Subscriber-Only Bonus Chapter 1

~The following chapter takes place at the end of Book 2. ~

Violet was sitting in the den reading. Her legs were thrown over the side of the chair, and she was unaware of Anatoli looking in from the door behind her. He had been standing there for a few minutes, just wanting a glimpse of her before he left for the day. He was drawn to her, and his mind kept going back to the first time he saw her.

He was so lost in thought that he didn’t realize she had moved to put her book down until it was too late.

“Are you looking for something?”

For the first time in his life, Anatoli found himself unsure what to say to a woman.

“No.”

“So... you were just standing there staring at me?” Violet asked bluntly.

Anatoli let out a small laugh. “Where did this attitude come from?”

“It’s not an attitude. You’re angry because I caught you being creepy.”

“I wasn’t being creepy, ~moya lyubov.~”

“Don’t call me that. You don’t know me enough to call me that.”

“You did some research.”

“Kind of. I asked Kyle what it meant.”

Violet crossed her arms, refusing to back down. She was tired of the game they were playing. This wasn’t the first time she caught him staring at her. She secretly liked the attention, but she was waiting to find out what his intentions were.

Anatoli stalked towards her, only stopping when he was standing in front of her.

“I didn’t know you had a mouth on you. Maybe you’re not the scared little girl I thought you were.”

“Excuse me…” was all Violet got out before Anatoli’s mouth crashed into hers. He dominated her mouth like he already owned her.

He nipped at her bottom lip, demanding entrance, and she gave it to him. Violet let out a moan and pulled him closer to her and his hands explored her body, which only fueled her desire for him. Her hands found their way to his hair, causing him to grunt as his tongue continued to explore her mouth.

They passionately kissed until they were panting for air. Their hearts were racing, and for a moment they stared at each other. Anatoli moved a strand of Violet’s hair behind her ear.

“So beautiful,” he whispered.

Violet felt her face warm and tried to hide the excitement she felt bubbling within her.

“Have dinner with me?” he asked.

“What if I say no?”

“Then you’ll give me no choice but to force you to join me.”

“I doubt you would do anything.”

“Don’t challenge me.”

Violet smiled and pecked his lips before stepping back.

“I might be busy,” she said in a teasing tone.

“Mmhmm. Meet me at the guest house at seven for dinner tonight, and don’t keep me waiting.”

Without answering, Violet left the room and walked towards her own room, feeling content that she left Anatoli waiting for a response. She had spent the last few weeks trying to figure Anatoli out, and even resorted to asking Kyle about him. Her past made it hard for her to trust men, but something about him was drawing her in, and she wasn’t willing to ignore it anymore.

^***^

“He asked you to have dinner with him?” Kyle asked, making sure she heard Violet correctly.

“Yes, and he told me not to make him wait, so I am going to show up late.”

“Anatoli is a man of his words. If he thinks you will not show, he’ll come and get you. He always gets what he wants, and right now he wants you. I’m so happy, I can’t wait. You two will be perfect together.”

“He won’t mind my past?”

“Everyone has a past. He isn’t the type to hold it against you unless you did him wrong in the past. Don’t be afraid to give him a chance.”

Violet hesitated for a second before bringing up her other concern about Anatoli.

“I know he’s very experienced, and I don’t want to disappoint him. I mean, I’ve done things, but I haven’t had sex.”

Kyle smiled before grabbing Violet’s hand.

“You don’t need to worry about that. I was a virgin when I got with Max and Dimitri, and they loved being able to teach me.”

Violet’s face turned red and thought about what it would be like to be with Anatoli. It had been a while since she thought about sex, or how she came across to someone, but she wanted Anatoli to find her perfect.

^***^

Anatoli had food delivered, and the kitchen table was set up for a romantic dinner for two. He expected Violet to be late to prove a point, but he was getting angry. He didn’t like waiting, and Violet was the only one who had the nerves to keep him waiting.

After thirty minutes of waiting, Anatoli decided it was time to get her. He left the guest house and stormed through the kitchen as Max, Dimitri, and Kyle watched.

“She’s in her room,” Kyle yelled with a grin on her face. Anatoli dismissed her with a wave and continued his mission.

By the time he reached Violet’s room, he was debating on how stern to be with her. He didn’t want to scare her, but he didn’t want her to think she could disobey him.

He only had to knock on her door once for her to answer, and she opened it with a smug look on her face, like she had won the little game that was going on between them.

“Don’t look so happy, ~moya lyubov~. You are in trouble.”

He leaned against the doorframe, waiting to see what her next move would be. It surprised him to see her stand her ground.

“I didn’t agree with the time you demanded.”

“It was a demand. There is no negotiating.”

Anatoli pushed the door open a little more, forcing his way inside her room. It was the first time he had seen it since she moved in, and it was still bare. She had a few books on the nightstand, but nothing showed that she had settled into the room.

“What are you going to do about it?” she challenged.

“You’re about to find out.”