Painted Scars (Perfectly Imperfect, #1)

by Neva Altaj

Even his voice is sexy, damn him.

I do as she says, watching for any sign of distress, but there isn’t any. What an unusual creature she is, and it feels so good to hold her in my arms like this. I wish it wasn’t just for show.

I’m distracted by the sight of him watching me with such intensity. He’s so beautiful.

There is a need to somehow get closer to him rising inside me, which seems silly since I’m already sprawled all over his chest with my legs on either side of him.

“Igor speaks only Russian. How can he teach her anything?”

“I have no idea. He tells her what to do, and when she does it wrong, he yells.”

“He yelled at my wife?”

“She yelled at him more.”

“The second one was good. They just took it out of the oven when boys started coming in for lunch. Everyone who passed took one or two, and in five minutes, they were all gone.” She laughs. “Oh, she was so mad.”

“Why? Did she want to eat them all by herself?”

“No, Roman. She was mad because they didn’t leave any for you.”

At that moment Nina raises her head, our gazes connect, and she smiles at me. It’s like the sun has suddenly broken through the dark clouds, hitting me with its warmth, and I find myself wishing this was real and not just an act.

She is so bloody cute when she’s mad.

“Who the fuck is Mark?”

I jump and spin around to find Roman glaring down at me.

“Why do you call him babe?” he demands. “And what kind of photo a...

I blink at him and take a bite of my apple. “My pimp. All of us girls call him babe. And I’m s...

“Does your leg hurt?”

“Yes,”

“Are you lying?”

“Nope.”

“Oh yes, you are lying.”

“You just want me to pet you.”

“Yes,” he says and closes his eyes again.

My breathing quickens as I raise my arms and wrap them around his neck, then lean into him so that our lips are only millimeters apart.

“Are you trying to kiss me, Roman?” I whisper into his lips.

“I might be,” he says.

“There’s no one around t...

“Exactly,” he whispers and touches his...

It’s about him. Roman Petrov, the man who will be my doom.

I’ve been lying sprawled over his chest for at least five minutes, but I can’t make myself move.

“Nina? Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” I sigh. “But I’m not moving. I ...

“I like having you here as we...

The sight of her there, in my bed, makes a strange warm feeling fill my chest.

No, I don’t think I can tell her how much I enjoy buying things for her.

She doesn’t need it, that’s for sure. When my little flower enters the room, she shines brighter than any diamond,

The head of the Russian criminal syndicate. A drug dealer. A killer. And I managed to fall in love with him. Someone please just lock me up in a mental institution, because that’s apparently where I belong.

The bed dips next to me, and then I feel Roman’s arm coming around my waist and his body spooning mine. I love when he does that.

“You forgot something,”

“Oh? And what might that be?”

“A kiss.”

I grab her around the waist and pull her into my lap. Nina laughs, wraps her arms around my neck and buries her fingers in my hair.

“The deal is off.”

“Off?”

“What does tha...

“It means I’m keeping your daughter.”

“I’m in love with you, Roman.”

I close my eyes for a second and squeeze her tightly. It’s like everything around me stopped. “Then we share the same problem, malysh.” I say into her neck, and feel her go still next to me. When I raise my head and look at her, her lips are slightly quivering, and there are tears in the corners of her eyes. “That six-month deal? It’s off, Nina,” I say and squeeze her waist. “I don’t care what we agreed. You’re mine now and I’m not letting you go. Ever.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Roman.”