Page 118 of Beneath the Light of the Moon

Clearing her throat, she nodded. “Although I still have aburningdesire to know what you read about me.” She released her hold on him just to twirl a strand of her hair.

“I wouldn’t want to inflate your ego more than I already have.”

“Of course,” she crooned, “you’d much rather seduce me with your nonexistent stealth.”

“I made myself known,” he countered.

“And I knew you were watching us moments before you announced yourself. Anger really does suit you,malysh.”His heart stopped. She’d echoed his term of endearment. “I just like to let you believe you’re in control. Gets me off in a way.”

Now he pressed into her, enjoying the way her breath stuttered from his body heat and the way the shrubs had to be poking into her delicate skin.

She continued to taunt him. “Not to mention, your big ass frame couldn’t hide in this maze even if you wanted to.”

He looked down at hisframebetween them, inspecting his height compared to her. “That’s cute coming from you,” he remarked. If her glare could cut him, he’d be in pieces.

“Imagine how tall I’d be if you were on your knees?” Somehow Mikko held in the cough threatening to slip from his mouth. ThankGod for his balaclava.

But her honeyed eyes caught everything. Despite the inky darkness surrounding them, his own eyes had adjusted. Anika’s face was calculating, her anger honed the features of her face into something deadly. The fake buckle of her police outfit dug into his lower abdomen as she pressed back against his ironclad hold. He hoped it left an impression on his skin.

The scent of her overwhelmed his senses and the smeared dark lipstick around her mouth painted Anika as a temptress. One he wanted to give into, desperately. Even knowing that it was Levi who had smeared her makeup…

“While enticing, I’d like to know why you’re killing my men before offering you my neck.” His tone was stern.

Her teeth flashed. “Is it really murder if it’s so therapeutic?”

“Answer me, Anika.”

“Imagine what you’ll feel like when more of your men start dropping like flies around you,” she drawled. “The feeling of finally being chosen as you’re the last one standing.”

“If you think I killed your dad—”

She swiftly cut him off. “I know you didn’t, butyourdaddy isn’t around to pay for his actions,” her eyes darkened and a mischievous grin appeared, “but you know who is?”

Mikko didn’t answer, didn’t want to give her any more diabolical ideas. She could do that all on her own.

Her finger trailed up his abdomen, his muscles clenching in her wake. “What about Cristiano, hmm? Do you think he would suffice as a sacrifice?”

“Don’t you dare even say his name—”

“Oryou,” she spoke over him as her nail dug into the hollow of his throat. Only the thin layer of his mask protected him.

“Those are dangerous words to say to someone you hardly know,”he said, throat tight with unspoken emotions.

“You’re hardly a stranger to me, Mikko,” she replied. “In fact, there’s not much Idon’tknow about you.”

“Meeting a couple of times makes us acquaintances?” he asked.

“You tell me, you jerked off on my things.”

“Khoroshiy moment.” Good point.

She leaned in, pushing against his hand still resting upon her throat. “You’d be wise tonotunderestimate me.”

Using his knee, he pushed her legs apart, leaning in to intimidate her. It didn’t work. In fact, she opened her legs wider, beckoning him in. The heat of her cunt pressed against his thigh. His mind shorted. She met his gaze with fire, challenging him with every passing second. “So, give me one good reason why I—”

Click.

Her costume handcuff snapped into place over his wrist holding her. Panic and lust intertwined in his stomach, a mix of emotions he was growing to hate. Part of him wanted her to make good on her threats, to torture and confine him, but another part of him was nervous. His men were expendable, but she’d mentioned Cristiano. He wasnot.