Page 59 of Claim Me (Dmitriyev Bratva #2)

M arissa

Las Vegas.

Sin City.

A gambler’s haven.

A place where adults came to play and children loved to experience the flashy neon lights and amusement park atmosphere.

While I’d never call the city my home, I didn’t mind alternating my time between two cities when I wasn’t in concert in Rome or Paris.

I giggled from the thought as the rumble of the GTO’s engine pulsed between my legs. The evening was still hot as Hades, wind snagging my long hair as Kazimir rolled around the desert curves.

In the two weeks that I’d been staying with him at his house, I’d learned quite a lot about the man.

He was a true music lover, his tastes mirroring mine.

He was clueless about decent art, his walls filled with cheap replicas that I could swear he’d purchased at swap meets.

His taste in food was eclectic from grilled salmon to sausage pizza as well as chocolate milkshakes.

He adored muscle cars, owning three including the fabulous GTO convertible in Hugger Orange, and he was a consummate romantic.

He’d lied about that.

When he pulled up to a traffic light, I sensed he was staring at me. I adored keeping him on edge and chose to ignore him. As usual, that didn’t bode well. He always made his presence known by simply walking into the room.

The other aspect of the man that was a bit unexpected, but a favorite trait that had helped me fall even more deeply in love with him was the way he treated his employees. They adored him and he ensured they were happy in their job.

Every day was a surprise with the man including on such a glorious evening. When he squeezed my leg, a series of chills drifted down my spine while jolts of electricity soared deep within my core.

“Where are you taking me?” I finally asked, giving in since I was tingling all over.

“Our second date.”

“Ah, I was wondering about that. In the desert, huh? A horseback ride? Maybe hang gliding.”

“Maybe something better.” He swept his hand under my dress and between my legs. The man had spent hours exploring my body and I’d done so with his, yet we still couldn’t seem to get enough of each other.

“But you won’t tell me.”

“Nope. Just relax.”

Around him that was impossible. He was very much larger than life, more relaxed than I’d ever seen him.

Granted, the fact Popov had been arrested and was facing at least twenty years in prison while also having his illegal holdings destroyed helped.

But I honestly believed the substantive reason was trusting me enough to tell me about Jasmine.

He’d opened up more and while some women might feel jealous about hearing about another woman, I was honored that he trusted me enough. He was working through his demons so he could be mine.

How giddy I felt from the thought.

When he slowed, I paid more attention to my surroundings, finally noticing a faded sign from years if not decades before.

A huge surprise and a tingle of excitement drifted into my stomach.

The road was much more rural than anything close to the heart of the city.

While there were a few commercial buildings and a couple of housing developments, this was definitely not the most populous part of town.

Kazimir slowed down even more and I realized where he was turning.

“A drive-in theater?” I didn’t think he could surprise me any longer, but this was… amazing.

“You said you wanted to watch a movie under the stars. Why not?” He was grinning from ear to ear. As soon as we drove in, I was immediately suspicious.

“How curious. There aren’t any other cars here.”

“Not true. See over there. Those are employee vehicles. Now, where do you think is the best place to park?”

“You rented this out just for me?”

He pulled to a stop, allowing the massive engine to idle. “Well, technically for us, but yes. Why not?”

“Oh, right. Because you’re one of the richest men in the world. You can buy anything.”

“If that will make you happy.”

“I don’t think things are what matter in my life.”

His grin was infectious. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now where do you want to park?”

After everything that had happened, the continued grief I felt about Charlie and my parents, on this beautiful early evening I felt nothing but utter joy.

All because we’d taken a chance on each other.

“Over there. Smack in the middle.”

“Perfect,” he growled and headed toward the spot.

“I’d wondered why you brought a bottle of wine with us.”

He grinned like some kid, his entire face lighting up. “We need food and beverages while watching the movie.”

“Are you planning on calling Door Dash?”

“Not a chance,” he replied. “Something much better.”

I waited as he climbed out, immediately heading around the front of the car and opening the door for me. When he extended his hand, I felt the heat rising across my face.

He was even wearing shorts and a polo shirt in a hue highlighting his soulful eyes. Who knew the man owned anything but expensive suits.

As soon as he guided me from the car, he pulled me close. “Are you hungry?”

“You did promise me dinner,” I whispered, trying to glance over his shoulder. “What’s on the menu?”

Kazimir took a step away, asking how I felt about slathered hot dogs and ooey, gooey French fries.

“I’d love them.” I never would have thought he’d remember that I loved drive-in theaters. Why should he? He ran a billion-dollar operation that employed hundreds of people.

When he took my hand into his, swinging our arms as we headed for the neon-lit concession stand, I realized I’d finally found the peace that I’d only discovered in music.

He’d brought out another side of me, sharing my love of music. He’d even purchased me the most incredible Steinway grand piano I’d ever seen.

The young man behind the counter was dressed the part, including the goofy red and white striped paper hat.

“Howdy, folks. What would you like?”

“How about one of everything?” Kazimir’s answer brought another round of laughter.

“Not unless you want me to sleep through the movie. A dog and spuds with the works.” As soon as I glanced at the sexy Russian, I realized he was confused. “Wait a minute. You’ve never had a hot dog?”

“Maybe not.”

“Oh, my God. Make sure his is smothered and covered. And two cherry lemonades.”

“You got it,” the young man said as he winked.

“You’re in for a treat.”

“Covered and smothered? It sounds disgusting,” he growled.

“You’re just going to need to trust me. Do you think you can do that?”

“I don’t know about if I can. I think you might need to convince me.”

I cocked my head, giving him a saucy look. “I think I can do that easily.”

“How so?”

As soon as I turned toward him, he pulled me away from any possible prying eyes. I wrapped one arm around his shoulder dramatically then the other. When I shifted my hips back and forth, he issued a series of deep growls that I’d come to adore.

“How about this to start.” I pressed my lips against his, taking my time to open them while pulling him as tightly against my body as possible.

His cock was rock hard and throbbing, the instant electricity as powerful as always. I finally slipped my tongue inside, savoring the taste. He’d popped a peppermint, a favorite flavor.

Kazimir brushed his hand down my back, cupping my bottom and lifting me off my feet. I felt like some princess in his arms, safe and protected. He tried to dominate my tongue, but I refused to allow him, swiping mine back and forth as I wiggled in his arms.

The friction created was meant to drive him crazy and I could tell it was working. After a few seconds, I pulled away, dragging the tip of my tongue around his lips before biting on the lower one, growling in the process.

When I took a step away, I was pleased to find his eyelids half closed. “How about that? Will that do?”

He took a few seconds, acting as if he was trying to catch his breath. Sighing, he rubbed his jaw. “Nope. I think I’d going to need more.”

“Hmmm… Be careful what you ask for.”

“I’m not asking. I’m telling you.”

“Order up,” the young man shouted as if there was a huge crowd of loud patrons.

Blowing Kazimir a kiss, I spun around to face the man behind the counter. He’d covered and smothered them alright. Perfect. “Come on, you godfather wannabe. Time to feast.”

“Not the type of feasting I prefer. And I keep telling you I’m not a godfather. Well, maybe I could be.”

His words continued to scintillate me, every nerve as if awakened by white-hot lightning. By the time we made it back to the GTO, my stomach was growling. Twilight was just settling in, the stars in the sky as bright as I’d ever seen them. We settled in, pushing both seats back.

“How do you eat this monstrosity?” he asked after unwrapping the chili dog.

“Silly. Like this.” I stuffed at least two inches of the dog inside my mouth, almost choking with laughter from seeing his expression. He stared at me unblinking as I munched on the delicious food.

When I swallowed, he took a deep breath, quickly eyeing the chili sauce and ketchup dripping down his fingers. Leaning forward, I couldn’t help myself and licked his fingers, taking my time as he squirmed in his seat.

I sat back, immediately taking a sip of the lemonade. He was still staring at me. After dabbing my face with a napkin, I grabbed two cheese-covered fries, stuffing them into my mouth.

A wry smile crossed his face. “You missed a spot.”

Very slowly he crowded my space, lifting my chin with his still messy hand and capturing my lips. Almost instantly, I was lightheaded, enjoying the way his tongue darted just inside, dancing with mine. His actions were tender yet still possessive.

Butterflies swarmed my stomach as another wave of electricity sparked dozens of sensations.

As he broke the kiss, I realized my eyes were closed. A crackling sound caught my attention and we both turned our heads toward the screen. “What is tonight’s entertainment selection?”

“You’ll see.” He gobbled half his hot dog, his eyes twinkling the entire time.