After showering, I change into a pair of cargo pants and a t-shirt, then sit down on the corner of the bed.
Catching Ariana, watching me with curiosity and desire on her face, is the last thing I expected. She obviously feels the attraction between us, and I’m starting to think it’s something I can use to my advantage. If I play on her emotions, then maybe she’ll stop being so damn worried that I’ll kill her. It might make her forget her fear, and she’ll stop fighting me every fucking chance she gets.
A weird sensation skitters through me. Guilt. I’m not one to play games, and using a woman is not something I’m comfortable with doing.
But still, it might solve the problem and make things easier while we’re both stuck here.
Or just more complicated.
Fuck.
Processing the new development, I get up and head downstairs. As I walk into the kitchen, Ariana’s standing on her toes, and stretching her body, she tries to reach a box of cereal. I come up behind her, and the second she becomes aware of me, she spins around. Her hands come up in a defensive move, her palms slamming against my chest. I ignore her reaction and take the box of Fruit Loops from the cupboard. As I set it down on the counter, I lower my eyes back to Ariana. She’s watching me with wide eyes, her cheeks quickly growing pink.
For a moment, we don’t move, and with fascination, I watch as the blush deepens on her skin.
Yeah, she’s definitely attracted to me.
Her hands slide down my chest to my abs, and her touch makes my cock stir, but then realization flashes over her features, and she yanks back, pressing herself against the counter.
“Move,” she hisses, glancing to the side to avoid making eye contact with me.
Having her cornered is one hell of a turn-on. It’s like this woman calls to every predatory part inside me. She makes me want to hunt. To chase her until she’s so weak she can’t fight back anymore. It’s fucking exhilarating.
The corner of my mouth lifts as I take a step backward.
Ariana shoots me a glare and begins to walk away, but then she stops and coming back, she reaches past me, grabs the box of cereal, and starts to make breakfast for herself.
I prepare a cup of coffee for myself and sipping on the warm liquid, I lean back against the counter, watching Ariana eat.
“Stop staring at me,” she mumbles around a mouthful of Fruit Loops.
I tilt my head, the corner of my mouth lifting again.
She lets out a huff and scowls at me while she swallows the bite, then she says, “Just because you’re hot, it doesn’t mean anything. You have a shitty personality.” She begins to scoop up another bite, then adds, “Oh, let’s not forget you kidnapped, hurt, and degraded me, so don’t get any funny ideas. Being an asshole is not an attractive quality for me.”
Ariana takes another bite of her cereal, and when my smirk grows, her glare darkens.
She’s working hard to keep her defenses up. I wonder what it would take to break down her walls.
Deciding to test the waters, I set down my cup and slowly move closer to her. She tenses, a guarded expression tightening her features.
When I’m only a couple of inches from her, she puts the spoon down in the bowl and gives me a look of warning. “Stop it.”
“What?” I murmur, dropping my voice low on purpose.
Her cheeks instantly flush, and even though she tries to harden her glare, her breaths speeding up tells me she’s affected by me. I’m just not sure if it’s fear, desire, or both.
When only an inch separates us, our eyes lock. Ariana swallows hard, and then she presses her palm against my abs, trying to shove me as she takes a step back.
“Stop whatever you’re doing. It makes me uncomfortable,” she says with a slight tremble in her voice.
“Does it?” I ask, tilting my head. “You didn’t look uncomfortable when you were practically eye-fucking me in the gym.”
The deepest shade of red seeps into her cheeks, making it look like she just ran ten miles. Because of her fair skin, she’ll never be able to hide her emotions.
The next second, her finger jabs at my chest, and she actually takes a step toward me as she snaps, “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m not interested in you at all.”
Grabbing hold of her hand, I yank her right against me. Our bodies instantly melt together as Ariana lets out a startled gasp. Her eyes dart up to mine, her lips parted as her breaths rush over them. And fuck, it only makes her more beautiful.
Anticipation zaps between us, and I feel as a tremble ripples through her. The attraction grows at the speed of light, making me turn rock hard.
I’ve never had this happen with a woman before, and it makes me really look at Ariana. She’s much younger than me, but that doesn’t matter. Even though she’s afraid of me, she still fights back.
My eyes drift over her face, her chin held high and her hazel eyes alive with a feistiness that demands my respect.
And it all grabs my attention like nothing has before in my life.
Leaning down until my mouth brushes against the shell of her ear, I take a deep breath of her. Her scent makes my muscles tense as if they’re getting ready to pounce. “Yeah? You sure about that?” I whisper, my voice low and predatory.
As I pull back an inch, I see confusion flash over Ariana’s features. She yanks her hand free from my hold, and darting around me, she flees up the stairs. I hear a door slam on the second floor.
Letting out a chuckle, my lips curve up.
Well, that’s interesting.
ARIANA
Holy crap, that was intense.
Running to the room that’s nothing short of a chamber of torture, I slam the door shut behind me, and then stare at it with a pounding heart.
My stomach is still spinning like crazy, and my skin is alive with tingles.
Having Demitri’s body pressed hard against mine had my emotions all over the place. I felt everything but fear, which is a huge worry for me.
Because I should fear him.
I should hate him for stealing me away from my life.
But instead, I melted against him. All I could see was his square jaw, full lips, and sharp eyes. His sinful face was so close to mine, I felt his breath on my skin. His lips brushed over my jaw, making my abdomen clench with need.
Just thinking about it makes another rush of tingles zap through me.
I shake my head hard and close my eyes as I try to focus on my breathing.
And his body. God, his body… sigh.
Hard against my soft. Demitri is the opposite of me in every way, and my body loved the feeling of his way too much.
Fine, so I’m physically attracted to the jerk. It doesn’t change anything.
Opening my eyes, I glare at the bed and noticing Demitri changed the covers makes the shame of what happened when he left me tied to it ripple through me.
Arrogant asshole.
Jerk.
Jackass.
Ugh, the man is insufferable, and don’t you forget that, Ariana!
Walking into the bathroom, I pick up the bag of clothes Demitri gave me yesterday and check what else is in it. I find two pairs of sweatpants and two t-shirts. Leaving one set of clothes on the corner of the bed, I take a clean pair and go shower. After I’m done brushing my teeth and hair, I grab the dirty clothes and shove them into the bag.
Leaving the bedroom, I head to the laundry room I saw next to the kitchen. I dump the clothes into the washing machine and then glance down at the t-shirt I’m wearing. It’s white, and the fabric doesn’t do much to hide the outlines of my breasts, seeing as I’m not wearing a bra. There’s also a chill in the air, and I hate getting cold.
A scowl forms on my face.
Screw this.
I storm out of the laundry room and back up the stairs. Searching through the other rooms, I find one with men’s clothes in the closets. I help myself to four black t-shirts and a couple of sweaters, then grin.
I’m just about to pull one of the shirts on when I hear Demitri say, “That’s Alexei’s.”
Turning to face him, I mutter, “So? Does it look like I care?”
Demitri comes at me and taking the clothes from me, he throws them on the bed, then he grabs my hand and drags me out of the room. He pulls the door shut behind him, saying, “You don’t want to get on Alexei’s bad side. Don’t go into his bedroom.”
I give Demitri a glare, not caring what Alexei will think.
I try to pull my hand free from Demitri’s, but instead of letting go, he tightens his hold on me and drags me to another bedroom. We come to a stop in another closet.
“You can wear anything in here.”
I glance over the clothes, then ask, “Is this your room?”
“Yes.”
The idea of wearing Demitri’s clothes sends another unwelcome wave of tingles rushing through me. Only then does something niggle at the back of my mind, and my eyes snap up to Demitri’s. “Are there cameras in the house?”
“Of course,” he replies, and then he takes a couple of shirts from his closet and shoves them against my chest.
Taking hold of them, I reach past him and help myself to three of his sweaters. Then rushing out of the closet, I glance over the pristine room, which looks impersonal.
I go to the chamber of torture and gather the few things I have, then take them to another guest room.
Demitri watches me, and when I place the clothes in the closet, he leans his shoulder against the doorjamb and crosses his arms over his chest. I hate when he stands like that because it gives me a perfect view of the veins snaking beneath his skin and his defined muscles.
“Are there cameras in the bathrooms?” I ask, my stomach clenching with nerves from knowing he can see anything I do. It’s also unnerving being this close to him after the altercation in the kitchen.
“No, only the bedrooms and downstairs.”
“So if I sleep here, you can watch me like the creep you are?” I snap, not happy about having almost zero privacy and the unsettling attraction I feel for this man.
“I only go to the security room three times a day, so you don’t have to worry about me watching you,” he informs me.
My eyebrow lifts as I turn to face him. “What do you call what you’re doing right now?”
He lets out a chuckle, his lips curving into a way too hot grin. “Entertainment.”
I hate it when heat creeps up my neck and mutter, “Screw you.”
“Only if you beg,” Demitri taunts me.
Rushing to the doorway, I shove at him until he steps back, and then I slam the door shut in his face. Turning the key, I lock it and only then do I realize this room actually has a key.
Yassss! Ariana for the win.
