My lips curled back in anger. Fucking Igor.
He just ruined my moment with my myshka.
I ignored her bodyguard, acting as if he wasn’t even there. He was irrelevant. I would deal with him later.
Placing a finger under Valerie’s chin, I brought her attention back to me. Her eyes met mine, tears filling up in hers.
Instinctively, I brushed my thumbs over her cheeks and then under her eyes, caressing her face softly.
She hiccupped back a sob before tearing her eyes away from mine. Valerie looked down at her lap, and I was forced to move my hands away.
I watched her as she wrote down in her notepad. When she showed me the paper, I read the words slowly.
You shouldn’t be here. If my husband finds out, you will be punished greatly.
Before I could answer, she took back the notepad and started writing again.
Nobody is allowed in here. You should leave.
I shook my head, and frustration glinted in her beautiful eyes.
Please.
He will hurt you.
I shook my head again, and she slammed her pen on the notepad, blinking away tears. She looked so devastated, scared—trembling with fear. Hurt me…do you mean he will hurt you, my beautiful nun?
Leaning forward until our faces were inches apart, I made sure her eyes were on me. “Valerie, this estate is as much mine as it is his. He can’t hurt me. He wouldn’t even dare. And your husband sure as hell can’t kick me out of here. I can come and go as I please. Nobody will dare test my anger,” I whispered to her.
Her lips parted, her mouth falling open at my words. Confusion clouded her gaze, and she only blinked up at me.
“Nobody will hurt me.” Nobody will hurt you.
Valerie’s confusion made me smile. She didn’t even know who I was—what I meant to the Solonik family.
I was their only winning card—the master of this game. Her fucking husband was a nobody.
“Sir, it is improper for you to be this close to Boss’s wife.”
I looked over Valerie’s shoulder, raising an eyebrow at Igor. He swallowed nervously before averting his gaze.
My gaze went back to where it needed to be, and she seemed oblivious to Igor’s words. There was no response from her. I had thought it would break our moment again, but her gaze was still fixated on mine.
Hmm…interesting.
She blinked up at me, and then her cheeks turned red. Smirking, I pulled away. What was the mute nun just thinking?
Did she imagine my lips on hers—kissing her? Or maybe more?
She blushed harder, looking down at her lap. Her fingers played the edge of the papers, and she licked her lips nervously.
I saw her peeking up at me shyly, her long eyelashes hiding her beautiful doe eyes. Taking my lighter from my pocket, I clicked it open.
Her gaze instantly went to the small fire, completely entranced by it. I took a cigarette out of the small box I kept in my pocket and placed it between my teeth. Her eyes went from the lighter to my lips, and she stared as I lit the end of the cigarette.
She gave me a strange look, like she was studying me, memorizing my face in that little head of hers.
I placed the lighter back into my pocket and inhaled before blowing the smoke out past my lips. The smoke caressed her face, and she blinked her eyes once, still staring at me.
I stepped closer, inhaling at my cigarette again. Valerie’s eyes were on my lips—watching before looking down at her lap.
Her attention was on her notepad as she started writing.
“I kinda hate it when your attention isn’t on me, myshka,” I muttered for her ears only.
There was no response. Not even a flinch. She didn’t even look up at me to acknowledge my words. Cocking my head to the side, I stared at this beautiful woman.
There was so much about her that I still needed to learn. So much to explore. So much to see. She was filled with so many secrets that I didn’t even know where to start.
Valerie kept writing and then showed me her paper.
You shouldn’t smoke. It’s bad for your health.
Reading the words, I busted out in laughter. Was that what she was worried about? My health?
I shook my head at her silly thoughts—oh baby, that’s the last thing you need to be worried about.
I controlled my death, and I sure as fuck wasn’t ready for it yet. Death could fuck itself in the ass with a splintered rod. I would call it when I was fucking ready for it to drag me to hell.
Smoking is bad.
I hadn’t noticed her writing until she showed me her notepad again.
“You are right. Smoking is bad.” I shrugged. “And I like to do bad things.”
She sucked in a harsh breath, her gaze quickly snapping to her lap. Moving closer into her space, I crowded in with my body. She was trapped with nowhere to go.