“How did Sorbacov do that?” Ice asked.
“He found someone else Rurik was willing to trade his soul to protect. He left the prison and continued to work for Sorbacov running high-risk operations. We crossed paths a couple of times, but Rurik is difficult to spot if he doesn’t want to be seen. The bottom line is, he needs a home, and this is it or he’s on his own. He needs an anchor. He’s willing to accept me as his president and abide by the rules. He insists on a unanimous vote. So, Alena, if you can’t give a yes, then you can shut him out.”
There was no doubt in Absinthe’s mind why Czar was president of Torpedo Ink, why he had taken charge of all of them at such a young age and managed to get them out of that hellhole alive. Had Czar not revealed to all of them that Rurik wanted a clean vote, then Alena would have cast a no. She couldn’t now. None of them could, not with what he’d endured. Not with him winning the contest fairly, losing his sister and then going to a worse hellhole than what they’d all been put through. None of them could be that petty.
The vote, of course, was unanimous, just as Absinthe knew it would be. Alena was the first one out of the room, muttering that she had a cake to bake. The rest of them scattered to get the gifts together or find decorations under Lana’s directions. Lana was busy texting everyone about where she might go to find dresses. Czar headed home to Blythe to help her get their place together for the wedding.
Absinthe made his way to the back part of the clubhouse where all the bedrooms were. Scarlet waited for him in his assigned room. She was on a laptop, the sounds of kitten noises playing while she mimicked them, making his cock jerk the moment he walked in. He grinned at her when she hastily closed the lid. They had been playing pet every other day so she would get used to it slowly. He wanted to make certain she was comfortable in the role. Evidently she enjoyed it enough to want to try to perfect her role.
“What are you doing, ledi?” He brushed a kiss on top of her head. All that silky hair fell like a red waterfall, tumbling down her back. She looked so beautiful she made his heart ache.
“Passing the time. Did you get everything worked out that you needed to?”
Her lashes were long, curled up on the edges, tipped that same bright red as her hair. He picked up her left hand. “This hand is a little bare, babe. I had a little talk with Ice. You do know he’s a famous jeweler, right? I told you that. He makes one-of-a-kind jewelry for various stores. Not just things for us, but high-end jewelry stores. In any case, Scarlet, I’m very much in love with you and I’m formally asking you to marry me.”
She blinked. Her lashes fluttered. “We talked about marriage, Absinthe. I said, yes, of course, but …” She hesitated, watching him carefully.
He really loved her all the more for her quick intelligence. “I mean now. I want to marry you now. Today. Be my wife today.” He brought her hand up to his mouth and nibbled on her knuckles.
Suspicion crept into her eyes. “What happened? What did you find out at your happy little meeting that you haven’t told me?”
“I want you to say you’ll marry me today because you love me enough to throw caution to the wind, not because you’re afraid, or you have to, or for any other reason. I want to be wanted for myself, Scarlet. Be moya literaturnaya ledi. My wife. My kiska. Be all those things for me because you want me. Because you need me as much as I need you.”
He didn’t take his eyes from hers but transferred her fingers to his mouth, scraping his teeth along the pads, so gently, back and forth, willing her to choose him.
“I don’t know how you do that, Absinthe,” Scarlet said, her eyes darkening with desire. “You get to me every single time. I must be out of my mind, because I don’t just jump off cliffs, I have to think things through, but with you I seem to just go for it. You want to get married today, I don’t know how we’re going to do it legally, but I’m all for it.”
His smile started somewhere in his gut and just kept moving up. He tackled her, throwing her down to the mattress, barely managing to sweep the laptop out of harm’s way as he kissed her, pinning her under him. His hands went to the sweet pearl buttons of her prim blouse, opening them to reveal the sexy fire-engine-red bra surrounding her glorious round breasts. He had that bra unhooked and both breasts out, while he kissed her over and over, using his hands to pinch and tug at her perfect nipples.