Leo held his homework in his little hands and frowned at one of his assignments. He’d been keeping up with his homework well. The kid was a good student. I was pretty sure he was better than either of his parents had been. He was a natural.
Now, I was waiting around for the doctor before visiting hours were over. The night with Nikolai had been a few days ago. I hadn’t called him. I didn’t know what to think. Nowadays, I was good at putting things out of my head and continuing on, even if I was in turmoil inside.
“Ms. Rossi?” Dr. Evans materialized out of nowhere, as if my thoughts had summoned her. “Let’s talk in my office.”
I left Chiara to finish Leo’s homework with him and followed the doctor.
She shut the door and sat. Her expression was solemn, and my heart immediately clenched at the sight.
“What’s wrong? Is it something with Leo?”
“No. He’s perfectly healthy, no infections, clear results from all major indicators. He is ready for the operation.”
“But?”
The doctor sighed, looking regretful.
“It’s the donor, isn’t it? They’ve changed their minds, haven’t they?”
She nodded slowly. “Apparently, a close call playing football got them thinking they should keep all their organs, just in case they need a back-up one day. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You did everything you could. That’s just life, isn’t it.” I dashed an errant tear away. “When can he come home, then?”
“Since he’s here, let’s finish up his dialysis. There are a couple of tests left. I think we should do them. You never know. Maybe we’ll find someone else tomorrow.”
I took a deep breath. Nikolai’s face filled my mind. I nodded slowly. “Okay, let’s prepare, since we’ve come so far.”
“I know this isn’t the result you were looking for, and I’m sorry.”
I arranged with the hospital to pick Leo up in the morning. I stumbled out of the waiting room and into a long corridor. My head was spinning. Hard hands closed around my shoulders. I realized that someone was speaking to me. I blinked up at the voice.
“Sophie, are you all right?” Edward Sloane bent over me, looking concerned.
“I’m fine. Why would you think I wasn’t?” My voice felt like it came from very far away.
“You’re crying.”
I brought a hand to my cheek and wiped the wetness away. Oh, so I was.
“Let me take you home.”
“No, it’s okay,” I started. My thoughts felt jumbled. The thought of the donor played again and again in my head. He’d changed his mind and ruined a life. He’d changed his mind.
Edward put a firm hand around my shoulders and started to lead me toward the elevators.
I couldn’t hear what he was saying. There was a crushing weight of disappointment on my chest too heavy to shift. It felt like the world was ending.
We got into the elevator. His arm fell from my shoulders, leaving me hunched alone in my misery. I’d had this feeling before, of course, like the world was crashing down around me, and there was no way to save myself. Every single time it happened, it felt like it could never be worse. Then life proved me wrong.
Before I knew it, I was sitting in Edward’s shiny, tinted-glass Jeep in the underground car park.
“Here, drink something. You look white as a ghost,” he muttered, turning the bottle cap and handing it to me.
I took it with numb fingers. Everything was numb. He pulled out of his space.
“Come on, I’ll take you home.”
We pulled up the ramp and drove past the outside lot. I caught a glimpse of Bran’s car. Shit, was he waiting for me? I should tell him.
I knew it, but the disappointment felt too strong to move, like it had locked me in place with invisible manacles.
We drove through town and then went right instead of left.
Home was left.
“Where are we going?” I wondered. My voice was hoarse, as if I’d been silently screaming for hours.
“I thought, since I have you, I should grab your painting, and we can drop it off at home together.”
I stared mutely out the window, sipping the water to try to and bring a trickle of moisture over my aching throat. It hurt because of all the tears I was holding inside. The raging and screaming were all pushing up from my chest, and I wanted to let them all out.
We reached Edward’s mansion by the ocean. The gates slowly opened. Inside, soft lights were dotted around the grounds, showing the property to its best advantage.
Edward stopped the car and got out. I stayed inside.
He opened my door.
“I thought you were just grabbing the painting?”
“I’m not sure how to wrap it. Can you give me a hand?”
My senses were tingling, the same ones that had always warned me of danger. I left the water in the car. I shouldn’t have drunk any. I was rusty at protecting myself, but I seemed to be moving on autopilot.
I followed him reluctantly into the house.
“So, what’s going on? You look upset. Bed news with Leo?”
I followed him down the hall toward a huge, sunken sitting room. “How did you know?”
“What else could rattle a mother so badly, at the hospital, no less.”
Right, that made sense. “Yes, there’s a problem with the donor. It might not happen.”
The painting was propped against the wall. I knelt in front of it. His mother’s half-finished eyes seemed to stare into my soul.
“I’m sorry to hear that. Have you eaten?” he asked after a pause.
I shrugged. My stomach chose that moment to let out a growl.
Edward nodded toward the couch. “Sit, and let me get you something. Please, it’s the least I can do.”
I shrugged, hardly having the energy to argue. I felt exhausted. All my hopes, everything we’d been working toward, gone on a whim. I pulled my phone out of my pocket when Edward disappeared. Pulling up Bran’s cell number, I sent him a message.
Went home myself, sorry for keeping you waiting.
I’ll add it to Nikolai’s bill. Anyway, I’m officially off duty from now on.
What does that mean? Is he back?
I tucked away my phone when Edward called to me. Inside the kitchen, he had a few leftover containers out. He held up his hands when I came in.
“Okay, I admit it. I can’t cook, and this is what my meals usually look like. But, I am great at reheating things.”
He pulled out a chair, and I sat.
“What would you like?”
“I don’t mind. You really didn’t have to share your leftovers with me.”
“It’s fine. The alternative is sitting alone, watching TV and eating by myself. I work too much to date a lot.”
I took a bit of reheated pasta. “And yet you certainly get around, or so I’ve heard.”
My despair was making me blunt as hell. I couldn’t bring myself to care.
Edward laughed. “Well, that’s one way to put it. Casual sex has nothing to do with dating. I haven’t met someone who I wanted to have a relationship with, until now.”
Unease prickled along my nerves. “I do hope you’re not talking about me. This conversation is old when it comes to us.”
“Ouch. I beg to differ, and like I said, I’m a man who gets his own way.” He sat back and studied me with an appraising look. “Does that piss you off to hear?”
I shrugged. “Not really, I’ve known a lot of men like that.”
“Have you really?”
I nodded. “The funny thing is that most of them had to eat those words at some point, before the end.”
Edward raised an eyebrow. “Before the end?”
I took a gulp of water. The food was salty. I looked pointedly at his plate. “You’re not eating.”
Edward shook his head. “I can’t.”
A gentle warmth was spreading through my body, like I’d had too much wine. It had been a while since I’d felt it, but I remembered the feeling. Motherfucker.
“Why’s that?” I managed, holding on to the edge of the table.
Edward set down his fork and smirked at me. “I can’t remember which dish I put most of the sedative in. I guess it was the pasta.”
The world spun, and I slumped back into the chair. Edward’s mocking smile fixed on me from across the table.
“You know, you really should listen when people talk, especially men like me. You seem to have known so many of them, and yet you don’t learn.”
“All the men I’ve known like you are dead,” I mumbled.
“Is that right? Too bad for you, I’m perfectly healthy.”
He stood and rounded the table toward me. I couldn’t do anything but watch as he scooped me up. His arms felt wrong against me. I wanted to fight and scream, but I had no energy to do it. I turned my head from his hot face as he lowered it to mine, holding me against his body. I had to think of something. I had to do something. Why hadn’t I told Bran where I was going? Why had I walked out of the hospital in a dream?
Edward walked along the hall of his beautiful house. I watched the lights of Hade Harbor in the distance, nestled just along the shore.
“Believe it or not, this isn’t how I wanted this to go. I gave you plenty of chances to accept my advances. I’d have wined and dined you. I’d have taken care of your son for you. I still can.”
“You think I’ll trust you after this?”
“People have recovered from worse than this, and besides, from what I hear, you have dated far worse than me.”
I blinked up at him.
He grinned. “Isn’t that right, Sofia De Sanctis?”
The shock was like cold water to the face.
He chuckled. “I admit I had no idea who you were, until some Russians who work for me in the area told me. Apparently, you’re pretty infamous in bratva circles, not that they’re bratva anymore. Exiled from all respectable families, they come in useful. The Russians will do all kinds of things that others won’t. They told me about your terrible taste in men.”
We’d reached his bedroom. It was dark inside, and he didn’t bother turning on the light.
Fear and disgust rolled through me. This was really happening.
Edward paused on the threshold, stilling suddenly.
There was a loaded silence, and the awareness of being watched by unseen eyes rippled over me. I knew that feeling. I knew those eyes. Relief hit me, and I stopped trying to force energy into my drugged muscles and went slack.
“Eddie, my ears are burning. Hasn’t anyone ever taught you it’s not nice to talk about people behind their backs?” Nikolai’s voice was full of mocking and malice.
Edward’s hands tightened on me. “Who are you?”
A dark chuckle came from the darkness.
Edward glanced down at me. “Who is he?”
Your worst nightmare. I tried to make my lips cooperate. “He’s… the end of you.”
Another chuckle from the dark. “She’s right, my clever little lastochka. You should have listened to her when she told you to get fucked, Eddie boy. Now, things aren’t looking great for you.”
A light clicked on. Nikolai was sitting on a chair beside the bed. The bedside lamp spread just enough light over him to make him look utterly lethal. He had a gun clutched casually in his hand, but it was overkill really, given the general sense of menace he was giving off.
He had black gloves on. Edward’s grip slipped. He was going to drop me and run off. Nikolai clearly had the same thought, as he levelled the gun at us and tutted.
“Put her on the bed, nice and gently. Not even a hair on that woman’s head should be harmed, or you’ll regret it.”
Edward walked stiffly to the bed and put me down. I sank into the soft mattress. I was on my side, and I could see Nikolai and Edward perfectly.
“Are you okay, prom queen? Apart from having to suffer this guy’s company for an hour?”
I nodded, my head moving only slightly against the covers.
“Good. Now, you relax. Eddie and I are going to play a game, then I’m going to take you home.”
“What kind of game? My security will have seen you break in here. They’ll be on their way.”
Nikolai chuckled. “I don’t think they will. I think your simple little system will show a nice loop all night. Your network was child’s play for a professional to break into.”
“And you’re a professional?”
Nikolai tutted. “No, but my friend is. I had your system hijacked days ago. You see, I was always planning on paying you a visit.”
“For what? Money?”
“Oh, Eddie. It’s cute that you think you have enough money to impress me.” Nikolai pushed himself to his feet and approached Edward, keeping the gun trained on him. “I do like your operation, though, it has potential. I like your house, too. Too bad it’s mortgaged to the hilt and you have no heirs. I’m going to get it for a steal at auction.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Edward’s voice was shaking.
Nikolai leaned down to keep his eyes on his. The smaller man shifted uncomfortably, his fists clenching and unclenching.
“I’m talking about the fact that this, right here, is your last day on earth. I hope you enjoyed it.”
Edward backed away, his face paling. “Are you serious? You’re going to kill me? The police will get you.”
“They can try.”
“All because of some bitch?”
A flash of terrifying fury moved through Nikolai’s steel eyes. “Eddie, bratan. You just had to run your mouth, didn’t you. I was going to walk you off the cliff at the back, a quick, merciful death. But you just landed yourself even deeper in it.”
“Who is she to you?”
“Words can’t capture all the things she is to me, but I’ll try to dumb it down for you. She’s the mother of my son and soon-to-be wife.”
Edward blanched, realizing that he wasn’t going to be able to bluff his way out. “I apologize. I shouldn’t have touched her. I didn’t know.” He had moved to the bargaining stage of grief for his life.
“It’s too late for that. This isn’t a game show. No second chances.” Nikolai pressed the barrel of the gun into Edward Sloane’s forehead. “The only thing to decide now is how much it’s going to hurt.”
Was he going to shoot him right in front of me? My head was swimming, and the drug was really kicking in now that I didn’t have the frantic energy needed to stay alert. Now that I wasn’t alone here. Now that Nikolai was here to save me.
My vision turned blurry, the edges darkening, before sleep washed over me.
In my dream, I was surrounded by burning skin. Strong hands held me, turned me, spread me wide. Liquid heat pooled between my legs, and I squirmed closer and closer to the feeling.
I woke suddenly when a thick finger breached me.
I jerked against the head between my thighs. A smooth scalp met my touch.
Nikolai.
His tongue was laving my clit, and his finger was pumping into me. I was so wet, I knew he hadn’t just started.
“Awake, finally, prom queen?”
I opened my mouth to speak, and a groan left it. I writhed against the sheets, bringing my hips up to chase his smirking mouth. He pushed another finger inside me, stretching me, rubbing against my G-spot, so the pressure inside felt like it would burst.
“Do you have any idea how many times you’ve already come in my mouth?”
I shook my head, unable to talk.
Last night threatened to return to my consciousness, and I pushed it back down. I’d think about it later. After. First, I was going to come hard on the face of the man who had protected me once again.
I was rising, lingering right on the edge. I could feel my orgasm heading toward me like a steam train. Just as my muscles twitched, Nikolai stopped.
“Hey!” I protested.
He chuckled as he flopped onto his back, grabbing my hips as he went. I struggled upright, finding myself straddling his upper chest.
“Ride my face, Sofia, if you want to come.”
I looked down at him. If felt far too early in the morning to be so filthy.
“Come on, lastochka, suffocate me with that pussy, flood my face.”
I considered his words for a moment. His gray eyes were staring up at me, and his lips were wet, already smeared with my juices.
I twisted around and changed position on his chest before I questioned if I could really handle my wicked idea.
Now I faced his feet and blushed as Nikolai whistled. My bare ass was right before his eyes.
“What a view, I could stare at it all day, but back up so I can eat you. Do it now while I’m asking nicely.”
“So bossy,” I grunted as I complied.
Moving my knees back, I yelped as Nikolai’s arms came around my thighs, and I lost my balance, and landed, pussy-first, on his face.
He slapped my ass, just as his tongue landed back on my clit.
Well, two could play that game. He was naked. His cock was drooling on his belly, right up his hard-packed abs. I leaned down and slid the head of his dick in my mouth, making him grunt. His hands landed on my ass, gripping big, juicy handfuls that he used to move me back and forth. His tongue licked me mercilessly. I groaned around his cock. Every time I slipped forward, his cock worked further down my throat, gagging me. He flexed his hips, pushing deeper inside, so I was powerless to move. I couldn’t free my mouth or my hips. I could only be devoured by him.
I came embarrassingly fast. It had to have been all the times he’d already made me come, while I was still asleep. When I reached the peak, my hips shamelessly humped his face, my pussy dripping into his mouth. My moans vibrated around his cock, and he got harder, right before he spilled in my mouth. He came in long spurts down my throat.
“Don’t waste a drop,” Nikolai commanded, snaking a hand down my body to hold the back of my head.
I struggled to swallow the musky load. He came for so long, I started to worry I might pass out on his cock.
“Fill your belly with my cum, before I fill your cunt.”
I pulled back, the twitching finished, as Nikolai lifted me effortlessly. He turned me in his arms and kissed me deeply. Our tongues tangled, the mixed taste of both of our releases turning me on.
“Hmm, you taste and smell like me. I like that.”
“What happened last night?” I stared up at him. “Where have you been?”
“New York, didn’t Bran tell you?”
“I didn’t need a babysitter.”
“Clearly. If last night showed us anything, it was that there’s no babysitter but me who can handle you.”
“What happened to Edward?” I had to know. I watched Nikolai’s eyes.
There was no remorse there as he shrugged.
“He got what he deserved.”
“You killed him. Are the police going to look for him? What if you go back to jail?” It was one of my greatest fears.
“Don’t worry. I won’t. No one will find him, no one will miss him. In his line of work, there’s a high mortality rate. Don’t worry.”
“His line of work? I thought he was a businessman?”
“Let’s just say, his hands weren’t as clean as he liked people to think. Don’t waste another minute thinking about him. He’s fish food.”
It should have scared me, the way he casually dismissed the fact that he’d killed someone last night. It didn’t. I’d grown up in the same world Nikolai had. Nothing shocked me. In fact, I was glad. There was the dark, brutal truth.
“Get dressed. We need to get going now, or I’ll keep you here all day.”
I leaned up on my elbow, admiring Nikolai’s body as he stood and stretched. I reached out and grabbed his hand. A new tattoo sat across the back. It was eye-catching. The Cyrillic script was foreign to me. I touched it gently. It was still healing.
“What does it say?”
“It says, the palach.”
“What does it mean?”
“It’s a title. A mark of respect in certain circles. It’ll help keep you safe.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
He smirked at me, pulling a black T-shirt over his head. “It means the executioner.”
I stared at him for a moment, unsure how exactly to respond to that terrifying truth.
“Come on, let’s go. The hospital’s waiting.”
I was walking into the hospital with Nikolai Chernov at my side. It felt totally unreal.
“What is it?” He shot me a faint smirk. “Not that I don’t like your eyes on me, but you have an expression on your face like you’ve seen the Devil himself.”
Seeing Nikolai in the warm, bright sunlight of Hade Harbor was odd.
“Sorry, it just looks wrong seeing you here like this. It’s too normal.”
“Well, contrary to popular opinion, I’m not actually a demon in disguise.” He laced his fingers through mine.
“Right, like a demon would ever choose you for a disguise. It would be a terrible one. A real demon would choose some small, scrawny guy who fainted at the sight of blood. If they wanted to hide, that is.”
He let out a bark of laughter. “Fuck, I missed you, prom queen.” He pressed a kiss to the back of my hand.
We went up in the elevator.
His grinning eyes met mine in the mirror inside the doors. “You’re nervous.”
“No, I’m not. How do you know that?
“You ramble when you’re nervous.”
“And you make jokes,” I pointed out.
He chuckled and pressed a kiss to our joined hands. “We make a good pair. Before we go to the ward, let’s go and see your Dr. Evans, alright?”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“I do my homework.”
“We don’t need to see her. I’m just taking him home today. It’s not going to happen right now.”
“We’ll see. Let’s go and see the doctor and find out about those tests.”
I pulled him to a stop in the hallway. “You mean you’re going to get tested?”
“The best candidates for donation are blood relatives. Adult males in the family. I know you know that, so the real question is… why aren’t you asking me to get tested?”
“I-I don’t know. I guess it still doesn’t feel like you’re real. You’d really give Leo your kidney? You haven’t even met him yet.”
“He’s my son. He’s our son.” He stopped closer to me and ran a finger down my cheek. “I’ll do whatever I have to, to get our son what he needs. You should have already asked me, but that’s a topic for another day. I’ll make sure Leo gets what he needs, even if I have to kill and cut out a hundred potential matches myself. Now, hurry up, the good doctor’s waiting.”
