Criminal Affinity [18+]

Chapter 60

What do you want, Ava?

She could tell him.

She could tell him she wants everything, all there is. Every inch of everything. In the way he's staring at her right now, she is sure he will give her everything she asks for.

But there is no way that will get past her mouth. Not when she has everything on the line. She has everything to gain and nothing to lose.

"A good time." She says.

"Just once?" His voice is a threat. The power play whirrs awake, shifting her from the upper hand to the ground.

Ava nods. "Just once."

"Are you sure?" His sharp gaze is burning holes into her.

Fake bravado makes her tilt her chin. "Even once is too much. If you haven't noticed, I can hardly stand you."

Ivan makes a show of sizing her up. Ava almost falters at the unadulterated heat and intention in his eyes. His spacious study quickly begins to shrink in on her as those lunar eyes linger on parts covered by an ordinary outfit.

"You will hardly stand after that one time." His guttural voice is the only warning before Ivan closes the space between them.

Ava takes a sharp breath, eyes trained on the buttons of his shirt.

"When?" He asks simply.

Ava shakes her head while shrugging her shoulders to act like she doesn't care.

"Now?" He asks with a smirk.

Ava freezes. Now? Like, here? In his study? Everyone will know what is happening. It isn't very girl-boss of her to be sleeping with him right after swearing an alliance. It will impact her position in the house, and she—

"Come with me." He commands while walking past her.

Ava looks over her shoulders to find him walking out of the study. To her relief, the hall is clear. Did he plan this?

Ava follows him into his wing. The silence between them crackles with heat, Ava gets near dizzy with the anticipation. Ivan shuts the door gently and not knowing what's coming next weakens and pisses Ava off at the same time.

"What are we doing here?" Ava asks cautiously.

"What you want to do." He speaks without a single nick in his voice. "You can start by taking your clothes off."

Ava's hands clench, staring at his back with defiance. If he thinks this is going to be some chemical dismantling of their attraction to each other, he is wrong. She isn't some fucktoy.

Ivan looks at her over his shoulder before turning to face her. There is too much yet not enough space between them. His eyes lazily make a show of being bored at the sight of clothes, until his eyes take in her fists.

Ava's only warning is his light and pleasant chuckle before he brings her flush to a wall.

"If you want me to tear it all off, just ask." His delicious voice sends shudders down her spine.

With a single moment of vacuum silence, Ivan tears Ava's shirt from the neckline to the hem. Ava gasps loudly, the sudden action throwing her further back against the wall. As she pants with a fresh wave of arousal assaulting her body, Ava's eyes rise to his to find nothing but primal focus.

It's like he sees nothing but her.

"No bra, hm?" Ivan mutters. "Seems to be a persistent problem I have no intention of fixing."