by Naomi West
She looked up. “But you still own me, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“So, if I asked you to take me home, you wouldn’t?”
“Not because I don’t want to, but because it would be too dangerous for me to leave you alone. If Lorenzo snatched you up once, then he can do that again, and I don’t intend to let that happen. Like it or not, you entered a world that is difficult to leave. Men are savages, and unless you’re tethered to someone who can protect you, then you’re fair game to anyone.
She trembled.
“So, for all intents and purposes, you’re my property, but I don’t treat what I own like trash.” I motioned towards the overall apartment. “As you can tell, I take pretty good care of my things—not that I view you as an object or anything.”
She looked up, and our gazes met. I leaned forward until our foreheads were pressed together.
“As far as I’m concerned, you’re my treasure now.”
“Do you really mean that?” she asked.
“I do.”
Her eyes softened as did the rest of her expression. I was sure that a big bridge had been crossed in our relationship.
40
I believed him. Maybe it was a stupid thing for me to do, but I believed him. With eyes like that, I knew he couldn’t be lying. I mean it wasn’t ideal to be someone’s property but better Andrei than Lorenzo. One would treat me like garbage and the other like a treasure. I would pick the latter any day of the week.
“And what about the sex…?” I asked.
“What about it?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Well, do I have a say in the matter?”
“Of course you do. I’m not going to force you to do something you don’t want to do. I pride myself on not being a rapist.”
“So, if I said ‘no,’ you wouldn’t be angry with me?”
“I’d be a little disappointed but angry, no.”
“Disappointed?” I repeated like I didn’t know the meaning of the word.
“Look at yourself, Cora; you’re stunning. Any man would be lucky to have you in bed with him. So, yeah, I’d be disappointed, but I wouldn’t hold it against you.”
“And if I wanted to have sex with you…?”
“Is that even a question?” He laughed. “Of course I’d say yes.”
I mulled over everything he had said and eventually gave a nod of understanding. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“I trust you, Andrei. Maybe I don’t know you all that well, but you’ve proven that you’re different. It’s not something I can quite explain, but I feel it when I look at you. You’re the only man that has ever shown me that he cares…”
He placed two of his fingers underneath my chin and lifted it upwards so that I was forced to look him in the eye. My heart skipped a beat as his lips drew closer to mine. They collided and burned together in a fiery passion. His tongue penetrated into my mouth and tangled with mine.
I melted against his body.
He lifted me off the stool and carried me into the bedroom. His hands on my ass were enough to get my juices flowing. He really didn’t have to do much to get me excited; it was like he could turn on a switch, and all of a sudden, my horniness levels were off the charts.
With the utmost care, he laid me down on the mattress. I ran my hand along the silk sheets and came across a rose petal.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Well, I was planning on giving you a very special welcoming.” He gestured towards the various candles that lined the room. “There’s champagne too, in case you drink.”
“Wait, you did all this for me?” I propped myself up on my elbows so that I could watch as he lit the candles. The dark room became brighter with their soft illumination. Things instantly got a thousand times more romantic.
“Mhm.”
“So, you’re telling me that you’re actually a helpless romantic.”
“Guilty as charged.”
I laughed. “Most men pick up girls at a coffee shop.”
“I’m not like most men, and if recall correctly, you were the one who asked me for help. It is not my fault that I ended up caring for you along the way. You are very hard to resist.”
“Who says you need to resist me? I’m all yours now, aren’t I?”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying.”
“I’m not the only one that’s hard to resist.” I grinned and grabbed a champagne bottle from the nightstand. “I’ve never opened one of these things before.”
“Here let —“
Before Andrei could offer his help, I had already popped the cork out of place. It shot up into the ceiling and nearly took out Andrei on its way down.
“Jesus, woman. I save you from the clutches of a madman, and this is how you repay me?” He crawled onto the bed as the froth from the champagne spilled over the bottle and onto my body. “Looks like we’re going to have to get rid of this top. It’s soaking wet.” He already had his hand on the hem of it. With a flick of his wrist, it was across the room and out of reach. “Fuck the champagne. I think I see a much better means of celebration.”
He dove forward and took one of my exposed nipples into his mouth. I moaned and dropped the champagne bottle. It soaked through the carpet, but Andrei didn’t seem to care about that. He was much more concerned with swirling his tongue all around my hardened nub and getting me to moan harder and harder.
“Mmm…”
He bit down and gave it a little tongue. Why was this guy so damn skilled at making me feel good?
Fuck it, why did it matter? All I cared about was the fact that he had better not stop any time soon.
He kissed, and he licked, and he sucked, and it was driving me insane. Caught up in the moment, I didn’t notice his hand creeping into my pants until his middle finger was already deep inside my pussy. I gasped. My pussy was soaking wet, which made it easier for him to slide his finger in and out, faster and faster.
“Fuck!” I screamed.
“We haven’t even started yet, baby. Don’t orgasm just yet. I want to make this last.”
Easier said than done.
Already, I wanted to explode. He added another finger to the mix. Then his thumb. It rubbed circles against my clit until it was stiff with pleasure. This was just the tip of the iceberg, and yet, the lust-fueled fire that burned in my belly told me I was getting close.
He stopped.
I whimpered and gave him my best pair of puppy dog eyes. “Don’t stop.”
“But these pajama bottoms are just getting in the way.” His voice was deep and husky.
“Then take them off,” I practically begged.
“You’ll have to return the favor,” he said with a wink as he slowly loosened the waistband and tugged the pajama bottoms off my body. He threw them aside, leaving nothing else save for the cotton boy shorts. “Someone’s excited,” he commented as he pressed down on the wet spot that had formed on the fabric. “I like that.” He pushed a little harder so that the fabric teased my sensitive skin.
I bucked my hips into the air, begging for more than just his finger. He couldn’t do this to me—I needed all of him. Seeing that he wouldn’t cease his teasing, I took control. I tore off his clothing like I had a personal vendetta against them.
“I like this even more,” I said as I admired his naked body and took his cock into my hand.
My grip was tight as I moved my hand up and down his length. He was rock hard, and the tip of his cock was purple with excitement.
“Not so fast.”
Before I could do anything to stop him, he had his face between my legs. His teeth took hold of my panties and pulled them down. Fuck, could this guy get any sexier? Seriously. If I didn’t know any better, I would have pegged him as a porn star.
It wasn’t long before my panties joined the growing pile of clothes.
A wild grin stretched across his face. “Now, time for dessert.”
Without warning, he dove betw
een my folds and tasted me straight from the source. His tongue never stopped moving. One second it was flicking in and out of my hole, and the next it was swirling all around, lapping up the juices.
He grabbed me by the thighs and draped my legs over his shoulders. Then, he sat up a little taller, taking my body with him. My ass was lifted off the mattress, exposing it to his wandering hands. He grabbed and groped it all while his tongue continued its invasion of my pussy. He pushed his head forward to give his tongue a bit more jurisdiction. And that was when he found my sweet spot. He kept pinpointing it over and over again.
“Oh, fuck!” I pulled his hair as the pleasure started towards the point of no return. If he kept this up, then there would be no holding back.
He pushed his tongue even deeper. I had no idea how he was still breathing. The graininess of his tongue drove me absolutely insane, and he seemed to know it too. He had complete control of my body, and I was okay with that because I knew that Andrei wasn’t one to disappoint.
He stopped and blew a soft puff of air against my mound.
I moaned. “What are you—”
And just like that, he was back at it. He started to twist his tongue and suck my clit. I couldn’t take it anymore. The guy was a master at making me feel good, and if he didn’t stop, well, I was in jeopardy of losing my goddamn mind.
My climax crashed into me like a wrecking ball. My whole body tingled with the explosion of pleasure. I was still panting for breath when he shoved his cock inside of me. I was so wet that he slid right up to the balls.
“Andrei!” I screamed, clawing his back as he started to fuck me post-orgasm.
It was fucking amazing. So much so that I could barely stand it.
“Fuck, baby, you feel so good.” He groaned every time he pounded into me. His balls swung wildly, slapping against my ass cheeks. “So fucking good…”
He had my hands pinned above my head. Had anyone else done the same, I probably would have felt a spark of fear, but with Andrei, it was nothing but pure adrenaline. I liked it when he was rough, and I almost wished he would get even rougher.
His lips found the side of my neck. He left mark after mark. Anyone who saw me after this was over would know exactly what we had done together. My pussy quivered, already on the brink of another orgasm. He held me close, fingers tangled in my hair. I tried to hold back, but the sex was way too good. I screamed as my body became tense.
Andrei, too, became rigid. He released a puff of air, coming inside of me. To my surprise, when he pulled out, he was wearing a condom. I hadn’t noticed him put one on. Then again, I had been in the middle of an orgasm. He threw it in the trash and collapsed onto the bed.
“Fuck,” was all he said.
“Fuck is right,” I agreed with a giggle. “May I?”
He looked over. “You needn’t ask.” He raised his arm to signal that it was okay for me to lay my head on his chest.
Doing so, I heard the rhythm of his heart. It was beating at an impossibly fast tempo.
“You sure know how to wear a man out,” he said as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and held me tight.
My own heart swelled. I never thought I would enjoy cuddling more than the sex itself, but laying there just made me feel so safe. At that moment, I never wanted to leave his side. I nuzzled my face against his chest, and he chuckled.
“Comfortable?”
“Very. You make a pretty nice pillow if I do say so myself.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” He finger traced over the small of my back, and it sent a shiver creeping through my spine.
I shimmied even closer, and it still wasn’t enough.
“You should get some sleep,” he said as he pulled up the covers and laid them across my body. “I’m sure you’re exhausted.”
And just as soon as he said that I felt a wave of sleepiness wash over me. My eyelids became incredibly heavy.
In a matter of moments, I was fast asleep.
41
I woke up with a start. I couldn’t quite remember my nightmare, but I knew it was about Martina and Alice still stuck inside that warehouse. Here I was, sleeping in a comfortable bed like I didn’t have a care in the world. Guilt tightened around my lungs, making it hard to breathe. I stared at the ceiling and thought about their situation. I couldn’t just leave them there. It wasn’t fair. I would never be able to forgive myself if I just walked away from them like they had never existed. How I would manage to save them, I had no idea, but I had to try.
The blanket felt like a form of bondage, keeping me in place—prisoner. I freed myself from its hold and walked up to the French doors. They led out to a balcony. I didn’t think it was safe for me to stand out there since the structure of it looked a bit compromised. In the end, I cracked open the door in the hopes of getting fresh air into my system.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
My eyes widened with surprise as an alarm started to blare. I jumped back and collided with Andrei’s body. Calmly, he reached forward and closed the door. After it was shut, he fiddled with his phone.
“What were you doing?” he asked, a bit of suspicion in his tone.
“I wasn’t trying to escape or anything if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Then what?”
“I… I… I have a lot on my mind, and I thought some fresh air would help me clear it up a bit.”
“Care to tell me about it?” He sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the space beside him.
“I have to help them.”
“Who?”
“Alice and Martina.”
“The girls from the warehouse.”
I nodded. “Alice especially won’t last much longer. She has given up hope that she’ll ever get out of there.”
When Andrei saw that I would not join him of my own volition, he took me by the hands and eased me onto his lap. He wrapped both arms around my waist. Again, I was comforted by a sense of security. Perhaps Nadia’s buyer had been vile and heartless, but Andrei wasn’t like that at all.
His eyes held a soulful depth, and deep down, I knew he hid a heart made of gold. Why else would he risk his life to help a complete stranger? Going up against Lorenzo was no easy task, and yet he had done it on my behalf. Maybe he had ulterior motives, but at the end of the day, he had whisked me to safety, and that wasn’t something I was about to overlook.
“Lorenzo has overstepped an unspoken boundary,” he said. “It’s one thing to keep a girl or to work them on the streets, but it’s another to imprison them like some kind of serial killer would.”
“It’s cruel and inhumane… You should have seen the bathroom we were all forced to share.” Even now, my stomach churned. I could almost smell that foul stench of sewage. “Nothing like yours…”
He ran his fingers through my hair. “So, you want to help them out of there, then?”
“Yes.”
“Even if it means putting yourself in danger to do so?”
“I don’t think I would have survived those first few days without Martina at my side. She was a good friend, despite the circumstances.”
“And what about Alice?”
“Honestly, I don’t know her all that well, but no one deserves to be treated the way they treat her. She gets thrown around like a punching bag, and she’s so broken that she just… takes it.”
He tilted my head in his direction. “I need you to acknowledge just how dangerous this will be. We might even need to take out Lorenzo to make this work, and that’s near impossible given the security he has surrounding himself.”
“There has to be something we can do,” I pleaded.
“I’m not saying no. All I am saying is that I want you to realize the risk you are taking for these two girls. Do they mean that much to you?”
I didn’t even have to think about it. “Yes.”
“Then we’ll find a way, and if it means taking Lorenzo out, well, that will allow me to conduct my business in a much less risky way, at the very lea
st.”
I didn’t quite know what that meant, but it didn’t matter because he had just agreed to help me rescue the girls.
“I can’t thank you enough for this, Andrei.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Thank me when this is all said and done.”
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and kissed the top of my forehead.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Why did you choose to help me? I mean, I’m sure you’ve been to that auction before…”
He pressed a finger to my lips. “Yes, I’ve seen my fair share of women, but none of them spoke to me the way you did. All you had to do was look at me with those chocolate eyes of yours, and I became like putty.”
“Really?”
“I don’t lie, Cora. Whatever I say, is nothing less than the truth.”
“Except when you’re trying to psyche out Lorenzo.”
“Exactly.” He grinned. “He gets nothing but bullshit out of me because that’s all that he deserves.”
“So, we’re actually doing this? We’re going to rescue them?” I looked up at my savior with a hopeful expression.
“Yes, but first we have to talk to my boss about it. I can’t do this sort of thing on my own.”
“B-Boss?” I stammered.
“Don’t worry, if you like me, then you’ll like him too. We’re practically brothers.”
“So, he’s nothing like Lorenzo?”
Andrei laughed. “If you compare him to Lorenzo, then he might get a little mad, so I would advise against it. Other than that, he’s a pretty decent human being. He hates Lorenzo and what he does almost as much as I do.”
I nodded. “So, he’ll help us then?”
“I certainly hope so because I don’t want to raid the warehouse on my own.”