Chapter ThirteenAlexei

Chapter Thirteen

Alexei

None of my men so much as move.

It'll be to my detriment, but I have more than enough bullets to go round if any of them dares disrespect Irina. I don't care if anyone says shit about me behind my back, but no one will say anything about my wife.

Igor's groan is like music to my ears. He doesn't sneer or seethe, he just swallows the pain as his blood flows to stain the floor.

He hadn't said that because he was worried we can't trust Irina. He said it to spite her. She's taken the spot he wanted for his daughter, Nadya. Of course he'd detest her, but he made a stupid mistake in showing it.

"Get out of here and see to it that your wounds are tended to," I order.

Igor nods. He staggers to his feet. The man sitting to his right stands up to be his crutch as he leaves the room.

I glance at the blood on the floor. How can the blood of a traitor be that red and shiny? He's lucky he gets to keep his head and tongue, but I can't guarantee he'll be that lucky next time.

Rats like him are bound to sneak around and get caught. I don't intend to spare him. He'd worked for my father, advised him to exile me from the city, and now he serves me.

Igor and the man who assisted him shut the door behind themselves.

I wrap my arm around Irina's waist. She's shivering and I can hear each labored breath. She's never seen a man shot before, and she's quite shaken up. I hate that I scared her that much.

"Leave, all of you!" I need to take my wife back home and take care of her.

My men share glances, but none of them dares to argue. Dimitri and Mikhail are the last to leave. Nikolai is nowhere to be found. Irina entered here alone, which means he hadn't gone to her as I ordered.

Little bastard.

"Let's go home, Irina." I help Irina up to her feet and hold her hand as I lead her from the room. We're barely on the dancefloor when Nadya runs up to me and hugs me, pressing her big breasts to my chest and almost shoving Irina aside.

I'd have dragged her to my office and fucked her before I met Irina, but all I want to do now is push her away and get on my way. I do just that, and she has the nerve to look surprised.

"What are you doing, Alexei?" she shoots a glare at Irina.

"Taking my wife home." I point at her. "Move out of my way."

She frowns and moves out of the way, but wisely doesn't ask the question I know she's itching to ask; if Irina is better than her. My answer would be yes, Irina is better than every other woman I've ever come across. Otherwise, I wouldn't have agreed to marry her, threat or no threat from the Phoenix.

Irina silently glares at Nadya which makes me think Nadya said something to upset her. I have a problem with people who run their mouths when they shouldn't. I'll handle that later.

I lead Irina to the SUV parked outside and round the car to the driver's seat. She's quiet most of our drive back home, leaning her head against the window and staring blankly at the streetlamps flashing by.

She's out of the car the moment I bring it to a stop at the entrance of the mansion. She slams the door and trudges inside.

I toss my car keys to one of the security men standing outside and hurry after her. She's fast for someone who's only five-foot-two and wearing spike heels. When I finally catch up with her in our bedroom, I grab her wrist. "What is it?"

Her eyes narrow as if she's surprised I'm asking an obvious question. Between Igor and Nadya, I really don't know why she's upset.

"You shot a man, Alexei." Her eyes water. "You shot him."

"In the leg," I help her complete, just in case she didn't realize I didn't shoot to kill. "One of my men disrespected you and I only made an example out of him."

She pulls her hand from mine and frowns at me. "Shooting people is not the way to make an example. Violence is disgusting, and it shouldn't be your go-to whenever someone upsets you."

I sigh and rub the back of my neck. I can't believe she's this upset over something like that. "This is the mafia, Irina. I'm Pakhan . What did you expect? That I'd sit and let him speak about you like that?"

"No, but shooting him…that was too much."

"Should I have gotten him roses and taken him on a date to ask nicely?" My eyebrows lift toward my hairline. "Would that make you feel better?"

"You know that's not what I'm talking about." She runs her fingers through her hair, frustration evident in the gesture. "How do you have men loyal to you if you treat them all like that?"

"I don't need their loyalty. Their respect and fear are all I need."

"Yet you shot one of them over a woman—"

"I shot him because he insulted my wife," I cut in. My chest swells with anger just remembering Igor calling her a whore and a breeding mare. I should have taken his tongue instead. "I don't care who it is, Irina. I'll shoot a hundred men and kill a thousand more for insulting you. You're mine, no one gets to disrespect you."

"Jesus…" She shakes her head. "You don't even love me and you're this overprotective? You're a madman."

I inch closer to her, closing the gap between us. She visibly tenses and lowers her head. I place a finger under her chin and lift her face to mine. "I'll remain a madman if that is what I have to be to give you everything you deserve."

Her lips pout. They're plump and inviting. I want to on suck them until they're swollen and pleading for more than just a kiss.

"What do you think I deserve?"

"Respect worthy of a queen, and a man who'll worship the very ground you walk on." I lean in and caress her earlobe with my breath, then I whisper, "A man who'll worship your beautiful body."

She raises her hand and curls it around my neck. "Show me how I should be worshipped, Alexei."

I smile and pull back to look into her eyes. "Is that you pleading?"

She holds my gaze. Her eyes are dark with lust. "I don't beg for what is mine."

My cock throbs to the firm possessiveness in her voice. I'm on my knees before I know it. I raise her dress and shift her panties aside. She's dripping wet. The scent of her arousal fills my senses, seeping into my head and turning me into a feral beast.

I part her legs gently and slide a finger between her pussy lips.

She jerks. Her fingers glide into my hair, and she parts her legs to grant me easier access.

"How long have you been wet, Irina?" I ask, my fingers flickering on her folds and clit.

"Since…" Her voice breaks, the words struggling to escape her lips. "I've missed you, Alexei."

I know she did. I've been away for four days, handling business. We're expecting a shipment soon. Weapons for our arms trades. With the Phoenix lurking in the dark, I've been making sure the shipments will arrive with no problems, and it did this morning.

"How much did you miss me?" I ask, increasing the pressure of my fingers between her legs.

"So much that I masturbated to the thought of you." She moans and clutches my hair tighter. "So much that I was horny and angry and came to the thought of your tongue on me."

Fucking hell.

My cock strains painfully against my slacks as I get harder. Mental images of Irina touching herself while thinking of me flash in my head. It's beautiful and sensual. The truth is, I jerked off to pictures of her on several occasions while I was away. That is how much she intoxicates me.

The sound of her wetness against my fingers inflames me. I position my head between her legs and take a lick of her juices. She cries out in pleasure. She moans so sweetly that I can feel myself harden even more.

I press my tongue firmly against her clit, swiping and licking, savoring the taste of her on my tongue.

Every nerve in my body is aroused, every single cell in me is burning with need. When I slide a finger inside her, her walls clench, loosening up a bit as I start to fuck her with it.

Her eyes close, her head lolls back, and the expression on her face is one shrouded in ecstasy. My chest swells with pride that I'm the one making her feel this way.

I know she's about to come when her cries become louder and she holds my hair a little tighter. I thrust and pull my fingers out faster, pressing my tongue firmer against her clit.

" Fuck…yes…" she cries. "Alexei…I'm coming…"

Her cries fill me pleasure and even more feral need. I don't stop until her climax explodes from her. She jerks violently, and I steady her with one of my hands.

Raising myself to my feet, I claim her lips. She tastes like negroni, and mixed with the taste of her orgasm is a dangerous combination, one that is driving me insane.

She kisses me back and I groan, deepening our kiss and pushing her against her vanity table. Her nipples poke against me through her dress. I'm ablaze for direct contact so I rip her dress off her, while she begins to unbutton my shirt.

When we're both half-naked, I press our bodies together and kiss her again, more deeply this time, ravenously. The static that raises every hair on my body is beyond lust. It's electric and something more.

We're both panting when I pull away. I move to unbuckle my belt, but Irina places her hand on mine. "I'll do it," she says in a soft, sultry voice.

I allow her to push me against the wall and kneel in front of me. My erection springs free as she pulls down my slacks and briefs. I grunt when she wraps her hand around the shaft of my cock.

"It's so big," she whispers. She's pumping me, and her eyes are fixed on a bead of precum at the tip of my dick. "I wonder if this will fit in my mouth."

I grin. "Why don't you try?"

Her tongue darts out and swipes over her lips, then she takes me in her mouth, licking the precum off first.

I groan. Anticipation surges through me like fire. I'm desperate for more.

Irina takes me in until I feel my cock hitting the back of her throat, then she begins to suck and pump me. I grab her head, fucking her face until her eyes are teary and she's gagging.

"Fuck. This fucking feels good." I can tell it's her first time taking a man in her pretty mouth, but she's good at it. Her teeth are sheathed behind her lips and she continue to take me deep. "You're so fucking good, baby."

It doesn't take long for me to feel my orgasm build. Her mouth is nice, but I'd rather come inside her. I pull out, help her to her feet and press her over the vanity table.

God, she's sexy. The curve of her ass is perfect. I press my cock against her entrance for a second, then I slam into her.

She clutches the edges of the table, moaning sweetly as I slam into her. "You're tight, baby. You're perfect." I groan. "You're mine."

Mine.

And I'm hers.

It feels strange. I've always claimed women for myself. But I'd never willfully given myself up to any woman until now. Jesus. The power Irina holds over me…

I reach for her hands and pin them behind her. Each thrust is deep, hard, and possessive. I go faster as my climax approaches, and when it erupts, I come with a powerful groan, pouring my seeds inside her.

Irina clenches around me, her moans turn into a cry as an orgasm overtakes her for the second time tonight. She trembles with pleasure and her walls tighten, only releasing when I'm already soft inside her.

I slide out and turn her around. She collapses on my chest, gasping for air. She's beautiful.

I push stray strands of red hair from her face. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Lifting her from the floor bridal style, I carry her to the bathroom and run the hot water. We wash each other before we return to the bedroom and tuck ourselves under the blankets. We're still both naked.

Irina rests her head on my chest. She smells like vanilla and strawberries. "Can I ask you something?"

I trail my fingers over the small of her back. "Shoot."

She swallows loudly and asks, "Who was that woman at the club?"

I instantly know who she is talking about. "Nadya?"

Her head nods. "Yes, her."

"She's nobody." Irina is sensitive, I don't think she'd like to hear me call a woman a whore, but still I explain it to her. "Nadya is Igor's daughter. We used to have sex, but that is all there was. What did she say to you?'

Irina shrugs. "Something about warming your bed, and you preferring her over me."

I almost laugh. There's no woman alive I would choose over Irina because in all the thirty-three years I've spent on this earth, no one has ever come close to making me feel the way she does.

To me, Nadya was nothing more than a whore with good head game.

"I'll never prefer any woman to you, Irina. You're my wife, my other half," I assure her. I roll to my side and cup her face. Our eyes meet. "You're everything to me, Irina."

She blinks. Her teeth sink into her bottom lip. "Does that mean you'll never cheat on me?"

I've never been one to make promises I can't keep, and I'm not about to begin now. Which is why I look deeply into Irina's eyes because I want her to feel the honesty in every word I say.

Because no matter what happens, I'll never hurt her in the same way my father did to Sasha and my mother. I'll never make her cry or break her heart.

"I'll never cheat on you, Irina." I kiss her forehead. "There'll never be anyone in my life but you, I promise."

"Because I'm your wife?"

"Because I meant every vow I made the night we got married."

And because I'm starting to feel something much more than just attraction to her.