Aria.Holy shit. Holy shit. Fuck. What the hell did I just do?I couldn't believe I'd just had the most incredible, earth-shattering sex with a freaking stranger. A Bratva boss who could have killed me while he had me tied to his bed.God, he would have killed me if he knew why I was here.What on earth was I thinking? Right, I wasn't thinking.My body was a delicious mess of satisfaction and exhaustion, but it was time to set up these microchips and get the hell out of Dodge.I waited for a few moments, then cautiously crept away from him, trying not to jostle the bed too much. I couldn't help but take one last look at Axel's sleeping form – his chiseled chest rising and falling with each breath, his face relaxed in slumber.Convinced that he was truly out cold, I gingerly slipped away, wincing as the chilly air hit my exposed skin."Slow-ly," I whispered to myself, tiptoeing around the room, my bare feet barely making a sound against the luxurious carpet. My heart thumped in my chest
Aria. I had no time to hide. My body tensed, my eyes locked on the door as it creaked open. I was like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car, frozen in place, fear and adrenaline coursing through my veins.The door opened, and for a split second, I hoped against all odds that it wasn't Axel. But my hope was dashed. There he was. And even though I was scared witless, it was hard not to stare at him standing in the doorway.Holy shit!He was completely naked, his toned body covered in tattoos and scars, exuding raw sexuality.Why is he walking around naked?"What in the hell…?" Axel's voice was tinged with amusement and disbelief, his eyes flicking between me and the room around us. I remained rooted to the spot, my mouth dry and my heart racing a hundred miles an hour. I couldn't even muster up the courage to apologize or attempt an explanation.The silence stretched between us, punctuated only by the sound of our breathing. I could feel the weight of his gaze, the intens
Axel.Aria's moans and whimpers filled the room, fueling me to thrust harder and deeper as I held off my release until she climaxed. I followed shortly after, the sensation pure ecstasy. My heart pounded in my ribcage and my vision blurred slightly.The release left me a little breathless, but Aria was panting heavily, despite my having done most of the work."Tired, krasotka?" I asked, my voice hoarse and slightly shaky. The veins on my muscles throbbed, especially those on my most sensitive areas.She hummed in response, adjusted her clothing, and turned to face me. Her chest rose and fell in sync with mine as she caught her breath."Learned your lesson, naughty girl, or do you need more spanking?" I teased, my gaze fixed on her breasts. They were round and full, neither too large nor too small. They'd be a perfect fit for my large hands."I... uh..." she cleared her throat, struggling to speak. She shook her head and blinked several times, trying to clear her thoughts.While she ga
Axel. "Ax-elll! Wake up, sleepyhead!" Mila's high-pitched voice pierced through my dreams, and I groaned. I didn't want to wake up, not after the night I had with Aria. The way her body had felt against mine, her wild moans echoing in my ears... Uh... fuck! I was roused from my memories of Aria as something wet assaulted my face. Opening my eyes, I found myself face-to-face with a pair of guileless eyes staring back at me. A fluffy puppy perched on my chest, its tongue dangling as it licked me enthusiastically. What the hell? When it barked in my face, it only added insult to injury. "Surprise, Axel! Meet Max!" Mila announced, her face alight with glee. "Nikolai got him for me as a present! Isn't he the cutest thing you've ever seen?" The puppy cocked its head, eyeing me with a mixture of curiosity and bemusement. He was cute, no doubt of it. Not that I gave a fuck. Max batted at my chest with his tiny paws, wagging his tail as if demanding attention. Suppressing a frown, I add
Aria. Balancing a tray of steaming cups in one hand, I weaved through the busy cafe, feeling like a fraud in my waitress uniform. It was hard to believe that just last night, I had been tangled in Axel Yakov's arms, lost in a haze of pleasure I never thought possible."Here's your cappuccino, sir," I said, placing the cup in front of a middle-aged man engrossed in his newspaper. He didn't even glance up, just grunted his thanks. Sighing, I made my way back to the counter, where another cup of coffee awaited me – my third that morning.I downed the bitter liquid, hoping it would banish the memories of last night from my mind, but they refused to fade. Axel's touch still lingered on my skin, as if he had branded me with his possession."Hey, Aria, can you take these orders to table six?" my coworker, Emily, called out, snapping me out of my thoughts."Sure thing," I replied, forcing a smile and taking the plates from her.Delivering the food to the customers, my thoughts wandered back
AriaGreg smirked, taking pleasure in my discomfort. "Now, don't you think it's time you show me some gratitude for all the chances I've given you?The moment his grip tightened, something inside me snapped. A red-hot surge of anger welled up, and without thinking, my hand flew up, connecting with Greg's face in a sharp slap. We both stared at each other, shocked at my sudden outburst.My anger didn't subside, though; it festered and grew, feeding on my resentment of a life that had been nothing but a shitstorm. I was furious at my brother for falling into the pit of addiction, at my parents for leaving us too damn early, and at myself for being so damn helpless. The fury swelled within me as I thought about my own weakness – my inability to resist the magnetic pull of Axel and the fact that I had forgotten to press the fucking button on the device.The weight of it all became too much to bear, and hot tears of frustration and shame pricked at the corners of my eyes. My chest tightene
AxelThe air in the room was thick with tension, the stench of sweat and fear transporting me back to the first time I was exposed to the true meaning of Bratva business. I was just sixteen years old when my father led me down to his interrogation chamber for the first time."Son, this is your birthright," he'd said, his voice cold and steady as he secured the trembling man to a chair. "One day, you'll take over the business. Violence is an unavoidable part of our world."I watched, wide-eyed and silent, as the man's pleas for mercy filled the room. My father didn't waver; his face expressionless, his movements methodical. I couldn't tear my gaze away from the grisly scene unfolding before me."Dad, please," I remember whispering. "Isn't there another way?"My father had turned to me, his eyes glinting with a hardness I'd never seen before. "This is how we maintain order, son," he replied, his tone firm but not unkind. "This is how we protect our family and our business."Now, as I st
AxelRoman's rage seeped through as he worked in the chamber. Among us, he was the most unhinged and unpredictable, but that's why I trusted him. He let his actions do the talking when it came to dealing with enemies.As I stood outside the door, listening to the muffled sounds from within, I felt a sense of satisfaction. This was what happened when you crossed us. When you betrayed the trust we'd placed in you.You paid with your life."Boss," Maria, Mila's nanny, stood before me, her expression one of fear and concern as she took in the blood on my shirt. Her face was as white as a ghost."Boss... Mr. Yakov," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.I turned to face her, my eyes narrowing. Maria might have been Mila's nanny, but she was also a woman in the wrong place at the wrong time. The fact that she'd seen me in this state, covered in blood and with a killer's look in my eyes, was not something I took lightly.But as I looked at her closely, I saw fear not just towards me, bu
Axel.I watched as Aria trotted away with Mila, my sister urgently whispering something about needing to pee. It left me alone with Ekaterina. There was a pause as we watched them disappear into the house."You do good with Mila," Ekaterina finally broke the silence, and I was sure I heard pride in the words.Switching to our native Russian, I confessed to Ekaterina, "Mila's an easy kid. She's really warmed up to Aria, too. She thinks... well, she thinks Aria is like Belle from Beauty and the Beast." I shrugged. What did I know about kids' fairy tales?Ekaterina chuckled at that, a sound that took me back to simpler times. Then she looked at me warmly. "You seem happy, Axel," she remarked. "Truly happy. It's good to see you like this."I could feel the truth of her words, the lightness in my heart, the calmness that wasn't there before. She was right. I was happy.Her gaze moved to where Aria had just disappeared with my sister. "I like that one. Keep her. She might be young," she beg
Aria"Hungy time," Mila announced, slapping her tiny belly. The seriousness on her face, the sheer gravity of her statement, yanked a surprised laugh from both Axel and me."Again?" Axel looked surprised. She nodded, then giggled as her belly rumbled."Wait, that's not a thunderclap?" I mocked, a feeble attempt to wash away the red searing my cheeks. "Here I was, thinking we're due for a storm, but it's just Mila's stomach playing tricks!""No, silly!" Mila giggled, her laughter a soothing balm to the tension knotting in my chest.I sneaked a peek at Axel, catching him mid-stare. Our eyes met, and there it was – a gentle smile playing on his lips. Melting my heart.Oh God, please don't do that."See that?" He gestured toward the vast, open sky, hues of pinks and oranges bleeding into each other. The sunset. Gorgeous, yet an unwanted reminder of time flying.A swift check of my wristwatch confirmed it – we'd been there for hours, tangled in our problems, our fears. My fears."Let's hea
Aria.The name crashed into my mind, a vicious reminder of the web I was tangled in.Viktor.The man who had my brother.The man who had my best friend.The man who sent me into the lion's den to spy.The man who murdered his own brother-in-law, Axel's father.My stomach churned at the revelation, and for a moment, I feared I might lose my lunch right there, on top of that serene hill, in front of those majestic tombstones.The same fear snaked up my spine, coiling tightly around my heart.What was I to do now?The air felt heavy around me, pressing down on my chest.I needed to breathe. I needed to think.I needed to run!But right then, all I could do was freeze, my hand still resting on Axel's shoulder. His hand came up, gently clasping mine. The warmth, the spark that leaped at the contact... it was undeniable.He slowly stood up and turned to face me.Just when I thought things couldn't get more complicated, the universe proved me wrong. And for the first time since stepping into
Axel."I- I didn't know. I'm sorry," Aria stammered, her gaze lingering on the distant gravestones.Suddenly Mila rushed past, breaking the moment. I was grateful for the distraction. "Axel, Max is being silly!""Slowly, Mila!" Aria called, but her eyes stayed locked with mine. They were wide pools, sucking me in. There was more of that goddamned silence, and now I was really regretting bringing her here. Too many questions. Too much to explain.Mila returned, tugging on my sleeve. "Look at what I picked, Axel!"I crouched down to her level and took a moment to admire the bunch of flowers she thrust in my direction. "Mama would have loved these, Mila. She loved wildflowers.""Did she?" Mila looked at me, her innocent eyes wide with curiosity. "I was too small when she went to heaven.""Da, you were just a baby, malyška," I confirmed, scooping her up and hoisting her onto my shoulders. From her perch atop my six-foot-three frame, she must have felt like she was on top of the world."Le
Axel."BLURP!"The gurgling noise was loud enough to be heard around the room. And it was a sound that came from Mila's belly. I watched as she successfully annihilated her second bowl of macaroni. Finally, she sat back, licking her lips and patting her full stomach.Aria couldn't hide the grin tugging at her lips. "Your sister's got quite the appetite, Axel."I laughed back, nodding at the observation. "You've no idea."Mila was now trying to sneak a portion to the dog."Malyška," I said, giving her a pretend stern look, "Don't turn Max into a macaroni junkie."Mila raised her eyebrows, her expression one of pure innocence. "What's wrong with that?""Nothing, if Max were a human like us," I retorted. "But dogs... they don't digest pasta the same way."She squinted in thought. "Max likes it.""No doubt," I agreed, nodding at the puppy. "But we should stick to dog-friendly stuff next time, yes?"Max yapped as if throwing in his two cents. Mila exploded into giggles, and even Aria joine
"Alright, Mila. Ready to chow down on that macaroni?" I asked, swiftly changing my focus.In one fluid motion, Axel strolled over and hoisted Mila into his arms, placing a smacking kiss on her rosy cheek. A sound that could only be described as pure, unadulterated glee exploded from Mila, lighting up the room in a way no chandelier ever could.The scene felt unreal, like I'd somehow crash-landed in the middle of a family sitcom. But this wasn't television, and there were no commercial breaks coming to relieve the tension building within me. The jovial brother, the innocent child – their joyous laughter at odds with the spiraling thoughts in my mind."Did I tell you, Aria?" Mila suddenly piped up, turning her bright, expectant gaze on me. "Next week, it's my birthday!" She practically bounced with excitement.Next week? Hell. I didn't even know if I'd be around in the next hour.I felt like a fraud, smiling and nodding at this little girl, knowing what I had in store. I could barely st
Aria."Aria."The sound of my name jerked me from my thoughts, making me drop the damning burner phone onto the bed. I spun around to find Mila peeking through the slightly ajar door. Her big blue eyes, disoriented from a deep nap, squinted at me."Mila," I said, trying to regulate my heartbeat. "You scared me." Gathering myself, I quickly tucked the phone back into my purse and forced a reassuring smile on my face."Sorry," she mumbled, her little fingers gripping the door. She ambled into the room, still dazed from sleep, blonde curls framing her sweet face. "I just woke up," she said, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "And I'm hungry."A pang of affection softened my features. "Hungry?" I echoed, rising from the bed. Her innocence in this whirlwind of danger was so at odds with what was at stake. "Well, we can't have that. I smelled something good wafting from downstairs. Want to go down there?"Her face brightened immediately, any remnants of sleep chased away. "Really? What is it?""Com
Keep it together, Aria.I scanned the room. It was a modest space, void of personal touches. Sparse. Functional. An austere bed in the center, a sturdy oak wardrobe standing in one corner, and an unpretentious desk in the other. The bathroom, though small, was clean and well-lit.Exhaustion gnawed at my bones, but my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.What the hell have I gotten myself into?These feelings I have for Axel... I have to stop it.Slowly, I shuffled toward the small white bathroom. The mirror confronted me with a reflection of a woman on the brink – eyes too wide, skin too pale. I turned on the faucet, splashing cold water on my face, hoping to douse the anxiety simmering beneath my skin.Lugging my tired self to the bedside table, I rummaged through my purse, retrieving the burner phone. The device was cold against my sweaty palms, a notification on the screen making my heart pound. I tapped open the message app, a message from an unmarked number glaring back at me. The s
Aria.I tried so hard not to reveal anything personal to him. But right then, I was failing miserably.I found myself surrounded by the pristine, chromed perfection of this kitchen. The place was welcoming, warm, yet every shiny appliance screamed money. It was such a far cry from what I was used to, it was dizzying.In this space, Axel was a different kind of intimidating. He was big and broad, looming over the stove, stirring the pot with a weird concentration. I liked how serious he was about it. Like an artist painting his masterpiece, a maestro conducting a symphony, or maybe a god concocting a recipe for perfection.The air was heavy with the tantalizing aroma of garlic and spices, pulling me in, making my stomach rumble in appreciation. His transformation from cold mafia boss to this domestic figure was astonishingly alluring. He was like a character who had jumped straight from a novel into my reality.It was hard not to stare, to watch the play of muscles under his shirt as h