CHAPTER SIXTEEN
When I return to the hotel, Ben is where I left him, except he’s commandeered one of the club chairs by the elevator. Something I would have never done because it draws too much attention. Then again, I instructed the staff to give us complete privacy.
He gets up when he sees me, shoving his phone in the back pocket of his trousers. “That didn’t take long,” he says cheerfully and nods at the door. “Completely quiet.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better.”
Ben rolls his eyes. “I’m surprised you admitted to feeling anything at all for her.”
Affronted, I turn to him. “I feel things.”
“Hunger and pain don’t count.”
“Why do I engage with you?” I run a hand through my hair.
He punches me in the shoulder. “Because I’m your favorite cousin.”
Ben’s not my only cousin, so I can’t confirm that. “You’re tolerable.”
“Admit it. You love me.”
I grunt in reply.
“That’s caveman for yes,” he says as I produce the hotel key.
“Go home to your mother, boy.”
“Your mother has left her home,” Ben says as I open the door.
I pause. “And?”
“She boarded a plane to…uh…” He scratches his chin. “Somewhere sunny.”
Somewhere sunny? Jesus. I don’t need this added burden. “Perhaps she needed a holiday.”
“Yeah. Okay, later, cuz.” He walks away, whistling as he goes. His shoulders are broad, without the weight of the world on them. For some reason, Grandfather has not insisted he be trained as an assassin. I think it amuses Grandfather that Ben’s interest lies in hacking into government databases and the like.
I shove all thoughts of Ben away as I step inside the suite. I hear water running in the bathroom and make my way there, taking off my clothes as I go.
Just as I suspect, Everly is in the shower. Water and soap run down her body as she washes. My dick gets hard. I step inside, tossing a condom on the shower seat as she turns around. She slaps a hand on her chest, a small squeak escaping her.
“You scared me to death,” she says, wrapping her arms around my neck. Her hot, wet body presses into mine. “How is your grandfather?”
“As expected.”
“Which means?”
“No visitors beyond family.”
She frowns.
“Yet. Perhaps at the end of the week. Surely you can stay a bit longer with me.” I dip my head, claiming her mouth for a kiss, not wanting to hear her answer. When I’m with her, I have no thought of the future, of my job, of death, or the past. I’m fully in the present.
“I can stay longer.” She slides her hands down my back and grabs my ass. “I could bounce a quarter off this.”
“This is a good thing?”
Everly laughs. “A very good thing.”
“Are you sore?”
She nods, a fierce blush covering her face. “I had to hobble in here.”
“My poor girl. Shall I run a bath for you?” I reach between us, cupping her. “I could wash you.”
Her breath hitches. “Please, Roman. I’m… I can’t.”
I rub her swollen clit, and she makes a breathy sound. “You can. I’ll be gentle.”
She nods. “Very gentle, please.
“Whatever you need.” I grab the condom I brought with me. In less than thirty seconds, it’s in place, and I’m ready to claim her once more.
Lifting her up, I lean her against the tiled wall of the shower, and say, “Put your legs around my waist.”
She wraps her legs around me as I work the head of my dick inside of her. Her sweet lips part with a whimper. I won’t lie, the thought of her struggling to take me turns me on. The erotic resistance against my cock makes me growl low in my throat in complete ecstasy.
“Easy, easy, sólnishko moyó,” I croon in Russian. My sweetheart. “Just a little at a time.”
Her fingernails dig into my skin and my hips jerk against her, sending me deep inside. I groan as her hot walls clench at me.
“That’s more than just a little,” she says, breathless and accusing.
Fuck, did I hurt her? “I’m sorry, love.” I start to withdraw. “I’ll stop.”
“No.” She tightens her legs around me. “Don’t stop. I want you inside me.”
“How deep?”
Her eyes darken. “As deep as you can go.”
I thrust hard and her head falls back. I lick a path up her neck. “How’s this?” I pull out and thrust inside again. “And this?” Over and over, I sink into her, not allowing her time to answer. I want her mindless. I want her screaming my name.
Biting down on her neck, I scrape my teeth against her skin. Her thighs quiver. I groan as her entire body trembles.
I find the lobe of her ear, licking and sucking on it. “You’ve been so very good, taking all of my cock when your pussy is so sore from fucking. Shall I allow you to come?”
“God, Roman. When you talk like that,” she gasps.
I push back the hair that’s fallen over her beautiful face. “Like what?”
“So honest. So real.” She blinks up at me. “It turns me on and makes me want to be that way with you, too.”
I let my forehead drop to hers as I slow my thrusts, as I force my body to become tender and loving, instead of this savage beast I’ve let out.
This is the only time I can be honest with her. She doesn’t know my real name. She doesn’t know I’m a killer. That I’m a filthy monster hiding in plain sight. Why in the hell did I ever allow things to go this far with us?
“Roman?”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “Yes, love?”
“Make me come,” she orders, and just like that, I’m out of my head and focused on her once more.
As I suspected, Everly adores the Astronomical Clock. She takes picture after picture with her phone, smiling all the while.
“Roman,” she shouts, waving me over. “Let’s take a picture together.”
Like a dutiful lover, I stride to her and indulge in the pretense of our relationship. It’s not entirely one-sided, but I’m still guarding my heart against her.
“Thank you,” she says, pressing a kiss to my cheek.
My heart speeds up from her innocent show of affection. So much for guarding it.
I take her hand, lace our fingers together, and begin to walk with her along the streets. It’s cold, and our breath comes out in little puffs.
“Are you enjoying your trip?” I ask, stopping by a street vendor to purchase cups of hot chocolate.
Eyes sparkling in the streetlights, she smiles. “Best trip ever.” Her smile fades. “Well, it would be, if the reason we came here wasn’t because your grandfather had to see a specialist.”
“There is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself.” I hate that she feels so guilty over a lie. “In fact, I told him more about you. Showed him a picture I had taken.”
“You did?” She takes the hot chocolate from the street vendor. “What did he say?”
“That you are a beautiful woman with a loving spirit.”
Her smile returns. “So, that’s where you get your charm.”
It’s where I learned to lie, learned to kill, and learned to enjoy my solitude. “What about you?”
“My charm comes naturally to me.” She winks. “All southern women are born with it. If you aren’t, then they kick you out and make you go live up north with the Yankees.”
“But you’re a Yankee,” I point out.
Everly makes a face, clearly offended. “I am not. But some of my friends are, and the little old ladies I help are from up north, bless their hearts,” she adds quickly. She sighs.
“So all Americans are Yankees except for southerners. Is that correct?”
“No.” She gives me a look and I wink at her. With a laugh, she lightly smacks my shoulder. “You are a tease, Roman.”
“I thought you loved it when I tease, so…”
She leans against me and sighs one of her adorable sighs. “I do love you—when you tease me, that is.” An uncomfortable silence fills what little space is between us. I can pretend to have only heard the last part and not the first. But at this moment, I can’t pretend at all. I can’t ignore her slip of the tongue. Yet I remain mute.
After a minute, she clears her throat. “Look. People selling things. I like things.”
She walks away, steaming cup of hot chocolate in her hand. I rub the back of my neck. Take down evil, kill in the morning, and back by the afternoon in order to see her face. Absolutely no problem.
But to acknowledge what lies in Everly’s heart and possibly mine—I’m a bloody rookie.