103
Ive
Charlotte doesn’t know how to play.
Charlotte deserves a puppy.
All she wants is love.
Staring across the dining room table, I watch as she cuts into the steak that is beautifully prepared byMichael. I missed my chef’s food. Michael had been a star find. I knew how to cook, but I fucking hated it. When I purchased this place, the first thing I did was find a chef, and Michael had been working for me in one of our top restaurants. The only problem was he got bored easily and the guests liked to have the same menu for a great deal of time. Michael liked to change it up all the time. No one appreciated his gift, but I did. So I offered him the job. He was in control of my kitchen. He cooked for me and the staff, whatever the hell he wanted to. No one got to tell him what to cook.
He had already sworn his loyalty to the Volkov Bratva, and it wasa pretty good deal. The food was top rate. There were a few times when food had been served to me and I was about to eat it, and he’d storm into the dining room, take my plate from me, and declare it was shit. He would then go and make me something else. I adored him. At least he’d never given me food poisoning and I’d done that to myself, plenty of times.
“Michael is the best,” Charlotte said.
“That is sweet music to my ears, darling,” Michael said. His British accent was back. I nodded toward him. He’dalready told me he’d been given the memo about this being my honeymoon. Everyone was under strict instructions to keep me away from my office.
I didn’t like being out of the loop but I had no choice-I hadto trust Ivan and Victor to take care of business while I was away. I should have put up more of a fight but I enjoyed the idea of being alone with my wife.
When Ivan told me I was to marry her, I’d been pissed off. She was too young and I’d not wanted awife. Charlotte had grown on me.
My wife turned to the chef and her smile was sweet. “It’s so good. Ive took me to so many restaurants in the city-Italian, French, Spanish, Mexican, there might have been an English one as well-but none of them match your food.”
“That is because I am the best.”
“And he is not modest,” Ive said. “Have there been any calls?””No business. Just pleasure. Now, I made a beautiful praline tart. I know it’s your favorite. I wanted to make sure your first meal on your honeymoon was the best.” He pressed his fingers to his lips and kissed the air.
I looked toward Charlotte. “He means you. He doesn’t give a fuck about me.”
This made Charlotte laugh. “It’s been the best.”
“Excellent.” He picked up the dishes and left for the kitchen with the promise of dessert.
“You’re sure you didn’t mind coming here for our honeymoon?”
“No, this is the house Ichose for myself,” I said, winking at her. I did so, just to see her smile. “Why did you pick here? You could have gone anywhere. Ivan would have seen to it that you got what your heart desired.”
Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. “I … this is the only place I have ever felt at home. I know it’s silly. I always had a home growing up, but this is different. This feels more like home.”
“Thisisyour home. It’sourhome.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Michael interrupted the moment to bring us his dessert and it looked amazing. There was a small dollop of whipped cream on the side. I waited for Charlotte to take a bite, as did Michael. Her eyes closed and she moaned as she did so.
My chef clapped his hands and disappeared once again. He’d be plottingour breakfast for tomorrow.
I finally took a bite of the dessert, making sure to get enough pastry, hazelnut chocolate and whipped cream, and it was so good. My mouth watered. Our dessert was gone within minutes.
Taking Charlotte’s hand, I pulled her to her feet. “How about we go and have some fun?”
All I wanted to do was fuck her. I wanted to spread her open and explore every single inch of her body, but I couldn’t do that, not until I knew she wasn’t sore anymore.
“I’d like that.”
Remembering a few months ago when Ivan came to visit, I took Charlotte to the game room. The power was already on, and I took Charlotte over to the air hockey table.
Charlotte groaned. “I don’t know how to play.”
I never came into the game room. I’d built the place for the off chance that I might have a child one day. It was a long shot because to have a child, I had to trust a woman. Charlotte was my woman and I knew there was now a chance she might be pregnant. All it took was the one time.This is from NôvelDrama.Org.
She’s distracted by staring at the table and I take the few seconds to look at her, to imagine her full and ripe with my child. The thought of children in the past terrified me. I didn’t want to be a father. I don’t know how to be anything else other than a fucking monster. For fun, I lock enemies up, take my time to torture them, and make them pray for death long before I grant it. Ivan and Victor wouldn’t be dealing with Hank until I got back, but he would be on minimum food. We didn’t want to starve him to death before we got our information.
Charlotte pregnant with my kid. That is just … too fucking dark for me to delve into.
She lifted her head and smiled at me. “Are you okay”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” I’m tempted to call it a day, and tell her that I have to head back to the city, but then I’d have to deal with Ivan, and he can be a giant pain in the ass. I was a grown-ass man, I could make my own decision, but Ivan was a bigger pain. He got what he wanted, and a honeymoon wasn’t a bad idea. I just couldn’t fuck my wife anymore, or if I did, I’d have to wear condoms. The smile fell from my lips.
“If you don’t want to play?”
“It’s fine,” I said.”When was your last cycle?”
“My what?”
“Your period, your menstrual cycle?”
Her cheeks went bright red. Sheopened and closed her mouth, and then looked toward the ground. “Last week.”
I made a note toremember when her next one was.
The moment was lost, I knew that, and I had a feeling Charlotte did as well. I was determined to enjoy the game room though. I’d never share it with a son or daughter and still didn’t know if I would have children.
I couldn’t help but think about my own father. The beatings I got when I failed a reading and writing test. He’d been so angry that he had a stupid son. I hadn’t thoughtof this shit in so long. In fact, I never thought of it. It meant nothing to me. I don’t even know why I told Charlotte. She didn’t need to know about my past.
Charlotte started to play, and at first, my heart wasn’t in it. I wanted a drink, but I stayedfocused, and slowly, with her laughter and time, I was able to draw myself back. I didn’t know when it happened, but I started to have fun. Charlotte scored twice in my zone, but she was no match for me. She wasn’t a sore loser. Each time I got the puck into her goal, she’d laugh. Whenever I pushed it in her direction, she would let out a scream and try to fight it off, and sometimes her mistakes meant my puck got into her goal.
She was a breath of fresh air. I didn’t even know I needed this.
After I’d scored for the twentieth time, she stood, massaging her elbow.
“Time for us to move on, what would you like to play?”
“How about pool? Can I just practice shooting the balls in? No game, just attempting to aim. Could you show me?” she asked.
“Just to shoot?”
“Just to shoot,” she said. The smile on her face, damn, fuck, I couldn’t look away, and I certainly couldn’t bring myself to turn her down. I didn’t know what the fuck was going on with me.
“Sure.”
I had a city to protect. There were at least two enemies attempting to take over my territory. I had anotherbrigadier in my city, in my spot, just so I could enjoy my honeymoon. There was a lot of other shit I had to do, and yet, I didn’t want to be anywhere but here, with Charlotte.
She clapped her hands and rushed to grab a couple of pool sticks. I wanted inside her again. The feeling was overwhelming. I’d gone months without feeling the touch of a woman, and now, one taste of Charlotte, and I wanted her again. There was no way I was going to fuck her just yet, though. She needed to recover. I didn’t want to hurt her and I’m not a small guy.
She stepped right in front of me, handing me apool stick, which I took, but then I banded my arm around her. She gasped but tilted her head back. She didn’t try to fight me, and I love that. Just staring into her eyes, I know I want to fuck her, to take her, to make her mine completely.
Even as darkness swirled in her gaze as she stared right back at me, I didn’t give a fuck. I craved this woman. This made her a danger. She was turning into my weakness. I’d have to make sure she was taken care of. When we got back to the city, she was going to need more protection, more men, and I’d need to make Hubert aware of his responsibility toward her.
What the fuck am I even thinking? I didn’t want a wife.
“Are you okay?” Charlotte asked.
I forced a smile to my lips, took the pool stick from her, and walked to the pool table. The balls were all in position. I lined the white ball in place, took aim and shot, dispersing the balls throughout the table. I wasn’t going to answer her. I didn’t know if I was fine or not. I’d not wanted this marriage. Charlotte was the last woman on earth I wanted to be married to and yet, here I was, with her.
“Let me see how you play.”
She nibbled her lips and I stared at the curve of her body-the way her ass looked as she leaned forward, the fullness of her tits. I tried to avoid staring at her, but now there was no reason for me to look away.
Slavik, Andrei, and now me. I can’t help but wonder what the fuck Ivanwas doing.
She leaned over the table and held the pool stick awkwardly. She squinted at the ball and then took aim, which was way off as the ball went past all others, and just hit the other end.
“You’re too focused on hitting the one ball. You’re hitting that ballregardless, what you need to do is focus on where you’re aiming.”
“You don’t think I was doing that? I wasn’t even looking at the white ball, I was looking at that one.” She pointed her finger to one green ball that had been only a few inches in front.
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.” She blew out a breath. “What’s the point?” She dropped her hand to her waist.
Putting my pool stick aside, I chuckle. “Everything requires practice and I can show you.”
And so, for the next hour, I held my wife, tilting her hips, getting her into position, feeling her ass nestled against my dick as she attempted to learn to shoot some of the balls. I wanted her again so badly. My dick ached to feel her wrapped around my cock.
I don’t know at what point she began to feel it, but we were both leaning across the pool table. My dick rested against her ass, but I felt her start to wriggle on my dick. The movement was slight at first. If I’d not been so close to her I wouldn’t have felt it. Just a slight twitch of her ass, subtle, but it was there. It made me want to grab her ass, fuck her hard, hold her down, and have my way with her.
Charlotte was new. She had no experience. Everything she learned was because of me. It made her even more tempting. She was all mine, and I’d never had anything that was mine before. Not all mine. My territory, even myself, I belonged to Ivan Volkov.
Then I realized Ivan had given me something. He’d given me Charlotte. Was that what he was doing? Rewarding us? I didn’t know if many men saw marriage as a reward, I certainly didn’t.
Ivanwas always one step ahead of the game. He’s a man who knows what he’s doing. He plots and plans everything. I have no doubt he already had plans for Victor and Peter.
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?” I asked, gripping the fine curves of her ass. I hold her steady.
“I don’t know what I’m doing, but I know what I want,” Charlotte said, her voice somewhat breathy.
I can’t help but grit my teeth. Where had this woman come from? I knew where she had, but how?
“Are you not sore?” I asked.
Iwas trying to be the gentleman, but Charlotte was not making it easy.
****
Lottie
I’m a little sore, but that isn’t going to stop me. All day, I’ve been trying to gain Ive’s attention, and it’s been one challenge after another. Is the man made of freaking ice? Am I not that attractive? Actually, I don’t even want to think about that, because the truth was, I didn’t see myself as particularly attractive. I’m nothing like Cassie, but I’m offering willing sex, doesn’t that count for something?
Ive spun me around and pressed me up against the pool table. He lifted me up and perched my ass on the end of the table, and it’s a little uncomfortable because my ass is bigger than the edge of the table. His hands slowly move up the outside of my thighs and then stop.
“Are you sore?” he asked the question again, and I can’t help but nibble my lip. He’s so close, I feel the hard ridge of his cock.
“No.” It’s not a total lie. I’m a little sore, but not sore enough to say no. I want to feel him inside me.
“You’re lying,” he said.
All I want to do is touch him, but I’m using my hands to keep me upright. They’re pressed to the felted top. I do no more than thrust my chest against his.
“But I want you,” I said.
For some reason, this makes him jerk, just slightly. If I’d not been paying attention, I’d have missed it, but I saw him do it. Why does my truth make him do that? Nibbling my lip, I stare into his blue eyes. Does he not see how much I want him? From the moment I first met him, I’d been equally terrified and intrigued by this man.
Some people might say I have “Daddy issues,” and maybe I do, but I don’t care. Ive’s the first man I was attracted to. The first man who locked me up, but also fed me, and made sure I was safe and warm. He took care of me.
I know Rage took care of me, but he did so behind the scenes, never crossing that line that pissed my own father off.
Ive’s different. He didn’t throw me away. I was the mistake. They could have killed me, but they didn’t. I don’t know why they didn’t.
One of his hands moves from my ass and goes toward my knee. I don’t avert my gaze but I look into his eyes. I don’t want to miss a moment. Slowly, so achingly slow, he travels up my knee, and then moves toward the inside of my thigh. The tips of his fingers are feather light. He’s so close to my pussy. When he cups me, I moan.
“Ifyou can’t take my fingers, you’re not taking my cock.”
The timber of his voice awakens my body, setting it on fire. I sink my teeth into my lip and try to stay focused on what is happening.
He slid my panties to oneside and stroked between the lips of my sex. The first touch across my clit is like sweet Heaven. I don’t want him to stop, but Ive’s got other ideas. He moves down, going toward the opening of my pussy, and circles my entrance.
Ive pushed one finger inside me. Just the one, and I moan. It’s a little tight and I’m not used to having anything inside me, but I feel Ive, and he feels … so … amazing. I don’t want him to stop. Sinking my teeth into my lip, I close my eyes, and I just feel the moment. A second finger is added.
“Am I hurting you?” he asked.
“No.”
“Good.”
The third finger was a little tighter, but that didn’t take away from the pleasure. I don’t care how tight it is, or the slight edge of pain. All I want is this man.
Ive growled and as I open my eyes, I see him seconds before he takes possession of my lips. The feel of his lips on mine, and his fingers in my pussy is so good, I don’t want it to stop.
He twisted his fingers and his thumb begins to stroke my clit, and that takes everything into another dimension. Breaking the kiss, I let out a cry.
Ive’s lips traveled down my neck and his teethsink into the flesh of my neck. Each touch sent me higher. I could feel my orgasm was close and then Ive pulled away. His hand pulled out of my pussy. It was so sudden that I could only sit there on the pool table.
Iwas about to ask him what was going on but then I grabbed his hand, and we were out of the game room. I’m not sure where we were going, but then I saw the warning sticky note I attached to his door.
We step into his office, and Ive doesn’t waste any time. Within seconds his desk is empty as he swipes his arm across, spilling pens, clips, a stapler, and even a phone, off the top.
I replace those items.
I’m actually relieved, because I feel the pool table would have hurt my back with the edge being somewhat higher than the main table.
Within seconds, Ive’s got me naked, and his mouth has replaced his fingers at my core. I was so close to orgasm before, but now as his tongue continues to work its magic, I know I’m only seconds away from coming. I’m so close.
His hands spread the lips of my sex open while his tongue dances across my clit, then down toward my cunt. He fucks me with his tongue, once, twice, and after the third, he pushed his fingers back inside me. In and out. I’m so slick. I can feel my own juice leaking out of my pussy, traveling toward my anus. I’m so close. Ive sends me over the edge, and I scream his name as I come, hard. It’s such an unexpected release. How can anyone hate an orgasm? It’s the best feeling in the world.
Ive’s not done with me, though, and I don’t want him to be done. He stands up, and I look up at him as his hands roam over my body. I’m all his. I belong to this man.
“Whenever you feel this is too much, youhave to tell me to stop,” he said.
“I don’t want to stop.”
“You’re not to be afraid of me.”
“I won’t be.”
“You know what I’m capable of.”
Yes, I did.
“And yet you’re not afraid?” he asked.
“No.” I’m not. How odd is that?”I’m not afraid.” I don’t know if I’d ever be afraid of Ive.
Maybe if he turned that temper onto me, but for now, never.
He pressed his cock against my core. I felt the hard ridge and then he wrapped his fingers around my neck. There was absolutely no pressure, but the threat was there. I look into his eyes, and I don’t know how I know, but I just know he’s not going to hurt me.”You won’t hurt me,” I said.
“And why won’t I hurt you?”
“Because I’m your wife and I swore my loyalty to you and to your boss.” I leaned up and pressed mylips to his. “I’m all yours.”
“Where the fuck did you come from?” he asked, seconds beforehis lips slammed down on mine.
I wrapped my arms around him. I don’t have a clue where I came from, to be honest. Cassie and Rage never talked about my mother. Neither did my father. All I know is that all my life, my father hated me. But I push those memories aside. They have no room here. They will never be welcome while I’m with Ive.
He reached down between us and I feel him move to my entrance. At first, it’s just the tip, and then slowly he moves inside me, inch by inch. I’m not sure I can handle the torture of how slowly he moved, but I grit my teeth, wait, and then moan as he starts to thrust in and out. Slow at first, then he speeds up until he’s driving inside me.
His hands roam my body, touching me everywhere. I love the feel of his hands on my body. I know he could hurt me at any moment, but he doesn’t. His touch is gentle. Sweet. Kind. Tender. I’m not used to it, and each part of my body feels so sensitive. I love the feel of his cock, the touch of his hands, his lips, the hardness and yet, so soft. I’m so close and then he suddenly pulled up, grabbed my hips, and started to pound inside me, driving deeper than before. I thrust up to meet every single thrust, not wanting it to stop.
“You’re all mine, Charlotte, all mine, and don’t you fucking forget it.”
As I come, I feel the hard kick ofhis cock as he fills me. I’m not an idiot. We’ve not used any condoms so I know there’s a risk of me getting pregnant. The thought of being a mother terrified me, but I love feeling my husband’s naked cock within me.
I know Ive was forced to come to our honeymoon, but I’m going to cherish every single moment we’re here together.
****
The Beast
“I don’t appreciate you sneaking into my home,” I said.
Ivan Volkov sat in my favorite chair. This was one of the many places I owned. It was a small apartment, ina busy city, easy to blend in. I held my keys, ready to fight if necessary.
“I didn’t sneak,” Ivan said. “I walkedin the front door.”
Which was locked. I hadn’t been to this apartment in a couple of months. I’d just gotten back from a job, and I was tired.
“You weren’t invited.”
Ivan tutted. “Considering I helpedwith the final piece of your puzzle, you’d think you would be a little grateful.”
This made my jaw clench. I should have known Volkov had a hand in finally handing me the one man I’d been hunting for, for nearly five years. He’s even drinking the bottle of scotch I’d saved for the occasion. Anger rushed up my spine.
I always had a problem with my anger, even as a kid. It was what caused me a lot of issues over the years. Getting it under control took a lot of skill. A lot of people had died for invoking my wrath. If I killed Ivan, I knew any kind of happiness and quiet would be impossible.
The rumor of his death had circulated some time ago, a couple of months, ayear, I can’t remember, but I knew it had caused some difficulty for him. The man was smarter than anyone I’d ever known. Ivan faked his death for many reasons, and I’m pretty sure only he would know them all.
“That’s my whiskey,” I said.
Ivan nodded. “Ah, yes, for the moment when you ended the man who took your mother and three sisters away from you?”
I’m not surprised he knew that.
I glared atthe man, who I had a deep respect for. Ivan didn’t have everything handed to him on the plate. I knew there was a lot of fact and fiction circulating about this man. The one truth I knew was that he’d been tossed aside by his own father, left to die in the gutter. Many believe he had a thing for strays, and those that were not wanted.
What I did know was the gutter had created a monster. A monster who always seemed to wear a smile, and expensive Italian-made suits. Always pristine. I don’t think I’d ever caught sight of Ivan looking anything else but the best.
Even now, sitting in my apartment. I had three guns, one inside my jacket, one at my back, and another in my ankle, as well as two knives. I could kill him easily.
“You could try it, if you want,” Ivan said. “I’m not armed.” He took a sip of his drink. “This is good whiskey.”
“That’s my whiskey and you haven’t been invited.”
“It goes without saying that I’m invited to drink your whiskey, seeing asI’m the reason you get to crack this bottle open, don’t you think?”
Ivanwas a sneaky bastard. I don’t know how he did it, how he’s able to know everything about everyone. There’s no point in fighting this. Ivan was the reason I was finally able to terminate the man I’d been hunting.
Letting my bag ease tothe floor, I take a step toward him, and he holds out a glass for me filled with my whiskey. I take it from him.
Sitting in the chair opposite, I stare at him. My apartment is dark and I’ve notbothered to put a light on yet. I don’t need the light. I hate anything that brightens a room if it’s not natural.
“Do you want to tell me why you’re in my place?” I asked.
“All in good time. First, you must taste your victory.”
I doubt this is poisoned. Poison is not Ivan’s style, or at least it didn’t use to be. People change over the years. They adapt. They grow.
I glance down at my whiskey, and rather than challenge him, I merely take a sip. There are some fights worthtaking on. Ivan wants something, that I know.”Is it how you imagined it?”
No, it wasn’t. Nothing ever was. Glaring at Ivan, I finish my whiskey in one drink. I didn’t want to share my victory with anyone. I didn’t want the company. Ivan was ruining this for me.
“Why don’t you tell me why you came here?” I asked.
Ivan tutted. “So impatient.”
I wait. There’s no point in rushing Ivan. He will do whatever the hell he wants to do, at his own pace. So, I wait.
“I have a business proposition for you.”
I continue to stare at him.
“If this is about yourvacant territory, I thought you went to The Beast?” I asked.
I was not going to be angry that he went there first. The Beast and I didn’t exactly get along.
“I’m approaching both of you, but I can see you’re going to need some … persuasion. That’s more than fine with me. Aren’t you curious, though?” Ivan asked.
“About what?”
“Who would win?”