Page 68 of The Wrong Brother

“You looked one second away from throwing something through it.”

A fair observation. I lean back against the sofa and drag a hand slowly over my mouth, trying to contain the steady irritation crawling beneath my skin. Outside the suite windows, Denver glitters beneath sharp autumn sunlight. Inside, the air feels increasingly suffocating.

Andrei smiling for cameras. Victoria touching his arm adoringly.

He doesn’t deserve any of it. I know exactly what he is beneath the surface.

The hypocrisy alone makes me violent.

Emma studies me for another moment before setting her coffee down carefully. “You need to get out of the hotel.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

My eyes narrow slightly.

She presses forward anyway. Brave woman.

“You were restless all night. Yes, I noticed; it was hard not to, Russ. At this point, you’re making me nervous.”

“Good.”

I avoid looking at her and reach for the remote again, only for Emma to snatch it off the table first.

Bold. Very bold.

“Ruslan.”

“Emma.”

“You need fresh air.” A dark eyebrow arches, and it doesn’t escape me that she’s mimicking last night. I can still feel the heat between her thighs on my fingertips, the drag of fabric barely covering her core…

“I need my brother dismembered.” Lust and anger are warring inside me, both fighting for dominion.

“Okay, well, one of those things is more socially acceptable.”

Against my will, a laugh almost escapes me. Emma looks far too pleased with herself. “There,” she says triumphantly. “That. Human emotion. Progress.”

I stare at her for several long seconds before standing abruptly.

“Fine.”

“Wait, really?” She stands too, almost stumbling, and I catch her elbow.

“We’ll go out.”

Relief flashes across her face, followed quickly by suspicion.

“Wait. We?”

“Yes.”

“I meantyoushould go out.”

“I know what you meant. But don’t forget, Emma, your job here is to be my date.” With a light tug on her elbow, I pull her to me, savoring the feel of her soft body pressed into my side.

I shouldn’t want her this badly; shouldn’t tease us both like this. Last night was already too much.