Chapter 16Nix

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Nix

N ix lay on his back on the guest room bed, his feet propped up against the wall toward the ceiling, his tail slapping against the mattress.

It was possible he was pouting. But he was a little put out, if he was being honest, that Ivan had wanted Kai for backup and not Nix. Sure, Kai was massive, and a warrior demon, and his battle prowess was the whole reason they'd come to Maine in the first place. But still…

Nix frowned, staring up at the cracked plaster. He'd lost his own point somewhere along the way.

Ah yes. The point was that he didn't want Ivan pushing him aside when it came to business once they were bonded. Nix would essentially be Ivan's mob wife, and weren't mob wives supposed to be at their mobsters' sides?

Actually, come to think of it, no. From what little Nix knew, the wives were left behind, weren't they? With the house and the brats.

Well, that was fine. Nix had misspoken—he wouldn't be some mob wife anyway. He'd be a mob mate , and that was a whole different kettle of fish. He'd be at Ivan's side through all of it.

And Kai would stay in Maine, where his big blue butt belonged.

The bedroom door opened, and Nix's tail paused midsmack. He sat up immediately, scooting to the end of the bed and wrinkling his nose. Those were not good vibes his future mate was putting off. Not at all.

Ivan looked terrible. There was a harsher set to his jaw even than usual, and it looked like he'd been running his fingers through his hair. And the emotions wafting off him? Bitter resentment and rage, tangled up nicely with despair, shame, and guilt.

Nix tsked at him. "Really, Vanya. I should be the only one making you this undone."

Ivan scoffed. "After we kill Sergei, I'm sure you will be." His tone was cold enough when discussing the prospect of killing his right-hand man, but the veritable tornado of emotions roiling within him said otherwise.

"And when will that be?" Nix asked pointedly, eager to be brought back into the fold. In all the hubbub with the newcomers and their unexpected gift, Ivan had forgotten to tell his darling Nix the details.

Ivan leaned heavily against the bedroom door. "After the meeting with the men. I figured it'll be easier for you to suss out who may have been working with him if we can shock them a little with the sight of him."

It was smart enough. And Nix was pleased the plan included his own skills. But really, who cared about the fucking business when Ivan looked so wrecked?

Nix patted the bed. "Come here."

Ivan didn't. He walked over to the bedroom window instead, looking out, his back ramrod straight. After a moment, he spoke. "He says I'm too emotional. Sergei. That it makes me a poor leader." He tapped a finger against the window. "It's a bit funny. My brothers have always complained I'm ice-cold."

It showed how much Ivan's brothers knew. Perhaps they'd been fooled because of their father, who by all accounts had been icy inside and out. But Ivan was more like a dormant volcano in winter. There might have been snow at the top, but the fire simmering under the surface could take out a city.

"Well, you put on a good facade," Nix said. "But yes, Vanya, you're quite emotional. Most big, scary men are, as much as they hate to admit it. But it won't be a liability to your leadership," he reassured.

"And why not?" Ivan asked without looking over.

"Because I'll be here to keep you in line."

Ivan tapped the glass again. "Until you leave."

Nix sucked in a breath. "Ivan—"

Ivan whirled around, his expression blank. Icy on the surface indeed. "I don't want to talk about that now," he said dismissively.

As much as Nix wanted to disagree, it was probably best not to. Not when Ivan was such a powder keg at the moment.

Talking wasn't the best strategy with this one anyway.

"Come here," Nix repeated.

Ivan did as he asked this time, approaching the bed until he was standing between Nix's legs. Nix cocked his head, his tail flicking out to slide against Ivan's hip. "Would you like me to make you feel better?"

"What are you, my nursemaid?"

Nix tutted, his tail slapping lightly against the fabric of Ivan's pants. "Try again, Vanya."

A muscle twitched in Ivan's jaw, but he answered, "Yes." And then, without Nix even asking for it, "Please."

Oh, what a good boy. Nix let his clothes disappear off his body, leaving him in another pair of lacy panties. He widened his legs, enjoying the way Ivan's gaze immediately trailed over him, hot and hungry. "Tell me—have you ever sucked a cock before, Vanya?"

Ivan's perusal stopped in its tracks, and he frowned at Nix. "You know I haven't."

"Would you like to suck mine?"

Ivan let out a heavy breath, and Nix thought for a moment he might not answer at all. But then— "Yes."

Nix wanted to purr or preen. He did so love to get the exact answer he wanted. But he kept his voice firm as he ordered, "On your knees, darling."

Yet Ivan stayed standing—acting as his own worst enemy, as usual. Getting in his own way. As evidenced by the skepticism in his next words. "You think getting on my knees for you will make me feel better?"

"I do." Nix wrapped a leg around Ivan and grabbed his shirtfront, pulling him in close. He pressed his cheek against Ivan's, whispering in his ear, "You don't have to be in charge here, Vanya. Did you know that? You boss me around only when you want to. The rest of the time, you can let your devoted demon take care of you. How does that sound?"

"And why would you want to?" Ivan asked, after a strangled breath. "Take care of me?"

"Because it pleases me to," Nix told him. "And I'm all about pleasure." He pressed the lobe of Ivan's ear between his teeth, lightly enough that his fangs didn't puncture, then released it. He leaned back to catch Ivan's eye. "You want to get rough and fuck me into the mattress like there's no tomorrow, we can do that. I'll follow your every order like the devoted demon I am. But if you want a little rest from all that? Then you'll let me do what I think best." He tugged Ivan's shirt again. Hard. "Won't you, Vanya?"

Ivan held himself unbearably still for a long moment, then slumped in Nix's hold, forehead landing against his. "Yes. "

Nix kissed him for his honesty, then pressed lightly on his shoulders. Ivan followed the cue, sliding down to his knees.

"Shirt off," Nix told him.

Ivan raised a brow at Nix's tone but tugged off his shirt. Nix was shameless in his ogling. He'd acquired a beautiful human. He liked that Ivan was a bit older too. It was as if he was…slightly worn in, one could say, in a way that tickled Nix's fancy. And he had wonderfully well-formed shoulders, with that lovely light dusting of hair on his chest.

Ivan snapped the waistband of Nix's panties against his skin irritably. "These are in my way."

Nix disappeared those too, letting his cock fall free. He was already half-hard, both from the sight of Ivan on his knees and the anticipation of what was to come. It was sure to be clumsy. Inept.

But it would be Ivan, and that was enough to have Nix salivating.

Ivan eyed Nix's cock warily before letting his gaze roam over the rest of Nix, surprising him with his next words. "You're stunning. You know that, don't you?"

Nix stroked a finger down Ivan's cheek. "I do, yes. But I don't mind hearing you say it."

Ivan's lips twitched, and then he went back to staring at Nix's cock.

"It won't bite," Nix teased.

He received a glare for that. "I'm aware," Ivan said archly, wrapping a strong hand around it. "I like the way you feel," he murmured. "How hot you are in my hand." He rubbed his thumb gently across the tip, and Nix hissed at the contact. "How silky your skin is here."

"And what about my taste?" Nix asked pointedly.

Ivan continued circling his thumb. "I've already tasted your cum."

"Mm." Nix grinned. "I remember. "

"It was smoky. And sweet. I don't usually like sweet."

Usually , Nix noted. "Why don't you taste it from the source?"

He received another glare for some reason, as if Ivan hadn't just been reciting an ode to the joys of Nix's cock. Then Ivan licked a stripe up him, from base to tip.

More blood rushed into Nix's cock, and he went immediately from half-mast to full. "Mm." He sighed. "Lovely. Now—"

Whatever instruction he'd been going to give—and who the fuck could remember?—was cut off as Ivan wrapped his lips around Nix's tip, sucking aggressively.

Nix arched his back, one hand flying to Ivan's shoulder. "Oh fuck . S-Sensitive there."

Ivan popped off, licking at his lips. "I know." He smirked. "Too much for you, demon?"

In answer, Nix cupped the back of Ivan's head, pulling him back down.

What followed was an aggressive exploration. Ivan sucked Nix down, testing how far he could get, and promptly gagged and popped back up, glaring at Nix's cock like it had offended him. He tried again and again, ruthlessly persistent until he was deep-throating him, swallowing convulsively around the head of Nix's cock, spit gathering and dripping from his lips.

He didn't leave the exploration to Nix's cock alone. He would pop off every now and then, sticking his face into the crease of Nix's groin, inhaling deeply while jacking him off with strong, sure strokes. He squeezed and tugged at Nix's balls, murmuring about the lack of hair.

In all, Nix found himself fighting for his fucking life, toes curling and tail twisting.

He should have expected it, he supposed: the ferocity. Ivan wasn't one to go about something half-assed. But Nix hadn't quite expected the rising desire in the air, the way it built and built just the same as when Ivan fucked him. Like he couldn't get enough of Nix, even like this.

What a waste that Ivan hadn't sucked cock until now, with the appetite he had for it.

It was even worse when Ivan found his rhythm, just as aggressive as what had come before, a hand at the base of Nix's cock while he hollowed his cheeks and sucked like a fucking vortex. Nix could barely move, his hand digging into Ivan's shoulder and his back in a constant arch, not sure whether to fuck into Ivan's mouth or away.

He couldn't even find it in himself to tease. All he could do was gasp and warn, " Coming ."

Ivan let out something remarkably close to a growl in response, but he didn't let up. Nix practically swallowed his own tongue as he emptied into Ivan's mouth, head flung back and eyes shutting against his will as the world swirled around him.

"Holy hell," he muttered when he was able. Ivan let out something that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.

When Nix got his strength back, he ran a foot along the impressive erection Ivan was sporting. "Did that turn you on, Vanya?" he asked, aiming for sultry but probably coming out wrecked. "Would you like to come on me, perhaps? You can. Anywhere you like."

Ivan leaned back and spit a glob of Nix's cum into his hand, thick and viscous. He hadn't swallowed all of it, then. "I already know where I want to come," he said in a voice like gravel before standing and tugging his slacks down with one hand, slicking himself up with Nix's cum. "Inside you."

And then he was flipping Nix over and hauling his hips up. Nix barely had a chance to gasp before his cheeks were parted and Ivan was spitting on his hole, one finger sliding in.

The desire in the air was delicious beyond belief, heavy as coastal fog. Nix had just orgasmed, but he still found himself ravenous for it. "Hurry," he urged. "You don't have to—"

Ivan caught his drift, because his finger withdrew, and then he was notching his cock against Nix and slamming in.

Nix keened.

It wasn't painful, not with his natural lubricant, but there was an intensity to it, to being filled so suddenly. Ivan wasted no time fucking him like he meant it. Fucking him into the mattress, just as Nix had teased. Nix couldn't even touch himself, too busy drinking in the desperation in Ivan's thrusts, the way he seemed to be trying to meld their bodies together, one punch of his hips at a time.

"My demon," he growled, his arms like a cage around Nix's head, his body heavy over him. "Fucking mine ."

Nix wanted to agree, but the words were lost somewhere in the high-pitched moans he couldn't seem to contain.

It wasn't long after that Ivan's rhythm faltered, and he slammed in one final time, his whole body shuddering as he emptied into Nix.

"Oh my," Nix said when he finally could, Ivan's weight solid against his back. "Did you like sucking me off that much?"

Ivan pulled out with a groan, falling bonelessly onto the bed next to him. "It wasn't the worst thing I've done."

Nix tutted at him, rolling over so his head was on Ivan's chest, his hand trailing over the lovely cool skin there. "You'll hurt my feelings," he warned.

Ivan tucked a hand behind his head, smirking up at the ceiling. "I liked it. Obviously."

Nix preened. "I told you I'd make you feel better."

"Mm."

"You're quite ferocious at it, you know. If only your enemies knew what a terror you could be with a cock in your mouth."

In the answering silence, Nix wondered for a moment if he'd gone too far. Ivan was so testy about business. But there was a steady shaking underneath him and a low rumbling coming from Ivan's chest.

A laugh.

"You're such a—" Ivan began, then stopped.

"Such a what?" Nix prompted.

"Such a demon."

"Mm." Nix pinched Ivan's nipple lightly, laughing when he swatted his hand away. "That I am."

They lay there together. Nix could bring it up now—his desire to stay, his hope for a bond between them. It could be the right time, while they were warm and lax and soft with each other. But odds were that it would tense Ivan right back up, and all the glorious work Nix had just done in smoothing his rough edges would be wasted.

So he propped his chin on his hands, giving Ivan a lecherous grin. "Vanya?"

"Mm?"

"Can I suck yours now too?"

He grinned when Ivan's softened cock stirred against his hip.

"Jesus." Ivan rubbed a hand over his eyes. "Give me ten minutes."

Instead, Nix slid down, inhaling Ivan's musky scent as he went, and darted his tongue out to dip into Ivan's navel. "Oh, I think we can do better than that."