"Ricky's boyfriend, Devin was a dancer too, but he retired early to become a model. I'm friends with both of them but I'm closer to Ricky", I started to explain but I made sure that I didn't say anything about my papa."That's good to know", Aleksander leaned over the table and crossed his arms. "You never talk about your friends", He added."Neither do you", I tossed back before I could stop myself.He stared at me, dumbfounded that it would turn around on him. We both seemed to realize it would cross the line to divulge more about ourselves. It was natural to let information slip through when you lived with someone or made idle conversation. But now, we were going to actively take that next step in getting to know one another on a deeper level."I don't have friends these days", Aleksander admitted being the first to cross over the line. "After college, I went straight to work for my uncle. Game nights and parties just slipped away as I became wrapped up in work. Eventually they sto
ALEKSANDER'S POVIt was a hard morning to focus on work. On a Saturday I shouldn't be working at all, but with the new club grand opening tonight, there was too much to be done. Sitting on my desk in my home office, I couldn't stop looking at Rhea lounging on the couch.Having her in the room with me after breakfast was such a simple thing. We weren't fucking on every surface, though I was certainly thinking about it. It was simply her presence in the room, causing my mind to wander.The battery shafts of light streaming in through the wall of windows at my back were highlighting her golden hair, giving her a divine image. She was an angel in the world of men and she was just sitting there in a sweater and legging. So comfortable being herself while in the room with me. She had a book in her lap and a smile gracing her lips.This felt intimate, yet normal. It felt right.Waking up with Rhea in my arms, her soft body pressed against mine, then having breakfast together side by side a
"Hey Mr Makalov, thanks for taking my call. We have a minor problem", I heard the man's voice through the computer and forced my eyes to the screen."Thanks for calling, Jimmy. What seems to be the problem?", I nearly bit my tongue when Rhea's hands landed on my knees. "Well, we have the list of the completed guest list for the grand opening tonight, but the numbers don't match up with what we were originally given",.Jimmy explained and on the screen, I saw him squint at something on the side of his screen and a second later, an email dinged in my inbox. "I think someone, along the way tried to add extra guests","It wouldn't be the first time", I sucked in when Rhea's palms floated up my thighs. My muscles tensed under her light touch and my groin throbbed the closer she got. "I can run the names through a spreadsheet and compare it to the final approved list you sent me but I wanted your eyes on the difference to verify if these were meant to be actual VIP guests or if someone is
When Rhea finally popped up on the other side of the table, her cheeks were flushed and her plump lips swollen. The sight of her licking her bottom lip suggestively was almost enough to make me want to shut the computer and chase her into the bedroom."Yeah, it is. I have just emailed you the fifty extra names. Can you tell me if those are supposed to be on the list or not?", Jimmy interrupted."Absolutely", I agreed, pulling my gaze away from Rhea who was smirking at me. With one hand on the table, I opened my email to read over the emails, and the other went below to fix the front of my pants. "I'm not seeing any names that should be on there. No, make sure non of these are on the list for tonight", Running my hand through my hair, I inhaled to steady myself and my racing heart."Can do, boss. I will make sure these names are cross-referenced through the employee directory as well, so we can learn who was trying to sneak people in","Perfect, Jimmy. Thanks for catching this and fol
RHEA'S POV.Aleksander was stubborn and there was no getting past his request. Of course I knew it that he had a club grand opening tonight, but I thought there was an understanding between us I wasn't going. If I was still performing, then I would have been at the theater tonight instead.It never came up before.Perhaps if I had left his office when that call came in instead of crawling under his table, he wouldn't have thought to tag me along but here I was......After Antonio took me to the luxury store to pick up the dress, Aleksander called in, I found myself back to the house, getting ready. Let's not even get started on how insane this garment is. It can barely be called a dress.Even in my early days with ballet going after parties and small openings, I never wore something so revealing. This little black dress was that exactly. Although I might have compared it more easily to a bikini top and skirt that were connected by a few strings.The triangular cut top covered my brea
RHEA'S POVMy fingers clutched the flowers and held them to my chest as I pushed past and followed Aleksander who was still looking for the Vase."There's one down here", I told him, opening a lower cabinet door under the kitchen island.He whirled around and dropped into a crouch, grabbed the vase and stood up with a victorious grin on his face."Ah! There it is! See, I knew I had one. Funny that you knew where it was, though. You seem to know my house better than I do these days", He shook his head."For now", I tossed back without thinking.As soon as I spoke that, the vase immediately slammed down onto the counter so hard and I thought it would shatter in Aleksander's hands. He released the glass and placed both palms on the counter's edge, knuckles turning white. From the side of his face, I could tell his brow was tensed up and he glared at the empty vase."Right. For now", He seethed through clenched teeth. The mood darkened faster than the sky outside. This wasn't the energy
Drinks wwre already flowing around at the bar, and the women in tight maroon dresses were serving trays with pitchers of beer to booths partially hidden by black curtains in the back where VIP guests were laughing with their companions.The air felt thin in here, and my skin was vibrating with the intense energy converging on us. All my senses were assaulted by lights, music, and scent of perfume together with alcohol. Only the feeling of Aleksander's arm around my waist kept me steady."I have to find the manager and make an appearance, and then I will be all yours. Would you care to join me or stay at the bar. They all on me tonight, of course", Aleksander's face was so close as he spoke. If I angled my face to look at Aleksander now, our faces would be less than an inch apart.Swallowing hard, I merely nodded my head. "I will start with a drink", I muttered. As badly as I wanted him to stay by my side, I needed some liquid courage immediately. "Okay let's go",The bartender at t
"im not wearing this for you", I tried to step away, to get far away from him in the crowd but there were too many bodies moving too close together."You not fooling anyone", He followed me, sneering while lifting up his hand to reach out for me. "Do you even know who am l? You must not. If you knew you would have been throwing yourself at my feet", His hand snatched my wrist but I quickly tried to pull myself away from him."Not a chance!", I hissed out but then the tempo of one of Selena Gomez's songs out of the blue picked up, and the surrounding bodies converged pushing us closer together. "Get away from me", I was being squeezed to him. It was dark, and the lights were twisting around. I was spiraling and his fingers were digging in my wrist. My heart slowed down and I felt heavy as claws of dread worked up from my chest and wrapped around my throat.I wanted to puke everything."Come with me sweetheart, I know you want too", He pulled at my hand, attempting to jerk me closer."
EPILOGUE RHEA'S POV Three wonderful years came and went. Each one became a new chapter in my life that I'd never forget. I couldn't when I had otherworldly love pouring through me every day. More than I ever thought I'd experience in my life.Trudging through the grief of losing so much family ate a hole in my heart. Aleksander came along and slowly threaded the chasm together, healing me with each delicate touch and sensual kiss. An unlikely love formed from that illicit contract, and through turmoil and pain, we forged our story.Glowing, floating on top of the world, I swept into the kitchen. A delightful buzz from champagne left a rosy flush across my cheeks. I poured myself a glass of water, listening to precious laughter drifting from upstairs as I did."Rhea!" Annika's excited coo made me whirl around from the sink. I came face to face with her, waving her red nails, gesturing for a hug. I stepped into her arms. Annika shimmied against me. "How did the event go?""It was great
The technician broke the silence first. "Your chart says that you're estimated to be about eighteen weeks along. Is that correct?""Yes," Rhea swiftly answered. Her smile widened. "The size of a bell pepper this week.""That's right," the technician chortled. She glanced between the three Makalovs in the dimly lit room. One hand clicked a button on the ultrasound keyboard and the monitor flickered on. With the probe hovering over Rhea's navel, she asked, "Are you interested in knowing the gender?"Rhea's throat bobbed. Her fingers twitched in mine. Simultaneously, we locked gazes. It was an important question, and one we hadn't discussed nearly enough."I'm going to love them, regardless." Her bottom lip trembled as she studied my face. "As long as they're healthy.""Do you want it to be a surprise?" I whispered in my wife's ears alone. Leaning closer, I nuzzled into the side of her face. "Whatever you want, baby. Just say the word."Despite her nerves, Rhea giggled. She turned her he
ALEKSANDER'S POV A month passed, and we returned home.Keeping my promise to Rhea, I relinquished the reins over to Nikolai to close the loose ends with the Genovese crime family.My aunt and uncle understood and approved of my wish to keep my hands clean for my wife's sake. Nikolai didn't bat an eye when he proclaimed the Genovese would accept a deal and leave our family alone if we did the same.Antonio recovered from his injuries from the car accident. After two weeks in bed, he returned with renewed vigor. The incidents of that day wounded his honor, and he stated he needed to make up for it. As much as I argued, he needed to take time away. He continued showing up in uniform.Rhea had a checkup with her doctor. That was an appointment I wouldn't miss for the world. I held her hand through the follow-up tests, using her as my lifeline through the stress. I'm sure I was the same for her.The thumping sound of a heartbeat lifted a weight off my chest. Rhea cried from the sweet tast
Keeping one hand on his cheek, our lips a hair's breadth apart, I hooked my other arm around his neck. Chest to chest except for his hand on my breast, I breathed my promise into him. "I love you, Aleksander. Forever."A relieved shudder rushed through his body from head to toe. The stuttered sigh past his lips tickled my mouth. I repeated my vow to him, again and again, accompanied by each primal thrust of his hips. "I love you. I love you. I love you."Lush warmth blossomed in the center of my being. It rose from a taut coil in the depths of my core. All at once the carnal pleasure of Aleksander making love to me exploded through my body, rushing in waves from between my thighs to each of my limbs.Quaking against him with searing pleasure wracking my body, Aleksander couldn't hold back. My pulsing cunt forced him into the throes of his climax, following the heels of mine. He painted me from within, claiming me in the salacious way that I enjoyed.He caught my cries on his tongue, s
He seized me in his hands, tenderly stroking them over my fevered flesh. I didn't notice when the gloves came off, but I savored the sensation of his skin on mine. Aleksander explored every dip and curve of my body as if discovering me for the first time.His scruff tickled my throat as his lips tasted me from my chin to my collarbone. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and Aleksander grabbed my hips. In one swift motion, he lifted me off the floor. My legs curled around his waist.The stiffness of his growing erection slipped against the wet center of me. A groan escaped from his mouth into mine. We shared a brief moan at the sweet moment of friction.Aleksander's lips clashed with mine in a passionate frenzy. He moved forward, marching us under the hot spray of the shower. We didn't stop until my back met the tile, crushed between the shower wall and Aleksander's perfectly sculpted frame.I grasped the back of his hair in one hand, tugging slightly as Aleksander's teeth nipped at my
RHEA'S POV Every ounce of my consciousness slipped from my grasp the moment Aleksander freed me. While all the world moved around me, my thoughts stayed still within the pit of darkness consuming my mind. My awareness stayed on my pulsing veins, coursing with cold blood and the rough pounding of my heart throbbing through my limbs.Each breath cleaved through my lungs, strained and burning. Only the heat of Aleksander's hand on my arms kept me on my feet. He was my anchor to reality during a turbulent car ride, and as he swept me through the blinding lights of a semi crowded lobby.A hotel, I thought, somewhere downtown. My eyes couldn't focus on anything, from the onlooking strangers in the shadows to the overly bright glow of opulent lighting. Aleksander and Nikolai's hushed voices brushed against something inside my head. I knew they were with me, but I moved on autopilot.My body floated on a cloud. Up an elevator. Several turns down hallways that felt like a damn never-ending ma
Men screamed. Blood and brains splattered the walls and floors as they went down.A figure popped out around a corner. I fired one shot at his head, and he descended to the ground like an axed tree falling in a forest.Another came behind him. Too close to shoot from afar. My left arm shot out and blocked his. I used the momentum to force his aim up. My opponent shot and missed, bullets lodging in the ceiling. With my left hand, I pointed the gun at his stomach and fired two rounds.The last shot went into the side of his skull as he stumbled to his knees. Then he dropped like a stone on the filthy concrete.An arm emerged at the end of the corridor I passed through. I pulled the trigger, yet nothing left the chamber.Regardless of my unloaded pistol, I grabbed the arm in front of me. One twist of the wrist forced his weapon from his hand. The gun clattered away on the floor.The man grunted. When I jammed the butt of my gun into his face, breaking his nose, he screamed. As he fell, I
ALEKSANDER'S POV Nikolai burst from the front doors of the Makalov mansion. I followed hot on his heels, rushing toward the line of awaiting cars parked around the massive fountain at the end of the driveway.The very last thing Nikolai and I expected was to receive a call from an anonymous contact who worked for the Genovese. Someone in their organization vehemently opposed a potential war. Enough to give away Luca's location.Rhea was the one thing in this world I wanted more desperately than my body needed air. Luca Genovese stole her from me. Now betrayed by his own, I would take his life.The fiery glow of dusk settled itself over the horizon. A brisk wind whipped up the edges of my coat. My fingers twitched, itching for a cigarette to relieve my bristling nerves.Leaving Annika safe at the mansion, I joined my uncle in the backseat of the first car. Personal guards accompanied us. All well-trained and armed with the same pistol I carried.Savage anger writhed like a serpentine
"I'll handle it." The snarky response pulled me from my thoughts. Then the door at my back pushed open with a grating creak of metal on metal. I slammed back into reality, where I sat handcuffed to a chair in some semi-abandoned building.Every breath I took burned my chest. My body tensed with the fear running in my blood. As Luca's shadow rose ominously over the opposite wall, I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move a muscle as each sinister thump of his shoes carried him closer.Luca appeared in front of me with an eerie aura. His disturbing grin slashed wider upon finding me alert.I tried maintaining my gaze at first. He lasciviously ogled every inch of me with a malicious sneer, twisting his features. The threatening glint in his eyes forced my gaze down to his expensive leather loafers crunching on bits of broken glass beneath us."You're finally awake," Luca announced, cocking his head to the side. "The accident was unfortunate, but I didn't think your driver knew any defensive ma