glanced up and suddenly the room felt like it was filled with too many men, all looking at her with lust in their eyes. She couldn’t stop what was happening to her body. In another minute she was going to have to rip off her clothes before her skin was rubbed raw.
The bell over the door rang and a chill went down her spine. Before she looked up, she knew exactly who was walking through the door. Deep inside, her female leopard jumped, as if she were trying for freedom. Ania lifted her lashes and her gaze instantly collided with Mitya’s. There was no expression on his face. None at all. But he looked ruthless. Dangerous. Exactly what he was. He didn’t try to hide the killer in him. His eyes were dark blue. Flat. Cold. The eyes of a predator. His gaze moved from her to Alessandro.
Automatically she followed his gaze. Alessandro had gone on alert immediately. His breath hissed out and his face was a mask as well. She could see the golden flecks moving through the dark brown in his eyes, his cat close.
Her breath hitched in her lungs. She had no idea what to do. Bodyguards spread out. Mitya strode straight to her table, not even acknowledging Evangeline’s greeting. He used long, purposeful strides. Ania attempted a smile, but her heart was beating like crazy and she could barely breathe.
He held out his hand to her, still looking at Alessandro. “You’ll have to excuse my fiancée.”
She rose. Alessandro did as well. “Mitya, this is Alessandro Caruso. Alessandro, Mitya Amurov.”
Alessandro recognized the name. She could tell it meant something to him. His gaze had followed Mitya’s hand as his fingers wrapped around Ania’s arm and pulled her around the table to him.
The moment Mitya touched her, his eyes went that fierce glittery arctic blue she came to recognize as his leopard being close. She knew he was all predator, a savage fighting machine, both cat and man. He dragged her close, tipped up her chin, and his mouth came down on hers.
She could taste his anger. Not anger. Rage. She tasted possession. Lust. It rose in him sharp and terrible, and with his raw hunger came hers. She couldn’t stop it, no matter how much she reminded herself they weren’t at home. Her entire body ached for him. She went damp. Then slick. Then burning out of control. He was rough. Wild. Everything she’d come to expect, everything that made her addicted.
She kissed him back, her arms sliding around his neck, her body melting into his. She didn’t hold anything back. She never did. It was always impossible. His hand slid into her hair and his kiss gentled. He lifted his head, his eyes burning into hers. “Are you all right, kotyonok?”
She shook her head, honest with him. Her body hurt so badly she wanted to scream. Her head was coming apart. Exploding. She could barely stand her clothes, and between her legs, she was on fire.
“It is good to meet you,” Mitya said. “I wish I had more time, but we’re in a hurry.” He sent Alessandro a smile that was even more predatory than when he’d walked in.
Sweeping his arm around Ania, he walked her right through the astonished customers and out the front door to the waiting car. It was a town car with dark windows. Sevastyan opened the back door for them.
“You drive,” Mitya ordered abruptly. “Only you in the car. Put the privacy screen up.”
Sevastyan took one look at Ania and nodded. He waved Miron to the car behind them with two other bodyguards, Kiriil and Matvei. Vikenti and Zinoviy took the lead car. Sevastyan slid behind the wheel and pressed a button for the screen to rise between the seats.
The moment Mitya had the door closed, he caught at Ania’s shoes, pulling them from her feet and tossing them to the floor. “If you like that blouse, take it off.” His hands were already stripping her jeans and panties from her. She wasn’t fast enough, and he caught the front of her blouse, shredding the material and releasing her breasts from her bra, almost in the same motion. The way he did that, ripping her clothes from her as if he couldn’t get to her fast enough, always gave her a crazy thrill and yet some trepidation simultaneously.
Her clothes had been hurting her skin, but now the cool air seemed to inflame her even more. She writhed on the seat, edging