by Raven Rivers
“You weave clever words to converse about the work we do. This pleases me greatly. I thank you for that.”
Sighing, she had to admit that, regardless of what he did for a living, the man had a nice way about him. She’d also missed that heavy Russian accent of his, which hadn’t faded with time. “You’re welcome, Yuri.”
“You used to call me ‘handsome’ and ‘babe.’ I know I’m not those things to you anymore, but I miss hearing the words.”
“Are you really not seeing anyone right now?”
“No interest. No time. No trust.”
She blinked at him, then blinked again as she tried to wrap her head around what he was attempting to communicate.
Leaning forward, he stated clearly, “Until now.”
It felt like the sun breaking over the horizon when she realized he was saying he wanted to start things back up between the two of them. Hardly trusting herself to remain calm and in control, she ran one finger over her lips, remembering what it felt like to be kissed by him. “I might be interested in something like that.”
A satisfied expression slid onto his face. “Though I am eager, let’s take things one step at a time. I know women prefer not to be rushed into romantic entanglements.”
She nodded as she teared up for what felt like the hundredth time that day. This handsome, scarred, obviously lonely career criminal was putting her needs first and that simple gesture was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever done for her. Jade knew about his situation all too well. He was at the beck and call of his vory at all hours of the day and night, and probably saddled with the responsibility of looking out for his small crew. It made her wonder who was taking care of him.
Standing, she held out her hand to him. Following her cue, he shot to his feet and came to her, slipping his hand into hers. Walking towards the large sofa, she pulled him down and scooted back to get comfortable against the one arm.
Chapter 17
Romance
Yuri
Something had changed when he’d told her that he wanted to see her again romantically. Her expression was softer, and she was more open to him. It settled something in his chest. This was really happening. She was giving him another chance. He reached out and pulled her legs onto his lap. Smiling into her surprised little face, he pulled off her shoes and began to rub her feet.
“Why do women always wear high heels? It must be so uncomfortable.”
She laughed, and motioned for him to give her his feet, saying, “Because we want to be beautiful. I’ll bet you could use a foot rub, too, handsome.”
He reluctantly toed off his shoes and slid his feet down the sofa. Jade surprised him by pulling off his thin black socks, then began to massage his feet just like he was doing for her. Daringly, Yuri slid his hands up under nice ruffled skirt and gasped to find she was wearing thigh-high stockings. Peeling them down her long, curvy legs one at a time, he laid them aside and went back to massaging her feet. He could tell that having his hands on her bare skin was arousing her. Jade’s wide-eyed expression and failure to breathe gave it away. Secretly thrilled at this discovery, he forced himself to stay calm and scrambled to find a conversation starter. Sure, they needed to talk about her stalker, but she was safe with him and this moment was everything he ever dreamed about.
“Do you think it’s a coincidence that neither of us has married?” he finally asked.
She thought about it for a moment. “You’ve been so busy building your business, and I’m not trusting enough to make friends, much less date.”
He shook his head. “I would have made time for love, Jade. I just wasn’t lucky enough to find someone that I felt that special bond with. Have you ever been fortunate to find what we had with another person?”
“Of course not, Yuri,” Jade sighed, and shifted in her seat. “You have no idea how many times I’ve wished for just one night of what we had.”
Yuri slowly slid himself over and touched her face with one hand. He was surprised that she melted into his touch and turned her face, kissing his palm. Her response gave him reason to continue his seduction. He leaned closer still, ghosting his lips across the side of her face to her lips. His intention was to offer and see if she accepted his affection. He was thrilled when her hands came up to his chest, grasped his shirt, and pulled him over on top of her. He immediately deepened his kiss and slid the tip of his tongue across her lips, requesting entrance. She not only opened her mouth to his sensual kisses, but also opened her legs, allowing him to settle into the cradle of her thighs comfortably. His hand came to her head and he fisted his hand in her hair, feeling a need so powerful that it threatened to tear him apart.
“You’re so beautiful, Jade. You always have been.”
She ran her hands up and down his chest and began unbuttoning his shirt. At that moment Yuri realized just how hard he was, his erection pressing uncomfortably against his slacks. Instead of asking her for sex, he decided to go with the flow, doing whatever she led him to do. Before he could process what was going on, his shirt was off. She was pulling him to her and gently scratching his back.
“I’ve really missed being with you, Yuri. Maybe we can spend one day talking, touching, and doing all the things we’ve been missing out on over the last ten years. It can be our one magical moment in time. Once the sun rises, we can go our separate ways and think long and hard about how we want to go about seeing each other.”
He immediately pulled back, looking her in the eyes. “I would love that, lyuboy moya.”
“What would you like from me right now?”
“What do you offer?”
Breathlessly, she whispered, “Everything.”
Lust surged to the forefront of his consciousness with the strength of a tidal wave and his response was immediate. His lips roamed eagerly over her heated flesh, kissing, licking, and nipping at her neck. Her hands were all over him as well, pulling him closer and encouraging him. For Yuri, it felt like time stood still for the two of them to enjoy this one moment of perfection.
Pulling her shirt open, he snapped her bra off and eagerly went chest to chest with her. The feeling of her soft skin against his felt like warm silk. This was what he’d been craving. Lying over her lush form, his body came alive. Only then did he truly realize how closed off and dead inside he’d been. His lover was just as aroused as he was, her nipples taut and drawn into delightfully tight points. Her soft moans and responses fueled his need. Yuri had never been with a woman who was so hot for him. Unable to resist, he palmed her breasts and kissed his way down to taste her nipples. She made soft, kitten-like sounds as he sucked and tongued each one. Her small moans of pleasure sent a message straight to his throbbing cock. She ran her hands down the back of pants, resting them on his ass. Feeling her warm hands against his skin was making him want to make love to her hard and fast. He muscled down the raw, aching need that threatened to consume his soul in favor of taking his time. It was the hardest thing he had ever done.
Suddenly, her hands were on his zipper. Thank God. She wanted him just as badly as he wanted her, that much was obvious. Without further hesitation, he ran one hand up her short dress and between her legs. She moaned her pleasure as he pulled off her clothes and slid his hand in her panties. Cupping her sex, he touched her the way all women love.
Her hand landed on his shaft and she began stroking him as she whispered sexual things to him. It almost pushed him over the edge, but he wasn’t about to let this be over before it even began. He pulled out of her grasp, slowly ripped off her delicate lace panties, and allowed his eyes to roam over her naked form. Spreading her legs, he moved down to caress her with his tongue. She looked as beautiful naked as she had all those years ago, if not more so. Within moments of his tongue touching her skin, she was lost in the pleasure of the moment. He worked her to an intense climax, allowing her to quiet in his arms before scooping her up in his strong arms and carrying her to the bed. Sliding her between the lush bedding, he kneeled on the bed i
n front of her and slowly lay flush with her body. She reached for him again. Her open arms and naked body felt like being offered a safe refuge during a bitter storm. Yuri accepted without pause. As his lips sealed over hers, her hands roamed over his naked body, once again thrilling and teasing him to distraction. He held her in place, devouring her mouth, allowing his tongue to dominate hers. She welcomed him, sucking on his tongue and nipping it slightly with her teeth. Moving himself to enter her, he waited for her permission. After all, he had promised to be a gentleman. She smiled up at him when he broke the kiss. He could see her look of momentary confusion before she pulled him back down.
“Come on, baby, don’t make me beg. You know I want you.”
It felt like being granted a gift from the gods. He wasted no time accepting it. Taking her pretty little mouth, he began to work himself into her precious body. Her nails skimmed up and down his back as she purred her approval. He nuzzled her neck as he began to move in and out of her at a slow, steady pace. Yuri was intent on her enjoying every single second of their joining. Her voice sounded in his ear, whispering loving things to him. Telling him that he was handsome, and sweet, and that she loved the way he smelled. He wondered if she even realized what she was saying. Lost in a lust-induced haze, he allowed himself to soak in the scent of her arousal and the feel of her lush, warm body. Their lovemaking was intimate, gratifying, and better than his most sexual fantasies. Making love to each other as adults was so much more pleasurable than it had been when they were younger.
When they fell exhausted into each other’s arms, Yuri knew that he needed Jade like he needed air to breathe. Staring into her warm brown eyes, he asked himself exactly what he would sacrifice to have her at his side for a lifetime. His love slept cuddled in his arms for nearly two hours, recovering from the emotionally and physically draining day she’d had. For his part, Yuri didn’t take his eyes off her, fearful this was just another dream destined to melt away with the coming dawn. Excitement strummed in his chest when she began to rouse. Holding her was nice, talking to her and hearing her lovely feminine voice was better. Her face tilted up and her brown eyes found his.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked.
“I’m sorry about dozing off on you. I haven’t had sex in a really long time.”
“How long?”
She looked away in embarrassment and muttered, “Since you.”
“Lies!” he replied, playfully.
“I’m serious. I haven’t been with anybody since you. I just… I haven’t been able to let my guard down enough, you know? I haven’t even been on a date.”
“I understand. You’re such a special girl, Jade,” he told her, gently brushing her cheek with his thumb as he admired her beauty.
She rolled her eyes at him to let him know she didn’t feel very special. He smiled back at her, pulling her to him, and their lips met in a leisurely dance of seduction. She melted into his touch once more. Her soft kisses were already making him hard again. He snuggled up alongside her and she curled herself around his upper torso. He loved the feeling of her arms around him. When they were together, nothing else even mattered. His sweet Jade didn’t seem to notice or care about the tattoos and scars that had accumulated on his body since they were together last. Most women were obsessed with his body art, to the point that he sometimes felt overlooked as a person. Yuri got the strong feeling all Jade cared about was being with him.
He brought one of her hands to his lips and kissed each knuckle as she looked up at him lovingly. Looking into her big eyes almost made his heart stop. She was so sweet, and her face reflected pure love and acceptance. He wondered if she realized she wore her expressions so openly. He thought that perhaps she didn’t. These thoughts were interrupted when her hand slid down to his cock and gently felt his growing hard-on. Yuri rolled over, landing on top of her, and she immediately wrapped her legs around him. He moved inside of her again as he brought his hands up on each side of her head.
He gently touched her face and sifted his fingers through her hair as he asked, “Jade, do you love me still?”
She whispered, “Always.” His heart missed a beat as her lips connected with his for a brief moment.
Glancing out the large double window, she watched rain gently falling, making a multitude of tiny impacts against the glass. Glancing to the window to see what had captured her notice, he ran his thumbs over her cheeks. “Where have you gone, my precious?”
She pulled him closer with both legs. “Why is it that when we’re together, it always seems like a beautiful moment in time that was never meant to be? All our moments feel like tiny stolen drops of joy in a life filled with pain and uncertainty.”
He pulled back slightly to look down into her eyes, worry creasing his brow. “I feel just the opposite. You and I were always meant to be. Being torn apart by a cruel world barely aware of our existence only added insult to injury.”
“Having you inside me feels like coming full circle. It’s almost like the last ten years didn’t drive us further apart, it just made us closer.”
He smiled slightly, charmed by her sweet musings. “We’re soul mates. It felt like we were stealing time together when we were young because we had to meet in secret. Now we’re the masters of our own destiny, beautiful girl. No one can keep us from each other.”
She whispered, “I’m sorry for so many things, Yuri.”
Her face clouded with regret but Yuri wasn’t about to let her spoil this perfect moment with self-recriminations over events that had been out of her control. He thrust himself into her deeply to bring her back to the moment at hand. When her eyes grew big and her mouth fell open, he told her with a playful smile, “Ancient history, princess. Now let’s have more loving and less talking, please.”
She laughed at his antics. Opening her legs wider, she wrapped them tighter around his waist. “You’re demanding for a one-night stand,” she smirked.
Running her nails gently up and down his lower back, she allowed him to love to her. He loved that he could make her laugh so easily, but didn’t appreciate the one-night stand comment. One thing was crystal clear to him now: he would never be able to get along without the warmth she brought to his otherwise frigid heart.
Chapter 18
Coming of the Dawn
Jade
Jade woke first. Soft rays of light shined through the window. She found Yuri lying across the bed, still sound asleep. His bulky, muscular body gave off a dangerous vibe, even when he was snoring. Evidence of how he’d spent their time apart decorated his gorgeous body. For the first time, she noticed his scars and reached out to touch one on his back. It looked vaguely like a bullet hole healed over. A chill crawled up her spine as she realized that’s exactly what it was. It wasn’t the only one.
He turned over and looked at her questioningly.
Her voice quivered with emotion as she spoke. “How many, Yuri?”
He didn’t like the look of disapproval in her eyes. Swallowing hard, he replied, “Not many. Seven.”
“Seven isn’t many?” she gasped, then leaned over and kissed his lips thoroughly before adding, “Seven is enough. No more for you.”
He looked up at her blankly.
“Stop getting yourself shot, please,” she clarified.
Relief and amusement danced across his face. He pulled her close, clearly intent on soothing her fears. “I haven’t been shot in years. Those are all from the first couple of years after… well, you know.” Huffing out an exasperated breath, his eyes slid away for a moment. “I searched for you for a very long time, worried that bastard had gotten to you. I couldn’t eat or sleep. I poured all my anger and frustration over losing you into my work.”
“Jesus, Yuri, I never even thought about that. I just knew I had to get away. Everything reminded me of that cave. My parents were horrible.”
“Do you mind telling me about your family and how you managed to skip town? That’s no easy feat for an eighteen-year-old.”
&
nbsp; “They weren’t my real family, if you recall. They’d taken me in when I was young but they never let me be me. Hell, you remember how they treated me. Dictated every aspect of my life. I couldn’t even wear my hair how I wanted to, remember?”
“I could never forget,” Yuri nodded. “They were assholes.”
“That’s one way of putting it,” she agreed. “Anyhow, they never really believed my story. You know, about the cave. They didn’t believe Calvin would do such a thing and insisted he was a ‘good boy.’ They never came right out and said it, but I know they think I made the whole thing up.”
“How could they possibly think that? You were beaten so badly you had to spend days in the hospital.”
“Right? I’m pretty sure they think I just got drunk and fell down in the cave or something. In their minds, Calvin could do no wrong so I must have been confused about what really happened.”
“I swear to God, I’ll kill the old fools,” Yuri growled.
“No need. From what I hear he died of a heart attack a few years ago and she remarried some other guy. Moved to Alaska or something. It’s amazing what you can find out through Google.”
“How did you escape, though? You just… vanished.”
“I packed a couple of bags and took off in the middle of the night. Hitched a ride with a trucker and that was that, really,” she shrugged. “Used the money my real mother had left me to build a life for myself.”
“Wait… you hitched a ride with a trucker?” he asked incredulously.
“Yep. I didn’t want to be tracked through a bus or plane ticket. I even tossed my cell and got a new one when I reached the city.”
“I can’t believe you hitched a ride. That’s so dangerous, Jade. You realize I would have taken you anywhere you wanted to go, right?”
“You already had to deal with the police and explain how you found me. I didn’t want you to be dragged back into my screwed up life any more than you already were.” She paused for a moment, then muttered, “Besides, if you remember… I was a tad pissed at you at the time.”
