AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Maksim got up and slowly walked over to the door and locked it. We sat in crumpled silence around my desk.
I pulled out a bottle of whiskey. “We have five minutes to mourn, and then we avenge him while protecting Bella the best way we can. Keeping her close to Ivan and watching from afar.”
It was more than five minutes.
It was more like fifty minutes of grown men sobbing.
And then, when the tears dried, and the whiskey was gone, all we had was our rage.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Lying is harder than the truth. The truth releases you from captivity, freeing you, lying binds you and never lets go once it has its tentacles around your neck.” —King Campisi
Ivan
We were early for the party, but a few more minutes in that dorm room with her and I would have lost all control. Every ounce I had left.
Red leather. Really?
I thought she’d put on a mini skirt and kitten heels, not dress like a hotter version of Elektra in her slutty popstar era.
I was wearing a black tuxedo jacket with silver and a vest beneath it that showed off all my tattoos with matching loose trousers and decided last minute to match her with red combat boots.
I finished the outfit off with four rings on each finger, the De Lange one on my right hand, and decided to go a bit wild and actually keep my studded earrings in both ears.
Normally for school events I was told to dress the part of mob boss, then again Bellas’s dad had a friggin’ lip ring, so studs?
Probably safe.
Plus, I was the boss now.
My chest squeezed as we walked. I purposefully ran my hands through my hair when we walked by some of the girls on the sidewalk, then wrapped an arm around Bella.
If there was ever a moment to bow down to royalty, this was it, except this walk was different, this was no king claiming his queen.
This was the thief stealing both the crown and everything precious to the other kingdoms.
This was the villain rising up from the fire as it refined his body and daring to claim heaven after a lifetime suffering in Hell.
I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good.
Right.
I kissed down her neck briefly, then kept walking. “Look infatuated.”
“Hate and infatuation are closely related,” she said through clenched teeth. “But if you want a show…” I wasn’t prepared for her to grab my ass or suddenly throw herself into my arms, wrap her legs around me and start kissing me.
I was caught so off guard that I wasn’t paying attention, only focusing on her tongue massaging mine, daring to tempt me to do more, to strip her naked in front of all of her… oh shit.
I stopped kissing her and smiled against her mouth. “What’s that?”
Something cold and sharp pressed against my neck.
She grinned at me. “You said to seduce first, I was just following orders.”
I chuckled, still holding her in my arms. “I honestly don’t know whether to spank you or kiss you right now.”
Slowly, she slid down my body and paused.
