Criminal Affinity [18+]

Chapter 74

Ivan turns to reveal a tray and the smell of food reaches her before common sense does.

"Ava?" Ivan calls out. "Are you okay?"

Ava doesn't respond, eyes moving to the contents on the tray. Food, two glasses of some liquid Ava can't make out. Clarity comes like sunlight over her stone-cold limbs.

He didn't leave. He went to get something to eat.

Ivan sets the tray on the edge of the bed and moves closer to her, tilting her chin up. She gets a glimpse of his clenched jaw before brushing him off.

He must have noticed the tears. Shit.

"You thought I left?" Ivan asks, voice hard. "You thought I would fuck and leave?"

Ava opens her mouth to deny it, but finds no reason to do so. She nods and avoids his eyes.

Ivan tsks, straightening. The smell of his cologne hits her and Ava's mind rushes over the undertakings of the night. God, what has she done? How will she get herself out of this one? How is she going to navigate this now that there is a real and active threat to her life?

He walks across the room to grab a face towel from the arm of the chair before approaching her again. Ava curls her hands into fists until they hurt.

"May I?" Ivan asks.

Ava nods, not wanting him to hear her emotion-heavy voice. Ivan rests a gentle hand over the apex of her thigh to anchor her before cleaning her down with steady, sure strokes. Shudder pass through Ava's legs at the contact, but she just shuts her eyes.

Her hands unfurl.

"I'm sorry," Ivan's voice breaks through Ava's mind. "I didn't mean to make you think that, angel."

"Stop calling me that." Ava speaks in a voice steadier than she expects, needing something else to focus on.

"You don't like it?" He tosses the cloth over his shoulder, a ready grin. "How about princess? Buttercup? Munchkin?"

Despite her best efforts, Ava's lip twitches. "You're getting better at apologies."

A geniune smile breaks over Ivan's face, lighting up his angular face and softening it to look almost...boyish. Ava stares at him as he slides the tray between them. Ava is stunned at how beautiful Ivan is, how she didn't even know that smile existed. "Thank you, Ava."

Ava doesn't respond, overwhelmed by the sudden need to kiss him and taste that smile. What is this fucking mess? Ava blinks, trying to break whatever lust-ladden stupor she has slipped into.

It does nothing.

"Stop staring at me, girl." Ivan's wicked voice travels over her skin. "You're too sore to take more dick."

Ava's ears burn, heart thundering. "You're so self-centered it's disgusting."

"Yeah, so disgusting you took it in your mouth." Ivan pops a fry into his mouth, and she sees a whole lot of white in his eyes. Ava's jaw falls open.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?" Ava asks.

He does it again. He rolls his eyes at her. Ava barks out a laugh, leaning forward. "You're the princess."

"Mh," Ivan dismisses her with a wave of hand, fully fixated on the load of greasy goodness in front of him.

Ava lets out a sigh, sliding off the bed to get herself a fresh set of clothes. She should shower, but exhaustion weighs down each step she takes. Ava digs into her pile of underwear, getting her favorite cotton ones.