by Ivy Clyde
I eyed the men lined up behind Morrison. They looked tall and muscular in their tight black t-shirts but a closer look revealed the extra tiers of fat around their bellies. These men might look intimidating but they probably part-timed as mall security guards.
“What’s your deal with Master Sokolov?” I asked, focusing on Morrison. “He’s not the one who forced you to gamble and give away your family’s shit.”
“My father loves him,” he shouted, pointing a finger at Victor. “He’d rather have a fag bitch for a son than me. He said so!”
“I’m sure your father meant he’d rather have an intelligent, handsome and smart-as-hell son,” I said. “Being straight didn’t exactly endow you with those qualities.”
Morrison scoffed as he glanced at Victor. “I didn’t know you were into nerds these days,” he said. “He speaks like he’s taken an English class. His vocabulary is far more advanced than the street thugs who hang around you. He even looks like a sophisticated bitch.” A cold grin lifted the corners of his lips. “I’m taking him after I’m done with you today. With just a few changes, I can make him look as pretty as a young woman. It wouldn’t be so hard to fuck him then.”
I could hear Victor’s teeth grinding together as he locked his pale gray eyes on Morrison. The man was suicidal to be still talking when Victor was looking at him like that.
“Danny,” Victor called out to me but I stepped forward.
“He’s a brave one, this one,” said Morrison. He walked to the side and gestured for the men to take me down.
I moved further away from Victor, giving myself more space to move without bringing him into the range of their attacks.
“Don’t hurt his face,” Morrison shouted from the corner. “Kill the other.”
Morrison had truly lost his mind. He thought he could kill Victor Sokolov with these men? These guys didn’t even look like professional fighters or guards. It would be bad if they had guns on them but something told me they didn’t.
Morrison was broke. There was no way he could hire armed hitmen to take Victor down. He probably thought it was enough to have five men overpower Victor and then finish him off. Either way, it was a very stupid move.
The largest man in the group stepped forward. His face was contorted in an intimidating scowl but I smiled at him. A quick glance told me he didn’t pack a gun under those tight pants and shirt.
I attacked him first, striking straight at his nose. A sickening crunch sounded in the still, silent room, followed by a high-pitched howl as the man stumbled away from me.
Not giving him a chance to retreat further, I kicked him in the gut, making him drop to his knees. Another kick to the side of his head dropped him to the floor completely.
The other four men stepped away from me as they eyed me warily. I was smaller than them all but they realized I could fight.
They surrounded me, hoping to attack me from every side.
My lessons with Ethan from a long time ago came back to me, strengthening my focus on the men grouped around me. I took in their stance, my mind calculating and guessing at their weaknesses.
My cries rang out in the room as I leaped forward to start the fight.
They came at me, but their moves were much slower and fairly easy to guess. Even though they outnumbered me, I was able to take them down with well-aimed hits that disabled them from fighting back.
I broke wrists, cracked knee caps, and even hit a guy in the balls because he’d dared to brandish a knife at me.
My heart hammered in my chest but the thrill of the fight kept me from feeling any exhaustion. I could kill these men for daring to attack me and Victor, but the cop inside me restrained my wild instincts.
The sound of shattering glass sounded close to me but I couldn’t see what it was as I dodged an attack. Next moment, a scream rang out from behind me. Kicking my attacker in the gut, I turned around.
Andrew Morrison was slumped onto the floor while Victor stood over him with a broken glass decanter clutched in his hand. His silvery eyes were blazing with rage as he took in harsh, ragged breaths. Blood coated the jagged shards of the bottle.
Blood dripped onto Morrison’s snow-white collar, staining it crimson. My gaze took in the gun still clasped between his loose fingers.
“Fuck! Did he try to shoot me?” I asked, running over to them.
“Yes,” spat Victor.
Kneeling beside Morrison, I snatched the gun and stowed it in a pocket of my jacket before pressing my fingers to the side of his neck. His pulse was weak but steady.
A long, shuddering breath left me.
No one had died in the encounter.
Getting to my feet, I moved toward Victor and gently unclasped his fingers away from the broken decanter. The jagged pieces of the glass glinted under the overhead lights. It was a dangerous weapon and I had to get it away from Victor before his rage took control over him completely.
“Fuck!” he growled breathlessly, his eyes taking in the scene before him.
Next moment, he grabbed my waist, pulling me against him so that my hips slammed against his.
A gasp escaped me but was drowned by Victor’s mouth clamping over mine. He thrust his tongue through my lips while his fingers knotted in my hair, keeping me from escaping him.
Victor’s kiss was hard and rough as he swirled his tongue around the cavern of my mouth. He’d always been so restrained with me, but right now, he didn’t seem to have any control as he grabbed my ass.
I tried to kiss him back but Victor wouldn’t let me as he dominated over me.
He broke away, panting as hard as me as he looked into my eyes. He leaned in to kiss me again but it was gentler this time. Whatever savage instincts had taken over him was starting to lessen its grip.
“What a rush!” he breathed. There was a glint in his silvery eyes. “You have no idea what it does to me when I see you fight. You’re stunning when you’re kicking ass.”
An awkward chuckle escaped me. Imagine being called stunning because of fighting a bunch of clumsy dudes and not because of a sexy dress or heels.
“There’s only one thing that can make things better.” Before I could ask what it was, he was already reaching into an inner pocket of his jacket. Bringing out a small glass vial, he held it out to me.
I stared at the white powder inside the glass bottle. Cocaine, my mind whispered.
“I don’t want that,” I said at once.
He gave me a funny look before pulling me back against him. His fingers grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled my head backward. Holding me firmly, he used his other hand to open the first few buttons of my shirt.
Pulling the cork off the bottle with his teeth, he dropped the powder along the column of my neck. I felt a light sensation as the fine dust settled on my skin. Victor used his finger to line it up neatly while I held my breath.
He nuzzled the tip of his nose along my clavicle before reaching for the cocaine. He snorted it in one go.
“Fuck,” he groaned as he let me go and tipped his head back, blinking rapidly. His breathing grew deeper. “This is what I needed.” Gazing back at me, he added, “You need a hit too.”
“No, I’m fin—” Before I could finish speaking, Victor grabbed me by the back of my neck and pulled me against him. Thinking he’d kiss me, I closed my eyes but to my surprise, I felt the tip of his finger rubbing over my tongue and gums.
“Now you’ll know what it tastes like,” he said, grinning at me devilishly.
I couldn’t help but smile like an idiot despite the grains of coke burning my tongue and gums. Victor rarely laughed so openly and freely. It was almost infectious when his smile lit up his beautiful face.
“Will I get high from this?” I asked nervously.
“Probably,” said Victor still laughing. “But don’t worry. It won’t last long.” Wrapping his arm around my waist, he pulled me along with him to reach the door.
“Are we going home?” I asked with a backward glance at the w
rithing men littering the floor.
“Hell, no,” he said, looking even more alert and focused than before. “I don’t want Alexei telling my father I’ve been slacking on the job. We also need to clean up the mess here.”
“What do you mean?”
He licked along the side of my neck, making me shiver with pleasure. “Andrew Morrison is a dead man,” he crooned with cold certainty. “If I didn’t need you right now, I’d have you cut him up for me.” Glancing down at me, he swiped a finger along my lips.
His touch seared my skin. It felt so hot, my tongue darted out to lick my lower lip.
“Come on,” said Victor, grabbing my arm.
Victor took me back to the crowded hall. The glittering lights from the chandelier suddenly seemed too bright and the buzz of conversation too loud for my ears. My senses seemed oddly heightened but I felt clear-headed.
I suddenly realized the cocaine was affecting me. It didn’t dull my senses like alcohol, but rather intensified my awareness.
Victor took out his phone and gave thorough instructions for a “clean up”.
Victor’s silvery eyes were wide and glistening as he spoke to the people who came to greet him. One would think he was giving them his full attention but I could tell he was more drugged up than me.
A cold draft along my clavicle made me aware of my open shirt. My hand moved up to button it up but Victor stopped me. “Show that skin of yours,” he murmured in my ear. “It looks good enough to lick against all that black silk. You’re a gangster, Danny, not a nun.”
A sudden giggle escaped me.
Victor chuckled too and shook his head. Hooking a finger under my chin, he turned my face to his and leaned in to kiss me.
Pure heat flared through me at his boldness. Victor Sokolov didn’t care he was kissing another man in a room full of people. He fucking owned his pride.
He seemed as surprised as me when I bit into his lower lip. He stared at me disbelievingly, touching the spot where I’d sank my teeth into the hot, luscious flesh.
A chuckle escaped him as he stared at the smear of blood on the pad of his finger. “I need to take you home, Doll.” His voice reverberated through me, urging me to rub my naked body all over him.
Shit, I thought vaguely. What did I just invite for myself?
25
Danica
Victor didn’t have to push me anymore. I opened up to him willingly, kissing him back furiously in the backseat of the car as we headed back home to the penthouse.
I vaguely thought of Alexei still stuck in the mayor’s gala but Victor’s hot, wet tongue sliding along the shell of my ear made me forget everything. My mind couldn’t think about anything beyond the touch of his heated hands and the press of his lips against my neck.
I was out of breath and woozy when the car came to a stop before the tall residential building glinting in the dark. Victor helped me climb out and led me through the glass doorway toward the security desk.
I was about to head toward the guards to get rid of my shoes but he stopped me. “There’s no need,” he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me along in his wake.
I couldn’t seem to control my urge to keep touching him. The slight hit of cocaine sent a hot rush through me each time my skin came in contact with his.
It was a struggle to keep my hands to myself as the elevator started ascending. I hid my clenched fists in the pockets of my trouser, hoping he wouldn’t see my pathetic attempt.
When the doors slid open at our floor, I walked out with Victor. I was about to head toward my suite, but he caught hold of my wrist.
“Not yet. You’re coming with me.” He pulled me toward the doorway toward his own suite.
“Do you need me for something else?”
“This isn’t about work,” he said. “It’s time for a reward.” Pushing open the door, he gave me a light shove. He locked the door as soon as I stumbled inside.
“Hi, Danny,” said another voice.
River was lounging on the couch with a flute of champagne. He was back in that sinful black satin gown.
“I’m surprised you guys came back so early,” said River, coming forward to meet us. He helped Victor take off his jacket and turned toward me. “Was the party that bad?”
“The opposite,” said Victor, unbuttoning his shirt. “I’ve never had so much excitement at a stupid gala. Danny made it so much fun. I brought him back for a reward.”
River’s beautiful violet-hued eyes lit up at once. “Can I reward him too?”
“Uhh...it’s okay,” I said, knowing I wouldn’t be able to hold onto any sense if they both came at me with those looks in their eyes. “I don’t need a reward for doing my job.”
“Protecting me from an attack isn’t your job, Danny,” said Victor in a grim tone. “I brought you in to look at accounts and catch the rats for me. Whatever else you do for me will earn you a reward.”
“I will always protect you, Victor,” I said, knowing deep down I wasn’t lying.
Wrapping an arm around my waist, he pulled me against him. My eyes closed shut from the heat seeping in through the fabric of my clothes. I didn’t know whether it was the cocaine but just pressing against Victor’s hard, muscled body was enough to send a rush of pleasure through me.
“You’re too irresistible, Danny,” he crooned against my neck. “I can’t hold back anymore. Fuck! You don’t even know what you do to me.”
His lips pressed soft kisses along the column of my neck, following a trail up my chin and onto my lips. Fire coursed through my veins, making me moan loudly. I was drowning in Victor’s touch but knowing that River was close by, watching it all made my core throb hard.
My knees felt weak as Victor moved behind me, his hands roaming all over my body. River stepped forward, looking deep in my eyes. With gentle fingers, he traced the shape of my lips.
I didn’t say anything or stop him. His touch made my pleasure burn hotter.
River smiled, looking happy with the fact I didn’t stop him from touching me. Leaning in, he hooked a finger under my chin and moved in to kiss me. At the same time, Victor’s hand touched me everywhere.
I could feel Victor’s hand sliding inside the waistband of my trousers. My hips jerked forward as his hand slid over my bare pussy. At the same time, River’s tongue pushed through my lips, taking over all my senses.
I was moaning but the sound was drowned by River’s warm lips clamped over my mouth. My mind swam with pleasure as Victor’s finger swiped over the seam of my dripping pussy...
Wait...what? My pussy? The thought pierced through the thick haze of pleasure and lust clouding my senses.
I blinked, suddenly feeling the drug’s effect waning. I was still captured in a kiss with River while Victor’s finger was gently stroking me.
What the fuck! No! My mind screamed at me.
I couldn’t believe it but my cover was finally busted.
26
Danica
I pushed River and tore myself away from Victor.
River looked confused while Victor’s silvery eyes glinted with an expression I couldn’t name.
“Danny Owens,” he said in a voice that skimmed over my skin like the touch of a feather. “Will you ever stop surprising me?”
I could barely hear him over the thundering beats of my heart. Was he going to kill me now? Would I go down because I literally couldn’t keep it in my pants?
At least, no one would know the pathetic reason I lost my cover, I thought wildly. I’d be dead and no one would know I lost my senses to Victor Sokolov’s charms.
Victor held up his fingers and a string of clear liquid dripped down in a thin thread.
“Victor?” River still looked confused.
Suddenly, Victor started laughing. The unrestrained sound boomed all around the luxurious penthouse suite, shaking me to the core. His hand suddenly shot toward me. Grabbing my collar, he pulled me against him and claimed my mouth, kissing me like he wanted to devour me.
My desire warred with pure terror.
Victor pulled away, gazing into my fearful, wide eyes like he could see into my very soul.
“No wonder he couldn’t keep himself away from you,” Victor said, his eyes glowing. “Alexei has never shown an interest in a man until he saw you. I didn’t understand it but now I do.”
“What’s going on, Victor?” River demanded, looking anxious. “Why does Danny look like that? Why does he look like he’s going to be sick?” He glanced at me, uncertainty clouding his eyes. “Did I do something wrong, Danny? Did we...?”
I shook my head, unable to look at either of them anymore. My arms came up to wound around my chest as I shivered.
“Danny is a woman,” said Victor. His voice was surprisingly soft.
“What?” exclaimed River. “A what?”
“A woman,” repeated Victor. He let out another chuckle and turned me around to face him. Hooking a finger under my chin, he forced me to look at him. “What’s your real name?” he asked in a low, grim tone. “Don’t lie this time.”
There was no point in lying anymore. My cover was busted. He might as well know my name before killing me. “Danica,” I whispered.
“How long have you been hiding yourself?” he asked. “Was this the only way you could protect yourself in the gang?”
With a start, I noticed the anxiety in Victor’s face. There was no hint of the familiar wild, savage rage in his eyes. I’d never seen him look worried before.
My mind whirred with possibilities. Maybe there was a chance I could still get myself out of this shit puddle.
“I did it to protect myself,” I said, knowing it wasn’t a complete lie. “It was better to be a guy on the streets. They beat me up from time to time, but if they knew I was a girl, I’d end up in a brothel or worse. Even Pete doesn’t know about me being a woman. He took me in, thinking I was a teen boy.” I took a breath after spilling the lies my mind threw at me. “I’ve been Danny since the time child protective services found me. People who knew I was a girl are all dead now.”
