Page 46 of Sins and Virtue

We strode forward, passing through the lines of vendors, avoiding the direct line of sight of the nuns as many locked their eyes on us, especially the young beautiful women like myself, but they all inherently had a knack for the criminal beside me.

I began picking at my nails, the racing in my chest unable to find ease.

Damn him. Had he no sense of survival? Or did he think that with his damned pistol he could conquer the world?

Little by little we lost the crowd’s attention as the children began to scurry around, asking for people to play with them. Though there were still a plethora of women who would wait around and invite him to their bed. A sick, twisted tinge of bitterness grew an ugly head, raging in my chest cavity.

Konstantin slid his hands in his pocket, and a fine line drew between his brows again as he appeared to slow his pace to match mine. “Did you just take me away to have me all by yourself?”

Disgusted by the idea, I scowled. “As if.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“The problem is you’re not supposed to be here. Do you have no sense of danger? What if you get caught? There are cops all over the place looking for you.”

“One cop at the entrance. Two parked in a car nearby on a lunch break. I assessed the surrounding area, and there is nothing more dangerous than that mechanic machine if it were to break down and collapse on top of me.”

Narrowing my eyes at his insolence, I said, “Not funny. What if the cops notice you? They’ll send your ass straight to prison. Well, that will be great because I’ll get the bed to myself, so knock yourself out.”

“You like sleeping by yourself?”

“Very much.”

“Then I could find another woman’s bed to sleep in.”

“Well, I’ve had my fair share of both men’s and women’s beds, and women tend to be better on most occasions, so be my guest and let me get back to my life. Thanks.” I turned on my heel andwas about to take a step before he caught my arm and pulled me back to him.

“You’re jealous,” he added, reveling in his manly pride. “You know it’s not my fault women find me so appealing. I can’t help my god-given charms. Second, you say I’m drawing attention, but if you stopped looking like you want to attack me, then they wouldn’t notice as much.”

A war raged in my heart, not wanting to believe in his nonsense.

I diverted the conversation, mocking a small chuckle. “Yeah, as if people won’t notice a six-three Slavic giant roaming around.”

“Six-five.”

“What?”

“I’m not six-three. I’m six-five.”

“Idiot.”

I slapped his chest as a laugh escaped his tempting full lips. The distraction made his hands slip from my shoulders. His fleeting warmth was gone.

“Alright, no need to be such azanuda.”

“A what? What did you just call me? Don’t insult me in that stuffy language of yours.” I shout accusingly.

“Relax, I just said you’re a bore.”

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “A bore? Ha! That’s funny coming from a geezer like yourself. I mean, when was the last time you had fun in 1992?”

“Well, I am thirty-three, kotyonok, so it’s nice of you to remember my birth year.”

He completely missed the point.

“Really, thirty-three? You look older.”

“The older the better, baby,” he winked suggestively.