Page 28 of The Crimson Lily

Maksim clears his throat. “Not on your face.”

My body stiffens. I realize why all of them were looking; it must be that huge hickey on my neck. Or maybe there are more marks now. I forgot to look in the mirror this morning as many other things were tumbling in my mind.

“We…‌didn’t use a condom last night,” I state, hesitant to say it, unsure what reaction to expect.

He doesn’t respond. He just raises an eyebrow like I haven’t told him anything new—which I haven’t, but that’s not the point. Maybe I didn’t think of protection, but neither did he!

“You could have put on a condom!” I reinforce with a loud whisper so as not to be noticed.

“I don’t carry condoms with me,” he declares. “And I told you I’d stop if you didn’t want me to.”

That he did, indeed. Shit again. He actually asked for my consent, and like a stupid, irresponsible girl, I spread my legs, regardless.

I figure if I want to question him about infections or diseases, I just have to ask. Now is the time. “You don’t have any STIs, right?”

“I don’t.”

“How can I be sure?” I raise. “You could be lying!”

“I don’t lie.”

I sigh. “How can you be sureIdon’t have any STIs?”

“I saw your medical file,” he declares. “And I know you haven’t been with anyone since your…‌friend.” He saysfriendwith blatant disdain.

Is that a hint of jealousy I hear? I can’t be sure. I shrug it off, focusing on that previous part.

“How doyouknow?” I ask in a cocky tone.

“I watched you,” he replies, as if that’s a normal thing to say.

What? Did I hear him correctly? Watched me? For how long? I have about a thousand questions right now. I start with the first one.

“Huh?”

Yeah…‌I’m not proud of that one.

“Since when?”

Better.

“That’s none of your business,” he says.

“It is darn well my business since it’s about me!” I rebuke, a little too loudly, twitching my nose at him.

He rolls his eyes and takes a deep breath. “You were under surveillance right after you made the deal.”

The deal? What deal? Huh? I made a deal? I have no freaking idea what to make of this! He must have seen my distress because he relaxes and sends a long exhale through his nostrils.

“A little over two months ago, you made contact with us,” he begins to explain. “You promised the dagger in exchange for our services.”

What? What kind of services? What the hell’s happening? I went to the Bratva myself? I made contact first? All this time, I thought they came to me! Why would I have done that?

I plant my elbows on the table and my face in my hands. I let out a long, enduring sigh. I don’t want to think about this anymore. About what I did or why I did it. About why I was involved with a dagger of glass, a shady professor, and the Russian mafia. About who I really was in my previous life.

As I close my eyes, I let my thoughts transport me back to the events of last night, to Maksim making his way into my skin. That’s a good image, one that I can focus on instead of all this madness. One that I hope to see again soon.

“Did last night…” I begin in a soft voice, breathing in and out slowly. “Did last night mean anything?” I slide my hands to the sides of my face and pass them over my hair, brushing them down my neck. I blink a few times, trying to maintain his cerulean gaze. I actually don’t want him to answer, so I pose another question. “Will we do this again?”