13. Nik

Chapter 13

Nik

I’m glad I’ve won this round, but I know the war with Kat is far from over.

She agreed to my demands, but it was far too easy. She’s not defeated, only saving her energy for another battle—one she thinks she can win. I have a feeling we’re just getting started.

Even though I hold her life in my hands, I know she’ll challenge me every step of the way. A strange mix of exhaustion and excitement stirs in me just thinking about it.

She’s a complication—a necessary one, since I need her help to catch Maxim’s murderer. But her presence, the emotional outbursts she stirs in me, is an added problem I must handle.

Instead, I find myself obsessing over the most meaningless concerns—such as, would she still welcome my touch? Did she think of me as while we were apart?

It was obvious she was hiding something when I asked about the Flame of Mir. She didn’t even try to hide her reluctance to reveal anything that might help me. Sure, she denied being involved in Maxim’s murder, but I didn’t expect a confession in the first place.

“Very well. I accept your terms. You’ve got yourself a deal,” she says, squaring her shoulders.

“Good girl. You’re making the right choice. Since we’re on the same team now, let’s get you out of these cuffs. They’re probably chaffing you by now.” I pull the key from my pocket and kneel beside her. Unlatching the leather restraints, I try to stay as detached as possible. But then my fingers graze her wrist, impossibly soft under my touch. I fully intend to pretend nothing happened—until I hear her sharp intake of breath.

I glance up, my fingers stilling where they rest on her arms. Her eyes lock with mine, and I’m held captive by their deep blue beauty, just like the first time I gazed into them.

I half expect her to look away, to break the connection, but she inches closer. A slight movement, almost imperceptible, but I’m so attuned to her—so desperate to make up for all the time lost I last saw her—I notice every shift, every sound, every breath.

This is dangerous. I shouldn’t let this pull win, shouldn’t lean in closer, but her effect on me is overwhelming. Without thinking, I wrap my hands around her wrists, bringing her closer, driven by the need to taste her again.

She doesn’t pull back, even after being abducted and restrained by me against her wishes. Her eyes widen, but her only response is a soft sigh, and we’re close enough that I can feel her warmth radiating into me.

She shouldn’t want this any more than I do. But here we are, giving in to this unspoken connection that defies logic. The realization that she wants me as much as I want her is too much to resist.

I lean forward, careful not to break this spell. Her erratic breath hits my lips, and I’m seconds away from closing the distance when she presses a hand to my chest, stopping me.

The haze clears, and over the thundering beats of my heart, she clears her throat. “Nik,” she murmurs. She doesn’t need to say anything else. I know where this is going, and for once, I’m grateful she had the sense to stop it. I wouldn’t have.

I sit back, turning away from her to catch my breath, needing a moment to clear my head.

“Nik,” she repeats, her tone firm, “we agreed to keep things professional.”

“I know.”

“This whole situation is already complicated enough. Throwing in hot, passionate sex would only make it worse.”

“I know, Kat,” I reply, more sharply than I intend. I can’t let her keep talking about hot, passionate sex right now, not with my control hanging by a thread.

“Well, excuse me for pointing out the obvious, but it didn’t seem like you were keeping that in mind a moment ago.” Her eyes narrow. “You know, when you were staring at my mouth and leaning in as I lay here, chained to your freaking bed.”

“First of all, this isn’t even my bed—technically. It’s a bed I own, yes, but?—”

She cuts me off with an exasperated sigh. “Are you really going to argue semantics right now?”

I ignore her. “Second, if you don’t want me coming on to you, maybe you should stop leading me on.”

“ Leading you on ?” She sputters, cheeks flushing. “I would never . Ever. And I didn’t. And I won’t—ever.”

“You were making eyes at me, sighing, longingly gazing at my mouth?—”

Her expression turns incredulous. “You have a very vivid imagination. Not very gangster of you, I’ll say.”

I give her a pointed look, debating showing her how gangster I feel right now. If I didn’t have bigger priorities, I’d prove her wrong right now. But I’m here to avenge Maxim, not win her over. I need to be on her good side—so she will help me nail the bastard who killed my friend. Not because I want her to like me and ask me to fuck her.

“This conversation is pointless,” I say. “How about this? I’ll make you a promise—if you can keep your hands to yourself, I’ll do the same.” I hope this is a promise I can actually keep.

“Deal,” she replies, a little too quickly for my taste.

“Great.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“Good to hear.”

“Fantastic. How about you unchain me now? I’d like to go home.” She regally olds her arms, managing to look every bit as defiant as someone bound to a bed can.

I exhale. “First of all, quit being so dramatic. You’re not chained to anything. You’re making it sound like this is a fucking medieval dungeon. You’re restrained by very soft cuffs in a very safe, very comfortable penthouse.”

She rolls her eyes. “Excuse me if I’m not particularly pleased by the luxurious cage you’ve locked me inside.”

“Also, I’ll release you so you can move around, but you’re not leaving this place.”

Her jaw drops. “ What? ”

“As long as you work for me, you’ll be staying here. With me. That’s my third condition.”

She blinks at me, seemingly at a loss for words. I expect her to scream in outrage, but when she speaks, it’s with that infuriatingly calm, measured tone I’m learning to hate. “You’re insane.”

“Not at all, but you might be. I don’t think you fully appreciate your situation. You’ve agreed to help me, but I’m still keeping an eye on you.” I pause, letting my words sink in. “We may have fucked, but this is strictly business now. Please tell me you don’t expect me to go easy on you because of our history.”

She levels a glare at me—as if it’s beneath her to even acknowledge my accusation.. “You may have leverage over me, but that doesn’t mean you own me.”

I arch an eyebrow, throwing her own words back at her. “Thought you didn’t want to argue semantics?”

If looks could kill, I’d be dead right now. Unfortunately for her, I’ll live to fight her another day. But I know I’ve made my point; more importantly, so does she. I’m not foolish enough to think I actually own her. That would be a fatal mistake—one she’d make me pay for dearly. But I have enough leverage to make certain demands.

“I agreed to work with you,” she says. “You have the means to chase me through the gates of hell if I’m dumb enough to go AWOL on you. Why the hell do you need me to stay in your home?”

Because I don’t trust her. I need to keep my eyes on her to make sure she isn’t up to any shenanigans in my absence.

“Correction,” I say. “You work for me, and I need to know where you are at all times. Why waste time hunting you down when I can keep you right here?”

“Uh, hello? Have you heard of cell phones? Or email?”

“Why bother with any of that when I can just have you right where I want you?”

“And where is that?”

“Under my thumb, of course.” I wink, unable to resist provoking her further. As I’ve learned today, she looks especially hot when mad. Unsurprisingly, of course. The woman can’t do anything without driving me crazy with lust.

Her temper flares again, and she opens her mouth to argue, but I hold up a hand to stop her. I don’t trust myself not to kiss her senseless if she goes off on me again

“Besides, it’s part of your cover,” I add, knowing it will trigger her curiosity.

She narrows her eyes. “What cover?”

I smile. “All in good time, Kat. For now, let’s get you out of these cuffs and get you something to eat.”

“You’re kidding me, right? You can’t just say I’ll be your prisoner for God knows how long and tell me it will all make sense eventually.”

“I had no idea you had such a flair for the dramatic. You’re not my prisoner. You’re working for me. As your boss, I get to make certain demands of you. I am, after all, compensating you very generously.”

“Is that right?”

“Absolutely. For starters, I’m sparing your life—and A.J.’s. And who knows? You might enjoy yourself. It’s a pretty nice place, if I do say so myself. And it’s not like you’re locked in here. You’re welcome to come and go as you wish. With an escort, of course. And as long as it doesn't interfere with my plans for you, obviously.”

“Oh, how generous ,” she mutters.

“Glad you think so. Now, you can keep fighting with me and stay chained to my bed until you learn to appreciate my generosity, or you can be a good girl and do as you’re told. What are you going to do?”

Wordlessly, she holds out her cuffed arms in my direction.

My smile grows bigger. “That’s a good girl.” I reach down, key in hand, and unlock her cuffs. She stretches her arms and rubs her wrists dramatically.

Ignoring her theatrics, I reach down to free her ankles. Before she can react, I grip her foot and tug her toward me, pulling her across the bed. She lets out a yelp, and I look down at her. I kneel on the bed between her legs, and she gasps loudly.

“Everything okay?” I ask, feigning innocence.

She narrows her eyes and kicks at me. I catch her ankle before her foot connects with my face, sliding my hand up her leg, gripping her thigh firmly, eyes locked on hers as she glares at me.

I jerk her towards me, her ass meeting my thighs.

She starts to protest, then hesitates and bites her lip. She traces her lips with her fingers, then her foot moves down my shoulders, reaching for my cock straining in my pants. A frustrated groan escapes my lips.

She slowly runs her hands down her neck, over her breasts, and along the curve of her stomach, her fingers lingering on the smooth lines of her body before cupping herself between her legs. Her thighs spread wide, giving me an unobstructed view of her teasing.

A familiar, hazy sensation builds within me, a raw, unrelenting craving I can’t ignore. Just as I feel it about to consume me, she moans, her voice dripping with mock surrender.

“Ah, Nik…”

Her eyes glimmer with playful defiance, and that’s when I know.

She’s fucking with me.

A low, guttural growl rumbles from my chest, and it takes me a moment to realize it’s coming from me. The sound only fuels her smirk, that teasing curve of her lips daring me to lose control.

Not for long.

I grab her ankle and flip her over before she even has time to gasp. She lands flat on her stomach, her ass perfectly displayed and begging for my attention. Her skirt rides high enough to make my mouth water. My hand comes down on it in a sharp smack, the sound echoing through the room.

She freezes, stunned into silence for a single, blissful second. Then, she lets me have it, her voice slicing through the air like a whip.

“ You son of a bitch! How dare you! ” she screams, her fury blazing in her eyes as she twists beneath me.

I don’t say a word. Instead, I raise my hand and bring it down again—harder.

“Nikolai!” she yells, her voice shrill with outrage. “I’m going to kill you for this!”

“By all means, go ahead. Hit me with your best shot,” I murmur, my voice low and calm. “But not before I’m finished.”

Every scream, every curse earns another smack. Her defiance drives me, each strike harder than the last, until her protests dissolve into gasping breaths and her body trembles beneath mine.

Soon she’s gasping, her skin flushed, her voice softened into desperate, needy sounds.

I pause, making her wait for it, letting the silence hang heavy between us, then I slide my hand beneath her skirt. She hisses, a sound of mingled resistance and desire, as my fingers glide over her heated skin, tracing the soft, lush curve of her ass.

When I press my palm against the bottom of her underwear, I groan. I can barely stop myself from tearing the fabric when I feel how soaked she is.

Then I pull back and slip the knife from my boot.

The blade glints in the dim light as I press the flat edge against her exposed thigh. She stiffens beneath me, and for the first time tonight, I sense a flicker of hesitation.

“Nik…” Her voice wavers, uncertain.

“Shh,” I whisper, dragging the blade slowly up her leg. “You wanted to play with me, Kat. Let’s play.”

With a quick, deliberate motion, I hook the knife under the hem of her skirt and slice upward. The fabric parts easily, falling away in tatters, leaving her bare save for her soaked thong.

The air in the room shifts, charged with the intoxicating scent of her vulnerability. I trail the blade lightly along the curve of her ass, not cutting—just letting her feel it. Her breathing quickens, her body tense but unresistant.

Next, I make quick work of her shirt. Then her bra. When I toss the ruined garments, I bring my hand down hard on her ass. She moans this time, a deep, throaty sound that sends a rush of heat straight to my cock.

“You’re such a bad girl,” I growl, dragging my palm over her now-reddened skin. “So fucking wet for me, and you’ve done nothing to earn it.”

She doesn’t reply. Instead, her thighs part further, an unspoken invitation that has my restraint hanging by a thread.

I raise my hand again, bringing it down hard on her ass. She moans this time, loud and throaty, and the sound pushes me over the edge. My hand shifts, slapping her pussy through the thin fabric of her thong.

She jolts, a sharp gasp tearing from her throat. Her hips press back, grinding against me, begging for more.

“I’ve never met anyone who needed a spanking this badly,” I murmur, my hand rubbing against her underwear, slick with her arousal. “You’ve been begging for this since the night we met. Haven’t you, Kat?”

“Yes,” she gasps, her voice breaking. “Nik, please…”

“Which is it?” I ask, pressing my hand on to her soaked thong, slapping it lightly before pulling back. “Please stop, or please don’t stop?”

Her answer is instant, desperate. “More. Please, don’t stop.”

A dark laugh escapes me as I slide the blade along the edge of her thong. “Good girl.” With one sharp motion, I slice the fabric away, leaving her completely bare beneath me.

I press my hand between her legs, slapping her pussy hard. She jerks, a strangled cry ripping from her throat as her body snaps back, her hips slamming back against me, shameless and needy.

It’s the stuff of my dirtiest dreams, and resisting the urge to fuck her right now might be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

I caress her reddened ass, watching the way it bounces with every slight movement. My hand drags downward, fingers brushing over her trembling thighs, all the way to the cuff around her ankle. With my free hand, I grip her hips again, squeezing the soft flesh before tracing the edges of her entrance, teasing her mercilessly.

“ Yes, yes, yes . Please, Nik… Touch me,” she pleads, her voice breaking with desperation.

“I am, Kat,” I say, a dark laugh escaping my throat. “I am.”

Her impatience amuses me, and I lean down, my breath hot against her ear. “But I’m not a mind reader. If you want my hand somewhere, you’d better start begging.”