Double Obsessions

by Charlotte Sloan

  “We just talked. Nothing much, really.”

  “Very good. I should be home around dinnertime. Tell the maid what you’d like and she will make it for us.”

  Chloe nodded even though he couldn’t see her. “Okay, sounds good. I’ll see you later for dinner, then.” They hung up after he said his own goodbye, then she changed back into her clothes and gathered the pile of things she wanted to buy. Stepping out of the changing room, she turned to toss her rejected items into the pile in the corner, and suddenly everything went dark.

  There was something over her head, some kind of fabric bag of sorts. Before she knew it, she was being lifted and carried away, someone’s arms wrapped tight around her, pinning her arms to her sides. She screamed, kicking around and lifting her feet in the air. A moment later, someone was grabbing her ankles and holding those together, too, taking away her ability to use her legs freely.

  She was carried for a couple minutes, though she couldn’t quite gauge a distance because they kept turning directions, probably trying to throw her off. Chloe didn’t know what to do; she couldn’t breathe, and she couldn’t see anything at all with the darkness surrounding her. There was the sound of a car door opening, and suddenly she was tossed inside of it. It had to have been a van or a truck of some sort, since she could feel no seats around her.

  Chloe felt movement on either side of her, and then heard the door slamming. She whimpered, trying to get the bag off her head, but someone grabbed her hands and tied her wrists together. One man spoke, then another, but she couldn’t understand them. They were speaking Russian. There wasn’t a single word they were saying that she understood, but their intentions were made clear with the menace and malice lacing their tones. They were going to hurt her, maybe even kill her.

  Chapter Nine

  Dimitri was halfway done with his workday when he received a phone call from an enemy. This particular enemy was from the family of Dryagin. They had been enemies since a business deal between the families had gone wrong. He remembered the day explicitly. Nikolai had sent a handful of men to trade arms with the Dryagin’s men, and he had not checked the trustworthiness of the men he had chosen. One of his men had tipped off about the deal, which led to the Dryagin’s men being ambushed en route, all of them killed. It was a massacre unlike anything he had seen for a personal trade in which neither side had previously held an issue.

  Dimitri had always expected revenge. There was never a doubt in his mind that they would eventually come to retaliate for the death of their men, not because they cared for them; there were rarely personal relationships within their working environment for this type of business. No, it was intended as a message. However, he had never expected they would come for his fiancée. He had expected they would go after his men, even if another of his own men had already killed the one who had given the tip.

  He was frantic. No one could get away with doing this. No one could take his fiancée and live to tell the tale. In a fit of rage, Dimitri swiped his hand across his desk, forcing everything on it to fly to the floor. Nikolai walked in, looking at him with worry.

  “I spoke to them, too,” he told him knowingly. Nikolai knew his brother, and he knew nothing would throw him into a fit of rage quicker than someone taking something that was his.

  “They took her! She cannot be harmed! I will kill them all myself with my own bare hands if that is what it takes to keep her protected!” He paged the leader of his men, who made a prompt entrance. Dimitri looked at him. “Assemble a group of men. We are going to find her. If a single hair on her head is harmed, I will never forgive myself.”

  “Brother,” Nikolai interrupted. “Would you like to hear what they told me?”

  Dimitri huffed a breath and looked at him. “What?” he snapped, running his hand over his face.

  “They want us to meet them at a warehouse in downtown. I have the address written here. They will only take me in her place. They don’t care to harm you physically, they just want to take away someone important to you.” Dimitri looked at him with his jaw tensed and folded his arms across his chest as he absorbed the information his brother had just given him. Nikolai sighed, but held up his hand. “It is no worry, my brother. If it is what it takes to save her, I will do it. I will go in place for her. I will save her for you. This is all my fault as it is.”

  Dimitri nodded slowly, letting out a relieved breath. “Very well.” He looked back to his guard. “Go. Get the men assembled. We leave in half an hour.”

  Chapter Ten

  Chloe had been sitting in a cold, hard chair for so long that she didn’t even know how long it had been. Her ass hurt, her wrists hurt, and she was on her third panic attack from not being able to breathe comfortably with the bag that was still on her head. Wherever she was, it wasn’t very cozy, she could tell by how the footsteps of her kidnappers echoed loudly around her.

  It felt like hours had passed. Long, tiring, hours. She was scared. This was the cost of being involved with Dimitri, and it terrified her to think of that. Could she deal with what it meant to have her life put in danger at any time just for being married to him? Chloe sighed. They weren’t even married yet as it was, and they’d barely been engaged for five seconds. She could not deny it, though; she was falling hard and fast for him.

  She turned her head when she heard footsteps getting close to her again, and then she felt someone jerking her arm to make her stand up. Another person grabbed her other arm, and they tugged her roughly, pulling her along as they walked. Chloe heard a door open, and she was dragged outside. She still could see nothing, but she could tell by the way the air felt, and the wind blowing against her body.

  One man started yelling almost immediately when they were outside, but it was not coming from either of the men holding her arms. She turned her head, trying to look around despite the fact that she could not see anything. There was another voice yelling, then a third, but that one came from beside her. The yelling got louder, men interrupting each other as they tried to get their own words heard over the voices of the others. She fell hard to the ground when she heard the sound of guns being shot all around her. Chloe curled into herself the best she could, trying not to get shot, though she knew she was probably where some of the aim would be directed. Her breathing grew heavy, and she tried to steady it, but the air in the bag over her head was growing too hot. She felt like she was suffocating.

  Suddenly everything went quiet and she whimpered in fear that someone was going to kill her. Instead, she was pulled into a pair of arms, and two hands were soon moving to uncover her head. Chloe cried out in relief when she saw Dimitri’s face, and she threw her arms around him. He winced, sucking in a sharp breath through his teeth. Pulling back, Chloe saw that he was bleeding from his shoulder. She moved his shirt a little to reveal a gunshot wound.

  “Oh, Dimitri,” she breathed, cupping his cheek in her hand. “Come on, we’ll get you taken care of.” Chloe pulled his good arm to help him stand with her. She looked around on the ground, gasping when she saw Nikolai’s still and lifeless body. Turning to look at him, she pursed her lips sadly. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” she murmured, wrapping her arms around his waist.

  Dimitri pulled back just slightly, tilting his chin down and pressing a tender kiss to her lips. It only lasted a moment before he broke the kiss and nodded. “Yes. Let’s go home. We will have a friend come take care of my wound.”

  Chloe nodded. Home. That sounded wonderful, especially after feeling so scared. She realized that Dimitri was far more important to her than she’d realized, and while she was deeply sad for the loss of Nikolai’s life, he wasn’t the one she had started falling in love with, and Dimitri was the one whose death would have devastated her.

  Chapter Eleven

  They were silent in the car on the way home. Dimitri had lost his brother, and she had lost a lover. It was a sad day. And at the same time, Chloe was so relieved she hadn’t lost him. She curled herself against his body for the ride; sh
e did not want to be any farther than that from him for as long as she could get away with.

  When they got home, a doctor came and checked his shoulder, stitching up the wound quickly and giving him pain medication. Dimitri swallowed one down with some water, and then he looked at her for a long moment. The apartment was quiet, empty with just the two of them there. He had sent everyone home who had been there so that they could mourn alone, just the two of them.

  He pulled her close as they settled into the bed together. Chloe wrapped her body around his, settling as close as she could to him as she kissed him tenderly. Her hand came to his face, fingers stroking over his cheek as their tongues moved together. The kiss was languid and gentle, neither pushing just yet for anything more than the sweet intimacy between them.

  Dimitri moved his hand of his good arm to her pants, using his fingers to undo her button. She was only half surprised though, she understood the need to feel someone so close during mourning of a close loved one. Chloe complied easily, getting up and pushing off all of her clothes. His shirt was already off, so she helped him out of his pants and underwear, then pushed him gently to lay back against the pillows.

  Chloe moved herself over him, straddling his hips and leading his cock into her. She moved slowly on him, her body pressed to his as their hips moved together. It was the first time in her life that she had ever been so intimate during sex with someone, and it was a wonderful moment. Their mouths met again, kissing slowly, tongues meeting gently as they made love.

  Using his uninjured arm, Dimitri slid one hand between their bodies, fingers finding her clit and circling it. She whimpered at the added touch, and she knew it wouldn’t take her long to come. Gripping the bed on either side of his head, she pulled herself on him to keep moving, rolling her hips on him ever so slightly faster as she grew close to the edge. It only took a few more minutes, but Chloe cried out for him when his hand working her clit pushed her over the edge, and he soon followed, groaning against her lips.

  She slowed her hips on him, stilling them and lifting them to let his dick fall out of her. Chloe settled her body against his, resting her head on his good shoulder.

  “I’m so sorry you lost your brother,” she whispered, after several minutes of silence punctured by heavy breaths.

  “It is okay.” He sighed. “You know I was thinking today, I would have no longer been able to share you with him, anyway. Not anymore. I find myself thinking about you in any spare moment during my day. You are the only woman I need, and I want to be the only man you need. I cannot share you with anyone.”

  Chloe looked up at him and gave him a faint smile. “Today terrified me. I wasn’t really worried about myself, I was just… scared, I guess; scared of dying when I had just realized how I truly felt. I am so scared that something could happen to you. I cannot bear the thought of losing you, but I know that there is a chance you, too, will eventually be killed. And yet, I can’t help myself; I want to be with you. I want to be your wife.”

  Dimitri nodded, shifting out from beneath her and turning to search through his nightstand. He pulled out a small velvet box, turning back to face her and smiling. Opening it, he looked at her and watched her smile brighten as she examined the ring.

  It was the biggest diamond she had ever seen. Chloe had no idea how many karats it was, but it was huge, and square cut. It was set gorgeously on a gold band, and her eyes widened. She had never seen such a beautiful piece of jewelry in her entire life, of that she was certain.

  “Chloe, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?’

  She nodded eagerly, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him happily. “Of course I will.” Tears filled her eyes as he pulled the ring out of the box and slid it onto her left hand.

  “Thank you. It truly will be an honor to me,” he murmured. “I love you, Chloe.”

  “I love you, too, Dimitri. So much.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Chloe stood in front of the floor length mirror at one of the best venues in Chicago. She could hardly believe it was her wedding day. She stared at her reflection, amazed at how incredible she looked. It was thanks to a hairstylist, make-up artist, and a designer, but everything looked more perfect that she ever would have been able to imagine.

  While she would have loved a small, intimate ceremony, Chloe knew better than that. He ran a large business, not to mention whatever it was that he was truly doing behind the scenes that she did not know about. And she had her own friends and family to invite, so their wedding ceremony consisted of a guest list of two hundred people, followed by a reception with five hundred. Very few people had declined to come; too many people were curious and wanted to see the young, beautiful bride of the new Russian man running his family’s business.

  That offer had become official with Nikolai’s death, though they had known it was going to come either way with their official engagement. They had spent several months taking advantage of learning each other in a way they had been unable to until her abduction. Dimitri was so attentive and loving, and even though he was gone a lot for work, when he was home, they had the most wonderful time together.

  There was a knock at her door, and Chloe called for whomever it was to come in. Her mother stepped inside, smiling at the sight of her.

  “You look beautiful,” she breathed, eyes tearing at the sight of her daughter in a wedding dress.

  “It’s not too much?” Chloe asked. Her dress was floor length, made of satin and lace. It came up to her neck, lace covering her chest and arms. The satin body of the dress had a sweetheart neckline and clung tightly to her form, blooming out at the bottom in a mermaid style skirt. She had known the moment she saw it that it was the dress she wanted.

  “You’re asking if the dress is too much when you’re reception has five hundred guests?” Her mother chuckled, shaking her head. “It’s perfect, sweetheart.”

  Chloe smiled. Her mother had helped her plan everything for the wedding, alongside the wedding planner that she and Dimitri had hired. It was a dream wedding, one that she never would have believed she would get. But it was hers, and she was nervous about messing it all up.

  “You’ll be fine,” her mother whispered, catching onto her nerves. “Be excited instead of nervous.”

  “I am. I am so happy, Mom.” They hugged, and her mother left her alone to finish getting ready. Her bridesmaids soon joined her, as the ceremony was growing close. Chloe turned to Anna, her best friend, who had been there the whole way, and smiled.

  “You’re a beautiful bride, Chloe.”

  Blushing, Chloe forced back tears of happiness. “Who would have thought I would get married before you?” she joked.

  “Not me, that’s for sure.” Anna winked, hugging her and picking up her bouquet of dahlias. “Here you go. You better aim that for me when you toss it.”

  “Of course. Your wedding better be next.”

  The ceremony was gorgeous, dahlias lining the chairs along with aisle she was going to walk down. The flower girl, a niece of Chloe’s, had sprinkled dark purple rose petals down the white satin of the aisle. She watched as Anna finished walking down the aisle, then Chloe slid her arm through her father’s. Bracing herself, she turned the last corner. Everyone stood, turning to watch her as her eyes fell to Dimitri’s. He looked so handsome in his tux, his dark purple cummerbund and bow tie set perfectly in place.

  She had not thought of what it would feel like walking down the aisle, but it was wonderful. Chloe had eyes for no one else, and it seemed as though Dimitri felt the same way. When her father held her hand out for her fiancé to take, she smiled, fighting her tears the entire time.

  They said their vows, repeating after the officiator instead of saying their own. Both had agreed it would be too emotional, for what had truly brought them together emotionally was the loss of someone they both cared deeply for. After they said ‘I do’ everyone went to the reception room, while Dimitri and Chloe, with the rest of the bridal party, had a few classy pi
ctures taken.

  They ate, danced, and schmoozed. Dimitri paraded her around on his arm and talked shop here and there, which didn’t bother Chloe as much as she expected it would. It was how their relationship had began, even in the smallest of ways, and she loved being at his side for it, having him proud to have her beside him.

  But when the night was over, after far too many hours wearing the same heels, Chloe was grateful for the party to be done. They walked through the crowd of their guests, many of them blowing bubbles in place of the rice that the city frowned upon. Dimitri pulled her into the limo, their bags already packed and in the trunk. He was taking her to Paris for their honeymoon. She had been so surprised when he had held out the reservation for their hotel to show her. Chloe had been told that he didn’t get to take vacations, yet he was taking one with her. And they would have their whole flight on a private jet to consummate their marriage. He kissed her tenderly once they were inside the limo, brushing her hair back and smiling at her.

  Dimitri opened the mini fridge, pulling out a bottle of champagne and popping it open. Gathering two glasses from the top of the small fridge, he poured them each some of the bubbly drink and toasted her. “To the rest of our lives, Mrs. Belikov.”

  Chloe smirked. “To forever, Mr. Belikov.” They clinked their glasses, and then took a sip. It was going to be a wonderful life. That much Chloe knew.

  *****

  THE END

  Unexpected Auction

  Chapter One

  Amanda’s heart was going to beat right out of her chest. She was that scared. The bluegrass quartet had just started to play, and after they were finished, it would be her turn to take the stage. She was supposed to ask for donations for her church’s mission trip. Instead, Amanda was about to do something that could change her life forever. Her palms were sweaty, and butterflies filled her stomach as it turned in nervous circles again and again. Maybe it would be better if she just quietly slipped out the back of the pavilion. There were other ways she could get revenge. Ways that wouldn’t leave a stain on her soul like the one that would forever mar her father’s spirit.