Eliza I  can still taste Lev on the back of my tongue as I take a sip of my water. The ice jingles in the glass, but it’s not loud enough to drown out the hammering of my heart. It hasn’tslowed down since I felt him release in my mouth and I realized I liked it.I’ve done stuff like that before with Noah, but he wasn’t clean like Lev is. He didn’t taste good. It was bitter and unappealing, but Lev was totally different. It turned me on when I tasted him, and the groans that rumbled out of his chest gave me goosebumps.If he asked me to do it again, I’d crawl right up to his seat and blow him in front of everyone here. It’s so unlike me, but things are changing so fast that I don’t know who I am anymore. This is my opportunity to remake myself, and I’m quickly moving in a dangerous direction.Do I want to be a classy artist living big in New York?Or do I want to be some Russian millionaire’s arm candy? I hat

Eliza I  knew there was a catch. Lev couldn’t just be a normal guy. He’s too perfect, too rich, and the sharpness in his eyes tells me he has experience with danger. But what kind ofdanger, he seems reluctant to tell me.I’m going to find out, though. Breaking down my door and rushing me to his home in the middle of a rainstorm has spurred my suspicion of him to a critical point. Either I find out what he’s up to, or it’s over between us.And I don’t want to end things like this, not when everything has been going so well. The money, the sex, the passion… I’m not ready to give all that up and move back to my hometown as a failure.I can already picture Noah’s smirk, like he knew all along that I wouldn’t amount to anything, like I had to end up with him again.Fuck, no. I’m not doing that, but I still need to figure out what the hell is going on with Lev.I sit with my arms crossed, partially becaus

Eliza That’s cute,” Lev says as I walk out of the bathroom in one of his oversized white t-shirts.“I look like a ghost,” I say, hurrying toward the bed. He grins. “Very spooky.”“Boo!” I exclaim as I jump into the bed.I land on his chest, and he grabs me, rolling me over and pinning me down. “I caught a ghost. Now what?”“If you catch a ghost, you’re supposed to snuggle it. Those are the rules,” I say, hoping he won’t kick me out of his bed for being too goofy. He seems to like it, though, even if he’s a little unsure of how to respond.I figure he needs a break from being so serious all the time. The stress I rubbed out of his shoulders this evening was very telling.“If I snuggle you, I might squish you,” Lev says, even as he pulls me close.I melt into the warmth and power of his chest. I can hear his heart beating faster than it usually does, reminding me that he’s just as ne

ElizaT he drive to Asher’s gallery feels too quick. Every moment I get to spend outside of Lev’s penthouse is much more exciting than it should be. I really can’t standto be inside all the time. My mind needs stimulation, and I’m simply not getting enough of it there.Even in my small town back home, there were always new places to check out, new people to talk to. Even if you end up knowing half the population, that’s still half that you can still get to know.The only thing I’m getting to know in Lev’s place is how many fibers are in his carpet.That’s why I’m slow to get out of the car once we arrive at Asher’s gallery, even with Lev ushering me along. It’s also why I drag my feet and take slow breaths once I’m outside, basking in the last rays of afternoon sun before it disappears behind the tall buildings surrounding us.I need fresh air. I get it in Lev’s apartment, but it’s tainted by the sc

Eliza The alarms that should be going off in my head at Lev’s admission to being in the Mafia are silent. Instead, a feeling of calm washes over me because everythingmakes sense.I should be terrified, but I’m not. I just have more questions.“Why didn’t you tell me about this before?” I ask, finally sliding onto the couch as Lev had requested. I figure it’s better to create some kind of understanding instead of continuing to argue, especially since he’s opening up.He stands beside me, leaning on the couch but refusing to join me. Maybe he’s still scared that I’m going to punch him.And maybe I will, depending on what he says.Lev laces his fingers together, looking down at his feet as he thinks. Even though I’m mad at him, I still find him unbelievably attractive, especially when he carried me on his shoulder like I weighed nothing. His power is intoxicating, and it’s all I can do not to