Chapter 143 Chapter 143 A Pavlov Game
Dimitri is on me like a bee to honey. He must have been paying close attention while I played, because he predicts every move and shows up exactly where I don’t want him. It’s starting to get under my skin. I need to figure out how to get around him, so I start passing to Mia every chance I get. The game is tied, one to one. Sal is their goalie, Petia is ours. Tish and Erika are holding down defense. Yesenia, Vladimira, and Yulia run midfield. Me, Tiana, and Mia play forward.
Mia sends the ball my way, but Dimitri is glued to me again, his body pressed tight like he owns the space I’m in. I push back with everything I have. He grunts. A grunt he usually gives me during sex. I stop dead, trapping the ball under my foot.
“Are you fucking serious?” I snap.
Dimitri just flashes that dimpled grin, his cerulean eyes sparking like this is all a game to him. Something clicks in my head—I need to change tactics.
“I’m going over to Mason’s after this,” I say, grinning.
It hits him instantly. He freezes. Completely. I break free, take off, fake Sal out, and score. The girls erupt in cheers.
Dimitri is on me again as soon as the ball is back in play.
“What the fuck are you thinking?” he demands.
“We’re going to talk about what happened during my sister’s wedding,” I say, leaning closer than I should.
“Why?” he asks as we run together.
“I want to know what they did to him. He thanked me after. It was…odd. He’s being odd now.”
“Who the fuck cares? You’re not going alone. I’m coming with you.” His voice drops, commanding, sending a chill straight down my spine. I hate how much I like it.
“I care,” I shoot back. “And you are not coming.”
We’re running side by side now. Vladimira steals the ball, passes to Tiana, then back to me. Dimitri is right there again, too close, his body heat wrapping around me. It messes with my focus, with everything. I feel all of him. A part of me wants to turn around, grab his face, and kiss him senseless right here in front of everyone.
Focus.
I roll my hips back, pressing against him in a slow circle. I feel him react instantly, hardening. His hands twitch like he wants to grab me, but he holds back. I do it again, slower this time. That’s all it takes. He loosens up just enough. I pass to Mia—she scores.
“Dimitri, switch with Ivan!” Sal yells.
He thinks Ivan can handle me. I laugh. Mia laughs with me.
Another thirty minutes grind by. Ivan is better—focused, sharper, not falling for any of my tricks. We’re tied again.
“I think you guys have been practicing,” I call out.
They all smirk. I was right.
My phone buzzes—time. The game’s technically over, but they all want a shootout. Of course they do. There has to be a winner.
“Calm down,” I say, wiping sweat from my face. I’m drenched, sticky, gross. “This was for fun. We don’t need a winner.”
“Elle just wants to rush off to her date,” Gemma scoffs.
“Not a date,” I mutter, swapping into my shoes. “I just need a shower.”
“Why? Mason loves you sweaty. Nothing tastes better than a sweaty...”
“Okay, enough,” I snap not letting her finish. “Seriously. I’m happy to go back to what I was doing for a year—ignoring all of you and your bullshit.”
Silence drops. Even the wind through the trees sounds louder.
Gemma softens, just enough for everyone to notice. “Don’t sleep with him.”
“Gross. I don’t sleep with exes,” I say automatically—then immediately regret it because...Sergey, I slept with him after we were done.
Sergey bursts out laughing so hard he nearly falls out of his chair. Everyone else is smirking.
Great.
I roll my eyes. “Oh shit, I forgot about that. When was it?”
Stanislav laughs so hard he spits Gatorade everywhere. The girls are doubled over. Jax throws me a sideways grin and mouths, “Nice.”
“We should go to the Red Rooster tonight,” Gemma says, beaming.
I snort. “No. I haven’t been there since that asshole took off without telling me.” I point straight at Dimitri. “I’m not interested. Actually, I’m not dating, getting engaged, or marrying anyone ever again. I’m done. I’ll get my master’s, move back to my villa, adopt a kid or two, and live happily ever after by my damn self. Sounds perfect.”
That lands heavier than I expect. Conversations die. My so-called sad boys look worse, like I just shattered something in them. Funny, considering they’re the ones who broke me.
“If you still want to come over,” I add, forcing some normalcy back in, “my place at seven. I’ll grab alcohol on my way home from Mason's. Text me what you want. Tiana has a spare key in case I’m late.”
I turn to Vladimira. “You remember where I live? You’ve been over, what, three times?”
She nods.
My girls stare at me like I’ve lost my mind. They don’t know. Of course they don’t, I didn't tell them.
“What?” I snap, my patience gone. “Dimitri and Ivan brought her over.”
Everything slows. Jax smacks both Dimitri and Ivan upside the head. Sal just shakes his head like he’s tired of all of us. Leo mouths out “What the fuck.”
“Jax, that was unnecessary,” I say flatly. “Ivan picked her. Right, Ivan? Because you like variety. I don’t satisfy you, and I can’t give you a kid.”
The words taste bitter, sharp. “Isn’t that what you said to me in Italy? Right after you fucked me?”
Another piece of me cracks. His best friend, Miroslav is covering his mouth. Did he not tell him?
Stanislav shoots to his feet so fast it’s like a gunshot. He looks ready to tear someone apart.
“Sit down, Stanislav,” I say, grabbing my bag. “What’s been said can’t be taken back. You were right to tell me to stay away from him. I should’ve listened.”
He stares at me, stunned—then starts laughing. “Say that again, little Elena.” He grabs my hand, eyes locked on mine. “Did you just say I was right?”
He turns to Tiana, still laughing. “Pinch me, baby. I think I’m dead.”