"Okay," I manage. "Tomorrow."
She nods. Gives me a small, uncertain smile. Then she's moving past me, heading for the door.
"Goodnight, Alexei."
"Goodnight,solnyshko."
The door closes behind her. The kitchen suddenly feels too big. Too empty. The silence presses in from all sides.
I stand there, breath unsteady, tasting her on my mouth and feeling the fire she started burning through my veins.
A fire I can't punch my way out of.
24
VICTORIA
I close the door to my room and immediately regret walking away.
My lips still burn from Alexei's kiss. My body still hums with wanting him. And I just told him we'd talk tomorrow like I'm some kind of reasonable person capable of rational conversation when all I can think about is his mouth on mine.
What am I doing?
I lean against the door, eyes closed, trying to steady myself. Trying to think clearly through the haze of desire that's been clouding my judgment since the moment three dangerous men walked into my life and dismantled every defense I'd spent years building.
The situation is absurd. I'm attracted to all three of them. Equally. Desperately. In ways that should be impossible but feel inevitable.
When I confessed to Maksim that I want all three of them, I expected rejection. Anger. Disgust.
Instead, gave me pause. Consideration. But not revulsion. Not the judgment I was bracing for.
They didn't freak out the way I'm freaking out.
Why am I the one who can't handle this?
I've faced trafficking networks. Run operations that could get me killed. Built an organization from nothing and maintained it through sheer will and strategic thinking.
But three men wanting me, and me wanting them back? That's what breaks my composure?
I push away from the door. Pace the length of my room. The space feels too small suddenly. Too quiet. The faint scent of Alexei clings to my clothes.
I need to direct the courage I have in every other area of my life toward this. Need to stop running from what I want just because it doesn't fit the narrow definition of acceptable I've been clinging to.
I need to start living.
The decision crystallizes with sudden clarity. Sharp and clean and terrifying.
Before I can second-guess myself, there's a knock at my door.
My pulse accelerates. I know before I open it who's standing on the other side.
Alexei leans against the doorframe, looking at his watch with exaggerated attention. When he lifts his eyes to mine, they're blazing with heat and humor and challenge.
"It's 12:01," he says. "Already tomorrow. Want to talk?"
I shake my head.
Then I grab his shirt and pull him into a kiss.
