by Raven Scott
“The fuck kind of man tries to assassinate himself?”
Shrugging lightly, I splayed my fingers in helplessness; I’d asked myself that same question. The facts didn’t lie, though.
Scratching his beard roughly, Sascha sunk into his seat with a frown. “Aleksander’s whole spiel is power to the people, right? In order to bring Russia up, he needs to have that power if he wants to spread it. Russia’s never been in a good way, and it’s particularly bad right now. The Ruble is .016 of the U.S. Dollar…”
“Yeah. The only thing I can think of is that either the attempt on the Patriarch can either really help Aleksander, or it can really help someone or something else. The families are not known for their independent thinking of the greater good. Historically, they’re important because most of our business had shared risk. You out someone and you out yourself as well. Ever since Aleksander took over, he’s pumped attention on himself and the socialist fronts he’s created. He’s going to run for office. That’s the obvious thing.” Sascha’s surprised expression told me my assumption was only obvious to me. A sigh built in my chest.
“Everyone thinks they can do it better than the last time,” Sasha stated. “Aleksander’s entire economic presence is based on equal wealth distribution appropriate to skill. If you read the business model on Makovich’s website, it reads like everyone has a price. Doctors, lawyers, garbage men, call center representatives… they all have an intricately determined price tag.”
“That’s definitely not the first place my mind would go if someone tried to assassinate me. How would killing his dad do him any good?” Russia at the moment was a democracy, but anyone with eyes knew this country was in a bad state.
Sascha’s eyes narrowed, as he seemed to put the pieces together, his head tilting curiously. “You think he’s going to run for Prime Minister? If that’s true, how would anything like an assassination work for him?”
“The only thing separating me and you,” I explained. “Is what we know. If we never met, you’d never know Makovich Industries was just a huge, money laundering front designed to captivate the masses. Everyone knows someone that works at Makovich in some capacity and people who don’t work there want to. And the ones who do work there don’t want to screw it up because it’s the best job they’ll ever get.” Turning to stare at the back of the empty seats in front of us, I fought a frown. I was still working through the ‘why’ and potential ‘how’, but rarely was I the one that screwed up. “If Aleksander did run for some office, there wouldn’t even be a point in running against him. His father being the target of an assassination attempt, gives him the excuse to get rid of everyone who knows too much and will probably use it against him. The families are enemies as much as friends. If they think they can get ahead, they’ll do almost anything for it.”
“Okay…” Sasha gave a slow nod of his head. “Maybe ignore that part for a second. Why would you think Aleksander wouldn’t think of that possibility by himself? You’re bargaining with our lives on the assumption that he’s a dense asshole, but even you have to admit he’s doing something right, Oppie.” Sascha tangled our fingers together as he continued with concern lacing his tone, “What’s to stop him from agreeing to what you want and then just killing you anyway?”
His palm felt so warm and comforting against mine as I answered, “Aleksander won’t consider it simply because he’s biased. His father, dying? No one elects to get shot at and I’d bet money that Vyachaslav is more than content letting himself fade into obscurity if it helped Aleksander’s cause. The old man is smart ‒ this isn’t the first time he’s done something crazy ‒ and it paid off. Aleksander is much more straight laced. If Vyachaslav thought with certainty that being assassinated would give Aleksander some substance, he’d probably set it up. However, I don’t think this was a serious attempt. I think it was a setup for an excuse to get rid of the families because we’re not needed anymore the way we were in the past. Not to mention the overhaul. Aleksander is centralizing his operations. This pretext is the next logical step to getting people out of the way. The only issue… is that Aleksander fucked it up.”
“By moving too hasty and letting his emotions get in the way?” Sasha asked. “You said he kept all the kids from the families, right? He kept you, Erik, and the other guy. One person from each family to keep things running. I wouldn’t put it past him to think he could strongarm and just ignore the consequences of totally obliterating everyone…”
Humming in agreement as Sascha trailed off, I scratched the back of his hand lightly and closed my eyes. Whatever Vyachaslav thought would happen by attempting to assassinate himself had happened. The operation was a success, for the most part. Most likely, the problem that now presented itself was Aleksander had spaces he needed filled and no one to fill them.
So, he was using his siblings as placeholders and that was a mistake.
“He screwed up by assuming that controlling everyone and everything around him means they won’t try to move on their own. Just like earlier, with Levrenti when we first got there. Aleksander has no recourse for someone he needs defying him. That’s the problem right now. If he wants to succeed, his first threat shouldn’t be ‘do it or I’ll kill you’. There’s nothing beyond that, especially when you kill everyone that might be used as leverage.” After today, my whole view of Aleksander had… wilted. No longer was he this godlike figure, terrifying and glorious at the same time. No longer did he make my heart race with uncertainty.
Just like most other people around me, Aleksander was just an idiot now…A powerful idiot. At the very least, I could work with that. I could do what I wanted, when I wanted, and as long as I could justify it, he couldn’t lash out at me. In this game, he’d unwittingly given me all the freedom I’d mistaken for subservience. Right now, in this moment, I held all the power. “He’s gonna have to fucking suck it up. He needs me way more than I need him. That’s the problem with this kind of thing, Sascha. You get used to having people do shit for you, and when they suddenly turn on you, you don’t know what to do. I’ve been working independently long enough to know when I’m coming out on top.” My voice rasped slightly with my conviction and I squeezed his hand. Fire burned behind my eyes, my lips thinning from the satisfaction that ripped through me.
“It’s so sexy when you get all self righteous, Oppie.”
Sascha’s purr in my ear rose the fine hairs on my cheek as shocks swirled down my neck. Kissing the crest, he tugged my arm into his lap, and my lips parted in a gasp.
“When we get back to Moscow, let’s go back to your parent’s house.”
Sascha had cancelled his class today to spend time with me; who was I to say ‘no’ then, let alone in this moment. Tilting my head as his curved lips caressed my cheek, I hummed softly in agreement. “After the past few days… I would really like that.” Gulping down the lump in my throat, I caught Sascha’s dark, glistening eyes. My chest tightened with guilt and regret. I licked my lips heavily. “I’m sorry— about last night. About all of it.”
“Apology accepted. Now that the worst is over, let’s talk about what to do next. It’s three hours to Moscow.”
My lips twitched in a smile before I leaned in. Our kiss was soft and beautiful, as Sascha cupped my face to suck in a sharp breath. His tongue slipped between my teeth, a promise balancing on the tip as it wrapped around mine. I savored his taste, holding my pleasure close to my heart.
Finally, he pulled back to rub my jaw with his thumb. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Ophelia. I knew you’d bounce back.”
19
Ophelia
“Why didn’t you bring this with you when you moved out?” Sascha twirled the fishing pole around loosely. “You said you found it in your old room.”
Turning while my brows furrowed, I replied, “I left it here intentionally because it made me feel like my parents were bigoted idiots more than I already thought they were.”
He smiled fondly, eyes flickering to me.
&n
bsp; I leaned on my elbows on the counter. “So—um—can we pretend the past week just didn’t happen?”
“We have all weekend to pretend the outside world doesn’t exist.” Sauntering across the kitchen, Sascha held my gaze and set the blue fishing pole on the island. He braced his arms on either side of me. “I don’t blame you for being stressed, Ophelia. It happens, and some situations are worse than others. Feeling guilty is okay as that means you acknowledge the severity of your troubles.”
Flames licked my cheeks, and a small smile tilted my lips. “I blame me more than enough for the both of us, Sascha.” He was so close the amber flecks in his eyes glimmered brightly. My confession earned me a soft sucking of his teeth, his body heat seeping through my clothes. Reaching to finger the buttons on his shirt, I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth. “I didn’t handle this very well. You may not blame me for being stressed, but you should blame me for how I reacted.”
“Oppie… I blame you for making the mistake of not telling me what’s been bothering you. Everything else was out of your control, but not that. So, lying by omission is all I can truly blame you for.”
I winced despite his gentle tone, my throat tightening at the brilliant earnestness of his gaze.
“You will get through this, Ophelia and I’m glad to just help you when and if you need me.”
“I love you, Sascha.” Craning my neck, I grasped Sascha’s waist firmly. His kiss sent my heart racing, parting my legs in invitation as my horribly tight muscles eased for the first time in days. “It’ll probably take him a long, long time to let go of his dignity…”
“Yeah, probably. You know… now that no one lives here, I actually kinda like this house.” Big hands grabbed my ass, pushing a gasp from my throat as Sascha hauled me into his arms.
Wrapping my arms and legs around him, I hummed suggestively as excitement trickled through my veins.
His smirk was wicked and sexy as he nodded to himself. “I really like that sofa. And we haven’t even gotten to the bathrooms yet.”
“Should I keep the place? As, like… a getaway.” To be honest, I wanted nothing more than to demolish this house, but redecorating could be fun too.
Swaggering into the hallway that led to the vast living room, Sascha pulled a thoughtful face at my probing. “We can move in together…”
My heart thudded hard as anxiety gripped me in its vice.
Expectancy flooded Sascha’s eyes as he kicked open the sliding door to the living area without breaking eye contact. “You have this huge place and no one to tell you not to do whatever you want with it. It’s a big house… the only reason we haven’t moved in together is because we both wanted our own space. If you really wanted to, I’m sure we could avoid each other easily, too.”
I paused. “Um, c-can I think about it a little? I don’t know if I want to find out if paint isn’t enough to make me able to tolerate this place.”
“Of course. I’ve only seen three rooms, so we can both do a little searching. Right now, we’re gonna search this sofa for lint.”
Giggling as Sascha jostled us on the couch, I ran my fingers through his hair. Holding himself above me, his expression softened with tenderness.
So gently, he reached to stroke my cheek. “I love you, Ophelia. I would still love it if you’d wear the ring I bought you.”
I licked my lips heavily. “Maybe not until I offer without the fear of death looming over me.” My cheek twitched as I fought a frown.
Sascha’s brows now furrowed in concern.
“I shouldn’t have said that then, or for that reason. No one is more important to me than you, Sascha.” Arching slightly at the discomfort wedging between my shoulder blades, I rolled both my lips between my teeth.
“I’d marry you if you let me, you stubborn, terrible woman. We don’t have to get married to spend the rest of our lives together, Oppie. You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met and I’m humbled by everything you are.”
“You shouldn’t be a sidekick… relationships are supposed to be equal.”
“Ah, yes. But I’m a little too old to be kickin’ ass and I’m not that good at it, anyway. Best leave that to the professional.” Ducking to nibble my chin, Sascha’s beard tickled my skin. White teeth grazed my pulse point, his lips curling in a smile. “This time, it won’t be quick.”
Heat burrowed deep in my abdomen and my knees tightened against his sides. Gasping when Sascha trailed fire down my neck, I fiddled with his shirt buttons with trembling fingers. My core pulsed with desire, and he licked and kissed my throat with hungry grumbles. Rolling his shirt back to reveal broad shoulders, I arched into his mouth. Roaming his shoulders and back with clammy palms, my arms blanketed in goosebumps.
Sascha didn’t have rock hard muscles; he was someone that could be handled, not clung to. Reaching down to grab his ass, a groan escaped me when he ground his bulge against me. He gasped, sucking the heat from my skin, as I squeezed and he pulled back to gaze at me with eyes sparkling with need. “I like your ass, Sascha. It’s better than mine.” Rolling us onto his back, I straddled Sascha’s waist to roll my hips.
He smirked, his beard ruffling as his fingers slipped under my thick, three day old shirt. “It’s a good thing I don’t take offense to that. Your tits are better than mine.” Pulling off my shirt completely, Sascha palmed my waist and licked his lips heavily. “Are you gonna let me see them, or just tease me with this pretty, purple bra?” Pushing himself onto his elbows, he cocked a brow insistently.
“Did you spend all that time praising me just for a nip slip?” Rolling my eyes, I crawled off the sofa to crook my finger at him. “Fine, sit up. Since you did a great job cheering me up, I guess I can make up the last few days of being a bitch.”
“You’re so good to me, Oppie…” Grabbing my wrist, Sascha tugged me back to his chest. “But I’d rather have your ass on my cock than in my face.”
20
Ophelia
Grinding against the throbbing juncture between my legs, Sascha braced his arms on either side of my head. His lips trailed fire up my neck to capture my own, as a shiver of delight skittered down my spine. Enjoying the feel of him, the friction of the coarse hairs on his chest tickling my breasts, a moan bubbled up from deep in my chest. My lips parted without prompting as I caressed his back and sides with greedy palms. Sascha’s thick, hot cock separated only by a thin layer of lace taunted me. We rocked in sync, hearts slamming against each other between even thinner layers of sweat. He wasn’t young anymore, but he’d always satisfied me and more.
Maybe it was because I’d never been with another man, but Sascha was perfect for me in every way. I didn’t want to be with another man. No… I physically can’t be with another man.
His taste invaded my senses as his tongue wrapped around mine and I released all my thoughts into the dusky pink cloud that hazed my mind. Gliding my palms down his back, I squeezed his ass to tilt my hips and lose myself in him. He was firm, but not hard ‒ soft, but not dainty ‒ muscular, but not disgustingly so ‒ and he still had a better ass than me.
I could feel Sascha’s impatience under my skin, buzzing like electricity as he lifted himself onto clammy palms. Gasping at the rush of cold air breezing down my sternum, I arched sharply. Goosebumps pocked my legs when Sascha pinned them down to shuffle over them. The sinewy muscles in his arms and chest flexed faintly when I managed to crack open my eyes and my mouth watered. Need gripped my stomach and throat in a vice, the thick hairs on his thighs burning my sides.
The weight of him was comfortable. I reached to pump Sascha’s glorious cock as hunger twisted my insides and clouded my eyes. Licking the thick vein on the underside of his shaft, my moan and his gasp danced together in the air. The bridge of my nose tingled as I sucked his heavy sac lightly. High above me, Sascha flopped his head back, gripping the back ledge of the sofa tightly.
Pausing my hand to spit, I pinched the head of his cock lightly between my thumb and forefinger. The soft plan
es of Sascha’s chest rippled in pleasure as I palmed the flushed length of his cock. His heady taste coated all of my mouth while he thrust his hips as he sputtered gutturally. Grazing my teeth down, I savored the taste of him on the roof of my mouth.
Reaching back, Sascha worked his hand under my thong, lifting my ass when the fabric strained. Kicking off my panties, I focused entirely on slathering his cock. Here, in this moment, it was just us, and no one could pop the bubble encasing us.
Wrapping my lips around the mushroom head of his cock, I groaned as the bead balancing on the tip coated my inner cheeks. Sascha’s gasp was music beyond the blood drumming in my ears. His thick leg hairs rubbed my nipples raw when he thrust into my mouth. Gagging slightly when he bumped the back of my mouth, I closed my eyes as my tongue wrapped around him.
“Fuck— Ophelia!“
Groaning softly around his shaft, I spread my legs wide as Sascha’s growl reverberated through me. He set a deep pace, his cock curving down the curve of my throat. My body strained and I squeezed my eyes shut as tiny tears hung off my eyelashes. He hissed as he pulled back and I coughed roughly. “God— you’re so great at that.” He smiled. Capturing my lips, he slid down to nestle between my thighs.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Wrapping my arms around his neck, I lifted my hips eagerly. “I mean I’m not complaining.”
“I love you…stop talking.”
Smiling tenderly, I opened my mouth for Sascha’s sweet invasion. He was beautiful, strong in ways I could never be, and the past week had just proven how lucky I am. Lovely shivers gripped my spine and I cupped his face as his tongue tangled around my own. My heart rampaged in my chest against the beat of his, so furious and strong.
The wetness of my saliva on his cock was a glue between my folds as my knees tightened around his waist. Moaning softly as Sascha ground against me, I grasped his shoulders tight. This was it, this moment of anticipation as he drew back his hips— as his kiss stalled, his tongue still as it clung to mine.