Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

A leksei

I kept her over my knee for longer than I should have, unable to tear my eyes away from the full globes of her cherry red ass, the marks of my fingers still visible on the backs of her thighs.

She’d taken a hard spanking.

And much to her chagrin, she’d liked it. She wouldn’t be able to deny it, not when I’d had my fingers between her thighs and found how wet she’d been after I’d finished reddening that perfect little bottom.

Her submission, her pleasure, her trust, was intoxicating. It was a high unlike any other. One that made me feel powerful, invincible, and above all, in control.

And there was nothing I loved more than being in control.

Gently, I wrapped my hands around her waist and lifted her up from my lap. Unable to help myself, I let my eyes rove up and down her body, really taking in this moment and memorizing it for the rest of time.

Amy looked absolutely gorgeous.

Her cheeks were still flushed, her lips swollen and bruised from our kiss, and her eyes were wide and slightly unfocused, as if she was still caught in the haze of her orgasm. Her skirt was hiked up around her hips, her panties still tangled around her knees, and her thighs glistened with her arousal.

And her ass, well, her ass was the prettiest shade of pink now.

I smiled, a wicked, wolfish smile. The kind of smile that told her I was far from through with her.

She swallowed, and her eyes flicked up to mine, as if sensing the change in me, the dark need that was still coursing through me.

“You’re not finished,” she said softly, a hint of nervousness in her tone.

It wasn’t a question, but rather a statement. One that I confirmed with a slight nod.

“That’s right, little girl. Daddy isn’t finished with you. Not by a long shot. And he isn’t going to be. Not anytime soon.”

Her cheeks flushed a deep red and my smile only grew wider. With a quiet huff, she reached down and pulled her panties back up and straightened her skirt back into place, putting herself back together.

As if that could possibly cover up what we’d just done.

“I should go,” she whispered, her words quiet, hesitant, her gaze fixed firmly on the floor. She was still nervous, still a bit unsure, and I liked that I’d left her feeling off balance. Her eyes flicked up to mine as she searched my gaze for an answer.

The truth was I wasn’t sure either.

I’d meant to just get a taste of her, to quiet my craving for her, but this had done the exact opposite. It made me want her more. As soon as my lips met hers, I knew that once wasn’t going to be enough. It wasn’t even close.

I couldn’t just let her walk out of here and pretend like nothing had changed. I couldn’t let her slip away. She belonged to me now. And I intended to keep her.

I reached up, my fingers brushing gently against her cheek, and a shiver ran through her.

“I expect to see you here bright and early tomorrow morning, is that understood?”

I could see her gulp with nervousness and then she nodded quickly. She reminded me of a horse that might spook at any given moment, and I knew I was going to have to push her, but be gentle at the same time.

“Use your words, baby girl,” I pressed.

“Yes,” she answered, her voice trembling.

I cleared my throat. Her bottom may be sore from my hand right now, but that wouldn’t stop me from bending her over my desk and taking my belt to her bare ass.

Her face paled a little, likely remembering my earlier threat.

“Yes, Daddy,” she corrected, her cheeks turning redder with every syllable.

I smiled, satisfied.

She wasn’t quite broken in, not yet.

But she would be.

“Good girl,” I murmured, and her cheeks flushed, her eyes darting away from mine. “Now, why don’t you take the rest of the afternoon off? You’ve earned a little break.”

The look on her face was almost comical, the mixture of shock and indignation making her eyebrows shoot up toward her hairline. She swallowed hard once more before she broke eye contact with me, turned away, and fled.

“See you tomorrow, baby girl!” I called out.

She’d be back. I was certain of it.

The Iron Wolf Tavern was unusually quiet when I stepped in later that night, the usual hum of conversation replaced with the low thrum of tension along with the clinking of glasses. I could sense it in the air—something had shifted, and as I made my way past the heavy oak tables and the familiar faces nodding in recognition, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was happening.

My brothers were already gathered at our usual corner table. Sergei was nursing a drink, his eyes scanning the room with that ever-watchful gaze, while Nikolai’s booming laugh cut through the silence. Ivan was typing something into his phone, fully caught up in whatever he was doing, probably working on some code meant to make us rich men. But Maxim’s face was set in that hard, unyielding expression he wore when something needed fixing.

Something—or someone —needed to be handled.

I pulled out a chair and settled in, nodding to my brothers. Before I could even get a word out, Maxim leaned forward, his voice low. “The Orlovs are getting bolder, and I don’t like it,” he said. “Word is they’ve been reaching out to some of our contacts. Offering better deals, more protection. They’re trying to poach what’s ours.”

I nodded, absorbing the information. It wasn’t unexpected, but it was still a nuisance.

“And what have we done to remind them who runs this city?” I asked, leaning back in my chair, my fingers drumming lightly on the table.

Nikolai grinned, a dark gleam in his eyes. “Let’s just say a few of their men won’t be able to walk straight for a while. But that’s not all. Mikhail Orlov is trying to hit us where it hurts—our businesses too.”

That got my attention. “Which ones?”

“The gallery,” Ivan said, his voice a quiet rumble. “I intercepted some chatter about them wanting to disrupt one of your upcoming auctions.”

Of course. My gallery, my sanctuary, my territory. The one place where I had full control.

My thoughts immediately flickered to Amy, picturing her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders as she threw her head back, the image of her ass flexing over my knee as she writhed and screamed and came for me.

Maxim cleared his throat, and I met his gaze head on.

“Let them try,” I muttered as my thoughts turned back to the business at hand. “They won’t get far.”

“We need to shore up security. Our enemies are getting bolder. They think we’re too distracted with our legitimate fronts to notice what they’re doing,” Maxim added.

He leaned in closer, his voice dropping. “Aleksei, I know your mind’s half on that pretty new assistant of yours, but focus. We can’t afford any mistakes right now.”

I gave him a small, tight smile. “I’m focused, brother. Trust me.”

He studied me for a moment, then sighed. “Just remember—if you think she’s worth it, don’t fuck it up. Keep her out of this mess with the Orlovs. They’re dangerous.”

Maxim’s words struck a chord, and for a second, I almost let myself think about what it would be like to pull Amy even deeper into my world, to protect her the way Maxim had with Riley. But I shoved the thought away.

She wouldn’t just agree to marry me.

Not yet .

She was far too stubborn, too independent, and strong willed to simply give in like that. And maybe that’s exactly what drew me to her—the challenge, the fire that flared up whenever she met my gaze.

But I knew better than to get lost in that kind of thinking. There was too much at stake, too many pieces on the board that needed my focus. I shook my head. I couldn’t be thinking like that. I shouldn’t be. I didn’t even know what Amy and I were yet.

Hell, I was still figuring it out.

I leaned back in my chair and turned my attention to my brothers, who were waiting, eyes sharp and expectant. The Iron Wolf was quieter now, just the five of us in the back corner booth.

Maxim drummed his fingers on the table, breaking the silence. “Let’s talk more specifics. We’ve got a problem at the docks,” he said, his voice low and measured. “The Orlovs are slipping in shipments under our noses. They’ve bribed a couple of our contacts, and now we’re losing control of a section that should be ours.”

“Not just the docks,” Sergei added, his green eyes narrowing. “I intercepted a message from one of their informants. They’re trying to strong-arm the Brattle Street clubs into cutting us out. They think they can siphon off our revenue streams quietly, hoping we won’t notice until it’s too late.”

Nikolai slammed his fist on the table, making the glasses rattle. “Let me handle it,” he growled. “I’ll make sure they understand that Boston belongs to us.”

“Nikolai,” Ivan said, adjusting his glasses with a calm precision that contrasted sharply with Nikolai’s outburst, “going in guns blazing is exactly what they want. We need to play this smart. If they’re moving into our territory, it means they’re confident. We need to find out why.”

Maxim nodded, his eyes flicking between us. “Ivan’s right. The Orlovs are testing us, seeing how far they can push before we push back. But they’re not just after territory—they’re trying to weaken us by causing chaos. We need to strike strategically.”

I took a slow breath, forcing myself to focus. Amy was still dancing around in the back of my mind, her dark eyes challenging me, but right now, I had to lock that away.

I had to focus on business.

“What’s their angle at the docks?” I asked, leaning forward. “If they’re getting shipments through, someone on the inside is looking the other way. We need to know who’s been bought.”

“I’ve already got our people looking into it,” Sergei said. “I’ll turn up the pressure, make a few examples if I have to.”

Maxim turned to me, his expression more serious than usual. “And what about the gallery, Aleksei? You’re sure it’s secure? The auction the other night drew a lot of eyes.”

I nodded. “I’m going to double security, and I’ve got men on the floor for every event. The Orlovs might try to disrupt things, but they’ll have to get past me first.” I paused. “If they’re planning anything, I’ll handle it.”

Ivan leaned back, studying me over the rim of his glass. “It’s not just about handling it, brother. We need to send a message that we’re not to be fucked with. If Mikhail Orlov thinks he can poach our clients and disrupt our operations, we need to remind him that he’s playing with fire.”

Nikolai grinned, cracking his knuckles. “Let me pay a visit to his men. Nothing too flashy—just a little reminder that this city is ours.”

Maxim held up a hand. “No unnecessary bloodshed. Not yet at least.”

I watched them strategize a bit more, my brothers each playing to their strengths—Maxim with his calculated ruthlessness, Ivan with his analytical mind, Sergei with his silent efficiency, and Nikolai with his raw, unfiltered aggression. And yet, even in the midst of planning our next move against the Orlovs, my mind kept drifting back to her.

Amy.

The thought of her being caught in the crossfire sent a jolt of something I didn’t want to name through me. If anyone even dared to touch her, I’d tear them limb from limb.

“Let’s make one thing clear,” I said, my voice cutting through the low hum of conversation. “If the Orlovs want a fight, we’ll give them one, but it’s going to be on our terms.”

Maxim gave me a long, searching look. “And if they come after something—or someone —important to you?”

I met his gaze steadily. “Then they’d better be prepared to lose everything.”

There was a beat of silence before Nikolai let out a bark of laughter. “That’s the spirit, little brother. Let’s show them what happens when you mess with the Morozovs.”

Maxim stood up, signaling that the conversation was over. “Then it’s settled. We each know our part. Handle your territories, and let’s remind the Orlovs who they’re dealing with.”