24. Daniela

TWENTY-FOUR

Daniela

F ocusing on anything other than Val while Viktor goes to wash his hands, my hands become the most interesting thing in the world. He has his shirt off, all his tattoos blend together like a scrapbook calling me to study them. Handsome prick. Our truce is over, and he's not supposed to be here, my mind was going to hold on to the image of him asleep as the last memory of him. But he's fucking it up, and me in the process, by standing there all Val with no shirt on and going through my things. Private things. Someone's library of debauchery are off limits, they need to be respected.

A low curse comes from behind me, closer than where he should be. "Oh fuck."

There's humor in it and I can hear his stupid smirk as he closes the distance and stands at my back. Electricity works up my spine as he lifts my hair away from my neck. It gets worse with his deep, low voice brushing my skin and goosebumps erupt.

"Found your porn, khudozhnik moya. "

My entire body turns red knowing what he's looking at.

I turn to face him, snatching my book out of his hand again, but the stupid idiot is so attractive I pause. Blue is all I can see as he leans down, the same blue eyes that I've been painting for years are right in front of me again, and his taunt is lighthearted.

"If that's what you read, what do you watch?"

I step back and tilt my chin in the air, pretending not to give a fuck about his proximity and find extra confidence for my voice.

"I'm a lady, I read my porn, not watch it."

My false confidence crumbles when he looks at me.It's his eyes, I've never had a favorite color. It always depends on my mood and what I'm pairing it with. But the blue mixing with faint yellow flecks is mesmerizing no matter the occasion.For years it has been those eyes giving me comfort and they're in front of me again.

Stroking across my jaw with his thumb, he whispers, "Is that so you can imagine me when you're reading it?"

My head moves too slowly, and his thumb doesn't leave my skin. My voice drops turning husky without meaning to.

"No, you watch porn for release. I read it to escape."

There's too much honesty and I clear my throat looking away for a place to hide it before more comes out.

Clean up.

Yeah, I'll do that.

He's a messy person so he won't follow me.

He smells too good, woodsy and citrus, making me lightheaded and I take deep breaths through my nose so I can get more as he follows me. He strokes his fingertips down my bare arm in a ghost of a touch and electricity travels through my skin. Every muscle relaxes and I lean back feeling his chest support me as he threads his fingers through mine, holding the back of my hand.

Instinct urges me to move without a reason why as Val's lips brush my shoulder, they don't press in fully as a thud hits the door, making me jump back and bringing me back to my senses. I push away from him as the savior of my sanity knocks again, dumbly announcing, "Door. I mean there's someone at the door."

I rush away from him, wiping my hands on my thighs and try to control my breathing before pulling the door open.

Even while we were dating I was never happier to see Sam than I am at this moment. I give him a smile he doesn't deserve for his character and move forward to close the door behind me. He doesn't say anything to me as he looks over my head, his eyes catching on something and frowns. Flicking back to me then whatever he's enraptured with behind me, his lip curls up in disgust and he lets out filth.

"Didn't take you long to fuck someone else. I shouldn't be surprised conside?—"

He's cut off from saying anything else as I'm pulled back inside, and Valentin forces him back with his fist against his jaw. He slams my own door in my face, but it doesn't mute his shouts between the impact of bone on bone.

"You stupid fucking cunt!"

Viktor has finished washing his hands and he looks at the door as though he can see through it.Dickhead is scaring his own son. Going to him, I crouch down and try to ignore the sound of someone clearly being punched as Val issues threats.

"Hey," I say softly, "it's okay, they're just talking."

It's bullshit, we both know it is and he tries not to laugh at my obvious lie. His smile forces out his dimple, the only thing he has from Carly that isn't muted by his dads genes.He gently places both of his hands on my shoulders and tilts his head to the side, acting like I'm the child as he says, "They're fighting. Don't worry my dad will win."

There's so much pride in his declaration. He's such a cute kid it's easy to forget who he's grown up around. Curses fly from both of the shitheads outside and I guide him away, not wanting to corrupt him before he's had the chance to grow.

Sitting him on the sofa I do what I've seen my tia do, impart knowledge or whatever shit adults are supposed to.

"Adults say bad words sometimes, but you're not supposed to repeat them okay?"

Do all adults feel like they're talking shit when speaking to a child? I curse and I don't think it's a reflection on someone's character, but I still attempt to teach him different.

He pinches his lips between his teeth, still trying not to laugh, but it floats around his words .

"I'm allowed to swear. Only if I use them right." He points out random objects and demonstrates the correct way to curse. "Pass the effing salt, or effing paper isn't right. If I was angry or hurt then it's fine."

I settle into a role I have no idea on how to perform and sound uncertain to my own ears as I nod, "Well, if you make a mistake or it slips out wrong I won't shout at you."

The laugh escapes this time, loud and folding him in half. I must be doing okay if I made my nephew laugh.His mannerisms are exactly like Val's, his eyes are darker but the way he shakes his head and sighs after is his father's double.

"You're not scary, Vlad's scary and he wouldn't even shout at me."

I don't disagree with him because his uncle possesses the quality of making people piss their pants while he's smiling. He's not affected by their violent traits or the fact there's a literal fight happening outside the door. Instead, he tells me all the new words he's learnt in Portuguese. There's never a reference to his mom but he knows his culture, both parts equally. I know whose influence it is when he dives forward and pulls a box of brigadeiro out of his bag.

Val storms back in with bloody knuckles and Viktor holds the box up in offering without batting an eye at the destruction to his dads hands. He softens his voice, and my heart, as he ruffles his son's hair and gently says, "I'm good little man, I need to talk to Dani, eat your treats, so Tali doesn't sniff them out."

I stream the kids show he watches to keep him occupied and follow Val into the hallway.Nerves flood me when I haven't done anything wrong. He's too big and shirtless. There's blood on his chest but it makes me feel safe because I'm a dumb fuck. The softness doesn't stay when we're alone and he crosses his arms over his chest.

"Who's the dickhead?"

He's so pretty.

I blink up at him while my mind tries to focus, and it turn my answer into a question.

"You?"

His lips quirk but he stops any further humor from showing despite how he softens as he pinches my cheek .

"Very cute, answer the question, rodnaya." He lowers his voice with the accusation and takes half a step closer. "Why was some dumb cunt on your door asking for his things back?"

Satisfaction fills me and I look up, smiling widely at the memory. "Because I burnt them."

I'm not a totally heartless prick and there was nothing sentimental, but it doesn't take away from seeing it burn.

He moves his head back as he assesses me like I'm a new person and laughs. "I always thought you were good, sweet little Dani not a fire starter."

There's no insult but I bristle the same and straighten my shoulders. "Just because I'm a nice person doesn't mean I'm a doormat."

People equate manners and morals with being weak, it's not. It takes some inner fortitude to not hurt people when all your hands want to do is inflict pain. I chose the same route with my family, sat there with them despite never actually existing to a single one of them. It would have been easy to point out every flaw, scream and shout about how unfair they were. Biting my tongue was harder but I'm an adult now, one who knows there's a delicate balance when controlling yourself. If you keep bearing down on the muscle and never speaking it will cut off. So, I exercise restraint and only remove the pressure of my teeth to keep it attached.

Val strokes my cheek, pride in his eyes and his lips lift in a gentle smile. He doesn't say anything as he traces my features, and his smile increases as he reaches my neck. His thumb ends up on my cheekbone and he stares into my eyes. The air thickens the longer he stares at me, and he whispers an innocent question like it's indecent.

"Do you like horses?"

It's a dumb question, everyone likes them, they're majestic and powerful. I don't trust my voice and nod, but his smile gets wider, and he kisses my cheek. "Come with us, Dani mine."

I can't play some dysfunctional happy family. We had our truce and it's over. But when I open my mouth to say that the wrong words come out. "Let me change."

Holding my waist, he pushes back and looks down at my body. It's slow and the feeling of Val's fingers on my ribs is too much. He makes lazy circles with his thumb and rakes his eyes back up and smirks .

"You're perfect like this."

He can't say shit like that, it's wrong. I don't why it's wrong, but it is.

I'm dressed like a farm hand that has just finished renovating, there's paint on my knee and I never even noticed until we got in the car. I attempt to discreetly pick it off once we're hidden in the stables and Viktor drags my attention away.

"I've got a riding lesson now but are you coming to my birthday?"

I don't even know when his birthday is and Val answers for me.

"She'll be there, take your helmet."

He's so cute being a parent, all safety first and making sure he's clipped in properly.Viktor runs off to meet the instructor and realization has me turning to the asshole who forced me here.

"Why am I here?"

We don't have anything to talk about and he gets cuter, scrubbing a hand over his head and pointing to a stall. "Horses."

Val finds his usual arrogance and stretches up, pulling a long thin piece of leather off one of the beams. Tall prick.If I keep adding prick to end of all the qualities I love about him I may be able to recondition my mind to fully hate him.

He doubles it over and grabs each end, his fists pulling it taut until the leather claps. I clench my thighs and he does it again, taking a step forward. The bastard smirks and pointedly looks at my crotch.

"Need to pee?" Another step. "Or is it a different type of liquid coating your thighs?"

I turn giving him my back, so I don't have to answer his dumbass question, and go to the horses as I make a clicking noise to get it to walk over to me and abandon their feed.

The sound doesn't get any attention as the horse swishes its tail, but Val follows it and the thin leather wraps around my waist. Holding each end at my sides, he pulls me into his body and turns equestrianism filthy with his lust filled voice as he asks, "You know what these are?"

My heart is beating too fast, it looks like a thin belt without any clasp.

"A belt? "

He tuts at my answer. "They're reins, you use them to control the rhythm when you're riding."

He wraps the excess leather around his fists as he grinds into my ass and pulls me tighter.

My mind is dirty and forms and image of a different type of riding just like he wanted. Tracing the curve of my shoulder to my neck with his nose, he blows across my skin and whispers darkly, "Say the word and I'll wrap you up in them, rodnaya."

Rolling my head back on his shoulder, I look up and smile, full of innocence as I bat my lashes. "But I did such a good job without them."

His hands go lax and he's crazy to think I'd fuck him in a stable where anyone could walk in. Or at all.

I duck down, escaping his hold and free myself to create some much needed distance between us. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since we agreed to nothing more and it's clear we can't be alone. Footsteps sound against the path and I move away to the furthest stall picking up a piece of hay to get the horse to come to me. Tali comes around the corner not sensing our perverted thoughts and pulls sugar cubes out of his pocket. I focus on him to chase away my previous thoughts about his brother, so I ask, "Have you run out of snacks and you're just eating ingredients now?"

He drops one cube into my hand and gestures to the stall as he holds my wrist, pushing it through the gap.

"They like them. Watch, it'll eat from your hand."