“It’s not your fault I got shot,” he reminds me as his finger dips inside me again.

Uhm.

I lick my lips and barely have enough brain activity to say, “It wasn’t my fault you got shot.”

Demitri pulls his finger out of me and then presses a kiss to my left butt cheek.

“Now,” he murmurs, his voice low and deep, “tell me how you feel about me.”

“Right now, I’m torn between angry and fucked up,” I mutter.

He spanks me again, and I grind my teeth to keep the cry back, then snap, “Scratch that. I’m going with anger.”

And then he freaking chuckles. “Now you know how I feel.”

Chapter 34

DEMITRI

“You’re angry?” Ariana asks. “Why? I left you to keep you safe. You should be thanking me!”

Placing both my hands on her crimson ass, I massage her skin before moving up her back until my fingers wrap around her neck. I lean down to her ear. “I told you this body belonged to me, and you fucking starved yourself.”

Turning her head, she scowls at me. “Forgive me for not thinking of food while I was freaking dying of a broken heart.”

I move back again and slap her pussy, and then she fucking moans.

I grab hold of her hips and turn her onto her back, and placing my hands on either side of her head, I glare down at her. “Because you tried to run from me.”

“Because I wanted to keep you safe,” Ariana bites out.

I lean a little down until we’re face to face. “Let’s get one thing straight right now. I’m the protector.”

Annoyed, she rolls her eyes at me. “Sorry for caring whether you live or die.”

Grabbing hold of her jaw, I lean even closer. “Oh, Malyshka, you can care, but don’t fucking try to do my job.”

The anger drains from her face, and a hurt look takes its place. “So I’m just supposed to sit and worry?”

“No.” I stare deep into her eyes. “You’re supposed to trust me.”

“I do,” she whispers.

“Do you? Really?” I take a deep breath, and it’s filled with her natural scent.

Her eyes begin to shimmer. “I do trust you.”

I frame her face with my hands. “How do you feel about me?”

Emotion floods her features, and then she finally fucking admits, “I love you.”

I close the distance between us and press a soft kiss to her lips, then ask, “Why was it so hard to say?”

“Because I knew once I told you how I felt you’d never let me go.”

I shake my head. “That’s where you’re wrong, Malyshka. The day I told you you’re mine, I meant it. There’s nowhere on this planet you can run to where I won’t find you.”

“Promise?” she whispers. “Promise you’ll never let me go?”

“I swear it to you.” I press a hand to the scar on my chest. “I’d take a million bullets for you. Don’t let one get between us.”