Page 44 of Immoral (Park Avenue Kings #3)

DIMITRI

I WASN’T THE kind of man to make grand gestures.

I’d been raised to be tough, uncompromising, immune to any emotion that would make me weak. So it made sense that things like romance, soul mates, and forever weren’t anywhere on my radar—until Benoit Olivier waltzed into my life.

Now here I was, having flown thousands of miles across an ocean, standing in some secret location in the hopes that Benoit felt even an inkling of what I did.

What King failed to mention when I’d called to set up this meeting was that I’d be walking into some kind of party.

Yes, it was Valentine’s Day, but King and his cohorts hadn’t really struck me as the types to hold a fancy get-together to celebrate such a romantic day.

What with their penchant for espionage and holding arms dealers at gunpoint.

But that was why I was here, wasn’t it? For romance? I wasn’t exactly the poster child for sweeping someone off their feet either, which was why this spectacle had me momentarily faltering.

I’d expected Benoit to be in a meeting room somewhere for this rendezvous, not standing in the middle of a shindig where there were gorgeous men in tuxedos all vying for his attention—and that immediately set me on edge.

I scanned the crowds of people drinking and dancing, looking for him, and when my eyes locked on Benoit standing next to a tall, broad-shouldered man— wait, is that Shepard Winchester III, son of the former president? —I tensed.

Blood began to ring in my ears as every possessive instinct began to fire, then I spotted King move up to Benoit and gesture for him to turn around.

That was when it happened, when I saw it. The same emotions that had plagued me for weeks swirled in Benoit’s eyes, and my feet began to move of their own accord.

I didn’t care whom he was standing next to, whom he had come here with tonight. All I wanted was to be back within touching distance, kissing distance—claiming distance.

Because Benoit Olivier was mine, and no one was going to stand in my way.

I crossed the room, mindful of the crowd parting as I made my approach, just in case someone got stupid and tried to make a move on me.

I didn’t think King would be the kind to invite me to an ambush, especially after our business dealings had gone so well, but one could never be too careful.

All the while I kept my eyes trained on the beautiful man watching me.

Benoit looked as gorgeous as ever in tailored high-waist black pants, a gold filigree blouse that I would lay bets was silk, and a lightweight cape around his shoulders.

He looked almost…regal. His brown hair looked to have copper highlights where it was pushed back from his face, making his cheekbones look impossibly high, and the stubble lining his lips and jaw was just enough to tempt.

I wanted closer to those lips, closer to that man. So I could slide my fingers through his hair and taste him the way I was dying to.

Like a moth to the brightest of flames I moved in, and when I was close enough to breathe in his unique scent, I said, “You better not be here with a fucking date.”

Benoit’s eyes widened, and I realized that maybe I wasn’t cut out for this romance business after all. But then he blinked and that slow, sensual smile of his crossed his lips.

He took a step forward, then looked up at me from under impossibly long lashes.

“And if I am?”

My cock jerked at the silky challenge in his voice, but my heart pounded even harder. He wasn’t scared. He wasn’t running from my threat. He was indulging me, playing with me, and fuck if I hadn’t missed that.

I leaned down until my lips were by his ear and said, “You better send him home or I will send him six feet under.”

“ Ooh .” Benoit chuckled and turned his face until our lips were an inch apart. “I do so love a possessive man.”

I angled my head, dying to take the kiss I’d so desperately been missing, but I couldn’t get past the word he’d uttered— love . Even though he was teasing, I had to know…was it possible? Had I come here in vain, or was he feeling the same twisted wrongness I was at being apart?

There was only one way to find out.

“Do you?” I said, losing the battle to keep from touching him. I slipped my fingers under his cape and curved them possessively at his waist. “Do you think you could?”

Those perfect lips parted, and it felt like a hundred breaths passed as I waited for his response, though it probably wasn’t more than a few seconds. My chest felt too tight, but I wasn’t going to pass out. No matter what his answer was, I could handle it. I hoped.

But then Benoit slid his hands up my chest to curl his fingers around the lapels of my jacket and pulled me in closer. “I think I could,” he said, meeting my gaze, the green in his hazel eyes shining fiercely tonight. “I think…I might.”

The relief that went through me was so intense that it was a good thing I had a hold on him, or my knees might’ve given way. That wasn’t the image I wanted to portray, especially here in the midst of so many power players.

At the moment, though, I didn’t give a fuck about any of them. There was only Benoit and the soft smile on his lips, and…

There might’ve been one other thing, but I’d surprise him with that later.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” I said. “I would’ve hated to force your hand.”

“Hated it?” Benoit arched a brow, and I smirked.

“Maybe I would’ve enjoyed it.”

“Now that sounds more like you.” He leaned into my ear, his breath warm on my neck, and added, “Feel free to show later how you would’ve forced my hands…or any other part of me.”

I couldn’t help my growl as I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him against my body.

Unable to resist another second of keeping this polite, I took his lips in a crushing kiss that he met with the same intensity.

Those soft, pillowy lips I’d dreamed about for weeks—the ones that let fly nothing but smartass, sexy remarks that both infuriated me and drove me crazy—opened without hesitation.

I could faintly hear the sound of voices whispering, but they all faded into the background, until there was nothing but the feel of Benoit in my arms again. His hands slid up my shoulders to wrap around my neck as I slipped my tongue inside his mouth for the taste of him I craved.

The moment I got his text in Germany, I should’ve been on a plane.

Instead I’d spent weeks torturing myself, trying to convince my heart and my brain that I was better off without him, that he was better off without me, that we were too complicated, that there was no possible way we could be together or trust each other, that it would all end badly.

Until one night an undeniable truth hit me: I didn’t care.

No matter how much it didn’t make sense, Benoit was the one I wanted, and being here now, with him wrapped up in my arms, nothing had ever felt so right.

He licked inside my mouth, long, teasing strokes that had me grinning when he pulled back to look up at me.

“Hold on, is that a smile ?” He gasped, his hand going over his heart. “I didn’t even know it was possible.”

I tried to force a scowl, but it was impossible to hold for long with the amusement shining in Benoit’s eyes.

I leaned in to steal another kiss when I felt at least a hundred pairs of eyes staring at the two of us. I slowly craned my neck to the side, observing the surprised faces of those in the crowd.

“What the fuck are you all looking at?”

Benoit chuckled and cupped my jaw, turning me back to face him. “Now, now, mon monstre , no need to scare off the guests.”

“They’re staring.”

“Only because they’ve never seen such a handsome scowling man before. You should be flattered, considering there’s a prince in our midst.”

I immediately locked eyes on Prince Theodore Rinaldi, who was casually watching us with a mix of amusement and wariness, a kretek dangling between his fingers.

“A friend of yours?” I asked, turning back to Benoit.

“A brother.”

Shit, there was another one, and an influential one at that. No wonder Benoit was so confident. Not only was he a force to be reckoned with, but he had men of high caliber at his back.

I respected that. But even more, it gave me peace of mind over this decision. My job wasn’t a safe one, but Benoit was surrounded by family that wouldn’t let anything happen to him, and that was only if anyone dared to go through me first.

“Come with me,” he whispered, putting his lips to my jaw. “After all, you’re here to see me not scowl at them, are you not?”

My eyes came back to his sparkling ones, and I nodded. Damn right I was there for him, and I needed no more invitation than his slipping a hand in mine to follow him wherever he wanted to lead me.

Hell, I was starting to believe I’d follow him to the ends of the earth. That thought had once caused complete and utter panic deep in the pit of my stomach. But as Benoit pushed out of the ballroom and into a smaller, more private room, I closed the door and drew him to a halt.

He stopped and glanced over his shoulder at me, and before I could say a word, he was back in my arms.

We’d tried being apart, knowing this could very well end in tragedy rather than a happy ending, but we were done fighting it now.

I wanted to be in his life.I wanted him to be in mine.

Now the only question that remained was: did he want that too?

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he whispered over the top of my lips, sliding his hands up to touch my face.

I shut my eyes, reveling in his touch. “I wasn’t sure you’d want?—”

“I do,” he cut me off, moving his fingers to trace my scar. “I’ve never wanted anything more.”

I took his hand and pressed a kiss to his palm. “I can’t promise it’ll be easy. My life is?—”

“Yours.” Benoit smiled. “I know who you are, Dimitri. I’ve always known. But I’d rather a life with you than without you. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m used to a little risk for my rewards.”

I pushed off the door and cradled Benoit’s face between my hands.

God he was beautiful. I wanted to spend the rest of my life looking at his face. Waking up to it, falling asleep with it on the pillow beside mine. Benoit arguing with me, making love to me, growing old with me…

“Can you do me a favor?” I said, and swept my thumb along his cheek.

“Only if you lock the door.” He winked at me, and I grinned.

“Good to know you have some boundaries with your brothers, but it’s not that kind of favor.” I stepped back and let my eyes wander down his stunning outfit. “Check your pocket for me.”

Benoit’s brow furrowed. “My pocket?”

He slipped his fingers into the small pocket at the front of his pants and pulled out a small, rectangular piece of paper, and his mouth fell open.

“What— When did— You’ve been practicing.” His grin made me feel like the smartest motherfucker on the planet.

“I have.”

“It was when you first walked in, wasn’t it?”

“When I was threatening your fake date.”

“Fake? You didn’t know that.”

“Yes I did.” I laughed at his incredulous expression. “I just needed to distract you.”

“By threatening to kill someone?”

“Seemed the most believable option.”

Benoit held up the small piece of paper. “And what, pray tell, is this, mon monstre ?”

“A new proposal.”

He looked at the paper, his eyes narrowing, then back to me. “A proposal?”

“Yes. To replace my original one.”

My heart thundered as he fingered the edge of the paper, then he unfolded the note and read over the words I’d written.

Be mine. Now and forever.

And remember, I don’t take no for an answer.

~ Your Monstre

Benoit ran his fingers over the paper, once, twice and on the third time looked up, and shining back at me was all of the hope and love I’d been feeling since stepping inside this building tonight.

“I was yours from the moment you?—”

“Offered you a million dollars?”

“I was going to say four.”

A loud burst of laughter left me before I could help myself, and I reached for his hand and pulled him back in, kissing his lips hard.

“Tell me again,” I demanded as Benoit wound his arms around my neck.

“I’m yours. Now and forever.”

“Maintenant et pour toujours.”

Benoit pulled back. “Been practicing French too?”

“I never go on a mission without doing extensive research.”

“And I was your mission?”

“The most important of my life. I love you, Benoit. I didn’t think I was capable of feeling that way, but there’s nothing I want more than to prove myself wrong. And I will. Every single day.”

“That’s a pretty strong promise.”

“But it’s one I’ll keep. No matter what continent we happen to find ourselves on.”

“Good, because there’s no sending me away anymore. I have ways to find you.”

“And would you? Come find me?”

“Every day, for the rest of my life. I love you too. And I don’t care how scary you and your big bad life are—I want in.”

“You think you can handle me?”

“Oh, mon monstre. ” Benoit began to laugh, that joyous, lyrical sound that told me he was up to no good, then patted my chest. “I’ve been handling you ever since we met.”

“Is that right?”

“Of course. I sent you a text, and look what happened. You showed up to sweep me off my feet. Next plot…rings.”

My eyes widened. “I don’t know. I spent four million recently on this mouthy dancer, so I’m not sure a diamond ring is?—”

Benoit cut me off, pressing his lips hard to mine, and I wrapped him in my arms. The truth was, I’d buy him the world if that was what he wanted, but right now he seemed more than content to be in my arms, right where he belonged.

And that meant my life, for once, was fucking perfect.