by Raven Dark
It takes a moment for me to realize he’s referring to the temperature. I let out a bitter laugh. “Really? You’ve kidnapped me for who knows what depraved acts, and you care if I’m too hot?”
He sits back comfortably, but leaning into the corner by the window. “I prefer to have a civil conversation, kravitsa, but if you’re going to be stubborn about everything, life is going to become miserable for you in a hurry.”
I can’t tell if his words are meant to threaten harm, or just an unpleasant time with him. I err on the side of caution. “It’s a little warm, yeah.”
I’d been so keyed up with adrenaline and fear that I hadn’t even noticed it was cold outside, despite the fact that Gio and my father had taken from my apartment without coat. I have an inkling that the heat I’m feeling now isn’t only from the car.
Michael presses a button on the door. “Adrian, turn the heat down, please.”
“Da, ser.” Adrian’s voice comes through a speaker hidden somewhere in the back.
“How long are you going to keep me?” I repeat.
It’s probably a stupid question, but desperation for the hope that there’s something more in my future than spending my life under his cruel thumb makes it impossible not to ask.
His smirk causes butterflies to scatter in my stomach, and also ticks me off. “You’re still so naïve, kravitsa.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“You need to learn to speak differently to me, Aurora. I don’t take demands from my women. If you insist on giving me attitude at every turn, I have ways of teaching you respect.”
I sigh, but force respect into my tone. “Please, Michael, tell me how long.”
“This is not a temporary arrangement.”
The implications in his words roll through me in a sickening wave, obliterating any capability of being civil. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
“No. The fact that you belong to me is the only reason there isn’t a war breaking out between our families as we speak. If your father hadn’t given you to me, New York would be in the middle of a blood bath, and a very long and bloody feud would have started all over again.”
“Wait, I belong to you?” This kind of caveman-like mentality is exactly what I’ve worked so hard to avoid in turning my back on the life my father wanted for me. So why does the notion also make my skin tingle? “I’m not an object you can just cart off like a piece of meat.”
“You are whatever I say you are, Aurora.” His voice takes on a hungry, steely edge.
I swallow, trying to process what he’s telling me. I have a life, for Christ’s sake. Schooling I’ve worked hard to get through. A job I love, or I will in less than two years when my field training is done. I have friends. And with a snap of his Bratva fingers, all that is just gone?
In a matter of hours, I’ve become no more than property to this man, to be used and discarded as he sees fit. And there is still the looming question as to how the hell he’s planning on keeping me in line when he goes back to Russia.
I roll my eyes, hating the helplessness that seizes me in a stranglehold. My voice comes out cracked. “You can’t do that, Michael. You can’t just take my whole life from me like that.”
“Watch your tone. And I can take anything I want from you anytime I please. I will take it.”
I raise my eyes to the ceiling of the limousine, desperation clawing at my chest. “Why? Why would you do that to me?”
The motive for his actions goes deeper than my having messed up whatever deal he and my father had, I’m sure of it.
An emotion flashes in his eyes, but it’s gone before I can place it. It’s fiery and heated and full of revenge.
“Why? You’re fucking gorgeous, Aurora.” The roughness in his voice is like a lick of flame between my legs. He reaches out, and his fingers caress my cheek. I jerk away, but he turns my face back to his. The delight in his eyes brings years of hatred and anger flooding back like a torrent.
“I can’t believe you’re doing this.”
“Believe it.” Michael slides across the seat, close enough to me that his powerful frame presses against mine, making me painfully aware of his strength.
My muscles tighten in a way I’ve never felt before. The heat of him pounds into me, its effect drugging.
“I’ve wanted you for a long time, kravitsa.” His low voice washes over me. “It’s just that it wasn’t possible for me to act until now. Until you made a mistake and opened the door.”
Outrage makes my fists clench. “You’ve been planning this. Waiting for an opportunity to do this.”
“Da.”
“Why me? You could have any woman you wanted.”
“You’ve haunted my dreams since I saw you nine years ago. Before that, perhaps. It’s either I have you, or no one does.”
The possession in his voice gets my back up, but for some reason, I’m also turned the hell on. I draw back. “So what the hell are you going to do to me, then? Torture me?”
The corners of his lips turn up enigmatically. And there he is. My childhood nemesis, the one who’s made me dread the arrival of summer for most of my life.
“Michael,” I draw out shakily. “What are you going to do to me?”
“Whatever I want.”
“Michael!” Panic is starting to well up. Tears sting my eyes.
He slides his hand around the back of my nape and cups it. “All right, here’s how things will work. While you are with me, you will be granted certain freedoms, but I expect total and complete submission from you. I will have access to you at all times. When I want you, you will give yourself to me wholly and completely, without reservation. If you cooperate, you will enjoy what happens to you as much as I do. If not…” He trails off, leaving the air thick with peril.
I stare, his words like an electrical jolt. “You want me to be your slave?”
He shrugs.
“God, you’re sick. You have no morals at all, do you?”
“No. Chort proviri, you’re beautiful when you’re revolted.”
“Shit. What the hell are you going to do? Lock me in a dungeon somewhere so you can fulfill all your sick, misogynistic fantasies?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I am not a monster, Aurora. As long as you obey me, you will be treated like gold. Your life will be one of luxury. You will be pampered, cared for.”
“But I’ll be a prisoner!”
“Oh, stop taking this is as a martyr. I’m not an animal, Aurora. You and I know you’ve wanted me from the moment I cornered you in your dad’s office nine years ago.”
Oh, God. He had to bring that up. That day of my sixteenth birthday, when he’d forced me to kiss him. And then had systematically ruined my first date, and my birthday, all in one. Fuck, I hate him.
“And what happens if I don’t cooperate?”
“Then you’ll be punished, Aurora. I don’t tolerate backtalk, and I expect to be obeyed at all times. Fail to cooperate, and the consequences will be severe.”
“And what about my family?” I snap. “My friends? My job? You’re just going to take those away from me?”
“Not quite. You will have periodic contact with people, if and when it’s necessary. When you’re not with me, you will be given a place to stay, and anything else you require. But there will be protocols you’ll be expected to follow if you wish your stay with me to be a pleasant one.”
“What do you mean, protocols?”
“If and when you have contact with others, you’ll tell no one what is happening between us, you are never to tell anyone anything about me, or my business, and you won’t go anywhere without my permission.”
Jesus Christ, I’d have rather married Antonio than be subjected to this. The man is almost twice my age, he kills people for a living, and he drinks too much, not to mention, marriage to him would reduce me to nothing but a pretty trophy wife, but at least he wouldn’t have hurt me.
“God, what is wrong with you? No sane person would do this. Y
ou’re a fucking psycho, Michael.”
He seizes my chin between his fingers. “Don’t shoot your mouth off unless you want me to find another use for it. If you don’t learn to speak to me properly, I have no problem taking a belt across your ass. Is that clear?”
My eyes go wide. I don’t know much about that kind of punishment, and what I do know terrifies me. Helplessness wraps itself around me, binding me in ropes as strong as steel. Hot tears threaten. I hate that I’m about to cry in front of him, but the harder I fight the tears, the harder it is to hold them back. Unfortunately, he has me. It’s either I learn to live with him until I find a way to gain the upper hand, or I face whatever fate the Mafia would bring on me.
“You can’t do this to me.” My voice breaks. “You just can’t.”
“It is already done, kravitsa. There is no escape for you now.” He traces my lips with his thumb, leaving a tingling heat in its wake. His eyes fixate on my mouth hungrily. “It will always be your choice whether you enjoy what happens to you or not, but you belong to me, and I am never letting you go.”
I shake my head at him in utter disbelief. “You may not be an animal, Michael, but you are a monster.”
“You won’t always feel that way.” He draws his lips close enough to mine that I can feel the heat of them. “Trust me, Aurora. You may not believe it now, but you won’t always hate me for what I do to you.”
“Oh, trust me. I will always hate you. Nothing you say or do can ever change that.”
His eyes alight, as if the prospect excites him. Then he squeezes my nape. “We will see, kravitsa. Well will see. For now, I want your word that you will cooperate. That you won’t try to escape or tell others what is happening between us. That you won’t violate my trust and blab about me or my affairs. Failure to comply will result in a change in the way I handle our arrangement.”
“What exactly does that mean?”
“When you aren’t with me, instead of being given your own comfortable bedroom in my apartment, you will be locked in a single room at all times and forbidden contact with anyone except me or my staff. I will grant you certain privileges, Aurora, but if you cross me, you will lose them. If your violations are severe enough, such as telling anyone about my business, I will hand you back to the Italian Mafia, and let them deal with you. Do I make myself clear?”
Man, I’m in a whole lot of trouble here. There’s no doubt about it; however pleasantly he chooses to paint the picture of our time together, one thing is clear.
I am his prisoner, to be used as he sees fit, and if I piss him off, I’ll live to regret it—or breathe my last breath. He meant what he said; he has zero compunction about letting the Italian Mob kill me.
The only hope I have is that somehow, I’ll be able to find a way to escape. Until I do, I’m stuck with him.
Only when he speaks again do I realize I haven’t replied.
“Answer me, Aurora.” He jerks my chin up, swiping one thumb across my lips again. “I want your word.”
I closed my eyes as through doing so could wipe away the last few hours from existence. But of course, when I open them, he’s still there, a predator waiting for me to step into his trap. A trap I have no choice but to walk right into. “Yes. I’ll follow your…rules. Happy?”
“Not quite.” His hand seizes my nape, he hauls me to him, and then his mouth bruises mine.
Chapter 4
Tasting Innocence
W0w. I’d known kissing my Aurora would be a sweet ride, but this.
The instant I’d crushed her lips with mine, it was as if someone set a match to my blood. My cock stands straight up, aching to possess her. A woman who feels this good is poison to my senses, a shot of heroin when focus is paramount.
Everything in me wants to demolish her resistance and have her then and there, but I’ll have to pace myself with her. Take her when I can be sure my control over her is absolute and she can’t escape.
I pry her lips apart with mine, letting my tongue dart in to torment hers. She tastes of innocence, and strawberries from her lip gloss. I groan into her mouth.
Aurora makes an angry noise and tries to turn her head away, but her skin also heats at my touch. With anger, or desire? I grip the back of her head, pinning it in place and kiss her harder. Her arms jerk, but with her hands still cuffed, there’s nothing she can do but accept what I do to her. With one arm around her waist, I pin her to me and bite her soft lip, hard enough that she whimpers. The helplessness in that sound makes me harder.
I break the kiss and put my mouth to her ear. “I could kiss you for hours, kravitsa.”
She twists. “Michael—”
I draw back and undo two of the buttons on her shirt. She cuts off and her face turns deep scarlet before she averts her eyes in shame.
“At least tell me why you’re doing this to me,” she mutters.
I can see a much longer standing question in her eyes, can practically see the memories flashing there. “You want to know why I tormented you when we were kids.” I undo two more buttons.
“Yeah.” She glares at me. “While we’re at it, why did you?”
“You know why.”
“No, I don’t,” she grits out. “Michael, I have no idea why you treated me like scum on your shoes.”
“Liar.” Two more buttons fall victim to my manipulation. “It’s not something you could forget.”
She makes a frustrated sound.
“You’re going to make this so much fun for me.” I let the memories of her sins burn into my brain, let them fan the flame of hatred and desire scorching my blood as I shove my hand inside her half-open shirt. She turns her face away again, her eyes filled with humiliation. I push her bra strap down and cup one breast. Her nipple hardens instantly, pressing into my palm, betraying my affect on her. She jerks against me in effort to escape my touch.
“If you’re going to fight me on everything, your life will become very unpleasant, Aurora.”
She drops her shoulders, going limp. Triumph and possession lick at my cock.
“Good girl.” I jerk her blouse and bra down until her breasts spill out. “Jesus Christ, your tits are perfect.”
They are just as I’d always imagined. Even with the lightly tanned, golden color of her skin, her rose-red nipples stands out like crimson, long and hard. Unable to resist anymore, I suck one into my mouth.
A small, tortured noise escapes her, sounding like half desire, half mortification. She twists violently until I seize her bound wrists, tugging down on them until she’s locked in place. I suck harder. Her back arches, unwittingly feeding me more.
I groan my pleasure, flicking and lashing at her nipple with my tongue, loving the way it hardens in response. She moans, almost a sob, so I crush her soft body to me. I pinch her nipple between my teeth until she cries out. My whole body buzzes with need, as if I’d had too much of an intoxicant.
“Please, slow down,” she begs.
“Be quiet.”
Fuck, I’m taking this way too fast. I want to savor her, to make her suffer. She’s tormented my dreams with her sweet little body for years, locked me in a cage of lust for what feels like centuries. I want to pay her back tenfold for the sins her family wrought on me, but I’ve waited too fucking long to feel her, to taste her.
On the verge of losing control of my need, I force myself to stop and lift my head. Her face is flushed, her jaw tight with outrage. Trepidation darkens her eyes.
“Lie back on the seat.” My voice comes out unrecognizable. A demon’s voice.
Her face falls. “You want…right here in your car? You don’t waste any time, do you, Michael?”
I raise a brow at her insubordination. Oh, training her to submit to my desires is going to be so much fun. “From now on, the only thing you’ll call me when we’re alone is “Sir.” Or “Ser,” if you’re inclined to say it in Russian.”
“Oh? You’re not going to make me call you master?”
Wow. She’s got a lot to lea
rn if she thinks she can mouth off like that. I grab the back of her hair, yanking hard enough that she gasps at the sting.
“Ah, Jesus.” She bucks in my grip. Nothing in my research suggests she knows anything about sexual submission or torture, so she’s probably unaccustomed to a man being this rough with her. All the better. Teeth clenched, I put my face in hers.
“If you want to play games, I will change the rules and you will call me Master. Rule one, Aurora. Do what I tell you, when I tell you, or you’ll learn what real pain is. Understand?”
Anger mixes with fear in her eyes, but she deflates. She isn’t crazy enough to test me. “Yes, Sir.”
“Let’s make sure you do understand. If I tell you to strip and spread your legs right here and now, what will you do?”
Her eyes go huge. Her gaze flicks to Petro and Adrian in the front seat, then back to me. Then her shoulders slump. She’s trapped, and she knows it. “I…I’d take off my clothes and spread my legs…Sir.”
Another man would have felt terrible, but the urge to control her buzzes under my skin like another hit of heroin. Revenge won’t allow me to hold back.
I release her, sliding back on the seat enough to give her room. “Lie back.”
“Please take these off.” She jerks her arms, indicating she’s referring to the cuffs.
“Nyet.”
Her eyes well, but she lies back across the leather upholstered seat in front of me. With her hands bound and her arms behind her, her back is slightly bowed, pushing the mounds of her exposed tits upward, giving me a clear view of them in the moonlight from the window. Fuck, she’s beautiful. Her hair is a black cloud around her face. Every part of her is tense and afraid, but I can also smell her arousal. I go hard to the point of pain at the scent of it.
I reach out and lay my hand on her warm chest, feeling her heartbeat flutter wildly. She flinches, her chest rapidly rising and falling. Her nipples are also as hard as bullets.
A hum of pleasure escapes me. “Mm, you are terrified, aren’t you, little bird?”
She says nothing.