Tears of Betrayal

I down the drink and set the tumbler down on the coffee table. “I’ll deal with it when I’m ready,” I say. I head to the stairs. “Sleep well.”

“You too.”

I feel Alexei’s eyes on me as I take the stairs to the second floor, and when I reach Ariana’s room, my pace automatically slows. Wanting to check on her, I knock. When there’s no answer, I go inside and shutting the door behind me, I look to where she’s lying on top of the covers.

With the moonlight shining in from the windows, I can see her clearly. Slowly I move closer to the bed, and then I stare down at Ariana.

She turns onto her back, and opening her eyes, she just looks up at me. Seeing the vulnerability on her face stabs at my heart again, and I make a gesture for her to move up.

I kick off my shoes and pull my shirt over my head. When I lift the covers, she climbs beneath them, and lying down beside Ariana on my back, I position her against my side. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and place my other hand on the side of her head, pressing her cheek to my chest.

We lie in silence, and after a minute or so, Ariana drapes her arm over my abs and lets out a deep breath.

Earlier, when she broke and cried in my arms, it felt like someone took a bat to my heart. I might not be ready to admit it out loud, but this woman has an effect on me like no other. There’s no reason or rhyme.

I want Ariana.

End of story.

My mind fills with worry for her. Not about her safety because I’ll take care of her. But there’s no way Ariana will be able to be a part of the Bratva.

“I won’t be able to return to my old life, will I?” she whispers, her voice hoarse from all the shit that’s been thrown at her.

Moving my hand to her chin, I nudge her face up so she’ll look at me. “We’ll figure things out.”

“I don’t want my father’s businesses.”

“You can put someone in charge to manage everything on your behalf.”

“Who? The only person I know is trying to kill me.” Her voice cracks over the words.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to say Alexei will be willing to do it, but I can’t get the words out. After a long moment, I say, “Me.”

Ariana sucks in a breath of air, her features tightening as an emotion I haven’t seen before flashes over her face. “Really? You’ll even help me with that?”

My fingers brush up her jawline, reveling in the feel of her soft skin. “I’ll take care of everything.”

Hope flickers in her eyes, and the longer she stares at me, the more intimate the moment becomes.

Moving my hand behind her neck, I slowly pull her face to mine until her breaths warm my lips. “You feel that, Malyshka?”

Her eyes search mine, and then she nods.

I worry she only feels the attraction because I’m protecting her. Before I can voice the concern, she closes the distance between us, and her lips softly brush against mine.

Ariana pulls back to see my reaction, and when our eyes meet again, the intensity between us rockets.

Lifting my head, I nip at her lips before trailing kisses over her jaw. Her breaths instantly speed up, and her hand slides from my abs to my chest. I take a deep breath of her scent, and it’s fucking intoxicating.

My fingers tighten around her neck, and then our mouths crash together, and I plunge my tongue into her heat.

This time I focus on how she tastes and the velvety feel of her tongue as it strokes against mine. She lets out a moan, and it sends a bolt of electricity straight to my cock.

For a moment, the kiss spirals out of control, and I push her onto her back. Framing her face, I hold her in place as my tongue fucks her, my teeth biting her lips until they're hot and swollen against mine.

Ariana moans into my mouth, the sound almost sending me over the edge, but I manage to keep control over the burning desire to fuck her until she’s only focused on me.

Not tonight. I can’t fuck Ariana while she’s in shock from her brother’s betrayal. Taking her right after she learned of her father’s passing was bad enough.

The next time I bury myself deep inside her, it will be because she wants me and not because she’s looking for an escape.

I slow the kiss down until we’re just gasping for air, and when I lift my head, I brush my thumbs over the curves of her cheeks.

Once Ariana has control over her breathing, she gives me an unsure look. “What’s happening between us?”