by Bella Rose
Vladimir reached out and slapped Georgy across the face. “Speak English, dammit!”
Lily couldn’t decide who was more stunned by the slap, Vasily or Georgy. But it was Vasily who responded. He grabbed Vladimir’s forearm and began to squeeze. Vladimir tried to twist away, but the other man’s grip was too strong.
“Let go!” Vladimir shouted. Instead of pulling away, he lunged forward. The momentum caught Vasily off guard and the two men went down in a flailing mass of arms and legs.
Vladimir started punching before they’d even hit the ground. Just when Lily was afraid that Vladimir was getting the upper hand, Vasily landed one punch to the middle of Vladimir’s face. Lily saw Vladimir go limp. His body flopped about as though he were trying to rise, but his limbs apparently refused to cooperate. Lily’s relief was extreme.
“Get the door,” Vasily grunted at Georgy.
The door? Were they bringing him into the house? Lily didn’t want anything to do with Vladimir. He looked half out of his mind. Plus, he was screaming her name in a voice that sounded like a rabid animal.
“Lily!”
Vasily was half-dragging, half-carrying Vladimir. The two Pasternak enforcers dragged Vladimir down to the curb where he had left his car.
“You can’t do this!” Vladimir told them. He spoke as though his tongue was too big for his mouth. His words were slurred. “I’m your boss now.”
“No.” Vasily stuffed Vladimir into his sports car, nearly slamming his head into the doorframe on the way in. “You’re not our boss. That’s why the council wants to see you, Vladimir. You’ve been cast out.”
“What?” Vladimir shouted. Lily squeaked as he reached for his gun. “They can’t do that!”
Lily flung open the front door. “He’s going to shoot!” she shouted to Vasily and Georgy. She could not allow these good men to be hurt after they had just done so much to keep her safe.
Vladimir got one shot off before the warning she called out to the enforcers sank in. They started shouting in Russian. This didn’t end the same way as Vladimir’s altercation with the tow-truck driver. There was no cowering. The big enforcers pulled their own weapons out and returned fire without batting an eyelash.
Vladimir started the car and it roared to life. He left the angry enforcers behind in a spray of gravel and a haze of exhaust fumes. Lily watched him go, knowing that this would not be the last they saw of this truly disturbed individual.
Chapter Eleven
“Lily!” Nicolai shoved his way through the front door into the house. “Lily, where are you?”
“I’m in here, Nicolai. I’m fine. I promise.” She emerged from the direction of the kitchen.
He swept her into his embrace, feeling her warm curves against him and experiencing the most profound sense of relief. “My God, when Vasily called to tell me what had happened I thought I might go crazy! He said they checked on you and you claimed you were fine. Did Vladimir get inside? Did he touch you?”
“No.” She touched his face. “I’m fine. Truly. Your men took the brunt of it. Did either of them get shot?”
“Georgy got winged just a little. It’s only a scratch. Not even worth a call to the doctor.” Nicolai gently touched her hair, threading his fingers through the beautiful strands. “I should have never left.”
“No.” She nuzzled his chest. “You had to go. I understand. I was safe here.”
He gently brushed his fingers over the column of her throat. The skin was incredibly soft. Sliding his fingers up over the back of her neck, he buried them in her hair. He cradled her head in his hand and lowered his mouth to hers.
The touch was like putting flame to dry kindling. Nicolai’s control went up in smoke. He deepened the contact, letting his tongue slide alongside hers and making love to her mouth as he intended to do to her pussy.
She made tiny noises of desire in the back of her throat. The sounds encouraged him, letting him know that she was enjoying this. He folded her closer to his body and let his hands slide down to cup her backside. Pulling her flush against him, he felt the hard ridge of his erection nestle perfectly in the V of her thighs. He needed her so badly, but he wanted this to be right.
He pulled back from her lips. “Lily, I want to make love to you. May I?”
“Please do” She was already pulling his head back down for another kiss.
Her mouth was hungry. She devoured his lips and explored him with her lips and tongue. Their teeth clicked together as she eagerly took the lead. He let her steer for just a moment, enjoying her boldness. Then he could no longer stand the wait.
Putting one arm beneath her knees, he plucked her off the ground. It was a short walk to his bedroom. He put her in the middle of his bed. Her hair was tousled and her cheeks were rosy with passion. She looked edible.
“Strip for me, Lily. Please?”
She didn’t hesitate. She toed off her shoes and socks, letting them hit the floor with a muffled thump. Then she unfastened her jeans. He had to help skin the denim from her shapely legs. Each inch revealed warm, golden flesh. She had grown curvy in the last few weeks and he loved the healthful glow of her.
Finally she pulled her sweater up and off over her head. She wasn’t wearing a bra. Nicolai swallowed back a curse and emitted a groan of appreciation instead. Her breasts were perfection. A pink nipple tipped each one. Her areolae were puckered, and as he watched, her nipples drew up into hard little points.
“I must taste those,” he muttered.
She only laughed. “They would enjoy the attention, but I want to see you naked first.”
He shrugged. Getting naked was certainly at the top of his priority list anyway. He stepped out of his boots and hopped a little to get out of his jeans. He left his snug boxer briefs on for the moment. And when he pulled off his T-shirt he heard Lily give a little sigh.
“You’re beautiful,” she whispered.
His ego received a boost it probably didn’t need and he climbed up onto the bed beside her. Unable to wait one second longer, he dipped his head and took one of her breasts into his mouth.
The taste of her was sweet. He sucked and licked at her nipple until she was clutching his hair and screaming her approval. Pulling as much of her into his mouth as he dared, he pressed the nipple to his palette and sucked some more. Then he moved to the other breast and repeated the process.
She was squirming on the bed. The restless movement of her legs told him that she was needy between her legs. He wanted to know how wet she was. Unable to resist, he delved between her thighs with one hand and found her slit. Carefully sliding one finger between her nether lips, he was rewarded with a full dose of sweet cream.
Her moan echoed off his bedroom walls. “Yes! Touch me, Nicolai. I want to come.”
He could never have denied such an erotic plea. Circling her clit with his fingertip, he continued to suck her nipple. The swollen bud throbbed against his tongue and he carefully set his teeth to the tender flesh.
Lily nearly came up off the bed. He felt her pussy tighten, and then she climaxed in a rush of creamy fluids that soaked his hand. Her hips bucked and she moaned and whimpered as though she were desperately seeking something more.
***
Lily needed penetration. She barely understood what that meant, but she knew it was true. She grabbed on to Nicolai’s arms. Her nails dug into the skin of his shoulders. “Please. I’m so empty inside, Nicolai. I need you.”
“You’re a virgin, Lily. There’s bound to be a little pain. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I know all of that.” She lifted her head and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I know all that. I want you still. Please?”
He covered her body with his, nestling between her spread legs until she could feel a tickling sensation from the coarse hair at the base of his cock against her mound. He loomed above her, but there was no fear. His expression was tender. Bracing his arms on either side of her body to carry his weight, he lowered his mouth to hers and gave her a dee
p kiss. The tip of his cock probed her soaking-wet entrance. And when he slid inside, the movement of his tongue against hers mimicked the feel of his cock entering her body.
The exquisite pleasure nearly overwhelmed her. Then there was a brief feeling of incredible pressure. Pain whipped through her, but it was fast and soon lost in the warm sea of desire. She wrapped her arms around Nicolai and tangled her fingers in his hair. The silky strands were like a caress. Lifting one leg, she encouraged him to penetrate more deeply. It felt so good each time he sank inside of her.
The wet sounds of their lovemaking filled the room. He moved with slow, languid strokes as though he were in no hurry. There was power in him, but it was contained. She felt a rush of emotion and wonder at the self-control he was exerting. The hard, hot length of him was throbbing inside of her. Then he moved his hands to her thighs and picked up her legs. He angled his body to drive deeper.
Lily cried out with the shocking sensation of his cock rubbing against that one spot that drove her wild. She arched her back into the contact and increased the friction. She lost control. Her screams of pleasure filled the room, drowning out the sound of his body slapping against hers.
Her climax began to build. She felt the liquid sensation settle in her legs and creep up her spine. The anticipation made her lightheaded. Every muscle in her body tensed and she dug her nails deep into the muscle of his arms. Squeezing her eyes shut, she finally had the courage to just let go.
It was as if she were floating. Her inner muscles seemed to melt around Nicolai’s cock. It was then that he kissed her once again. The contact of his tongue seemed to push her higher. In that moment, she felt completely connected to him. It was beautiful, and when he began to thrust harder she realized that he was nearing his peak as well. The thought brought her incredible excitement. She longed to be marked as his, to belong to Nicolai completely.
Finally, he thrust hard and held her so close that there was no space between them. He seemed to convulse and she felt the warm, wet sensation of his seed spilling into her body. Lily held tight and reveled in the knowledge that she belonged to Nicolai. Not because she was property, but because she chose to be his.
She didn’t know how long they lay on his bed like that. Their legs were tangled together and he had sort of rolled off to the side in order to avoid crushing her. Yet they were still joined. His softening cock began to slide from her body and she mourned the loss while realizing with joy that they could do this over and over again if they chose.
“What are you thinking?” he whispered, his lips brushing her hair.
There was no reason not to tell him the truth. “I’m wondering when we can do this again.”
“My insatiable little vixen.” His laugh warmed her heart. “As soon as I’m recovered, I think. You wore me out.”
“Really?” She heaved a blissful sigh. “I feel energized. In fact, I feel better than I have in ages.”
“Truly?”
“That was unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced.”
He seemed to think that over. In the near dark she couldn’t see his expression, but she could feel the tension in his muscles. “Last night, did Vladimir…?” He seemed unable to finish the sentence.
“He never touched me,” she assured him. “If that’s what you’re wondering. He came upstairs and then took a shower, I think.” She struggled to remember the terrifying events of the previous night. “He was trying to take over your life. Maybe it was because he felt as though you had everything that he wanted for himself. He tried to just step into your shoes.” She shivered at the thought of just how strange that actually was.
“It’s changed how you view everything he did. Hasn’t it?” Nicolai guessed softly.
“Yes. And I hate that.” She absently stroked his muscled chest. “I’m so afraid of provoking him. Or maybe not. I don’t know. You just can’t predict crazy.”
She knew he didn’t like hearing that she was afraid. He gently touched her face. “You have no need to be afraid of him now. He has no power over you. Soon the council will decide his fate. And you? You are your own woman. No one can make your choices for you.”
“And you are your own man.” She wanted him to understand this. “You’re a good man, Nicolai. You will make the right choice for your family.”
“Even if that means I become a mafia boss?” His wry tone held a note of vulnerability. “Would you still want to be with me if I’m considered a criminal?”
“I don’t care what you are, Nicolai.” She had never meant anything more in her life. “I just want to be with you forever.”
Chapter Twelve
Nicolai arrived at Kalinka to find an ambulance out in front of the building. The red-and-blue lights flashed like brilliant stars against the night sky. That wasn’t what worried him. It was the stark white coroner’s van that really put him on edge. The street was filled with casual observers gawking openly at the action. It wasn’t the sort of publicity that Kalinka needed, especially since everyone in the city already knew it was a hotbed of mafia activity.
“Glad you could get here so quickly, boss,” Anatoly said as he approached.
Nicolai grimaced. “Don’t call me that.”
“They’re bound to vote on it at the meeting tomorrow.” Anatoly rubbed his hands together. “I’m looking forward to it. Once we have our leadership firmly established, it will be time to go after your ass of a brother.”
“What happened?” Nicolai gestured to the scene.
A gurney was wheeled out of the restaurant’s front doors. The body-shaped cargo draped in a white sheet was ominous enough. The hand hanging limply off the side added a gruesome element that made Nicolai’s stomach knot with tension.
“Vladimir was looking for the council.”
Nicolai sucked in a breath. “So he came seeking them at the usual meeting time. Did he say what he wanted?”
“No, but he was hostile from the beginning. Aggressive, even.” Anatoly rubbed his chin. “From what the hostess told me, he almost seemed to be toying with everyone. She called Detective Orr exactly as she had been told to do. Then Orr showed up and all hell broke loose.”
“I was afraid that might happen,” Nicolai muttered. “Vladimir doesn’t like to feel cornered.”
“He didn’t allow himself to get that far. He attacked Orr and took him as a hostage. Somehow in the scuffle, two of the officers got shot and Orr was killed.” Anatoly faced Nicolai. “We have to put your brother down, Nicolai. He’s risking the exposure of us all.”
“Oh I can perfectly well see that,” Nicolai muttered. “I’m just not sure how I’m supposed to put something down when I can’t even find it.”
“I have an idea.”
Nicolai sighed as the EMTs escorted a young police officer from the building. He had been bandaged from shoulder to wrist on his right side. “I’m open to pretty much anything at this point.”
“Your brother is after power. He seems furious that your father dared to choose you over him.” Anatoly shrugged. “He obviously wants to air his concerns before the council.”
“Probably right before he pulls a gun and threatens to murder them if they don’t vote him in.” Nicolai rubbed a hand down his face in irritation. “It’s like dealing with a spoiled child.”
“So let’s stage a council meeting.” Anatoly gestured to Kalinka. “We can do it here. We’ll draw him in and then get rid of him.”
Nicolai put his hands on his hips and flung his head back to stare up at the night sky. “I don’t know if I can murder my own twin brother, Anatoly.”
“This is not murder,” Anatoly said calmly. “This is judgment.”
“Still.” Nicolai felt in his gut that he could not do this thing. “He is my twin.”
“Then I will do it for you. He murdered the man who was like a father to me.”
Nicolai sighed and nodded. “If I cannot, then that would be your right.”
“What of the woman?” Anatoly gazed at the gr
oup of detectives standing with their heads together less than a hundred yards away. “Your brother did not acquire her—how shall we put it—in a legal manner.”
“It is so ironic to use that label in this context.”
“We have rules for a reason, Nicolai.” Anatoly’s tone was iron hard. “Before the council, there was nothing but chaos.” Anatoly jerked his chin toward the ambulances and police cars. “This was an everyday occurrence.”
“I know.” Nicolai didn’t doubt Anatoly’s words. “And I know that I have technically stolen her. I’m prepared to make restitution for her father’s debt.”
“Good.” Anatoly gave a grunt and a hard nod. “This will prove to the council that you are your father’s heir. He would have approved of that decision.”
“You think he would have approved of me marrying a woman whom he had considered placing in one of our brothels?” Nicolai highly doubted that.
“So you intend to marry her?” Anatoly raised his eyebrows. “Why marry her when you can have her anyway?”
“Someday you might understand what happens when a man meets a woman who is worth all of that trouble and so much more.” Nicolai slapped Anatoly on the back. “Until then, you can just think I’m crazy.”
Anatoly snorted. “Your brother is crazy. I know that much. You? I think you are just in love, which is its own sort of insanity.”
“Gentlemen?” A tall man in a black suit with short graying hair approached them. He appeared to be very official. “I’m Captain Grayson.”
“Captain,” Nicolai said pleasantly. “If there’s anything we can do to help, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“You can give up the location of your associate,” Grayson said grimly.
Nicolai raised a brow. “You certainly know how to make an impression. However, Vladimir Pasternak is not an associate. He is my brother, yes. But I do not claim a business or even a personal association to him. He is considered persona non grata by the Pasternak family.”