Chapter 34: Aftermath Of Mike’s Call

POV: EVE

Eve stood in Dimitri’s bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror, and tried to remember how to breathe.

Mike knew.

Her brother...her protective, fierce, loyal brother.....knew she was sleeping with his best friend. Had heard the evidence with his own ears. Had seen the truth written all over her face.

And he was furious.

She’d never heard him that angry. Not when their father had forgotten her birthday three years in a row. Not when Simon had cheated. Not ever.

"You touched my baby sister!"

The words echoed in her head, along with the betrayal in his voice. The shock. The rage.

And underneath it all, the hurt.

Because she’d lied to him. For four weeks, she’d lied by omission, pretending everything was fine while she was living with the one man Mike had explicitly asked Dimitri to stay away from.

Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Eve." Dimitri’s voice came from the doorway, soft but commanding. "Come here."

She shook her head, unable to look at him. "I need a minute."

"You’ve had a minute. Now come here."

"Dimitri, I can’t...."

"Yes, you can." He moved into the bathroom, and suddenly his hands were on her shoulders, turning her to face him. "Look at me, cara mia."

She looked up, and the gentleness in his eyes nearly broke her.

"He hates me now," she whispered. "My brother hates me."

"He doesn’t hate you. He’s angry. There’s a difference." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"You heard him! He was....."

"He was scared." Dimitri cupped her face, his thumbs wiping away her tears. "Scared that I’ll hurt you. Scared that you’re making a mistake. Scared that he’s losing his baby sister to a man he knows is dangerous. That’s not hate. That’s love."

"He said he wants to kill you."

"He’s said that before. Usually over poker." A hint of a smile touched his lips. "He won’t actually do it. Probably."

"This isn’t funny!"

"No, it’s not." The smile faded. "But it’s also not the end of the world. Mike is angry now. But he loves you more than he’s angry. He’ll come around."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know him. He’s my best friend, Eve. My brother in everything but blood. And yes, I broke a promise to him. Yes, I took something he explicitly told me not to touch. But when he sees how I look at you, when he sees how you look at me, he’ll understand."

"What if he doesn’t? What if he makes me choose?" Her voice broke on the words. "What if it comes down to you or him?"

Dimitri was quiet for a long moment, and something painful flickered across his face.

"Then you choose what makes you happy," he said finally. "Even if it’s not me."

"What?"

"If Mike forces you to choose, if being with me means losing your brother, then you choose your brother. I won’t let you sacrifice your family for me."

Eve stared at him, shocked. "You can’t mean that."

"I do." His hands slid down to her shoulders, his grip firm. "I’m selfish, Eve. Possessive. I want to keep you more than I’ve ever wanted anything. But I also know what it’s like to lose family. To have that bond broken. And I won’t be the reason you lose Mike."

"But I....I told him I’m falling in love with you."

"I know. And I’ll carry that with me for the rest of my life." He pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her. "But your brother’s love is forever. Mine... mine might not be enough when you see how dark things can get."

She pulled back to look at him, anger flaring through her grief. "Don’t do that."

"Do what?"

"Push me away because you think you’re protecting me. I’m not a child, Dimitri. I can make my own decisions. And I’ve decided I want you. Not despite the darkness. Not in spite of the danger. But with full knowledge of what you are."

"You don’t know everything...."

"Then show me!" She grabbed his face, forced him to look at her. "Stop treating me like I’m fragile. Stop assuming I’ll break. I’ve watched you torture a man. I’ve seen you threaten death without blinking. I know you’re the Devil. And I’m still here. I’m still choosing you."

Something shifted in his eyes. Something vulnerable and raw.

"Why?" he asked, his voice rough. "Why would you choose this? Choose me?"

"Because you make me feel alive. Because you see me...really see me....not the perfect girl I pretend to be. Because when you touch me, I feel like I matter. Like I’m more than just someone’s wife or someone’s sister or someone’s employee." She pressed her forehead to his. "Because I’m falling in love with you, Dimitri Valentino. And I don’t want to stop."

He made a sound that might have been a groan or a laugh, and then his mouth was on hers.

The kiss was different this time. Not possessive or claiming or brutal. Just... desperate. Like he was drowning and she was air.

When he pulled back, his forehead rested against hers, his breathing uneven.

"I don’t know how to love you the way you deserve," he whispered. "But I’ll learn. I swear to you, cara mia, I’ll learn."

"Then learn with me. We’ll figure it out together."

He lifted her, carried her to the bed, and laid her down with a gentleness that made her throat tight.

"Let me show you," he said, his hands sliding under the robe she was wearing. "Let me show you what I can’t say with words."

****

POV: DIMITRI

Dimitri undressed Eve slowly, reverently, taking his time with each piece of clothing like he was unwrapping something precious.

Because she was precious. The most precious thing he’d ever had.

And he’d almost lost her today. Almost pushed her away because he was too much of a coward to admit that he needed her more than she needed him.

When she was naked beneath him, her skin flushed and warm, her eyes dark with emotion and desire, he just looked at her.

"What?" she asked, a hint of self-consciousness creeping in.

"You’re beautiful," he said simply. "And you’re mine. And I’m never letting you go. Not for Mike. Not for anyone."

"Good." Her hand cupped his face. "Because I’m not going anywhere."

He kissed her again, softer this time, and began mapping her body with his hands and mouth. Not to arouse....though she was already responding, already gasping....but to memorize. To claim. To worship.