The sound of hushed voices and the feel of soft warm lips pressed against her cheek woke Vic from her dreamless sleep. She rolled over to find Max smiling down at her. He reached up and slowly moved some of her hair from her face. “You look yummy enough to eat first thing in the morning, but Roc says it's time to hit the road. Come on,” he urged and offered her his hand. Vic stretched her arms and legs before taking Max’s offered hand. As she stood, he handed her a steaming cup of coffee. “Don't know how you like it so it's just straight black.” he said, and Vic smiled warmly at the gesture. “It’s warm, that's all that counts.” she said with the gravel of sleep still in her voice. Vic noticed as she stuffed her bags back into the car that the trio remained silent, and it seemed to make the atmosphere slightly more tense than it had been last night. Vic stood by the back panel of the car waiting as Rowan almost pushed her out of the way to stuff his enormous frame into the backseat.
As Vic chased Rocco back down the hall, they met up with Madelena and Rowan, who had two of Vic’s bags slung on one shoulder. “Rowan, you have to do what I say.” the small woman spat fiercely, and Vic watched with silent amusement as the oversized grinch seemed to soften just enough to speak to her. “Yes ma’am, I understand that, but boss says she goes in the bunk house like the others.” he almost pled with her just before Rocco cleared his throat and Max came walking into grand foyer with a rolling suitcase Vic also recognized as her own. “She can’t sleep in the bunkhouse Rowan! You guys don’t even sleep there. I hear stuff about what they do in there and I don’t think it’s right for her.” Madelena barked as Rocco put his hands out in surrender. “Whoa Maddie, take it easy, nothing is gonna happen to Vic. She’s one of the team now, you heard the boss.” he said, and Madelena just pursed her lips and began tapping her foot on the floor. “Unacceptable Roc, I want her to have the room next
Vic’s heart thundered against her chest but not because she had been running over soft ground for the past three miles, the anticipation of triumph kept her muscles primed and her blood pumping. She glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Max still behind her by a few paces and smiled as the tip of a large tin style roof peaked over the vast mostly open terrain. Vic took a few deep breaths and adjusted her luggage as she waited for Max to get a little closer. The moment his head lifted, and he caught sight of Vic’s figure, Max squared his shoulders and offered her a wide smile that spread across his face. “Almost there, sweet buns.” he sang, and Vic let a few chirping giggles blast from her chest. “You better hurry up Maxie boy, if I get there first you might end up on the porch.” she yelled back, and Max only shrugged. “Bad puppies sleep outside doll, now move that ass.” he said with an almost predatory energy that had Vic’s heart picking up the pace long before she turned and m
The feeling of warm breath against the back of her neck and a cinching arm around her waist brought Vic out of her unusually restful sleep. “I could wake up like this every morning.” Max whispered with a sleepy crackle to his voice and although Vic’s body became instantly rigid as she sucked air in through her nose she didn’t move. “Max.” she whispered, as her eyes began to adjust to the dim light of the early morning. Max pressed his nose into the back of her neck and grumbled something as Vic slowly rolled to her back so she could look at him. “Max.” she repeated, with a little more seriousness in her voice. He made a sound that reminded Vic of a grumpy puppy as his nose traveled from the back of her neck to the soft flesh of her ear lobe. “Vic.” he whispered back, and her body immediately responded in an eruption of goosebumps and promising trembles, no matter how hard she tried to remain still. Max’s nose moved from its playful nuzzle against her ear and he slowly drug the soft ti
Vic rolled over in bed and groaned as every muscle in her body cried from the non-stop events from yesterday. After spending what felt like hours letting Maddelena dress her up and ask millions of questions, Rocco and Max showed up to take her for an introduction to their version of “keeping fit”. The hand-to-hand with Rocco had been relatively routine, but Max had taken her to a range Volkov had on the compound. Some of the high-powered rifles Max insisted she fire had jarred her shoulders and hips before Rowan decided to put her body through more rigorous physical challenges. Vic sat up and pulled her shirt up with a grunt to survey the damage, her sides were already starting to bruise while her stomach and chest were peppered with overlapping darkening marks. Pushing her shirt back down, she glanced at the small alarm clock Max had given her and rolled her eyes. She still had over an hour before it would go off on it's own, so she decided to turn it off and take a nice long shower.
Vic stood staring at the closed door feeling a mixture of embarrassment and confused dejection as Max saddled up next to her then placed his arm gingerly around her waist. “What’s in the cup?” he asked, and Vic looked down at the mug she still held. “It’s hot chocolate.” she mumbled in a faraway tone before turning her head to finally look at Max. “Someone delivered it to me this morning along with a cup of coffee and tea.” she explained. When shouting started bubbling out of the cabin in incoherent waves, Vic bit her lip as a guilty knot formed in her stomach. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to settle her nerves but the booming sound of a man’s voice jerked her back to the edge of unsettled.“What happened?” The sound of Rowan’s voice was like a whip and Vic physically tensed like she had been struck. “Jakub is probably waking up.” she said, somewhat sarcastically before stepping out of Max’s hold and walking around to the side of the cabin. She approached the rail
Vic closed her eyes and bumped her head against the door to what was now her room instead of Max’s. After their fairly gentle drills, he took her back to the room and told her it was hers now; that he would leave anything she wanted and bring her anything she was missing. He had told her to shower and put on fresh clothes so he could take her to meet with Volkov. She was nervous but also hopeful that maybe he would decide she wasn’t worth the trouble and let her go back to some semblance of her old life. She showered and changed without incident or interruption from the other occupants. When she emerged from her room, the lights in the main part of the cabin were out except for a single lamp in the kitchen where Max stood with a small flower in his hand. Vic twisted her wet hair up into a tight bun as Max approached and offered her the small white daisy. “A peace offering from Ro.” he said with a husky, but sweet voice. Vic only shook her head. “Really? This pretty little daisy is fr
**CONTENT WARNING** This story will contain several dark and triggering topics that may be very upsetting to some readers, please read at your own risk and stop if it becomes to much, your mental health matters. Happy reading dome dwellers and stranger than fiction friends - BThe rapid echo of men's dress shoes clicking against a hollow marble floor were the only sounds to rouse Victoria Bura from the punching bag she was currently attempting to destroy, hoping it would take the strange sadness in her chest with it. She tried her best to ignore the growing irritation as her impending visitor’s footsteps stopped. The irritating rhythm of knuckles against the closed door sounded just before her brother's voice buzzed through the thick wood door. “It’s been a week, Vicki. Don't you think it's time to stop sulking?” He tried to shout through the thick wood and even over the music, she could still hear his annoying voice. “I’m not sulking Phil,” she grunted after each powerful thrust of
Vic closed her eyes and bumped her head against the door to what was now her room instead of Max’s. After their fairly gentle drills, he took her back to the room and told her it was hers now; that he would leave anything she wanted and bring her anything she was missing. He had told her to shower and put on fresh clothes so he could take her to meet with Volkov. She was nervous but also hopeful that maybe he would decide she wasn’t worth the trouble and let her go back to some semblance of her old life. She showered and changed without incident or interruption from the other occupants. When she emerged from her room, the lights in the main part of the cabin were out except for a single lamp in the kitchen where Max stood with a small flower in his hand. Vic twisted her wet hair up into a tight bun as Max approached and offered her the small white daisy. “A peace offering from Ro.” he said with a husky, but sweet voice. Vic only shook her head. “Really? This pretty little daisy is fr
Vic stood staring at the closed door feeling a mixture of embarrassment and confused dejection as Max saddled up next to her then placed his arm gingerly around her waist. “What’s in the cup?” he asked, and Vic looked down at the mug she still held. “It’s hot chocolate.” she mumbled in a faraway tone before turning her head to finally look at Max. “Someone delivered it to me this morning along with a cup of coffee and tea.” she explained. When shouting started bubbling out of the cabin in incoherent waves, Vic bit her lip as a guilty knot formed in her stomach. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to settle her nerves but the booming sound of a man’s voice jerked her back to the edge of unsettled.“What happened?” The sound of Rowan’s voice was like a whip and Vic physically tensed like she had been struck. “Jakub is probably waking up.” she said, somewhat sarcastically before stepping out of Max’s hold and walking around to the side of the cabin. She approached the rail
Vic rolled over in bed and groaned as every muscle in her body cried from the non-stop events from yesterday. After spending what felt like hours letting Maddelena dress her up and ask millions of questions, Rocco and Max showed up to take her for an introduction to their version of “keeping fit”. The hand-to-hand with Rocco had been relatively routine, but Max had taken her to a range Volkov had on the compound. Some of the high-powered rifles Max insisted she fire had jarred her shoulders and hips before Rowan decided to put her body through more rigorous physical challenges. Vic sat up and pulled her shirt up with a grunt to survey the damage, her sides were already starting to bruise while her stomach and chest were peppered with overlapping darkening marks. Pushing her shirt back down, she glanced at the small alarm clock Max had given her and rolled her eyes. She still had over an hour before it would go off on it's own, so she decided to turn it off and take a nice long shower.
The feeling of warm breath against the back of her neck and a cinching arm around her waist brought Vic out of her unusually restful sleep. “I could wake up like this every morning.” Max whispered with a sleepy crackle to his voice and although Vic’s body became instantly rigid as she sucked air in through her nose she didn’t move. “Max.” she whispered, as her eyes began to adjust to the dim light of the early morning. Max pressed his nose into the back of her neck and grumbled something as Vic slowly rolled to her back so she could look at him. “Max.” she repeated, with a little more seriousness in her voice. He made a sound that reminded Vic of a grumpy puppy as his nose traveled from the back of her neck to the soft flesh of her ear lobe. “Vic.” he whispered back, and her body immediately responded in an eruption of goosebumps and promising trembles, no matter how hard she tried to remain still. Max’s nose moved from its playful nuzzle against her ear and he slowly drug the soft ti
Vic’s heart thundered against her chest but not because she had been running over soft ground for the past three miles, the anticipation of triumph kept her muscles primed and her blood pumping. She glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Max still behind her by a few paces and smiled as the tip of a large tin style roof peaked over the vast mostly open terrain. Vic took a few deep breaths and adjusted her luggage as she waited for Max to get a little closer. The moment his head lifted, and he caught sight of Vic’s figure, Max squared his shoulders and offered her a wide smile that spread across his face. “Almost there, sweet buns.” he sang, and Vic let a few chirping giggles blast from her chest. “You better hurry up Maxie boy, if I get there first you might end up on the porch.” she yelled back, and Max only shrugged. “Bad puppies sleep outside doll, now move that ass.” he said with an almost predatory energy that had Vic’s heart picking up the pace long before she turned and m
As Vic chased Rocco back down the hall, they met up with Madelena and Rowan, who had two of Vic’s bags slung on one shoulder. “Rowan, you have to do what I say.” the small woman spat fiercely, and Vic watched with silent amusement as the oversized grinch seemed to soften just enough to speak to her. “Yes ma’am, I understand that, but boss says she goes in the bunk house like the others.” he almost pled with her just before Rocco cleared his throat and Max came walking into grand foyer with a rolling suitcase Vic also recognized as her own. “She can’t sleep in the bunkhouse Rowan! You guys don’t even sleep there. I hear stuff about what they do in there and I don’t think it’s right for her.” Madelena barked as Rocco put his hands out in surrender. “Whoa Maddie, take it easy, nothing is gonna happen to Vic. She’s one of the team now, you heard the boss.” he said, and Madelena just pursed her lips and began tapping her foot on the floor. “Unacceptable Roc, I want her to have the room next
The sound of hushed voices and the feel of soft warm lips pressed against her cheek woke Vic from her dreamless sleep. She rolled over to find Max smiling down at her. He reached up and slowly moved some of her hair from her face. “You look yummy enough to eat first thing in the morning, but Roc says it's time to hit the road. Come on,” he urged and offered her his hand. Vic stretched her arms and legs before taking Max’s offered hand. As she stood, he handed her a steaming cup of coffee. “Don't know how you like it so it's just straight black.” he said, and Vic smiled warmly at the gesture. “It’s warm, that's all that counts.” she said with the gravel of sleep still in her voice. Vic noticed as she stuffed her bags back into the car that the trio remained silent, and it seemed to make the atmosphere slightly more tense than it had been last night. Vic stood by the back panel of the car waiting as Rowan almost pushed her out of the way to stuff his enormous frame into the backseat.
Vic jumped up from the chair, dove behind Max and out the door, stopping just a few feet away and placing her hands on the hood of the car. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths as the sound of scuffling feet behind her almost caused her to turn and throw a right hook, but Max’s sweet soft voice rumbled behind her. “I'm supposed to tell you that if you run, the boss says I can stick a bullet in that ass, but it’s such a nice ass I would hate to damage it that badly.” he purred, and Vic let a breathless laugh loose as she shook her head. “Is that supposed to be a compliment or something?” she asked. Max appeared next to her shrugging, still in his undershirt. “That’s the best I can do, sweetheart. I’m gonna flirt hard because baby you make my blood boil. I would rock your world if you let me.” he said with a smile that stretched all the way across his face and Vic didn't even try to hide her blush as she spun around and hopped up on the hood of the car. Vic locked eyes with
Vic remained silent as Max opened the door to a sleek black sedan and ushered her into the backseat before climbing in next to her. Through her peripheral she kept an eye on Rowan as he hauled her two moderately sized bags down the stairs and tossed them into the trunk like they didn't weigh at least fifty pounds each. Vic sucked in a breath as Max’s sweater brushed over her shoulders while he moved himself closer to her. “Sorry about the backseat cuddles sweetness.” he smiled and tipped his head to the side playfully. “Rocco doesn't like it when Rowan sits up front, says he drives from the passenger seat,” Max finished and as Vic’s eyes snapped to the front of the car, she caught Rocco’s deep brown eyes almost boring straight through her. “You could sit up front and give the woman some room to breathe.” Rocco grumbled and Max only squeezed Vic’s shoulders tighter against himself. “She likes cuddling with me. We are gonna be besties, right love?” Vic sat with her head and shoulders sc