Chapter 4 - Alexei

She's fucking playing with me. That's what she's doing.

Every time I see her, she taunts me with that gorgeous smile of hers, those wide hips and that narrow waist. She knows exactly what she is doing to me.

I pace up and down my living room, trying to figure out what the best way to get her off my mind is. But the truth is that there is no way to get her out of my thoughts.

I need to see her.

It's the only way.

I grab my car keys and march towards the front door.

I yank it open and slam it shut behind me.

I feel so agitated. My entire body feels like I'm in some kind of detox. desperately in withdrawal from and craving a drug I've never even had. Her . Clara.

That one kiss was enough to make me an addict.

And now I want more.

Without a plan or idea of what I am going to do, I drive towards her uncle's house. I assume his security is shit. His ego is so big I guess he just assumes no one is bold enough to come for him.

Either way, I'm not after him—I want her.

She is all I want.

That continuous, all-consuming obsession that is growing worse on a daily basis.

I drive without noticing anything around me because she is all that matters.

Parking just around the corner from his place, out of sight, because her uncle might recognize my Mustang, I climb out of the car and walk around the back of the property.

I was right.

His security is shit, and breaking in is far easier than it should be. I'm almost disappointed, as I was up for a bit of a challenge.

I climb the back wall onto the balcony that I know leads to her bedroom. I know because I've watched her before. Many times.

Pressing myself against the wall, I try to stay out of sight as I peer inside, but Clara isn't in there. I know she's home because her car is here, parked in one of the garages. I can see it on the tracking app.

I push the palm of my hand against her window. It eases open.

You silly, innocent girl. Didn't you learn to be more careful after that time you got kidnapped? Anyone could just walk into your room now.

And I do.

I push the tall window wide open and step into the room over the low window ledge, ducking under the half-lowered blinds. She has an LED strip light running along her ceiling, a row of pink lights set on low, letting off a warm and welcoming neon glow that fills the space. I would love to see how this color reflects off her skin.

It smells like her in here.

Sweet, warm scents of magnolia. A hint of rose. A touch of vanilla.

I walk quietly over to her bed, running my hands over the crumpled unmade sheets, across her pillow. The bed is cold, but I imagine her body laying naked, tangled in the sheets, perhaps a glow of perspiration on her skin after a very satisfying night together.

A grin spreads across my lips.

One day she will realize that she belongs to me and no one else, and then she will stop putting up such a fight.

My grin is replaced with a scowl as I pull my hand back to my side, away from her silky sheets.

She will be mine, because I am going to make sure of it.

"No, Giorgio, that isn't what happened."

Clara's voice carries from downstairs. She sounds upset. I creep over to the bedroom door and crack it open further so that I can hear what is going on. From here, I can see them, and they both look agitated. Giorgio looks particularly pissed off.

"Don't fucking lie to me, Clara. You went on a date with Alexei Dubrov and someone I know saw you. They saw you at the restaurant. So why the fuck are you lying to me?"

Except she isn't lying. We definitely have not been on a date yet.

"That Alexei boy is nothing but trouble, and you have to go and be rebellious by interacting with the most unstable of all the Dubrovs," Giorgio spits angrily. He's pushing his luck with his words. "I am going to lock you in this house and only let you outside with supervision."

"I did not go on a date with him. Whoever told you that is giving you false information. I was on a date with Brandon—the one you set up."

Giorgio seems to ease up at the mention of this Brandon asshole.

"Brandon would be a good husband for you. He's rich. He's good in business. It will be excellent for you to marry him if I can get a piece of his client list."

Clara huffs. A sour expression covers her face.

"Is that really all you care about? What about if I even like him?"

"Nonsense. Stop talking this rubbish. Set up another date with him. Tell him you really enjoyed the last one."

"I would prefer not to."

"Clara, I told you to do it. Do it. I don't want to hear another word. You can go on a few more dates with him, and then we'll approach him for a marriage arrangement."

I grit my teeth together. He's trying to marry her off to that idiot who was sitting at the table with her. He seems clueless, boring, bland. Clara doesn't need a husband like that.

Clara doesn't need anyone else but me.

Clara glances up the stairs towards her bedroom. I am pressed up against the edge of the doorframe. It's too dark up here for her to see me, but it feels as though she is looking right at me. Asking me for help. Begging me to save her from her fate with Brandon, and from her uncle's controlling ways.

Her uncle needs to learn a lesson. He can't go around talking about me like that. He can't call me the most reckless of all the Dubrovs.

Giorgio is still lecturing her, pacing up and down past her. She is standing still and quiet now. I guess she's given up, knowing he isn't going to actually hear her out, anyway.

Her fists are clenching and unclenching at her sides. Her eyes are glittering as though she might start crying, but she's fighting it.

Her uncle is being a complete asshole.

When Giorgio turns to face Clara again, he raises his brows. "And? What are you still doing here? Go and message Brandon like I told you to," He snaps.

She doesn't say a word. She turns towards the stairs and starts walking up them, clearly upset. I can see the tears falling now that she has turned her back on her uncle.

Oh shit. She's coming up here.

I bolt towards the window, climbing through it, out into the cool night air. I duck to the side, out of sight, watching through the glass.

She walks into her bedroom and closes her door behind herself. I expected her to slam it. But she doesn't.

For some reason, I like how controlled she looks. I can see the anger boiling in her, but she's composed and elegant.

She marches over to her bedroom cupboard and starts looking through her clothing. It's late. I can't imagine what she is looking for.

After a while she pulls out a dark blue dress, short, velvet.

Carrying it over to the bed she tosses it on the unmade blankets and starts kicking her shoes off. Then she pulls her top over her head and my cock starts to throb.

Her lace-pink bra is practically transparent.

She unbuttons her jeans and starts to wiggle them down her hips.

Her back is facing the window now, and my eyes are taking every inch of that gorgeous body. The curve of her spine, the way her waist dips inwards before swelling over her hips. Oh my fuck—her ass.

I clear my throat without thinking and she turns towards the window in fright.

I hold my breath. She stares into the darkness. I know that all she can really see in the glass is her own reflection.

After a long moment she turns away again, continuing to undress.

Then she pulls the blue dress up her body, slipping her arms into the thin shoulder straps. She grabs a pair of black high heels from her closet and slips her feet into those.

Fuck, she's gorgeous.

My cock is so hard it's beginning to hurt.

Clara walks over to her bedroom door and locks it.

Why would she get ready only to lock herself in—

Oh fuck.

She's sneaking out through the window.

Fuck.

I hurry to the edge of the balcony, wondering where she will climb down. The trellis wasn't the easiest thing to climb up. I swing my legs over and hurry down, then press my body up against the wall in the darkness, out of view.

Not even a minute later I hear her breathing from up above me. She is muttering to herself.

One high heel is flung over the balcony. Then another. They land with a soft thud on the grass.

I hear her take her first step onto the trellis, and I hold my breath because she's being ridiculous. What if she falls and hurts herself?

I glance up, right up her dress.

My cock throbs.

She climbs down slowly, taking each step carefully.

When she gets to the ground she glances left and right around the house, but not behind her. Not to where I am standing.

She pulls her black leather jacket tight over her shoulders before she bends down at picks up her shoes.

Then she starts jogging across the grass to the wall. She is going to climb out the same way I came in.

I give her a head start and then follow.

She has no idea what kind of monster is stalking her right now. I am the most effective hunter. Silent, stealthy and deadly.

Tonight, I am not out to kill, but how can I miss this perfect opportunity.

She is right here within my grasp.

I jump over the wall, crouching low as I land. She pauses and looks behind her.

I stay low.

When she turns away again, I run straight towards her. She spins to see what is happening, but it's already too late.

I clap my hand over her mouth, and no matter how hard she tries, I have her so tightly in my grip that she has no chance of escaping.

Her muffled cries against my hand turn me on even more as I drag her towards my car. She kicks me a few times, losing her shoes in the process. I just lift her a little higher off the ground and keep walking as though I felt nothing.

At the car, I open the back and toss her into the trunk, slamming it shut before she has a chance to see who has taken her. I can hear muffled screams coming from inside. I need to leave, right now, before anyone hears.

I'll let her simmer in the back there for a while. Let her feel fear. By the time we get to my place she might have calmed down and might be more reasonable.

Her uncle wants to call me the most unstable of all the Dubrovs? Let me give him a reason to feel that way.

She has rejected me too many times. Turned me down, taunted me with her beauty. But I know she wants me. She won't be able to deny it for much longer.

I climb into the car and start the engine, pressing the accelerator down as soon as the car growls to life. The Mustang is loud, but luckily, I am far enough away from Giorgio's property that he's not likely to pay attention to it.

I can't go home.

My brothers stay nearby. There will be too many visitors, too much foot traffic through my home. Someone will see her. Especially if she is going to be screaming like that the entire time.

Shit, I really didn't think this through.

Luckily I have that property in the forest, away from the city. My brothers will never think to look there for me if I disappear. Usually they assume I've gone on some overseas trip.

I'll have some time to settle in and figure out what the fuck I just did.

Maybe I am impulsive.

Fuck it, so what if I am?

Her screaming is louder inside the car, so I turn up the music. I can't help smiling to myself as I drive away from the city into the more secluded forest.

It's beautiful out here in the daytime.

At night, it is pitch-dark and eerie. I love it.

Clara is going to love it, too.