Page 94 of Fall into Savagery

Catalina pulled away from me first, her hot breath fanning across my face as she let out harsh pants.

I leaned my forehead against hers and opened my eyes, taking in those big brown eyes.

We didn’t say anything for a moment.

I tried to regain control over myself. Tried not to get lost in her.

I failed.

Catalina said we made her feel like she didn’t have a voice sometimes, but fuck, could she not see how easy it was for her to render me speechless with a simple touch, a simple kiss … a simple glance?

I was gone.

“Go get ready, sweetheart. I’ll meet you by the elevator when you’re ready.”

She opened her mouth, and it looked like she wanted to say something to me, but at the last moment, she closed it, smiled and nodded.

I moved away from her and watched as she climbed off the bed and set for the bathroom. Just as she was about to cross over the threshold, she paused, turned, and took me in.

I didn’t say anything, and neither did she.

Then, she turned and walked into the bathroom.

I stared at the space she had vacated for a long while, listening to the mundane things she was doing, like turning on the faucet and brushing her teeth, before I came out of my reverie, wondering why I felt light yet so fucking heavy at the same time.

* * *

Catalina walkedbeside me with her hand in mine. She was licking the strawberry ice cream, the pink of her delicate tongue drawing my attention, and making it really fucking hard to walk.

I shot her a sideways glance, and the little innocent just smiled at me, continued to lick her ice cream, and walked along as if all was fine in the world.

“Would you like some?” she asked me.

“What?”

“Do you want some of my ice cream? I told you, you should have ordered something when we were at the ice cream shop, but you’re all—” She adopted a serious face and lowered her voice when she continued, “—‘No. I am a big, bad Bratva man. And ice cream wouldtotallyruin my bad boy image.’”

She laughed, and I tried not to grimace over her attempt at a Russian accent.

She most definitely butchered my mother tongue.

I was also certain the wordtotallyhad never made it into my vocabulary, especially in the tone of voice she used when trying to imitate me.

I didn’t know whether to laugh along with her or find a secluded place and give her a good spanking.

I slapped my hand down her jean-cladded ass once, loudly.

Catalina gasped and looked around.

A man walked past us and shot me a wink and a chuckle. I narrowed my eyes on him, and he smartly turned away and hauled his ass out of my sight.

“Mikhail,” she said, her voice tinged in embarrassment. “You can’t just do that in public.”

I grinned. “You’re mine. I can damn well do what I want with you, and what’s more,kotyonok,you like it when I do.”

The flare in her eyes told me I was right. I used my hand still on her ass to pull her closer to me.

“First, you sound nothing like me. And second, I didn’t say that. All I said was I didn’t want to walk around eating an ice cream cone.” I looked at her. “It wouldtotallyruin my bad boy image.”

---