“I love you,” I say as I rest my hand on the back of her neck, coaxing her head to tilt back so that our eyes can meet.
Her face softens. “I love you, too.”
I want to strangle Gavriil right now for being a deceptive, handsy asshole, but I’d rather take advantage of the time that I have with Alina before she’s taken away from me again.
I momentarily hesitate, the image of his hands on her flashing through my mind. Then I kiss her anyway, because losing her would hurt worse.
My fingers delve into her hair, cradling her head as our kiss deepens.
Alina runs her hands up my back, her fingertips grazing the muscle beneath my t-shirt. She presses her chest flush against mine, her mouth perfectly melding with mine.
I don’t ask if she kissed him. I can’t. Some answers would break something I’m trying to hold together.
Besides, that’s too intimate for Gavriil. I’ve never known him to truly love and trust anyone enough to let them get so close to him.
That’s probably why he never lets anyone get close, because once they do, he doesn’t know how to let go.
“I still want you,” I whisper to Alina as my lips slowly flutter along her jaw and down her neck. “You know I do. Just…not in here.”
“I know,” Alina agrees. “But will you hold me? Please?”
“Always,” I promise her. Part of me wants to change my mind, to have her here and now just to prove something to myself or to Gavriil. But that wouldn’t be fair to Alina. This isn’t the time or place. Especially not with that asshole watching.
We lower ourselves down onto the mattress. Lying facing each other, our arms and legs tangled together.
Alina draws in a deep breath before relaxing in my arms.
I bet Gavriil is losing his shit after his attempt to come between us backfired.
Alina leans forward, brushing her lips over mine. And I do the one thing my brother is too much of a coward to do.
I kiss her back. Over and over again.
A groan escapes me as we lie there and make out like teenagers.
Resisting taking things further may be the death of me, but I would still die a happy man.
“I’ve missed you so much,dikaya koshka,” I tell her before pressing a gentle kiss against her lips. “Being away from you, not knowing what he’s doing to you, it’s going to drive me crazy.”
“Nothing is going to happen again,” Alina says, but we both know that’s probably a lie.
That’s why I tell her what may be the hardest thing I’ve ever said to her. “If you want him…then let him get even more distracted.”
“What?” she whispers.
I hate myself for asking this of her, but I hate him more.
“You have a hold on him,dikaya koshka. Dig your nails in deeper. Use his weakness for you to convince him to let me out of here.”
And once I’m free, I’ll make sure he never touches her again.
“Are you sure?” Alina asks, studying my face with her brow furrowed in confusion. No doubt she wonders how I went from being on the verge of violence to something that sounds like acceptance so fast.
“Only if you want to,” I tell her. “If not, I’ll find another way out.”
I kiss away every tense line in her face until she can’t help but relax a little.
“Okay,” she agrees. Looking relieved, Alina rests her forehead against mine, her hands settling on the back of my neck. After a few minutes, she says, “Just so you know, he was furious with me afterward.”
