Leave Me Breathless: The Ivy Collection

by KL Donn

  They’ve been here for every battle, every success, and they deserve all that we’ve worked towards as a family.

  Even though Kodiak is perceived as a quiet intellect because he enjoys his research—compiling enough information to bring a man to his knees—he’s as swift and deadly as Niko and me.

  Niko acts as my bodyguard. Now, Emmy’s guard. When, in reality, he is a man who enjoys blood and gore. He is very similar to King Adair’s own Carver Rivers. There are no lines he won’t cross for us.

  I could not have two better men on my side than them. And now, my sweet, innocent Emmy is here. Making me stronger and more vulnerable in a single breath. Because of her, I will have to amp up my security, as enemies will consider her my weakness. They’ll think that they can get to me through her.

  In some ways, they would be correct. If anyone became my downfall, it would be her. But she makes me stronger and more powerful, as well. She breathes life into my once frozen heart. I will stop at nothing to keep her safe.

  If some unlucky bastard is dumb enough to use her against me, they will find out exactly how vengeful I can be. How torturous I have been in the past. Consequences will not be slight, and I can guarantee lives will be lost.

  “Car’s here,” Kodiak says, interrupting my thoughts.

  “Let’s go.” I stand and walk to the door, enjoying the success I observe all around me. People are drinking, gambling, and having a good time. It’s what I like witnessing in my establishments.

  Kodiak doesn’t allow anyone to stop me as we make our way across the casino floor and out the front door. Before slipping into the car, I gaze around the entryway and narrow my eyes when I see a lone figure standing beside a pillar in the dark. Smoke billows as he blows out a breath, the lit cigarette the only light around him.

  “Kodiak, have a man find out who that is and why he’s there.” I speak the words in Russian, most don’t understand, so the man will not know what I’ve instructed.

  Kodiak does as I ask and puts security on alert as we pull away and head home.

  My sweet Emmaline awaits.

  Emmy

  Blowing the hair off my face, I wonder if Sacha gave me this project because she didn’t want to do it or to keep me out of her hair. Viktor has a lot of clothes. And every time I think I’m finished, I find more.

  There are so many nooks and crannies or hidden cubbies that I’d think I was in a department store. Dropping what I believe is the last pile of clothes on the bed, I melt into a heap on the floor and stare up at the ceiling.

  If I concentrate hard enough and turn my head to the side, I’m almost positive there are ballerinas dancing on the roof. Or maybe I’m hallucinating and need to eat.

  I’m determined to get this finished before Viktor comes home, though. I want to show him that I can listen to instructions. I don’t know why it’s so important, but I have this driving need inside of me to please him.

  “What the hell is this?” I hear his voice and curse myself for taking so many breaks.

  Popping up from the floor, I see him standing in the entryway before he kicks both doors shut and strides towards me. “I’m sorry. I thought I would be done before you came home. But you”—I point to him, hoping to lighten his mood—“have a lot of clothes, mister.”

  He glares at me then the bed, then moves his sharp stare to the closet and back to me again.

  “Crap,” I mutter, and immediately, slam my hand over my mouth.

  “What is that for?” He points to my face.

  “Sacha, she told me—”

  He slashes his hand through the air, interrupting me. “Nyet. Ignore that old hag. She has old ideologies that I do not follow.” I nod, and the worry drops from my shoulders. “Explain this mess,” he demands, sweeping his arm through the room, and the worry is back.

  I glance around, taking in everything he sees and cringe. “Sacha told me to move your stuff in here and put it away for you.” I drop back down to the floor, tears hovering in my eyes and clogging my throat. I can’t do anything right.

  “Sacha!” His yell resonates through the house like a crack of thunder.

  “Yes, Viktor.” She sounds nothing like she did before.

  “Put everything away. Do not, ever, make my woman do your job again, or I’ll send you back to Russia.” I don’t understand what he says, but his tone is brutal enough to make my tears fall freely.

  “Emmaline,” I hear him snap, but I can’t bring myself to sit up and look at him. I’m angry at myself for not getting finished on time, and now, he’s mad at me. Not that I blame him; I made a huge mess trying to organize everything.

  Hearing his heavy footsteps stomping towards me, I close my eyes, unable to witness the rage I’m certain is simmering in his gaze.

  “What is this?” His voice is soft as he brushes a tear away.

  “You’re so mad.” I hiccup. “I meant to be finished before you came home. I just didn’t realize how much you had stashed everywhere,” I try to explain. When he smiles at me, the damn breaks, and I openly sob.

  “Enough of this. Sacha never should have had you do this. It was a large task that I’d given to her to do earlier. She is old, and rather than hand it off to one of the younger staff, she tested you.”

  “I don’t understand.” But I think I’m starting to, and I really don’t like it. “She used me?”

  “Da.” He frowns at my words.

  “I don’t like being used,” I tell him, my tears drying up as my anger replaces it.

  “You won’t be again, moy.” I love when he calls me that. “Now, on your feet, we have to leave in an hour.” He grabs my hands and helps me up.

  “Leave? Where are we going?” He pulls me into his hold, lifting my shirt as I wait on his answer.

  “To a game,” he explains absentmindedly. My shirt drops to the floor, and it isn’t long before he’s unhooked my bra and is dropping it on top of my shirt.

  Shy, I try to cover up, but he shakes his head, and my arms drop back down to my sides. Picking me up, Viktor places me on the end of the bed before he pushes me to lay back.

  Closing my eyes, I shiver when I feel his rough hands run down my body, starting at my shoulders, gliding over my breasts, past my waist, and finally, to my pants. I feel him undo the button as the zipper echoes within the room as he draws it down.

  Gripping the sides of my jeans, he pulls them down past my hips, across my thighs, and off my feet. “Krasivaya,” he murmurs in Russian, and I need to know the translation this time.

  “What does that mean, Viktor?” I whisper.

  “Beautiful,” he whispers back, and I swear my heart sighs.

  Kissing the tops of each thigh, he tears my light blue panties off and spreads my flesh to his pleasure. Nervous energy pounds through my body as he drapes both legs across his shoulders, and I can feel him moving closer to the apex of my body.

  His hot breath makes me whimper before I feel him blow a cool breath across my sex. “Viktor,” I whine. I’ve never done this; I have no idea how to react or if it should feel so good.

  “Quiet,” he barks. I barely have time to process his order before I feel his tongue licking up my slit. His gravelly moan has me shivering in his embrace. “Delicious,” he mumbles before dipping his mouth to cover my entire pussy.

  Without thought, my hands go to his head. Gripping his hair, I don’t know if I intend to pull him closer or push him away. I have a hard time keeping a coherent thought as he makes out with my nether lips.

  As he nibbles along the flesh, I moan and arch my back, silently begging him for more. My womb tightens with anticipation, and my breasts feel heavy as he continues his venture.

  I’m lightheaded as his erotic assault on my body travels through my veins. His lips wrap around my clit, and I swear I see stars. I can barely open my eyes to stare down at him.

  “Viktor,” I cry out as my orgasm rips through my body, stealing my breath and forcing my heart to pound wildly in my chest. He doesn’t s
top, though. Viktor continues his sensual attack on my body like it’s his own treasure, and I can no longer think, let alone breathe.

  “One more, moya lyubov’.” His voice is deep, husky. I can hear his own desire in the tone. While he continues to lick and suck at my body, I relax into the bed only to be tossed back into his sensual musings as another orgasm tears through my virgin body.

  When I feel him move, I whine, not wanting the pleasure to end. It isn’t until I feel him looming over my body and the press of something hard and warm trying to breach my body that I’m able to open my eyes again.

  “Viktor,” I sigh his name.

  “Watch,” he commands, and I stare down to where our bodies are barely connected as he pumps his hand up and down his length. Veins bulge and pulse as he moves, and I’m fascinated by the sight.

  Lowering my hand, I wrap it around his and follow his motions until he lets go and allows me to take over.

  He’s hard and silky smooth all at once.

  “Tighter,” he groans, and my fist does as he pleases. “Harder,” he barks, nearly making me jump.

  I can feel my core pulsing. With only the head of his swollen member inside my body, I wait for whatever it is he is anticipating, and when it does, when he roars my name, his seed splash inside of me, I feel…complete.

  It’s like I’ve finally come home, and Viktor’s warm embrace is where I belong.

  Viktor

  I hadn’t meant to come home and attack Emmy. But watching her in my…our…space, trying to be domesticated was more turn-on than anything. I never thought of myself as a settling down type of man. I always figured if I were to take a bride, she would be high society. Wanting servants to do her bidding.

  Emmy is everything I never knew I wanted. She’s quiet but strong. Observant and intelligent. Even though she didn’t have to handle my belongings, she did so because she wanted to. She wanted to get a feel for the man I am.

  After our quick sexual jaunt, she knows exactly the type of man I am. Dirty, greedy, and unapologetic. She’s worried about birth control and pregnancy; I say bring it on. I have no intention of letting her go, so a baby in the near future does not bother me.

  “Are you sure about this?” she whispers next to me, pulling at the hem of the violet dress I picked out for her.

  “Positive.” I squeeze her bare thigh, raising my hand closer to her heat as she leans into me. “I’ll be the envy of every man with a pulse.” My teasing words elicit the desired effect. Her blinding smile.

  “But do I have to forgo the panties?” Her nose scrunches up adorably as I nod. “I’m not comfortable, Viktor.”

  I’m torn between giving her what she wants and keeping her as I want her. “Moya lyubov’, I will do almost anything for you, anything at all. But this, you will not question me on. This is how I want to present you to my world because if they think, for a second, that you are as innocent and docile as you appear, they will pounce like wolves, and I’ll be forced to kill every single one of them for considering, even for a second, that they are permitted to breathe in the same space as you.”

  Emmaline’s eyes harden before they softened again at my possessive explanation. “There are moments, Viktor, where the indomitable man you are is so prevalent that you make me want to scream, but then you say something sweet, and slightly homicidal, and I’m forced to give in to your needs.” She sounds perplexed.

  “I’m a complicated man.” I agree with her assessment. Trouble is, my only desire is to keep her to myself, and I will do anything to make that a reality.

  The car stops and the door opens, Niko’s hand is out to help Emmy from the car as I brush my hand down her back. “Emmy.” Niko greets her with an outheld arm. For tonight, he will escort her inside until I finish up a quick meeting with Maksim before the game begins.

  “I’ll be right there, moy, stay with Niko,” I tell her and wait until she nods. “Anyone touches her, you shoot them in the head,” I instruct Niko in Russian.

  “Whatever you want,” he mutters, steadying Emmy on her feet as she walks in the towering heels I asked her to wear. She responds better to a slight pout than a demand, as I’ve discovered this evening. I’ll be using that to my favor often.

  “Viktor,” Kodiak calls from a side door as I watch Niko escort my future bride into the Grandeur Hotel. Its appearance caters to the rich and famous. Only people of wealth can afford a room here.

  “Coming,” I reply to Kodiak as they enter the opulent doors. Emmy gazes back at me from over her shoulder, giving me a shy smile, and I almost regret agreeing to this damn meeting.

  “Here’s Radomir’s estimated figures for the evening.” He hands me a file showing that the amounts on the tables are higher than anticipated, nearing eight million instead of three. “I’ve already called for extra security. The hotel is accommodating us with the larger penthouse, as well. It can hold eight tables instead of five.”

  “Good.” I hand the file back to him as we enter the room Maksim has rented for the evening to hold all the cash prizes until we distribute them to the winners. Each table will play two rounds to weed out the wannabes, and then there are eight games to which each table will have one winner of one million dollars.

  “Viktor!” Radomir stands, his belly grazing the desk he is sitting at. I hold up a hand to halt his anticipated hug. I despise smoking, and he reeks of it. “Sorry, sorry. I forgot. Look, I know you said you didn’t want Taylor here, but he came with Oscar Haggen. I couldn’t stop him.”

  He commences speaking when he sees the thunderous look on my face. The Haggen family has been enemies with the Vashchenko’s for more lifetimes than I can count. Oscar happens to be the son of the oldest remaining Haggen, Leon. He also bears no soul. He’s one of the most ruthless men I’ve ever met. They also carry a particular hatred for me because I killed the oldest son, Elias, ten years ago when Kodiak, Niko, and I found him raping a young girl in a back alley. I didn’t care who he was then, and I don’t care now. He got exactly what he deserved.

  Turning my back on Maksim, I walk out, heading towards the elevator. My intent is to reach Emmaline. “Boss, stop,” Kodiak barks at me as the doors open, and I step inside. “Think about this. If Oscar realizes she means anything to you, he’s going to target her. Let him think she’s Niko’s company for the evening.”

  Fuck. He’s right. I loathe when he’s right. “Da,” I grunt, and he enters, swiping the card for the penthouse floor.

  “You can’t keep your eye on her all night, either. You must act detached.” She’s not going to like that one bit.

  Silence surrounds us as we are shuttled to the top floor. I want to punch a hole through the wall as we exit, and I see Emmy standing beside Niko, her hand tucked into his elbow securely. When she spots me, her eyes light up with pleasure, and I have to force myself not to walk to her.

  “Gentleman,” I greet the men standing there, seemingly waiting for me as Niko opens the door, and at my glare, holds tight to Emmy’s hand when she tries to break free of his hold to do precisely as I told her…come to me.

  “Viktor?” The single word is soft, scarcely discernible, but I hear her. I’m forced to remain indifferent to the pained look in her eyes as I walk past her without acknowledgment of her presence.

  Entering the room, I see Oscar sitting at a table, behind him is Marshall with a look of triumph in his seedy eyes when our gazes clash. He’ll get everything coming to him and so much more.

  “Gentlemen,” I say to the room at large. “Welcome. Grab your seats. Maksim will take your vouchers, and good luck!” Within minutes, everyone is seated, and Maks is validating their money vouchers against his numbers list as Kodiak makes the rounds of taking down names and bets.

  I do not envy my friend and his tasks during these games. The numbers would make my head spin.

  Seeing Emmy in the corner staring at me, I know I have to speak with Niko, so I wave them over as I sit at my own table.

  “What’s up?” he asks, a
nd I sigh before speaking.

  “Oscar brought Marshall. I need you to keep Emmy occupied and not focused on me. Haggen cannot know she is important to me,” I explain in Russian, so my girl doesn’t understand, but as soon as her name passes my lips, our gazes collide, and I see hurt swirling in her sparkling orbs.

  Niko nods, and I can see his own distress and understanding at what I must do as I break eye contact with Emmy and turn a frosty glare on her. I must feign annoyance at her presence as I see Marshall turning his head our way.

  Gesturing for them to leave, Niko guides Emmy to another table and waves the waitress over to collect their drink order. I see Emmy bite her lip from the corner of my eye, and I wish more than anything that I could nibble on her myself. I had planned to all evening, but fucking Oscar had to ruin everything.

  Emmy

  I’m hurt. I’m confused. But mostly, I’m angry.

  After being used by his staff and then denied access to call my mother, Viktor crashed into our room and gave me more than expected yet less than I wanted as he pleasured me. Now, he’s treating me like I don’t exist, and I can tell Niko is angry about something.

  “Settle yourself,” my new escort for the evening snaps at me because my legs are bouncing beneath the table.

  “I don’t understand.” I lean towards him, getting the feeling that there is something going on, but nobody wants to fill me in. I feel like I’m just the silly southern girl with a crush and without a clue.

  Niko leans forward, holding my waist as I would have pulled away. “You will tonight,” he murmurs into my neck. “Now, smile.”

  I do as he says.

  “Good.” He preens, pulling me closer to his frame. “Stay by my side this evening, and everything will be fine.”