Page 57 of Thorns of Lust
The tyrannic bastard would fucking laugh if he knew how those words haunted me over the last few years. Maybe that was my punishment for killing the bastard.
Abruptly, Tatiana stood up. The chair fell behind her with a loud thud and she marched by me without another word.
But I didn’t miss her bottom lip trembling before she disappeared.
NINETEEN
TATIANA
The pictures clawed at my soul.
But among the pain, one photo caught my attention. Every single photo had the two of us in it except for one. The gazebo.
I had to get to Washington D.C. The answer lay there. I was sure of it. At our beginning.
Despite all the secrets and some questionable things that Adrian seemed to have done, I couldn’t just erase my love for him. It had been part of me for so long, but now I wondered what else I didn’t know.
Probably many things,I thought to myself.
It was time to go see Sasha again. My favorite brother. It would seem today was the day for visits. If I add Vasili to the itinerary, the day would be complete.
On my way out, my guards were indeed napping. They were knocked out. In their stead, four other guards stood around, and I knew who they belonged to.
“They better be fine,” I gritted, pointing at the two men who worked for my brother. “And when they wake up, you convince them not to say a peep to my brothers about this shit.”
They just gave me blank stares, and I blew raspberries. “Now, wake them up. I need a ride and I’m not digging through their pants for the keys.”
Nothing. They refused to move and frustration flared within me.
I sensed the presence behind me at the same time as that scent enveloped me. I really hated that he used that cologne. Of all the colognes in the world, why in the fuck did he have to use the one that belonged to Adrian and me?
Whirling around, I glared at him, blaming him for everything wrong in my life.
“Fix this.” I pointed at my passed out guards, tapping my foot impatiently. If I’d worn my heels, the result would be graceful. Clogs made it look kind of awkward.
Gasps traveled from his guards and the sensible part of my brain knew that was not how you talked to the Pakhan. Too fucking late. Too fucking bad. I bowed to nobody.
I might be a grieving widow, but I was still a motherfucking queen. Not Konstantin’s peasant.
“Say please, or I’ll spank you.” Shock rolled through me and something else. Like a spark lighting a match that would eventually catch into a full blown wildfire. There was something about Konstantin’s voice that was pure seduction. It had my thighs clenching, like he was the only thing I needed between them.
No, no.I don’t want him, I scolded myself. I inhaled a shuddering breath while my skin burned hot.
“Unless you’re into spanking,” he drawled.
My cheeks heated. The visions of me bent over while his big palm smacked my ass played in my mind and the image had my thighs quivering.
“In your fucking dreams,” I breathed. This guy was the last man I’d want to get involved with. This was just a physical reaction after not being touched for so long. Then, because I couldn’t keep my tongue in check, I snarled but my voice was too hoarse. “And if you ever try to spank me, I’ll cut off your hands.”
A soft chuckle traveled through the air. The threat was ludicrous. I knew it. He knew it. But I feared he also recognized my body’s reaction for what it was.
Lust. Desire.
He flickered a silent command to his men and they rushed to help Yan and Yuri wake up from their forced nap. I tapped my foot impatiently, chewing on my bottom lip. The sooner I got out of here, the better.
The moment my bodyguards realized who knocked them out, they eagerly agreed not to say a peep to Vasili. It didn’t do much for the confidence of my safety if they could be so easily persuaded, but for now, it worked in my favor.
Yan rushed to the car and opened the door before I got to it. Usually my exit would be a lot more graceful but in my current wardrobe, it was slightly less than mediocre, not that I cared. I just wanted to get out of here.
