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“But if you go back there, you’ll be executed.”

He looked down at her. “Who told you that?”

“Rossa.”

His mouth quirked at the corner. “That makes sense.”

“Are you intending to sit here all night?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Let’s go home instead. There’s food there, or at least I think there is.”

“I don’t have a home.”

This time she punched him much harder. “Oh, for God’s sake, lighten up, Morosov. Let’s go.”

She grabbed his hand, and the next minute they were in her kitchen, the lights were on and Vadim was delving into the fridge.

“You lied. There’s nothing here to eat.”

“Try the freezer.”

He complied and she looked over his shoulder as he surveyed her collection of saturated fatty goodness with an air of horror.

“Come on, partner, let yourself go for once. A Hot Pocket won’t kill you.”

“How about I make us an omelet?”

“If you can make it quickly, go for it. I’m starving.”

He took off his coat and jacket and loosened his tie. “Make some toast.”

By the time they’d finished eating, it was almost five in the morning, and the sunlight was beginning to filter through the gray, foggy skies.

Vadim stretched and rubbed his eyes. “I left my car at the hospital. We’ll need to get the ferry in the morning.”

“Or use magic.”

He almost smiled for the first time. “You like that mode of transport, then?”

“It’s pretty cool.” She waited until he set the dishwasher running and then took his hand. “We have to be at work by nine. If we use the ferry, we’ll get much less sleep.” She led him toward her bedroom. “We need our sleep.”

He already looked exhausted. Had the struggle with the Otherworld sect drained him so completely? Or was it more a case of hurt pride? Ella pushed on his chest until he sat on the edge of the bed. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt and then knelt to unbuckle his belt. His hand covered hers.

“You don’t need to do that. I can just…”

She bent her head and kissed the bulge of his cock. “I like doing it. Shut up.”

He sighed as she slowly unbuttoned his pants and drew down the zipper. Underneath, he wore tight blue cotton boxers that now strained to contain his growing erection.

“Nice.” Ella dropped a kiss on the crown of his wet cock, which had already escaped the waistband of his boxers. “Now, be quiet and let me concentrate.”

She helped him ease out of his pants, socks and shoes and then returned her attention to his cock, sliding her hand inside his boxers at the back to stroke and cup his awesome ass. His hips jerked forward.

“Ella…”

There was a note of uncertainty in his voice that she’d never heard before. She kissed his shaft through soft cotton that did nothing to hide the length and girth of him, nibbled at the dampening fabric until his hand clenched in her hair, demanding more, trying to direct her mouth to more needy places.