Page 59 of Voracious

No, he doesn’t know because like Yulia said, I’m perfect at selling the fake image, that’s why I was the best teacher, and Dima has bought into the false product.

TWENTY-FOUR

Dima

Two dumbasses are staring at me with murder while the biggest prick is smirking when I just want to get back to my girl. Val’s pathetic fucking attempt at keeping us apart worked, the prick, all those times I looked out for him and covered when he’d been racing and fucked a car up aren’t being repaid. If he sent Ana, B, on some fool’s errand I’ll beat the shit out of him.

Out of the three Vartanovs, I expect the threat to come from Vlad but it’s Tali who opens his mouth, sounding like a toddler tattling on me.

“First they were cuddling, and then he walks out of a fucking sex club with Ana wrapped around him.” He needs to grow the fuck up. “Oh, and then she asked him to take his pants off,in front of me.”

She’s mine and I’ve been reliving that innocent-as-fuck kiss every minute since leaving the forest.

Vlad holds his hand up to stop Val going off on his rant and his lip curls up in disgust as he asks, “Are you a pervert?”

Tali was never on the other end of his speeches, but Val deflates with the knowledge of what’s about to be said.

“Only perverts think about their family members’ sexual habits. She’s an adult, you two have fucked whoever you want,” the bastard looks at me with a smirk and says words I’d never thought would leave his mouth, “and they were cuddling, like two cute little otters.”

I know he says shit just to get a reaction out of people, but my face contorts at the thought of being called cute, or a fucking otter, I didn’t think he even knew the word cute. The two dumbasses stand with their arms crossed and I laugh at their attempt at a threat.

“Hurt her and I’ll fucking kill you,” Val says.

Fuck them, they’re like little butterflies compared to the woman in question. I’m not going to give them a speech about intentions, they’ve known she’s their sister for five fucking minutes, she’s been mine before she was a Vartanova.

Brushing past them without another word, I leave them to their rage. I’ve spent all fucking day doing shit under the guise of work when it’s bullshit. Dumb fucks, the last time I saw Ana she was asleep on the sofa, and she better be there when I get back. I’m addicted to her … everything. From the fuckedup sense of humor that’s terrifying to the sweetness she lets out only around me.

I’ve never driven faster as I leave their estate with my hellion holding dominion over all my thoughts. Anything I do is controlled by her, it’s not even a conscious decision, I’ll just have her there in my mind at every minute of the day, the thoughts don’t leave during torture, if anything they get louder because I know she’d love to be there.

I don’t remember the route I took as I pull up in front of the house. There’s only ever one thought in my head, Ana. Entering the house quietly, hoping she’s still laid with a blanket over her, I deflate seeing the empty seat and the blanket folded neatly. It’s two in the morning, they’ve been giving her early jobs andthere’s no one in the warehouse for her to torture, she won’t have run away, she knows this is home and she always comes back.

But there’s no one fucking here as I search the lower floor. Going up the stairs so I can change then work my frustration out in the gym while I wait for her like a sad dog does its owner, the faintest sound disturbs the air when I reach the top step. My entire body freezes, turning alert until it happens again. A moan. Soft and delicate. I’ve got one foot in midair, suspended in taking the next step, and I stop breathing to make sure I hear it again.

I’m fucked up, I should leave, it’s my house but it’s Ana’s privacy. Squeezing my dick in warning to calm the fuck down doesn’t work when the moans get faster. I bet she comes beautifully — her eyes sparkling and her mouth open. Fuck, I’m hard at the sound of fucking breathing. What the fuck has she done to me?

The moans mix together, forming one long line as I stroke my dick through my jeans. My mind creates phantoms, mixing them in with her pleasure, her soft moan morphs into my name and I’m two seconds away from getting my dick out when it all stops. Why didn’t I get the place soundproofed? I would have missed out on hearing her but now I’m going to have to explain why I’m standing here with my hand over my dick.

I push one foot in front of the other as though the task of walking is something new. My hellion is already outside of her room when I turn through the hall, the back of her head in view while she stares at my door. She missed me too. If it was anyone else I’d think they were doing it with a motive, that they knew I’m here, but Ana doesn’t play games or fuck with people’s heads, their bodies, and organs when she’s torturing them? Yes. Never anyone’s mind.

Her head turns at the same time as her lips lifting and fuck me, she’s breathtaking. Every day I pause when she lets her guard down and doesn’t hide in front of me. Her cheeks areflushed, her pupils still wide from the lust that she felt, yet it’s the earphones blocking all sounds that have my attention. Her books are always about aliens, they’re definitely for a mature audience though, and she doesn’t have her contacts in.

Whatever is currently on my face has her brows coming together as I storm closer, unhappy with the distance and finally get her in my arms again. My hellion doesn’t even fucking pause and wraps herself around me as I pick her up with my hands on her waist. There’s no hesitation when I taste her beautiful smile and I rest her ass on my forearm, so she doesn’t feel the impact of my creeping.

My other hand automatically goes to her neck, not tightening or squeezing, just to hold her breath in my hands like she does mine. She squeezes my nape, wanting me back on her lips as I kiss across her cheek. Fucking perfect. I’ll give her whatever she wants as soon as I get out what I need.

“I missed you, lisichka.”

It’s been less than twenty-four hours, but I need her by my side at all times.

Her smile turns shy, and she squeaks, “You did?”

I nod against her lips as my sweet hellion hugs me, it’s the first time without something catastrophic mentally weighing her down and this is more important than anything else. Retuning her embrace, I hold her to me as I go into our room and lay her on the bed. I’m not going to bring the shit of the day dealing with dickheads into our bed and she sits up on her elbows as I step back. She visually follows me around the room as I strip down to my boxers.

The tiny sliver of apprehension in her eyes wrecks me. I’d kill millions before I ever harmed a hair on her pretty head. Fuck. She’s going to bolt as soon as I leave her alone. Pushing all my anger at the fuckers who have hurt her away, I keep my tone even, hoping she hears it’s never directed at her.

“Stay here and read your book for me.”

Her entire body relaxes, and she lays back, pressing play. She belongs in my space, as though it was made for her and designed to suit every feature she has.

---