Page 113 of Bratva's Mercy
After a moment, he cleared his throat and slid one of the plates toward my place. “Sit. We should eat before the food gets cold.”
I obeyed like I always did.
Dinner was from the Italian place he liked. There was creamy chicken Alfredo with roasted mushrooms, grilled asparagus tossed in olive oil and herbs, and garlic bread that was still so warm that it left butter on my fingers. Normally, I would have gobbled up the food as fast as possible, but lately I found myself slowing down because he was sitting beside me, because the candle was burning between us, because the whole damn thing felt like a date even though we were in my kitchen.
“The living room should be finished once the curtains are here tomorrow,” he said after a few bites. “I already confirmed with them the time they’re coming, so it’ll be before my shift. I want to check the fabric before they leave.”
“You know you don’t have to push yourself so hard.”
“I don’t mind doing it. Iwantto do it. It’s been fun getting your place to feel homey.”
I smiled into my food.
He pointed his fork at me. “Also, the office is done, no thanks to you. The guest room is decent for now, but your bedroom still needs work.”
“Ourbedroom has the most important thing—a bed.”
He wrinkled his nose. “Now wasn’t it nice having sex on an actual bed last night instead of a mattress on the floor?”
“I’m still not convinced. At least a mattress doesn’t bang into the wall and make a racket.”
Leo almost choked on a piece of chicken. He gulped down some water, then returned the glass to the coaster. Coaster. I owned fucking coasters, thanks to him.
“Are you complaining about my skill?”
“My only complaint is that we don’t nearly do it enough.”
Leo’s mouth fell open. “I was giving you time to recover. Sometimes it gets rough between us, Sergei.”
“Do you hear me complaining? I like it, alright? Feelingtrapped and helpless beneath you while you’re pounding inside of me. I’m right where I want to be.”
“Good.” He looked me dead in the eye. “Don’t go eating too much then. Later, I’ll help you to prep and pop a butt plug in while we watch that movie I bought. I’ll edge you the whole time.”
Ah shit. How was I supposed to give him the disappointing news?
Leo paused with his fork halfway to his mouth when I didn’t reply and studied me. “What? You’re not into that?”
“No, I am.”
“Then why did you go silent?”
I glanced down at my plate. “Sorry, Leo, but I have to go to the club tonight. I won’t be able to watch the movie with you after all.”
Leo lowered his fork. “I thought you took the night off.”
“Yes, but turns out that there’s a guest popping in and I should be there.”
Leo didn’t respond right away. He looked at his plate, his expression that carefully blank one he erected as a shield. I hated being the reason he put it on.
“If you don’t want me to go,” I said quickly, “I won’t.”
His eyes snapped to mine. “No. It’s your job, and you should go, but maybe I can go with you.”
Every muscle in my body tightened. “No.”
Emotions flickered across his face before he hid it, but not fast enough. Hurt. “You don’t want people to know about us?”
“What? No.” I pushed my plate aside, frustration rising because I’d already fucked this up. “That’s not it at all. You’re the catch in this relationship. Why wouldn’t I want people to know about you?”
