Volkov

Chapter 14

As soon as Maksim's footsteps echoed in the hallway, I found myself acting on impulse. I had already seen him walk out the door, but something inside me refused to let it end like that.

I couldn't just let him leave.

Before I had time to question myself, I was moving, running after him, my feet barely touching the floor. I reached the door in seconds, my hand on the handle just as I heard him pause in the hallway.

"Maksim," I said, my voice softer than I intended. "Please, don't go."

I could hear the tension in my own voice, the conflict, but I didn't care. I couldn't let him leave when everything between us felt so unfinished, so raw.

He didn't respond at first, but I could hear his breath as he turned toward me, his figure just visible in the dimly lit hallway. Then, after a long pause, he spoke, his voice rough, almost questioning. "What are you doing, Raven?"

I swallowed, feeling a lump form in my throat. "I'm not ready for this to be over yet," I whispered, stepping closer to him.

For a brief moment, I thought he might refuse, that he might shut the door and walk away. But instead, his eyes met mine, and I saw the same fire in them that had been burning between us all evening.

Without another word, he stepped back inside, and the door clicked softly behind him.

I didn't know what would happen next—whether I was being reckless, whether this was a mistake—but the way he looked at me, the way his presence consumed me, made it impossible for me to think rationally.

We didn't speak as he walked toward me. His eyes were darker now, intense, and filled with a silent promise. I barely had time to breathe before he was pulling me into his arms again, and everything else in the world seemed to fade away.

It felt like hours passed, or maybe only minutes. Time was irrelevant.

The next thing I knew, I was lying on my couch, Maksim beside me. His arm was draped over me, his body so close I could feel his heartbeat steady against mine. I ran my fingers through his hair, the soft strands slipping between my fingers as I let my mind wander.

He shifted slightly, letting out a soft breath. "You don't make anything easy, do you?"

I smiled softly, looking down at him. "You make it hard to think clearly," I replied.

He chuckled lowly, the sound vibrating in his chest. "That's the point."

The weight of the moment settled over us, the air thick with everything unsaid. I couldn't ignore the way my body still hummed with desire, nor could I deny the lingering thoughts of where this was going. But for now, I was content. I had no idea what this was between us, what it could become, but in this moment, I was just... here.

He turned his head, his lips brushing against the inside of my wrist as I continued to run my fingers through his hair. The gentleness of the touch almost made my heart ache.

"You never let go, do you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Not when it matters," he replied, his lips grazing my skin again.

I let out a quiet sigh, my heart pounding faster than it should. This wasn't just about physical attraction anymore, though I couldn't deny that was still there, blazing between us. This was something more complicated.

Maksim had always been my boss, a man I admired for his power and confidence, and even now, I could feel that dominance in the way he held me, the way he spoke to me. But beneath all that, there was a softness, an intimacy that I hadn't expected.