say anything else for long seconds, but then he tipped his chin toward the dance floor again. She turned and saw a couple gyrating to the music. The man had his hands on the woman’s waist, holding her close to him. She broke away to start rolling her hips, her arms in the air, her hands in her hair. She looked sultry, sexy.
“For this one night they can pretend,” Sergei said right beside her ear, and his warm alcohol laced breath moved strands of her hair along her neck. She shivered, her nipples hardening, and she tried to keep her composure.
“Maybe they are naturally happy and have nothing to hide,” she said on a breath, her focus on the couple, but her entire body alive because of the close proximity of Sergei.
“No, Myshka , everyone has something to hide.” He turned her around, and she pressed her back to the glass. He looked down at her, his big body making her feel small, but also so very feminine. “Do you have something to hide?”
The way he asked her wasn’t offensive, but gentle, caring even. It was weird seeing as he didn’t even know her, but she felt at ease around him, and that should have made her very wary.
“I have nothing to hide,” she lied effortlessly. This wasn’t about her safety, but also her sister’s. Alexa was the only family she had anymore, and although she didn’t think of the past, and the fact they’d lost their mother at a young age, it was hard not to focus on it just being the two of them anymore, especially during a time like this.
“Little mouse, everyone has something to hide,” he said in that deeply accented voice that seemed to play along her entire body. She actually felt like his words were his fingers, moving along her flesh, just barely touching her.
“Then what are you hiding?” she whispered, and immediately regretted it.
Why did I just ask that? This man is clearly dangerous. It pours from him, and he could think I’m challenging him.
But he smirked after she spoke and took a step back. She inhaled deeply, not realizing she’d been holding her breath for those few seconds.
“I have plenty to hide, Myshka .”
She had no doubt about that.
Chapter Five
Her innocence was like a breath of fresh air, like the light to his darkness. Sergei was drawn to her inexplicably. Never had he wanted a woman the way he wanted Zoey. It went against everything he knew about himself, everything he’d ever thought he wanted.
He watched her look at the ground and saw the way she fidgeted. She was nervous, but he was used to people being that way around him. The ones that knew him, knew he was part of the Russian mafia, stayed far away from him and the organization. They knew better than to question him, to challenge him. But this tiny female pushed back.
Sergei liked that.
“I should get back to work.” Zoey lifted her head and looked at him, and he realized he could drown in the amber depths of her eyes and be happy with the outcome. She licked her lips, and he watched the act, feeling his cock harden. She was innocent, very vulnerable. He kept telling himself that. It was very clear she wasn’t like any of the other women he’d been with. He watched her walk away from him, and he took in the scent of her. She smelled fresh, like lemons and soap. It was refreshing given the stench of sweat and arousal that filled the club.
Turning and staring out the glass once Zoey was gone, he watched the bodies crammed together. They were like cattle, oblivious to what was really out there, the monsters that walked beside them, fucked them … could kill them before they even knew they were about to die.
He stepped away from the glass and went back into the VIP section. Once in the room, Sergei sat back down at the booth and focused on Zoey again.
“How about we get back to business?” Nikolas said in Russian.
All of the men were at the table, their glasses full. The conversation became serious as they discussed the reason Sergei, and half of the men at