His to Steal

Ch. 23: The Truth (Part One)

I cock my head to the side and cross my arms over my chest. "Oh, you haven't? When you've been causing about half of it?"

His eyes widen. "Me? Please. I'm just here doing my job, driving you to the club, making sure you're safe when Dominique goes home. Kincaid is the one following you around like a fucking little puppy dog and then picking fights with me."

He's not wrong about that, but the fact that he's not taking any responsibility for the awkward environment is starting to piss me off. "You are constantly glaring at him, and I don't really think he's the only one starting fights. Not to mention, you—" I stop short and shake my head. "Nevermind."

He takes a step toward me. "No. What were you going to say? 'I' what?"

I let out a little puff of air and drop my arms to my sides. "You're always looking at me like you have something you want to ask me or say to me and you never just fucking say it!"

He nods once, running his tongue over his teeth as he stares down at me with that glint in his eye. "Mala tigrica, you're feisty tonight."

"What does that mean?"

"What does what mean?" he shoots back.

"What you just called me!" I say impatiently.

He clicks his tongue. "Sutton, you're something else. What is that you wanted to say to me?"

I open and close my mouth, my frustration with him mounting. "I—I don't even know anymore. You somehow frustrated me so much in the span of like, three minutes that I forgot!"

He grins and moves in closer, running his fingertip across my collarbone. I shiver but make no move to put distance between us. I can't lie; even though I'm frustrated with him, I like his proximity and I like his touch.

I've got to get my shit together.

"I'm glad to know I still have an effect on you," he whispers.

I press my tongue against the roof of my mouth before I speak, as if that's going to hold back my snark. "Oh, as if I don't have an effect on you?"

He chuckles, a low, dark sound that rumbles in his chest. "Oh, Sutton. You have effects on me that you haven't even begun to dream of. But there is just one thing I need to know." He drags his fingers up along my shoulder to sweep my hair back, inspecting the cut on my neck, which has all but healed thanks to the medicine he left in my room.

"And what's that?" I breathe.

Nicolai moves behind me and runs his fingertip down my spine until he reaches the zipper of my dress where it sits near the middle of my back. He toys with it and presses his front to my back, and I can feel the ridge of his cock digging into my ass. I clench my thighs together and hold my breath as he slides the zipper down far enough to expose the red lace underneath but not far enough to allow the material to fall from my body. He lets out an audible groan.

"Did you wear this for me?"

I smile and look over my shoulder at him. "Is that your question?"

He nips at the spot where my shoulder meets my neck. "Smartass. No. But I want to know now that I've seen what you're hiding under here."

I bite my bottom lip and nod. "Yeah, I thought of you when I put them on. I keep hoping you'll glance over here when I'm getting dressed or undressed."

It's not a lie. Not in the least.

"Fuck..." He draws out the word, like he's actually in pain.

I push my ass back into his pelvis, and he hisses. "What was it you needed to know, Nicolai?"

He slides one arm around my stomach and holds me tight against him. I gasp and fuck if I don't wish he'd slide that hand just a little lower.

"Did you really kiss him back?" he whispers against my ear.

"No, Nicolai. Of course not," I say, leaning my head back against his shoulder. "I pushed him away from me."

He spins me around and keeps me flush against him, tangling his fingers in my hair as he looks down at me. "Good girl."

Tingles spread all over my body followed by a mass of goosebumps. "And before I realized what was happening, before I pushed him away, all I saw was you," I confess, not breaking his gaze.

His eyes flare with a possessiveness that ignites something in me. He yanks on my hair until I'm looking directly up at him. "Good. That's why I'm here. To make sure he stays in his lane. Because you're mine."

Without another word, he releases me and I'm left holding my dress against my chest, wondering how the hell we went from 0 to 69 in three minutes flat.