her hand to mine, holding it in place. Her touch was soft, a contrast to my battle-scarred skin.
Through the rush of my anger, I managed to form the words, “He deserved to die worse than he did.”
“Yes,” she said. “He did deserve to die, didn’t he?”
She almost sounded like she was trying to convince herself.
I rose from the ground and settled beside her on the couch. I could feel her knees pressing into my back. Elena tried to adjust her position, but ended up exchanging her knees for her thighs, flushing them up against me.
Our faces were close enough that I could lean forward and kiss her, taste her against my tongue. The smell of her swirled all around me.
I dropped both my hands, pressing them to her waist. The thin singlet did nothing to stop the feel of her skin. I felt her breathing quickening.
Elena tipped her neck to the side, peering at me. “We might scandalize Babushka,” she murmured. The wickedness in her eyes told me she didn’t mind.
“Babushka, shoo,” I said to the cat.
Babushka looked at me like I had grown a third head.
Elena laughed, the sound awkward, but dazzling enough to brighten up the entire room. I grinned at her, enamoured.
“I thought you were king around here?” she asked.
“Unfortunately, Babushka acknowledges no authority but her own.”
Another glimmer of amusement flashed over Elena’s face. “Then we have more in common than I originally thought.”
I laughed lowly. “I guess you do.”
“I still prefer the dogs.” This was directed more at Babushka.
The cat hissed at Elena.
“Ah, ah, enough of that.” I waved a hand at Babushka. She didn’t look pleased but followed my silent command, disappearing into the shadows of the bookshelves.
Elena smiled slightly. “So maybe she does follow your command.” She cut her eyes to me. “That doesn’t change how I feel.”
“Aren’t you lucky I find your disrespect so alluring?” I mused. My finger caught her hair again.
“What happens to those whose disrespect you don’t find alluring?” She already knew the answer, but the teasing in her tone conveyed she wanted another one.
I smiled, happy to oblige. “They don’t get to join me in the banya.”
Delight flashed over her face. “Is that so? Are you turning many people away from the banya then?” Her tone was teasing but I caught the bite to her words.
Perhaps I wasn’t the only one feeling so possessive.
“I am very picky about whom I let into my territory,” I mused. “Only one has been successful so far.”
Elena’s lips tilted upwards. “And you expect me to believe that? I bet the ladies are lining up at the door for the Russian Gentleman.”
I traced a finger down her arm. She watched it, shivering slightly. “As I said, lyubimaya, I am very picky about who I share the banya with.”
“Then your chosen one must be quite the woman.”
My smile grew. “Indeed, she is.”
Elena tried to hide her smile, but the shine to her eyes could not be disguised. “I’ve allowed you into my territory as well.”
“Your territory?”
“The library,” she explained. “My sanctum sanctorum.”
“Is that so?” I leaned closer to her, breathing her in. Her eyes flickered down to my lips before glancing back up to my eyes. “Your territory is unfortunately in my house. Part of it, actually.”
Elena shrugged. “The governor of New York claims ownership over your territory, even though what is his is a part of yours.”
“I claim the governor as my territory, too,” I mused.
She laughed. “He might disagree with that statement.”
“Not too loudly.”
“I suppose that’s true.” Her eyes danced up to my forehead. A strand of hair had come undone in my sleep and flew over my head. I went to run my fingers through it, when her fingers reached up and caught it. “You have longer hair than I originally thought.”
Combed back, it did often look slighter shorter than it was.
“You still win the longest hair competition,” I told her. Elena’s hair reached her lower back.
“I wasn’t worried,” she replied. Elena swept up her hair and looped it around my neck like a noose.
I smiled, gripping it one hand. “You could kill me with this hair.”
“Isn’t that your signature move?”
A surprised laugh tore from me. “Indeed. Perhaps I should grow my hair as long as yours and choke my enemies with it.”
Her eyes gleamed. “I think ties are easier to maintain.”
“I fear you’re right.”
Elena released her hair and it came falling down, a wave of mahogany-colored silk. She peeked up at me, peering at me through dark lashes.
My cock hardened immediately.
Elena