42. Kat

Chapter 42

Kat

I wake up in a dream.

In my dream, a devastatingly beautiful angel watches over me. His warm brown eyes glow in the soft morning light, and his full, velvety lips leave featherlight kisses on my cheekbones, my throat, my stomach. My belly flutters at the tender caress, and he smiles against my skin, wicked and knowing.

Then, with agonizing slowness, his mouth trails lower, descending to my sex. The first languid flick of his tongue pulls a gasp from me, the sound raw and helpless.

Pale sunlight filters through the thick drapes, haloing his dark head as it rests between my thighs. The devilish glint in his eyes gives him away—he's a fallen angel, after all.

His gaze locks on mine as he lazily kisses me, his movements deliberate, unhurried, devastating. I try to hold his stare, but the pleasure overwhelms me. My hands clutch at the crisp white sheets, and my eyes squeeze shut as his sinful mouth brings me closer and closer to heaven.

His tongue teases me, flicking and circling, knowing exactly where I need him most. When he slides a finger inside me, the warmth and slow, rhythmic thrusts make my back arch off the bed. His lips close over me, gently sucking, teasing, pushing me closer to the abyss. He doesn’t rush, doesn’t relent, his touch both tormenting and worshipful.

Every stroke of his tongue, every movement of his finger, builds the pressure inside me until I’m trembling. My moans spill into the air, unbidden, his name falling from my lips like a prayer.

“Nik…” I beg, my voice shaking as I teeter on the edge.

My eyes flutter open, and he’s still watching me, his gaze intense, carnal. The hunger in his eyes reflects the unholy fire burning in mine, and, cruelly, he shifts, lavishing wet, open-mouthed kisses along the inside of my thighs.

“No, no. Don’t you dare,” I protest, my voice sharp with frustration. “Don’t stop. For the love of God, don’t you fucking stop.”

With his lips curved in a wicked smirk, he looks sinfully gorgeous as his teeth graze the delicate skin on the inside of my left thigh.

“Tsk, tsk. You have to ask me nicely, kiska ,” he chides, his dark eyes glittering with mischief.

I exhale sharply, trembling with frustration. “Please, Nik.” I roll my eyes, and his soft chuckle vibrates against my skin.

Before I can say anything else, his hand reaches up, long fingers pinching my nipple just hard enough to make me gasp. My breath catches as his lips move to the sensitive spot behind my knee, his laughter warm against my skin.

“Let’s try this again, shall we?” His voice is soft but laced with dark amusement, his mouth trailing just below my navel.

I grab fistfuls of his hair, trying to push his head lower, but he resists, grinning up at me with that boyish, sunny smile—the one that first undid me back on the airfield.

I have no defenses against that grin. My grip loosens, and my fingers brush through his hair, smoothing it off his forehead. My voice softens. “Please, Nik. Kiss me again.”

His eyes light up with approval as he murmurs, “Ah, much better. Good girl, kiska . My good girl.”

And then he gives me what I’ve been begging for.

“ Yes ,” I moan, my head falling back as his lips close over my clit, his tongue working me with devastating precision. Finally .

“Yours,” I manage to gasp, my voice breaking.

He groans against me, the deep vibration pushing me to the very edge. I cry out, so close, my body trembling, but then—he pulls away.

My eyes fly open, and I lift my head from the pillows, glaring at him. He looks up at me with smug amusement, his handsome face infuriatingly calm, like he’s entirely unaffected. He’s too much—too beautiful, too confident, too aggravating. In this moment, he looks like Lucifer himself.

With a frustrated huff, I sit up, my breaths still ragged. His eyes narrow slightly, curious, as though he’s waiting to see what I’ll do.

With a burst of energy, I push my palm against his chest, catching him off guard. His expression shifts to startled surprise as I flip him onto his back, taking control before he has time to react.

In the same heartbeat, I straddle his hips.

Nik’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise, but his grin spreads into something wickedly delighted.

He chuckles, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. “All right. You have my attention.”

I roll my eyes at his condescending tone, even though I can’t stop the smile tugging at my own lips. Then, without a word, I reach down and wrap my hand around his hard cock, guiding just the tip inside.

“Oh, please,” I say, my voice sharp and full of confidence. “We both know I have way more than your attention—I have you . All of you.”

With one swift movement, I sink onto him, taking him fully inside me.

Nik throws his head back, a guttural groan ripping from his throat loud enough to wake the dead. “Yes, kiska . You do. You fucking have me.” His words are low and rough, practically a growl.

His hands fly to my hips, his palms caressing me reverently before guiding me to move with him, setting a rhythm that sends a jolt of pleasure coursing through me. His right hand lingers there, firm on my waist, while his left slides up to cup my breast. He squeezes the tip gently between his thumb and finger, making me gasp.

The fire inside me burns hotter at his touch. I claw at his chest, my fingernails dragging against his skin as I cry out his name. His gasp is sharp, his hips bucking up into me.

He groans, then reaches up, grabbing a fistful of my hair. With a firm tug, he drags my face down to his, his mouth crashing into mine in a ravenous, desperate kiss. His tongue tangles with mine, his hunger consuming me completely.

It drives me wild, obliterating the last thread of restraint I have. I ride him harder, faster, and he doesn’t stop me, doesn’t try to take control—he lets me take what I need, his hands holding on as if he’d follow me into hell.

He meets me at every thrust, driving into me deeper, harder, faster, matching me with relentless precision.

Sweet, ecstatic bliss begins to build in my lower abdomen, tightening with every movement. It won’t be long now. His grip on my hips grows more powerful, unyielding, and I know he’s right there with me, ready to follow me over the edge.

I force my eyes open, needing to see him— really see him.

His shiny black hair clings to his forehead, soft against my fingertips as I thread my fingers through it. His dear, warm brown eyes are squeezed shut in rapture, but I don’t need them open to remember every perfect detail. I know them better than my own.

My hand trails down the column of his neck, and I feel the shiver that runs through him beneath my touch. My gaze drifts lower, hopelessly captivated by the sight of him—the broad strength of his shoulders, the curve of his muscular chest, his flat abdomen glistening with sweat.

Unable to resist, I bend forward at the waist, my lips following the path my eyes lovingly traced. I press soft, lingering kisses to every inch of him.

“ Mine ,” I whisper against his chest, my voice rough with need. “You’re mine.”

He chokes back a groan, his breath stuttering. “Fuck…” he mutters with a sigh, wrapping his arms around me, holding me flush against him as if he’ll never let go.

The tension inside me snaps. My breath catches as the pleasure crests, pulling me over the edge he’s had me teetering on this entire time. I moan, gasping as I throw my head back, the release crashing through me in waves.

“Kat…” he cries hoarsely, his voice raw and broken as he follows me. His body trembles, and I feel the moment he fully gives himself to me.

As my limbs go weightless, I open my eyes to find him watching me. He’s breathless, just like I am.

Wordlessly, I collapse onto his chest, with him still buried inside me. His strong arms wrap around me protectively, holding me close like he’s afraid I might run away.

Minutes or hours—I couldn’t tell you to save my life—pass in silence, the stillness broken only by the sound of our slowing breaths.

Eventually, Nik sighs.

“I swear, woman—I had every intention of slowly making love to you this morning,” he grumbles, his tone mock exasperation. “But no, you just had to push my buttons, didn’t you? It’s like you aren’t happy unless you’ve got me in some kind of maddened frenzy.”

I lift my head to glare at him, but the corners of my lips betray me, twitching into a smile. “Oh, so it’s my fault? Typical.”

His brown eyes glitter with undisguised amusement, his own lips quirking. “All I’m saying is, you bring out the worst in me.”

I snort. “I beg to differ. I think I bring out the best in you. Take this morning, for example. Exhibit fucking A.”

His laugh rumbles low and warm in his chest, but before I can press my point, he leans in and nips playfully at my earlobe, making me squeal.

“Well,” he murmurs with a theatrical sigh, “there’s always tomorrow, I guess.”

“Tomorrow?” I repeat, my voice dripping with feigned horror. “What about tonight ?”

His grin turns wolfish, his eyes glinting with a mixture of challenge and promise. If I weren’t already sprawled flat on my stomach against him, my knees would’ve turned to jelly.

“God have mercy on me,” he mutters against my lips before capturing them in a tender, lingering kiss.

The mood is abruptly ruined when my stomach growls loudly, demanding a different kind of attention.

Still chuckling, Nik shakes his head. “Shame on me. Here I am, practically devouring you while you’re starving. What do you feel like eating? I’ll have it brought to you.”

“Well, one thing comes to mind,” I murmur against his lips, my tone dripping with suggestion.

His delighted laughter crinkles the corners of his eyes, sending a pang straight to my chest. Sweet, gorgeous man.

“I’ll hold you to that,” he says with a grin. “ Later .”

I sigh dramatically. “ Later ? You’re no fun.”

He smirks. “You know very well that’s not true. But how am I supposed to live with myself if you starve to death under my watch?” He mock-shudders, pulling me out of bed.

I roll my eyes. “Fine. Feed me, then. I’ll take some freshly baked croissants. And orange juice. Please and thank you. And for dessert—” I smile slowly, letting my eyes drop suggestively.

Groaning and laughing at the same time, he leans in to kiss me. “ Kiska . Mercy, please.”

“Very well. Since you asked me nicely .”

His gaze darkens, but just as he pulls me into his arms, the sharp ring of my phone slices through the moment.

Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” blares through the room, breaking the tension like a cold splash of water.

Nik glances over my shoulder, his lips twitching with amusement. “I think that’s for you,” he says, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

I sigh, frustrated, and walk over to the nightstand. “It’s A.J.,” I say after glancing at the screen.

“You should take it. I’ll handle breakfast,” he says, pressing a kiss to the top of my head before starting to get dressed.

I watch him as I answer the call, mesmerized by the way his sweater clings to his shoulders, the way his jeans hang perfectly on his hips.

“Thank God you picked up. I’ve been out of my mind with worry,” A.J. says, sighing dramatically.

I laugh, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Hi, A.J.! Hello to you, too.”

“Oh, yeah, hi,” she says dryly. “I’ve been thinking about you all night. Is it true that Patrick McGuire and your Russian are at war?”

I exhale wearily. “Yes.”

Nik leans down to press a quick kiss to my forehead before walking out, leaving me momentarily distracted by how great his ass looks in blue jeans.

“ Fuck ,” A.J. says, pulling my focus back. “That’s a mess. Are you okay?”

“We’re fine,” I say. “Thankfully.”

“We? Since when there's a we ?”

“It’s a long story.”

“Okay,” she says cautiously. “I've got time.”

Sighing, I fill her in on everything—McGuire, Maxim, the escalating war, and what led to last night’s showdown.

“That motherfucker came after you?” A.J. screams, outraged.

Then I try to explain Nik and me, how everything feels different now. A.J. listens quietly as I gush about him.

“Wow,” she says when I finish. “Just... wow. Damn. I mean, I have no words.”

I scoff. “Now that would be a first.”

“I’m serious. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me sooner. You’ve gone from ‘ he kidnapped me ’ to ‘ his magical dick is Willy Wonka's golden ticket, the Holy Grail, and the cure for cancer all rolled into one ’ in, what, a week?”

I sigh. “I know. But he isn’t who I thought he was. I mean, he is drop-dead gorgeous and amazing in bed—that hasn’t changed—but he’s so much more. He’s reliable, kind, protective, and... sweet. So freaking sweet.”

“Oh. My. God. You actually like him,” she says with exaggerated horror.

“I do,” I admit, no hesitation. “I really do.”

She sighs. After a long pause, she adds, “Well, I’m happy for you. I guess. But for fuck’s sake, be careful.”

“When am I not?” I ask, scoffing. “Now, tell me—any news from the stronzo ? And what about the favor I asked? Did you manage to salvage the museum’s security footage?”

A.J. gives me an update. The footage from the gala is completely ruined, aside from the snippet she sent earlier. It’s not what I hoped for, but it’s not a surprise.

After promising to stay in touch, I hang up and get dressed, eager to join Nik and finally eat.

As I get ready, my thoughts stay with him. Even the marks he’s left—hickeys, scratches, and a bite or two—make me smile. I was just with him, and already, I want more.

But beneath the warmth of those thoughts is a gnawing frustration. I can’t help thinking how unfair it is that we can’t just enjoy this, free of chaos. That I can’t wave a magic wand and make McGuire and the stronzo disappear.

For the first time in forever, I feel... hope. And I'll be damned if I let the ghosts of mistakes past take that away from me.

There has to be a way. A way to end this nonsense before it costs Nik, A.J., or me everything.