I scoffed.Funny little thing.“My presence in this place doesn’t come cheap. And fifty thousand dollars is cheap. Quit beating about the bush.”Her silence was sudden, neither brooding nor final, and her eyes carried that longing I’d seen barely half an hour ago. She teased the tip of her hair between perfectly manicured fingernails and bounced the ball of her foot on the tiled floor.“Nikolai.” My name rolled off her tongue like a sultry tune and sounded unbelievably better than the last time I’d heard it. “I want you to kidnap me.”My eyes narrowed.This was the first time I’d gotten that kind of offer. Why would a woman willingly want to be kidnapped? The idea was as crazy as it was serious.I filled one of the glasses before handing it to her. Her fingers curled around the stem while I searched her eyes for a hint of sarcasm, or humor, or something that would indicate a trap.I found…nothing.She was as open as a blank canvas.That meant there were two things involved; she was eith
RosalynNo one said anything about the possibility of the tongue being a pain reliever. Maybe I could share that discovery because I was a firsthand witness that it was.Hiswas.The way he kissed me,tastedme, made me forget the reason I was so close to blowing over fifty thousand dollars that should have been for a wedding dress.Mywedding dress. The way he held and touched me dampened all the painful memories that drove me to my brother’s enemy to offer him a proposal that could destroy everything Father had worked hard to build.I hadnever, everbeen kissed like this.When he groaned into my mouth like a hungry lion feasting on delicious prey and drove his fingers into my hair like he sought solace, I saw the white puffy clouds through airplane windows and the brown, rich, earthen peak of tall mountains. He brushed the hair away from my shoulder and nipped on the tender spot on my neck, and my head fell back in bliss. I saw colorful meadows, daffodils, and sunflowers. I heard morning b
The clouds? The meadows? The sunrise?Those were jokes compared to the intensity of fiery furnaces, boiling blood, and hearts banging from heated passion. At least, that was what I believed this moment to be—this moment where I was trapped in time with a sinfully beautiful man who could be my destruction.My black mourning gown was pooled at our feet, laying still beside my lace bra while I stood before him naked with nothing but my hair for cover. Unlike most girls my age, I didn’t like thongs. They were most uncomfortable, and I thought Nikolai would mind, but he’d hastily tugged my panties down my legs, almost ripping them off before lifting me and placing me on the soft rug.His hungry gaze burned every inch of me, from my face and my pebbled breasts to the low-shaven mound between my legs. I wished I could see through the unreadable granite expression on his face to know if he liked what he saw.I wasn’t as tall as most of the girls men like himhungwith or curvy enough to catch a
No compliments.“I guess that’s safer.” I lay back down, breathing harshly, waiting in anticipation while he tore the wrap, with my eyes glued to the ceiling and white-golden lights. Then, I accidentally murmured, “Can’t believeyouwalk around with a condom in your pocket.”“Oh, but I do.” I could almost hear the sardonic smile in his voice. “Just in case some random sister of an enemy walks up to me to join her fora glass of winewith the proposal to kidnap her.”He might not have meant what I heard, but I heard it anyway. I practically threw myself at this man. And before I was given a chance to change my mind, he eased inside me.My nails flew to his arm, and I gasped at the same time he caressed my hip and muttered a tortured but satisfied, “Fuck.”He muttered more Russian under his breath, rubbing my hips, sliding his hand up to cup one of my breasts. His eyelids grew heavier. He moved his hips again, and his lashes fluttered before his eyes closed.“Fucking…good….”The penetration
NikolaiThe last time I fucked a woman, I forgot what it felt like the second I pulled out of her. It was an empty void, a chasm that allowed the chill to echo through. Nothing but hard grunts and screams of pleasure. She’d begged for more, but I was done. And I’d been done for a while until...her.The Irish princess walked into the picture with no makeup, a simple dress, fluffy slippers, and a killer smile that ruined my night in the most unimaginable way possible. I’d never have thought such a night possible.Eyes glued to the ceiling, I kicked my legs up, lay back on the sectional sofa, and knotted my fingers over my groin, rewinding the events of last night. My jaw and fingers clenched. I wanted to stop thinking about it. Aboutallof it. How her petite body quivered in my arms, how sweet she tasted and felt. The smell of perfumed oil on her hair and fair skin. Tiny, dark beauty birthmarks scattered across her back in an eerie symmetric pattern that rivaled a masterful work of cosmi
Rosalyn Ronan’s pale skin was ablaze with a fierce, burning redness reminiscent of smoldering coals when I walked in, tucking my purse between my arm, with Hannah following quietly behind. The tall double doors to the living room clicked shut behind me, and I clasped my fingers together, waiting for it. The inevitable storm. The house should have been quaking now, the floors trembling under the angry stomps of his polished leather shoes as he marched up to me to yell at my incompetence and spit on my face. The maids and guards should have peeked through the windows, shaking their heads with false pity, while they watched as he yanked on my hair and dragged me up the stairs to my room. But he just sat there, glaring at me like he desired nothing more than to wrangle my throat. I was about to wonder why he couldn’t when I noticed the older man seated on the couch across from him. At the sight of his crooked lips smiling mischievously at me, my indifference flared to hate. Trist
Nikolai“Ace did good with this place. He probably didn’t want to answer queries concerning the money Niko put into it.”Anatoly laughed, baring full teeth as he threw his head back to take down a shot from a full tumbler, and though he found it amusing, Timur barely allowed a smile to grow on his face while he reshuffled the crystal-flared shooter glasses on the table to refill them. His biceps flexed under his coffee-brown suit, and the dancing lights from the flashbulbs bounced off his buzz cut.The mood was light, the energy was high, and it made the men loosen up a bit.“How much did he give ‘em?”“Almost a hundred grand.”Timur was impressed, and this time, he didn’t hide it. He straightened on the velvety sofa with a smug grin. Anatoly stretched for another refill. “He’s practically the owner.”“You could say that.”I glanced at the Rolex strapped on my wrist, and my eyes snapped to them. “You both know I am in the same fucking room, right?”Strobe lights pulsed like a freneti
But unlike before, when we’d rate our conquests and decide whether or not to see them again, that night with Rosalyn felt…like nobody else’s fucking business. I remembered that darn concern in her eyes, her naivety, and the soft shudders of her breath in my ears, and I got hit with an unexplainable urge of protectiveness.When I kept mute, he deduced his own answer and fired off another question. “How exactly does she want you to save her?”“She wants me to kidnap her before the wedding day.”Suspicious masked his expression on his face. “Sheaskedyou to kidnap her?”Irritation flooded my chest and rose in my throat like bitter bile.“Am I supposed to repeat myself?”He leaned forward, dropping his glass to show me how dead-serious he was. The corner of his lips turned to a firm, disapproving frown, and in that split second, he looked a lot like his father.“Niko, that’s madness. There’s nothing logical about the sister of an enemy willingly offering herself to be kidnapped. Don’t tell
I never considered myself a saint, but growing up, a part of me hated it when Jayden called the Lord’s name in vain. I was uncomfortable with anyone doing it, and because it felt wrong, it made the hairs on my neck rise, so I’d caution him. But now, I felt nothing but satisfaction as I watched Timur—not hate or caution…justsatisfaction.His gaze faltered, and he leaned against the wall, tugged down the zipper of his pants, and—in a blinding flash—he pulled out his—“Put a finger in your pussy for me,Pchelka.”I couldn’t concentrate, not when he offered me a full big-screen-worthy view of watching him wrap his hand around his veiny hard-on.“Serena.” His commanding voice and the huskiness, combined with the sound of my name, brought me back to focus.On its own accord, my finger moved towhere I badly ached for him, and, like the first time, I slipped inside through my slickness. An involuntary moan left my lips, and my eyes fluttered, but he didn’t even give me a chance.“Eyes on me.”
Through my reflection in the mirror, I watched my cheeks flush a deeper shade of scarlet, and my body tingled in excitement. I didn’t even know when I laughed out loud.What are you thinking, Serena?And yet, despite the million and one reasons I had to desist from taking any step closer to the bed, one reason posed to be the most convincing, forcing me to abandon thoughts about right and wrong until I lay my back on the soft mattress, spread-eagle style:I missed him.“Oh, Serena.” I heard the nerves in my voice and pinned my eyes to the smooth ceiling above me.Clutching the sheets with one hand in a vise grip, I spread my legs wider. The cold air hit my skin, causing goosebumps to rise, and I turned toward the window, only realizing now that a rainstorm had picked up outside. I should have shaken off the stupid idea that brought me to the bed in the first place, got on my feet, and moved to close the shutters. Instead, I pulled the bed covers over my legs and lowered my back into t
SerenaFingering the hem of my dress, I stared at the soft fabric and looked back at the mirror. Blue eyes met mine, golden hair poured below fair shoulders, and I blurred out the image of soft curves and bare hips.Countless times, especially in high school, I’d been called a prude.It wasn’t true. Or maybe it was. I didn’t squeal or gush over pictures of slippery hard abs or full naked men as they did or swooned over R-18 magazines they snuck into class. I couldn’t remember ever being a big fan of nudity, not even where I was concerned. I just didn’t know how to…reactto provocative images or thoughts.Sad, but needless to say, it contributed a lot to my not having many friends.I shook my head in an attempt to get rid of the distracting thoughts. Then, I stared again at the mirror.Throughout everything I’d been through in recent times, I was still me. I was the same person who watched her parents break apart, the same girl who had to step into the shoes of both parents to cater to
TimurThe dreams should have been the first sign. After I noticed that they’d been gone for more than a week, I should have known. Thinking about it now, I almost couldn’t remember the artistic red splash on the wall or the face that owned those lifeless eyes. A new kind of nightmare haunted me. This one was a living nightmare, with perfect lips, perky tits, blonde hair, and blue eyes. Saying I was screwed wasn’t even going to cut it.Fuckedbetter suited the context, and it wasn’t helping that I suddenly remembered Nikolai’s question.Why didn’t I sell her off, leave her in the sea of sharks to feast on? Then, I wouldn’t have to deal with fighting off the provocative images and sounds from my mind that I’d practically guided her to plant there. Her well-being wouldn’t be my fucking business; none of her would concern me. But simply, the thought sent a violent fire that spread up my back, forcing me to straighten up on the chair.My gaze on the desk hardened, and I directed my anger tow
The mirth in his eyes disappeared, replaced by an inferno of undiluted desire. Without looking at me, he recited the third piece of our own secret mantra.“Have me.”The tip of his veiny erection—which was very hard and big—rubbed against my sex before easing into me. My eyes fell shut, shock waves rolling down my body as I tensed, my walls clamping around him.“Fuck…” he cursed, a smooth roll of Russian pouring from between his lips. Almost resisting him, I clenched down on him so tightly, struggling to adjust to his full size, and his jaw flexed. He caressed my bare ass, muttering incoherently in his foreign accent while he squeezed gently.Finally, with gritted teeth and holding back a drop of tears, I relaxed.He watched me, his eyes boring deep into my soul as we moved together. I felt my world shift. I was aware of every gasp, every sigh, every flicker of pleasure that danced between us. I surrendered to the fire that burned brightly within, trusting him to guide me through the
He was all man and no emotions, with a very inviting chest, a chiseled torso, and a mouth that held back nothing. Whenever Jayden cursed, it sounded dirty, but the same words pouring out from this man sent tingles to my toes.Nodding, I gulped. “I understand.”“Want me.” His fingers brushed my cheeks so lightly as his eyes stared into the depth of my soul. “Have me. Need me.Those are the only things I want you to think about. I’ll handle the rest.”Want me.Have me.Need me.I was already breathing fast, and my clothes were still on.This moment between us reminded me of the first time I had welcomed the sixth graders to class. Only now, he felt like the teacher and I, the new student. And this was like class.He was going to handle the rest, he said. All I had to do was immerse myself in the waves of tumultuous passion for thisman, whose gaze licked the length of my body as though it were a delicious lollipop.“Are you okay now?”Startled, I looked back at him, rattled on my rocker t
Then, the moment came.As his lips brushed softly against mine, the kiss was gentle, almost reverent. In that fleeting moment, I felt the wallsof my heart begin to crack, and I wasn’t sure at the time, but something in me wanted more.****We went into the house at separate times for a quick shower and a change into something smoother. Klavdia practically had to force me out of the room when all I wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep the rest of my life away.He had some of his people set up and organize one of the large halls in the house to be decorated. Before now, I didn’t even know such a chamber existed in the same building, and slowly, it started to sink in, what Klavdia said about being the lady “…of all of this.”I could hardly believe it as I stepped into the grand ballroom. It was jaw-dropping magnificent. The air was thick with the intoxicating blend of expensive cologne and the sweet aroma of floral arrangements. Russian laughter—if there ever was such a thing—and mu
SerenaI didn’t like it.Not the dress, the tears. They just kept rolling freely, and Klavdia had already warned me to wipe them off and not ruin my makeup. Somehow, she reminded me of my grandmother. She died of a stroke when I was six. I didn’t remember much abouther except that she was low-key stuck-up, had long white hair, and never smiled. And she gave great advice, like telling a six-year-old, “Whatever you do, don’t get knocked up before you get married.”Needless to say, years later, I didn’t have to do much to follow that advice.Klavdia seemed like the type, too, but I doubted that we’d ever get to the stage where we’d share bits and pieces of our lives over cups of tea and biscuits, and I’d get to know if she had grandchildren.She also said I wasn’t supposed to let mysoon-to-be husbandsee it. He’d already made it very clear that he found tears sickening.Carefully dabbing the tears off under my eyes, I fixed my mascara and eyeliner, aiming to reappear brand new, like a gif
TimurThe air buzzed with the familiar energy of drunkenness, wasted lives, and ecstasy.The club lights pulsed low, a hum settling over the crowd as we made our way through the reserved spot with “VIPs ONLY” dangling beside the plush red ropes. The place was high-end and sleek in design, with black marble, plush leather seats, and a bar that stretched half the length of the room. Neon blue lights traced along the walls, flashing a glow that glinted off the glassware and tinted everything a cool, metallic hue.One of Rafayel’s contacts owned the club.I nodded, assessing the bubbling life. Not bad.My brother’s laugh cut through the bass-heavy music, and I turned in time to see him share a handshake with Arlo, both of them already in high spirits. I didn’t need either of them to tell me; they’d probably made some stupid bet on something I wasn’t going to bother myself about.Nikolai followed close, his gaze scanning the room—a man with more restraint these days, but still, he’d undoub