Stone Cold Angel (The Perfect Order Book 2)
Page 31
“O lyubov moya,” he groaned, grasping her hips and pulling her even closer.
She had no idea what he said but right now it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but him and her and this moment.
His hands reached up, grasping her breasts, his fingers pinching her nipples.
“Ah!” she cried, flexing as if she’d been struck by a lightning bolt, the innermost parts of her body clenching around him, holding him within her.
“Oh Nikolas, I . . . I . . .” She couldn’t seem to form a coherent thought, everything was a mass of feeling and a burning need so strong it threatened to blow her apart.
“Yes, princess, yes. Come on, come on,” he cajoled, arching himself upward and into her.
The orgasm began to build, more powerful than the last several. This was going to be it. The one she would not be able to recover from.
Intuitively, she arched into his hands, grinding against him, rising and lowering herself as fast and hard as she could, racing the impending explosion. Unable to stop or to slow down, she continued at break neck speed, hearing Nikolas’s breath grow as ragged and harsh as her own. But still, she couldn’t stop, couldn’t slow down. And then . . .
Oh God, this was it.
She couldn’t take anymore. She needed release.
Now.
Tightening her legs around him, she dug her nails into his arms and lifted herself one more time. At the last possible moment, she shoved herself down onto him as far as she could, breaking apart, shattering in a wave of mind numbing explosions. With her back arched, she threw her head back and screamed.
“Nikolas!”
Over and over, the powerful orgasm tore through her, ripping her into a million blissful pieces, her entire body convulsing uncontrollably. Nikolas’s hands gripped her butt, holding her steady as she rode wave after wave of the most intense sexual climax she could ever imagine. On and on it went, carrying her up and away, sending the shattered pieces of her soul into space, into oblivion.
In some dim part of her mind, she felt Nikolas tense up beneath her before he let go, crying out her name as he came.
Little by little, she floated back to Earth, the disconnected pieces rejoining to form a melted version of herself. Still embedded inside of her, he wrapped his hands around her naked back, pulling her down to lay beside him. Adjusting slightly, he slipped out but continued to hold her tight, his cheek resting on her forehead.
A puddle of goo, she snuggled close to him, relishing in the heady scent of him. “What was it you said earlier?” she murmured, a blissfulness taking over every part of her.
“When?” He sounded so sleepy she hated to press the matter but she had to know.
“Just a few minutes ago. It sounded like moya or something.”
She thought he felt his body tense for a second but then he relaxed against her again. She felt his lips in her hair as he issued a deep sigh. “Lyubov moya. It means my love.”
The words sliced through the satisfaction seeping through her body and mind. Suddenly she had to look at him, she had to see his face.
Lifting her head, she raised her eyes to meet his.
They weren’t the cold, barren eyes she was used to. Life shined in them, alive and bright.
And love. But more importantly, she could see him. The real him. And he was beautiful.
Then he smiled at her. A smile of such devastating sweetness and devotion that she was lost completely. There was no denying what she felt for this man. Never again. She knew how she felt. And with that smile, she knew he felt the same. She had never been so happy and fulfilled in her entire life.
Dipping his head, he touched her lips with his, a soft, loving kiss that resounded down to her toes and back up to her heart. “Go to sleep, Cadence.” Moving his face from hers, he pulled her to his chest, holding tight.
She listened to the strong, steady beat of his heart, her mind replaying what he’d just said. My love, my love.
This wonderful, incredible, broken man loves me! Me!
Chapter 27
You stupid son of a bitch! What have you done?
Nikolas glanced down at the woman lying on his chest and his heart surged painfully. She was so beautiful. So beautiful and innocent and fragile. And he’d fucked up. Again.
Not just by screwing her brains out until she had lapsed into a sex-induced coma, which had been absolutely incredible and mind blowing in itself, but by losing himself in her and uttering those damning words of endearment.
My love. Holy shit.
He was worse than a son of a bitch. He was a damned fool. He should have never taken this mission. Because now he’d made an even bigger mess of things than they had been to begin with. And because there was a lot more at stake than just the fate of the world. Cadence’s heart. And his own.
And that was just the type of ridiculous thinking that would destroy them both. It was stupid to believe their hearts, their feelings, were more vital than the lives of millions of innocent people. Insane. Stupid. Selfish. There were so many words he could use to describe himself right now but none of them were going to help the situation.
Cadence believed he loved her. But he couldn’t. He shouldn’t. To do so would endanger her life. And endanger everything around him. His own life, his organization, everything.
Maybe he was wrong. Maybe this sudden surge of love for Cadence was nothing more than a powerful, sated feeling of sexual gratification. More than he’d ever known in his entire life. And that was saying a lot.
Yes, that must be it. It had to be. Love was a myth. And one he was about to bust wide open before he got sucked further into this spiral of emotion.
Shifting his weight, he untwined his body from Cadence’s embrace, pausing as she murmured softly, still lost in the restful slumber of supreme orgasm overload. He’d done a number on her, ensuring she’d had the greatest sexual experience of her life. Which wasn’t saying much considering her newly de-virginized status. But she’d done one on him as well. Knocking him for a loop, making him question his sanity as no one else had ever done before.
But he knew a way to regain his icy mentality and forget the woman trying to claim his heart.
Crawling from the narrow bed, he stooped, picking up his discarded pants and underwear, and pulled them on, his eyes never leaving Cadence’s face. Even fast asleep, she continued to wear the glaze of satisfaction from a royally good fucking. Her eyes remained closed, the sooty lashes feathering her tanned cheekbones. And those full, luscious lips that had been wrapped around him in the most intimate way only minutes ago were parted, allowing her breath, slow and deep, to escape in a soft whisper.
Allowing his eyes to travel along the length of her body, he visually caressed her. From the bend of her elbow to the bend of her knee, he touched her, loved her, felt himself harden without thought.
She looked so peaceful lying there, so serene. Not a care in the world. Just the way she should be. Just the way he wished she could stay.
Sighing, he turned away, retrieving his shirt from the lampshade, and tugged it on over his head. Bending over, he hooked his shoes and socks with one hand and palmed the cell phone that had been knocked to the floor with the other. Without looking back, he walked out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Two rooms down, he rapped on the door and stood waiting for it to swing open.
“Well, it looks like you just rolled out from under someone,” Phoenix quipped, leaning casually against the doorframe. The pajama shirt she wore barely covered her thighs, the purple silk clinging to the curves of a body built for rigorous, incessant sex. “Ms. Montgomery, I presume?”
“How did you know?”
“Nikolas,” she said, tipping her chin down, “I know you. I know that look.”
“What look?”
He opened his mouth to speak but stopped him. “Don’t say it’s just because you’ve got a boat to catch either. You’re not sneaking away right now.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You still have your shoes in your hand.”
Nikolas glanced down at the shoes in his hand then back at her. He’d really had no hope of fooling her. She was far too intuitive. She was trained to be. All of the operatives were. So of course, he knew she would see right through him, right to the heart of the problem. It was almost a relief.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Nikolas asked, his dark eyes meeting and holding hers, the emerald green sparkling with curiosity.
“You know you’re always welcome inside,” she murmured, stepping aside, allowing him to enter the room.
Picking up the flirtatious thread she was spinning, he grinned, not really feeling it. “Always?”
“Well it has been a while since you and I have rolled around between the sheets. And you know me, I’m always up for a good fucking.” With one slim finger, she traced a thin line along his stubbled jaw. “Let’s see if you’ve learned any new tricks since the last time shall we? Unless of course, you’re not in the mood . . .”
He started to pull away from her cool touch but stopped himself. He had something to prove and he was going to prove it. This was just the first step. The first monumental step.
Do this, and everything will go back to normal. You can go back to your cold, hard self, and Cadence won’t exist for you anymore.
“Phoenix,” Nikolas growled, shutting the door behind him, “have you ever known me not to be in the mood?”
Her laughter was deep and throaty, perfectly sensual. “Never. But now with this girl, I wonder . . .”
Stepping up to him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. Through the tissue thin material, he felt every curve of her body as they molded themselves neatly into him and knew she wore absolutely nothing underneath.
As her lips melted against his, Nikolas dropped his shoes to the floor and yanked her close, sliding one hand along her back. Burying his free hand in the long, tawny waves cascading over her shoulders, he rammed his tongue into her mouth, demanding immediate access.
She opened up for him without hesitation, her own tongue swirling over his, expertly meeting every twist and turn he made as their kiss deepened.
Nikolas let his hand drop lower, grasping the hem of her shirt and lifting it, revealing the most perfect ass he’d ever had the pleasure of knowing. Clasping the taut skin in his palm, he squeezed and kneaded, feeling her flesh warm to his rough handling.
Phoenix mewled, a sound of dark and sinful pleasures, of wicked fantasies and erotic fulfillment. She always gave as good as she got, sometimes even better. One of the best at this game, she was his only rival in sexual manipulation. But that was all it was, all it would be. Sex. Mind-numbing sex. Nothing more, nothing less. And she was just what he needed to flush Cadence out of his system.
Grinding her hips against his, she bit his lip, tugging hard, painfully, bringing his mind back to the present. She unclamped her teeth and leaned back, gazing up into his face, a lascivious smile on her lips.
“Shall we continue this in bed?” she purred. “Or would you prefer me against the wall? I know how much you enjoy that particular position.”
Swallowing against the lump of regret threatening to choke him, Nikolas gave her his most salacious grin. “Why choose one when we can do both?”
“Ah, a man after my own heart. Too bad it’s as cold as yours. But this,” Phoenix replied, slipping her hand down his arm, his hip, and finally to his crotch where she squeezed, coaxing him into the beginning of an erection, “this is always hot.”
Nikolas groaned. Not from arousal but from the shame surging through him.
I can do this. I have to do this.
“Well then,” he growled, “what are we waiting for?”
“Indeed.”
Slim, white fingers reached for the collar of his shirt, gripping the edges tightly and pulled, sending buttons flying across the room.
“Feeling a little fierce, are we?” he whispered, praying she wouldn’t see his hesitation.
Phoenix tipped her head his way, her painted lips turning up wickedly. “I told you it’s been a while. And you know how much I enjoy sex. Especially great sex. And you’ve never disappointed.”
“Neither have you.” Gritting his teeth, he sighed, willing himself to forget Cadence and do what he needed to drive her completely from his mind and his heart.
He followed Phoenix deeper into the bedroom, stripping his ruined shirt off as he went. And as his fellow operative and casual sex partner removed the only item of clothing she wore and lay down on the bed, encouraging him to descend upon her, he destroyed every ounce of regret he had, and sank down, covering her body with his.
~ ~ ~
Jerked from sleep, Cadence sat up in the narrow bed, her eyes wide, her breath caught in her throat.
“Nikolas?” she whispered to an empty room. He was gone. The only clothes littering the floor were hers.
Where had he gone? And what was that noise?
Wooden and hollow, it seemed to reverberate throughout the entire hotel. But the more she listened to the rhythmic knocking, the more she realized it wasn’t coming from the hotel but from the monastery instead. Maybe it was some sort of religious practice. The sound was strange but oddly soothing. She had an idea that if she listened long enough, she would be coaxed into a dreamless sleep.
But she didn’t want to sleep. She wanted more of what happened last night. Every muscle in her body was still thrumming with satisfaction. Nikolas had managed to make her come so many times she’d lost count. Over and over, he’d made her body sing like a canary. She wanted him to do it again. And again.
But where was he?
Glancing at the clock on the wall, she saw it was just after four-thirty in the morning. Where could he have possibly gone at this hour?
This hour . . . Henry!
Oh God, Henry would be arriving to the island soon, if he wasn’t there already.
Scooting off of the bed, she stooped down, retrieving her panties. She needed to get up and find Nikolas. After last night, things had changed. He’d said he loved her. He loved her!
Hold your horses there, missy. Is that really what he said?
She paused, her panties midway up her thighs. He hadn’t actually said he loved her but he’d called her his love. He’d kissed her and held her tight as she slept. He loved her, she knew he did. He may not want to admit it at first but she’d seen it in his eyes. She’d heard it in his voice. She’d felt it in his touch. He loved her and now she had to find him.
Tugging on the rest of her clothes, she felt herself smiling broadly. Nikolas loved her and she loved him. Everything was going to be all right. Dmitry would be stopped, the world would be safe, and she and Nikolas would be together. She wasn’t exactly sure how just yet but they could work out the details later.
God, she felt good. Never in her life had she felt this alive, this vibrant. The feeling was wonderful.
Running her fingers through her mussed hair, Cadence opened the door and stepped into the hallway. She had no idea where to start looking for Nikolas. He could be anywhere. But she didn’t mind looking because he loved her. He loved her.
The sound of a door opening down the hall made her turn.
And her stomach plummeted to her feet.
Nikolas stepped out of the room, his sole concentration focused on buttoning his pants
. Although he wore his shirt, it hung open, missing several buttons and there was a dark smear on his collar.
Lipstick. Is that lipstick?
Her gaze crawled over him in shock, not wanting to believe what she was seeing. But there, on his neck, just below his ear, a well-formed hickey marred his perfect skin, driving home the truth.
What had he done? Oh God, what had he done?
She must have made some sound because he turned to her, guilt flooding his dark, dark eyes. He took a step toward her, leaving the door open behind him.
“Cadence, I . . .”
Backing away, she shook her head, unable to speak. The pain was just too great, too colossal.
“Cadence, wait,” Nikolas begged, taking another step in her direction.
Behind him, a woman stepped from the open doorway. Dressed only in a silk purple top, she was absolutely breathtaking and everything about her screamed sex. From the cloud of honey-colored hair and heavy mouth to the perfect breasts and shapely legs, Cadence knew without a doubt this woman was the type of woman Nikolas was used to. This was the type of woman he liked. How could she have fooled herself to believe anything else?
“Nikolas, darling,” she purred, wrapping her arm around his neck in an intimate embrace, “come back to bed. I still want to play.” Her crimson lips formed a pout so perfect it would bring the most hardened man to his knees.
This time Cadence heard the cry coming from her own lips. And so did the other woman, the goddess clinging to her man, the man that she loved.
No, not her man. Not hers. He would never be hers. But oh God, she did love him . . .
The darkest green eyes she’d ever seen turned her way, regarding her curiously. Cadence felt a chill shoot through her as the cold gem like eyes slipped over her skin from head to toe and back again.
Shifting slightly, the goddess stepped closer to Nikolas, slipping her hand into the dark hair at the base of his neck, twirling it over her fingers and smiled. A smile of victory, of satisfaction, of ownership. Nikolas was hers. He belonged to her.