Free The Arrangement by Bethany-Kris Page B

that lay flat and unmoving to the floor, he looked commanding. Not at all like a carefree, spoiled house pet, but instead, an animal always on the watch and wait for his next command.
    Anton’s finger cut through the air; Rocco stood and moved closer at the silent command, coming to sit at his feet. With one hand, he pet the dog’s head between his ears, lightly, speaking softly in Russian. Viviana looked up to see Clarissa had vanished from her spot against the wall, the panel across the room beeping to say she’d entered the back bedroom.
    “Go on,” Anton said with a wave. “Pet him; say hello.”
    The animal watched her warily as she bent down. With her knees to the floor, her face was level to his chest. A massive beast with muscles that wrapped his every surface, she could see how he would be frightening to some. But he wasn’t to her. Viviana thought he was just simply beautiful.
    “
Ciao
,” she whispered, her hand out to pet Rocco. When her palm met the spot between his ears, the dog pushed back against the hand instantly. Warmth spread through her insides at the action. “You’re an awfully pretty boy.”
    “Pretty.” Anton scoffed under his breath. “He’s a brute, just look at him.” Viviana grinned, sticking out a tongue playfully in response. Amusement spread across Anton’s strong features as she scratched the backs of Rocco’s ears. “He likes it when you rub the tips.”
    She did just that, hearing the quiet thumps of the dog’s tail hitting the floor behind him. “Hmm, but he
is
pretty.”
    Anton bent down and rubbed under the dog’s muzzle. “He’s yours, so he can be whatever you want him to be, I guess.” With one word in Russian, Anton lifted the dog’s muzzle and murmured, “Viviana, Rocco.” He repeated the word again, thumb rubbing at the animal’s mouth softly. “Good boy.”
    The tail stopped thumping on the floor. Rocco’s large head pushed a little harder against the palm of her hand. “What did you just say?”
    Anton smiled, making her skin tingle and lungs expand heavily. With her heart hammering, she watched him reach out and stroke her cheek with two fingers. Viviana couldn’t help herself when she turned her face into his touch, wanting the heat of his palm against her skin.
    Something drummed deep in her blood, rushing fast and hard. Her instinct, maybe, recognizing how easy wanting Anton really was for her, just like it always had been. A term like “soul mate” seemed to fit, especially since she seemed to want him closer, needing the feeling of home nearer. From the very start, that’s how he’d always made her feel, scarily so.
    “
Tvoyo—
yours,” Anton explained, his fingers still stroking, and his voice thick with emotions that underlined his words. “Like me, he’s waited a long time to have you with him.”

Chapter Six
    Anton’s eyes popped open and darkness saturated his vision. The low, constant beeping coming from the security panel on the wall was a heck of a lot noisier when the bedroom was quiet. Not that it mattered because even the softest of noises would wake Anton up now.
    He kicked the blankets off his legs before sliding out of the bed with as much stealth as he could manage. Viviana turned in the sheets, but her eyes stayed closed and she continued sleeping.
    Fuck, he loved having her in his bed, even if all they were doing was sleeping.
    Anton grabbed the handgun from the bedside drawer before crossing the room to observe the movement on the wall panel. Sure enough, the sensors were going crazy, showing excessive activity on the bottom floor.
    He pressed the silence button to stop the low beeps, but continued to watch three rooms light up one after the other to signal a presence was inside.
    That didn’t feel right to Anton. Clarissa and the bulls understood they had to key in their codes at night if they woke up and needed something. They had been living in the safe house for a while before Viviana arrived, so they