Touch Me Not (Manwhore, #1)(66)

“He told me he was in love with me, and that he wanted to marry me and not Sue.”

“I see,” Nikoli murmured, and Lily shot him a glance. His eyes were blank and his face closed off. “That is what you wanted, wasn’t it, Lily?”

“Yes,” Lily agreed quietly. “It was what I wanted.”

“Then why don’t you look happy, Milaya?”

“Why now, Nikoli? Why now that I’m getting better? Why now that I’m with you? I don’t know if Adam really means it, or if he’s just reacting to something he’s never experienced before. I was always there for him before, and now I’m not. What if he misses that and is confused about how he feels because of it?”

“Milaya, Boy Wonder is in love with you. Is this recent, or has he always felt that way? I don’t know, but I do know how jealous he’s been. He can’t stand the thought of me and you together. It drives him crazy.”

“Maybe,” she muttered.

“Well, if you decide to take Boy Wonder up on his offer, you renege on this imaginary bet, and Ellie stays with me.”

His car? That was his first thought? His car? It only solidified Lily’s opinion that Nikoli didn’t love her, that he didn’t want her. He just wanted his damn car. She felt her face heat up, but this time in anger. Why should she care or be shocked? He was Boston University’s very own manwhore, after all.

Nikoli watched Lily’s cheeks fill with color and her blue eyes flash with fury, and he frowned. Why was she mad? Boy Wonder was what she wanted. She should be happy. Nikoli should be happy for her, but he couldn’t be. He wanted to hit something. To beat someone bloody. Anger fought with jealousy inside of him, and he hated it. He didn’t get attached, ever, but this woman had gotten under his skin. She would leave him. He’d known that from the beginning.

“Hey, May, turn that up,” someone shouted, and he and Lily both turned to see another crime scene pictured on the flat screen in the corner of one wall. Another girl had been found, and it appeared to be the same guy who’d been killing all summer. Boston was officially in the grips of a serial killer, and everyone was on edge.

“That’s two blocks away from the university.” Lily’s eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, he’s been getting closer and closer to the college since he started.”

“Don’t worry, Milaya, they’ll catch him.”

“Yes, we will.”

Nikoli’s head snapped up and he saw his brother, Kade, grinning down at him. The mess of curly black hair and sleepy black eyes made Nikoli laugh. Kade looked like he hadn’t slept in a week and had a serious case of bedhead. He shook his head and stood up, wrapping his brother in a bear hug.

“Good to see you, Nik,” Kade said when they let go. “One would think you were hiding from your brothers the way you never call.”

“Just busy, bro,” Nikoli said. “Lily, this is my brother, Kade.”

“Hello,” Lily said, smiling. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

Kade’s eyebrows hit his hairline. Not that Nikoli blamed him. He and his brothers were all alike. They didn’t take girls to breakfast. They had sex, and they moved on.

“You’re the oldest brother, right?” Lily asked.

“Uh, yeah,” Kade murmured and gave Nikoli a look that said ‘what-the-f*ck, dude?’

“Kade, have a seat, man. We just ordered breakfast, and the food here is stellar.” Nikoli scooted over so his brother could sit. Kade slid in, but his eyes stayed on Lily. “How did you find me?”

“FBI, remember? It’s easy to track you down.”

“Pretty sure that’s a violation of my right to privacy.” Nikoli snorted at his brother’s pious look.

“Brothers don’t have an expectation of privacy.” Kade laughed. “So, Lily, how long have you known my brother?”

“I’ve known the manwhore for a couple months,” she said, her voice completely innocent, causing Nikoli to spew the mouthful of coffee he’d just taken.

Kade’s laugh boomed through the diner. “Manwhore?”

“Well, he does have a bit of a reputation,” Lily said, “but he has been behaving the last few months.”

“Has he?” Kade asked, glancing at Nikoli, who shot him a f*ck-off look. “That doesn’t sound like him. My brother doesn’t know how to behave.”

Lily just smiled. “Then you don’t know him as well as you think you do. Nikoli is a decent guy…for a manwhore.”

“I thought we agreed you would stop calling me that,” Nikoli seethed. He hated that nickname. Truly hated it, especially when Lily used it.

“Did we?” she asked, her voice all sweet, and his eyes widened. She was still pissed at him. But why? He hadn’t understood it to begin with. Why was she mad at him because her dreams were coming true? The woman made no sense.

“Yes, dushka, we did.” He leaned closer, eyes narrowed.

“Don’t call me dushka!” Lily’s own eyes narrowed.

“Oh, I’ll do more than call you dushka,” Nikoli said, his eyes a clear threat.

“You can try, Kincaid.”

Nikoli’s grin grew at the sly tone in Lily’s voice.

Kade interrupted before Nikoli could respond. “Um, big brother here…do I need to leave so you two can get a room?”