Page 88 of Black Ledger

“I caught him with his hands all over you, your pants down, and his dick out.”

“I know,” I whimpered and pinched my eyes shut. “I know. I remember.”

Severin clutched my chin tightly, forcing my head up, but my eyes were still closed tight. Despite it, a tear leaked down my face. “Look at me, Sornyachok.”

My eyes shot open, and my nostrils flared. Little weed? Little fucking weed?

I was going to kill him for that nickname. And he knew it. His expression was self-satisfied, basking in my hatred.

“Ah, there she is. There’s that resting murder face.”

I shook my head and forced his hands off of me. “Why are you here? What are we doing here?”

He said nothing.

“Why the hell have you started calling me little weed?”

“Because you are one,” he snarled, crowding me again, one hand on the tree beside my head, the other lacing into my hair, forcing my gaze up to meet his. “How often did you think about me during the two years I was gone?”

My brow furrowed. What a strange question. How did I even respond to that?

He leaned in, his lips at my ear. “I thought about you every single day. Nearly every moment of every day. You are a weed who has infiltrated my mind, and I can’t get rid of you.”

He kissed the base of my ear, and I shuddered. Then he kissed along my jaw.

What the fuck was happening? Goose flesh rose on my skin, and my heart thudded hard against my ribs.

My body was rigid and stone-like. I had been cursed by Medusa, unable to comprehend or move.

My heart thudded again as he kissed along my jawline.

Thud.

Kiss.

Thud.

Kiss.

What the fuck?

The last kiss was at the corner of my lips, and then he hovered over them. “I can’t get rid of you.”

Thud. Breath. Touch.

Severin touched his lips softly to mine. Gently, like a whisper into the raging sea.

And what did I do? I freaked the fuck out. I froze like a mannequin, lifeless and passionless.

Nothing. I gave him absolutely fucking nothing because what the actual fuck was happening?

Severin Volkov, my best friend, my closest confidant, my heart, my soul, was kissing me and I didn’t know what to do.

I’d never been kissed. I’d never researched it or practiced on pillows, stuffed bears, or whatever normal people did. I didn’t know what to do.

But what did I do when I didn’t know how to do something?

I fucking froze.