She dismissed me like I was nothing to her.
I’d burn down this world for her and she treated this thing between us like it was just sex. I’d give my life just to hear her say she loved me. Once.
Pathetic really, considering the way she watched me. Her eyes glimmered full of distaste and hate. She couldn’t wait to leave me and I couldn’t fucking live without her.
The hollow ache in my chest expanded. It grew and grew until it was a large black hole. Pain sliced through me like a razor-sharp knife. I was in so fucking deep and she was ready to just walk away. Without talking. Without working through it.
My feelings have gotten out of hand. What I felt for her was so fucking deep that I couldn’t find my way up for air.
I leaned in and nipped her bottom lip. To punish. To mark.
“I want to call my brother,” she demanded, her voice breathy.
“No.” That time has come and gone. I needed more time. The rest of our lives.
Fury flared in her eyes.
It was definitely the wrong time to give her the phone now. She’d cry to her brother and then there would be war. Goddamn it, I should have given it to her for that short period of time that things were good between us.
“I don’t want you to touch me,” she hissed.
That hurt.
I took her wrists, still tied in the belt, and put them above her head, pressed against the wall.
“Tell me why you’re mad?” I ordered, my tone harsh. She turned her face away from me and I took it between my fingers, while still holding her wrists above her head.
Her lips pressed into a thin line, her chin in a stubborn tilt.
“Do I need to spank you?”
Her spine stiffened and she started bucking against me.
“Don’t you fucking dare.”
I stroked a stray strand of her hair off her forehead with a finger. My inked fingers against her pale skin looked dirty. Unworthy.
Mother’s words uttered to that little boy decades ago came back with a vengeance.
In one swift move, I scooped her up, then sat down on the bed. Her stomach across my knees, I admired her round ass.
“Don’t you dare spank me, Sasha,” she hissed, bucking like a wildcat. Luckily for her, I was stronger than her, My palm on the small of her back, I kept her in place. “I swear to God. I’m going to–”
“What?” I drawled lazily, although my anger simmered under my skin. “Tell your brother? Carve my heart out.” She stilled. “You already stole my heart. Tattooed your goddamn initials on it. Do your worst, kotyonok.”
I untied the side strings of the bikini and my dick instantly hardened. I knew she could feel it, pressing against her lower belly. Pressing my palm on her round ass, I kept kneading her soft flesh, readying her for her punishment.
A soft moan vibrated, but it was cut short.
Stubborn woman.
She had the ability to drive me fucking insane.
Slap.
She jerked against me. “Stop,” she breathed out, her ass clenching.
Slap.
Her hands clenched, her nails digging into my thighs.
I landed another slap on her gorgeous red ass. Her body jolted forward and I could smell her arousal. She was my perfect match. Just as depraved as me. She had another thing coming if she thought I’d ever let her go.
I’d fuck her raw. Leave my mark on every inch of her skin and soul. I’d never hurt her but I’d ensure everyone who looked at her knew she was mine.
“You ready to talk?” I asked.
Her body stiffened. I could hear her little growl. I didn’t have to see her face to know her eyes flashed like two lightning bolts against the dark sky.
“Screw you, Nikolaev.”
I lifted my hand and brought it down to her reddened ass. Slap. This time she couldn’t hold back her moan. Her voice was lustful and her ass pushed into my hand. Greedy woman. She wanted to be mad and fucked at the same time.
A trickle of her arousal glistened on her inner thigh. I pushed my finger deeper between her legs, circling her slick folds until a throaty whimper escaped her throat. I smeared her juices over her entrance, then brought her slippery juices to her asshole.
“You’re wet for me.” My tone was smug but I couldn’t help it. She couldn’t take her lust away from me. Her arousal was all for me.
I smeared her wetness around her asshole and pushed gently. Her muscles clenched around the tip of my finger.
“I am going to claim this,” I rasped. “I’m going to own all your firsts and your lasts.”
Then I pulled out my finger and dragged it down her folds. Without warning, I thrust two fingers inside her in one go and slapped her ass cheek at the same time.
She moaned but quickly muffled her sounds with her hand. “You’re going to give me everything, kotyonok.”
I pushed my fingers in and out, hard until I was knuckles deep inside her tight cunt.“
Her body quivered, shudders rolled down her spine while I pounded my fingers inside her over and over, then slapped her ass. The sound of skin slapping and her muffled moans filled the room. I could feel she was close, her inner muscles clenching around my fingers and her body tensing with the need for release.
Then, she unraveled out of nowhere. She screamed and not even her hand could muffle that sound. Her body shook and her nails dug into my thighs.
I’ll need another tattoo, I thought smugly.
Her breathing was labored and I didn’t ease my thrusting until I had wrung every single ounce of pleasure out of her.
When her body went limp, I pulled out of her drenched pussy.
“Look at me,” I demanded harsher than I intended. My cock was throbbing like a motherfucker.
Languid from the orgasm, she watched me through her half-lidded eyes. Our gazes locked, our battle of wills tilted into my favor thanks to her pleasure.
I licked my fingers clean as she watched me, her cheeks flushed from the pleasure I wrenched out of her. God, I fucking loved tasting her. She was my own brand of cocaine. My vice.
“This… you and me… it’s for life, kotyonok,” I rasped. “I waited too long to give you up now.” I shifted her off me and tucked her under the covers, while her eyes remained on me. She didn’t say anything. She hid herself well. “Search me out when you’re ready to talk.”
I left her in the room without another word, stationing a guard in front of the door. I’d have the door fixed so I could lock her in it until she came to her senses.
If I was unworthy, I’d find a way to be worthy of her.
I wanted her to choose me willingly. But that couldn’t happen if she ran from me.
One whole day and she refused to come out of the room.
Stubborn woman!
At least she ate. Tatiana assured me of that. My sister felt guilty for slipping about Mia, but the truth was I should have told Branka about her sister a long time ago.
I sat on the side of the bed. It was well past midnight and Branka was sound asleep, her breathing shallow and her brows furrowed. I reached out and smoothed the lines, hating that she was worried even in her sleep. I’ve waited for her to calm down and seek me out. I should have known she’d dig in her heels. We’d have to talk eventually.
Fuck, I’d have to talk to her brother eventually too. Hopefully, we both came out of it alive. Unable to stop myself, I trailed my hand from her ankle, up her legs and stopped at her bare thigh.
Her lips parted and a soft moan slipped from her lips as she pushed her thighs apart. She might fight me when awake, but when she slept she purred like a kitten for me. A sardonic breath left me and my throat tightened, leaving me with a bitter taste.
I wanted her to purr for me when she was awake too. I wanted her to love me and want to stay with me because fuck if I was letting her go. I wouldn’t be so deep into us alone. She’d be neck deep into it too.
My phone buzzed and I reached for it, expecting a specific message. I wasn’t disappointed. It was a message from Nico.
It was an address. The current location of the fucker who dared to touch Branka. And how fucking convenient he was currently hiding in Russia. Ah, the small things. I grinned sardonically, ready to dish out pain.
I typed a quick thank you and shot it back to Nico. It was good to have friends in high places. Nico always came through.
Before I could put my phone away, it buzzed again.
*Alessio is on the warpath. Might want to reach out. To both her brother and fiancé.*
It was the only downfall to having mutual friends with the brother of the woman you kidnapped. Of course, he was right. I’d have to work out things with Alessio. Killian I didn’t give a fuck about. He was lucky he wasn’t missing a limb.
Anyhow, I wouldn’t be making peace with Branka’s brother today. It’d be a job for another day. Today, I’d be hunting for the ghost that dared hurt my woman when she was a child.
I sent him off a quick thank you and strode to the closet where our things still sat in suitcases. Branka didn’t want to unpack. Not that I blamed her. This wasn’t our home. I hoped we’d come to some kind of middle ground, and then we’d tell her brother as a couple that we were in this together. Branka and I. And then we’d head back to New Orleans. Home.
This lengthy detour wasn’t anticipated.
I changed into a Givenchy suit. There was no need for jeans and boots. It wouldn’t be me doing the killing this time around. This was exclusively for Branka. I secured a handgun and a knife into my holsters – one on my ankle and one strapped over my shoulder.
I strode out of the bedroom, locking it behind me. I had the only key. I trusted my brothers and in-laws, but I couldn’t risk losing her. Okay, so maybe that meant I didn’t trust them with her but what-the-fuck-ever.
When you had something that meant so much, you couldn’t let go. I pushed my hand through my hair.
Jesus Christ!
I was losing my shit. Just like my mother.
“Where are you going?”
Alexei’s voice came from the dark corner.
“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” I retorted dryly, ignoring his question. “Don’t tell me you can’t sleep. Your wife is here. It’s the only time you sleep.”
“Trying to keep you alive,” he said in a toneless voice.
So much for good friends in high places, I thought sarcastically.
“Don’t need a babysitter.” I kept walking. If I was to make it to Moscow and back by morning, I had to get moving. Alexei’s boots sounded behind me. “Not tonight, brat.”
“You won’t even know I’m with you.” Alexei could blend in shadows and stalk you for years without ever being detected. Unfortunately for him, I could. It was part of my DNA. I stopped and narrowed my eyes on him, ready to put him to sleep by punching him in the face. “You don’t have time to waste,” he reasoned coldly.
I sighed. He was right.
I didn’t have time for this.
