I smiled at Mikhail.
He moved so suddenly that my brain didn’t have time to process it until I was wrapped firmly in his arms. I buried my face in his neck, sticking my tongue out and licking the water from his skin.
His hands skimmed down my back and further south until he was cupping my ass in both hands.
I gasped when he pulled me until my legs were wrapped around his waist.
“Fuck, kotyonok,” he whispered against my skin. My hands found his shoulders, and I gripped him tightly.
“Is this a good thing?” I asked shyly.
He pulled back slightly until our eyes met. There was something wild about his blue eyes that just about set me off. I cupped his cheek.
“Fuck, baby. Do you not know?”
I titled my head to the side in question.
“Do you not fucking know how badly I fucking love you?”
I blinked, moisture slowly building in my eyes. “You do?”
“I love you. You loving me isn’t just a good thing. It’s the best thing to ever happen in my life.” He grabbed my hand and brought it up to his lips, gently kissing the back of it.
My breath caught.
“I’m not so sure loving me is a good thing for you, kotyonok.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not an easy man to love. This life … being who I am means it’s not going to be easy for anyone to love me.”
“You’re worth it,” I said firmly.
I wasn’t thrust into this life. I was born into it. I knew what I was signing up for when I’d decided to go all in with these men. I knew who they were and how dangerous it could be.
Besides, it wasn’t like I had a choice. I didn’t decide to love them.
I fell headfirst into it.
He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them, I couldn’t help the way my heart bounced erratically in my chest.
He clung to me, burying his face in my neck, as if he didn’t want me to see him. I ran my fingers through his soft blond hair, giving him his moment and reveling in the feeling of being loved by such a powerful man—loved by powerful men.
I closed my eyes, wrapping myself around him.
I didn’t know how long we stayed like that, but by the time Mikhail brought us out of the tub, the water had turned lukewarm, and I was shivering slightly.
He quickly towel-dried us, dressing me in one of his T-shirts and my panties. He brought me back to bed. It was barely noon—I had just woken up a few hours before, but I could feel a yawn coming out of me. A nap sounded nice.
I smiled up at him as he tucked the blanket around me. Grabbing his hand, I asked, “Will you stay with me?”
He ran his fingers gently up and down the side of my face. “Honestly, I don’t think I can leave your side right now.”
I made a small approving noise at the back of my throat. “Good.”
The corner of his lips quirked up in the tiniest of smiles. “You might get tired of me.”
“Not possible.”