The Price Of Their Name

my glass of gin, "Sasha," I leaned toward her, shouting

xist, Leo! It's called existing!" She took a gulp of her cocktail. "Plus, you needed a dis

y finalizing arrangements for her impending marriage to Ar

notion of being yanked into that lifestyle was nerve cracking. All I cra

murmured. "Away from the ceremony,

move. We will erase all of it." She tugged me toward the cen

t Sasha was persistent, her energy utterly compelling. Soon, I was swaying, then shift

he relentless internal nagging. For a minute, there was only the r

it hap

id, towering presence collided with my side. I stumbled, a sharp gasp e

red where his fingers connected, a jolt of raw energy surging up

even through the haze, were penetrating, fixing me in place. A slow, almost curve played on his mouth, and a hint of tattoos

ralyzed by the magne

und that seemed to rumble deep inside me. His thumb, rough and warm, b

fault," I managed to say. "

ion that left me feeling completely exposed, yet startlingly... awake. I felt the cold ru

ounding seductive, "that's precise

Vance, the reserved son, the careful one. I had invested years perfecting an image of polite neut

haven't been here before, have you?" he muttere

oice still shallow

k. "Moving." His focus dropped to my mouth, remaining there for a

e. Escape? Yes. Escape the future, escape the expectations, escape the small, predictable life o

hispered, shocked

es were nearly touching. I felt the heat radiating off him, the massive, rigid presence of his chest jus

bs. This is wrong. This is the exact thing y

" I asked, the wor

a low, compelling promise. "A lot of time to introduce you to things you've never conceived of. Things that would make your quiet world ch

ning in the opposite direction. But instead of that,

aims. It was terrifying, and intoxicating, all at once. My reserved

d, steering me smoothly through the crowd.

devastating fire. The room blurred, the music softened, and all that remained was

ng flashes, toward a darker, quieter corner of t

I managed finally, m

ypnotic circling on my arm. "Somewhere private," he articulated, "where we can speak. Or n

his touch. I have to end this. I must tur

ble tug on my arm. "I... I c

gh stone wall. He lowered his head, his face inches from mine, and I was

llenging, intimate, and edged with amusement. "You should be more conc

me-on and more a declaration of ow

ed to be. This is a catastrophe. The guilt and the overwhelmi

ually against his chest. "I can't allow

his thumb coming to rest gently, intimately, right over

allic-slate eyes piercing mine. "You're lying to me,

dened. "Ho

e. I saw you trying to escape. And I saw the instant I touched you, the relief that you don't have to retreat from this." He m

emed to read the most fearful, private t

oice quavering, even though I r

you? You practically offered yourself." He dropped his head, his lips brushing the sensitive skin bel

his cologne and the possessive, inescapable heat of his body. I can't

an intensity. "I told you what I desire. But the essential qu

d of the world muted. The future-the Volkovs, the

finally whispered, the wo

It wasn't charming; it was a conquest. "Good. Now you're

and finally, terrifyingly, crushed his mout