Dmitry had set candles around their large bathroom to give the area a little ambience. He left her there soaking while he went downstairs to meet with a few of his men, who had stressed on the phone with him the importance of an emergency meeting. As usual, he had apologized for the interruption and promised not to be too long. However, Royal was certain that he might be gone the rest of the night.
She finally got out and wrapped herself in the large terry cloth bathrobe. As she opened the door the bathroom, a peculiar feeling over took Royal. The room became blurry. She leaned against the post of the bed and looked over at the oversized fireplace that Dmitry had lit directly across from their bed. The wood crackled on the fire in the dark room. Silence was all around her. She felt as though she would faint. The heat from bathtub, the many glasses of wine and the heat from the fireplace were trying to overtake her.
Shaking, she lay down in the bed and turned on the plasma flat screen mounted above the fireplace. She crawled to the middle of the king-sized bed and rubbed her hands over face. She had to cool off. Maybe, she was just overheated. Pulling the bulky robe off, she laydown naked, feeling the room spin around her. Her eyes closed.
∞♥∞
Downstairs on the other side of the mansion, seven men sat in Dmitry’s private study, near his fireplace in leather seats and drinking out of crystal goblets. They talked over each other, nearly arguing in Russian, back in forth with one another, while Dmitry stood looking out the window and listening. When he had heard enough, he turned around and spoke quietly, calming the men with his voice and his temperate demeanor.
“This issue is no longer up for discussion,” Dmitry said quietly.
“The men sent from New York have done their part. It’s time to send them back.”
“I’m not convinced,” Dmitry argued.
“Our men can do the job better,” one man argued back. “Unfortunately, they don’t even know the routes. These other men have more control over our business thanwe do. That is absurd.”
“Your men?” Dmitry sighed. “I’m not convinced that all of your men are loyal. I know that these ten are. You need to leave here and go and check your men, clean your houses. Someone else is communicating with the police. Until I know who is, I’m going to see that these ten continue to do as they’re told.”
“Our men have always been loyal,” Vladimir, and older man of the counsel said.
“True Vladimir. Your man have. Until I am sure that all men in this camp are as loyal as the ten that are out there right now – none of your men will be allowed to know anymore about the route. It’s security for everyone. You should be thankful. It’s not like you don’t still get your cut.”
The men were quiet. Again, another person was talking to police. This had never happened in all the years that they had been in Memphis. Now, at least two incidents had happened in less than six months. They all looked around at each other suspiciously.
“There is another thing to discuss,” Vladimir continued.
Dmitry raised his eyebrow.
“We have the opportunity to move into larger invest-ments with local bank in the area. It is failing and needsnew investors. They have approached us with offer. However...”
“The key word is failing, Vladimir. We don’t want to put money into a slow sinking ship.”
“We can turn the bank around and take larger control of the business in order to launder our money better.”
Dmitry was silent for a minute.
“And they came to us with offer?” Dmitry asked cu-riously.
“With offer we cannot afford to ignore, Dmitry.”
“Ignore it,” Dmitry ordered. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. My sources have told me that the FBI is investigating four banks here. They probably pushed one of them to make offer to us in exchange for break for leniency.”
“Well, we’ve discussed the need for new revenue streams. I am just trying to find new ways.”
“And we will have our people meet with the accoun-tants to do just that, but they will not be revenue streams with holes.”
“I mean no disrespect, Dmitry,” another man said. “But you seem scared these days to take any risk that could bring the men money. Has that woman cloudedyour focus?”
The room became quiet. Dmitry looked at the man and then at Anatoly. The veins in his neck started to show. He scowled like a vicious dog. Even the tailored oxford and sweater vest, the perfect hair cut and clean shaven face could not conceal his savage instinct.
“There has only been one man in ten years who has gone to jail under my watch. How many families can say that? How many times have I protected your ass? I can’t even count anymore. You all are allowed to marry and have children. You live in lavish homes and drive luxury cars no different than my own and yet you feel as though you can question me?”
“Not all of us,” Vladimir said, pouring himself another glass of scotch.
“My focus has never been clouded, but my patience is starting to wear thin. If you get too damned comfortable talking to me, brother, I may be forced to cut out your tongue.”
The men silenced. Sensing that Dmitry was near one of his maniac-like episodes, they rested their collective case. It was settled. The men Dmitry called on to make the serge through Tennessee to secure their guns route would remain until further notice. Everyone except Ivan. The man that Dmitry wanted gone the most would be there indefinitely.
Ivan stood up with smirk and excused himself from the group. Anatoly was standing at the door, as he tried to pass.
“I need to use your restroom,” he said, reaching for the knob.
Anatoly looked over at Dmitry, who nodded to let him pass.
“It’s down the hall to the right,” Anatoly said, opening the door but still watching him carefully.
“Youknow, I’d like to have a little butt boy like you to do whatever I say one day,” Ivan said sarcastically. “How much do your services cost? Maybe I can write you check to come work for me? Take for instance now; I need someone to hold my big cock up for me in the restroom. You think you could manage that? It’s quite heavy.”
“Down the hall, to the right,” Anatoly repeated before he closed the door in Ivan’s face.
Ivan smirked and looked down the grand hallway illuminated by glass lanterns. He walked down the herringbone limestone floor, hearing his feet echo, looking at the painted wood molding over sage-colored columns and the Russian paintings.
A house fit for a king, he thought to himself as he went inside the restroom. He closed the door and waited there for a minute. Checking his nose hair in the mirror, he turned on the faucet and let the water run. Then,he peeked out of the bathroom to make sure that no one had followed him. Slyly, he stepped out of the bathroom and closed the door, making sure to leave the water running.
Quickly, Ivan headed up the back stairwell to the second floor of the house, memorizing the layout of the home. He checked each door, all left unlocked. Looking in, making note of each room, he made his way down the long hallway to the master bedroom.
When he arrived at it, he looked back. There was a giddy thump of his dark heart. His long hand grasped the crystal doorknob and turned it slowly. He just wanted to see where they slept, where his relentless brother rested. Even lions had a den.
The door opened without a sound,and the light from the hallway glittered in over Royal’s naked body. He looked on hungry. She was asleep, thus vulnerable. A devilish smile crossed his lips. He opened the door a little more. She was so long, so shapely. His heart began to race. If he only had the time, he would do it now. Do her. But the clock was ticking.
Crossing the threshold, he walked up closer to her. He had to get a better look. Her body slumbered with her back towards the door, still glistening with water. Her long hair fanned the pillow. The brown tips of her swelled breasts sat up invitingly.
He walked up to the bed, hidden in the shadows of the room and stood over her, thinking of what he would do to her soon.
For a moment, he was tempted to run his finger down the curve of her body, but he decided against it. If she woke up and screamed, he would have to snap her neck. That would ruin all of his plans. He finally looked over at the clock and crept back out, making sure to close the door behind him.
When Ivan made it near middle way of the hallway, hesaw Anatoly approaching. He stopped in his tracks and spread his arms wide.
“This is very, very nice house my brother has, eh?”
Anatoly looked down the hallway at Royal’s closed door.
“What the fuck are you doing up here?” Anatoly asked, reaching for his gun.
“Relax. I just wanted to see his property. You know, he’s never invited me over. Me. His own brother. It’s no harm in looking right?” He walked towards Anatoly with a cocky swagger, a smug grin on his face. “Looking at all that he has acquired has made me realize that I must strive for more.”
“Strive for getting your ass downstairs with the others,” Anatoly said, motioning at the back stairwell.
As Ivan headed back to the men, Anatoly went to the master bedroom door and opened it. He saw Royal lying there – still breathing most importantly. Quickly, he closed the door and shook his head in disgust. Ivan had seen her. He was sure of it.
Chapter 14
Dawn emerged from the horizon, casting a small trans-lucent glow into Dmitry’s bedroom. Unable to sleep, he laid in the bed looking at the fireplace and listening to the crackling of the embers thinking of all that was required of him this day.
Royal lay curled under him, wrapped in his embrace, asleep and protected. He raised her chin to see her glowing face. She barely moved but smiled as she dreamed. He rubbed her chin softly and kissed her forehead. Finally, carefully, he pulled his large body away from her satin-like naked skin. It was becoming harder and harder to do.
Every morning, when he woke, she was there faithfully with him. Where he used to jump up and seize every day, now, he only longed to be with her – his perfect Royal Flush.
Tucking the silk silver sheets around Royal’s body, Dmitry stood naked by the side of the bed watching her sleep. Had he the time, he would wake her in his usual fashion, with soft kisses,massaging her long, voluptuous body, urging her to make love to him so that he could start his day. But she looked so comfortable that he decided to leave her there, unbothered until the alarm sounded for her own day to start.
Turning from Royal, he headed to the shower. As he turned, Royal’s eyes opened,and she watched him quietly walk towards the bathroom door. His long, muscular body always fascinated her. She wanted to reach out to him and call him back, but she held her silence.
Instead she took a long deep breath of his pillow that smelled of his cologne and turned back into the softness of the bed to rest.
Royal must have dosed off for quite awhile, because when she awoke again the alarm was sounding. She reached over to the night stand and hit the blaring machine. She laid her head back down on the pillow and watched Dmitry walk towards the bed, fully dressed. He smiled at her, and she sat up a little, covering her body with the sheet.
“Good morning,” she said, waving as she clutched the sheets.
“You slept well, dah?” Dmitry asked, standing at the foot of the bed, smiling back at her.
“Yep,” Royal said, stretching her long body. She yawned. “You’re off mighty early.”
“There is a lot to do.” Dmitry pulled the comforter from the bed and grabbed a hold of the sheet. Pulling it down to him slowly, he watched Royal’s body revealed. He swallowed hard as he looked at her.
She lay with her elbows planted firmly into the mattress, her long legs crossed at the ankles and breasts exposed. Dmitry was silent, only talking to her through the sensual look in his eyes. He pulled the cover to the ground and reached out for her ankles. Pulling her body to him, he heard her giggle. He opened her legs and lay in between them, kissing a trail from her ear down to her neck.
“I should brush my teeth,” she said, trying to cover her mouth.
“You taste wonderful,” he said, pulling her hands away. He could feel her body coming alive with every kiss. She moaned a little, causing a stir in his pants. He kissed her shoulder softly then shifted his focus to her pouty mouth. Sucking at her bottom lip first, he then passionately covered her mouth. She kissed him back, lost in his embrace. Her long hands ran down his chest to his belt and unbuckled his pants. Eagerly, she pulled his pants down grabbing his exposed buttocks. His pants hit the ground, pooled around his ankles. Kicking them off, he crawled fully in the bed over her body and took off his jacket. Now, only in his white button down, he kissed her ankles and her feet as he stood on his knees in front of her.
“I love you,” she said sincerely, smiling and looking into his eyes.
“Do you?” he asked.
“I do,” she said,shaking her head. “So much.”
“I love you, too,” he said, running his hand up her long leg. “Lift your thighs,” he said, focusing on her body.
He pulled her to his growing erection and entered her softly. Her body arched as he did. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. Biting her bottom lip, she reached out for him. He moved her hair from her face and kissed her lips again.
“I’m going to be late,” he growled, laughing and rolling over in the bed with his hands on her hips.
“Well, you should stop now, before you’re late.” Royal grabbed his face in her hands as she sat up on his thighs. Her long dark hair wrapped around her like a blanket.
“Not going to happen,” Dmitry whispered as he watch-ed her move on top of him. He held her by her wide shapely hips and closed his eyes.
“Open your eyes,” Royal demanded. “I love to see your eyes.” She adored the ice blue crystals that peered up at her with so much power and resilience. His look was the one thing that continued to devour her long after his touch.
Dmitry opened his eyes and looked at her sensually, his eyes rolling a little. “If I look at you, I may not be as late I as I could be.”
Royal laughed. “Open them still.”
“Alright,” Dmitry sighed. He pushed into her body, holding tightly to her hips and pushing her down against him. Her hands sat atop his chest, her long legs planted beside him. He looked at her in sheer amazement. This creature making love to him was in part his own making.
“One day.” He rolled her over and lifted her leg over his shoulder. “One day, I’m going to give you my son.” He kissed her lips.
“Anatoly?” she asked, confused.
“No,” Dmitry laughed. “I’ll give you my second son. Here.” He touched her stomach. “What do you think of that?”
“One day, I think that I’d like that,” she whispered.
“I’d like that too,” he said, kissing her wide inviting mouth again. “But for now, I’ll settle for giving you orgasm.”
∞♥∞
Dmitry crossed the threshold of his home and closed the large wooden front doors behind him fully dressed in a tweed Burberry jacket, a crisp white Michael Bastian button down, Louis Vuitton jeans and a pair of vintage loafers.
He looked out across his manicured lawn at the foggy, dark overcast. No sun would greet him to do his business today. There was no need for his shades or flip-flops. The weather was changing dramatically covering the city with cold winds, dreary skies and the closest resemblance of climate that he had to Moscow.
Mexican lawn workers dressed in old tattered jeans and red cotton jackets edged Dmitry’s massive lawn and cleaned up fallen leaves on his property while one of his men sat on the long porch rubbing the guard dog and watching them carefully. He looked over and nodded at the man, who immediately stood up.
Dmitry never came out the front door. He normally went to the garage through the hallway leading from the kitchen. But today he was surveying -checking out what his staff was doing and how they were doing it. The maid had already cleaned up the food from the night before and had started coffee and breakfast for him when he a
rrived downstairs to grab his newspaper and check his emails earlier that morning. The grounds crew was doing their job. His man was up and guarding the front of premises. Overall, he was pleased.
“Relax,” Dmitry said, smiling at his guard. “I’m just going to my car.”
“Yes, sir,” the large, graying Russian said, pulling at the dog’s chain to walk Dmitry around to the car.
“No need,” Dmitry said, opening his jacket just enough for the man to see his gun. “I remember time when I had no bodyguards, just balls and gun.” He motioned for the man to sit back down.
Walking along the manicured walkway, Dmitry made his way across the front of the house, to the garage. As the doors rose, he quickly jumped in his Mazarati and pulled out of his driveway.
∞♥∞
Royal watched from the bedroom window as Dmitry pulled out of the gate. She was still naked, wrapped in the sheets that Dmitry had torn from the bed. Her mind was now drifting the to night before, when she had come down the back stairwell in the middle of the night and heard Dmitry speaking in Russian – screaming at Anatoly, screaming at the men that guarded their home with a gun in his hand.
They all stood stiff as board, evidently afraid of the man that she adored. She couldn’t make out what he was saying to them, but she could hear that it was not good. She sat near the base of the stairwell as quiet as she possibly could, wrapped in their bed sheet listening – making out some words and completed missing others. The one word that she could understand was IVAN! Once she was sure that no one had seen her, she quickly made her way back up stairs, leaving him to his tirade.
Dmitry's Closet Page 15