“Have you learned your lesson? Are you ready to move in now? Trash this article you’re writing? Ready to do what you’re fucking told?”
He’s fucking me so relentlessly now that I have no hope of finding the words to answer him. I can only moan into the thin mattress as pleasure pulses through my core and radiates out in hot waves until even my fingers and toes are tingling. After all, if I answer him, he might stop – and I don’t want the tidal wave of sensation he’s creating to ever end. He continues to speak between fierce, urgent thrusts that take my breath.
“You’re going to learn…that I’m not a man…who likes to hear no when I want something. You’re mine, Logan…Every…fucking…inch of you belongs to me.” Eventually, his thrusts slow and become lazy, sultry rolls of his hips as he grinds in and out of me. I can feel my muscles stiffen as the first, distant pulses of an orgasm start to quiver inside me from the contact he’s making with my swollen clit.
As my walls start to clench around his length, I find just enough control to tell him what he wants to hear. “I’ll move in, fuck, I’ll do whatever you want, just...oh, God…just never stop fucking me!”
“You’re damn straight you will,” he groans as he leans over and presses his weight down on top of me, bracing his body on an elbow next to my head. He nuzzles the nape of my neck, then fists a handful of my hair and yanks my head back. His hips don’t let up as he claims my lips in a searing kiss that ramps up the sensations that are about to send me spiraling over the edge.
Maybe he can feel the telltale pulses in my core that signal my impending freefall, because he pulls away just enough to lock his heated gaze with mine. I know better than to look away, even as my body hurtles ever closer to the release I need so desperately. His warm breath glances off my lips as he rasps, “Not going to let anything happen to you, baby. You’ll eat here, you’ll sleep here, you’ll fuck here, you’ll go to school here, and you’ll live here…with me. Now, come for me, Logan. Do it. Now!”
My body writhes with abandon and I gasp his name over and over as his cock rubs against the perfect spot and fires a detonator deep inside my core. He comes with a groan that sounds more like a battle cry as it reverberates around the walls of my prison. His body freezes mid-thrust, his spine arching in pleasure, his cock throbbing over and over inside me, and I know the beast in him is sated…for now.
Chapter Twenty Two
Logan
Having secured my compliance and, thus, my release from the dungeon, Kodiak spends the next day choosing a new wardrobe for me with the assistance of the Glazov wardrobe specialist, or at least I think that’s what he called her. She brought racks of designer clothing, shoes, and accessories to us so we didn’t have to leave the house. This family is over the top and I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the luxury and privilege that they accept as part of their everyday lives.
I’m settling into their household moment by moment and am optimistic that his family will eventually come around. Even Kodiak’s sister Roksana reached out to me this morning and wants to go out to lunch soon. So far, I’ve been accepted into their ranks because I make Kodiak happy—all of them but Glazov, that is. He is Pakhan, though, so his distrust could be a major problem. I hope Kodiak can convince him I’m not a threat to the family or the organization. If anyone can get through to Glazov, it’s Kodiak. Kodiak is hard as nails but he has a special relationship with his father. I just don’t know if it will be enough to save my life if the time comes.
We arrive at the gambling house and get curious looks from men and women alike as we make our way to a luxurious corner booth. Kodiak and I are leaning against the wall and I’m laughing as he tells me about the holstered gun his sister keeps on her inner thigh. She really is stunning with her mother’s red hair, her father’s impressive height, and supermodel proportions.
“No, I’m serious, my sister’s crazy. She’s crazier than the boys in the family,” Kodiak says with a laugh.
“I don’t have a hard time believing that, Kodiak. She’s a Bratva woman so of course she’s going to be deadly. You know we women have a sixth sense, right?”
“Oh, yeah? What do you have a sixth sense about?” He pulls me into him playfully, wrapping his arm around my shoulder to press a kiss to my forehead.
“If looks could kill, I’d be dead; every woman in this place has her eye on you—and it doesn’t take a sixth sense to see that.”
“Yeah, maybe, but you’re the only one who doesn’t want something from me. All they care about is the prestige that goes with being with the Pakhan’s son. Factor in the money that goes along with the prestige, and they’re on that shit like the skanky gold diggers they are.”
“On a serious note…”
“Who’s not being serious?” he asks with a scowl.
“You’re always serious, my love. Now listen to what I’m going to tell you.”
When he hears the endearment leave my lips, he presses his body against mine, pinning me to the wall and caging me in by placing a hand on either side of my head. “I’m all ears, lyubov moya…my love,” he whispers. I study his face and promptly forget what I was going to say.
I wonder how anyone can be so intense all the time. I suppose he has to be that way. I can’t imagine living a life where death is a threat every moment of every day. I look at the guards positioned around the room, the bartender, the hostess. It’s in their blood, in their lineage, and in their destiny. They’re born Bratva and they’ll die Bratva, and that scares me as my feelings for this fierce, complicated man continue to grow.
I take a deep breath and blurt out, “Kodiak, I’m going to have to find a job in a restaurant or something to make my tuition and I don’t want you freaking out.”
“The fuck you are! You work for me.”
“I’m not doing much as far as working for you, and I don’t even have a regular work schedule at this point. You keep announcing to anyone who’ll listen that you’ve hired me, but I’ve only really been at the gambling house a time or two. And I just watch the customers to find anyone who’s cheating. I want to be in the pit as a dealer.”
“You don’t belong in the pit, baby,” he whispers as he nuzzles my neck, “because you don’t have a poker face.” He presses soft kisses down my neck to my collarbone as he speaks. “You’re too sweet…Got too many tells…They’d eat you alive.” He looks up at me with eyes that twinkle, “Not that I could really blame them.”
He straightens and gets serious. “Besides, I have other plans for you. Your ability to catch cheaters -- you can’t teach that; that’s instinct, that’s a fucking gift. And you don’t need to worry about tuition because I already paid it. And while we’re on the subject, you’ll be taking classes at my house, online. I’ve already ordered everything that you’ll need and it’s being moved into my home office tomorrow.”
“Kodiak, I’m not sure how well that’s going to go over with my professor.”
By now we’re nose to nose and his voice is a low, feral growl. “Ostrom? I own that cocksucker and he knows you’ll be doing your courses online. Non-negotiable, Logan. If you’ve got any worries, you bring them to me. I don’t want you stressed out about money, school, or that fucked up family of yours that left you high and dry. Never again—never will you be left alone with no one to take care of you. It’s my job to take care of you now. Your problems are my fucking problems and I will fix them,” he says fervently before pressing his lips to my forehead.
I take his face in my hands and look into his eyes, just shaking my head slowly. I press my lips to his for a long moment, trying to express my gratitude, before I pull away. I bat my eyelashes at him coyly, then deadpan, “So, I have to pee, do I have permission?” I roll my eyes at him. “You’re so alpha.”
“Damn straight I am. Go do what you need to do and then get your ass back over here.”
“Caveman.”
“Baby, you have no idea.” I jump when he pops me on the ass as I walk away. I can’t help but laugh
when I look back at him and cover my behind with my hands, rubbing the sore spot he put there. He just crosses his arms over his chest and arches one smug eyebrow.
He’s really serious about his father’s mandate to monitor my every move, but I know I’ve crossed a line now that I’ve slept with him. I have no regrets, though. Kodiak isn’t just turning into a boyfriend; he’s becoming a friend and most people can’t say about their lover. Bratva does nothing halfway. These people go all in when they connect with someone.
I know from my Russian mafia research that they very rarely take outsiders into their tight-knit circle, and that when they do, they’re vouching for them. They’re saying to the cell that the person they brought in can be trusted; without uttering a word they’re making a huge statement—one that could mean death. If a member of the cell brings in a snitch or a spy for an opposing enemy, even unknowingly, it’s considered a high crime and Bratva will kill one of its own.
I breathe a sigh of relief because the discussion about me getting a job went better than I expected. Even though he’s totally against it, we still set some boundaries. I know he doesn’t want me away from him because he has so many enemies, and I totally get that. I don’t relish the idea of being abducted and tortured because someone has it out for the Glazov family. Considering the dangers I’m potentially facing, I’m glad Kodiak’s crazy obsessive about protecting me. I trust him to know what he’s doing. I trust him to keep me alive.
Even in the ladies restroom, everything about this family’s taste is elegant. The bathroom comes complete with marble countertops and ornate fixtures of gold. A tray on the counter is artfully displayed with a selection of designer colognes. Each stall features not only a toilet but also a bidet. The Glazovs brought their European customs with them when they immigrated here two generations ago.
After I take care of my personal business, I smooth the new dress Kodiak picked out for me over my hips and I can’t help but smile. It’s turquoise blue satin, with a low, draped back that reveals my skin all the way down to the top of my ass. I’ve paired it with a pearl necklace and pearl drop earrings—‘classy but sexy’ was how he described it. He finished off the look with four-inch silver Jimmy Choos and said I looked perfect. I feel about as close to perfect as a girl can get tonight, thanks to my Kodiak.
I push the stall door open and Becky Box is glaring at me from where she’s applying blood red lipstick at the mirrored vanity.
I stroll indifferently over to the sink next to her and wash my hands. But I just can’t resist looking over at her and calling it like I see it. I wasn’t born Bratva, but I think I’m catching on. “You followed me in here.” It’s a statement not a question.
“So what if I did?” she sneers. “Looks like there’s already trouble in paradise, huh? I’d never let a man get all up in my face the way Kodiak was in yours out there just now.”
“Are you kidding me?” I scoff. “We both know you’d let him wipe his ass with your face if you thought it would get you in the Bratva inner circle.”
She’s made the mistake of pissing me off and I’m not done with her yet. I finish drying my hands before I give her my full attention. “You know, Becky, what I do with Kodiak is none of your damn business. You and your plastic Barbie boobs and your freakishly overdone lip filler can take a hike. Kodiak’s not interested. He prefers the real thing.”
She waits until I turn to leave before she speaks again. “He’ll get tired of you, you know. Guys like that always fuck around.”
“And see, that right there is my point,” I say as I regard her coolly from where I stand near the door. “Anyone who knows anything about Glazov men knows they don’t sleep around on their women. And any woman who wants to be with a Bratva man, who wants to be protected by a Bratva man, who wants to be seduced and sexed up by a Bratva man – knows better than to disparage that man. Ever.”
I let that sink in for a moment, then continue in my best Bratva bitch voice, “Now, be a dear -- and stop embarrassing yourself, chasing after a man who wants nothing to do with you and all your removable parts.”
I push the door open before she has time to say anything else, because right now it’s taking all the self-control I have to not shove her head in one of those bidets and shoot water straight up her nose until she looks like a drowned rat. Hell, maybe I could just drown her—yeah, that’s better, just drown the bitch.
Kodiak
As soon as she steps out of the restroom, I know she got into it with Becky. I debated going in after her when I saw Becky follow her, but I wouldn’t be doing her any favors by doing that. Logan is stronger than people give her credit for and if I didn’t think she could handle it I would have intervened. In my world I can protect her, but she has to earn her own respect as far as the females are concerned. Logan is stronger than she thinks. And she’s a hell of a lot stronger than Becky gives her credit for. In fact, if I was a betting man, I’d say it’s Becky who should be worried, not Logan.
I cross my ankles as I lean up against the wall and tease her, “Damn, did I miss out on a good cat fight?”
“Oh, you would love that, wouldn’t you? Nope, no cat fight, but you missed an epic verbal beat down. Feel free to enjoy the security feed at your convenience.”
“Hell, yeah. I love the idea of you getting all jealous over me. Did you set her straight?”
“Don’t push it, Kodiak.” She gives me a sideways glance and I know she can’t resist saying something about what went on behind those closed bathroom doors. “Yeah, I set her straight.” The grin she’s giving me is sexy as hell.
“Ooh, somebody is jealous.” I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her into me. “I’m flattered such a classy lady would stake a claim on little ol’ me.”
“Little ol’ you, huh?” Her eyes trail down to my zipper and the erection that’s got a mind of its own, as usual. “Hardly. Well, I figured I may as well tell you before you hear it through the grapevine. These people tell you when somebody farts around here.”
“Goddamn right. They better tell me, they get paid well to be my eyes and ears. Even trivial things can end up being a big deal in this business. Don’t ever forget that, Logan. I’m all about knowing what motivates people. Nothing reveals the measure of a person like the incentives that drive their actions.”
Logan’s obviously changing the subject when she doesn’t acknowledge what I’m saying and steers the conversation back to the bathroom brawl. She’s still hiding something, but I’ll find out what it is; it’s what I do.
“I did set the bitch straight after she told me you’d get tired of me. She made it sound like she’d be there waiting for you to get bored so she could pounce on you and, yeah, it pissed me off.”
“Well, that’s never going to happen,” I assure her. “There are too many layers to you, so much undiscovered territory to explore. Plus,” I say with a smirk, “you’re my own little sacred virgin—all mine.”
“Anything else you’d like to add to your I’m Smitten with Logan list?” she asks as she punches me playfully. “I told her she was just embarrassing herself by chasing after you when you don’t want her. I mean, who does that? Nothing is more degrading to a woman than to chase a man who doesn’t want her. It’s almost embarrassing to watch—really, it’s a slap in the face to women everywhere.”
“How so?”
“Because it sends the message that all women are needy, that we have to have a man to be complete.”
“Are you sure you aren’t born Bratva? You sound like my mother and Roksana.”
“Maybe in another life I was a gangster’s wife.”
“I’ll kill him,” I say with an exaggerated scowl.
“Only you would threaten to kill an imaginary man.”
“No, my dad would, too. Anyway, back to your little cat fight; you’re correct, I don’t want her. Do you want me to fire her? Just say the word and she’s out of here. If getting rid of her will put your mind at ease, I’ll let her go. There are too man
y real problems going on around here to be bothered with petty drama caused by bitches like her.”
“No, don’t. It would just send the message that I can’t fight my own battles. I also would never want to be the reason someone loses their job.”
I pull her closer and slide my lips along her neck, stopping to nuzzle the sweet spot behind her ear. “You’re amazing, you know that? Only you would be kind enough to not have your enemy fired. How about I just wrap you up and take you home, hmmm? So I can get all up in that tight little pussy of yours and reassure you that I don’t want anyone but you.”
“Oh, my god, Kodiak,” she gasps, “You are so candid about sex.”
I lean in and whisper in her ear, “Yeah, and it gets you all slick and wet, doesn’t it...” I get even harder as the blush creeps up her cheeks and her eyes are cast down shyly. I’ve got my very own demure little princess…and she’s hot as hell in bed. Who knew?
I keep my eyes on her but yell out to Lukyan. “Go get the car, we’ll meet you out front in a minute.”
“Sure, boss,” he answers. Logan laughs and says, “Aren’t you going to tell him ‘That’s my dad’?”
“It won’t do any good, plus, I’m busy staring at you, my beautiful little runner.” I run the back of my hand down her cheek and slide my hand around her neck. “You better not ever run away from me or I’ll send Lukyan to duct tape you and bring you back.” I squeeze lightly as I wink at her.
“You’re crazy.”
“Crazy enough to do it.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
“Come on, I’ve got something I want to show you.” I pull her over to the bar and smack the top of it to get the bartender’s attention. “Give me that caged bottle of Grey Goose Magnum.” He pulls the bottle off the top shelf and hands it to me. “Thanks, Bogdan. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
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