Stay Close(16)

I can only pray that when I land, I’m still able to catch her.





Chapter Nine

Penelope

I get lost in him, letting the rest of the world melt away. I don’t care where I am or what’s going on around us. All the anger I had for him moments ago falls from me. I don’t know why, but I don’t want to hang on to the anger. I can’t be mad at him. Deep down I know he’s pushing against me because something inside him is making him do it. A slice of guilt runs through me that I didn’t push back. I could have fought harder for him, because I know he needs fighting for.

His lips are soft, softer than I would have imagined. His tongue slow and sweet. The kiss is nothing like I thought it would be, but there’s more to him than what’s on the surface. The only hard thing about him now is the possessive hold he has on me.

All too soon he pulls back and looks down at me. His dark eyes are fiercer than ever. I can’t read him. Too much is pushing through. Possession, want, need, hope.

“You’re here,” I say.

Part of me hoped he would show up. That maybe he saw us sneak out and followed us. I lick my lips, wanting to see if I can still taste him. I want more. I want the look he’s giving me right now to never slip away. He’s looking at me like I’m his everything.

“I’m sorry, my krasotu. I didn’t mean the things I said before.” He pulls me impossibly closer, like he’s afraid I will try to get away from him. I swear I feel a tremble in his hands.

“You didn’t mean that you were fine until I showed up in your life?” I try to tease, but the words come out laced with hurt. I hate it because I know he knows hurt, and I don’t want it coming from me. I can already tell from the way he’s acting now that last night was a lie. I should have seen it and not spent the day ignoring him. I should have only given him sweetness. Being cold isn’t like me at all.

“I thought I was.” He pauses, running his hand along my exposed neck and shoulder. “But you, Penelope, you make me feel,” he whispers into my ear. “Feel something that isn’t pain.”

He leans down, and I think he’s going to kiss me again. Instead he presses his lips against my neck. His warm breath brushes against me, and it’s like he’s breathing me in. He runs his nose along my collarbone, up to my ear. My eyes fall closed, wanting to only have his touch, to only feel him and nothing else around us. What’s he doing to me? I don’t understand how someone I only met days ago can be so consuming so quickly.

But here it is, and I don’t want to let it go. I want to grab ahold of it.

He needs you, a voice inside me echoes.

Now I’m pulling him closer. I have a feeling Pandora was right. Ivan is dark, but I know I can be his light. I can feel it. I’m his other half.

“You two about done?” I hear Pandora yell next to us, making sure we can hear her over the music. The moment is jerked from us, and I look over at her.

Ivan doesn’t release me from his hold. “Net. I’ll never be done.” His Russian accent is thicker now, deeper than before. But he isn’t looking at Pandora when he says it. He’s looking right at me.

“Well, that’s great, Big, Dark and Tattooed, but we’re leaving,” she tells him. She grabs me by the hand to pull me, but Ivan still doesn’t let me go.

“Krasotu wants to dance. We will leave when she’s finished.” He finally looks over to Pandora, but then his eyes come back to me. “Krasotu, would you like to dance more?”

“Fucking shit,” I hear Pandora say.

“I want to go,” I tell him, hoping if we go that means the two of us get to be alone. I want his mouth back on mine.

“Then we go.” His hand slides into mine as he leads me from the club.

The crowd parts to make way for us. For Ivan actually. His big body moves through the swarm with purpose.

“I’ll call us a cab,” Pandora says.

“I’ll take you home.”

Pandora tries to fight with him, but Ivan challenges her. “I’m her guard.”

“Not for long, you won’t be. Wait until our mom finds out you’re trying to stick it to my sister. The only thing you’ll be guarding is your balls.”

Ivan shrugs like he doesn’t care for the safety of his balls.

“My sister will keep her mouth shut,” I half-growl at Pandora. I know she isn’t going to tattle, but she still glares at me. Clearly she’s not happy about what’s going down.

When we make it outside, he goes over to the valet and is handed his keys. He keeps his hand locked with mine as we walk over to a Porsche. He opens the passenger-side door for me and waits.