I gazed down as we rode upward towards the symbol of Yuri’s dynasty. I could hardly believe he was the same human who had plunged into me. The one I had so daringly teased, fucked, and even slapped!
Now that I took this all in, it made sense why I was so easy to ignore. He was worth all of this and I was the nanny. Yes, I had a place in his life, but it was clear that looking to move even an inch out of that small space would only cause me more grief than I could handle. I’d known this instinctively, but somehow in the last two days I had allowed myself to forget.
Not anymore.
We eventually arrived at the top floor and I stepped out to the consolation that Taylor was indeed male, with a curly head of hair and a soft gaze. I pretended to myself it was because I didn’t want to be looked down on by a high and mighty female employee, but the truth was I was wildly jealous. I couldn’t bear the thought that he was working closely with a beautiful woman.
“Miss Winters,” he greeted with a nod and a smile, before crouching down to meet my little companion. “Hello Yulia,” he said with a big smile.
She stared at him with eyes that seemed haunted.
He frowned. “Yulia are you okay? What’s wrong, sweetie?”
She shook her head and he turned to me.
I shrugged my shoulders. I was equally perplexed. “She’s been like that since we got in the car.”
“Hmm…Maybe she’s dreading her session with the psychiatrist. She’s been through a couple of these in a short amount of time.”
“Perhaps,” I responded, and just then there were voices down the hallway.
We all looked up and there was Yuri, dressed in only his shirt and navy blue suit trousers. He had loosened his tie and was strolling amidst two men dressed surprisingly casually in T-shirt and jackets. He noticed us immediately but kept his attention on the two men, their voices hushed, until they shook hands and walked away. Yuri ducked into a nearby door and the two men came towards us. As they walked past us towards the elevator, they nodded at Yulia.
The moment the doors slid shut, Yulia began to cry softy.
“Hey,” I said, crouching down in front of her. She flung her arms around me and held on tightly so I lifted her up with me.
“I’ll show you to the waiting lounge,” Taylor said to me.
I followed, confused about what was going on.
Chapter 26
Yuri
Alex was waiting for me in the office, and the moment I returned, he noted my mood. Naturally, being Alex he didn’t say a word until I was seated and scrolling through the coroner’s report I had just received.
“What’s going on with you, huh?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. What should I tell him? April was here, so all I wanted was to bring her into this office and fuck her. “Nothing,” I muttered. “Just want to get this business over with as soon as possible.”
Actually, I didn’t even know why I had brought her here. This space was all mine. I built this. Not my father, nor my brother had any input. I inherited the construction branch of our family business and I built this out of that corrupt money laundering shell. A job that would cost a half million would be booked at two million and everybody was happy. The banks, the contractors, the buyers, the sellers. The one who lucked out was the Tax man.
I guess if I were to be honest, I brought her here because I’d already gotten her response to the brusqueness of the yard, but this was the side that the whole world saw. Was she impressed? She sure didn’t make an effort. Yeah, I surprised myself. Looks like I wasn’t above trying to impress April Winters.
Her large T-shirt and messy hair had contrasted deeply with the environment, but to me she seemed perfect, a sight to awaken a blind man. I’d wanted to linger, and even move closer to speak to her. I had deliberately kept out of her way to test myself. To see if I could keep away, but who was I kidding? I had missed her like crazy this morning. It had pissed her off, that was for sure, but I was unapologetic. Much more of her and I would become an unstable fool over her.
Taylor came in. “Where should Miss Winters remain while Yulia has her session?” he asked.
I refused to meet Alex’s eyes. “Bring her in here,” I said and returned to my documents.
Alex rose to his feet, a quiet laughter bubbling out of his throat.
I shut my eyes, annoyed with him and myself.
“Who exactly fucked who?” he mocked.
In my current mood, I reacted badly. I flung the first thing my hand connected with at him. It was a heavy pen holder, but just as I had expected, he swerved without breaking a sweat, but it went straight for Taylor. Missing his right eye by a mere inch, it slammed into his forehead, and took the poor kid down.
I shot up in alarm. Shit. “Are you okay?”
With one hand, Alex pulled him up.
In spite of the blood dripping from his busted head, Taylor forced a painful smile onto his face. “I’m fine, Sir,” he said, as he limped away.
Alex shot me a cold look. With a despairing shake of his sarcastic head, he exited my office.
I collapsed down into my chair, loosened my tie even further from my neck, and ran my hand through my hair. What a fuck-up!
A short while later, Taylor returned, a bandage over his cut and carrying a tray of beverages. “Miss Winters insists on waiting downstairs in the lobby,” he said.
I lost it. “Get her the fuck in here right now!” I roared.
He hurried away from the room as quickly as he could. I pushed away the files before me on the desk and glued my eyes to the door. I knew I was acting unhinged, but I couldn’t help myself. Where April was concerned I was like a bear with a sore butt.
When it opened a short while later, Taylor knew better than to come in. April walked in and the door was shut after her. She stared directly at me without fear or caution.
“Why did you want to wait downstairs?” I asked.
She shrugged her shoulders in response.
“Answer me when I fucking talk to you,” I growled.
I watched her face darken. “Is there a good reason why you’re speaking to me like this?” she asked quietly.
I sighed, defeated before I even began. “Sit,” I said, waving my hand towards the chair in front of my desk.
“Thanks but I’d rather wait downstairs.”
I glared at her and she did the same. Then she turned around to walk out of my office.
I was out of the seat and across the room in long furious strides before she had a chance to even reach the doorknob.
I gripped her arm and pinned her against the door.
She was breathing heavily and for a moment, I was sure that her eyes mocked my lack of self-control at her presence. “You’re very violent Yuri,” she grated. “Harassing me seems to come as second nature to you.”
“And you’re very flippant April,” I shot back. “Disrespecting me seems to come very easily to you.” I was close to her now, her scent swirling around me like an aphrodisiac, intoxicating me.
Her gaze bored into mine as her chest rose and fell quickly.
It was clear. Neither of us wanted to back down.
So we met the only way we could and in the way that didn’t need any reason. She reached for me with her lips and I went after her with all I had. Her unique flavor registered in my head and my entire body came alive with crazed lust. I really was like an addict. I’m not sane unless I’m fucking mating with her.
I was hard, achingly so and devoured the mouth that I’d starved myself from this morning.
Neither of us said a word but none was needed. The need, the anger, the frustration, and the confusion about what the hell was happening to us was all evident in the way we consumed each other. In one moment, my hands were on her face to hold her in place and in the next around her waist, needing there to not even be an inch of space between us. My lips were on her neck, and in the next second, they were covering her breasts. She ground her hips into my rock hard dick and I cursed at he
r choice of outfit.
“Wear fucking dresses more often,” I spat.
She gripped my shirt in fury forcing me to stop and look at her. “Stop telling me what to fucking do.”
“I’m your damn boss,” I reminded.
“Not in this damn moment,” she declared.
“We’ll see about that,” was my response as I simultaneously yanked both her panties and jeans down her hips. I palmed her soaked pussy and she groaned into my neck. Just as I slipped two fingers inside of her, the door that connected my office to the boardroom was thrown open.
She gasped in fear and I instantly moved to cover her from view, slamming my hips against hers. It was fucking Alex. I was going to start hating him soon if he carried on like this much longer.
I turned my head, and glaring at him, and roared, “Get the fuck out.”
As if he’d found me doing nothing more than sipping coffee, he headed over to the table, and retrieved his phone from it. Alex never forgot anything except on purpose. He was the most vigilant bastard I knew.
“Doctor Clover is on his way up,” he threw over his shoulder in Russian as he sauntered out of the door. “Keep your voices down.”
I swore to deal with him later on as he slammed the door shut. Turning back, I found April’s face buried in my chest. I waited, and when she eventually found the courage to raise it up to mine, my heart melted at the sweet shade of pink her entire face had become.
“We have five mins,” I said.
She looked as though she wasn’t convinced that we should continue on. I took away the decision and gripped her thighs. In one smooth movement, her legs were off the floor and encircled around me. With one hand, I held her in place and with the other, I made quick work of unzipping my fly.
My cock sprung out and the moment she saw it her pupils dilated. She reached for it and for a few moments, I let her stroke it adoringly.
“How are you so fucking big?” she asked.
My eyes widened slightly. It was the first time I had heard her talk dirty to me, and I sure as hell liked it.
“How are you so fucking sweet?” I muttered.
The smile that spread across her face was deliciously erotic. There was no point fighting it. I just completely surrendered to her incontestable hold over me and I slammed into her.
She grabbed my shoulders, urging me on, and I began to pound furiously into her. This was priceless. To be able to feel like this with her…. I felt myself shudder.
We climaxed in less than five minutes.
Chapter 27
April
I sensed his presence the moment he came into the kitchen.
It was past midnight, and the whole household was asleep, or so I had thought. A craving for the blend of chamomile I was slowly getting addicted to had driven me down for a midnight refreshment.
He was soundless as he approached, and my heartbeat felt as if it was disconcertingly loud in the deadly quiet room. Without a word, I went on my tiptoes to reach for the jar in the cupboard above. He came up behind me and retrieved the jar on my behalf. I froze at the contact. It was simple, but so intimate it made my chest hurt. His warmth intoxicated me as he placed the jar down on the counter and turned around without a word to leave.
He was almost at the door when I spun around and asked, “Do you want a cup of tea?” I asked. I hadn’t switched on all the lights and the only lighting came from a row of lights over the fridge. It was enough to see his gorgeous eyes.
“I don’t drink tea.”
It was a rejection. All we ever did was fuck. He wouldn’t even share a quiet drink with me. I nodded politely and quickly turned back. No problem. At least he was consistent. He didn’t give me false hope.
“I’d love a coffee instead,” he said.
He couldn’t see me, but my lips broke into the biggest grin my muscles could stretch into. To my great delight, I heard the scrape of a chair. He was taking a seat by the table in the corner.
I didn't turn back around until his cup was ready. I took both our beverages to the table and placed his before him.
“Thanks,” he murmured, and took a sip from his drink.
I did the same. I knew his eyes were on me, and it made the hairs on my body stand on end.
“How was Yulia today after her appointment with her new psychiatrist?”
“She seemed relieved. I could be wrong, but I think she is hiding something.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t have any proof or evidence, but I got the feeling that she was terrified to meet the new psychiatrist because she was afraid the man would have some new technique that would make her reveal her secret.”
He sat back. “What could she possibly be scared of or hiding?”
I shook my head. “No idea, but maybe if I can get her to trust me enough, she might tell me.”
He nodded. “You’ve done a good job so far. Thank you.”
I’d never heard him sound so sincere in his praise in all the time I had been at the house and it made me feel a warm flush of pride. “You’re welcome.”
“Is this yours?” he asked, indicating a book I was reading about leather working.”
I nodded.
“Why are you reading it?” he asked curiously.
“It’s my hobby,” I replied. “I mentioned this is my resume.”
“Hmm,” was his response which simply meant he had glossed over it.
It was totally senseless, but I felt a sting. I was becoming too sensitive. What did I expect? That my billionaire boss would be interested in the hobbies of his niece’s nanny?
“Why leather working?” He seemed genuinely interested now.
“Well, creating beautiful things makes me happy. I didn’t…” I hesitated, then I just let it out, “I didn’t grow up with much, so perhaps that’s why I appreciate more than most, beautiful things and places. Like your home for instance. It’s incredibly beautiful.”
“So you’re happy here?” His eyes were on me over the rim of his cup as he took another sip.
I didn't back down from his gaze. “I’m not sad.”
His was a simple nod, as he drained his cup.
Would you like another? The question begged to be asked, but I kept my mouth shut. He would leave and I resigned myself to that fact. My heart wanted so desperately for him to ask me more, though.
He rose to his feet, and a question popped out of me, “What about you? What makes you happy?”
“I don’t know what that means,” he answered slowly. “I do know I’m not sad, and that’s simply because I’m not dead. And neither is Alex or Yulia. That’s more than I could ever ask for.”
I stared at him in astonishment. He was a billionaire, he had the life most people only could dream of. He was good looking, had a great body, he had youth, and all he could be grateful for was that he, Yulia and Alex weren’t dead? Jesus. Thank God, I was poor!
He rolled his head and stretched his arms. I watched his hair, a dark wavy mass brush his collar. I thought of the times I had run my hands through the silky strands. It was perfectly beautiful and so wildly sexy, but I wanted to hold him back even if it was with just one more sentence to him. His hair was the only topic of neutrality I could zero in on. My mouth opened and words tumbled out, “You need a haircut.”
“What I need is to fuck you,” he said flatly.
Laughter that I didn’t expect bubbled out of my lips.
His mouth stretched into a full grin that made my heart swell with so much emotion I was sure it would burst. “But you were just about to leave,” I pointed out.
“I’m exhausted,” he confessed. “I returned barely an hour ago. It was a long day. I would probably have found my way later on to your room.” He looked down at himself. “God, I’m already so fucking hard.”
“Why don't I cut your hair? Then while I wash it, you can fuck me however you want. That should be a good usher into a good night’s sleep for you.”
“More
like a restless night… My dick is fucking insatiable when it comes to you.” He eyed me for a moment. “Sure you can handle it? The last female that cut my hair was shot dead.”
All the amusement I’d felt, disappeared. “Why? Because she did a bad job? Please tell me you’re joking.”
“I’m not.” He shook his head and grimaced. “But it was for a reason way less sensible than giving me a bad haircut would have been.”
I was stunned to silence.
“The good news is that I didn't do the killing, so you’re safe no matter how the haircut goes.”
I turned away, still shaken. “You have a peculiar sense of humor.”
“I know,” he said. “It’s sick, but it’s the only way I’ve been able to survive.” His eyes narrowed on me. “I’m going to teach you how to use a gun as you cut my hair.”
I spun around, my eyes rounding.
“No discussions. It is more for my peace of mind than your safety. I will ensure that you never have the need to use one.”
I couldn’t refuse him when he put it in that way. I was already wading in murky waters, it made sense to protect myself as much as I could, so I was less likely to drown. So tonight, I would learn to shoot.
Yuri moved slightly and the light fell on him. He really did look tired. It was etched into his face.
My gaze softened of its own accord. “I’ll be there,” I whispered.
Chapter 28
Yuri
I knew more than I wished I did about April, but instead of being bored, I wanted to know even more.
More than her foster background, her best friend Charlotte, and the mother who had abandoned her, but was still alive somewhere in middle Britain, I wanted to know the kinds of foods she loved to eat the most. I’d passed by a bakery with an assortment of pastries in the window as I had driven home that night, and I wondered what she loved. Did she prefer the summer or the winter? Or what other inconsequential things the rest of the world concerned themselves with that were not guns and death, did she love or hate?
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