Tears of Betrayal

I should hate him for stealing me away from my life.

But instead, I melted against him. All I could see was his square jaw, full lips, and sharp eyes. His sinful face was so close to mine, I felt his breath on my skin. His lips brushed over my jaw, making my abdomen clench with need.

Just thinking about it makes another rush of tingles zap through me.

I shake my head hard and close my eyes as I try to focus on my breathing.

And his body. God, his body… sigh.

Hard against my soft. Demitri is the opposite of me in every way, and my body loved the feeling of his way too much.

Fine, so I’m physically attracted to the jerk. It doesn’t change anything.

Opening my eyes, I glare at the bed and noticing Demitri changed the covers makes the shame of what happened when he left me tied to it ripple through me.

Arrogant asshole.

Jerk.

Jackass.

Ugh, the man is insufferable, and don’t you forget that, Ariana!

Walking into the bathroom, I pick up the bag of clothes Demitri gave me yesterday and check what else is in it. I find two pairs of sweatpants and two t-shirts. Leaving one set of clothes on the corner of the bed, I take a clean pair and go shower. After I’m done brushing my teeth and hair, I grab the dirty clothes and shove them into the bag.

Leaving the bedroom, I head to the laundry room I saw next to the kitchen. I dump the clothes into the washing machine and then glance down at the t-shirt I’m wearing. It’s white, and the fabric doesn’t do much to hide the outlines of my breasts, seeing as I’m not wearing a bra. There’s also a chill in the air, and I hate getting cold.

A scowl forms on my face.

Screw this.

I storm out of the laundry room and back up the stairs. Searching through the other rooms, I find one with men's clothes in the closets. I help myself to four black t-shirts and a couple of sweaters, then grin.

I’m just about to pull one of the shirts on when I hear Demitri say, “That’s Alexei’s.”

Turning to face him, I mutter, “So? Does it look like I care?”

Demitri comes at me and taking the clothes from me, he throws them on the bed, then he grabs my hand and drags me out of the room. He pulls the door shut behind him, saying, “You don’t want to get on Alexei’s bad side. Don’t go into his bedroom.”

I give Demitri a glare, not caring what Alexei will think.

I try to pull my hand free from Demitri’s, but instead of letting go, he tightens his hold on me and drags me to another bedroom. We come to a stop in another closet.

“You can wear anything in here.”

I glance over the clothes, then ask, “Is this your room?”

“Yes.”

The idea of wearing Demitri’s clothes sends another unwelcome wave of tingles rushing through me. Only then does something niggle at the back of my mind, and my eyes snap up to Demitri’s. “Are there cameras in the house?”

“Of course,” he replies, and then he takes a couple of shirts from his closet and shoves them against my chest.

Taking hold of them, I reach past him and help myself to three of his sweaters. Then rushing out of the closet, I glance over the pristine room, which looks impersonal.

I go to the chamber of torture and gather the few things I have, then take them to another guest room.

Demitri watches me, and when I place the clothes in the closet, he leans his shoulder against the doorjamb and crosses his arms over his chest. I hate when he stands like that because it gives me a perfect view of the veins snaking beneath his skin and his defined muscles.

“Are there cameras in the bathrooms?” I ask, my stomach clenching with nerves from knowing he can see anything I do. It’s also unnerving being this close to him after the altercation in the kitchen.

“No, only the bedrooms and downstairs.”

“So if I sleep here, you can watch me like the creep you are?” I snap, not happy about having almost zero privacy and the unsettling attraction I feel for this man.

“I only go to the security room three times a day, so you don’t have to worry about me watching you,” he informs me.

My eyebrow lifts as I turn to face him. “What do you call what you’re doing right now?”

He lets out a chuckle, his lips curving into a way too hot grin. “Entertainment.”

I hate it when heat creeps up my neck and mutter, “Screw you.”

“Only if you beg,” Demitri taunts me.

Rushing to the doorway, I shove at him until he steps back, and then I slam the door shut in his face. Turning the key, I lock it and only then do I realize this room actually has a key.