Sinful Addiction

XVI

        ELENA CASSANO

        I watched his thigh and butt in those outrageously expensive black suits the whole time he walked towards the car door. I was proud of myself. I almost whistled, but I didn't.

His big body stopped right where he was, and one blue eye was on me over his shoulder as he spoke in that rough, serious voice. "Did he also happen to rob you of the ability to talk as well?"

"We broke up." I told him even though we were never really dating. He didn't really need to know the specifics.

His eyes held an emotion I couldn't quite decipher. Disappointment. Anger. Heat. The combination made my heart warm, and soft. "Shame."

"Shame indeed." I muttered then glanced down at my sparkly red nails. "I appreciate you thinking about me, but I already have a ride."

        Alessio would be here to pick me any minute now. The last thing I needed tonight was to sit in a car with Vetrov, engulfed in fucking tension and silence. Although I should have known.

He was amused. "Get in the fucking car."

"I have a ride."

"Your cousin isn't coming." He slammed the car door open, leaning his taut body against the dark Audi. "Get in the fucking car, Elena."

I bit my tongue to prevent myself from saying something that would definitely gotten me a combination of grunts, a sassy remark, and a cold look. I entered the car and Vetrov followed after a couple of seconds. He didn't say anything after my recent confession. Or perhaps, he didn't know whether to wish me congratulations or an apology.

For fucks sake, he would probably tell me to suck it up.

"Take it off." His cold voice said. I looked down at the thick jacket that covered my bare shoulders. Through the car mirror, he shot me an intense penetrating look ripping me raw and bare. And my heart flew out of the fucking car. Unsteady and weak. Just like my resolve.

"And If I say no?"

"I'll rip it off you." His gaze held mine. Fire and ice. Darkness laced with sin. Smoke burnt from his eyes, and something dipped in my belly. "Say goodbye to this jacket, and anything else another man who isn't your papà ever gave you. And I fucking mean it, Elena."

My jaw clenched in retaliation. I contemplated leaving Aaron's jacket on me just to mess with the Russian tonight but there was something about the tremor of his voice that made my heart clench.

I'd... dammit I wanted to smack his handsome face with a shovel. Ruin that charm and confidence of his he wore like a suit.

"You get I don't like you right?" I told him a few minutes later after I did as he asked. Aaron's jacket was thrown in his backseat. "I'm not yours."

His voice was dry. "Hm? Here I thought we would be getting married next month."

"You've been thinking about me, Sin?" I clicked my teeth watching him through half-lidded eyes.

His next words left me a spluttering mess. "Depends." My heartbeat raced. Pounded. Our eyes held each other, the strange air in the car was thick with heat. No. Heat was too soft of a word. Icy fingers gripped my heart in the darkness.

His eyes held mine then shifted to the colorful highlights in my hair. "What happened there?" He said softly. I hated the fact that inside my heart, it felt like I was burning. He noticed every single thing about me. He always seemed to.