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Wondering if I could get him off like this, I rubbed him with an to swell The fighterhis fists beneath the table

His eyes proh punish for it

If I retired tofirst I lowered my foot and slipped ned a yawn and rose "I’ Sevastyan’s face, I said, "Good night, everyone It was great to meet you all"

"But there are more bottles to finish," Filip said with an irrepressible wink Oh, dear, what if he tried to follow me?

To dissuade him, I said, "Stay and have fun--I’ll see you tohtened "Tomorrow afternoon, then It’s a date"

Date? That wasn’t what I’d et his hopes up But all eyes were on us, so I decided to let it go for now

With a last wave at everyone, Iback to s in the upstairs hall, wishing Sevastyan would come to me

And then he did Striding down the hallway, looking every inch a mafiya enforcer Expression murderous

Which for him could be literal

Chapter 15

As Sevastyan prowled closer, I backed up a step, then another

He grabbedme down the hall In a deceptively soft voice, he asked, "Did you enjoy playing with me?" He opened a side door, shoved me inside, then closed it behind us I smelled fresh laundry and brass polish

A maid’s closet?

And it was in a tsar’s residence? I could only iine how many secret trysts had been carried out over the years within these four walls

He flipped on a, then planned a fking assignation with Filip in front of me?" When my ass met a linen shelf, he cla eable? Filip and I?"