by Roxie Rivera
Instead, she began peppering kisses along his face and chest while stroking him slowly, just enough to keep him on edge. When she started to lick her way down his belly, he shuddered and clenched the sheets in both fists. She took her time, sliding lower and lower until her mouth hovered over his cock. With a wicked smile, she said, “My turn.”
The second her lips wrapped around the head of his cock, he growled, “Fuck me.”
She stopped sucking just long enough to promise, “That’s the plan.”
He threaded his fingers through her hair and lifted his head to watch as she drove him crazy with her tongue. She did follow through with her plan, eventually, but it was a long and very torturous time later.
Chapter Eleven
“This place is outrageous,” Ruby hissed as we toured the showroom floor of Alexei’s flagship dealership the next morning. “Six figures for a car?”
“I know,” I agreed, wincing at the sticker price on the sporty coupe in front of us. “It’s a bit much.”
“A bit?” she repeated sarcastically.
“Okay, a lot.” My gaze drifted away from the showroom vehicles to the ones parked in neat rows outside. There were some late model midsize SUVs that caught my eye. Their prices seemed more palatable.
“Erin!” Alexei greeted as he drew near. “It’s good to see you.”
Smiling, I shook his head. “Good morning, Alexei.”
“You know you outbid me on that basketball I wanted,” he said. “I hope Vanya enjoys it.”
“I’m sure he will. Speaking of bidding, how badly did Lena corrupt Shay?”
He laughed. “Not even enough to make me blink.”
Noticing his glance toward Ruby, I introduced them. “Alexei, this is my sister, Ruby. Ruby, this is Alexei Sarnov. He’s one of Ivan’s oldest friends.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said, shaking her hand.
“Yeah,” Ruby replied, her gaze lingering on his faded hand tattoos. “One of those friends, I see.”
To his credit, Alexei took her remark in stride. “We’ve all made mistakes in our past.”
“We sure do,” she said, seemingly amused by his little dig.
“I see you two are looking at our latest models.” He slipped right into car salesman mode. “Are you wanting to move up in vehicle? Vanya said you were in a smaller sedan. Are you thinking staying in a similar class or would you like something with more room? A mid-size SUV maybe?”
“I want more space. I’m moving into a new phase of life, and I want to be ready for car seats and strollers.” I felt a flutter of excitement at the idea of speaking my greatest desire into existence.
Alexei grinned. “You and Vanya will make a beautiful family together.” He glanced around the showroom. “What about one of those?”
“It’s nice,” I said uncertainly. “Maybe slightly too expensive?”
“It might be,” he agreed, “but I think you should get behind the wheel. A price is just a number until you get a feel for the way it drives.”
Behind him, Ruby rolled her eyes, and I started to question my decision to bring her along on this trip. She schooled her face as Alexei turned toward her and said, “Why don’t I grab some keys and you two can take it for a drive?”
“Sure. Sounds good,” I answered, hoping he hadn’t noticed Ruby’s eyeroll.
“That Q8 is, like, ninety grand,” Ruby whispered harshly when he was out of earshot. “Are you seriously going to spend that kind of money on something that depreciates as soon as you roll off the lot?”
Instead of getting annoyed, I smiled. “You sound like Mom.”
She reacted with surprise. “What?”
“Do you remember when Mom and Dad took us with them to buy a new car? You were, like, twelve? I was eight-ish.”
“Like I could forget!” She laughed. “Mom had her calculator and red pen, and Dad droned on and on about depreciation and interest rates and APR until you fell asleep with that free ice cream cone melting all over your shirt.”
I cringed. “I forgot all about the ice cream part.”
“You smeared it all over their new seats on the ride home,” she remembered with another gleeful laugh. “It was the one time I ever saw Dad that close to losing his patience.”
“I never appreciated how calm they were,” I admitted, allowing myself to feel a bit sentimental. “Now, I know better. They were really wonderful parents.”
“They were,” Ruby agreed without any of her usual sarcasm. After a moment, she confessed, “Sometimes, I wonder what they would think about us. About me.”
Taking a step closer, I gently reached for her hand, giving her ample time to pull away if she wasn’t comfortable. She let me take her hand in mine, and I said, “Ruby, they loved you. They would have moved heaven and earth to help you. They would have been so proud to see that you’ve taken responsibility, paid your dues, and are trying to put your life back together.”
Sensing that she was a bit uncomfortable, I added, “But they probably wouldn’t have like Ivan much.”
She frowned. “You think? I mean—yes, the tattoos and the whole what-he-was-before thing—but he owns a successful business and loves you. I can’t imagine they’d want more than that for you. Eventually, they would have learned to like him.”
Hearing her praise Ivan stunned me. “Wait. When did you decide that you like Ivan?”
She rolled her eyes. “I never didn’t like him.”
“But you—”
“He was taking you away from me,” she blurted out. “I was...” She glanced away briefly and sighed. “I was afraid, okay? I was so messed up on the drugs, and Andrei was dead. I was alone, and I was going to jail. Suddenly, this guy shows up, and you’re obsessed with him. I was afraid you would forget me. I was afraid you would stop caring. I was afraid you would realize how awful I was and how much I had taken advantage of you and hurt you. He was going to steal you away, and I was going to be left behind.”
“Ruby,” I said, my heart aching for her. “It was never going to go that way. Never.”
“I know.” She squeezed my hand. “You came every single week to visit. You always answered my phone calls. You came back even when I was a complete bitch. You invited me to stay with you before I could even muster up the courage to ask. I never...I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
“It’s okay. Really,” I emphasized, seeing her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Unable to hold back, I wrapped my arms around her. If people were staring at us for hugging in the middle of a dealership, I didn’t care. This was a discussion I had desperately wanted to have with my sister, and finally, it had happened. For the first time in years, I felt so much hope for our relationship as sisters.
When we separated, Alexei stood nearby, his gaze averted as he gave us some space. “If you’re ready, we can go outside and pick one out for a test drive. I grabbed the keys for three different trims.”
Outside in the chilly January morning, I chose the top of the line trim for my test drive. Alexei seemed happy with that choice and slid into the middle row of passenger seats for the drive. He didn’t bother with high-pressure sales tactics. He let me enjoy the drive and ask questions that he easily answered, proving that he was a hands-on owner of his auto sales empire.
“Did you feel like this might be the one?” Alexei asked when we returned to the lot. “Or would you like to look at something else?”
“I like the size and the way it drives, but I'm not thrilled with the price,” I said as I handed over the key fob. “That’s not me trying to negotiate. That’s me wondering if we could find something with a list price that’s not so eye-watering.”
He considered for a moment and then smiled. “I have something you’ll like. It came in yesterday from my lot in Conroe.” He led us toward a row of vehicles next to the rear of the building. “These haven’t been put into our local system yet. That’s why they’re over here.” He stopped in front of a shiny silver GLS. “It’s two years old. One owner. Les
s than ten thousand miles. It basically sat in her temperature-controlled garage the whole time she owned it.”
“Why?” I wondered as I opened the driver’s side door for a better look.
“My GM told me she changed jobs after she bought the car and started working internationally. She decided to move overseas, and this was one of the last things she sold.” He gestured for us to explore the vehicle. “I’ll grab some keys, and you and your sister can take it around the block a few times.”
“I like this one,” Ruby announced after she hopped up into the passenger seat. “It feels a bit roomier.” She turned in her seat to look at the middle row and cargo area. “You could probably fit two car seats in there comfortably. You wouldn’t have to upgrade to a minivan until you have three kids.”
I made a face at the idea of three little Ivans running wild in our home. “Let’s just start with one.”
She laughed. “Unless you end up with twins on your first go.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready to go from no kids to two at once.” I couldn’t even imagine the logistics of that. Two cribs, two car seats, double the bottles and diapers, and laundry and baths. “You’ll have to stay with us forever.”
She snorted. “Not a chance. I’m planning to be the aunt who fills them up with sugar and noisy toys and then drops them back off at your house.”
“Wow. Thanks,” I replied dryly. “So helpful.”
“Here you go, Erin.” Alexei returned with the key fob. “When you get back if you want to talk numbers, we can, or I can find something else for you to try.”
We didn’t need to try another vehicle. After the test drive, I decided I wanted it. The negotiation was painless and quick. The price he offered was fair according to what Ruby had found on the internet while we were on our test drive, and the discount on the warranty and service package I wanted made it a no-brainer. It was only when we got to the financing that we disagreed. Ivan had instructed Alexei to invoice him for the full price, but I wanted to finance it under my own name to continue building my credit profile. Another ten minutes of furiously texting back and forth with Ivan ended in me getting my way, much to Alexei’s amusement.
“Thank you for bringing me,” Ruby said a short time later as we left the dealership. “It was nice to do something normal.”
“Is there anything else you’d like to do today? We can grab a late lunch after your appointment,” I offered.
“Steak?” she asked hesitantly. “I can’t remember the last time I ate a really good steak.”
“Then we are definitely going to a steakhouse,” I decided. “Any one in particular?”
As we debated where to get the best steaks in a not too crowded restaurant, I followed the navigation prompts on my phone. Next to me, Ruby radiated nervous energy. Even though she had served her time in prison, she had months and months of probation to finish. If she made any mistakes, they could send her back to jail.
“Do you want me to come inside with you?” I asked after I found a spot to park.
“I don’t think they’ll let you come into the meeting,” she said, looking decidedly anxious.
“I don’t mind sitting in the waiting room.”
“No?”
“Nope.”
When we entered the austere building, we were directed to a security checkpoint and then to the elevators. The entire building smelled stale and slightly sour. The lighting was poor, and the chairs in the waiting area outside the probation intake offices squeaked and wobbled precariously. While Ruby checked in for her appointment, I picked a few brochures off the end table next to my chair and skimmed through them.
“I wonder why they changed it from probation to community supervision?” I flashed the brochure at her as she took her seat.
“Someone probably did a study that said that it was better for an ex-con's self-esteem.” She unlooped the elastic tie holding her auburn locks out of her face and then finger-combed her hair back before winding it into a loosely coiled bun. “There was a lot of that psychology bullshit inside.”
“Was it helpful?”
She chortled. “Seriously?”
“Yes.”
She shrugged. “I guess for some people it is.”
“But it wasn’t for you?”
“Not the way they wanted it to be,” she replied cryptically.
Before I could ask her what she meant by that, her name was called. She picked up her scuffed leather purse, one of the few things I had managed to save from her apartment. “Wish me luck.”
“Good luck, sis.”
She smiled at that and left me behind in the waiting room. I couldn’t help but marvel at the turn our relationship had taken. Maybe all she needed was a good night’s rest in a safe place. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t going to question it. As long as we were moving forward and growing closer, that’s all that mattered.
Tucking the brochures into my purse, I pulled out my phone and opened the texts from Ivan. He had sent me a mirror selfie, naked from the waist up, flexing his incredible muscles to apologize for our minor tiff over the vehicle financing. I sent back an invite for a work quickie later followed by a string of naughty emojis. He answered back quickly—he was on his lunch break—with his own emojis to confirm.
Hiding my smile and the flash of arousal that our messages caused, I swiped out of the message and noticed some texts farther down the list from a number I didn’t recognize. Apprehensive after the unsettling voicemail I had received at the gala, I reluctantly opened the messages and was greeted with a chilling set of photos. Someone had been close enough to snap photos of Ruby and me at the dealership.
But it was the photo of me, sitting right where I was in that moment, that made my stomach churn with fear. I swallowed nervously and looked around the busy waiting room, half expecting to see masked men looking right back at me. My gaze lingered on the men waiting for their appointments. The ones who weren’t white I disregarded immediately. There were seven who fit the description of the men from the parking lot attack, but I couldn’t exactly march up to each of them and demand they show me their phone.
My gaze drifted to the hallway and the elevators. The man who took these photos could have already left. I hadn’t been paying attention earlier, so it would have been easy to snap a quick photo and disappear. Or, maybe it wasn’t a man. Maybe it was a woman.
Trying not to lose it, I pushed down the natural feelings of panic and tried to think logically. No one was going to try to hurt Ruby or me in the middle of a building teeming with cops and security guards. They might try to snatch us outside, but I was ready for that and would be paying attention. No, this was someone trying to get under my skin.
“You okay?” Ruby asked when she returned to my side.
“Look.” I held out my phone, and she snatched it from my hand, scrolling through the photos and then glancing anxiously around the room.
“We need to get out of here.” She thrust my phone back at me. “Text Ivan. Tell him we’re coming to the gym. Forward those photos to him.”
Relieved by her no-nonsense response, I followed her instructions and then matched her steps to the elevator. We got stepped into the car alone and rode down in tense silence. When we stepped out of the building, she asked, “Did Ivan text back yet?”
I checked my phone. “No, but the afternoon training block has already started. His phone is on his desk or got tossed to the side of the mats. He may not—”
I stopped mid-sentence when Ruby suddenly grasped my hand. I followed her gaze to the far end of the sidewalk, where a tall blond man leaned against the building. I couldn’t see his eyes behind his aviator sunglasses, but there was something unnervingly familiar about him.
“Come on,” Ruby urged and tugged my hand. “Get your keys.”
While she hustled us across the street to the parking lot, I plucked my key fob from my purse and unlocked the doors when we were close. We hurriedly got into the SUV, and I locked the doors immediately, sealin
g us both inside where we would hopefully be safe. I started the engine, and without even waiting to fasten my seat belt, I pulled out of the parking space.
Ruby reached over and grabbed the seat belt from my right hand and snapped it into place. “Go!”
I rushed out of the parking lot as safely as I could and drove away from the probation office as we were being chased by the Devil himself. “Who was that?”
Ruby stopped chewing her thumb nail long enough to say, “A guard.”
“I’m going to assume there’s some sort of history with him?”
“Yes.” She chewed her thumb nail again, a nervous habit she had had since we were kids. “It’s complicated, and if I tell you everything, you’re going to be in serious danger.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m already in serious danger.”
“Worse danger than you can imagine,” she amended.
“I’m imagining the worst, Ruby.” I glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed a truck that I had seen earlier that morning and then again in the parking lot of the probation office. “Do you see that tan truck a few cars behind us? It’s an older model. Has a dented hood.”
She twisted in her seat. “Yeah, I see it.”
Before I could ask her to snap a photo, she used her new phone to take a few. “I think I got the plates.”
“Is it him? The guard?”
“I can’t tell.” She studied her phone’s screen. “Maybe?”
“What’s his name? Was he one of your guards?” I glanced away from the road and noticed how upset she looked. My mouth went dry. “Did he hurt you?”
She worked up the courage to nod.
My breaths came faster as I realized that my sister had been abused. “Did he rape you?”
She nodded again. “Not just me.”