Chapter 25

“What time isyour wedding thing tomorrow?”

We make our way up the winding staircase toward our bedroom. I won’t use that term out loud with her, for fear of her trying to run off, but in my mind and my soul that’s what it is.

Our bedroom.

Our home.

Everything I have is now ours, because I’m going to be spending the rest of my life with this woman. And if that means I have to take painfully slow steps to make that happen, I will.

“I need to be there at nine. Their pictures are set for two o’clock and the wedding itself is at four.” She rounds the banister and kicks off the black thin-heeled shoes, bending to scoop them up and head into the bedroom.

“A car will be ready for you at eight. Whenever you’re ready to go, they’ll be there. I gave Mrs. Ivankova the weekend off. Her son is in town from Russia. Do you want me to set up the coffeemaker for you or do you want to grab coffee on the way to the event?” I work open the diamond-encrusted cufflinks from my sleeves.

I drop them into the small dish on the dresser, catching her gaze in the mirror when I look up.

Her head is slightly tilted to the right, like she’s trying to figure out something and there’s the gentlest of smiles on her lips.

“What’s wrong?” I turn to face her.

“Nothing’s wrong.” She drops the shoes. “That’s the problem,” she mutters to herself as she works the clutch open and pulls out the necklace I’d given her earlier.

I take it from her.

“I think you were right. It must have gotten caught on your jacket when I put it on. The clasp opened just enough for the link to slip out.”

I examine the clasp and frown.

“I’ll take it to my jeweler tomorrow. After I have a word with him on his cheap craftsmanship, I’ll get it fixed.”

“Don’t go all Viktor on him. It was partly my fault. I should have been more careful when I was taking the jacket off.”

I lift an eyebrow. “A simple tug of a fabric shouldn’t have opened this. He took advantage of my patronage and tried to get away with cheap materials. I won’t be using him again.” I drop the necklace into the dish with my cufflinks.

“Do you think he gave you a bad diamond too?” She leans over the dresser and pokes at the necklace.

“No. I brought the diamond to him; I needed a chain for it and wanted the chips of emeralds placed around the diamond for you.”

“You had the jewels already?” She looks up at me as though I’ve admitted to mining the raw materials myself.

“They belonged to my mother. I brought them with me when I moved here from Russia.”

She jumps back from the necklace as though I’ve just sprayed her with ice water. “You gave me your mother’s jewels?”

“I had the necklace made for you, yes.” I nod.

“Why would you do that?” Her voice is soft, her eyes wide.

It’s this innocent wonder that makes me want to place her in a bubble and never let anything come near her again. How can she not understand how valuable she is?

“Because I knew it would look beautiful on you, and it did.” I grab her hand, kiss the inside of her wrist. “Do not make this into something to fight about.”

“I don’t want to fight with you about the diamonds,” she says. “They are beautiful. Thank you for doing that.” She gently tugs her hand away and goes back to the clutch she left on her nightstand. “I need to tell you something.”

I brace myself for whatever bad news she’s going to throw my way. She’s done something that’s going to make me want to bend her over my knee and turn her ass ruby red.

It’s the only reason she’s taking the necklace information so easily. She’s buttering me up.

She brings her cell phone over to me. After swiping through an app, she hits a button and hands it to me.

“No wonder your uncle let you rot in the pen.” Antonio Donato’s voice plays from the recording. I look up at her, watching her expression as the rest of the short conversation plays out and the file closes.

“How did you get this?” I ask, a chill running up my spine. How close to their conversation was she when she recorded this? How much danger was she in?

“When I went back to look for the necklace, they showed up.” She takes the phone back, closes the app. “They didn’t see me. I was behind that wall of bushes.”

I rub the back of my neck. If they had seen her, knew she had this recording, they could have easily hurt her.

“You’re sure?”

“Positive.” She nods. “That’s what took so long. I waited until I was sure they were gone.”

My girl isn’t stupid; she knew how dangerous it would have been. And it was quick thinking to record their conversation.

“I have leverage over Jimmy now,” she announces proudly.

“Do you know what Michael Agosti will do to Jimmy if he hears that?” I tap the phone.

“I do.” She nods firmly. “He’ll kill him. Nephew or not, betraying him is a death sentence. And Jimmy knows it, too. That’s why it’s great leverage. If he shows Nicole Donato the photo of me with that car, I lose my job. I let Michael hear this, he loses his life.”

I stare at her a moment, letting her own words sink into her mind.

“Which means… I’d be responsible for his death.” Her shoulders sag. As much as she wants to get out from Jimmy’s thumb, having his death on her conscience isn’t a fair exchange.

“Send me the recording.” I work the buttons of my shirt open and shuck out of it, leaving me in my white undershirt. “I’ll meet with Jimmy and let him know what’s at stake if he doesn’t leave you alone. And if he won’t accept it, I’ll take the recording to Michael.”

“No.” She grabs my forearm. “If you get involved, that means the Petrov family gets involved. You going to Michael with this could cause more issues between him and the Donato family.”

I touch her cheek. “Marlena, I don’t give a fuck about that.” Stepping closer to her, I inhale the sweet scent of the perfume she wears. It’s a generic brand that smells of spiced honey, perfect for her. “It’s time this whole thing is over with.”

Her face falls a fraction and I hurry to explain.

“Not us. I never mean us.” I grip her chin harder. “I mean this mess with Jimmy and Michael. With this recording, it can end. You can put them all firmly in the past. Put them back there with all the demons chasing you.”

I kiss her, a soft, lingering kiss that’s more passion than possession, though inside I know damn well this woman belongs to me.

“Let me protect you. Give me that, moy sladkiy voin. Trust me to do that for you.”

She stares up at me with shimmering eyes.

“But getting involved in their business shouldn’t be something you need to do,” she argues.

“I will talk to Andrei and Sergei. They won’t deny me. They already know I will cut down anyone who threatens you. They’ll be behind me. Behind us.” I brush my lips across hers.

She could have easily kept this recording a secret. I would have never known about it. Next week she could meet with Jimmy as she planned and give her ultimatum.

But she didn’t.

She told me.

She trusted me with that much.

Now I’m asking her to trust me even more.

Let me hold her wellbeing in my hands. Give me the power I think she’s never given anyone before. Trust me in ways that she’s stopped herself from doing for years.

“Can I go with you to see him? This involves me, Viktor.” It’s not unreasonable that she would want to see this through. She has a past with Michael.

“I want you safe from any blowback that comes from this.”

“I don’t want you to have to deal with blowback because of me.” She holds tight to my wrist.

“If you swear you’ll do everything I ask so I can assure your safety, you’ll come.”

She looks surprised by my answer.

“But you must obey me, Marlena. Everything I tell you. If you don’t, I’ll have you dragged out of the meeting and locked in my car until it’s done.” I bring my finger up between us to point at her. “Do you understand me?”

She wets her lips.

“I do, Viktor. You’re compromising, and I agree.” She nods.

I grunt. “Don’t tell Sergei that’s what’s happening. I’ll never hear the end of it.” I sigh and release her chin, taking a step back.

She laughs. “It will be just between us.”

“Good.” I turn her around and unzip the dress keeping me from seeing all of her sweet curves.

I lean my hip against the dresser, cross my left foot over my right, and fold my arms over my chest. “Now, let’s see how you do at being obedient. Get out of that dress and kneel by the bed.”

Her cheeks flush as she looks over her shoulder at me. “By the bed?”

“Yes.” I keep my voice flat. “I want you on your knees, moy sladkiy voin. I’m going to fuck that pretty mouth of yours before I sink my cock into your sweet pussy.”

Her bare feet glide over the carpeting as she makes her way to the bed, where she turns to face me. Once our gazes are locked, she pushes the straps of the evening dress over her shoulders and lets it pool at her feet. Her breasts bounce slightly from being unleashed by the dress binding them, but it’s her smooth pussy that grabs my attention.

The small patch of curls she kept neatly trimmed is gone.

“Marlena?” I arch an eyebrow.

She follows my gaze and grins. “One of the estheticians wanted to try a new wax a vendor brought in, so I volunteered.” She pushes the dress away with her foot, then slowly, knee by knee, she moves to the floor.

My cock throbs in my slacks. By the time I make my way to her, I have them unzipped and my cock fisted in my hand. I squeeze, just hard enough to take some of the pressure off.

A small bead of pre-cum forms at the head of my cock. I don’t even have to tell her; she swipes it away with her tongue and winks up at me.

Fuck, this woman has a way of making me crazy.

“Open your mouth and keep it open. No matter how hard, you take it, yes?” I stroke my length. It’s not enough. I need her warmth.

“Yes, Viktor,” she says so sweetly I nearly unload right there.

Before she can open all the way, I thrust forward into her mouth, past her tongue and straight to the back of her throat. She gags immediately, but swallows hard.

I hold steady, putting my hand on the back of her head to keep her right where she is. She swallows again and again until she manages to keep me seated.

This woman!

I pull back a little, just enough to let her get air before I plow forward again. She presses her hands to my thighs, while I fuck her mouth, her throat, over and over again, but she makes no move to get away.

She licks the underside of my cock, driving me to the brink. I might lose my control right now, especially when she looks up at me with those beautiful eyes full of tears. A thin black streak runs down her cheek from a loose tear, and I growl with need.

“Fuck!” I jerk out of her mouth. “Up!” I reach down, putting my hands beneath her arms and hoisting her up to the bed.

Her eyes are wide with shock as I climb on the bed with her and pull her legs open wide. Taking a moment, I look down at her cleanly waxed, smooth pussy and run my fingers over the satin skin.

“Do you hate it?” she asks with uncertainty.

I eye her. “I could never hate anything about you,” I say, flicking my thumb over her clit. She yelps. I growl again. I need to be inside this woman.

I’m inside her in the next moment, and I squeeze my eyes shut at the perfection that surrounds me.

I lean over her, kissing her cheeks, her mouth, her chin, then back to her mouth while I plow into her. She pulls her legs up, flanking me with her ankles.

“You’re perfect, Marlena. So perfect.” I kiss her again. She cups my cheeks while kissing me back. I slam into her body again and again, until we are both out of breath and out of control.

I pull her with me as I roll to my back, seating her on top of me. Her fingernails dig into my chest as she begins to ride me. She holds nothing back as she goes up and down on my cock. My fingers dig into her hips.

“Fuck. Fuck!” I slap her ass and she moans. I slap her again and she grinds into me. I slide my hand between our bodies, flicking her clit every time her body crashes down on mine.

She screams my name as I feel her body tense. Her pussy contracts around my cock, and she rides faster, slamming down on me as she nears her orgasm.

“Come for me, Marlena! Come!” I slap her ass hard. Her eyes roll back, and she sits up further.

“Oh, god!” she yells out and slams down hard, grinding into my fingers. I rub her clit in circles until her chest heaves and finally her release crashes over her.

She sucks in air between bouts of yelling my name. She is magnificent. Nothing is more beautiful than this moment when she lets her control slip, and I see the raw beauty that is my Marlena.

Not finished with her just yet, I grab hold of her hips firmly and buck up, fucking her hard from beneath. She falls forward enough to hold herself steady with her hands on my chest as I continue to raise my hips from the bed to plow up into her pussy.

So wet.

So hot.

So fucking mine!

My own control leaves me, and I bellow as my orgasm rips through me. Electricity zips down my spine. My balls pull tight just before they empty into her.

Moments pass where only our breathing is heard.

I ease her off of me and cradle her in my arms as she rests her head on my chest.

“If I’d known compromising would make you so obedient, I would have started with it from the very beginning,” I say.

She shifts, looks up at me with a grin. “Don’t get too comfortable, Viktor. I won’t always be so sweet.”

I squeeze her. “I wouldn’t dare to think so.” Besides, how boring would it get if she were never to fight me again. I love her flame. It’s what heats my cold heart.

“You didn’t answer me about the coffee,” I say once we’re both beneath the covers and she’s set her alarm for the morning.

She snuggles up into me. “I’ll get a cup on the way.”

I wrap my arm around her waist, anchoring her to me. “I will pick you up from your job tomorrow.”

She yawns. “All right.”

“No sneaking onto a bus?”

“No, Viktor. I’ll wait for you to come get me. Promise.” She pats my arm.

“I’ve worn you out. Sleep,” I order.

She laughs but does as I tell her.