CHAPTER Sixteen
Alek
“What does this mean for our arrangement?” Erin asks, a content smile highlighting her gorgeous face.
“No need to worry. I don’t expect you to marry me tomorrow,” I tease. She pulls away from me, the tiniest bit and gives me a playful shove as best she can, considering we’re lying so close together.
“Alright, let’s be serious. I lied. I do have expectations, being a person who is always in the public eye,” I say. She lifts her head and stares into my face, glowing and studying me with her mysterious eyes.
“I’m waiting. Hit me.”
“What? Ready for another spanking already, Jaybird? Impressive.” I waggle my eyebrows.
Smiling, she rolls her eyes. “You know what I mean.”
I take a deep breath. This will either go over well, or I’ll wind up tucking my tail and heading home with a head full of good memories. “I want you to attend various functions with me.”
“That’s not so bad. I mean, we’re kind of already doing that,” she responds. I don’t exhale yet. Things are bound to get trickier after this first request.
“You’ll use Hagar to escort you around, indefinitely.”
Twisting her lips to the side, she thinks about this one a short moment before she says, “I guess he’s cool. That is if Katerina doesn’t try and scalp me again for stealing him away.”
“Leave her to me,” I assure her. “Next one. This one’s a toughie. You sure you’re ready to hear it?”
“Go ahead, already,” she urges.
“No more ass palms or suck facing with Rafe Martuccio, especially if you value his life,” I add with a smile. She frowns and narrows her eyes. “I am Russian. We don’t believe in sharing. In addition to that request, I’d prefer you didn’t work so late every night.”
“Right. Disagreement time,” she answers which I expected.
“What? I don’t trust the Martuccios. You hanging around until all hours in the night opens up the door for all kinds of mixed signals to be thrown around,” I tell her, hoping that this reason convinces her to agree with me.
“Have you forgotten about Requiem happening in three weeks? Um, that would be your show in case you need a reminder,” she says. I don’t want to tell her the real reason I want her to be home on time.
I’m fairly certain the black Sedan that’s been following us around has something to do with my father, or even worse, some of his enemies Dmitri mentioned.
“Now, it’s my turn,” she says, propping her head on her palm. I can’t deny my nervousness. This is the first time I’ve ever made these kinds of terms in an arrangement with a woman before.
“Alright. I’m ready, I think,” I answer truthfully. I’ve never been more unready for something in my whole life.
“No more dates with your singer, Rose Dewitt-whatever. Or anybody else like her while we’re on the subject,” she begins.
I make a light laugh. “Do you mean Lila?” She raises her left eyebrow and doesn’t crack a smile. Mine fades at once. “I understand. You want exclusivity. Agreed.” I wait for her next request.
“That’s it,” she says, surprising me.
“Nothing else?”
“Alek, all a girl really needs is to know she’s the one and only. Doesn’t matter whether it’s an arrangement, or whatever. I don’t want you taking every Lila and Nadya to our waterfall.” I love the way she refers to it as our waterfall.
She doesn’t know how happy she makes me. A man’s needs are similar to a woman’s desires. Every now and then we need a knock against the head to get it right, though. I agree and take her into my arms. I silence the voice inside my head, the one trying to make me feel insecure about what I’ve done.
The road to reach the impossible has been paved. And I don’t want anybody else to travel down it with me but the woman lying beside me right now.
Erin
Today’s adventure involves riding Alek's motorcycle, a vintage one that was delivered to our apartment sometime last night. We’re heading to a vineyard a few miles off the Amalfi coast. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for some good old fashioned wine tasting. But the motorcycle thing promises to push me over the edge, I’m afraid.
I have a list of the top ten things to avoid in this lifetime. Clam chowder comes in first place and motorcycles follow at a close second. Why is that? It’s not really a fear factor kind of thing. A long time ago, one of the boys in our neighborhood back home had a little dirt bike. He wanted to show off for his friends, so he used Jada and me as the bait.
He started performing all kinds of silly tricks and things and ended up kicking mud all over nice Sunday clothes. All of the older kids standing around us started laughing, including the boy. But Jada wasn’t standing for it; especially after I started crying. I was wearing my pink Easter dress, one of the only girly items I've ever owned. She marched right up to the boy and popped him in the nose.
Well, guess who went home crying after that? He did. Since that day, I started to associate boys on motorcycles with that kid: sneaky and arrogant.
Okay. You really need to get over it, Erin.
If you get dumped into a puddle of mud, then don’t say I didn’t try to warn you.
“Come on, Erin,” Alek says, holding out his hand. He has already started the engine, and he’s waiting for me.
“I don’t know,” I answer, glancing around and hugging my shoulders. Turning off the engine, he puts down the kickstand and removes his helmet. Messy dark hair flops over in his face, blending in with his dark shirt and black jeans. And he’s smiling, no wait—he’s grinning. “You’re laughing at me.”
“Yes,” he answers as his laughter grows.
“It’s really not funny, Alek.”
“No, it’s not. But you’re so very adorable,” he answers, melting my resolve and replacing my fear with giddiness.
“And you’re a little annoying,” I say smugly, narrowing my eyes.
“I apologize. I’ll be good…for now.” He makes a cross over his heart, steps away from the motorcycle, and picks up the helmet that sits behind the one he just removed.
“No, you won’t. It’s not even in your chemical makeup.”
“I can show you what’s on my body if you like, just in case you’ve already forgotten.” I didn’t even see him close the distance between us. He removes his black sunglasses and stares deep in my eyes.
“Nah. Tempting offer, though,” I begin. “You’re not getting out of giving me a chance to beat you in this test. I know what you’re doing.”
He sucks his teeth. “Damn, you got me figured out. I take it you’re ready to ride, then?” Leaning over, he passes a light kiss across my lips and places the helmet in my arms. My fear of boys on bikes goes flying away like the wind. I don’t understand why we're acting like we’re not ready to f*ck each other’s brains out again.
“This is how we don’t wind up getting anything else done today,” I mutter as his lips linger close to mine.
“Now that I know you won’t slap me, I want to kiss you this way as much as possible,” he answers. Closing my eyes, I nod and wait to be kissed again. Nothing happens. Wind brushes across my face. I open my eyes. Alek sits back on the motorcycle now. He’s chuckling again too.
“Adorable,” he repeats.
“You sneaky devil. Why’d you leave me hanging like that?” I ask, feeling slightly disappointed.
“You told me to quit distracting you, right?”
“Yeah, I guess I did,” I say, sighing.
“I’m waiting.” He revs up the motorcycle again. “I think we’ve left your shy girl stage behind, Erin. Hop on.” Beaming the Alek smile I can’t resist, he holds out a hand for me, and I walk toward him. His smile fades at once as his gaze comes to rest at my throat. He kills the engine and removes his helmet again. I can't help but to wonder what our neighbors are probably thinking about the crazy couple that keeps on revving up and then cutting off their motorcycle.
“What’s this?” He stares at my butterfly necklace, massaging it. “Have I seen it before?” It’s almost as though he’s hypnotized by the sight. I especially wanted to make sure I wore Jada’s necklace today, a turning point in my life. It makes me feel like she’s right here sharing the moment with me.
“Oh yeah. This is where I got the inspiration for Mystical’s butterfly logo,” I explain.
“I see. And where did you get it?” His voice is barely above a whisper.
It’s okay to tell him, Erin. No one has ever asked me about Jada’s necklace before. I’m not sure how I feel about telling him; but something tells me it’ll be fine if I do. “It was my sister’s necklace.”
“The one who died?” he asks. I nod.
He stares into my eyes a long moment, making me think he’s searching for something inside them. He does this a lot. I want to know why. “It’s stunning.”
“Alek, are you okay?” I ask.
Blinking several times, he snaps out of his trance. “Yes,” he answers, but still seeming a bit distracted. He pulls me into his arms. “I didn’t mean to bring somber thoughts into our happy time.”
“You didn’t. It feels right to talk to you about this,” I say meaning every word. I’m touched by the way he’s reacting to my revelation.
“Let’s go. Our time here will be up before we know it.” He glances at Jada’s necklace one final time just before he returns the sunglasses to his face. And then he assists me with putting my helmet on the right way.
I hop on the bike behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. I could definitely get used to this arrangement.