tongue against my pulse point and turns filthy.

“It’s written on my dick, want to see it rodnaya?”

I have the sense to remember that we’re in public, in his car, again, and I pull his head back not wanting a repeat of seeing Leno. There’s no elegant way to sit back in my seat and he laughs lightly slapping my ass as I crawl back over.

“Take everything off and you can put your ass in my face again.”

I hold my middle finger up causing him to laugh harder and it abruptly stops at my next rule.

“It was a mistake to sleep together.”

Switching our earlier roles again, he grabs my face and says one word, “No.” He sounds like a toddler, and I bite my cheek, so I don’t laugh in his face.He softens minutely and groans being a dramatic asshole. “You want to torture me as payback?”

It sounds good. Especially after the asshole left me without release. My own hand hasn’t been enough since that night and I can feel the frustration lingering in my body. It’s only fair he gets to feel the same way.He tilts his head to the side slightly and I see the resemblance between him and his son. It changes as soon as he opens his mouth.

“I like sex but,” he takes in a deep inhale, “I love you. Remember that while you’re teasing me. No one else gets to make you come but me.”

Oh fuck, I fucked up. I should have given us one more night and then started fresh in the morning.

My heart soars as my voice lowers. “You love me?”

It’s too quiet and his smile is the warmest it has ever been as he cups my cheek and gently brushes his thumb over my cheekbone.

“Yeah khudozhnik moya, I thought it was pretty obvious since I’ve been gone for you since I was a kid. It has only ever been you and it will only ever be you.”

THIRTY-SIX

Valentin

I’m a grown ass man sneaking a girl in my room. Looking from Dani to the window, I try to make her feel at ease cracking a dumb joke and ignoring the way it pisses me off. “Better than the window?” She thought no one knew about her sneaking in when Vlad had given Tali the lower floor so she wouldn’t hurt herself trying to climb any higher.

I wrap my arms around her because she’s mine now, I kiss her forehead and nod my head towards my closet.

“You want a t-shirt to sleep in?” My Dani is nervous and shy, all adorable, and I squeeze her cheeks. “You’re so cute. Take whatever you want, I’m going to check on Viktor.”

This is the first day of the rest of my life with my woman and my kid under one roof.Going into Viktor’s room I don’t mute my steps. The kid sleeps like the dead and Tali must have got him ready because there’s a cookie wrapper on his drawer. Fucking slob. Picking his leg up that’s hanging off the edge, I put it under the covers that are pulled up to his chin. He gets hot and will feel suffocated if they stay there so I roll themdown. The childish part of me that will never die wants to wake him up, to tell him Dani’s home and she’s never leaving. I force myself to be a grown up and kiss his forehead.

My night gets even better as I go back to my room and see my woman lying in our bed. She hasn’t changed into one of my t-shirts and the strap going over her shoulder is obscene if my dicks reaction is anything to go by. Going to her side, I lean down and seal our lips together. She doesn’t even pause and threads her fingers through my hair. So perfect and mine.

She holds the sheet with one hand against her chest as I lift her in my arms.

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