Page 12 of Delicious Prey

I laugh and say, “Lifting weights helps keep you sane. Let’s get the fuck out of here. How long will the security feed loop through of the solitary confinement wing?”

“Twenty-four hours if they don’t catch on. It’s just repeating yesterday.”

He drives us away from the prison, but when he starts to turn towards my house, I stop him. “No, I want to see her.”

“Kirill,” he starts, but I cut him off.

“I just want to see her for a minute, and then we can go to my place.” I look down at my uniform. “I don’t want her to see me like this, but I have to see her.”

He takes a right, knowing I’ve made up my mind. “It’s her day off. She’s been spending them in her backyard. Usually she’ll spread out a blanket and read a book while Peanut plays.”

“I hope you’re not developing a crush on my girl,” I say. I’m joking, kind of. He’s been watching her for me for almost two years. It’s only natural that he might develop feelings for her. I study him carefully, because what he says next will decide very quickly what needs to happen.

Vadim briefly meets my eyes and shakes his head. “Don’t even think about it, Kirill. The second I took this job, Lydia became like a sister to me. That’s how I think of her.” When we hit a red light, he meets my eyes again. “Always. I’ve never thought of her in any other way. No way in fuck am I trying to come between you and your girl.” He smiles and adds, “I don’t have a fucking death wish.”

Over the years, I’ve picked up the ability to tell if someone is lying, and I’m relieved to see that Vadim isn’t. Lydia is the only person on earth who I would never kill, no matter what, and Vadim is the only one that I would feel deep regret about.

“Glad to hear it,” I tell him, noticing the way his shoulders relax when he realizes that I believe him. He parks a few houses down from Lydia’s and then eyes my outfit.

“This is like the start to a bad ‘70s porno.”

I laugh and open the car door, but before I can step out, he points at the glove box. When I open it and see the box of dog treats, I smile and grab a couple. “Thanks, man.”

My heart races a little faster with each step I take. I’ve waited so long to see her, and now that she’s almost in front of me, I’m like a fucking kid at Christmas. All I want is to open my present and play with it. Standing in front of her house, I run my eyes over the flowers in the front. I have so many pictures of her in this yard, and it’s hard to believe that I’m here standing in it right now.

Walking around to the back, I keep myself low so she won’t see my head above her privacy fence. Peeking through the slats, I have to bite back a groan when I see her sprawled out on her back in nothing but a bikini top and a pair of shorts. My mouth waters at the sight of her. It’s been over two years since I’ve been with a woman, but even if I’d had access to women, I wouldn’t have fucked any of them. She’s the only one I want. I watch her for several minutes, and when it’s obvious she’s sleeping, I can’t resist the urge to get closer.

I open the gate, and as soon as Peanut spots me, I can tell he’s about to start barking. I toss the dog treat his way, and the little guy bolts to get it before happily trotting off. Jesus Christ that dog is cute as hell, but he’s one lousy guard dog. She needs my dogs around her, protecting and guarding her at all times.

When I’m standing above her, everything else disappears. She’s even more gorgeous in person. I still remember exactly how she looked the day she testified against me, but after only seeing her in photos for two years, I’d almost forgotten just how beautiful she is in real life. Her face is tilted to the side, her lips slightly parted in sleep, and the rise and fall of her chest is damn near hypnotizing. I run my eyes over her, taking in every single detail—the delicate slope of her neck, the slight flush to her skin from the sun, the curve of her perfect breasts, the hips that I’m dying to sink my fingers into, and the legs that I swear I can almost feel wrapped around me. My cock is rock-fucking-hard, and it takes every ounce of willpower I possess to keep me from taking it out and jerking myself off right above her. I wonder if she’d wake when my cum hit her skin.

Now isn’t the time, I remind myself, and instead squat down next to her. I spot the bottle of sunscreen and smile. Squeezing some out, I very slowly leave her a little message on her lower belly. She lets out a soft moan, making me freeze in place, but then she quickly falls back into a deep sleep. I finish up and am about to leave when I see the corner of one of my letters sticking out from underneath her. She must’ve been reading it when she fell asleep. Smiling like an idiot, I risk leaning down to bring my face close to hers. Closing my eyes, I breathe in her jasmine-scented shampoo and nearly bust a nut in my goddamn pants.

“Soon, zaika,” I whisper.

Standing back up, I hold another bone out for Peanut, letting him sniff my hands and get used to my smell. I pet him for a few minutes and then quickly leave. Vadim looks relieved when I open the door and get in.

“Thank god, I thought she’d caught you.”

“All in good time,” I tell him. “I need to go home first and get cleaned up. I don’t want to smell like prison when she sees me. I need to make a good impression.”

“She’s going to freak the hell out when she sees you.”

I look out the window at the passing houses and nod. “She will, yes, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

He doesn’t say anything else, just drives me home. The sight of my house cheers me up instantly. I’m still reeling from being outside the confines of my shitty cell, and even though the house has always been beautiful, it looks like a fucking palace right now. As soon as the car stops, I get out and whistle for my dogs. They come barreling towards me seconds later, and I drop to my knees to greet them. Laughing, I hug and pet them while they go crazy, licking and wagging their tails as their paws tap dance around, too excited to sit still.

I speak to them in Russian, noticing the way they also run up to Vadim. It’s obvious they’ve grown to love him, and he seems much more at ease with them.

“Thanks for taking care of everything while I’ve been gone,” I tell him while still petting my dogs.

He lifts a brow at me. “Did prison make you soft?”

I laugh and stand up, giving Grisha one last pat since he’s the only one still whimpering with joy. “Not a chance in hell,” I tell him. “If anything, I’m meaner than ever.”

He laughs and follows me inside. The place looks just like how I left it. It’s obvious that Vadim’s been cleaning and keeping everything aired out and ready for my return.

“The fridge is stocked,” he says, opening it to show me the packed shelves. My eyes run over the food that I’ve been dreaming about while locked up. It’s crazy how much a person can crave fresh fruits and vegetables, anything that isn’t processed, lukewarm, and tasteless. I grab a handful of grapes and pop one in my mouth.

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