Page 71 of His to Own

“Yes,” she whispers. It’s so quiet, it’s hard to hear her.

“I told that woman who sat in my lap to leave. That I had no interest in her. That’s when I saw you downstairs. That man was pawing at you. Did you want him doing that?”

She goes very, very still. “Why would I want someone to do that to me?”

“You saw a woman on my lap. Maybe you wanted to go touch another man just to hurt me.”

“No.” She rips her chin away from my hand. “I didn’t want that man touching me. He pulled me onto the dance floor. I didn’t want any of that.”

“Good.” Now I know I’ll have to kill that guy. “You are mine, Elena.”

“Doesn’t that make you mine as well?”

I smirk. “Do you want me to be yours?”

She blushes in that cute way of hers. “Maybe. You are my husband after all. I was worried. I thought you were cheating on me.”

“Why would you even think that?”

“Because I know you have a reputation.”

I go to object before I nod. “Fine. You’re right. I do. I have slept around a lot. But I’m not cheating on you.”

“You’re gone for hours at a time some nights. And Alisa got in my head.”

“Alisa? I didn’t know you two were spending more time together.”

“I was at the park near your house. She came by. She convinced me to know what you got up to. I thought she was right.”

“If you want my advice, Elena. Don’t listen to Alisa. She’s not always a good person.”

Elena frowns. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… sometimes she has ulterior motives for the things she does. I would be careful with her.” The last thing I want is Alisa and Elena becoming friends because then I know Elena is going to find out the truth.

“You know her better than I do. I’ll be careful.”

“Good. Now, let’s get you home. This isn’t the place for you.”

“What place is the right place for me then? You look comfortable here. I don’t feel like I belong in your life.”

“Do you see me at the library like you? I don’t belong there either. But none of that matters. Come on. I’ll take you home.”

She looks around the private booth. “Weren’t you working?”

“I did everything I needed to do for the night. Don’t worry. Now, come on.” I take her hand and pull her to her feet. Elena is quiet as we leave the club and go to my car.

“I took your other car here,” she explains.

“I’ll have someone come get it. Don’t worry.”

We drive in silence home. It kills me to not know what’s on Elena’s mind at all times. Most of the women I’ve fucked before were always open for pillow talk. They would share their dreams and life goals with me. But with Elena, she’s a closed book. She only reveals things when she wants to reveal them.

It is flattering though that she was worried enough about what I get up to at work to come visit me. She was jealous; that much was obvious. It was cute. I like her being jealous. It means she cares.

Elena hurries to our room and changes into her pajamas and gets in bed before I can even walk into the room. It’s clear she wants to put this night past us.

My phone buzzes with an incoming text. Nikolai. Says he has information on Aleksander Baranov. I sigh. “I need to go,” I explain.