Blood & Agony: A Dark Criminal Romance (Pins and Needles: Moscow Book 1)

by Elizabeth Knox

  “You okay, sirenă?” Kronid asks, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

  I lift my head up off his chest to meet his gaze. “Yes,” I whisper, licking my lips to wet them.

  Kronid’s gaze drops to my mouth and I swear his eyes seem to glaze over with lust. I wonder what’s going through his mind. Did he enjoy what we did as much as I did?

  “Sirenă, you don’t ever have to wonder what I’m thinking. All you need to do is ask. I’ll never lie to you. To others, yes, but never to you”.” He lifts a hand to brush the back of his hand against my cheek. Either he read my mind or I’m just that easy to read.

  “But you lied to that man and you said you lied to Katya.”

  “It’s the only time I’ve ever lied to Katya and now it isn’t a lie because you’re mine. I have no problem lying to those I don’t care about. I’m a selfish man, Dema, but I’m being truthful when I say I won’t lie to you. Now, you are mine, are you not?” Oh, I love hearing his accent. It’s not often his accent comes out thick, but when he’s frustrated or proving a point, I find it flows past his lips like water does down a riverbed.

  He wants me and it’s obvious in the way his eyes narrow in on me and he looks at me with intense seriousness. He fucking wants me. I had my doubts about it last night at the bar, thinking it was nothing more than a lie he was telling me. Now I see it wasn’t.

  I mean, what happened last night should’ve told me he wasn’t joking. It’s a good thing I have a door that connects into my bedroom, otherwise we’d have ended up with him inside me on the floor with paint coating our bodies. A giggle bubbles out at the thought of our escapades last night.

  “Sirenă, what has you laughing? Though I like the sound of it, I’m hoping it’s not due to my question.”

  “Oh sorry, no it’s not. To answer your question, I want nothing more than to be yours. I’ve dreamed of it for a really long time. Pretty much from the first day I saw you during my interview,” I ramble.

  “That’s good to know. Now what caused you to laugh,” he demands with a quirk of his brow.

  “Um,” I murmur, blushing. “A thought about having a door connecting my bedroom and art room definitely being a good thing.”

  “And why is that?” he asks, with a grin in place. He must sense where I’m going and wants to hear it.

  “Because there’s nothing in my art room but art supplies everywhere. If we’d been in there, we’d have ended up coated in paint.”

  “Hm, I’m thinking we might need to break in the art room one day,” he chuckles, his eyes creasing at the corners.

  Oh boy.

  Kronid’s broody is hot.

  Kronid’s smile is sexy.

  Kronid’s full on gorgeous.

  “What?” Kronid asks gently, searching my eyes for some sort of answer.

  “Nothing,” I sigh, savoring his touch.

  Before my mom and dad were killed, they were very affectionate people. They showed me love in a plethora of ways. It might be weird, but the brush of his fingers against my cheek reminds me of them, making me remember ways they’d encourage me, or have heart-to-heart conversations with me. I miss them and this is a nice feeling to have.

  The need to show him how much his touch means to me sweeps through my body and I make a quick decision to do something that I hope he’ll enjoy. I straddle his body, my core pressing against his harden shaft.

  “Dema,” he murmurs my name cautiously.

  “I want to feel you inside me again, Kronid. I love the way you make me feel whole,” I whisper softly while leaning forward and kissing him. It’s the first time I’ve ever anticipated a kiss with anyone. Not even when I’d been a teenager in the U.S.

  With slow movements, I maneuver myself until I’m not only kissing Kronid, but his cock is sliding within my entrance. Kronid’s hands tighten, one at the back of my head, the other gripping my ass.

  I whimper into his mouth as he slides his tongue against mine. I may have initiated everything this time but this man, my man, is taking over.

  Pleasure starts to take hold and I’m more than ready to explode at a moment’s notice. How I’m worked up this easily I don’t know. I’m not even sure how it’s possible. In the books I’ve read it always seems to take forever for the deed to happen and for the woman to find her own orgasm. But with Kronid, even with the first time he took me, he’s made sure I find my orgasm each and every time.

  I don’t know if it’s normal but I don’t care.

  “Kronid,” I moan, feeling myself growing closer to the edge of what I can only describe as bliss.

  I groan in protest as Kronid lifts me off his cock. Grinning, Kronid flips me onto my back, opens my legs, and moves between them. He lines his harden shaft with my entrance once again and settles himself deep inside me.

  “Damn, sirenă. I can’t get enough of your pussy. I could die a happy man having the chance to be in you every day. You and me, Dema, this is us. This is who we are. From now on, there is no you, there is no me. There’s simply us. We do this together and I swear to all that’s holy, I’ll protect you with all the power I hold.”

  Kronid’s words cause tears to fill my eyes and I reach up to cup his face. “I believe you, Kronid. I trust you. I have my complete and utter faith in you. All I ask is that you don’t hurt me.”

  “Dema, I don’t intend to ever see you hurt. I’ll knock down anyone who ever tries, and I’ll never be the cause for your agony,” Kronid murmurs as he begins to move, signaling the end of our conversation for the moment. He slides out and thrusts back in, picking up his speed.

  I moan into Kronid’s mouth and he takes me, solidifying what we’ve both agreed to. We’re together, and we’re going to make this work. My orgasm hits me at the same time Kronid’s shoots through him as well. I didn’t think something like this could feel so special until now. Kronid has made everything feel so much more special by simply being who he is. He might be scary to others but now I don’t think I could ever be afraid of this man. Not after seeing this side of him. I’m willing to bet no one will ever see this side of him but me.

  This thought fills me with glee.

  “I think I could fall in love with you. Actually, I know I could,” I murmur without meaning to.

  Oh god, Kronid is going to bolt after I blurted out, I think I could fall in love with him. Great, Dema way to go.

  “Dema,” he rasps, his voice sounding hoarse.

  “It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything,” I say, stopping him from saying anything else but my name. I don’t think I can handle any sort of rejection, not after this experience with him. I only hope I didn’t just ruin it for us.

  “Dema, god.” He shakes his head and my stomach knots up. “I’m not the type of fucker who talks about his feelings a lot, but something about you makes me want to open up a bit. Because of that I think I could fall in love with you too, when the time is right. You make me wanna talk about shit I haven’t spoken about in years. I’ve got a cold, dark heart . . . and you’re already making it a bit warmer. I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t have a heart if it weren’t for you. You might not have been mine until yesterday, Dema, but you’ve been the one woman I’ve wanted since the day you first walked into Pins and Needles. I just never had the courage to go after the beautiful woman I’d been secretly lusting after, and it wasn’t because I was afraid to speak to you or anything. I just couldn’t fuck up my job.”

  “Yes,” I whisper with a nod. I understood perfectly what he’s saying.

  “Good, now let’s get cleaned up, go spend some time with your grandparents, then I’d like for you to come to Pins and Needles with me. I have work to do and I think we need to be seen together as a couple, in front of the others.”

  “Okay . . . I could always see if my client who I canceled on earlier would still be able to come in. I’ll get his tattoo done while you do what you have to,” I inform him though I don’t know if I want to leave this room. Right now, the two of us have a perfect bu
bble and I don’t want to see it popped.

  I finally accept my life will be with Kronid and I couldn’t be happier. He’s the only man I’ve ever wanted and to have him all but tell me I’m the woman who keeps his heart from being completely cold means the world to me.

  Chapter Twelve

  Kronid

  Last night I kept Dema’s grandparents up until about one in the morning. We drank vodka, ate pelmeni, and played multiple rounds of Durack. It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve felt like I was part of a family, and yet in hours I no longer felt like a stranger to these people. They were telling me old stories about Dema when she was a child, about the things she’d say and do, even how she carried herself and had plans for everything. They even told me a story of when she stole her mother’s permanent markers and started drawing all over her walls. Considering what she does for a living now I can believe it.

  Not only did they tell me old tales of Dema and her ridiculous childhood but spending time with them gave me insight on the sacrifices Dema makes to take care of them. While we were drinking vodka, she’d go get them large glasses of water and made them eat more food, and then more to counteract the alcohol before she gave them their bedtime medications. At a point she grabbed onto my hand and pulled me around a corner, begging me to say I was tired so they’d go to bed. She had to explain to me they wouldn’t go to sleep until I said I was tired, because it would seem rude since I’m a visitor in their house. So, I did as she asked and then they went to sleep relatively quickly.

  The two of us stayed up for a bit longer, drank more vodka, and began to learn a bit more about the other. It’s obvious we’re not going to become best friends overnight, but we’re in this together now and we’re going to do what’s needed. I think Dema thought I was going to leave last night, but I didn’t. After an awkward encounter I jumped into her bed and slept alongside her, even pulled her close against my chest halfway through the night. I hate how things went down and showing her my softer side could be the way to prove I’m not just someone who makes declarations without intending to follow through. Most view me as a monster and while I’ve done horrible things, I won’t treat her in such a way.

  Now it’s the morning and I’m slumming back to work in the clothes I wore yesterday, without giving a fuck about it. Women call this the walk of shame, but I’m the man who begs someone to ask me why I’m wearing the same shit. I can guarantee I’d come up with some sort of smartass remark to answer with.

  I drove Dema in my SUV, even after she had a fit about walking to work as she normally does, saying it’s how she gets her exercise in. I laughed and told her I’d be giving her other ways to get her exercise in, and not to worry. She blushed and it was damn near the sexiest thing I’ve seen from her.

  Now I’m opening the door to Pins and Needles with my hand on the small of her back, pushing my way past the lobby into the shop and continue onward until we’re directly in front of my office. I slide the key in the door and push it open, walking in alongside her.

  “Fuck, I forgot to stop for coffee,” Dema curses under her breath and my eyes instantly lock with hers.

  “It’s no problem, we can both go back out and grab some. I’d like some as well, so it’s the perfect opportunity to spend more time with you.” I smile as I finish my words and the rosy color, I’m becoming fond of rushes over her cheeks.

  “It’s not a big deal, Kronid. It’s only at the edge of the block and I’ve done this a thousand times. I’ll grab you some coffee though, if that’s alright.”

  I remain silent for a moment, instantly wanting to tell her I can buy my own coffee, but the thought is so fucking sweet. “Sure. I’m betting you know what I like.”

  She gives me a curt nod and starts to turn on her heel, but I grab her by the arm and pull her toward me, planting my lips right onto hers. As she pulls away, she fails at hiding her bright smile and the blushing of her cheeks only grows redder. I watch as she walks down the hallway and then heads out through the door, off to get some much-needed coffee.

  I head to my old workstation that acts as a desk. I purchased it from an estate sale about two years ago. It was stained black, but in some areas, it holds the natural honey color opposed to the black walnut and even though it would likely be viewed as imperfect by others, it’s always spoken to me. The way the darkness mixes with the light reminds me a bit about myself, even I only have a few lighter streaks while the darkness consumes me.

  Pulling my center drawer open I take my laptop out and open it up. I turn it on and after a few minutes it’s up and running while I have our secure network online, I can look over the private information that’s been sent to me. All of the men trying to obtain brides fill out profiles, answer questionnaires, and do basically whatever the fuck we ask of them. I on the other hand always run background checks and credit reports on them, ensuring they’re who they say they are.

  I print a couple out since they’re prospective and ideal suitors for some of the women, while I immediately blacklist a few men who I’ve found have lied on their applications. I don’t know why they do this type of shit. Do they think I won’t run every report on them that I can? Idiots.

  I grab the paperwork from the printer beside me and turn around on my chair to look at the small stack of men I’ll approve. The first one is a man in Texas, who obtained his money through a trust fund his parents left for him and invested well. He owns a ‘spa’ that he explains is a happy place for men and women to enjoy the company of other people. In all, it sounds a fuck of a lot like a sex ranch. I’ve heard rumors about them, but never once have I had a client allude to the fact they own one. Everything in his background tells me he’s a decent person, but, I do worry for my girls. Will they be put to sex work at the ranch? It’s not what we’re for. Men come to us to find good wives, not sex slaves.

  He says he’s looking for a spunky, adventurous woman who enjoys getting dirty and then dressing up to go to dinner. He wants a woman who will be a partner, not a piece of property and as I continue to read, I find more things I like about the man. He’s in his late thirties and states he’d prefer a woman in her late twenties at the youngest, not looking for some twenty-one-year old bride. I’ve had a woman here for about a year that I think will do very well with him, who even grew up on a farm in Northern Russia.

  I hear the clacking of heels headed my way and realize the door to my office has been wide open this entire time. I put the paperwork in the center drawer of my desk and rise, heading toward the door so I can shut it. I have too much work to be done today and I don’t want to be interrupted, but just as I’m about to shut it a shoe is shoved in the doorframe. Not just any shoe, a bright fuchsia heel.

  Pulling the door back, Lia’s revealed to me with her arms crossed over her chest. She’s cocking a brow and staring me down like she wants to slap the shit out of me.

  “Anything I can help you with, Lia?” I question her, hoping it’s something I can handle quickly.

  “You can tell me why you’ve chosen a woman like Dema when I’ve been here for you all along. She’s nothing, she is nothing, and I am the perfect type of wife! I . . . I thought you were keeping me for yourself and instead I discover you’ve been lusting after a woman with so many issues? Why her, Kronid? Why Dema?!” Lia snaps, glaring at me, throwing her hands up in the air and overall making a big show about things.

  I suck in a deep breath and stare at her while she continues to stammer on and on about how she felt things were going to be different, how she was going to be the right woman for me and a whole bunch of other nonsense. I clear my throat and finally interject the second she starts raising her voice. “I haven’t been able to find a proper match for you yet. That’s the truth, Lia. You’ve been here this long because your own requirements for your husband are lengthy and men don’t want to deal with high maintenance women like you, who barely want to offer anything in return.”

  Her eyes go wide and she steps further into my office, slamming th
e door behind her and walks right up to me as she shakes a finger in my face. Oh, this is going to be fun. The woman better watch her words or I’ll throw her back out on the streets.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Dema

  With a smile in place, I walk out the front door of Pins and Needles to go get us both coffee from the café across the street. They have some of the best cappuccinos I’ve ever had. Plus, I know exactly what Kronid would want from here. On many occasions over the past several years I’ve gotten him and everyone else coffees from this place. Meghan and I usually rotate turns going to get them. That or we send the receptionist who of course is missing from the front desk when Kronid and I walked into the front doors together. She’s barely ever around and it’s downright aggravating.

  I can’t help but think back to the moment we got into the tattoo parlor. To have walked into the shop with Kronid’s arm wrapped around my waist is definitely a new feeling to experience. Meghan’s eyes widened when she lifted her head to see who was stepping inside Pins and Needles, only to give me a devious smile in response. She’d always teased me for having a silly crush on him, and here we are.

  Kronid took me straight into his office but I need my morning coffee, especially since I’ve been awake for well over twenty-four hours. If it wasn’t for the shower I took before leaving you would still see the paint underneath my fingernails and the streaks smearing my face. Kronid hadn’t even mentioned it at any time during our love making.

  God knows if I could, I would definitely go back into Kronid’s office, grab him by the hand, and drag him back to the house. I’d take him up to my room where I’d do what we’d been doing all over again.

  I make it across the street and into the café. Sascha sees me first and waves.

  “Where have you been?” he asks, flamboyantly.