In a Broken Dream (The Broken Series Book 4)

by Ruff, K. S.

  He absently twirled the ring around my finger. “I heard about what you did for the children’s hospital and for the orphanage.”

  My head shot up. “What? What did you hear?”

  “You didn’t think I’d investigate the source of a two million dollar donation to each of those facilities… donations with all kinds of strings attached and very clear demands on how that money was to be spent?” he goaded teasingly.

  “I asked to remain anonymous,” I protested.

  He laughed.

  I huffed out a breath. “I wanted some good to come from Michael’s death. Rafael and I paid for those renovations with money from his estate.”

  Maxim kissed the top of my head as he gathered me back against his chest. “Would you like to see some pictures of the renovations?”

  My eyes widened. “You brought pictures?”

  He tapped a password onto the screen of his cell phone, pulled up his photo gallery, and handed me the phone.

  “The orphanage…” I breathed. “This looks so warm and inviting, the children might actually enjoy living there.”

  He smiled. “The children were very excited about the renovations. They’re putting a lot more effort into cleaning their rooms and keeping things nice so they can maintain their playground privileges. They love that playground.”

  I continued scanning the pictures. “Oh my God,” I cried. “That can’t be the cancer floor…” My eyes filled with tears.

  Maxim swiped his finger over the screen.

  “Oh,” I choked. Maxim had taken a picture of some of the cancer kids holding up a banner that read Spasibo, Ms. Stone! The children had painted hearts and added their handprints to the banner in every color imaginable.

  Maxim tucked my head under his chin as I burst into tears. “I really wanted you to see this in person, but that would have required you to come back to Ukraine,” he noted sadly. “I brought the banner for you. It’s in the car.”

  “Thank you,” I said, sniffling loudly. “Would you mind sending the pictures to my cell phone or to my e-mail address?”

  “I’ll do both,” he replied.

  We grew quiet as a large group of cyclists pedaled by.

  “Kristine?” he finally asked.

  “Yes,” I murmured distractedly, still staring out over the water. I was questioning why I felt so comfortable in his arms.

  He lifted my chin so I was gazing into his eyes. “I want you to know that the man who shot Michael is dead.”

  My breath caught. “You killed him?”

  He nodded. “I killed him, the man who nearly shot you when you ran out of the plane, and the six men who tortured you and Shae.”

  “Eight men are dead… because of me?” I clutched at my stomach as bile burned my throat. I swallowed forcefully, trying not to vomit.

  “No,” Maxim stated firmly. “They are dead because of what they did to you. Your actions had nothing to do with it. They died as a result of their own actions. They chose to hurt you, knowing you belonged to me. That alone should have rendered you untouchable. What they did to you was unacceptable. Their actions could not go unpunished. If I had let them get away with that, I would have lost a considerable amount of power, credibility, and influence in Ukraine.”

  I shook my head. “But the price you will pay for committing those crimes… those sins… is too high, Maxim.”

  “You are worried about my soul?” he asked, suddenly amused.

  I fingered the wooden cross tied around his neck. It was the same necklace he had worn the entire time I’d been with him in Ukraine. The cross looked slightly charred around the edges. I had always wondered if it had been designed that way or if it had endured some tragedy of its own. “Are you Christian?” I asked.

  Maxim nodded. He still looked entirely too amused.

  “Then you know how this works,” I softly replied. “Vengeance belongs to God and God alone. You need to pray for forgiveness, Maxim.”

  “God makes exceptions during times of war,” he countered smoothly.

  “You were seeking revenge for what they did to me,” I argued.

  His jaw clenched. “A foreign government has invaded my country, attacked and killed Ukrainian citizens, and infiltrated our justice system so there can be no justice. What is that if not an act of war?”

  I sighed.

  Maxim reached for my chin as he forced me to look at him again. “Some wars are fought more subtly than others. My country does not possess the same capabilities your country possesses. We don’t have the soldiers, the weapons, the money, or technology to protect ourselves against Russia. What else would you have me do?”

  I frowned. “I’m going to be pissed off if I get to heaven and you’re not there,” I retorted, trying to lighten the mood.

  He laughed loudly. “How I have missed your feisty spirit, Kotyonok.”

  I swatted his arm. “Listen, I have a favor to ask you.”

  His eyes brightened. “What kind of favor?”

  “I haven’t worked through all of the details yet, but I’m trying to get Oni out of Ukraine. I’m trying to find a way to move her to the United States,” I briefly explained.

  He nodded. “I know. I brought her application materials for graduate school, but before I hand them over to you, I want to know why you’re doing this.”

  I turned to face him. “I don’t know why, but I really like Oni. In some ways she reminds me of myself, only stronger and far braver than I was at that age. I know she is unhappy about what is going on in Ukraine. She and I talked at length about it when I was teaching at her school. Shae and I taught those kids to question authority and to work toward making positive changes in Ukraine. After what the SVR did to me, I’m worried that the same thing could happen to her. We’ve been corresponding by e-mail. I know she’s speaking out against Russia’s meddling in Ukrainian politics and is advocating for change. She could be tortured or killed.” I trembled violently as images of my own torture and Shae’s bit at my mind.

  “You’re trying to protect her,” he noted softly.

  “I want her here with me, Maxim. I’ve agreed to design and teach a seminar on personal security for my university. In exchange, I’ve asked my professor to reserve a slot for Oni in our graduate program. Oni expressed an interest in my degree program when I was in Ukraine. I’ll fund her tuition if they don’t offer her a scholarship, and she can live with me. I… I just want to get her out of Ukraine before something terrible happens to her.”

  Maxim shook his head. “That’s incredibly gracious of you, Ms. Stone, but at what point will you stop putting other people’s needs before your own?”

  I huffed out a breath. “I could ask the same of you, Mr. Markov.”

  He laughed.

  “I haven’t gotten everything worked out with the university yet. My request has to be approved by my dean and the provost,” I warned.

  He glanced at me curiously. “How can I help?”

  I linked my hand in his. “Just watch over her until I can get her out of there. Help Oni get a visa, a passport, and any other documents she might need to travel to the United States.”

  A small, secretive smile flitted across his face. “I would be happy to do that, but I’m afraid it’s going to cost you.”

  “Okay,” I responded cautiously. I’m not sure why I was surprised by his decision to charge me. He’d always been a fierce negotiator and the consummate business man. “How much are you asking?”

  He shrugged. “Not much.”

  A small alarm sounded in the far corner of my brain when I realized he might not be asking for money. I slowly released his hand. “What do you want in exchange?”

  He grinned. “In the interest of full disclosure, you should know I am going to require a small payment in advance and another payment once the services have been rendered.”

  “Really?” I shot back sarcastically. He was clearly toying with me.

  The leather and citrus tones in his cologne teased my nose as
he leaned toward me. “I want a kiss… one now and another at a time and place of my choosing.”

  My heart tripped. “What?”

  “You heard me,” he purred.

  I met his gaze head on. “I’m not sure that’s a fair trade. Your kisses are lethal.”

  He laughed.

  I scowled. “Why do you want to kiss me when I’m still dating Rafael?”

  “How else am I going to win your heart?” he asked with a provocative smile.

  “Rafael…” I began.

  “… consented,” he finished smugly.

  I stared at him in shock. “There’s no way Rafael would consent to this.”

  He handed me his cell phone. “You may call him if you’d like.”

  My jaw fell slack.

  “I wanted to speak with you in private, and I didn’t want him interfering if I kissed you goodbye, so that’s what I negotiated.” He shoved the phone into his pocket. “That was the only form of payment I would accept.”

  The tiny hairs on my arms bristled. “Payment? For what?”

  He stared at me.

  “Oh,” I replied. “The revenge that’s really a war thing.”

  He nodded.

  So Rafael felt indebted to Maxim. That would certainly explain his consent. He was also underestimating what Maxim could do with a seemingly innocuous kiss. I knew better after that kiss in the hotel lobby. If I consented, it would be my responsibility to ensure the kiss didn’t get out of hand. “Okay,” I grudgingly conceded. “But not the kind of kiss that delivers an orgasm.”

  Maxim stood and pulled me into his arms. “I can’t help how your body responds to me,” he claimed in far too innocent a tone.

  I scowled at him before closing my eyes. Seconds ticked by while I waited for his lips to brush against mine.

  “Not here,” he chuckled. “Inside.”

  My eyes flew open. “Inside… as in inside my house?” My pulse ratcheted up a few hundred knots.

  He nodded.

  “Wh… Why do you want to go inside my house?” I stammered.

  He shrugged. “I’ve been curious to see what it looks like, since you mentioned it was furnished like mine. Besides, I would like to have a better visual of you, where you are, and what you’re doing when I think about you.”

  I silently studied him. “Can I trust you to behave like a gentleman?” I finally asked.

  He laughed. “Absolutely not.”

  At least he was being honest. I rolled my eyes at him before stalking over to my yoga mat, sliding my flip flops on, and rolling up the mat. “You, Maxim, are a very bad man,” I quipped as I walked past him.

  He chuckled as he fell in beside me. “You’re just now figuring that out?”

  My brave façade crumbled when I approached the door. The keys jingled against my trembling hand.

  Maxim peeled the keys from my fingers and unlocked the door. “After you,” he said, gallantly ushering me inside.

  I stepped over the threshold and briefly surveyed the house. I had been hoping to find Rafael inside so I could worm my way out of the kiss, but it appeared he was still lifting weights next door.

  Maxim set the keys on the foyer table and began walking around. “Our taste in furniture is the same,” he murmured thoughtfully. He stopped and stared at Monet’s painting of the Thames at Westminster after running his hand over the top of a brown leather chair. “I like how you’ve furnished your home.”

  “I didn’t furnish this house. Rafael furnished it for me,” I clarified.

  He scowled.

  I followed Maxim into the kitchen. “It’s a long story,” I noted tiredly. “Rafael learned my preferences in furniture and art when he was my bodyguard.” I reached into the refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of Perrier. I handed Maxim one of the bright green bottles.

  “Is his home furnished similarly?” Maxim asked as he peeked inside the sun room.

  I took a sip of the sparkling mineral water. “No,” I responded without elaborating. “You do realize he lives right next door?”

  Maxim raised a single eyebrow. “That sounds… convenient. I like your kitchen,” he noted, “especially the lights.” He nodded toward the brushed copper pendants hanging over the center island.

  I lingered in the foyer when he began walking upstairs.

  “I know what you’re afraid of,” he taunted without looking back.

  “I’m not afraid of you,” I countered as I trudged up the stairs.

  He laughed. “You should be.”

  I followed Maxim through every room. I could tell he was committing every detail to memory, I just wasn’t sure why.

  He saved my bedroom for last. He stepped inside the master bath, eyeing the spa tub and the double shower, before thoroughly studying the bedroom. He fingered the comforter on my bed as his investigation drew to an end.

  “Well, that’s it… the grand tour,” I announced, heading briskly toward the door.

  “Not so fast,” he replied, snatching my arm. He tugged me against his chest. “When’s the last time you had sex?”

  My cheeks heated. “Surely, you realize how inappropriate that question is.”

  His eyes darkened. “Answer the question.”

  I swallowed nervously. “No.”

  His hands slid down my back and cupped my bottom as he fit his hips to mine. “Have you had sex since you were tortured in Ukraine?”

  My cheeks heated even more. “I’m not answering that question,” I replied emphatically.

  “You haven’t,” he concluded. His eyes suddenly softened. “I know other women who have been tortured the same way you were tortured, Kristine. You don’t have to be afraid. You will feel things… there. You’ll be able to enjoy sex once you set your fears aside.”

  I tried to pull away. This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have with Maxim, Rafael, or anyone else for that matter.

  Maxim grasped my wrists in his hands as he backed me toward the bed. “Maybe that’s not what you’re afraid of. Maybe it’s not what they did to you that has you avoiding sex. Maybe you’re afraid you’ll discover that Rafael is no longer the one you’re meant to be with.”

  I shook my head. “He is,” I whispered.

  “He’s not,” he whispered back. He pushed me onto the bed. He crawled on top of me when I tried scrambling away. “I want my kiss,” he growled.

  “Not here,” I pleaded. “Anyplace but here.”

  His eyes heated. “I want this image… this memory… of kissing you in your bed.”

  I groaned as he lowered his body to mine. We were perfectly aligned. He was clearly aroused, and every hard angle of his body was pressing into mine. “Maxim,” I pleaded. I wedged my hands between our chests.

  He linked his fingers with mine as he grabbed my hands and forced them above my head. “It’s only a kiss,” he whispered in a sweetly seductive tone.

  I arched against him when his mouth clamped over the sweet spot behind my ear. He began sucking forcefully. “Oh, God,” I gasped as my entire body lit with need.

  He thoroughly ravished my neck… sucking, licking, and kissing every inch of available skin. “You taste so sweet, Kotyonok.” He nudged my chin a little higher as his lips moved to the other side.

  The pleasure pulsing within me made it impossible to think. More, my sex-starved body pleaded. More, more, more! I held my breath. I didn’t dare speak.

  Maxim gradually released my hands. His fingers brushed teasingly against my breast before curling around my waist. He reached for my leg, and the air exploded from my lungs.

  Liquid fire shot straight to my abdomen and thighs as he hiked my leg over his waist. “Please stop,” I panted as he settled his bulging erection between my legs. The thin fabric of his slacks, my flimsy yoga pants, and lace thong all seemed to melt away. My entire body was screaming with months of unmet need, which was a very, very bad thing.

  Maxim’s lips crashed against mine. His fingers dug into my thigh as his tongue swept through my m
outh. He claimed every crevice, stole every breath, and thoroughly seduced my tongue. I moaned wantonly into his mouth. Nobody, and I do mean nobody, could kiss like Maxim.

  My eyes widened when I realized how close I was to unraveling. My hands and heels sought traction as I tried pushing out from underneath him. I froze when he pinched my breasts. Pain turned to pleasure as he rolled my nipples between his fingers and thumbs. “Kristine,” he groaned when they pebbled in his hands.

  He robbed me of my response. He kissed me stupid, shredded every last defense, then completely consumed me until I grew mindless with need. My eyes glazed over as he ground his hips into mine. The feeling was utterly intoxicating.

  I longed to feel Maxim inside of me, but I knew. If I surrendered to this man, he would never release me. An overwhelming sense of guilt shot through me. I shook my head, suddenly frantic. This kiss was about to destroy me and my relationship with Rafael.

  Maxim stilled, then silently studied me. He was breathing hard. His eyes were black, and he looked to be on the verge of losing all control.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered hoarsely. I closed my eyes and willed him to understand.

  He reached over and snatched my cell phone off the nightstand. “I’m adding my cell phone number,” he explained through clenched teeth. “Text me your e-mail address and call me when you firm up plans for Oni. I will watch over her and escort her to the United States.” He fished his cell phone out of his back pocket so he could add me to his list of contacts.

  “Thank you,” I responded breathlessly.

  He set my phone back on the nightstand, kneeled between my legs, and pulled me up over his hips so that I was straddling his waist. I groaned when I felt his erection press between my legs. His hands raked over my breasts before he grasped my face and kissed me stupid all over again. “The next kiss won’t be nearly as tame,” he warned gruffly. He set me back on the bed and strode from the room.

  I collapsed backwards onto the bed. My entire body was wound into an incredibly tight coil. I wanted… no needed… sex in the worst possible way. I pulled the pillow over my head and screamed. I tried to slow my breathing, to steady my heart rate, and sort through the confusing array of thoughts now battering my brain.