The taste of me still lingers between us, clinging to his lips when his hungry mouth crashes onto mine—biting, licking, kissing me like he’s trying to rewrite whatever he couldn’t bring himself to say.
“Today…has been interesting,” I murmur, leaning back against the glass as he cages me in.
“I’m sorry for barging in here like that.” His mouth ghosts a grin. “No, actually, fuck that—I’m not.”
A quiet laugh slips out. “Good. Because I needed it. Especially after what happened.”
Maksim’s entire demeanor shifts. The heat in his eyes ices over, and his jaw flexes.
“Talk.”
“Some guy snuck into our garage today,” I say, looking down at my fingers, hoping I'd washed all his blood from out of my nail bed. “Caught us off guard...or maybe that’s what we did to him.”
“What. Happened.”
“He’s dead.”
A muscle in his cheek jumps.
“But the weird part? He was unarmed except for a pussy switchblade in his sock. While Ares starts them young, this one didn’t fit the MO. Because from what I know, trainees and members never go into the field without a weapon.”
“So what are you thinking?” His question seems innocent enough, but his voice is barely restrained. And maybe he doesn’t realize it, but he’s fisting my waistband and tugging me closer with every word.
“Could be just some asshole from another crew, trying to snoop, get intel on what we’re driving. It’s not unheard of.” I reach into my back pocket, pull out my phone, and swipe to the photo we snapped of his scorpion tattoo. “Except this raises some questions.Sub umbra venimus—we come from shadows. It’s verySix coded, but no faction I’ve ever heard of.”
Maksim grips the phone. “I agree.”
“Aunt Amalia is looking into it for us?—”
His hand closes around my neck, thumb tilting my chin before I even register the shift. “Why am I just now hearing of this? And not the moment it happened?”
“Are you getting overprotective on me, Maxy?” I tease, poking the button on his shirt.
He jerks me forward so fast, I crash into his chest.
“My cum is dripping out of you as we speak, Valentina. You’re mine.” His grip tightens just enough to make my pulse jump as he drags his mouth against my ear. “When my cock splits you open…when you break crying my name—Mine.”
I roll my lip between my teeth, hand sliding over his dick as fire ignites inside me again. “You better show me one more time,” I whisper, stroking him slow and long as I drop to my knees. “I don’t think I learned my lesson.”
Fifty-Three
VALENTINA
When I pull up toFuria, Remi’s already there. She’s leaning against the hood of her car, Kuroda’s thumb brushing gently over the split on her lip. I kill the engine and sit there for a second, just watching them. The way he’s touching her is careful, focused, like every part of him is tuned to her. And the way she’s letting him. It pulls a smile out of me.
Because he looks at her the way Maksim looks at me. All quiet storm on the outside, rottweiler teeth when needed, but a complete marshmallow for one girl.
Maybe it’s not love between them yet, but there’s something real there. Something soft and good. And my baby Remi deserves every ounce of happiness she can get her hands on.
Two swift raps on my window jolt me, and Renji’s goofy grin fills the glass.
I laugh and wave him off as he steps back, giving me space to open the door.
“Hey, Poison Ivy. I was wondering when you were gonna show.” He leans in and peeks into my cabin with way too much curiosity. “Where’s your boyfriend?”
“He’ll be here in a bit.”
“Cool.” He nods, stuffing his hands into his pockets, then does another quick scan of my car. “And…your sister? She’s not too into this type of scene, is she?”
