Page 83
“We’ve still got a long way to go, you and me, huh?” I ask.
“I’m sorry for being so messed up.”
“Do you think two damaged hearts can mend each other?”
He shrugs.
I look at the bouquet of flowers, half-crushed between us.
“Maybe we could use petals to patch up what’s broken?”
He smiles at me, laughs softly, and holds me tighter.
That’s it.
That little spark—that’s all I was hoping for.
Lily isn’t coming home tonight, so I take him into the elevator and find my way back to his soft lips again, his warm breath, the hands I’ve missed so much.
And then, out of the blue, in the privacy of my apartment, Vadim tells me about his parents.
“My father was born into a working-class family in Russia. He emigrated to the United States to escape poverty and pursue the American dream, starting out as a model before becoming an actor. He met my mother on a film set, where she was a starry-eyed, young actress hoping to break into the movie industry. It was love at first sight. They got married on a whim, had me, and three years later, they were dead. Executed in the middle of the street. I was in my father’s arms when it happened. You know the rest. Foster homes, the rebellious teenage years, Keith, doing dumb shit all the time until I met you.”
“They were… murdered?”
“Yes. The case was never solved, though. The police botched the investigation. At first, they suspected members of the Russian mafia, but they quickly dropped the case. I was so young, and everything happened so fast. I don’t remember anything, and it drives me crazy! I was there, Alma. I should be able to find that piece of shit, to remember his face…”
Sitting beside him on the couch, I place a hand on his leg, which is bouncing nervously. “And your investigation?”
“I’ve collected tons of information over the years. I’ve turned to private detectives, former cops, federal agents. Little by little, I’m getting closer to the truth. I won’t give up, Alma. I need to know. And I owe it to my parents…” His voice cracks.
Fighting back tears, I run my fingers through his hair. I don’t think I’ve ever loved him as much as I do right now.
“I know it’s dumb, but to keep it from destroying me, I try to think of it as a challenge. They say happiness comes at a price.”
“Then let’s be happy, Vadim. Together. Now…”
I kiss his neck. The sweet, musky scent rising from his skin intoxicates me, carries me away. Vadim lets out a long sigh, then leans into me, pushing back against the pressure I exert. He presses his lips to mine, slips his tongue into my mouth, and kisses me with a passion and tenderness I’ve never know before. We undress each other in a breathless rush, fumbling with each other’s clothes.
“You drive me wild, Lancaster,” he whispers between kisses.
“Prove it.”
His hand slips between my thighs, and already, I feel a wave of heat spreading through me. But I slip away from him.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Follow me, bad boy, and you’ll see…”
I barely have time to reach the bathroom and turn on the tub faucet before he catches up and presses himself against me. The feel of him against my back sends a jolt through me.
“Alma, you’re really not very good at hide-and-seek…”
He gives me the most brazen smile I’ve ever seen, then jumps into the bathtub and pulls me in after him. I nestle between his legs. His wet, slippery hands glide over my skin. The water slowly rises, bubbles spreading around our feet and gathering between our toes.
Lying against his chest, I let myself be lulled by his caresses and the gentle lapping of the water. One of his hands closes around my neck, while the other slips between my thighs again. I don’t know how many minutes go by, whether he touches me for a second or for an eternity, but these exquisite torments make me feel as though I’m floating above a restless sea.
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