by S F Draven
“Well, you’ve kept me cooped up in here for quite a long time without any direction. Judging from how long you’ve been gone, you’ve been rather busy, but I just can’t imagine with what,” I said, fishing for the kind of information I knew he wasn’t going to give up without a fight.
“I have big plans for you, Katerina. I just got a bit side-tracked with some urgent business that needed attending to last night, but I promise you that I will explain all that you need to know very soon,” he said, as though he was preparing to rush off to his office.
“Urgent business that involved getting drunk off of your ass? I thought you Russians were supposed to have a high alcohol tolerance,” I said, slyly.
“I would tell you to watch your mouth, but you already know what’s going to happen to you if you piss me off too much,” he said, but there was something in his tone that made me think he quite enjoyed the way I spoke.
“You don’t seem so bothered by it,” I retorted, and he shook his head.
“You have a pretty wild fire inside of you, Katerina Auclair. There’s no denying that. I do have to wonder how you’ve come to be so comfortable in a situation quite like this one.”
“No matter the circumstances, at the very least I’m alive. I’m sure that for most that have pissed you off, that’s quite the accomplishment.”
“That’s the honest truth,” he said, finishing his espresso as he searched my expression for any further discussion. “If you’re so worried about being cooped up in here without any direction, I’m sure that I can find a way to give you the instructions you’re looking for,” he said, and with that very sentence I could feel my entire body begin to heat up.
I didn’t say anything as he put his coffee cup down and lifted my chin so he could press his lips into mine. This was the first time I felt as though there was something much different happening between us than I originally thought. I knew he enjoyed commanding me, I knew he enjoyed watching me surrender to him, but this kiss made me think that there was more to the story than even I realized. I could already tell that the sex was going to feel different this time, and I was ready for any ounce of adventure he was willing to give me.
He cleared the kitchen island that we were at and lifted me up onto it, his hands working their magic and getting me out of my clothes as fast as they could. He tore straight through my blouse with a force I couldn’t quite explain, but the sheer thought of him wanting to get at me so quickly made me wet. Every time we revisited each other like this, I felt as though I was starting to fall for him even if I couldn’t bring myself to admit it. I watched as he glanced around the kitchen for something to tie my hands together with, and he settled on two dishrags, tying them so tight together I swore they were going to burn through my skin.
My tits were bare to the stream of light coming from the chandelier above me, appearing to flicker as Dominik bent me over, grabbing a flat wooden spatula from the drawer and beating me on the ass with it. Every slap sent a fire through me, and I could feel my pussy begin to drip wet onto the cabinets between my legs. I wanted him to ravage me, I wanted him to take me without mercy, and knowing Dominik Volkov, he was going to do just that.
He turned me around, kissing me so ferociously he smudged my makeup, and I knew from the time he entered me, mascara was going to be running down the sides of my face. He gripped me tightly, slapping me around a little bit to remind me that I had no say in the matter. I just wanted to please him, I wanted him to explore every inch of me, as he spread my legs apart himself and ran the wooden spatula over my pussy lips. He slapped my pussy, as my clit began to swell, and he knew I was ready to take all of him.
I let out a painful scream as he jammed his long shaft into me which quickly melted away into immeasurable pleasure. My pussy was reeling from being fucked so often by a man who was holding me prisoner and keeping me around to do his bidding, but it was at that moment that I realized how much I wanted it.
“Tell me you want it, Katerina. Tell me you want me to fuck you hard,” he said, loud and clear, completely disregarding anyone else’s presence in this house.
“I want it, Dom. I want you to fuck m-me hard,” I said as his thrusts got deeper, slowing down, but hitting the back of my walls with an incredible amount of force. It was the most amazing feeling, but there was a little part of me that worried he’d break me. I laid there panting as he held my legs up on his shoulders, rubbing my clit as his dick slipped in and out of me so hard my body went into shock.
It was amazing to watch him tense up, never relinquishing control to me, as he stood his ground and fucked me for what felt like hours. I didn’t know how much more of it I could take before I wouldn’t even be able to walk altogether, but I knew that I couldn’t wait to find out more. When we were all done, I got back into my clothes, trying to match up to his behavior as I ventured over to the fridge to get myself something to drink. I knew he was staring back at me in awe, and I was certainly playing my cards right.
He was looking at me as though he wanted to get to know me a little better, as though there was something about me that intrigued him. I could safely say that there was a lot about him that made me begin to question everything I’d come to learn about his mannerisms, but I held off for now. In due time, Dominik Volkov. I’ll learn all there is to know about you.
Chapter Nine: Dominik
There’s something about Katerina that has done more than simply piqued my interest. She seems to be challenging me in a way that no other woman has before. She seems to know enough about me to pass judgment, but I’m not going to let her swoop in and take away control. She has no idea what’s coming her way, and it’s going to be a real test of her loyalty the minute we set foot back in her home country. I can’t ignore how good it feels to have a woman around who has something else in mind that doesn’t involve games, drugs or my wallet. No matter the circumstances that landed Katerina in my lap, it’s no secret that she’s a special woman. I hooked a good one, one that’s much smarter than she’s letting on. I’m worried that if I leave her up to her own devices, she’s going to double-cross me much faster than her predecessor.
I sat across from Katerina, feeling rather strange to be talking to her as though I invited her into my house, when she was being held here against her will. I could see the thoughts ticking behind her eyes, and I knew that there were still so many unanswered questions flitting around that mind of hers. I was surprised to find that there was a part of me that wanted to open up to her, to tell her my truth, even though she’d made it perfectly clear that she only ever wanted to expose me. I was just a story to her, a way for her to get to the top, and she had absolutely no idea how many enemies she was going to make once the story broke. I had so many allies that would gladly have taken her down for me, but I couldn’t risk letting that story go to print. I didn’t want anyone to have any doubts about me, more than they already did because it would be bad for business. I was always told that I played a dangerous game by testing the waters both above and underground. It was an interesting way to work both angles, to expertly make sure that no one would ever find out what I was really up to on a daily basis.
It was evident after Maxim and I took care of his little problem, that I would have had to open up to him as well. It wasn’t an easy conversation, especially because he was around the last time I was in a situation like this. I always tried my best to reassure him that things were going to be different this time, that I wouldn’t let a woman come between me and my goals. Though they always managed to string me along for a while, just long enough for them to suck me dry. There were a lot of things about Katerina that reminded me of the woman who still took up so many of my memories. I was a much younger man back then, I didn’t know how to kill without feeling anything back then, and it was one of the hardest things I’d ever had to live with.
Every time I looked at Katerina, I caught glimpses of that woman. I worried that Katerina would soon face a similar fate, but I knew that there was always the
slim chance that she wouldn’t. There was something incredibly different about Katerina, something I wasn’t used to seeing, determination. She thought over every decision before she made it, she weighed up all the pros and cons before the words would leave her lips, and in some ways it reminded me of myself. I was beginning to think that there was the possibility that we shared more similarities than either of us could’ve ever imagined. She was searching my expression for answers just as much as I was hers, and even though this was the kind of lifestyle that would send anyone running, she didn’t even take the opportunity to try.
“So, tell me, Katerina. Why didn’t you try to run?” I asked, truly wanting to pick her brain.
“I knew better than to think that it was going to be that easy. From all that I’ve heard, you’re a lot of things Dominik Volkov, but you’re not a careless man. Meticulous is the word I’d use actually,” she said, and I couldn’t believe that she was able to read me so well.
“You’d be surprised to know just how many people I’ve had locked up in that basement, and you’re the only one that’s managed to make it out with a sliver of your life still intact. I honestly thought I was going to get a call from Alexei that you were long gone, we’d spend the evening looking for you, only to eventually put you in the ground once and for all,” I said.
“You’ve really come to enjoy it, haven’t you?”
“What’s that?” I asked her, not sure what she was referring to.
“Killing people. Taking back what you believe is rightfully yours.”
“I have come to grow accustomed to it, but I believe that only the sick could enjoy it. I wasn’t always this way, and the circumstances made me grow cold. I had a heart once upon a time, but I quickly realized that being that soft only ever made me weak. I promised myself that I’d learn to separate my feelings from the work I set out to do, and I never looked back since,” I said, well aware that she was hanging onto every word I gave her. I could tell that her journalistic tendencies were kicking in, and she was taking in every little detail, unfortunately never to use it to her advantage.
“You’re an interesting man, Dominik Volkov. I have to give you that. I didn’t think that you’d be quite so hospitable, however. You very well could’ve kept me down in your basement and only pulled me out when you needed me, but you didn’t. You care much more than you’re letting on, but don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful,” she said, and I hated that she could see through me so clearly.
“I could always toss you back in there if you don’t behave appropriately,” I warned.
“You won’t. For some reason it affects you to see me wasting away down there. I just haven’t figured out why.”
She’s much smarter than I thought she was. She’s picking up on things even I haven’t faced, and things I knew I’d have to talk about at some point. There was a part of me that wanted to shut her up for good, but I can’t ignore how she’s making me feel. A woman with this much perception should be putting it to better use. She’d be a great addition to the team if she doesn’t do anything to fuck this up, I thought, wondering what it would be like to have a woman like Katerina on my arm permanently. She swam with the sharks her entire life, but she was in a different ocean now, and the turf was all mine.
I had to remind myself that I couldn’t let her get in my head. That happened to me one too many times with a woman I promised myself I’d never acknowledge again, but I knew the effect that these types of women had on me. It wouldn’t be long before I was questioning everything I set out to do, and I realized that it was always so much easier in the beginning. It was much easier to kill someone when all you had for them was blind fascination, but now Katerina was establishing herself in my world, and it didn’t appear to me as though she was planning on leaving anytime soon.
It felt good to not have to come home to an empty house, and her presence began to grow on me over the next few days. She never seemed to bother anyone, sitting around as though she was a lone housewife waiting to attend her next soirée. I had news for her when I came home that evening because I finally managed to get everything in order. We were almost ready to embark on our trip to New York, and there was a part of me that still worried she was going to lose her mind when she learned that we were heading back to her home. I laid out all of the cards on the table, letting her know that she wasn’t allowed to interact with anyone from her former life, but I knew that was much easier said than done. I had to start thinking about what I was going to do with her if she were to ever disobey me, because the minute we became a couple in the public eye, everyone would constantly be asking questions that I’d have no choice but to answer.
She was starting up the kettle, when I came into the kitchen, wondering why anyone in their right mind would have caffeine at this hour.
“You do realize that it’s well after midnight, right?”
“I was bored, and I’m running out of things to do around here. I know you’ve had me on standby for this big job of yours, but I’ve done everything I can to pass the time until you start divulging details,” she said, trying to start up the coffeemaker for me but fiddling with it so much I honestly thought she was going to break it. I shoved her over lightly so I could get it working as I reached for a ceramic espresso cup for me and a big mug for her.
“I guess we’re both having a double shot because I have a lot to tell you about what you’re going to be doing,” I said to her as we both made our way into the living room.
“It’s about time,” she said, sitting down next to me as I handed her the mug.
“I’ve been thinking about a way that I can kill two birds with one stone and put your skills to good use, all while silencing all the suspicion surrounding my name as well as my money.”
“What exactly did you have in mind, Dominik?” She asked, being incredibly attentive and I was about to ruin that for her in just a moment.
“I’ve been working on expanding my footprint in the hotel business, and I decided to pick up another property in New York. We’re going to be flying out in two days for everything to be set up for the opening. I’ve gotten into contact with a few bigger publications in the area who have all agreed to take you on to cover the entire thing. I need you to make sure that everyone loses this idea that there’s something off about the way I run my business,” I said, watching her swallow deeply as her expression completely shifted. I knew that this was going to hurt her, because she was going to have to shut out everyone she had come to love, but it was the only way I could ensure that she would stay focused.
“Whatever you say, Dominik. You’re the one calling the shots, and I know what you’re going to do to me if I don’t listen,” she said, getting up and slamming the cup on my coffee table before heading off into her room. She had every right to be upset, but if I let her reassume her role in her old life, it would only be a matter of time before she shared the intimate details of my life with those who had the power to take me down.
Perception is reality, and I need everyone around me to perceive me as a clean businessman, so that I can give reassurance to the customers of my underhanded businesses that no one will ever learn of their activity. She’s a master of perception, and with her new job at one of the biggest publications in the country where she’ll be able to work remotely, I know that I’ll have everything I need to see this through, I thought, reminding myself that it was going to be a good idea to get out of the country while I was still dealing with the person trying to undermine my empire. It would give Maxim just enough time to begin sniffing out the person who could be behind this, or at least to gather some evidence that would point us in the right direction.
I didn’t hear from or see Katerina much after that, and I was surprised at how much of an effect it had on me. I wanted her to understand that I was the one in charge, and that she was going to abide by my rules no matter how badly they made her feel. Though, I knew very well what it was like to have your family snatched from your reach when you were too
young and impressionable to do anything about it. I was going to see very soon if she was truly capable of holding her own, because I knew that this was going to affect her in a way that she hadn’t even truly realized. It got me thinking about the bond I had with my brothers, about how we never saw much of each other anymore, but whenever we needed each other, we’d always come at the first sign of trouble. After the loss of our father, it was clear to us that we had to take charge, to run our separate empires far enough away from each other so that we wouldn’t get into each other’s ways.
Father knew how easy it would’ve been to leave us all in a room together just for one of us to snap and kill each other before anything could get resolved. I wondered what they would think if they were to see me now. If there was one thing I was sure about my brothers, it was that none of them still managed to have their hearts intact. They never did grow soft, or at least they didn’t let me see it if they did. I was starting to worry that if I let Katerina get too close to me, she was going to find a way to make me care about her. The moment she did that, I could kiss everything I’d worked so hard for goodbye because it would be up for grabs by the first person who could get their hands on it.
I spent too much of my life taking back what had been rightfully mine all along, killing all of the right people and maintaining a healthy status in both of my fields. Now, I had a troublesome prisoner on my hands, one I caught just time before she was about to destroy both of my careers as well as someone who was trying to unravel me from the inside out. This New York trip was going to be a way for me to finally have what I’d been wanting for such a long time. Once Katerina got the word out there that we were an item and that she was with me through all of my endeavors, those on her side of the globe would be fools not to trust me. I knew how mainstream media operated because I’d become acquaintances with a lot of them in order to solidify my status amongst them.