by Lylah James
This time, I moaned out his name. Lyov chuckled, knowing very well how to play with my mind and body without really touching me.
He leaned down and captured my lips with his in a hard, bruising kiss. I melted into the kiss and returned it with a greediness of my own. The whole world melted away, and I never wanted to escape from this bubble.
When we pulled apart, Lyov gave me that beautiful smile of his, the one that was just reserved for me and our son. And soon, our daughter.
That smile, it had the power to take my breath away. He was so handsome. In a dark, deadly, and beautiful way.
“Alessio must be waiting for us. It’s his big day,” I finally said. Lyov nodded, and his chest puffed, a very proud father. Our baby boy was no longer a baby. God, I never wanted him to grow up. I wanted him to stay just like this, little and pure.
This world would taint him.
Just like it tainted all of us.
I put Lyov’s black tie around his neck and tied it, like every morning. He then shrugged on his suit jacket, and we walked out of the room, hand in hand.
Alessio’s bedroom was down the hall, and we walked in to find him still faking his sleep. His eyes were squeezed tight, and he was hiding a smile. Lyov and I shared a look before we made our way to his bed. I leaned over and placed a kiss on his forehead.
His cute smile widened.
Lyov was on the other side. He winked at me before leaning over and tickling our little boy.
“Happy birthday,” we both said at the same time.
Alessio howled with laughter as his father continued to tickle him.
My heart soared, and tears stung my eyes. My daughter kicked and rolled around in my stomach, sharing our happiness.
I never wanted this moment to end.
I never wanted to wake up from this dream.
This was us. It was so imperfectly beautiful that, in its own way, it was perfect.
I watched Lyov pull Alessio on his lap, and I listened to father and son talk.
In this moment, I fell a thousand times more in love with my husband than I was this morning. And every time, that love continued to blossom more.
His head lifted up, and our eyes met. A thousand unsaid words went through between us.
Thank you, Master. For saving me that night. For capturing me into your trap and giving me the wings of an Angel.
***
My fingers caressed Alessio’s forehead, and I watched as my touch lulled him to sleep. He cuddled closer into my chest and sighed dreamily. My baby. My sweet boy.
I smiled, remembering our conversation just hours ago. He had asked why Lyov called me Angel. My sweet boy had been confused.
Lyov’s kiss left me breathless, and I leaned into him. For the briefest moment, I forgot that our son was there and watching. Lyov pulled away and pressed his forehead against mine.
“I missed you, Angel,” he whispered. He was only gone for a few hours. We had lunch together, and then he had quickly fucked me against the wall of his office before he left.
My smile widened, and I went to say I missed him too when Alessio interrupted us.
“Papa, why do you call Mommy ‘Angel’?”
We both stared at Alessio. My husband laughed, and I could feel my cheeks heating with a blush.
Lyov crouched down, and I listened as he asked Alessio what he thought the meaning of Angel was. I saw his small forehead crease in confusion, and then he replied something about angels being God’s messenger. Helpers. Saviors.
Lyov nodded and then gave his own little explanation. Our own meaning of the word Angel. Lyov’s reason to why I was his Angel. Now and always.
“Correct. But an angel is also someone who is sweet, kind, caring, and calm. The most beautiful woman on the planet. Someone who is amazing in every way. An Angel is the girl who makes your heart beat faster when she walks into the room. The girl you need wherever you go. The girl who makes you want to be better. An angel is someone who is your rock. The person you love with your entire heart. The person you can’t see yourself living without.”
There we went again. That pitter-patter dance of my heart.
When Lyov looked up, meeting my blue eyes with his grey ones, something stirred deep inside me at the look of love and protectiveness in his gaze.
I love you, I mouthed. And then I pulled our son toward me and into my arms.
“And one day, you will find your angel,” I whispered.
Alessio still looked confused. He was too young to understand the meaning, the power of that word. I listened to him argue with the fact that he believed I was his Angel.
Oh, little do you know, my sweet boy.
I shook my head. “Your Angel is waiting for you somewhere. And when you do find her, don’t ever let her go.”
Lyov’s hands gripped mine, and our fingers entwined. “Because if you lose her, then you will forever be incomplete,” he added.
I watched as Alessio thought about our words for a second before he pulled away with a nod. Lyov pulled me off the couch and sat up before making me sit on his lap. He nuzzled my neck, and I giggled as his rough stubble tickled my skin. I rested my head on his shoulders, and he held me to him.
He listened to me intently as I talk about my day and how the little mischievous trio – Maddie, Alessio, and Viktor, would give Lena and I trouble all day long. Viktor, Isaak’s son, was only a few weeks older than Alessio. He had been with us since he was only two months old, after his mother left him behind. After four miscarriages, Lena finally had Maddie. That day was one of the happiest days at the estate. The three had been inseparable.
Today, we had found Viktor hanging upside down from a tree, thinking he was Tarzan, before he fell on his head. These three were always finding something new to worry us about.
I couldn’t ask for anything else, though. I had everything I wanted, right here. This was happiness. Being Lyov’s wife and the mother of his babies.
Lyov’s phone rang and pulled us from our bubble. He picked it up and listened to the person speaking from the other side. I guessed it must have been Boris or Isaak. That angry, murderous look on his face told me it was very bad. He hung up and growled in frustration. I rubbed his chest, knowing that my touch could always soothe him.
Over the years, Lyov’s Empire had grown. He was ten times more powerful than he was seven years ago. He owned more than half of New York, and his businesses continued to expand into other territories, countries. Hotels. Restaurants. The biggest enterprises—they were all somehow connected to the Ivanshov name.
An Empire of his own that was impossible to bring down.
And in the underworld? Lyov Ivanshov was the King. A name to fear. A name that had people bow in respect.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, when he stayed silent.
Lyov took a deep breath before meeting my eyes. “I have to take care of some stuff.”
I nodded, understanding what he meant. I got off his lap, and he stood up too. Pulling me into his arms, he held me tight into his body. His breath feathered over my lips before he took them into a long hard kiss. He kissed me with so much passion, so much love—and it was everything I needed in that moment.
When he pulled away, his intense grey eyes, the hardened look on his face, made me shiver. This man…he was the Master. No longer my sweet lover.
“It’s only for a day. It will be quick. Fuck. I might even be back by morning. I promise, I won’t be gone for too long. Go to sleep, and when you wake up, I will be there—by your side,” he said.
I nodded again, silently. I watched as he crouched down and talked to Alessio. My heart felt heavy, and I almost begged him not to leave us tonight.
When Lyov stood up again, he held my hand in his. I looked down at our laced fingers, and he squeezed my hand. He pulled me into him again before giving one last deep kiss. I melted into his embrace, but he pulled away too quickly for my liking. “Love you, Angel.”
“I love you too, Lyov,” I whispered back.
My chin wobbled, and I tried so hard not to cry. Our daughter kicked in my stomach, as if sensing my sadness.
Lyov started to walk away, but I gripped his hand tighter, refusing to let go.
Until I had to.
I held on as much as I could, until the distance grew between us and our fingertips were only touching.
After the briefest second, and a look that said so much between us, we let go.
And then he was gone.
Lyov’s words echoed through my ears. Because if you lose her, then you will forever be incomplete. I still remembered the fierce look he gave me when he uttered those words. I wished he didn’t have to leave tonight.
With a heavy heart, I had let him go. And tonight was one of those few nights where I had to sleep alone without my husband. If only he was here right now. I missed him. I missed his touch. His smiles. His laugh. His sweet kisses. His heated eyes that were just for me. As much as I loved it when my husband fucked me, I also loved it when he made sweet love to me.
I closed my eyes and dreamed of being in Lyov’s warm embrace.
Until there was nothing safe and warm.
My beautiful cocoon shattered when a loud bang jostled me awake and I sat up with a start.
Gunshots.
There were screams.
It reminded me of that night.
The night I was taken away…the night I watched the abbey burn in front of my eyes.
There were more sounds of guns going off. More screams. Some enraged. Some painful. I could almost vividly see the bloodbath happening from behind my closed doors.
With each loud bang, each scream—a chip of my heart fell away, and I was left bleeding from the inside.
History had a cruel way of repeating itself.
Chapter 22
Lena
I walked out of the bathroom, freshly showered, and found Boris on the bed, newspaper on his lap. He looked up and stared at me with his dark, gorgeous eyes. He was shirtless, and even after so many years, I found myself transfixed. God, he was sexy and mouth-watering.
He winked, and my heart melted. My panties too. Just like always. That was the effect my husband had on me. I joined him in bed. He pushed his newspaper away and rolled over until I was trapped underneath him. I sunk into the mattress, loving the feel of his weight against me.
“I missed you,” he said. I hummed in response. We were only apart for six hours, but he was right. I missed him, too. Boris smiled and brought his head down. His lips brushed gently against mine, and I whimpered. He slowly moved his tongue on my mouth. I gasped, and he slid his tongue inside, softly brushing against mine. My husband kissed me slowly, lacking the urgency he had a few hours ago.
Our tongues mated together, and I moaned. I felt him suck on my tongue, and I leaned more into him. My panties were soaked already, and I just needed him…to touch me more. My body moved underneath him, and he chuckled. “So impatient.”
Boris nipped my lips in warning, and his chest vibrated with a low, teasing growl.
“Boris,” I sighed into his mouth.
His kisses were a fire that burned me from inside out, and I never wanted him to stop. I felt him in every pore of me. I breathed him in, feeling the effect of him. His presence calmed me. Always. Whenever I was restless, my soul searched for him. And when I would find Boris, every anxious feeling would disappear into a soothing, calm wave. He settled me, and I found a way to balance him. He used to be an angry man at the world. Boris hated everyone…everything. He was a mad man. And then I held him, and it was magic.
We found our little fairy tale.
“I love it when you look at me like this,” he said tenderly before kissing me again.
“Like what?”
“Like you love me. Like I am the only one.”
Palming his cheek, I caressed him over his beard. “You are, Boris. You are everything. And I want you to always remember that.”
He smiled that small smile he only gave me and Maddie. “I can’t forget when you remind me about…a hundred times a day. Give or take. Whether it’s that morning kiss when you wake me up. Or that special kiss in the shower that my dick loves so much. I love it even more when you stare up at me with those teasing eyes and you whisper I love you before taking me into your mouth.”
We had been married for seven years. Been a couple for more than ten years, yet he knew exactly how to make me blush. His words ignited a fire within me that nobody else could. There were so many women he could have, he chose me. There were so many men I could have, but I chose him.
We chose each other.
“I think I am emotional,” I whispered.
“When are you not emotional is the question, baby.”
I slapped his chest, and he laughed. “Since you had Maddie, you are a walking emotion, Lena. Not that I am complaining. Not really.”
I sent him a mock glare. “Who wanted to knock me up in the first place? Who made it his mission to fill me with cum every hour of the day? Who had a pillow under my ass and my legs up because he needed his cum to take root?”
My fingers trailed up his chest, and I pinched his nipple. Boris hissed. “I am sure it wasn’t the bell boy or the pool boy,” I mocked.
His black eyes narrowed, and his lips lifted up in a small snarl. There he was. My overly possessive husband. His grip tightened around my hips, and he pushed his body into mine, forcing my legs apart as he settled heavily between my thighs.
“Me,” he growled. “It was me. I fucked you. It was my cock in your sore pussy. I filled you up and I gave you our baby. Not some stupid ass bell boy or pool boy who doesn’t know how to use his dick.”
He glared, and this time it was me laughing. I bit on my lips and coughed, trying to hide my laughter. Boris finally lost his glare, and his lips tilted up in a smile. Leaning down, his lips feathered over mine. “Thank you. For giving me our daughter,” he murmured into my lips.
A heaviness settled on my chest at his words. For years, there had always been something missing. A part of our soul. I had tried not to let it consume me. Boris tried to make me happy and told me he didn’t need a baby. But I saw every time he looked at Alessio or Viktor. And his silent tears were the loudest every time we lost a baby. I heard them at the bottom of my core even when they were just filled with silence. “Thank you. For not giving up on me. For still believing in us.” I could hear how heavy my voice was at the end.
Maddie was our fifth baby.
We lost four babies before her. After the fourth time, I bled…I gave up. I cried. I raged. And I said no more.
It wasn’t until years later that Boris and I finally decided to try again. We were scared. My heart ached when I found out I was pregnant. I was scared to be happy. But then months went by and I didn’t bleed. I had felt my baby kick. It was as if I could breathe again, and for the first time since I had found out I was carrying Maddie, I had a smile. Maria was happy. We were all happy. It was almost an aphrodisiac feeling.
“I will never give up on you, Lena. I will also never let you go,” he said before his kiss turned urgent and needy.
I smiled into his kiss. “You are sweet.”
“Oh, I’ll show you sweet.”
I moaned at the promise because I knew there was nothing sweet about what he was going to do to me.
Our clothes disappeared until our naked bodies were pressed together, feeling each other’s warmth. His hand went between us, and my back arched as he played with my wet core. He pushed a finger inside and then two, humming as he did so. My swollen folds coiled tighter around his fingers, and he knew exactly where to touch me, where my sweet sensitive spots were. His lips found my sensitive nipples, and he teased me, his teeth grazing and biting.
His thumb found my clit, and he pressed and then circled in just the right way to drive me wild. My legs shook, and I panted heavily. My stomach clenched, and my insides convulsed with a small orgasm.
Boris brought his fingers to my lips, and he waited, his eyes dark and needy
, holding me in this moment. I sucked my juices off his fingers, and I felt his length jerk between my spread thighs. He pressed harder into me, and I whimpered when he pushed past my entrance.
“I belong right here, baby,” he whispered in my ear as he buried himself deep inside.
My hands left the bedsheet, and I clawed at his back as he thrust into me. “You feel so goddamn good.” His groans filled my ears, and my moans filled the room. His thrusts quickened, and I surrendered to this…to him.
I tilted my hips up, demanding more. Boris hissed in pleasure before pulling out. I whimpered at the loss, but he quickly turned me over and pulled my ass up. As much as he loved looking into my eyes while making love me, he also loved to have me on my knees and my ass up for him.
With one hard thrust, he was inside of me again. Boris slid in easily, and I could hear my wetness. His cock felt so big…so deep as he sheathed himself to the hilt. My breathing was shallow, and I knew I made him just as breathless. His hips jerked against mine, and he pumped harder inside me. With each stroke, I pushed against him, making me groan and driving him crazy. My body started to tingle, and I felt myself coming again. My fingers clawed at the bedding, and I cried out with each hard thrust.
Boris reached between my thighs, and his thumb found my sensitive clit again. He tugged at my little hard nub and rammed inside of me at the same time. My scream filled the room, and I felt myself gushing, milking him.
His thrusts grew urgent, and soon enough, he joined me. His essence filled me, and my eyes closed.
Through a hazy fog, I felt his lips whisper on the back of my shoulders. He placed four sweet kisses there. And I smiled.
Four kisses. I knew exactly where his lips had touched. Four black sparrows were tattooed on my shoulder, deep ingrained in me. My babies would always be here with me.
Four beautiful sparrows. I never wanted to add another one. I couldn’t handle another loss.