“Doubtful.” She scoffs.
“Shall we make a wager, then?”
Her brow arches. “You want to make a bet?”
“Mm-hm. Like you last night, I’m terribly bored. Might as well make the night a bit more interesting.”
“Fine. I’ll play.” She slides into my booth while keeping a careful distance between us.
“I do love a woman who likes to rise to a challenge.”
“Yeah, yeah, stop sweet-talking me, Kirill. It doesn’t work on me like you think it does.”
“Are you sure?” I purr, inching closer to her.
“Hold your fucking horses,” she says, pressing a hand to my chest before I get too close. My smile falters slightly at the unwanted heat the simple touch provokes. “If I’m going to play your little game,” she continues, “then I need to know there’s a prize worth betting on.”
“Fair enough,” I say, tilting my head with a grin, thankful she’s lowered her hand from my chest. “What do you want?”
“Last time I was here, you lied to me and my brothers,” she accuses point-blank. “I want to know why.” My smile drops again.
“If you’re referring to that little trinket, I told you before, I have no—”
“Don’t fucking bullshit me, Kirill. I know you know something, and I’m not leaving this club until you tell me what.”
“You’re a feisty little devil, aren’t you?” I tease, masking my irritation at her seeing through my little performance last time.
“If you mean I don’t bullshit around, then yes.”
“Very well, then. If that’s your prize, mine should match its value.”
“Of course it should.” She rolls her eyes. “What do you want?”
“Like I said… I want you, on my lap—”
“That’s it? That’s all you want?”
“You didn’t let me finish. I want you on my lap and a kiss.” I grin smugly since there is no way she’s winning this wager.
“A kiss?” She fixes me with that sharp, assessing look of hers. “Don’t you get enough of that without having to blackmail me for it?”
“First of all, no one’s blackmailing anyone here. We’re making a wager, nothing more. And second, I don’t play where I work.”
“Are you saying you’ve never sampled the goods on your stage?” She snorts with utter disdain.
“I’m saying I prefer quality over convenience.”
“Sure you do,” she retorts, unconvinced.
If only she knew how honest I’m being when I say that I don’t eat where I work.
Truth is, I can’t remember the last time I had a woman in my bed, or like I’m suggesting now, on my lap.
Bratvabusiness doesn’t leave much room for fucking around. Not that I’m complaining. Even if I did mix business with pleasure, I keep high standards for the women I spend my time with. And not many meet them. Stella, though, meets them just fine without even trying. She’s drop-dead gorgeous, sure, but it’s that sharp, snarky mouth of hers that’s got me hooked.
“So what exactly is the game?” she asks, once she’s tired of me staring at the exquisite mouth of hers.
I snap my fingers at one of my soldiers sitting at a nearby table. “Lev!Karty!”
