EricaI took a sip of my drink, marvelling at the soothing burn of the scotch. I didn't say anything as I regarded the woman standing in front of me. With a huff, that wasn’t audible, but delicate like her, she said, “I don't know who you are and why you’re here with him. Maybe, you're a new thing he is interested in at the moment but..” Stepping closer, she said, “Don't entertain any idea of being any longer at his side. That spot is reserved for me.”“And yet you're not the one standing by his side tonight.” I remarked.Her nostrils flared. She smiled and said, “From where I’m standing, it isn't you either.” I followed her gaze and sure enough there was another woman now talking to him, touching his arm like a lost lover. “Do you know he has particular tastes?” Nicole’s voice was soft as she said that. “He likes his woman to submit to him in every way possible.”I snorted. “Yeah. And he can obviously have those.” I purposely looked down at her even though she was taller than me. She
Erica“Jeremiah Sokolov.” He introduced himself in his deep voice with a hint of accent that wasn’t there before.But it was not needed as his last name already registered in my mind and I stared at him for a moment, before stating. “You are a Russian.”He smiled, like he was proud of being recognised as one. “Please to meet you.”“Do these people know you are here? Because if you are Russian and you are in this party you can’t be an ordinary Russian. You must be someone important.”“I am starting to see why he brought you with him tonight.” He murmured, his grey eyes taking me in as if seeing me for the first time. “But to answer your questions. Yes, the hosts know I’m here. They invited me. And,” he leaned closer and whispered, “I am the head of the Sokolov family. The bratva.” If it was even possible his voice dropped even further to a caress as he said, “That makes me his enemy and you know what they say about the enemy of my enemy.”“A friend.” I finished on a whisper as a slithe
Erica“Excuse me, this room is occupied.” I said, wanting him to leave, hoping that he had mistakenly entered but I knew it wasn’t a mistake. I should've listened to what my instincts were telling me. I shouldn't have come here. And when I made the mistake of following Jeremiah, I should've returned back immediately.The man entered further into the room. I couldn't see his face but I knew he was smiling. I shifted to the side, putting the sofa between him and myself. “The party is down the hall.”He shook his head as he kept coming toward me. With a nervous flutter, I rounded the sofa. He chuckled and I could hear the chill behind it. He said, “I am not here to attend the party, sweetheart. I am here for you.”I didn't stop to think as I ran.But he was fast. His hand wrapped around my hair as he pulled me back and in the next instant he snatched the mask off my face. “Ahh... Look at all that flawless face and body, not a mark in sight. You haven't been suffering like he said you wil
Antonio(Fifteen minutes ago)Nicole was taking advantage of the party going around us as she clung to me. Her hand rested on my arm where Erica’s was not long ago. The last time I saw her she was walking toward the bar with Yuri. Her head held high and her shoulders back as if she was the guest of honor and people were here to look at her. Because that’s what was happening. I had noticed how men had turned to look at her. I didn’t want to admit it but now I hated having made her wear that dress. She was too tempting in it with her curves and legs that seemed to go on forever in those high heels.Now as I stood among a group of men with Nicole by my side all I wanted to do was go to the bar myself and slip my fingers around Erica’s neck. To remind her that she was mine and yes to get her where she belonged, in the cage of my arms. But the man standing in front of me was the president himself and with him was his son whose birthday was being celebrated tonight. So as much as I wanted t
AntonioAs soon as I was out of the room, I slipped my hand under my suit jacket to pull out the gûn. My fingers clenched around the metal and as much as I’d have liked the feel of my knife, there was no guarantee that I’d have my target at close range.I heard Ephraim’s slow measured footsteps behind me but I didn’t care about being silent. Let that Russian bastàrd know I’m coming for him. Because I’m going to kîll him. And I won’t even savor the kîll with the rage I was feeling.I heard the voices at the hand of the hallway and felt ready to shoot at a moment’s notice before I pushed the door open, entering the small sitting room with one single minded focus, to kill the fucker. And in that moment a small figure came running right at me, catching me off guard. Not for long though as my arm closed around her when I felt her small body against mine and the scent of daffodils registered.I looked down, for a moment not looking at the men in the room. She lifted her head and looked at m
EricaThe silence in the car was thick, crushing and loud. UnbearableIt pressed from all the sides around me as I looked at him. Antonio was sitting across from me, his fingers tapping on his thigh in the familiar, maddening rhythm. His jaw was set, dark hair in disarray and top two buttons of his shirt undone with his tie loose around his neck. He looked unruly and wild. A predator trying to control his own instinct of going for the kill. I had felt this way since he entered that sitting room and more so when he didn’t get to kill Jeremiah.My mind went back to the masked man, how he had crowded me, cornered me and overpowered me. If Jeremiah hadn’t interrupted. If Antonio hadn’t come... I shook the thoughts away. And looked at him because oddly it felt important to look at him. I was many things right now, but mostly I was the one where I wanted him to look back at me with his golden eyes. To let me see those unusual eyes. I didn’t know why I wanted that... I just...I could still
EricaAntonio took me straight to the bedroom and put me down to stand on my own feet. I wavered a little and his palm spread across my back to hold me. I looked up at him. Once again marveling at the fact how big and tall he was. He stepped back when it became clear that I wasn’t going to fall flat on my face and ordered, “Strip. By the time I come back I want you naked and bend over on that ottoman.”I followed his finger and saw a silk upholstered ottoman near the fireplace. When I turned to him, he said, “Don’t make me repeat myself and don’t test me, Erica, you’re already in too much trouble.”I licked my lips, opened my mouth but I didn’t know what to say. And he didn’t wait as he turned around and left me there to follow his orders.I looked back at the sofa and recalled his demands. Nakéd and bent over that piece of furniture. I guessed he wanted to spank me. And awareness slithered down my spine, along with a warm frisson of arousal in my blood. I was a lost cause, damaged be
(Not for sensitive readers) Erica “Your punishment starts now.” I stared at him. My eyes went between him and the belt he had wrapped around his fist. The mix of fear and anticipation made a weird cocktail in my veins and my skin felt stretched taut. I wasn’t so sure about this, and yet I didn’t want to stop him. He stepped closer. His hand came at the back of my neck as his fingers curled around my nape and he pushed my face down on the cushion. “Wait...” I gasped. I lifted my head to meet his eyes, resisting his hand on my nape. I had thought he would just spánk me and then this time he’d fûck me. But obviously he was improvising as he didn’t have his dark dungeon here to punish me. “Wait... Antonio...” I licked my lips and he gave me a look that clearly said he wasn’t too keen to hear what I had to say. “You can’t use the belt. It will hurt.” I sounded unlike myself. This was something new I had become with him. “That’s the fûcking point, isn’t it?” He growled, his eyes flash
Ephraim“Your job is to do whatever I tell you to do. Protect her.”I gritted my teeth at his absurd command, all these years I had been his shadow, spent all my time protecting him whenever he stepped out of that castle where he lived like a recluse. And now here he was telling me to protect her but not him. I’d have protected her but not at the cost of him, not if it meant letting him be in danger.I pressed on the accelerator as the car that was following us came to the side and slammed at the back of ours, for a moment I lost control of the steering wheel and the car tilted to the one side. I glanced in the rear-view mirror to catch Antonio cupping Erica’s head to prevent her head from slamming into the wind
AntonioMy office door opened with a bang for the second time that day and Ephraim stood there with Thor barking behind him. Before I could really give him a lashing to remind him of his place and for letting that dog into my office, I noticed the set of his jaw and the paleness of his face and without a second thought, my mind went straight to Erica. “What is it?”Instead of answering me, he asked, “Have you talked to Erica?”Even though I had wanted to call her, I hadn’t. And it was his fault. Because Ephraim’s words had unsettled me and I didn’t want to prove him right so no matter how much I was tempted to call her, I had refrained but now as I saw the expression on Ephraim’s face I regretted not doing so. And more than that as I slipped out my phone and dialled her number I regretted not putting a tracker on her phone after she broke the bracelet when the call ended without ringing on the other side.I had wanted to give her some privacy to talk to her family and it was the reaso
EricaI excused myself from the table to go to the bathroom, I wanted to ask Riley if she wanted to join me but she was busy talking to the guy sitting opposite her. But just as I took a step away from the table, Leo also stood up. I asked, “Where are you going?”“I’ll walk with you.”“Oh, you don’t have to.” I said, feeling embarrassed that he could easily read how I was hesitant and felt a little out of place here which was why I needed company to not look like a lost child.He ignored me and grabbed my hand as he made his way to the left side of the sitting area of the cafe where there was a door that led to a mildly lit corridor and pointed out the washroom for me. He said, “I know that your bodyguards aren't here today, so it’s understandable if you don't feel okay to roam around the unfamiliar place all alone.”I never thought about it in such a way but I guess I was almost carefree at the base level knowing nothing would hurt me, for instance no masked man would materialize out
Antonio“Sit down and explain yourself before I lose it.” I said to Ephraim as I entered the study after making sure that Elijah knew not to lose sight of her in any way and also to make sure she doesn't see him, if the former happened I’ll make sure he loses his fûcking life.Erica had asked me to stop sending men with her before too, saying that she felt like the odd one out with all the other students gawking at her because of all the men standing guard. But I had ignored her then because I knew most of them probably already knew who she was with, I was one of the men that people recognised on sight and associating with me puts her at risk so it wasn’t just to prevent her from running but also to make sure no one hurts her. And now I wanted to test her out. To know what she’ll do with her new found freedom that I was giving her. Even though it will be an illusion, for her it will be real enough.As I sat behind my desk, I folded my hands and looked at Ephraim. In the past, there ha
Antonio“Antonio...”“Mmm?”“There is this new place that has opened up in downtown that everyone is going to after the classes. Can I go?”“Of course. I told you, you can go anywhere you want to go. I’ll tell Ephraim to take you.” I replied, feeling a smile turn up my lips at the way she asked for my permission.She sat up, slipping out of my hold. And even though it annoyed me, I opened my eyes to look at her. Her flawless back was to me and I couldn't help but trail down my fingers on the curve of her spine and smiled when she shuddered. Without looking at me, she said, “I, actually, don't want him to come with me.”I narrowed my eyes on her back. Grabbing the back of her nape, I pulled her back until she was lying and then I sat up on my elbow to look down at her as I asked, “Are you planning to run away?”She rolled her eyes. She actually rolled her eyes and gave me a smile that made my cock hard, again. She said, “If I wanted to leave, I would've left that night.”It was three n
AntonioI stood near the windows and looked down at her. Ephraim had given her his jacket that she had wrapped around her to protect herself from the cold. She was looking back at the castle from time to time, and sometimes her gaze would go up to the terrace but she didn't turn to look in the direction of the bedroom which was on her left. And even if she had looked I doubted she would be able to make me out in the darkness of the bedroom.I have no fûcking idea why I said what I said. I didn't know what got into me to let her leave. I just fûcking forced her to go. But when I saw her bandaged hand... I wasn’t lying. Seeing her hurt messes with me in a way I couldn’t explain. It was like going back in the past and seeing all the blood and feeling the pain. Being helpless, that's what it felt like.I wasn't prepared to say any of the things I told her but unlike her I was mature enough to recognise the truth when it smacked me in the face every time I looked at her, kissed her, touche
Erica“What does that mean?” He questioned, his golden brown eyes frowning down at me. “What are you talking about?”I stared at him for a few seconds, if I didn’t know better I would really believe that he has no idea what I was talking about. The way he looked so confused, like he had done nothing wrong, like he didn’t know what I was talking about, like he hadn’t left me in the bed only to be with her. I swallowed against the lump in my throat as I sat up and slipped out of the bed. Sitting there with him so close wouldn’t give me enough strength to keep my anger. But even while I stood and he sat there on the bed, he was almost my height and just as big.“I saw you with her.” It took more effort than it should have to say her name. “Nicole. The way she was touching you. Kissing you. She kissed you...” I couldn't hide the pain as I said those words. And once again the image of her materialized in my mind, the same image that had been haunting me, that had forced me to slam my fist
EphraimErica pushed past me and walked away to the exit I was pointing out instead of going through the one where Antonio was standing close to. Nicole’s eyes met mine, smug and taunting. She said, “You should go after her before you lose his toy. I heard it’s very expensive.”I took a step closer to her and she sucked in a nervous breath. I had never interacted with her, apart from the times when Antonio needed another set of hands in an act that he put up in the club with her as the submissive for the night. “Stay away from her. If Antonio knew what you just did—”“Save your threats, he already made his.” Her nostrils flared as she looked over my shoulder. “I don’t understand what you see in her. She is not even Italian, also he bought her from an auction, how could you take her side over mine when she’s nothing but his sex slave.” “She is anything but that. Did you see her in chains or kneeling at his feet like you did so often?”Anger flashed in her eyes as she glared at me. H
EricaI woke up sprawled in the middle of the bed with blankets wrapped around me and sun shining through the parted curtains. Gathering my hair to the one side, I sat up and looked around the bedroom. The basket from which I had eaten number of sweet things was still on the bedside table and it reminded me of how Antonio had fed me the baked soft cookies with his own hands while I was curled up in his lap. I took my gaze off the basket to our clothes that were all over the place last night but now we’re folded and placed on the bench near the bathroom door, but there was no sign of Antonio.Deciding to get up and start the day, I slipped out of the bed and made my way to the bathroom. For the first time, I didn't sleep nakéd after sex and still Antonio had taken me in his arms, surrounding me with his big body as we slept. When I came out of the bathroom, I opened the closet door to find a selection of his shirts but there were a few dresses and jeans and tops too. I picked out a bla