THE GOOFS
1306 Words
Vladimir straightened up after the pain in his groin area subsided, and broke out a rumbling chuckle.
His fingers went to his lips, smiling hard as he replayed the kiss in his head over and over again.
She tasted exactly like he had imagined. Naive, vicious, very delicious.
He chuckled again when he thought of how quick she had hit him in that very sensitive spot.
It wasn't funny at the moment, but in hindsight, he gave her a lot of points for being smart enough to go that route.
“I'm going to figure you out, Princess. Whether you like it or not.”
His hand left his lips, and went to the back of his neck where he rubbed as he turned around.
“My office room, huh?” He mumbled in realization of where he was.
In the heat of the moment, he had just wanted to storm into any room he could lock with a key.
He was grateful this was the one he ended up finding himself in.
A knock on the door called his attention towards it.
The door opened, and Andrei stepped into the room. “I have been looking everywhere for you. Why did I hear your Bride's grandmother blasting away at the archway?” He said as he walked into the room and shut the door behind him.
“What was she talking about?”
“Laying a punch or two on your face.” He gave a goofy response in a dead serious tone.
“Hmmm, and Ivy?”
“Didn't see her around. Anna was with her though.”
Vladimir quickly calculated Ivy must have gone straight to her room.
Her reaction further intrigued him now. Was she so startled that he kissed her? Or was she annoyed?
He was still in his thoughts when he began to feel an intensely searching gaze on him.
“What?” He asked, double-blinking.
Andrei, his eyes squinted suspiciously, scrutinized Vladimir's entire face. “What's that?” He pointed to his lips.
“What's what?” Vladimir replied nonchalantly.
“Why are your lips so shiny? If I didn't know better, I'd say you're wearing some goddamn balm.”
Again, his thoughts flashed back to Ivy's lips. They weren't glossy before he kissed her. But they were for sure moisturized.
Quickly, he cleared his throat and turned his back to him. “Don't be ridiculous, Andrei. What the hell are you even doing here?” He was discreetly wiping off his lips whilst using his words as a distraction.
“Hmmm,” Andrei stroked his chin, still eyeing him from behind. “Hmmm–”
“Will you stop humming and state your purpose?” He plopped on his chair at the desk, finally looking up at him again.
“So now your lips are just magically not shiny anymore? Did you have a woman in this room?” He began to sniff into the air like a search dog.
“Andrei, why don't you just drop–”
He inhaled sharply, cutting him off. “Ivy! She was here!” He snapped a finger.
“Just shut up! What do you know?”
“You can't lie to me, Vlad. Her scent is very distinct. Even some of the guards were talking about it a few days ago.”
Vladimir leaned out of his seat, casting a piercing gaze on Andrei. “Why were the guards talking about her scent? What do they know about that? And why are you only telling me?”
Andrei returned his piercing gaze. “How come you always get defensive when the topic is Ivy Greene? Do you like her or something?”
“Don't be ridiculous! She's my wife, Andrei.”
“Of convenience, remember?”
“Should I let her be disrespected then? Just because it's a marriage of convenience?”
“Hmm,” Andrei tilted his head from side to side, and then bobbed it. “You have a point. Still, it's hardly a problem that people recognize she smells good. It's also a distinct scent. You catch a whiff of it, it registers in your brain forever.” He shrugged.
Vladimir hated to agree with him, but it was the truth.
Her scent truly was very distinct, and also very attractive.
“Anyway, you don't have to confirm if she was here or not. I know what I think. In fact, I'm so confident in what I think that I'll make you a bet right now.”
“What bet?” He lifted a brow.
“You will fall head over heels for Ivy Greene in a matter of months. I'm willing to bet you a million dollars.”
Vladimir scoffed. “If you're going to bet on something so utterly ridiculous, and impossible, you might as well bet with a substantial amount. Let's make it a hundred million dollars.”
Andrei knew he would be taking a huge hit if he placed a bet with that amount of money on something like this, but he was so confident in what he felt, he stepped forward, stopping before the desk.
“You have yourself a deal. Get ready to part ways with a hundred million dollars.” He stretched his hand to him.
Vladimir slapped a shake, and their hands locked firmly. “You're about to go bankrupt.”
“We'll see about that, Vlad. We will.”
They stayed with their hands locked, neither wanting to break the handshake first.
In their childish minds, whoever broke away first was weaker.
Two minutes passed with them still trying to one-up each other, and assert dominance.
By the fifth minute, the door opened after a knock, and Maxim walked in.
He paused by the door when he saw what was happening before his eyes.
“Brother?” He called out to Vladimir first.
When Vladimir didn't even so much as spare him a glance, he turned to Andrei. “Boss Andrei?”
He didn't respond either.
“Okay, I'll just leave. But first, boss Hedeon says to tell you the Kaya's are reaching out.”
Those words caught Vladimir's attention. Even though he refused to break contact first, he spoke up anyway.
“Why isn't Hedeon delivering this message himself?”
“I'm not exactly sure why, but mum Natasha called him to her private office just after dinner.”
Andrei whipped his head behind, but kept his hand locked in. “What for?”
Maxim shrugged. “I don't know. Boss Hedeon whispered it to me before he left with her.”
“What's she up to now?” Vladimir wondered under his breath.
When neither spoke to him again, he turned towards the door. But before he could take further steps, he turned back to them.
“Just out of curiosity, do you both plan on remaining in this position for the entire night?”
“Get the f**k out of here!” Both bellowed at the same time.
Maxim didn't wait to be told twice before dusting his feet, and hurrying away.
“Mannerless,” Andrei cursed.
“Lack of culture. The state of the youth of these days.” He shook his head.
Their eyes met.
“You're not letting go?”
“You let go first, Andrei.”
“Never. I'll win this battle and the war.”
“Sure about that?”
“I'm very sure.”
“And if I say Yasmin is–”
“Yasmin is what?” His guard went down, together with his grip.
Vladimir looked down at his free hand, and a victorious smile claimed his face.
“And that is exactly why love is a cancer, and a weakness.”
He burst out laughing when he saw the look of painful defeat in Andrei's face.
- Writer
