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The Way You Hurt Me
Three years ago, he didn’t even know I existed.
And then I broke the rules.
I made him look.
And he hates me for it.
Dimitri Volkov, the white-collar CEO of a tech company by day, and something else entirely at night, has been my obsession since I was sixteen.
It took a while, but I got the he’s not interested. I’m just the brat sister of his sort-of-friend-with-benefits. Sure, he checks in on me, makes sure I’m safe, but that’s just a favor to my sister and her husband.
I’ve moved on; I’m no longer pathetic enough to run after him, and there’s a ring on his finger making sure I understand perfectly that he’s not mine. He doesn’t give a single shit about me.
At least, that’s what I thought, until my secret, naughty little hobby takes a wrong turn.
Now there are cold bodies on my floor, a ball gag in my mouth, and I’m learning just what I get for dismissing his warnings.
The Way You Hurt Me is a standalone, dark age gap romance for very naughty readers.
And then I broke the rules.
I made him look.
And he hates me for it.
Dimitri Volkov, the white-collar CEO of a tech company by day, and something else entirely at night, has been my obsession since I was sixteen.
It took a while, but I got the he’s not interested. I’m just the brat sister of his sort-of-friend-with-benefits. Sure, he checks in on me, makes sure I’m safe, but that’s just a favor to my sister and her husband.
I’ve moved on; I’m no longer pathetic enough to run after him, and there’s a ring on his finger making sure I understand perfectly that he’s not mine. He doesn’t give a single shit about me.
At least, that’s what I thought, until my secret, naughty little hobby takes a wrong turn.
Now there are cold bodies on my floor, a ball gag in my mouth, and I’m learning just what I get for dismissing his warnings.
The Way You Hurt Me is a standalone, dark age gap romance for very naughty readers.
- GenresDark RomanceRomance
201 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 30, 2024
99 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 28, 2025
While i like RH, swingers not so much. I like monogamy between our girl and her man or men. I didn’t realize this
was related to other books even though it can be read as a standalone. And it is good.
I previously purchased the books in the heritage series, I didn’t know they would be about swingers. 🤷 I will still read them at some point.
was related to other books even though it can be read as a standalone. And it is good.
I previously purchased the books in the heritage series, I didn’t know they would be about swingers. 🤷 I will still read them at some point.
December 31, 2024
Worth the wait!
I think most of us who are Emm Darcy/May Sage fans have been
waiting for Dimitri and Willow's story and it did not disappoint. My only complaint is that it was too short! And I REALLY would've liked to see how that ending played out 😉That was 🔥 May is one of my favorites!
I think most of us who are Emm Darcy/May Sage fans have been
waiting for Dimitri and Willow's story and it did not disappoint. My only complaint is that it was too short! And I REALLY would've liked to see how that ending played out 😉That was 🔥 May is one of my favorites!
May 12, 2025
The long awaited story of Dimitri and Willow
I have been waiting for this story for about a year and a half and it was well worth the wait.
I think this book is designed as a standalone, BUT I advise anyone interested in this book to first read Emm Darcy's Heritage and All the games we play books.
In TWYHM you meet quite a few secondary characters from these books that bring more enjoyment to the story as a whole, but might be confusing to a first time reader.
As far as the story goes it is short and very straight forward. There's no big plot twist to keep our main characters Dimitri and Willow apart. It's an age gap trope where Dimitri keeps his distance from Willow because she's too young and he wants her to live a little before settling down. Willow is more active in pursuing Dimitri, after she sees something she shouldn't have when she was nearly 17. Fast forward about three years and she's trying to move on from her crush on Dimitri, falsely thinking he really isn't interested in her beyond being the little sister of a good friend.
In the end we get a story of two people in love with each other. One trying to protect from outwards influences and the other trying to grow into life as an adult and trying to protect her own heart after being emotionally hurt by her crush in the past. When events force them into closer proximity again, it doesn't take long for Willow's misconceptions about how Dimitri feels for her to disintegrate.
Dimitri surprised me to be honest, because I thought his character would be much darker than it is. But that's just the result of how he was portrayed in small scenes in the above mentioned books. Behind his public mask there is a caring and fun-loving man, who can be ruthless and completely unapologetic if someone touches what (or better who) is his.
If you like a spicy, naughty age gap story please read it - but only after getting some background knowledge of the world you step into. If you disregard my advice I think you might be disappointed by this book, because you'll feel like the story is missing context and depth. There's never any question of 'if' Willow and Dimitri will get together, that's a given. It's more about finding the right 'when' and 'how'.
Personally I loved this book and can't wait to read more from this author.
I have been waiting for this story for about a year and a half and it was well worth the wait.
I think this book is designed as a standalone, BUT I advise anyone interested in this book to first read Emm Darcy's Heritage and All the games we play books.
In TWYHM you meet quite a few secondary characters from these books that bring more enjoyment to the story as a whole, but might be confusing to a first time reader.
As far as the story goes it is short and very straight forward. There's no big plot twist to keep our main characters Dimitri and Willow apart. It's an age gap trope where Dimitri keeps his distance from Willow because she's too young and he wants her to live a little before settling down. Willow is more active in pursuing Dimitri, after she sees something she shouldn't have when she was nearly 17. Fast forward about three years and she's trying to move on from her crush on Dimitri, falsely thinking he really isn't interested in her beyond being the little sister of a good friend.
In the end we get a story of two people in love with each other. One trying to protect from outwards influences and the other trying to grow into life as an adult and trying to protect her own heart after being emotionally hurt by her crush in the past. When events force them into closer proximity again, it doesn't take long for Willow's misconceptions about how Dimitri feels for her to disintegrate.
Dimitri surprised me to be honest, because I thought his character would be much darker than it is. But that's just the result of how he was portrayed in small scenes in the above mentioned books. Behind his public mask there is a caring and fun-loving man, who can be ruthless and completely unapologetic if someone touches what (or better who) is his.
If you like a spicy, naughty age gap story please read it - but only after getting some background knowledge of the world you step into. If you disregard my advice I think you might be disappointed by this book, because you'll feel like the story is missing context and depth. There's never any question of 'if' Willow and Dimitri will get together, that's a given. It's more about finding the right 'when' and 'how'.
Personally I loved this book and can't wait to read more from this author.
January 4, 2025
Yummy..
The Way You Hurt Me is HOT!!!!
I read this book in 4 hours. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. What more can a girl ask for when it comes to a hot dark mafia romance.
Willow and her sister, Morgan didn't have the greatest childhood and thanks to Morgan's new millionaire husband, Camden Hunt, things in their life have become infinitely easier and safer. But the one thing Willows missing in her life is Cam's hot best friend, Dimitri. Only thing is Dimitri is quite a bit older than her and doesn't settle down especially with someone who's just 16. So one Christmas, Willow walks in on something she shouldn't and decides that she going to make the first move on Dimitri. Instead of Dimitri reciprocating, he puts distance between them. Fast forward and she's had to accept that maybe Dimitri just isn't into her. So she moves on with college and life until things take a turn for the worst in her life when she's attacked during her cam girl session and who walks through the door to save her.... Dimitri.
This book was hot. The characters were even hotter. The spicy scenes where extra hot. I love when a dark romance has a good plot along with even better sex scenes and this book was a perfect combination. Everyone needs a insanely hot and deadly Dimitri in their life who wants nothing more than to take care of them both sexually and financially.
The Way You Hurt Me is 10 out of 10. I highly recommend. This will be one of my top reads of 2025. I can't wait to Feel Free to Scream!
The Way You Hurt Me is HOT!!!!
I read this book in 4 hours. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. What more can a girl ask for when it comes to a hot dark mafia romance.
Willow and her sister, Morgan didn't have the greatest childhood and thanks to Morgan's new millionaire husband, Camden Hunt, things in their life have become infinitely easier and safer. But the one thing Willows missing in her life is Cam's hot best friend, Dimitri. Only thing is Dimitri is quite a bit older than her and doesn't settle down especially with someone who's just 16. So one Christmas, Willow walks in on something she shouldn't and decides that she going to make the first move on Dimitri. Instead of Dimitri reciprocating, he puts distance between them. Fast forward and she's had to accept that maybe Dimitri just isn't into her. So she moves on with college and life until things take a turn for the worst in her life when she's attacked during her cam girl session and who walks through the door to save her.... Dimitri.
This book was hot. The characters were even hotter. The spicy scenes where extra hot. I love when a dark romance has a good plot along with even better sex scenes and this book was a perfect combination. Everyone needs a insanely hot and deadly Dimitri in their life who wants nothing more than to take care of them both sexually and financially.
The Way You Hurt Me is 10 out of 10. I highly recommend. This will be one of my top reads of 2025. I can't wait to Feel Free to Scream!
March 21, 2025
Plot: 2.5/5 • Smut: 3/5 ————-> A young girl has her heart set on a man she should after seeing him tag team his sister. Should be weird, right? But it’s not. She grows older and think he’s long forgotten about her. The exact opposite. He’s been watching and stalking her for years. They finally reunite, and though it takes a little time fantasies become reality. He makes all her fantasies come true. Takes a while to get smutty, but when we do finally get there the smut is good.
There isn’t much plot to this book. They kind of just run in circles for a little bit. 🤷🏻♀️
There isn’t much plot to this book. They kind of just run in circles for a little bit. 🤷🏻♀️
December 26, 2025
Not much into swingers, hence the 2 stars 😐.
Tags: age-gaaap, alphalicious, catches-him-in-the-act, character-russian, cheating-on-ow, damaged-broken_hero, damaged-broken_heroine, dark-romance, divorced-hero, doormat_heroine, hero-does-heroines-sister, hero-hurts-heroine, hero-is-married, heroine-is-ow, heroine-pornstar-camgirl, kink, manwhore-philanderer, no-grovelling, older-hero-younger-heroine, over-the-years, read, rejection-contemporary, rich-hero, sharing, weak-heroine
Tags: age-gaaap, alphalicious, catches-him-in-the-act, character-russian, cheating-on-ow, damaged-broken_hero, damaged-broken_heroine, dark-romance, divorced-hero, doormat_heroine, hero-does-heroines-sister, hero-hurts-heroine, hero-is-married, heroine-is-ow, heroine-pornstar-camgirl, kink, manwhore-philanderer, no-grovelling, older-hero-younger-heroine, over-the-years, read, rejection-contemporary, rich-hero, sharing, weak-heroine
January 11, 2025
Want What You Can't Have
Since she was sixteen Willow has wanted Dimitri, at eighteen she offered herself and he got engaged. Now two years later she is trying to forget him but can't. Dimitri wants Willow to live a little before he claims her and puts her in a gilded cage but once she puts herself in danger he can't stay away on this dark and dirty tale.
Since she was sixteen Willow has wanted Dimitri, at eighteen she offered herself and he got engaged. Now two years later she is trying to forget him but can't. Dimitri wants Willow to live a little before he claims her and puts her in a gilded cage but once she puts herself in danger he can't stay away on this dark and dirty tale.
September 23, 2025
the author states nothing really happens until she’s 20, but when she’s almost 17 (so she’s 16), she kisses him (non consensually), he spanks her. his entire POV during that scene is him trying to convince himself that it’s ok because technically in places like the UK, the age of consent is 16.
they live in the US. he’s, like, 10 years older.
they live in the US. he’s, like, 10 years older.
October 29, 2025
Willow & Dimitri
What a great standalone that also ties into a series. Hot, steamy spice; suspense, action, & a HEA. I’m definitely going to be reading The Heritage series. I love how this author writes her alpha males with a side of sweetness.
What a great standalone that also ties into a series. Hot, steamy spice; suspense, action, & a HEA. I’m definitely going to be reading The Heritage series. I love how this author writes her alpha males with a side of sweetness.
January 2, 2025
Swingers
I enjoyed the book until the last couple chapters . I am not into swingers books that said the couple doesn't start swinging until the end of the book .
I enjoyed the book until the last couple chapters . I am not into swingers books that said the couple doesn't start swinging until the end of the book .
January 3, 2025
3.5 stars
January 26, 2025
Wasn't this supposed to be enemies to lovers? They were never enemies.
April 30, 2025
it was fun but I don't love the whole billionaire/trailer trash trope. I do love the free use kink!
May 13, 2025
another 10/10
Love emm Darcy and the heritage series!! If you are on the fence just do it!! Can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Love emm Darcy and the heritage series!! If you are on the fence just do it!! Can’t wait for the next book in the series!
November 28, 2025
3,5 ⭐️
Willow&dimitri
It was the sister and there were not so much sharing as in the first book but I didn’t expect the end🤣 how are they going to do it in the future, always leave the wife behind and visit the other couple ? 🤣🤣🤣
Willow&dimitri
It was the sister and there were not so much sharing as in the first book but I didn’t expect the end🤣 how are they going to do it in the future, always leave the wife behind and visit the other couple ? 🤣🤣🤣
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews