I tried to stand, but his arms locked around me. My legs still trembled, not just from what he had done to me, but from how it left me.
My voice shook again. “I’ll be quick, Rodion.”
He brushed his lips against mine. “Look at me.”
My eyes lifted before I could think. I blinked, trying to holdmyself steady, reminding myself that I had wanted this. I had begged for it. He only went fast, rough, swept up in the moment. But it was still him.
We stayed like that, suspended in breath and nearness. The storm in my head calmed beneath his gaze. The knot in my chest loosened. His eyes had lost their wild edge, now filled with softness, almost reverent, as if he was seeing more than just me.
“You should’ve paused,” I said.
He didn’t flinch. “You didn’t say so.”
“I called your name.”
Rodion chuckled, leaning in. He kissed the tip of my nose, then the corner of my eye with a gentleness that twisted something deep inside me.
“That’s not how it works,” he murmured. “I told you. Say stop, and I will listen. Push me and I’ll stop.”
His gaze lingered, unapologetic. He meant every word.
My arms slipped around his neck, drawing him closer. “So, saying your name doesn’t count?”
“Say my name, and I’ll ruin you, Little Gem.” He brushed a strand of hair from my face. “Next time, don’t forget that.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just let me kiss you.”
Tipping my chin up, I pressed my mouth to his. He tried to deepen the kiss, but I pulled back, giving him a taste of the same restraint he used on me earlier.
“Oh, right. I forgot you weren’t taking kisses today.”
I pressed my hands to his chest to shove him, but he caught me off guard, crashing his mouth onto mine and stealing the breath I had just reclaimed. I chuckled, wrapping my arms around him as I kissed him back with the same hunger. He stood, lifting me with him. My thighs locked tight around his waist as he moved towards the bathroom.
As we passed through the territory’s main gates, workers slipped out of sight. They disappeared, leaving no chance to read their faces. Along the driveway, the guards straightened their posture. I felt the tension in the air, judging from the stiff set of their shoulders and the silence that followed us.
We stepped into the mansion, where polished floors reflected the chandelier’s golden light. Rodion stopped just before the grand corridor. “I’ll be busy today,” he said, more like a dismissal than information.
Before I could respond, I spotted Clara darting toward the south wing, a mop bucket clutched in one hand. She moved in a rush as if she were late for something important or running from it.
I looked up at Rodion. He narrowed his eyes as though he were trying to solve a puzzle only he could see. I offered him a smile, masking the flutter in my chest, and nodded. “Okay, I’ll be around.” I tried to sound casual, but nothing about this house ever was. I used to walk through the halls in a maid’s uniform, eyes downcast, trying to disappear. Now I returned beside the boss. The shift was clear, ripples spreading through the walls.
I had heard whispers about Matvet’s injury, but no one detailed how severe it was. Curiosity tugged at me, so I went down the west hallway. Here, the usual scent of cigar smoke and spiced cologne gave way to the sterile tang of antiseptic.
Outside the clinic door, Doctor Dorothy stood busy peeling off her gloves. “Alessia.” Her brows lifted. “I didn’t know you were back.”
“We just arrived,” I said, glancing past her toward the half-open door.
Her eyes flicked behind me. “And the boss?”
“He is also back.”
She nodded once. “Here to see Matvet?”
“Yes. Is he here?”
“He is.” She pushed the door open. “He could use a chat. But don’t stay long. He needs rest.”
“Thanks, Dorothy.”