Page 36 of The Payback

She belongs to me.

Every piece of her. Every sigh, every breath, every moan. They are mine and mine alone.

Nik shifts in his seat. He’s glaring at the two of us; his brows furrowed in anger and death in his eyes.

“If that’s all?” he asks, not expecting an answer as he stands from his chair and saunters to the bar cart.

He keeps his hips shifted away from us, but not enough for me to miss the evidence of his orgasm seeping through the material.

Elsa’s eyes track him as he moves towards the office, rounding the corner and disappearing. When her gaze connects with mine, I know we’re far from done for the evening.

She and I? We’re only just getting started.

But first I have to finish that fucking conversation with Nik.

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

Eleanor

We’reat a restaurant downtown that, by the looks of it, requires at least a three-month lead time on a reservation for the average person. Sergei, however, arranged this yesterday, and with it being one of the Bratva’s various holdings, I’d bet there’s always a table on standby for the higher-ranking members.

Dimitri didn’t give me the details, aside from Sergei’s wife, Oksana, wants to get to know me and welcome me to the family. So here we are, appeasing Dimitri’s aunt and uncle with a fancy dinner.

When the driver opens the door, Nik steps out of the town car, and his powerful thighs shift under his trousers. He stands to his full height, flips his jacket out, and rebuttons it with sure fingers. I swear, it’s almost better than forearm porn.

He checks his watch and turns towards the car.

Dimitri leans closer to me from the opposite side. “Keep looking at him like that, and I’ll get jealous. You don’t want that, wife. Trust me.”

I repress my shiver and look at Nik’s tattooed hand, taking it and sliding out of the car.

Ducking back down and looking into the car’s interior, I crook my lips into a smile. “There, there, husband. You’re the only one I’m fucking these days.”

At my use of his title, his eyes flare wide and a smirk appears. “‘Husband’ sounds good coming from your lips.”

Before I can shrug it off, he leans up and takes my lips in a fierce kiss, biting down on the bottom one and drawing a bead of blood from the inside. I tear myself away and let Nik guide me away from the open door while sucking on the minor wound, praying all the while that it doesn’t swell.

Nik scoffs at our display, but there’s a slight flush rising on his cheeks, and he’s not as unaffected as he’d have us believe.

Winking at him, I move to the side and give Dimitri space to get out. He unfolds himself from the seat, stepping onto the pavement and clapping Nik on the shoulder. “You should take tonight off and find someone to sink your cock into. Maybe it’ll help with that mood of yours.”

Nik grumbles, but the idea of Nik fucking someone else has a surge of jealousy rising in my already queasy stomach. I squash it and keep my eyes impassive as I look at them side by side. One tattooed from his fingers to his neck, the other clean cut. Anger in Nik’s eyes and coldness in Dimitri’s—like two sides of the same fucked-up coin.

And then there’s me, feeling things for both of them and wanting to put that coin in my pocket and guard it against anyone else who may come sniffing around.

Dimitri takes my hand, and we follow Nik into the restaurant. Without pausing at the hostess stand, we cross the dimly lit space and reach a table at the back, where Sergei is speaking with Aleksandr while Anastasia and an older, regal woman sit on either side of the men.

At our approach, their conversation ceases, and the men rise to their feet. “Pakhan,” they greet. With minuscule head tilts, they acknowledge my presence.How nice of them.

Dimitri exchanges greetings with them as I subtly take in the restaurant. Low lighting and candles decorate the space, dark paint coats the walls, and the rich hardwood floors absorb the rest of the light.

“Hey, Elsa,” Anastasia greets, all but pulling me into the chair beside her. Dimitri is there before my ass hits the seat, gripping my arm and guiding me gracefully into the spot. He pushes my chair in with a practised air before sending Anastasia a reproachful look.

“Cousin, don’t maim my new wife,” he scolds teasingly.

“She is not a doll,cousin,” she jests back. “I’m sure she can handle sitting in a chair all by herself. Surely it’s not a new thing for her?”

Nik snorts from the other side of Dimitri, and like mirror images, the two of them pull out their chairs, unbutton their jackets, and take their seats at the same time.

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