But the second she’s sure the crowd’s eyes aren’t on us, the illusion breaks. Her smile drops, replaced by a stare sharp enough to draw blood.
“What are you doing here, Kirill? Has your strip club lost its sparkle?” she asks, her gaze as hard as her tone now.
“It’s Kill,” I remind a second time, “and to answer your question, the club is doing fine. I’m just making my charitable donation of the year like any good and true Chicagoan Samaritan would,” I goad back, doing my best not to lick my lips at the tasty treat standing before me, even if she does have her claws out right now.
“Right.” She laughs sarcastically. “Like you’re the charitable type.”
“What makes you think that I’m not?”
“Just by looking at you. You’re the kind of man who only ever thinks about himself. Selfishness and arrogance have a way of staining the soul. And that smudge is all over you. You mightfool everyone here with talks of charity but I can sense your kind a mile away.”
“Is that supposed to wound me,milaya? I hate to disappoint you, but words barely make a scratch on me.” I grin sinisterly while eating the distance between us.
“What about daggers?” Her eyes sparkle as they fix on my Adam’s apple. “I think I could leave a prettyscratchon you with my blade. Maybe I could improve that tattoo around your neck that you seem so proud of.”
My cock stirs awake at the threat swimming in her jeweled eyes. “Are you carrying right now?” She answers with a smile. “A woman after my own heart,” I smirk, loving how she doesn’t step back when I’m all but on top of her.
“Please, stop with the flattery. We both know you’re only flirting with me to piss me off.”
“I don’t flirt,milaya,” I reply, dead serious. “Flirting is for cowards too afraid to say what they want outright. Make no mistake… I’m no coward.”
“So what are you doing right now, if not flirting? What exactly do you want? Why did you really come here tonight?”
I’m here for Kira.
That thought should’ve hit me instantly. But it doesn’t. Not when Stella’s wearing this curve-hugging dress that would look better rumpled on my bedroom floor.
“Right now?” I wet my lips with a slow breath as my gaze purposely travels over the swell of her cleavage. “I can give you a little guess.”
Her smile sours into a scowl. “Enough games, Kirill. Why are you here?”
“Your father asked me the same thing. Almost makes me feel unwanted. Almost.” I wink.
She rolls her eyes and tilts her head toward the night sky, the full moon paling in comparison to the goddess in front of me.
“I should have known talking to you would be a waste of my time.” She begins to step around me, but I instinctively grab her wrist before she has a chance to get away.
“I was ordered by thePakhanto make a larger contribution to the city I live in. To start making it known that the Petrovs can be just as charitable as your family,” I say smoothly. “Shame you Romanos never learned how to share.”
“What can I say? We’re very territorial.”
“So am I,” I threaten, my blood beginning to run hot with the way her eyes stare deeply into mine. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, tell me the real reason you dragged me out here.”
“I already did. I wanted to know why you’re here.”
“You could’ve asked me that inside.” I tilt my head toward the crowded ballroom. “But instead, you brought me out here where no one can see us together. Why?”
“Maybe I don’t want anyone seeing me lowering my standards by talking to someone like you.”
“You don’t want anyone seeing us together, or you don’t want yourfatherto?”
“Both things can be true.”
“Hmm… and what else doesn’t Romano know about his precious daughter and what she gets up to behind his back?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.”
I step closer, until our chests press. To my delight, she holds her ground again, not backing away.
