His Ward

by Lena Matthews

  “But not sorry you hurt him.”

  Misha didn’t even bother to lie. “I’m not even a little bit sorry about that.”

  “Misha,” she gasped.

  “What? You want me to be honest, right? No more lies. Well, here it is.” Misha pulled his hands out of his pocket and held his arms out. “This is me being a hundred percent honest with you. He could have died by my hands last night, and the only thing I would have felt was satisfaction at a job well done.”

  Tionne place her hand over her heart and took a quick, sharp breath. “Misha!”

  Despite the look on her face, he continued, needed her to know just how far he would go to do what he felt was right, even if it was wrong. “His life means nothing to me. I don’t give a fuck about his future career endeavors, and his emotional well-being is irrelevant. Irrelevant! And the worst part, the part you’re really going to hate, even now, seeing how upset you are, is I would still do it again. The only thing I would do differently is I wouldn’t have made you a promise, because even then I had no intention of keeping it.”

  Tionne stared at him, wordlessly, blankly, for several long seconds, before she finally blinked. “Wow.”

  “You wanted honesty,” he said with a lot more ease than he felt.

  “Well, that was honest, if nothing else.” Tionne let out a little laugh and shook her head.

  Tension that Misha didn’t even know he was holding melted away at the sound.

  “What am I going to do with you?”

  Forgive me came to mind, but he didn’t let the words slip out. “I don’t know. What do you want to do?”

  “Strangle you, or bludgeon you, or bang you over the head with a frying pan, or maybe—”

  “I get it. Cause me great pain. Got it.”

  “You hurt me.”

  The pain in her voice unmanned him. Misha had never felt more helpless in his life. “I know.”

  “Don’t do it again.”

  Misha let out a heavy sigh as he joined her on the couch. “I can’t promise you that, Tionne. I’m human. I make mistakes.”

  “Who you telling?” she grumbled, but her voice held less heat than it had earlier.

  “Tell me how to fix this.”

  “That’s just it, Mish.” Her voice held a hint of sadness in it. “You don’t get to wave a magic wand and have everything go back to the way it was before.”

  Whose stupid rules were these? “What’s the point of having the wand, then?”

  Her lips curved upward. “Don’t make me laugh. I’m trying to stay mad at you.”

  “I will not agree to that.” If he could make her smile and laugh, he had a chance to cajole her out of her anger.

  “Then agree to this. I need you to give me some time. I need space.”

  A cold rush of ice flooded his veins, but somehow he managed to keep his voice normal. “How much space? How much time?”

  “I don’t know, a couple of days, a week, to focus on me.”

  It sounded like way too long to him, but Misha wasn’t going to push her on this. “Fine.”

  “What?” She looked shocked by his easy agreement.

  “You sound surprised.”

  “I am.” Tionne narrowed her gaze. “What’s the catch?”

  “Nothing. Something came up at work today, and I’m going to be out of the country for a bit.” It was more complicated than that, of course, but he didn’t want to worry her. Besides, it would give them both a break—something she obviously wanted more than he did.

  “For how long?” she asked, not sounding pleased at all.

  “I don’t know,” he answered honestly.

  Tionne frowned. “Is it in a dangerous area?”

  “If I didn’t know better, I would swear that you sound worried for me.”

  “Don’t be a jerk, of course I am. I may want to kill you, but that doesn’t mean I want anyone else to.”

  He pulled her into his arms, and, much to his delight, she went into them willingly. Her arms wrapped around his waist, one around his middle and one around his back, and she held on tightly to him as he nuzzled into her more. She was so soft and warm, and he couldn’t help the feeling of rightness that washed over him when she was beside him like this. This was where she belonged. This was where he belonged, but it didn’t make it right. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine.”

  “That didn’t answer my question. It is somewhere dangerous?”

  Her quiet, apprehensive words pulled him out of his wayward thoughts. He didn’t want to lie to her, especially not again so soon, but on the other hand, he didn’t want to worry her unnecessarily. “When isn’t it, but hey, if you’re lucky, I might get my head blown off, then you’ll have all the space and time you’ll need.”

  She smacked his stomach lightly. “That’s not funny.”

  “No. It’s not.” He tightened his hold on her and rested his head on the top of hers. The sweet smell of pineapple-scented hair conditioner combined with the clean, fresh aroma of her skin filled his lungs, and he breathed the scent in. He wanted to remember this moment, to have this to think back on while he was away. “I’m going to leave Darby here with you.”

  “Freedom and space…remember?”

  Misha used his free hand to tilt her chin up so he could see her face. “Your safety comes first with me. It always has, and it always will.” Tionne opened her mouth as if she was going to rebuff his claim, but he silenced her by laying a single finger over her full lips. “This is not about me butting in. I swear to you. You know I have enemies aplenty, and the best way to get to me would be to get to either you or Nicholi. Nicholi can handle himself, and although I know you’re a Billy Badass, it would ease my mind if you at least had someone to hold your purse while you kicked ass, okay? So be mad at me all you want, but do this for me. Please.”

  Tionne pushed his hand away and laid her head back on his chest. “Fine, but only because you admitted that I’m a Billy Badass.”

  He smiled. “The baddest.”

  “You know it.”

  “I do.” Misha closed his eyes and leaned back into the couch. He took the moment for what it was—a calm before whatever future storm they’d have—and lived in it. He began to slowly caress the soft, smooth skin of her arm, his fingers lower with each stroke, until they left her arm altogether and landed on her hip. He waited to see if she would object, but when none came forth, he began to lightly run his fingers in circles over the thin material of her pajama shorts.

  “And one more thing.”

  Misha opened his eyes and looked down at her. At this point, he was willing to give her almost anything not to have her shut him out again. “Yes?”

  “I’m not going back to work for you.”

  He paused for a few seconds, pondering her words, then nodded. “Okay. If that’s what you prefer.”

  “That’s it?” Tionne tilted her head back and focused her gaze on his. “No arguments about it?”

  He’d never wanted her to work there in the first place. If he had his choice, she would be living the life of a socialite, shopping all day and spending money hand over fist. Completely sheltered from the world and out of harm’s way. All he wanted to do was spoil her, shelter her, but Tionne wasn’t that type of girl, much to his utter dismay. “I never wanted to stifle you, Tionne, just protect you.”

  “You have, but it’s time I learn to stand on my own a bit.”

  He was beginning to see that. “As long as you don’t stand too far from me. I can deal with it.” But just barely.

  They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before she spoke again. “When are you leaving?”

  “Tonight,” he said with some reluctance. “Flight leaves at eleven.”

  “Tonight?” Her voice rose a bit with panic. “Are you taking Nicholi with you?”

  “Yes.”

  “I was afraid you were going to say that.” Tionne pulled away from him, and Misha grudgingly let her go. She stood and moved in front of him, but
then, to his surprise, she placed her hands on his shoulders and climbed onto his lap, a leg one each side of him, before sitting down so she was facing him.

  This new position was one they’d never done before and for good reason. Looking at her like this, feeling her astride him, there was no way Misha could see her as anything other than all woman.

  She moved in until her bottom was resting against his lap and leaned forward so her breasts were pressed into his chest and her head was lying on his shoulder. His brain was shouting Mayday, mayday as his cock began to thicken. Even though everything in him was telling him why this was wrong, Misha couldn’t help but wrap his arms around her and hold her to him. “And where does this fit into the standing-on-your-own plan?”

  “I’m going to start tomorrow.”

  He tightened his hold on her. “I like that even more.”

  “Be careful,” she whispered after a minute or two as she pulled back so they were eye to eye. “Come home to me.”

  “Always.”

  Tionne raised her hand to his cheek and caressed it. “If something happens to you…”

  “I’m coming back.” Misha moved his hands from her back to her hips and held her to him. “To you.”

  “You better.” Tionne’s gaze lowered to his lips, and her breathing slowed, and when she raised her eyes again, Misha saw the same need there he felt reflected in his soul. She wanted him. The surety of it surprised and scared him equally. It was one thing to fight his desire. He didn’t think he’d have the strength to hold them both back. Yet at the same time, he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

  She was there, his for the taking, and somehow he knew, just knew if he took advantage of the gift she literally laid on his lap, she wouldn’t put up a protest, at least not tonight, but tomorrow… That might be a different story. She wanted space. She wanted him. Tionne was just as conflicted as he was, but when she was on top of him like this, so close, so sexy, it was hard to remember just why he was conflicted. All he had to do to end both of their suffering was to close the distance between them and…

  The sound of the front door opening broke the spell that had surrounded them. “Sir?”

  Tionne let out a heavy sigh and laid her head back on his shoulder.

  “Yes,” he said curtly.

  “If you want to make the flight, we have to leave now.”

  “Okay.” Misha wasn’t sure if they’d been saved by the bell or not, but he knew he had a plane to catch…and things to think about. Lots of things. “I have to go.”

  Tionne squeezed him one more time, then slid to the side and off his lap. “I know.”

  “Try to be good.”

  “If you’ll avoid bullets and bombs, I’ll avoid bad dates and nails.”

  Misha laughed and stood. “It’s a deal.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead, lingering a bit longer than he should have, before straightening. “I’ll see you when I get back. Enjoy your break. It’s more than likely the last you’ll get.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  “No, that’s a promise.” One he knew he would have no problem keeping.

  * * * *

  A hand gently shaking her shoulder woke Tionne from a sound sleep. She opened her eyes and gasped at the sight of Misha sitting next to her on the mattress. She went to bed alone less than an hour after he left to go to the airport and expected to wake up the same way as well, but for some reason that wasn’t the case. Confused, she sat up and turned on her bedside light. “What’s going on? I thought you had a plane to catch.”

  “I did.” He reached out and pushed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes and smiled at her. “I do, but halfway to the airport, I realized I forgot something.”

  “What?”

  “This.” Before she could question what “this” was, Misha slipped his hand around her lower back, pulled her flush to him, and kissed her. Shock held her frozen for a few seconds, but only momentarily, because it was finally happening. After years of wanting and waiting, she was finally getting him, and Tionne refused to waste the moment thinking on the why when she could be busy thinking Thank you, God.

  Groaning, she blossomed under his touch and returned his kiss with all the love and longing she had in her heart. So many years of wanting had made her desperate for his kiss, touch, his love, and now that it was finally happening, she was overcome with joy and lust.

  To make everything ten times better, the kiss was long and lingering, just the way she’d imagined it would be so many times over. Tionne had kissed her fair share of frogs while waiting for her prince to wake up and smell the coffee, but every single one of those kisses paled in comparison to this one.

  When they broke apart, Tionne took a deep breath, then let it out shakily and said the only word that came to mind. “Wow.”

  “Now that was worth rescheduling my flight for.”

  “Rescheduling?” He wasn’t just here for a minute?

  “Yes,” he said as he slipped off his jacket. “Just until morning.”

  Tionne licked her lips in anticipation. She didn’t know exactly where he was going with this, but she liked the direction it was heading. “What do you plan to do while you wait?”

  “You.” Bending his head, he captured her mouth with his and kissed her again. This time longer, deeper, and much, much slower, but kisses, no matter how great they were, just weren’t enough to appease the fire building inside her.

  Desperate to get to the “you” part of the evening, Tionne began to frantically undo the buttons on his shirt. Chuckling, Misha pulled back. “Slow down, moja draga, we have all night.”

  “We also have a lot of time to make up for. I’ve wanted this for so long.”

  “And now you’ll have it.”

  “But why? Why now?”

  “Because the thought of losing you was more than I could bear. I don’t want a break from you. I want you with me for all time.”

  Even though the break had been her idea, Tionne couldn’t deny she felt the same way, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t play a little hard to get. “Then give me a reason to change my mind.”

  “Now that”—Misha stood and took a step away from the bed—“I can do.”

  While holding her gaze, he began to undress. It wasn’t slow and sexy like a cheesy music video. Instead, it was more to the point. He took his clothes off, much in the same way he conducted his business, methodically and with purpose, and in seconds there was nothing left to the imagination. Over the course of their years together, Tionne had seen Misha in many states of undress, but it still hadn’t prepared her for what was before her now.

  His body was as fit and defined as a man half his age, with bronze skin that seemed to beg to be touched. Her favorite feature, of course, was his shaft, which jutted out long and hard before him. She tried not to stare, but she was only human. “You know”—she paused to clear her increasingly dry throat—“if this is the way you resolve all our fights, we’re going to have to fight more often.”

  “Or we could just skip the fighting and go straight to the loving.” Misha grasped his cock tightly in his hand and slowly began to caress himself, much to Tionne’s surprise. She had never witnessed a man masturbating before outside of porn. Reality was much better. High def be damned, this was living color and sexy as hell.

  Unable to stop herself, she reached for him, desperate to get his thick shaft in her hand. To her dismay, Misha took a step back and shook his head. “Look with your eyes, not with your hands.”

  “Fuck that.”

  “I’d rather fuck you.”

  The words she’d been dying to hear had finally been said. She reached down and grasped the end of her nightshirt and, with one swift move, pulled it up and off. She made just as quick work of her underwear, then leaned back in what she hoped was a seductive pose. The look of want that ran rampant over his face told her she hadn’t been too far off the mark. “Then get over here and do it.”

  “So demanding.”

  �
��So horny,” she moaned. “Please don’t make me beg.”

  “Never.” Misha slipped between her parted thighs. He took his cock in hand, pressed it past her damp nether lips, and rubbed it against her oh so sensitive clit. Tionne arched up into him, aching to have him fill her, but Misha didn’t nudge his cock lower and sink deep into her. Instead, he just continued to manipulate her pleasure point, over and over until she thought she’d go mad. “Misha. Please!”

  “Are you sure you’re ready?”

  “Yes, God, yes.”

  Misha moved the tip of his cock down and positioned himself against her wet slit. “Then take me.”

  * * * *

  As Misha pressed forward, Tionne came awake with a moan. The intense pleasure carried over from her dream into reality, and in reality, instead of Misha situated between her thighs, she was gripping a pillow between her trembling legs. Unable to help herself, Tionne tightened her grip and undulated her hips. She rubbed herself against the cushion until she finally found the release she’d been desperately seeking and came. Tionne was tingling from head to toe from the power of her orgasm.

  “Oh, oh, woo.” She breathed as she tried to still her pounding heart. “Oh my God.”

  Still riding high on the adrenaline rush, she let go of the pillow and rolled over onto her back, gasping frantically as she tried to catch her breath. She’d had erotic dreams before, but never anything that intense. She should have known this was bound to happen. Unlike in her dream, Misha had been gone for four days instead of a mere couple of hours, and every night since he’d left, she’d been more restless than the night before.

  She was so ready for him to come home. She missed him in ways she’d never thought possible. The strange part about it was this wasn’t their first time apart. But this was the first time they’d left on not so great terms, and it was killing her. Every day seemed longer than the one before, and the nights, the nights were the worst. The only thing keeping her going were the e-mails, texts, and chats she exchanged with Nicholi, and even those were just barely enough to keep the loneliness at bay.

  In the midst of her pity party for one, her iPad buzzed. Tionne reached out and grabbed it off the docking station on her nightstand and turned it on. “Speak of the devil,” she said with a slight smile as she saw who was calling in on the iChat application. She leaned over and turned on the bedside lamp before accepting the call, and when Nicholi’s face came on the screen, she put on a fake pout. “Do you know what time it is?”