Dangerous Love (Mackenzies Book 3)

by Elizabeth Knox

  Clutching the silk sheet between my fingers, I tug it against me, but it doesn’t move. I furrow my brows and stick out my hand, gasping at the same time my hand collides with a hard chest. “Relax, it’s only me.” Aleksei’s thick accent comes out, and I instantly settle.

  I lean back and turn on the light beside my bed and as I turn, there’s a smirk dragged across his face. “How’d you even know which room was mine?”

  “Did you think I forgot?” he questions me, cocking a brow.

  I don’t bother responding. His cocky attitude is starting to come back to the surface. While most would be annoyed, it makes me happy. Still, I can’t help but wonder if this is a dream. I know days have passed since he’s been back home, but I’m still being the negative Nancy I always am.

  Since being here, Aleks has taken his brother out, got him some clothes, took him to the barber, and I can’t imagine what else. All I know is I’ve barely seen him around, and Greer’s telling me he’s catching Aleksei up on what he’s missed. I don’t know how someone catches another person up on years’ worth of work in a matter of no time, but whatever. It’s not my monkey, not my circus.

  Aleksei’s dress shirt and suit jacket hang from my chair, and I spot a gold-plated gun sitting on the desk. He wears a single gold chain around his neck and for the first time since being back, I get a good look at him.

  Sure he’s thinner than usual, but he doesn’t look awful. He has a swimmer’s physique right now, but in no time, I’m sure he’ll be back to his beefy, muscular self. Regardless of his body type, I’ll always love the man lying beside me. He has a hand under his head and looks me up and down. “Something’s on your mind.”

  “Lots of things are.”

  “So, tell me what bothers you.” Aleksei gets comfortable on the bed, laying on his back and glances up at me.

  God, he’s the same man he’s always been. Things are either right or wrong, black or white. There’s nothing in between, and I’m positive his token of advice will be something that hits me right in the heart.

  The thoughts plaguing my mind aren’t something he should be giving me advice on, though. I could go to my father, brother, sister, or even my brother-in-law . . . but asking Aleksei is a bad idea. “I can’t, Aleksei. It’s too complicated.” The fact of the matter is it’ll only make him feel like shit. He’s been gone for so long, and the girls don’t know him. It’s something I’m certain we’ll fix in time. It just won’t make this easier.

  “Sloane, we’ve hidden nothing from each other. Whatever’s going on, you can talk to me.” Fuck. I know better than to say it, but if I don’t say anything, he’ll get angry or irritated with me.

  “The twins have been asking to see Keeran. He doesn’t guard them, obviously, and when we were dating, he’d have lunch with them or do something fun. Since I broke things off between us, he hasn’t seen them, and they’re getting upset.”

  “They will be fine. Their father is back now,” Aleksei gripes, making his thoughts very clear.

  If only things were so simple. They’re six. They don’t understand what any of this means or how they’re gaining someone while losing another. I stare into Aleksei’s eyes and try to think about the best way to word this, but there isn’t a best way. There’s only the honest truth. “They’ve only known Keeran, Aleksei. The girls are upset they’re losing him, and it’s okay they’re upset. I’m just . . . it weighs heavy on my mind that he’s distancing himself from them because we ended our relationship.”

  Aleksei stares at me like I’ve slapped him across the face. “The man isn’t their father. He shouldn’t have ever gotten close like this to them to begin with.”

  I blink a couple of times before I can fully process what he said. I sit up on the bed and blankly stare at him. The man’s truly getting his old temperament back faster than I thought. “You’re putting the blame on me for getting close to someone else? I thought you were dead, Aleksei. We all did. I needed help, and he loves the girls. I thought I was making the right choice for them. They deserve as much love as they can get.”

  “Fuck, it came out in a way I didn’t intend. I am sorry. Please know I wasn’t trying to make you feel a certain way. This—our circumstances—are complicated at best. I’m not judging you for moving on if that’s how I made it seem. I’m only upset I’ve missed so much time watching them grow. But that isn’t something we can fix. I noticed something when you spoke, though, something I want to discuss.”

  What the hell is he talking about? “What did you notice?” I snip back at him.

  “You said they deserve as much love as they can get, how you were making the right choice for them. But what about you? Where do you come into play, Sloane?” Aleksei’s eyes fall on my own, and a heaviness settles over my chest.

  He’s got me. My only concern was ever the girls. From the moment I was carrying them, they became my priority, and everything important to me went on the back burner. That’s just motherhood, though.

  “Ty kholoden, kak volk, lyubov' moya. Vyzhivshiy. Tot, kto zhertvuyet veshchami radi samykh blizkikh,” Aleksei whispers in a gravelly tone, and I can barely tell if he’s speaking Russian or another language. He’s fluent in many. When we first dated, he’d switch from Russian to Ukrainian at the drop of a hat. Now, I never understood either, but it got complicated when he was trying to teach me Russian and he’d switch.

  “What the hell did you say?” I grumble, thoroughly aggravated. He knows I’m out of practice. The least he can do is make sure our conversation is in English.

  Aleksei snakes an arm around my waist and forces my body down on top of his. “Your Russian is rusty, no?”

  I playfully push at his chest. “I wasn’t ever fluent, you big brute!”

  Aleksei chuckles, and my heart swells three times as big. God, I haven’t heard him laugh like this in ages. He stops laughing and his smile grows even more. Taking a hand, he grabs onto mine, lacing my fingers between his. I said, “You are cold like a wolf, my love. A survivalist. One who sacrifices the most for those she loves. Happy now?”

  Holy fuck.

  Did that really just happen, or? Holy fucking hell.

  I swallow hard and slightly open my lips. I’m going to say something, but no words come out. All I can do is stare at his lips and be in awe of how my life has done a complete one-eighty. A much welcomed one, but damn my insides just lit on fire. My core is begging to be one with him again, screaming for his lips on mine, for his hands to ravage my body like he did years ago.

  Aleksei drags his tongue over his bottom lip as he takes me in. I’m wearing a red lace nighty. No lie, I’ve been hoping he’d suddenly appear in my bedroom one night. The way we’ve been staring at each other from across the room, I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. I swallow as his free hand moves up my leg. He slowly skirts it between us, rubbing his fingertips against my lace thong.

  I suck in a sharp breath, and he snickers, obviously pleased with himself.

  “A bit on edge, no?”

  “And you aren’t?” I counter back, knowing he’s craving this as much as I am. We always had a phenomenal sex life and it’s going to come right back. Aleksei and I, we never took things easy. The only way we ever worked was by nose-diving into each other.

  Aleksei dips his fingertips under my thong, sliding them between my wet lips. I could very well let him take the lead here, but I don’t want to. I want to ravage this man like a dessert I’ll never have the opportunity to taste again.

  I roll my hips against his hand, and he dives two fingers into my entrance. I gasp, but my pussy grows even wetter. Fuck, I’ve only envisioned this in my wildest of dreams. Aleksei thrusts his fingers inside me, each time with more power than the next. I’m grinding myself against his hand, biting my bottom lip, feeling more passion than I have in years.

  God, it’s sad, isn’t it? I’ve kissed Aleksei once and now we’re here, yet I’ve felt so much more intensity between us than I ever did with Keeran. But Aleksei�
��s helped me realize why. I was only in the relationship because of the girls. I was doing it because I felt they needed a man in their life, a father figure.

  “Don’t,” Aleksei grits. Pulling his upper body up, he goes from lying down to sitting up. “Don’t you let your mind wander. You’re mine now. This is my time,” he growls lowly, bringing his lips to my neck.

  He bites down hard, and I gasp. At the same time, he flicks his thumb against my clit and drives his fingers into me, bringing me down within moments. I dig my nails into his back while my orgasm takes over me. “Aleksei,” I cry out his name as sweat beads on my forehead.

  He doesn’t show the slightest indication of stopping, and he sure as hell isn’t. He rams into me until I’m biting on his shoulder to keep myself from screaming. He finally pulls his fingers from inside me, and we’re both fumbling with his pants. He unbuckles, and I’m pulling his trousers down. His cock pops up and I’m amazed. Literally amazed. How is his dick this . . . bigger? I don’t remember it being this long. Sure, it was thick, and it was a good size, but holy hell. He’s hung like a horse.

  Is it the weight loss? Can dudes magically grow a couple more inches if they lose weight? Fuck.

  Aleksei lines himself up at my entrance, and while I slowly slide over his swollen head, he rams himself into me full force. “I can’t take this slow with you. Not now. I need you, Sloane. More than ever.” He growls against my lips as he captures me in an intense kiss once more.

  Aleksei wraps his arms around my body and flips me over until my back is hitting the mattress. He rams his cock into me so hard my head’s hitting my padded headboard. With every thrust, warmth spreads across every limb of my body.

  He leans down over me and increases his pace, so hard his balls slap against my pussy with every thrust. He brushes his fingertips over my throat and his lips break away from mine. “I’ve thought about doing this to you for a long time, and I’m going to ravage your body tonight. Don’t count on getting any sleep. We have much time to make up for.” His words come out as a growl, and the warmth in my body turns into heat. I’ve hit my release again, and he doesn’t halt. He only grows hungrier with need, more focused, ready to bring me pleasure until I beg him to stop.

  Fuck, I’ll never be able to express how much I missed this man. Not ever.

  Staring at the mirror in front of me, I almost don’t recognize myself. The woman staring back at me smiles without reason. There aren’t any dark circles under her eyes. She even looks well-rested. She looks like a complete stranger, and yet she’s me.

  I pick up the brush from the sink and pull the soft bristles through my hair. Last night was long and eventful, so I look the part. My hair’s a mess, I see bruises on my body from where Aleksei marked me with hickeys, and there’s even a decent-sized red mark on my ass from the way he held onto me as he drove his cock deep inside. Hell, I’m a well-fucked hoe and I know it.

  A laugh escapes me and I continue to go through the rest of my morning routine. I wash my face with a hydrating cleanser, put on moisturizer since my skin is super dry, and then give it a few minutes to dry. After, I put on foundation, concealer, and of course, bronzer. I don’t want my eyes to be super crazy, so I opt for a natural smokey eye, light eyeliner, and some thick mascara.

  In a matter of twenty minutes, I’m ready to change and get started on the day. Aleksei and I took a shower around four this morning in my en-suite to rid us of the sweat coating our bodies. We might’ve gotten a bit sweatier in the shower, though.

  Earlier I checked the temperature for the day, and the high is supposed to be around sixty-six. One thing I’ve learned since living here in Ireland is how the warm days are far and few. Hot here is around seventy, but when it gets cold, golly, it gets cold. I’ve become a master at layering multiple items in case I need to get warmer.

  Heading back into the bedroom in a light blue bra and panty mix, I feel his eyes on me. He’s been back on the bed for a while now ogling, taking in the view, or whatever it is Aleksei’s doing. I head into my closet and walk up to my built-in shelves. I pull out a pair of light denim-colored jeans and slide them on, grab a pair of suede booties and put those on. As I’m debating what to wear, heat comes from around me, and lips are pressed against the nape of my neck.

  “You look decadent,” Aleksei states in a gruff voice.

  Every time he gets this raspy tone, I lose it. It’s the first way to get in my pants and the quickest. He grabs a long-sleeve gray shirt for me and helps me into it. I know the perfect jacket and scarf to top it off with, so I grab both.

  “Fuck, you only know how to get hotter.” Aleksei runs his hand over his face, trying to hide his smirk.

  “Are you going to get dressed so we can have a day with the girls?”

  “A day with the girls?” he asks, repeating what I’ve just said.

  I nod. “Yeah. I think it’s time I formally introduce you to them. They’ve seen you in photos, but I think because of the weight loss, it’s hard for them to really recognize who you are.”

  I leave out the part about kids not really paying much attention, but in time they’ll learn how amazing their father is. I clear my throat and push down feelings rushing to the surface. The last thing I want to do is cry, especially when today is going to be so special. It’s going to be fucking amazing.

  It’s going to be a damn dream come true.

  Chapter Twelve

  Aleksei

  After going to my room to change my clothes, I’m ready for the day. I saw what Sloane was wearing earlier and made sure I looked like I was wearing casual stuff too. I hope I don’t look too casual, though. I know we’re going out and all, but I’m meeting my little princesses for the first time. Today is a huge day for our family and there’s a lot on this meeting going well.

  I’m descending the stairs and spot Sloane heading out through the front door, so I quickly follow behind her. The girls are running in the garden with their cousins, laughing and blowing bubbles. Sloane crosses her arms and smiles dotingly at them, while I can’t help but do the same. It’s awesome to see the joy. Hell, it spreads from them to us for sure. Man, even their laughter is infectious.

  I spot Sloane stiffen from the corner of my eye, so I peek over at her. “Are you alright?”

  She seems quiet, like she doesn’t want to answer what I’ve asked her. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  She’s telling me she’s fine, but I don’t believe it at all. The way she stands is a little straighter like she’s on alert. It makes me realize something is going on and while I don’t know what it is, I will find out.

  I look back out into the garden and watch the kids play, now kicking around a ball. It’s when I see him, the man who took care of my girls, all three of them. He’s watching the twins and has a smile on his face, but the moment his eyes land on mine, his smile dissipates. Instead, all I see is anger.

  Now, I know the situation we’re all in can’t be easy. The only thing we can do is be adults about it since children are involved. While I prayed I’d see Sloane again and meet the girls one day, the likelihood of it ever coming to fruition was so low. Yet, here I am. During the time I was away, Sloane grew close to another, a man who cares for my daughters as much as I do. For that, I owe him great thanks.

  “I’ll be back,” I tell Sloane and walk off over to Keeran. There are many things I need to say to him, but more than that, there is much I need to make right between us. Anyone can feel the tension in the air. It’s evident and obvious, and I know he’s not going anywhere. Sloane told me how he’s part of the security team, so we’ll have to coexist with one another for quite a long time.

  I walk across the stone until I’m within a few feet from Keeran. I don’t want to get overly close since we’re not friendly. There’s no telling how this conversation I’m about to have with him can go.

  “I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced. I’m Aleksei.” I extend a hand, and his eyes fall on my offering, but he doesn’t accept it. Ins
tead, he scoffs lightly and shakes his head.

  “Buddy, I know who you are, just like everyone else does around here.” He speaks to me in an aggravated manner, and I take my hand back, knowing this won’t be going well. It’s already off on a bad foot.

  I swallow my pride and clear my throat, wanting him to know how much I appreciate him being there for the girls while I was captive. “All right, well, I wanted to come over here and tell you I appreciate you being there for the girls while I couldn’t. It was good for them to have a solid male figure to watch over them, and I appreciate it, especially given Sloane’s mental health issues. She told me how the depression took over her mind, so I wanted to thank you for keeping her from making a massive mistake.” I know I’ve repeated myself, but damn, this conversation is odd and I don’t know what to fucking say about it.

  Keeran cackles lightly. “I’ve had a lot of shit said to me before, but I’ve never had someone thank me for shagging their woman.”

  The audacity this motherfucker has. Naturally, my jaw clenches and I ball my hands into fists. “Sorry, what did you just say?” I raise my eyebrows and wait for this cocky motherfucker to say it again, ‘cause the second he does, I’ll be throwing his ass into the ground. Out of shape or not, I can still handle him.

  The pitter-patter of small feet come rushing up, and Drina wraps her arms around Keeran’s leg. I hope he knows it’s the only thing saving him from my wrath right now. “Mummy said she was taking us to the park, but I want you to take us! You push us on the swings and run around and play with us!” Drina whines, obviously upset.

  “Children, come here. I’ve just helped Maeve make some yummy treats. They’ll still be warm if you kids hurry up,” Sofia yells from beside Sloane. I’m sure she realizes what’s happening. Everyone here must know Keeran is a ballsy fucker. Better yet, they know my personality all too well. I’m not the kind of man who lets anyone get away with the kind of shit he just pulled.