Page 18 of Soiled Touch

I give her hand a squeeze and lead her through the tables toward where I see my friends have staked their claim. My steps stutter when I see Hazel and her best friend Sage, but I shouldn’t be surprised they’re here either. I let go of Calla’s hand to wrap my arm around her shoulders and tuck her into my body instead, wanting her close and needing the connection.

“Do you want to stop by the bar first and get a drink?” I lean into her and speak against the shell of her ear which causes a shiver to overtake her body. I can’t help but smile at the way she reacts to me.

She lifts onto her tiptoes to get closer so I can hear her. “I’m good. I’m not much of a drinker, honestly.”

When I look down at her, she has a sheepish smile on her face. I kiss her softly before continuing to lead her to the table. Hazel looks over at us as we approach and her eyes narrow. I don’t give a fuck what she’s thinking, there was never a commitment between us.

Before we reach the table, my hand slides down and I give Calla’s ass a squeeze. She glances up at me with hunger in her eyes. Good.

I introduce everyone quickly and Calla smiles politely. Part of me wishes I hadn’t suggested this, especially with the way Hazel glares at my wife. Sage is much more friendly and I’m thankful for it. Sage’s brother, Ruslan, is a technology genius and does amazing work for the family. That’s how Hazel and Sage became such good friends. Since there aren’t many of us around the same age, I became friends with them as well.

Sage is a sweet person who doesn’t match the quiet, stoic vibe her brother has going on. Hazel has always wanted more, but Sage isn’t like that. Their friendship is the epitome of best friends who are opposites.

I turn toward Charles, whose posh name is indicative of who he is. He’s the kind of guy whose family has more money than sense. He throws it around like he’s done something to earn it, but we all know he hasn’t.

The way he’s eyeing my wife is not okay. Not at all. I lean into him, my voice dropping with lethal intent, “You better stop looking at my wife like you want to undress her.”

He barks out a laugh like I’m joking, but I’m not. When I don’t laugh with him, he puts his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, man. I thought it was all fake, you know?”

I shake my head slowly at him and grunt, “It’s not. She’s mine.”

“Lucky fucker,” he sounds bitter as hell.

I can’t exactly blame him. Calla’s beauty shines from the depths of her.

“You really think this is real?” Hazel’s sneering voice pulls my attention back toward my wife who is staring at the woman I used to fuck with a blank look on her face. She runs her hand down the side of her body. “He’ll be crawling back into my bed very soon. Don’t think you’re special.”

My vision clouds with red and it’s hard to catch my breath with how fucking mad I am. Sage is standing there with her mouth hanging open as she stares at her best friend. Hazel catches her look and only shrugs while flipping her hair over her shoulder like she didn’t just step over the fucking line.

I gently grip Calla’s shoulders and pull her behind me. My voice is deathly calm as I get right in Hazel’s face, “I was very clear with you about the fact that you were only a fuck, a cheap one at that.” Her eyes widen, but I’m past caring. I wouldn’t normally say something so harsh to a woman, but it’s clear she didn’t get the message when we spoke last. “Calla is my wife. She’s mine. You want to be a bitch to me? Fine, but you will show her the respect she’s owed as an Orlov queen.”

Hazel lifts her chin defiantly. “Everyone knows that not even her own brother wanted her and that’s why he sold her off to be some whore of a bride.”

I have never hit a woman in my life, never even been tempted, but it’s hard not to slap some sense into Hazel right now. “Hazel,” I growl in warning, my fingers clenching and relaxing at my sides. The only thing pulling me back from the edge is Calla’s reassuring touch as she smooths her hand up and down my back. “You stupid cunt,” I grunt, “you don’t know what you’re talking about.” I straighten up and glare down at her. “If you ever speak to my wife like that again, you’ll find out exactly how far I’ll go to protect what’s mine.”

Hazel must see the threat in my eyes for what it is because she ducks her head, spins around, and stomps toward the bar, dragging Sage along with her. Sage’s eyes are filled with an apology, and I give her a nod in understanding.

Loyalty isn’t always an easy street to walk, but they’ve been friends for most of their lives. If Sage had been nasty to Calla, that would be one thing, but Hazel’s sins hers alone.

I turn toward Calla to find her crystal blue eyes wide with surprise as she looks at me. I wrap her in my arms and tug her against my chest. When I bury my face in her neck, her hair tickles my skin and I take in her scent to try and calm my racing heart and need for blood and retribution.

“You defended me,” her voice is shaky, and it makes the center of my chest hurt.

“Always,zhena. You’re my wife.” My hands smooth down her sides until I can grip her hips. “I know how this started and I’m not sure when it became something more. Honestly, probably that first day I met you, even though I tried to deny it. This thing between us, it’s real.”

“It is?” There’s a hint of hope in her voice that I latch onto.

“I want it to be,” I admit softly. “I know this is the worst place to say it, especially after what just happened, but you need to know—I’ve fallen in love with you Calla. This is,” I emphasize the word to make sure there are no mistakes, “real for me.”

Her arms wrap around me, cradling me to her body and making everything slow down around us. “It’s real for me too. I have no idea how it happened, but I love you too, Viktor.”

When I pull back from her, I know I have a goofy as fuck grin on my face. One matched by the smile pulling at my wife’s lips.

I kiss her slowly, wanting to capture the moment and keep it safe.

I grip her hand in mine and wink at her. “Come on, let’s go dance.”

Her smile is so blinding it makes my heart skip a beat. I’ll do anything in my power to make sure she smiles at me like that every day for the rest of our lives.

---