Page 22 of Bratva's Vow
I kissed him, and he made a face. “What? You’re not fond of your spunk? But you expect me to swallow it?”
“Only sometimes, but you don’t have to if you hate it.”
“I don’t hate it.” I buried my face into his neck so he wouldn’t see my smiling face. “It’s hot when you fuck my throat like that.”
Maxim groaned. “If we don’t change the subject, I’m going to get hard again and fuck your brains out.”
Laughing, I hopped off his lap. He ran his hand up mychest, caressing my abdomen. “Jesus, Maxim, stop that.” I ran out of his reach. “I just wanted to pop in to let you know Jess and I are going back to the apartment for a bit.”
The playfulness fell away from Maxim’s features, transforming into something cold and sharp beneath the surface.
“No.” He straightened in his chair. “Whatever you need, I’ll have it brought here.”
I blinked. “Seriously?”
“You don’t need to go anywhere, Wren.” His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. “Tell me what you want. I’ll buy everything new.”
“I already have everything I need. At the apartment.” I gave a half laugh to ease the tension. “It’s just clothes. I’ll grab a bag and be back before you have time to miss me.”
He didn’t say anything, just stared at me, jaw clenched, like he was doing math in his head and the answer kept coming up wrong.
“Nik’s taking us,” I said, softer now, though I didn’t understand the reason Jess and I couldn’t go on our own. How did he think I survived without him?
The muscles in his forearms flexed, but he nodded slowly. “Fine. Go. But don’t stop anywhere else. And keep your phone—the one I bought you—on.”
“Of course, Maxim.” I sensed that pushing any further would turn this into something bigger. “We’ll be quick. Don’t miss me too much.”
I blew him a kiss and turned to leave, but I couldn’t shake it. That look in his eyes. Like he’d watched something slip out of his hands and couldn’t figure out how to get it back.
That look stayed with me long after I walked out.
CHAPTER SEVEN
WREN
Iunzipped the side of my suitcase and tossed in a bundle of socks, then tilted my head.
There it was again.
A soft moan, followed by the unmistakable rhythm of a headboard tapping the wall.
I groaned, but a laugh escaped anyway. “Jesus, Jess.”
From the sounds of it, she was having a good time. I didn’t need to peek into her room to know Nik was in there with her. He hadn’t let her out of his sight since we got back to the apartment, and now it sounded like he was off the clock. Loudly so.
Shaking my head, I smiled. Jess was happy. She deserved to be. And as weird as it was to be packing while my best friend was getting railed in the next room, the noise was kind of… reassuring. Someone else was in the apartment with me. Something I’d never worried about before, but Maxim’s paranoia was affecting me.
I turned back to the dresser and opened the drawer that held the dress shirts Maxim had bought me. How many should I take? Technically, I only needed a few. What was I going to do with them all when I returned to college? But I didn’t want to have to keep returning for clothes. Maxim was already on edge about me leaving the house without him.
Who would have known how possessive he was? For the most part, I loved the attention, but sometimes it scared me.
My phone rang on the nightstand.
I dropped the tie I was rolling up in the suitcase and peeked at my phone.
Maxim.
Seriously? We only arrived at the apartment fifteen minutes ago.
