Page 106 of Lethal Obsession

“Ha.” He gives a humorless laugh. “We definitely have our moments. And I doubt this particular request will make things between us any easier. But I know he will get it set up right, and Lars is sure he’ll do it without telling your father. My question is whether or not you agree with him—and if you’re comfortable with your brother knowing about us.”

Knowing about us.

“Do you know how good that sounds?” I press my lips to his, lingering there for a long, sweet moment. “Like there’s an us to know about.”

His brow creases slightly. “After this week, you do know there is an us, Ofelia, surely?”

“I guess I do.” The delicious, bubbly happy feeling starts spreading back through me for the first time since he brought up how long it might be before we see each other again. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear it. Often.”

“So that means I can talk to your brother?”

Picturing that particular conversation, I wince. “Maybe let me talk to him first.”

His face shuts down.

“You hate that, don’t you?” I smile. “But I know Mickey. If you ask him, all he’ll do is tell you to fuck off. Unless you’re close enough for him to punch. Or worse, to shoot.”

Alexei snorts derisively.

“Then he’ll call me, and he’ll be so furious that I’ll get furious, so that won’t go well either.”

He gives a reluctant laugh. “You’re probably right.”

“Trust me,” I say feelingly. I know the men in my family far too well. “I’ll call Mickey as soon as I’m home. He’ll come around, don’t worry.”

Alexei’s face darkens. “I hate this,” he says roughly. “All this bullshit.”

“I know,” I say plainly. “But I also know that until you can fix whatever is happening, it’s the smartest course. My father is never going to take this well. But if he finds out about us while you’re still incognito, it’s going to be so, so much worse.”

His scathing expression gives me a clear indication of exactly how little he cares about incurring my father’s famous wrath. But since even the thought of the two of them facing off sends a shudder of horror down my spine, I hastily change the subject.

“Do you have any idea when you might be able to come back?”

“No.” His mouth twists. “It should get easier after November.”

“November!” The word escapes me before I can hide my shock. “But that’s months away!”

“I know.” Alexei strokes my face. “Believe me, I know. Lars and I will try to set something up before then. In the meantime . . .” He lifts a shoulder.

“The secure room,” I say resignedly.

He nods. “The secure room.”

“Well.” Pressing my body against his, I look up at him from beneath my lashes. “I’ve never had phone sex before.”

He grins. “You’d never had any kind of sex before this week, and look at you now, you insatiable demon.”

“I thought I was an angel?”

“You are.” He plucks the glass from my hand and puts it on the table. His mouth descends onto mine, sending fierce heat rushing through every cell. “But if you start torturing me by video call,” he murmurs against my mouth, “I might need to rethink matters.”

I slide my fingers up the iron cords of his thigh. “What might torture look like, exactly?” My fingers glide over his deck shorts, stroking the rapidly growing length beneath them.

Alexei sucks in his breath. “You’re off to a good start right there,” he says, a rough edge to his voice.

He kisses me again, hard enough to make my mind spin, his cock thick and hard beneath the thin material. When my hand finds the broad, spongy head surging above the waistband of his shorts, desire rips through me like fire.

I push his waistband down impatiently, my tongue twining with his. I don’t think I could ever get tired of this—the raw power of him throbbing in my hand, his tongue stroking mine with dark intent, the sure, deliberate movement of his hands on my body. My thumb rubs the evidence of his arousal across the head of his cock, and I revel in the momentary stilling of his hands, the silent tension that betrays how much he wants this.