Chapter 15

EMERSON

“Ooh la la,” said Kendra when Emerson joined them in the office.

Her sister was right, the outfit she’d found in Viktor’s closet was gorgeous. The A-line skirt was made of a lightweight knit and when she’d twirled around in it, she’d felt much like she had as a child. The top was a simple tank with the same background color as the skirt and a hand-painted abstract design. Emerson had pulled her hair back in a simple side braid. She felt strong and sexy, which seemed an interesting combination. She’d never thought the two would go together, but she found they did.

Emerson laughed. “I know. Whoever Viktor hired to buy me some things for his place did a good job. Interesting to note there were no pants, leggings, and no panties, whatsoever. Better yet? They were arranged in what things went with what—sort of like an adult version of Garanimals.”

“Well, you look beautiful and happy. I take it you and Viktor worked things out.”

Walking to her desk, Emerson rolled her eyes. “This whole thing with Romanov has thrown me for a loop. I never expected—well, anything. I overreacted, but we worked things out. Should I be worried about how much I’m enjoying this? There’s a kind of peace that comes with submitting to Viktor.”

Kendra shook her head. “No. I would think you—even more than T and I—would benefit from just being able to turn things over to someone who finds peace in his dominance.”

“Is that why you top from the bottom? At least that’s what Viktor calls it.”

“Probably. Sterling’s a great guy; I can be a bit of a brat. Some Doms enjoy that, I’m not sure Sterling is one of them and I’m not sure I want to change.”

“Really?” asked Emerson.

“I do, and I don’t. I don’t really want to submit, and yet I do.”

“Maybe Sterling isn’t the right Dom for you,” suggested Tegan.

Kendra laughed. “Why do you think I’m not wearing his collar?”

Emerson smiled as she sat down at her desk, the warm sunlight streaming through the large windows of their shared office. She was deeply engrossed in appraising the pre-Columbian pot she’d been working on for a new client she’d met at the recent gala—the same gala where she’d met Viktor. The rhythmic tapping of her keyboard, as well as that of her sisters, soon became the only sound in the otherwise quiet room.

Her concentration was broken as she could make out faint voices coming from the foyer, growing louder as they approached. Emerson looked to see Oliver Toney as he appeared in the doorway. His presence filled the space with an unsettling energy. Standing just behind him was Tegan, her face a mix of worry and determination.

"Mr. Toney," Emerson said, standing and forcing a calm tone in her voice. "I don’t recall inviting you to our office, and I thought I made it clear that Ravenel Reliance no longer wishes to do business with you. So, what brings you here today?"

Without a word, Toney approached her desk, producing a legal-looking document and handed it to her, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Oh, you’ll do business with me. You have fourteen days to buy my share of Ravenel Reliance. If you fail to do so, the business—the entire business—becomes mine."

Emerson's eyes flicked over the document, doing a quick review. Her expression hardened as she realized what it was. “This is a forgery,” she said, balling up the paper and tossing it back at him. “Take your trash and leave."

Toney chuckled, letting the crumpled paper fall to the floor untouched. "Not to worry," he said, stepping closer to her desk. "I have the original in a safe location."

Before Emerson could react, Toney grabbed her braid and gave it a hard yank. The sudden pain made her gasp, her eyes watering. She knocked his hand away. It was one thing for Viktor to fist her hair or to give it a tug. It was another thing for an asshole like Toney to do it.

Kendra stood, reaching for her phone. "I'm calling the police."

Toney's smile widened as he glanced at Kendra. "I wouldn’t if I were you, unless of course you want all the illegal and unethical things your parents did when they were forming Ravenel Reliance to come out. That would be a shame, don’t you think? All the work you’ve done gone like that,” he said, snapping his fingers.

Emerson locked eyes with her sisters, conveying a silent but firm 'no.' Kendra hesitated, her phone hovering in the air.

"That's right," Toney said with a slimy smile. "Smart girls. We can keep this friendly. There’s more than one way to pay off your debt. I’m not a monster; I’m rich and don’t really need the money. I would be willing to barter if the price was right.” He glanced from Emerson to Tegan to Kendra and back to Emerson. “I’m willing to be reasonable. A slut trained at Carriage House? That would be nice. I hear you girls spread your legs whenever one of those assholes wants. It seems to me Romanov has claimed his prize. I’m not picky; I would settle for one of your sisters.”

Emerson straightened, her heart pounding but her face betraying nothing. "Get out, Toney," she said quietly. "We don’t need the police. Viktor has assigned some of his men to watch over the estate while we upgrade security. You want a fight with us? You’d better bring more than a piece of paper."

Toney laughed again, a dark, hollow sound. "We'll see," he said, turning on his heel and strolling out of the office, leaving the crumpled document where it lay.

Tegan rushed to her side. "Are you okay?"

Emerson nodded, though her head throbbed where Toney had pulled her braid. "I'm fine," she said, her voice steady. "We tell no one he was here. We need to find that original document and destroy it. And we need to be ready for whatever he tries next."

They stood for a moment before Kendra said, “Ladies? I don’t know about either of you, but I need a drink. What do you say we go to the Mill Street Tavern?”

Tegan grabbed her purse. “Excellent idea. Em?”

“I’m in,” Emerson said as she scooped up the balled-up document left by Toney and headed out the door.

Emerson was surprised to find the Rolls waiting outside the door. The driver tipped his hat, giving no indication he’d seen her naked, straddling Viktor the night before.

“Mr. Romanov told me to stick around. Is there some place I can take you ladies?”

“Mill Street Tavern,” Emerson replied. “And next time, come inside. It’s too hot to be standing out here.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

He closed the car door behind them, got in the driver’s seat, started the engine, and pulled out of their driveway.

“Fancy,” laughed Kendra.

Emerson said nothing but did appreciate how easy Viktor made things for her. Once at the tavern they ordered drinks and lunch. The filtered sunlight that came through the expansive windows along the front cast a pleasant glow in the room. The appetizer they ordered lay untouched, an afterthought to the unspoken tension that hung heavy in the air.

Emerson pulled the document from her purse and scanned it again, this time paying more attention to not only the language but the authenticity. Toney had to know it would need to pass inspection. After all, antiquities and artifacts—including ancient scrolls, letters, and documents—were her area of expertise.

"Do you think it’s real?” asked Tegan. Emerson nodded. “How could Mom and Dad have gotten us into this mess?"

Kendra ran a hand through her blonde hair, frustration evident in the gesture. “I don’t know, but if Em says it’s real, then it must be.”

“Before we accept this as legit, we need to have it looked at by someone who specializes in legal documents. After all, I can only say it looks like Dad’s signature and appears to be valid on its face, but Toney is a piece of shit, and I wouldn’t trust him if he said the sun rises in the east. I’d have to wait to verify it. If it’s real, and we don't come up with the money in fourteen days, we lose the business—all of it."

Lunch arrived, and they all made a show of eating, although Emerson could tell her sisters weren’t enjoying their food any more than she was. Glancing at her watch, she shook her head.

“Let’s get this boxed up. I need to get to Viktor’s place. I can have the driver drop you two off.”

“You’re going?” Kendra’s voice had a sharp edge as if she was accusing Emerson of something, although Emerson wasn’t sure of what.

"Yes. I see no reason not to. There’s nothing I can do until tomorrow. Maybe Viktor will know a good lawyer.”

“Why not just turn it over to him?” asked Tegan. “I’m sure he’d know how to handle Toney.”

“No doubt,” said Emerson. “But this is our problem, not his."

Kendra’s gaze softened, and she reached out to squeeze Emerson's hand. "Tegan’s right. Romanov could help, but I get it. But we may have no choice. We’re going to need help—from somewhere."

Emerson pulled her hand away, shaking her head. "I don't know. Even if we were willing to sell, I can’t imagine how we could do it in fourteen days. It's impossible. But we have to figure it out."

Kendra nodded, her eyes darkening with determination. "We'll find a way. We have to."

Emerson rose from the table, the weight of the world pressing down on her shoulders. She glanced at the clock again, feeling the minutes slipping away. "Come on. Let’s go.”

After dropping them off, Emerson had the driver take her back to Viktor’s. The Rolls pulled into the parking garage and let her off right in front of Viktor’s private elevator. She punched the button to take her to the top floor, her mind a chaotic jumble as she thought of her family, the company, the debt, the impossible timeline.

She stepped off the elevator, glad of the silence and solitude. She had no idea what he had in mind for tonight so went to stand at the floor-to-ceiling windows. It was as if she could feel his presence even before he stepped off the elevator. She tried to make her face a serene mask.

“Dushka?” he asked softly, wrapping his arms around and tightening them more when she leaned back into him. “Tell me.”

She didn’t even question how he knew. He just did. JJ had once told her that Fitz could always sense what she needed.

“It’s nothing. Just a really long day.”

He nipped her ear—something he did when she’d displeased him. She knew it was supposed to be a small form of discipline, but actually it did nothing to make her feel contrite. What it did was send powerful waves of arousal throughout her body.

“Do not lie to me. Tell me you don’t want to talk to me about it, but do not tell me there is nothing wrong when I can feel it in every fiber of your body.”

“I’m sorry, Master.” Her use of the title seemed to mollify him and was quickly becoming the most natural thing in the world. “It really has been a long day, and it’s just work stuff. I’d really rather it didn’t intrude on the time I spend with you.”

She could feel his hard cock nestled against her backside. “Nothing can touch you here,” he whispered.

“That’s not exactly true,” she said turning in his arms. “You touch me here, and you are quickly becoming my sanctuary.”

His mouth covered hers as he kissed her lips, his tongue slipping gently inside to stroke and dance with her own. It was quietly passionate, deeply comforting, and highly arousing.

“Whatever it is, when you’re ready to tell me, I will be here to listen.”

“And if I choose not to tell you?”

“As long as it does you no harm, I will accept that. If not, I have many, many ways to make you an obedient submissive who tells her master whatever he needs to know.”

“Would you torture me, Viktor?” she said seductively.

“Yes, malenkaya but only in the most delicious ways.”

She knew that she and her sisters needed to deal with Toney, but just knowing Viktor was there was a kind of balm to her soul. She needed to discover if her parents had done anything illegal. How could her father have signed that document? How were she and her sisters going to get out of this mess? And how was she going to keep Viktor from seeing just how much trouble they were in?