Page 89 of Born in Depravity

CATALINA

I lookedup from the eReader, trying not to let my excitement show in my eyes when the lock on the door clicked open.

It had been two days since the incident with the man. Mikhail wouldn’t tell me what happened to the man, and I was still too wary of Damien to ask him directly, but both of them had spent time with me. I hadn’t been left alone much, and I didn’t hate it.

In fact, I was craving their company, but they both left this morning and now it was late afternoon. I had my breakfast and lunch without them, and though I would never admit to such, I was disappointed.

But now someone was back, only when the door opened fully, it wasn’t Damien or Mikhail, but Nikolay. He carried a laptop in his arms, his eyes unreadable.

I tracked his movement and wariness crept in.

I had spent the least amount with Nikolay.

I didn’t know what he was like—only that he often reminded me of a bomb.

A scary bomb.

He was also the most handsome of the three men, his features symmetrically perfect, as if God had carefully hand-drawn the man himself. No man should ever be this beautiful, but especially someone so volatile.

He was also built like a tank.

Whereas Damien was the tallest and Mikhail leaner of the three, Nikolay was built with muscles upon muscles.

He looked hard … everywhere.

I swallowed.

“Don’t look at me like that, princess. I’m not playing the Big Bad Wolf today, out to devour you.” His smile turned devilish. “Unless you ask me nicely.”

I quickly looked away.

He climbed on the bed with me, sitting so close, I wondered if anyone had ever taught him the meaning of the words “personal space.”

I tried to move away, but he wrapped his arms around me. “Why don’t you stay close while I work? You can watch me take over the world.”

He smiled wickedly at me, making my heart race.

“Taking over the world” seemed like the right words. I wondered how that felt, to know you were the kind of man who ruled the world so effortlessly.

I didn’t really fight him.

I was too scared to do anything. He rearranged me on his lap, my front plastered up against his front, my legs on either side of him, and my chin on his shoulders as I faced the wall behind him.

How was I supposed to watch him “take over the world,” as he put it, from this position?

I couldn’t do much but try to put as much space between us as possible.

That didn’t seem likely.

Nikolay pulled me in closer, lining us up.

I let out a small gasp when I felt him between my legs and he moved his hand up and down my back, laughing a little.

“Comfortable?”

Hell, no.

I didn’t say anything.

---