Page 59 of The Bratva Stalker's Ruthless Claim
“Well,” she says lightly. “Good to see you again, Mike.”
Her eyes flick briefly to Mike.
Then back to me.
“I’ll let you two enjoy the evening.”
She steps away with perfect composure.
But as she turns, her eyes slide back to mine one last time.
The look she gives me carries a quiet promise.
This isn’t over.
Then she disappears back into the crowd.
For a moment, the men say nothing.
Mike slowly turns his head toward me.
I expect anger.
Or irritation.
Instead, he looks intrigued.
Almost…pleased.
The corner of his mouth lifts slightly.
Then he reaches for me.
Before I can react, he leans down and presses a soft, chaste kiss to my lips.
It’s brief, the kind of kiss that sends a clear message to everyone watching. My breath catches slightly as he pulls back.
His mouth brushes close to my ear as he murmurs quietly enough that only I hear it.
“Jealousy looks good on you, Ellie.”
The words are calm. Amused.
And the way his hand settles lightly at the small of my back promises far more than that innocent kiss ever did.
But I don’t give him the satisfaction of reacting.
For the rest of the evening, I barely speak.
When people approach us, I smile politely and say the right things, but I avoid looking at him. When he murmurs something to me, I don’t respond.
The tension between us grows thicker with every passing minute.
By the time we leave the estate later that night, it feels like the air between us could spark.
The car ride home is silent.
Sergei drives.
