Page 20 of Wild

I gulp. “Anything.”

“Concede.”

Oh, fuck…I’m teetering, and he knows it. I’m trying to hold back, wanting to give into the orgasm and defy him, but the promise of more is too much. “Please stop, please. Let me suck your cock. I don’t want to come, but I’m going to.”

He pulls away from me, catching me as I pitch forward. “You’re worth the fucking world, Rose,” he mutters before he kisses me long and deep and fierce.

I try to drop to my knees in the alley, but he pulls me up against him so there’s nothing but our clothes in the way. “Niko…”

“Nikolai.”

I drop my head on his chest. “You’re a monster.”

“You know this. That, right there, is fucking payback for flirting.”

I glance up. “I didn’t—”

“With me, Rose.” He kisses me. “When I couldn’t do a thing about it. Flirting withme. Now, let’s go cash in your reward.”

I take his hand and think,yes, Nikolai, I love you, too.

* * *

Traffic is slow, as usual in Manhattan. I don’t know our driver, but Garcia has the front passenger seat, and Nikolai straps me into the back.

It wasn’t until we hit the street that I realized where Nikolai had me. Even if someone looked down or took a step in, they’d see nothing more than two people having a moment. He’d placed us, angled himself, so I wouldn’t be exposed, and my heart squeezes tight.

Nikolai’s stretched next to me, looking at something on his phone, typing, his face stern and cold and single minded, like nothing at all happened.

“What did the woman give you?”

Nikolai doesn’t look at me, and the air shifts around us, tightening dangerously.

“Niko?”

“Fuck, Rose. You know my name.” How he says it is mild, so why is it like a slap in the face?

“I asked a question. Nikolai.”

If he picks up on my cold tone, he doesn’t react. “Haven’t checked.”

He drops the words like they’re nothing, and I immediately know something’s going on. Nikolai is keeping something from me.

Fuck, it pisses me off. I nod and study him a moment before I snatch his phone from his hands.

It’s the kind of move that makes everything go still, akin to pointing a gun at anyone else.

He smooths his tie and turns to look at me. His mild expression doesn’t hide his anger. Not from me. Six months ago, I might have been shaking, but we’re long past that. I’m not that girl anymore. I’m not Rosalind. I’m Rose, and I’ll fight demons for this man.

Even if that demon is him.

“Give me my fucking phone, Rose.”

“No.”

He inhales sharply. “It wasn’t a request.”

I look down at it, but the screen is already locked. “What’s going on? What are you hiding?”

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