I stood from my seat and gently pushed her shoulder to make her sit back down as she started to stand. “Allow me,v’ns’kah.” I held back a smile as her cheeks pinkened.
As I made my way to the beverage bar, everyone parted before me like the Red Sea. It didn’t go unnoticed that I intimidated people. I preferred that and hoped it wouldn’t change. It was only Emma who I’d be nice to, with no exceptions.
Emma rarely drank alcohol because it didn’t mix with her mental illnesses and medicines. Every now and again, she’d have a drink, but not more than one. She’d already had a glass of champagne tonight, so I picked up a plastic cup and poured chilled blackberry lemonade into it.
“Did you hear about Mia and Mr. Volkov?”
“No. Why?”
I peeked from the corner of my eye at the two men who stood twenty feet away. One was older, with crow’s feet lining his eyes and slicked-back salt-and-pepper hair. The other looked around Emma’s age, with cropped chestnut hair. Because of my exceptional hearing, I could listen to their private conversation like they were right next to me.
“She told Barbara that she’s pregnant with his kid.”
The younger man’s eyes bulged out of his head, and his jaw dropped. He glanced at me, not noticing that I was watching and listening. “No way,” he whisper-yelled. “Isn’t he fucking his personal assistant?”
“Yep,” the older man said, popping the p. He swigged his beer from the bottle and made a satisfied gasp, which grated at my nerves. “And apparently, Mr. Volkov didn’t take it too well. Mia said he’d told her to abort the baby and that she meant nothing to him. How fucked up is that?”
“Jesus.” The younger man sighed and shook his head. He looked at Emma. Sympathy and longing crossed his face as he gazed at my mate. My hand tightened on the pitcher of lemonade. “What a mess. I knew Mr. Volkov was a dick, but Jesus. You think she’s going to leave him?”
I didn’t miss the huskiness of longing in his voice. He wanted Emma. He hoped she’d leave me so he could have her to himself. Men like him would use her and toss her to the side like trash.
My fingers tightened on the plastic cup, and I had to set it on the table to keep from crushing it and spilling the drink all over me. I grabbed a napkin, and when I knew I wouldn’t destroy the cup, I picked it up and returned to Emma. I pulled back the seat beside her and sat on the chair. She perked up and gave me a thankful smile as she took the offered drink from my hand. I listened to the two men’s conversation, still able to make out their voices over the music and others talking.
“I mean, she’s a sweet girl but a pushover. I don’t think she’ll leave the asshole,” the older man said.
“Mr. Volkov?”
I redirected my gaze to Emma, who stared at me with concern. “Ms. Hayes.”
“Are you all right?” She turned in her seat so she could look at me better. Her eyebrows scrunched until a crease formed between them.
“I’m fine,” I said. It was a lie, but I didn’t want her to worry. I imagined it’d shatter her if she knew others were gossiping about us. She already dealt with enough paranoia.
She cast her gaze down and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings, but all I could hear was the conversation between the two lawyers. It wasn’t me I was upset over. It was Emma and how they talked about her. They made bets about how long she’d stay with me before she decided to walk away. They also went on about what they’d like to do to her. It took all my strength and patience to not cross the room and snap their necks.
I would kill Mia. Fuck waiting until she gave birth. The bitch thought I wouldn’t do something about her announcement to the whole law firm that I had allegedly knocked her up? I knew what she was playing at. She hoped Emma would leave me so she could slither her way to me, intending to land a relationship. Once I was done with Mia, I’d kill everyone who talked about Emma like she would even intimately grace them with two seconds of her time.
“Mr. Volkov?” Emma’s soft voice snapped me out of my wrathful thoughts and plans. She peered at me with the same concern and even a little fear. My face must’ve shown what I was thinking. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
I tried focusing on my mate, but my mind kept slipping to how everyone—especially Mia—would look with the spark gone from their eyes. They’d all bleed the same, but I’d make art out of it. I’d paint the walls red with it.
My demon growled in approval. He tested the barriers, and I knew now they wouldn’t hold him back if he really wanted out. My nails lengthened into claws, and I felt my canines growing into sharp points.
Emma gasped and scooted closer as I glared at the two lawyers who had turned the conversation to golf, but I still heard them making lewd comments about my mate inside my head, which made the rage race through my veins.
“Dimitri,” Emma whispered frantically.
I imagined the two humans’ decapitated heads sitting on my office desk, sending the message to everyone to not fuck with me and what was mine.
A tiny hand glided against my thigh, snapping me out of my thoughts. I caught the wrist and turned my head with my lips pulled back in a snarl. Emma looked at me with wide eyes. She hissed through her teeth from the tight grip I had on her. I loosened my hold, and she rubbed the inside of my thigh, right over my hardening cock. She didn’t realize she was fondling me until more blood rushed to my groin, thickening it as desire licked at every nerve ending in my body.
“Do we need to leave?” she asked, not showing an outward sign that she knew she was turning me on.
“No...”I narrowed my eyes and inhaled, holding the musky scent of her arousal deep in my lungs.
I widened my legs, not disappointed when the little minx curled her fingers around my erection from the outside of my pants. Our laps hid beneath the table, so no one could catch her fondling me. I leaned toward her until my lips brushed against her ear, and I nipped at the sensitive flesh. I didn’t give a damn if everyone watched me show my personal assistant affection. Let the whole damn world see how Emma had bewitched me. I hoped Mia saw and got the message that she meant nothing to me. She was shit on the bottom of my shoe.
Emma sucked in a breath and shuddered, her hand tightening on my throbbing cock. I closed my eyes and groaned from deep within my chest. Emma dragged her hand up and down my shaft, working me into a frenzy.
