34

34
Dmitri had been awake for hours, watching Lily sleep. At some point in the night, she’d rolled from her side of the bed until there were barely two centimeters between them, her soft, even breathing fanning his arm.

He couldn’t deny how beautiful she was, so peaceful even, one might even believe she was naive and little minded as she looked and not so curious.

He watched her chest weave in and out, her legs carelessly pressing against his morning wood. If she moved even a fraction more, he wasn’t sure he could stop himself. Shit, she had no idea how much restraint it took from him to not fuck her senseless in her sleep.

She yawned once more, her body shifting as she adjusted on the bed. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes, less brooding face of Dmitri.

Though, why did he look like he was wrestling invisible demons?

“Tservna, do you enjoy testing my control this much? I can’t promise I won’t take your right now.”

Lily was a little lost, not until she felt something hard and hot below her knees.

She swallowed. Something her body had stiffened and slowly looked back at him.

“I’-I’m sorry.” This thing she slowly adjusted her angle but because they could slip away, Dmitri caught it with his arm.

“You really are upset that we got interrupted aren’t you? Now you plan on making me suffer for this, princess?”

Lily’s cheeks burned hot red.. This man, goshh. Why did he have to keep mentioning the unlucky interruption the previous day? She shocked her head slowly, swallowing her words.

“The bed, it’s too small.”

Another failed attempt, there was literally an empty space behind her. How lost in sleep she was.

Dmitri held her in place for another second before finally letting go, but not because he wasn’t enjoying flushed she looked but he didn’t trust himself to keep her in their positions for much longer and not drive himself insane.

He rose from the bed, the moment he left the room his eyes locked onto his phone that now had five missed calls from his grandfather and a message from Gabrielle.

His line was untraceable in the sense that his phone wouldn’t be turned off but as long as he wasn’t the one putting the call through no one could track the line.

The message from Gabrielle was what he opened first. It had three simple words an average person would never understand, and a pdf file titled “Project Beekeeper.”

Along with an address and the plate number of the car that’d take them to his grandfather’s house.

••~

Dmitri shrugged on his jacket and stepped toward the door. Lily followed a few paces behind, tugging her sweater tighter around herself as the cool morning air from the open doorway brushed in.

As they stepped off the cabin porch, she glanced at him.

“Is it safe for us to return home?”

He didn’t break stride. “No, we aren’t going home, love.”

Her brows drew together. “Then where exactly are we going?”

“To meet my grandfather.”

Lily froze mid-step, the breath hitching in her throat. “Your grandfather?”

He finally looked at her, though it was a lazy stare she swore she saw the flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. “Yes, love.”

She swallowed, tension climbing her spine. “Why? The last time I saw him wasn’t exactly… pleasant. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t like me very much.”

Dmitri reached the waiting black car, its engine humming quietly. Without answering her question, he opened the rear door and stood aside, one hand resting lightly on the frame.

“Get in.”

“You’re avoiding the question,” she pouted, crossing her arms.

“You ask too many questions.”

She rolled her eyes, brushing past him into the seat. “I’m a journalist—it’s kind of my job.”

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he shut the door and walked around to the other side.

A few hours later, they arrived at the estate and as soon as they stepped out, Dmitri’s hands snaked around Lily’s waist firmly. She was uncomfortable he could tell but he planned on going in and out sooner rather than later, he already had enough on plate and it didn’t make matters any better that he had now dragged her into his dangerous world.

Grandpa Yuri stood near the far end of the court, flanked by two men in dark coats. He wasn’t hard to spot, broad shoulders, snow-white hair slicked neatly back, and an expression so unreadable it was almost colder than the air itself.

She hadn’t forgotten that face. How could she? It was carved into her memory from the last encounter.

The moment he turned toward them, Dmitri’s hand loosened on her waist, then his tone dropped to a hard whisper.

“Stand right there and don’t move an inch away.”

She nodded quickly, her throat dry, and halted exactly where he left her. From here, she could only watch as Dmitri strode forward.

The two men flanking Yuri shifted subtly, their attention flicking to Dmitri before returning to their positions. The older man didn’t smile, didn’t extend a hand, only gave a slow nod. Dmitri inclined his head in return.

If Lily could even call it a greeting, or pleasantries, it was the coldest one she’d ever witnessed. No, there was nothing pleasant about it at all.

Lily kept her gaze fixed on Dmitri, watching the subtle tick in his jaw. The muscle there tightened, locked, as if he was holding back something sharp.

Then, almost without turning, he glanced at her. The look was brief but glacial, cutting in a way that left her chest heavy with confusion… and a pinch of hurt.

Grandpa Yuri’s lips curved in a knowing, taunting sort of smile.

“Come here, woman,” He called.

Lily hesitated. Every instinct told her to stay exactly where she was, but when Dmitri gave her a single, short nod, her feet moved. She walked low-key toward them, her steps measured, head bowed so her eyes never met Yuri’s.

“I’m surprised you’ve lived this long,” the old man said, his tone void of praise. “Consider yourself lucky.”

Her throat dried instantly, the words lodging there, but she kept her head lowered, refusing to look him in the eye.

“Doesn’t your little slut talk?”

The word cracked through the air. Slut? Her breath caught, a slow burn of rage crawling up her neck.

Before she could react, the man to Yuri’s right stepped forward, gripping her jaw hard and forcing her face upward. The pressure bit into her skin, and she winced—

CRACK.

The man’s scream tore through the quiet as Dmitri wrenched his wrist in one fluid, brutal motion.

He staggered back, clutching the useless limb to his chest.

“Touch her like that again,” he stepped forward just enough to loom over the man, “and you’ll wish I just broke only your wrist.”

The guard swallowed hard, eyes wide, but didn’t speak again.

Grandpa Yuri’s smirk deepened, slowly, and it made Lily’s stomach knot. He didn’t look surprised, if anything, he looked… entertained.

“Always so protective,” Yuri drawled. “ I see something’s never change.”

Dmitri slid an arm around Lily’s back and drew her a half step closer to his side, a move both possessive and protective.

Yuri’s gaze flicked to her, sweeping her from head to toe like she was an object on display. “She still trembles,” he murmured, almost to himself. “Doesn’t suit you, Dmitri. You were never one for fragile things.”

Lily’s nails dug lightly into her own palms, but she kept her expression neutral. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing fear.

“We’re not
here to discuss her. You wanted me here. I’m here. Now Talk.”