Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 70263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
“This isn’t about me. I didn’t do this for you to reciprocate.” He kissed my forehead and whispered, “Besides, eating that sweet pussy brings me more pleasure than you’ll ever know.”
I shivered, and he tightened his grip and pulled me closer to him.
“You’re mine, Galina.” His words sounded final. “Ya ub'yu lyubogo, kto popytayetsya zabrat' tebya u menya.”
“You’ve said that before. What does it mean?”
He was silent for long moments, and I could imagine he was trying to think of a lie, but what he uttered told me it was the absolute truth.
“It means… I'll kill anyone who tries to take you from me.”
18
Galina
The next morning I found myself alone in bed, the covers over me, the other side of the bed cold, telling me Arlo probably left as soon as I'd fallen asleep. I didn’t want to let that bother me as much as it did, but what we’d shared last night, what he’d done to me and what he’d said, made me feel even more connected to Arlo than ever before.
I got ready for the day. Our morning routine was the same with a danish and cup of coffee, but I noticed Arlo’s gaze on me was even more intense than before. I couldn’t stop thinking about his hands and lips on me… what he’d done between my legs, his mouth sucking and licking at me like he was so hungry for me he’d never get enough. I wondered if he’d thought the same thing.
And as I stood a few feet from him in the boxing ring, my heart thundering and sweat lining my temple, my physical reaction had nothing to do with what we were about to do and everything to do with where my mind had gone.
I was so aroused, and he hadn’t even touched me today.
“You're not focused this morning,” he rumbled low, his expression that same stoic mask that made it impossible to see what he could be thinking about.
“I’m fine.” Lie. Such a lie.
He smirked and took a step closer, and my heart jackknifed in my throat. “That so?” I nodded but didn’t trust my voice. His smile faded. “I don’t like lies, Galina. And grown men know to only give me the truth.”
I took a step back as he advanced. “Yeah?” That lone word was a squeak out of me. “And if they do lie?” Why was I playing with fire? I was going to get so damn burned. The ropes stopped my retreat, and I reached behind me to grip them, curling my fingers over their thickness, praying it kept me from crumpling to the ground.
He stopped a foot from me, his eyes raking up and down my body. My breath caught because I for sure could read his expression now. Arlo stepped even closer until I felt his body heat seep into me. I thrust my breasts out, and his gaze dropped to look at my chest. He lifted a hand and ran it over his mouth, the sound of his palm scraping over his stubble turning me on.
“You want the truth?” There was a challenge in his words, and I nodded. “If you want the truth from me, I expect the same from you.” He moved closer like a predator, and the ropes dug into my back even harder. That pain heightened my pleasure and reminded me of last night and how good the orgasm had felt when that agony and ecstasy slammed into me.
He reached out and curled his big fingers around the ropes right next to mine, our skin brushing dangerously close. I clenched my thighs together as a pulsing ache settled deep within. “What I say might scare you.” His focus was on my mouth, and I wanted to kiss him so desperately.
“I’ve been scared enough times in my life, and none of them were when I was with you.”
I swore I saw a flicker of surprise on his face before it was gone. He leaned in and rested his forehead against mine, and for just a second we both breathed the same air.
“I kill, Galina.” His words were low. “I kill men who lie to me.” He took a step back, maybe assuming after he spoke the words, I’d shut him out. I’d erect a wall between us from fear and hatred.
“Are they bad men?” I whispered.
“Yes. They are the same as me.”
I swallowed, again having a feeling Arlo said these things to make himself out to be a villain, and although I’d never see him as a hero, the knight who rides in on a white steed and saves the day, I also knew the man standing in front of me saved me simply because he didn’t want me to be hurt. And he was still protecting me.
I took a step toward him and placed my hands on his chest. I stared at where I touched him, wanting to be honest for the first time in my life, wanting to confide in someone I trusted. And although I hadn’t known Arlo for long at all, a fleeting passage of time if I was being realistic, I could honestly say I’d never felt so safe with anyone else.