Page 36 of The Den of Sin
“Me too,” Tatiana surprised me. She must really like Adrian. She was on her best behavior.
“I insist,” Regi added.
I rolled my eyes, but he didn’t see me since he was gawking at my breasts instead of my eyes. He could insist all he wanted, but I’d still not go anywhere with him.
“Drinks on me,” Regi announced like he just offered me the world. He handed me the cocktail, and short of refusing it, I just took it. I wouldn’t drink it though. “Let’s get into my car-”
“The ladies are busy,” the booming voice had my spine go rigid.Vasili!What the hell was he doing here? The smell of his cologne surrounded me and wrapped me into a bubble where all my senses were aware of only him. This damn man, why was he everywhere?
Vasili’s body so close to the bare skin of my back rattled me so much that I brought the drink that Regi treated us with to my lips, covering my nervousness with a smile at Regi.
“You won’t be drinking that,” Vasili growled.
He took the drink out of my hands and placed it back on the bar counter. “Drain this down the sink.”
I frowned at his unnecessary rudeness.
“Ah, dear brother,” Tatiana grinned, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Don’t be such a party pooper. Isabella and I are not done for the night.”
“Yes, you are.” There was no room for negotiation. The back of my neck tingled at his vicinity.
He was too close; I could feel the heat radiating from him against my skin. The flames licked at my body, searing me. All I had to do was lean backwards and I’d feel his hard chest pressed against my back.
I caught Vasili’s eyes in the mirror behind the bar. He was literally towering over me from behind, his eyes stormy and cold. His dark three-piece suit hugged his body just right. I knew that underneath that expensive, polished, custom suit, he was ripped, all muscle and no fat. He looked like a model with a MMA fighter body.
“Is he your brother too, gorgeous?” Regi asked, his finger circling the palm of my hand lazily. “Maybe you and-”
In a blink, Vasili threw all his weight on Regi, pinning him against the bar counter, his hand wrapped around his throat.
“You don’t touch her. You don’t look at her. And today is the last time you speak to her. Try one more word and you are dead.”
I stared at the scene with my mouth parted in shock. Tatiana didn’t seem perturbed at all that her brother was choking the life out of another man. Instead, she just giggled and slid off the bar stool, heading towards Adrian.
There were some bystanders pretending not to look but clearly watching every move in this little conflict.
“Vasili, what are you doing?” I grabbed his bicep with both my arms, trying to peel him off. “People are watching. Someone’s going to call the police.”
He wouldn’t budge. Frantically, I looked around, searching out Adrian but he just stood there, waiting. “Aren’t you going to help?”
Adrian just shrugged his shoulder. “Shouldn’t touch what doesn’t belong to him,” was all he said.
Both of these men were crazy. “Vasili, let him go,” I hissed. “You’ll kill him.”
“That’s the point, malyshka.” Our eyes met, his hand still wrapped around Regi’s throat, his face getting dangerously red. “Ready to go home?”
“Let go of him right now, you big brute,” I growled. He tightened his grip around Regi’s throat, and his eyes rolled backward. “Yes. Yes! I’m ready. Let him go,” I shouted frantically. I had never seen Vasili so violent during my years in college. And Tatiana and I did some stupid shit. Yet, over the last few days all I saw was his violence.
Vasili let go of him in the same instance, and Regi’s body slid onto the floor with a loud thud. I took a step forward, the physician in me ready to assist but Vasili’s arm stopped me.
“Leave him,” he gritted. “We are going home.”
My eyes traveled over to Regi who was gasping for breath, his friend by his side. He would live, probably have bruises around his neck.
My eyes snapped at him furiously. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I hissed and his fingers dug into my upper arm. “Are you mental or something? You can’t be going around bullying men.”
“Oh, there is plenty wrong with my brother,” Tatiana chimed in, chuckling. “The fact that I’ve seen him twice in the same day tells me our earlier toast has some merit to it.”
I shook my head, trying to get my thoughts together.
