by Bella King
“You’ve had your fun, remember?”
“How could I forget?”
She scoffs.
I laugh. “In all seriousness, the Fedorov bratva gassed an airport and have decided that they need the place for God only knows what reason. As a result, the government has shut down travel until further notice. This is a serious national security risk.”
“I knew I should have gone to the Bahamas instead of this frozen wasteland,” Elaine mutters.
“Hey,” I caution, feeling a tinge of offense. “Russia is more than a frozen wasteland. It really is a beautiful country, disregarding the bratva.”
“I suppose every country has it’s problems,” she replies, her voice softer now.
“Yes,” I say, “But right now, we’re having some serious problems. The Fedorov bratva has severely overstepped their boundaries and triggered some serious consequences for all of us.”
“Does this have something to do with Phenolide-11?” she asks, looking just as innocent as can be.
I sigh. I wonder if I should tell her just how bad things are or keep her in a state of ignorance. It would be easier to keep her at the headquarters if she knew the truth, so that’s what I settle on. “Phenolide-11 is an experimental weapon that was banned from military use. It’s like mustard gas, only a lot stronger. Nobody should be using it, especially not in civilian spaces. It’s reckless and cruel.”
Elaine nods. “That’s pretty bad. Why are they doing that?”
“Power,” I reply.
“But how did they even get it if it’s banned? Are they with the government or something? I don’t understand.”
I shake my head. “There’s a supplier of the stuff. I’m going to have to have a chat with her later about this. It’s gotten way out of hand.”
“You should put a stop to it,” Elaine replies, straightening her back and looking at me seriously. “It’s not right.”
“Nothing is right here, darling. You forget that I’m as much of a bad guy as all the rest of the bratva,” I reply.
“You don’t seem that bad,” she says, looking down and avoiding my gaze. Her voice grows quiet. “You should help create peace instead of stirring up more violence.”
I take a deep breath. She doesn’t understand how difficult my job is. I might be a criminal, but I’m not trying to stir up trouble. I’m trying to put an end to it, but our idea of peace is wildly different. For me, peace involves killing. For her, it’s probably all sunshine and rainbows.
I shake my head. “It’s not that easy. If I could snap my fingers and stop all of this violence, I would do it in an instant.”
She looks up at me, her emerald eyes sparkling under the lamplight in the room. “You would?”
“Yes,” I reply, confident in my response. I don’t advocate hatred or violence. I’m interested in restoring order to the bratva underworld. That’s been my goal since I took this difficult position.
“You know,” Elaine says, a smile entering her small face, “I could write a book about you. I’m sure your life is super interesting.”
I laugh. “That’s right. You told me that you were a writer. Maybe you should.”
“I totally would put you in it, but only if it all had a happy ending,” he replies, twirling a strand of hair around her slim finger.
“I think we all want happy endings,” I say.
“But not everyone gets one,” she reminds me.
“True. The Fedorov bratva will have a very unhappy ending with the way things are going.”
“Enough of this mafia stuff,” he snaps. “I’m talking about you.”
“What about me?”
“What would be your happy ending?”
I rub my chin, trying to think of something that doesn’t involve the mafia. It’s difficult because the mafia is all I’ve ever known. All my dreams and goals are centered around the organization. Is it wrong for this to be the only thing I truly care about?
“I can’t think of anything,” I reply, feeling a tinge of shame at my words.
Elaine scoffs at me. That’s the second time today. She seems to have next to no tolerance for the things that I say, but I never learned how to speak with a regular person. It’s always been bratva
Getting her into my bed wasn’t difficult because there was an obvious sexual connection, but pursuing a romantic or even friendly relationship might prove to be the biggest challenge I’ve had to face. I’m not sure that I’m up for the gargantuan task.
“I’m sure there’s something important in your life. Think harder,” Elaine says, leaning toward me with wide eyes.
“Well, family has always been important to me,” I start to say.
She nods so fast that I’m afraid her head might pop off her dainty neck.
“Uh,” I say, losing my concentration. It’s hard to think when she’s staring me down with such feverish intensity. “One day, I would like to start a family.”
She continues nodding, her eyes even wider.
“But I have to take care of bratva business before any of that,” I add quickly.
Elaine leans back, pressing her lips together and giving me a distasteful look. “You were off to a good start before the bratva stuff.”
I shrug. “It is what it is.”
Elaine springs off the bed and walks to the dresser across from the bed. She’s still naked and looks riveting just like that. “Do you have clothes for me to wear?” she asks, spinning around.
I’m distracted by her body. It’s almost enough for me to forget her question right after she asks it, but I’m good at catching things that people say in passing. It’s a valuable skill when you’re a bratva boss.
I point to the dresser behind her. “There should be a few things in there that you can wear.”
“Oh, really? You’ve had other women over?” she asks as she turns back around.
I chuckle. “I had some things brought in when I sent Alek to pick you up. I’ll probably have to order more stuff since you’ll be here for a while.”
“I like green,” she says, pulling out a short green dress from the closet.
I was hoping that she would pick that one. It’s a gamble to buy her a dress that short because I’m not sure if she’ll wear it. If she does, I’ll barely be able to keep my cock in my pants. I’ve already failed at that many times around her.
“A little short,” she notes, holding it up to her naked body.
The hem of the dress reaches just far enough down her thigh to where it would cover her panties, but not far enough for it to be considered decent. It looks more like a shirt than a dress, but I wouldn’t mind it if she wore it around the headquarters.
“You’ll like it,” I say, waving my hand in a motion that urges her to put it on.
Elaine narrows her eyes at me, pouting her lips out in suspicion. She should know by now that everything I do around her is to enjoy her body again. I’d like to get to know her better during this time, but catching feelings would also be dangerous. It’s best to stick with sex.
She puts the dress on, pulling the end down to cover her thighs once it’s on. “Jesus, this is small. Are you trying to make me look like a hooker?”
I laugh. “I’m not paying you.”
She gives me an annoyed look, smoothing down the fabric on the dress. It clings to her body nicely, showing every delightful curve that she owns. My erection is returning upon seeing her in it, but this time I’m not so bold about it. I need to get my clothes back on and return to business.
“Where are you going?” Elaine asks as I get up and walk toward the bathroom.
“My clothes are in there,” I reply.
“I have to wear this skimpy little dress, and you get to wear a suit?” she asks, frowning at me with a smile on her lips.
I smile back. “It’s only for the daytime. Tonight, we can both me skimpy.”
She bites her lip as she stares at me, causing a sudden surge of blood to pump toward my groin. It’s unfair how much she t
urns me on. With just the simple act of biting her plump lips, she has me standing at attention, nearly unable to control myself.
I look away, grabbing my clothes from the bathroom floor and putting them on quickly. I teased the idea of more sex long enough to know that she’s not going to do anything about it. She needs to get comfortable with me again first.
Besides, now might not be the best time to engage in sexual activity. Since I now know that Anastasia sold Phenolide-11 to the Fedorov bratva, I need to have a chat with her. She must understand the consequences that her actions have had on this great country.
Chapter Fourteen
Elaine
Somehow, I’ve managed to stop myself from bending over and letting Nikolai pump me full all over again. It’s a small victory, but it might not matter if I end up getting pregnant from the first time that we made love.
Judging by the length of the green dress that I’m wearing, though, I might not last much longer without having Nikolai inside of me again. Everything he’s doing is pointing me toward more sex, but if he’s unprepared to commit to a woman and start a family, then I don’t want to get involved.
It should disturb me that all he’s thought about so far is sex, but I can’t get away from the fact that I, too, have been thinking about sex this entire time. The tension between us is incredible, and I’m surprised I haven’t snapped and given in to my primal brain yet.
The airport shut down just added a new layer of complexity to this situation. Since I won’t be able to return to the United States yet, I’m going to run a large risk of Nikolai succeeding in convincing me to have sex with him. An entire month of flirting and nudity is too much for even a strong-willed woman to handle, and I’m not that strong-willed.
Nikolai has run off to fuss at some woman who apparently sold weapons to the Fedorov mafia, so I’m stuck in the house with nothing to do until he gets back. I still haven’t fully grasped the seriousness of what’s happening, but I’m sure it will sink in as the boredom does. I can’t be stuck here all day without my brain falling out of my skull.
Nikolai said that we could have food together, but then he rushed off to meet with that woman who he called Anastasia. For some reason, I feel a bit of jealousy about her, but considering that she’s selling weapons, I doubt she’s an item of his lust.
God, why am I even thinking about this in the first place? I shouldn’t care if he was dancing around Russia, sticking his dick into any woman that would give him the time of day. He’s not my boyfriend. He’s just a mafia boss that happened to be in the right place at the right time. It was a one night stand, and it should stay that way.
I yank my dress down my thighs again to keep it from slipping up and displaying the awfully thin lace panties that Nikolai bought for me. It’s almost insulting that he would dress me up like a doll for him to ravish, but I can’t be too angry about it. I never objected to it, and I feel horny just wearing these types of clothes.
I never used to think like this. Nikolai sparked a mood in me that never existed before. Sure, I used to have sex with my ex-boyfriend, but I was never drooling between my legs over him. Maybe that’s why we split up. Maybe I couldn’t give him what he needed.
Elaine, what did I tell you about apologizing for your ex’s abhorrent behavior? Stop it.
Right, I need to remember that he cheated on me because he didn’t respect me, not for any fault of my own. I was good to him. Sometimes, I was too good to him for nothing in return. The only thing I ever asked was for his love and his loyalty. Unfortunately, I got neither.
Now that I realize how shitty he was to me, I would take being shacked up with a mafia boss over getting back with him. All I can do is feel sorry for whatever poor woman who he’s with. I hope she’s just as terrible as he is so that he doesn’t destroy another innocent woman’s heart.
I didn’t realize that a trip to Russia would be what got me over him. I always assumed that it would take much longer and that a vacation would be the first step of many, but I feel closer to being whole with all the thrill and distractions that have presented themselves to me.
Honestly, the only reason I bought a ticket to Russia in the first place was that it was cheap. That, and I don’t know anybody here. I guess I can’t exactly say that anymore since I’m now associated with a powerful bratva boss. More people know me now than they should, and it’ll be hard for me to go anywhere without being noticed.
That’s what you get when you start being reckless. I just assumed I would get wrapped up in another bad boy for a week and then realize that I need to do better. I never thought that my crazy behavior would land me in the arms of the Russian mafia.
I’m in for a ride. That much is certain. Anything else is up to fate.
Chapter Fifteen
Elaine
Three weeks after getting snatched from the airport and brought to Nikolai’s bratva headquarters, and I’m not closer to returning home than I was when I first got here.
I’ve managed to reduce the amount of intimacy between Nikolai and me, and I haven’t had sex with him at all since I got here. To be completely honest, though, that’s not all my doing. He’s been off on wild adventures lately, fighting with the Fedorov mafia night and day. I barely even get to see him.
I would have assumed that we’d be connected at the hip by this time, but two weeks have barely made a difference in our relationship. It might as well have been two days with how little I’ve seen of him.
I would like to see him more, but he’s busy. He has given me permission to go out on occasion, but only when I’m with one of his bodyguards, and I can’t be out for long. Usually, I just go to the store for snacks of feminine products, but I haven’t had my period yet, even though I should have started it a few days ago.
I’ll be worried when it’s a week. Sometimes it’s late, and since I’ve been through so much stress with being chased down by thugs and almost getting shot, I expect my body to behave a bit differently.
Still, in the back of my head, the thought of Nikolai getting me pregnant lingers. It floats there in uncertainty, like an odd-shaped egg that could hatch into anything. It’s too soon to tell how I would feel about something so drastic, but it’s also too early to assume that it ever would happen.
The risks are low, so I’m not going to make a big deal about it. I’m more concerned about the fact that I’ve been stuck inside without Nikolai, bored out of my mind, flipping through TV stations in Russian while pretending that I know what they’re talking about.
I’ve even considered learning the language since I’ve been here long enough to be used to the way it sounds, but I don’t have any books or teachers to aid me in that. Russian is not an easy language, so I doubt I’ll be able to pick it up just by listening to the fragments of conversations between the guards or on the TV. They talk too fast.
I crave some excitement, but maybe I shouldn’t. With the war raging between mafias, excitement equates to danger, and I’m trying to make it back to the United States in one piece. On the other hand, I’ll go mad if I’m stuck inside for much longer with nothing to do.
“Elaine,” a thick Russian voice calls from the doorway of the lounge.
I look over from the couch to see Slav, one of Nikolai’s henchmen, walking into the room. “Oh, hey,” I say to him, waving a hand but staying seated.
“Nikolai tells me that he thinks you’re bored,” Slav says, coming to a stop in front of me.
I laugh. “Can he read my mind?”
Slav laughs with me. “I told him you hadn’t left the couch all day.”
“Well,” I say, picking up the remote and changing the channel to yet another that I can’t understand, “Maybe he should come and get me off of it, or is he too busy for that?”
“You’re here for your own protection,” Slav replies. “But,” he says, rubbing his chin, “Nikolai wanted me to tell you that he’ll be back in a few hours for something special.”
Color me shocked. Something sp
ecial? I wasn’t expecting that, but I also don’t exactly know what it means. Something special could be anything, but I hope it’s a date. “What does something special mean?”
Slav shrugs. “He just wanted you to get ready for it.”
“So, a date?” I ask hopefully.
Slav shrugs again. “It could be anything. I don’t know what your relationship with him is like.”
I roll my eyes. “Neither do I at this point. He’s been elusive.” I’m starting to think that I should have fucked him in the shower when I first got here. Maybe he wouldn’t have backed off so hard after that.
Slav smiles at me politely, his hands clasped together in front of him. “Just get yourself ready, and Nikolai will be returning soon to see you.”
I wave my hand dismissively. “I’ll get ready eventually.”
Slav doesn’t move from his position in front of the TV. “You will get ready to see Nikolai.”
“Is that an order?” I ask, trying to look around him to see the TV even though I don’t actually care what’s on it.
“Yes,” Slav says.
I look up at him, studying his serious face. “Are you serious? I’ve been trapped in the Volkov headquarters, bored out of my mind with no access to anything remotely interesting to do, and suddenly Nikolai wants my attention? He can wait.”
“I don’t want to have to make you get up, Elaine,” Slav says, his voice deathly calm.
I sigh. “Are you going to if I don’t move?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” I ask, springing up to my feet. I can feel the heat rushing to my face. I’m more annoyed than I should be, but maybe it’s just my hormones. Something has been off lately, and I don’t know why.
Okay. I suspect why, but it could also be my period, right? I mean, I can’t be pregnant already. I only had sex with Nikolai once.
Slav looks at me with his lips pressed together tightly. He looks like he’s done with my attitude, and I know he’s just following orders. I don’t see why he has to be so persistent about me getting ready to see Nikolai. He’s not the king of the world.