“Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” I didn't see any point in playing the politeness game with the guy, not when it wasn't the reason for showing up at this party. Vito invited all the elite and every member of his company board. In other words, the person behind Alfonso’s plan was here, and we needed to install the camera and bugs in each cabin and hallway so we could trace them down if possible later on. At the moment, it was our only lead besides the fact that only two hundred people could be involved in it too.
I’d already killed the rest, which Vito found exceptionally funny. According to him, if they were dumb enough to go against him and didn't know how to cover their tracks, they deserved it.
Oliver kept going on about his stupid project that had scam written all over it, which was probably Ercole’s doing. When my eyes clashed with hazel ones, she looked at me like a deer caught in headlights.
Mykrasavica.
She blushed under my gaze, gulped, and wrapped her hands around the cross on her neck as she bit on her lip worriedly, probably thinking how to get away from me, considering she ran away after our perfect night together.
Or let me rephrase that. I was perfectly aware of what she was doing, sneaking out on me. Anton watched her all the way home, while Vitya just scolded me with a lecture that sex wouldn't change anything, only confuse the poor girl even more. Anton was on her 24/7, making sure to know her whereabouts and anyone following her. Rosa had enough nightmares. No one would hurt her again.
It was easy for Vitya to say, as he screwed Michael on a regular basis, while I had to be celibate for my girl for a year. What did he know about hunger until he went without the love of his life? She needed me that night as much as I needed her. Her surprise that she wasn’t a virgin that flickered on her face for a moment while I entered her… I had to reel in all my control not to shout that I was her first and fucking last.
Thank God Oliver never touched her, not only for my sake but also for hers. Once she regained her memory, she didn't need one more man who took advantage of her state of mind.
Her soft pink dress emphasized her beauty in the dimmer light, and my heart and soul ached to gather her in my arms and never let go. I couldn't do it, although soon she’d be taken back to Russia.
She still didn't move from her place, tightly holding the railing, but her sister had no problem approaching me. Ciara sauntered with her hips swaying back and forth, a predatory expression on her face. “Dominic,” she practically purred. “What a pleasant surprise.” Yeah, thankfully she hadn't seen me in the club, so she had no suspicions regarding me and her sister.
Giving Rosa a sideways glance, I noticed her knuckles whitened, and as fucked up as it sounded, it brought me joy. Jealousy wasn't the feeling I wanted between us, but if it helped speed up the process, then why the hell not?
At some point, men just became desperate. “Indeed.” The musicians started a new song, a slow one, and couples gathered on the dance floor. Ciara opened her mouth to speak, and I’d already thought about how to decline, when Vito spoke.
“Ciara, dance with me.” Although it was phrased as a request, it was an order plain and simple. With an apologetic smile, she took his hand as he swirled her around and then pressed her against his chest. She laughed loudly, enjoying the tempo while he winked. What an interesting couple they would have made. Instead, he fucked whores and she hopped between men.
Since Oliver was dumb enough to become engaged in another conversation with some old dude, I darted after Rosa, who still stood in the same place as though her feet were glued to it.
My precious girl. Her eyes widened, right before I whispered, “Dance with me.” She shook her head in denial, but it was too late. I grabbed her elbow, swirled her up, and then hugged her with one arm, while the other took her sweaty palm so we could waltz to the music as the cooling breeze calmed our heated skin.
“You shouldn't have done it,” she furiously said, while keeping the pleasant smile on her face for everyone to see, especially Oliver, who waved happily. What kind of a man allowed his fiancée to dance with a man like me? He didn't even make it hard for me to feel any guilt. Part of me felt sorry for him, because the real Angelica Rossi had died in the Alfonso games. But he had no right to mine nevertheless.
“What exactly? Dance with you now, or fucked your brains out last night?” She jerked and winced as if I slapped her with my crude words.
“Do you have to be so rude?”
Chuckling, I pressed her closer to me so she’d feel the hard-on she inspired. “Never claimed to be a gentleman. And you don’t want me to be either.”
She frowned, sending daggers my way. “And you know so well what I want?”
“Better than anyone,krasavica.”
She stilled in my arms, raising her eyes to me while shaking her head. “What did you call me?”
Cursing my stupidity for spilling the adoring endearment I called her, I decided to stick with it. “Krasavica.”
“He always murmurs it,” she whispered, licking her lips.
“Who?” I growled. How many fucking men sniffed around my woman? With each day, I sounded more like a whipped sap than a powerful pakhan.
“The man in my dreams. He always calls mekrasavicaright before he….” She trailed off, and realization hit me like a whiplash.
She had been dreaming about us. Her memory and mind were somehow trying to tell her the truth about where she truly belonged. Not caring about the audience, I rested my forehead on hers, breathing in her lavender smell as her soft breath fanned over my cheek. “Mine,” I grunted, while her mouth parted and her chest rose and fell. She breathed in deeply and stepped back from me. We held each other’s gaze for a second, minute, hour. I had no fucking idea, but then the energy in the air shifted, and she spun around, rushing to the steps that led downstairs to where the cabins were located. Despite the baffled looks given to me by the guests and Vitya’s disapproving scowl, I followed her.
To hell with consequences. This charade ended tonight.
Rosa
