Dirty Hearts: Interracial Russian Mafia Romance

“They weren’t girlfriends and no, none of them surprised me. Not that I allowed for those things.”

“What did you allow then?”

“I liked for them to stay where I put them.”

I almost choked on the champagne. “What do you mean?”

“I would meet someone and decide she could be my lover for the time. I got her a place and an account. After that, there was no need for her to go anywhere.”

“But they still lived their lives?”

“As long as they were available when I wanted them.”

“Well, that was nice of you.”

A wicked grin hit his face as he sipped more champagne.

I tapped my finger against the glass. “I hope you don’t miss that sort of compliance.”

“I don’t miss it.” He set his glass down. “And you comply.”

“Do I?”

He licked his lips. “When it counts.”

“And when I don’t comply?”

“Then, I learn.” He rose from the table, walked over to me, and took my hand. “Had I bound you with restrictions, I would’ve never hunted along the French countryside, catching boars and watching my lady wrestle down a beast.” His eyes brightened with pride. “With you, I live more. I laugh.”

I rose with him. “I’m glad you had fun.”

“Always with you.” He led me to the window where the telescopes stood. The top was slid open. Being afraid of heights, I didn’t look down. Instead, I gazed at the sky and stood in front of him as he held me from behind, wrapping those huge arms around me.

That deep voice filled the night air. “We may not need the telescopes. We’re so close.”

“We are.”

“And then how can I look at the moon or the stars when you shine brighter than both?”

My body melted against him.

Damn, I love this man.

His voice held excitement. “Tonight, we’ll see the lunar eclipse from the best spot in Paris. Tonight, the sun, earth, and moon will perfectly line up, and I’ll be holding you above Paris. This is the best surprise anyone has given me. I couldn’t think of a better night.”

His words left me breathless as I beamed under the moon’s glow.

I’d been disappointed with not getting the Paris Observatory, but everything happened for a reason. It all worked out in the end.

I leaned my head back on Kazimir, loving the strength of him. “It’s even bigger than a lunar eclipse. They’re calling this full moon a super blood moon.”

Kazimir’s body tensed behind me. “A super blood moon?”

“Yes.”

“Hmmm.” His body never relaxed.

“It’s going to turn red.” I gestured to the telescopes. “We should see a good show. During the lunar eclipse, Earth will completely block out direct sunlight from reaching the Moon. The only light reflected from the lunar surface will be refracted by Earth’s atmosphere. So the moon will turn red. It’s the same effect that causes the red color in sunsets.”

“Interesting.” But his tone had changed and the hardness in his body had not disappeared.

I turned around, lifted my arms to his shoulder, and held him. “What’s wrong?”

“A lunar eclipse and a super blood moon. I’m not sure me or the earth is ready for that. Enough has happened this year.”

I laughed.

“You’re laughing at me?”

“I’m not. I’m just seeing more of the Cancer come out of you.”

He ran his fingers through my hair.

I turned back around and let him hold me from behind. “It doesn’t matter what’s happening in the sky, Kaz. We’ll survive.”

His body relaxed. “You’re right. Nothing can come against or between us. Nothing has and it never will.”

“What scared you so much about lunar eclipses?”

“They cause huge transformations. Many see eclipses as the universe’s comic hand, helping things rush along.”

Grinning, I envisioned a black, massive hand diving from the sky and covered in stars, soaring down to push stuff around. “So, eclipses can be a good thing?”

“Kind of. It forces you to see things you don’t want to see.”

“Which is good?”

“And aggravating when there are other things going on.”

“But if it’s coming from the universe, as you say, then you can trust the direction the hand is guiding you in.”

“This is true.” His voice brightened. “Endings are necessary to make way for new beginnings.”

“But what about the blood moon? How is that bad?”

“Uncle Igor loved blood moons. He did rituals in his castle there. He prepared weeks and months before time. He…”

I glanced over my shoulder at him. “What?”

His face remained neutral. “He liked to get all of his enemies, keep them under his castle, and bring them out for a blood moon. There, he shed their blood under the moonlight. Many sacrifices.”

“Whoa. Uncle Igor was really about that life.”

“He was. I never attended.”

“I wouldn’t have either.” I turned back to gaze at the starlit sky.

“But, for that reason, I always thought of the blood moon as a time to kill. A time for war.”

“And tonight, you sip champagne from the Eiffel Tower with the dopest woman on the planet.”