by Raven Rivers
She found herself looking at Valisy’s lips again. The next thing she knew, she was in his lap. His huge arms were around her, and she was resting comfortably on his chest. She could hear the steady thump of his heart as he downed shot after shot of vodka. The conversation swirled amiably around her.
Chapter 7
Shared Intimacy
~ Bethany ~
She must have drifted off to sleep, because the next thing she knew, she was standing in front of her own wash basin, staring at herself in the mirror. Last night must not have been too bad. Though she felt hot and sticky from the dancing, she didn’t look any worse for the wear. Her hands flew to her blouse, and she quickly stripped and stepped into the shower. As the warm water ran over her body, she felt herself relaxing. Memories came flooding back.
It was like watching an old-fashioned slide show. There was the face-off with Timur about marrying Valisy, the short interaction with him in the vehicle, the surreal experience of getting married, and then the blurry images of the after party began flitting through her mind. Valisy’s beautiful blue eyes and easygoing manner had really tugged at her heartstrings. She wanted to see him again. Hopping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around her, she went in search of him.
As soon as she exited the bathroom, she realized it was not morning. The clock on her bedside table flashed 2:12 a.m. That would explain why she was still exhausted.
She stopped short, and her brain short circuited for a brief moment. Valisy must have showered before her. He was sat in a large comfortable easy chair, with his towel pulled back. One huge hand stroked up and down his rather magnificent rod. His eyes were closed and he was just enjoying the moment. His other hand came up to caress his balls. The man was absolutely stunning.
Her hand flew to her stomach, as if to sooth the slow burn that had suddenly sprung to life. She knew she should turn away, but it wasn’t every day a girl could see a sexy guy pleasuring himself. She could feel herself becoming aroused as she watched the erotic display. Her mouth watered as she thought of all the things she wanted to do to the man.
Her eyes wandered from his magnificent manhood up his six-pack to his muscular chest. Suddenly, she was looking him in the eyes. A thick haze of lust hung between the two of them.
His voice was needy and ragged. “Come touch what you like. All that I am, I offer to you.” Though his phrasing was a suggestion, his eyes were begging.
Bethany wanted to move forward, but her legs wouldn’t move. She bit her bottom lip and tried to will her feet to move. A soft moan escaped from his lips as he looked into her eyes. She could tell he was about to come. She realized she wanted him, more than she had ever wanted anything in her life. The moment she finally got moving towards him, he found his release. She watched in fascination as the translucent fluid spouted up and over his fist, like a quaking volcano.
He looked embarrassed. She kneeled beside him, took off her towel, and slowly cleaned him. His eyes slid over her naked body as she smoothed the damp towel over his hands and his soaked manhood. Allowing her eyes to return the favor, she enjoyed a close-up view of every finely chiseled muscle group. The fact that she was unabashedly naked in front of the virtual stranger who was now her husband told her she was still a little drunk. Somehow that didn’t matter to her at the moment.
“You’re an incredibly sexy man. I hope you know that.”
“Then why did you not come to me?”
“I was shocked senseless. It isn’t every day that a girl gets to watch a hot guy stroke himself. You should know, after seeing that, I’ll probably never let you go. No guest room for you tonight. You sleep right here with me.”
To drive her point home, she brought his hand to her mouth, and ran her tongue over his palm. “You taste nice.”
He licked his lips as he stared at her. “Cuddling only, no sex. That’s what you told me on the drive to your house. Does that still stand?”
Bethany didn’t remember saying that, but it sounded just like something she would say. She looked up into his pale blue eyes. “Sorry to be setting the bar so low.”
Coming swiftly to his feet, he held out his hand. Sliding her smaller hand into his pale one, she allowed him to pull her to her feet. “No man would turn down a chance to cuddle with a beautiful woman. We have an entire year to get to know each other. I will not rush you.”
As they slid into bed, Valisy teased her gently. “I will wager that this morning, you never thought you’d end the night naked with a rough mobster.”
“I’ll bet when you got up this morning, you didn’t think you would end up with a mousy accountant for a wife,” Bethany deadpanned right back.
He brought her right hand to his lips and kissed her wedding band, never once breaking eye contact with her. It was sweet and romantic.
Chapter 8
The Morning After
~ Bethany ~
Bethany woke the next morning with a raging headache and dim memories of acquiring herself a Russian husband. She flopped back down on her bed with a groan, imagining herself giving a report. No, sir. No helpful intel on Chensnokov’s criminal enterprises. However, I acquired a Russian mobster for a husband, drank myself absolutely stupid in a public setting, almost got shot by an up-and-coming young street gang. Roger that, sir. I’ll pay more attention to the mission from now on. Thank goodness she’d never been called upon to make such a report, because she hadn’t accepted the offer of being an informant to the DEA. They had approached her several times over the last year, trying to get her to snoop on her employer, and they were pretty persistent in their last attempt. They didn’t give two hoots in hell about her fiduciary obligation as a licensed accountant. The just wanted their man.
She reluctantly dragged herself from bed and climbed into the shower. At least the big Russian was gone when she woke up. The morning after situation had been a nonexistent problem for Bethany before today. Spending time with strangers had always been a little awkward for her. She wondered how much weirder it would be trying to make small talk with an assigned husband. There was no putting it off. Time to get on with the getting on.
She followed her nose to the smell of fresh coffee. Stumbling through the kitchen, she went straight to her coffee pot. It was cold and empty. She sniffed again.
An amused voice came from behind her. “That’s right, my sweet. Follow that pretty little nose on over to the dining table.”
Bethany whirled around to find Valisy sitting at her kitchen table with a full breakfast spread. She shuffled over and dropped into a seat. “Where did this all come from? You didn’t cook. Everything is just as I left it.”
“Timur has breakfast delivered for each of us, no matter where we are. He says men shouldn’t face the day on an empty stomach. Now that we are married, you will be included. Even if I am called away on an assignment, your food will come to wherever you are.”
Bethany brought a mug of coffee to her nose and inhaled deeply. “Let me guess, Draj, the shestyorka arranges everything.”
Valisy’s looked serious. “Dina should not have identified the jobs we all hold to you, and you should never repeat what she has told you.”
“You know, Valisy, I’m not an idiot.”
He smiled slightly. “And you are also not wrong. Draj does do those sorts of things for us. He is the oil that enables the rest of us to move about freely, getting things done. Now enjoy your breakfast.”
“There is a lot of food here, Valisy.” She snagged some fruit and a crescent roll. “I’m confused about something. Timur instructed me to cook for you, among other things, so why is he arranging meals for us?”
“Timur is not used to being told no. He was really angry when he said those things to you. I have no doubt that in his heart of hearts he meant every word of it, but he usually isn’t so brusque.”
“Are you saying it was my fault he was insulting?”
“Yes. I can lie if you want, but I feel that your inability to immediately comply with his wishes pus
hed the bad behavior out of him.”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree on that. I think he was just trying to steamroll me to get his way. When that didn’t work, he switched up techniques until he found something that worked.”
“There may be truth to what you say. He is a persistent man. It is a quality to be admired in males, is it not?”
“There is literally no way to win with you guys, is there? So, when do you have to be at work?”
“Timur has given me the morning off to train you to our ways.”
“I’m a cat person, not a dog person. You won’t find me easy to train.”
“You are very wrong about that, Miss Bethany. If you cannot follow our rules, you will be put on lockdown until you can.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Now that you are my wife, your life must change slightly. As you have said, you are adaptable. I do not think it will be much of an inconvenience for you.”
“I don’t understand. Valisy, you are scaring me.”
He stood up and held out his hand. Bethany slid her hand into his and he drew her into the living room. Once they were cuddled on the sofa, he began to explain.
“Our organization is composed of ten men at the top. As you well know, Timur is in charge. The rest of us all have very critical roles. Think in terms of a large business conglomerate. If Timur is the CEO of the company, we are all corporate executives. As such, we are afforded certain considerations. For example, all our meals are catered if we wish, our families are afforded protection and a personal driver, and we travel on Timur’s personal jet. Each of us is critical to the success of the operation. I am not only Timur’s personal bodyguard, but I also coordinate all the security for his businesses. In return, I am paid a percentage of the net profits from each business. It adds up to a substantial amount.”
“I don’t care about your money. If we stay together, it will be for the right reasons.”
“I understand, my sweet. The only reason I told you all that is for you to understand that the loss of any one of us makes the organization vulnerable. If anything happens to you, Timur will risk the lives of others to arrange your rescue. I cannot risk their lives merely because you do not wish to follow a few safety precautions. Does that make sense to you?”
“It does make a certain kind of sense. What do you need me to do?”
He pulled out a smart phone. “You must keep this phone with you at all times. If you go down to the corner market, outside to sit on the porch, or to the bathroom, you will take this phone. I have worked security all my life. People who would cause harm look for opportunities to strike when they think others are vulnerable. As long as you have this phone on you and turned on, we can track you and you can call for help.”
“That sounds more than reasonable.”
“I am not finished. In a couple of hours, there will be a knock at the door. It will be my security team to install a proper security system to your home. They will teach you how to use it. It is your responsibility to use it religiously every single time you come and go. Do you understand?”
Bethany sighed. “Yes.”
“At some point this morning, a driver will arrive with your car. I mean your new car. It isn’t a stretch limo or anything conspicuous. I ordered you a dark-colored SUV, much like the ones we travel in. It has tinted windows and upgrades to make it safer. If ever anyone is chasing you or shooting at you, go to the vehicle and lock yourself in. It is bullet proof, and we will arrive before anyone can override the safety features. Your driver is your bodyguard. You will not go anywhere without him, ever. Is that clear?”
“As a bell. Anything else?”
“No.”
“Good. Get out.”
Valisy blinked at her in surprise. “You wish me to leave your home? Now? For how long? Are you rejecting me over security?”
“No, you big oaf. You just dumped a lot of information on me all at once. I need some down time. Now get lost.”
He glanced at his watch. “I will return around six. Call me if you need me. If you have a preference for dinner, let Draj know. His number is in your new phone.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, Bethany walked to the bedroom with her new phone like a good little wife and fell back into bed. Stressed out and totally overwhelmed, she closed her eyes for a brief moment. Her new phone rang. She picked it up and instead of saying hello, she lit into Valisy. “For crying out loud. What did you forget? Does Timur arrange personal assistants to come feed us and wipe our butts?”
An amused male voice responded. “Not at this point. I can make a special request if you like.”
Bethany sat up straight and looked at the screen on the phone to see who was calling. It was Draj. “Hello, pretty boy. I’m sorry about the bitching. Getting assigned a hot Russian husband who threatened to put me on lockdown if I don’t follow all his security protocols has put me in a pissy mood.”
“You are singing to the choir. Mine did the very same thing. Have you seen your driver yet? Mine isn’t exactly eye candy. He will not speak to me. He just follows me everywhere, not talking. For one such as me, it is very frustrating. I think Dimitri did that deliberately just to make my life a living hell.”
Bethany giggled. “Sorry for your troubles. Hope I get a chatty one though. I don’t think I would take the silent treatment. Don’t care if he’s good looking or not, I only have eyes for Valisy.”
“Don’t blame you. He was my second choice, after Dimitri. If you like, I can stop by this little shop I know and bring cupcakes. I have experience dealing with the security thugs he’s sending.”
“Would you really? I would love that. Maybe I can even get your guard dog to say something. I’m good with stuff like that.”
“Deal.”
Chapter 9
Clumsy Bear
~ Bethany ~
Less than an hour later, pretty boy was at her door with a pastry box. Bethany let him in, and he followed her to the kitchen.
“The coffee smells great. What kind is it?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“It must be kopi luwak. I love the coffee, hate the hype.”
“Me too. Do you take yours black?”
“It’s the only way to drink it.”
Suddenly, there was a shadow at the doorway. Bethany looked over and saw the biggest, most scarred-up piece of man on planet earth. Draj shook his head. “Meet my dark shadow. Mishka, say hello to Bethany.”
“Hello, wife of Valisy. I am pleased to meet you.”
“What the actual fuck?” Bethany could hear the absolute shock and annoyance in Draj’s voice plain as day.
Bethany responded sincerely. “Thank you for the nice greeting, Mishka. Do you mind if I ask why you didn’t use my name?”
“Valisy say you are to only to be addressed as his wife, so none forget you belong to him.”
Bethany smiled sweetly. “Do you mind if I ask why you don’t talk to Draj?”
“Valisy say, if you talk to Draj, then Dimitri will break your face. I no wish for broken face. I have pretty face, no?”
Bethany motioned him in and pressed a cup of coffee into his hand.
He grumbled insincerely. “Valisy say I am to be no trouble when I protect. You must not peel cupcake and put it into my mouth.”
Bethany and Draj burst out laughing as she peeled off a wrapper and fed it to the big guy. “You know what, Mishka? My husband has a lot to say. Well, Miss Bethany says a big guy’s gotta eat to keep his energy up.”
“This is what I will say if he asked why his wife feed me pretty things.”
Draj teased, “Watch yourself, Bethany. If you keep feeding the clumsy bear, you are going to get bitten.”
“What?”
“Mishka. It means clumsy bear in Russian.”
“Really? Well, I think he’s fun. I hope I get a nice protector just like Mishka.”
Unfortunately, that was not to be. What she ended up with was a short, shifty guy w
ho stared at her chest. Stan wasn’t even Russian. Draj seemed to like him well enough. They played several video games. Next thing she knew, Stan was showing him knife throwing stances. Bethany never even knew it mattered how you stood when you threw something. The things to be learned hanging around these guys was utterly fascinating. Not. The only bright spot was the break Draj took to paint her nails. She painted his a cool matte black in return. It kind of went with this black clothes and hair. She thought his look sprawled somewhere between gothic and gangster. Nose ring. Check. Multiple body pricings. Check. Russian tattoos. Check. Gun tucked in a back holster. Check. Yep. That about covered it.
The security team eventually showed up and Draj argued with them until they installed the voice-activated system. Bethany hugged him briefly and beamed.
“One less device to carry around with you. Trust me, Valisy will have you carrying a tote bag before long.”
Mishka grumbled at Draj. “Valisy smart man. You listen to him, you live longer.”
Bethany rolled her eyes. Valisy had himself a genuine fanboy and probably didn’t even know it.
When it came time for Draj to leave, he waved for Mishka to follow. Bethany was feeling somewhat nervous about being left with the shifty dude, so she grabbed Mishka by the arm and pressed him down into one of her kitchen chairs. “Change of plans, guys. Mishka stays with me. I like him better.”
Shifty guy stared her down, but she held her ground. He finally spat, “Fine. It’s your funeral.”
Draj commented, “Fine with me, too. I don’t even mind that he stares at my junk. At least he talks. Catch you latter, cutie.”
Mishka called after him. “She is wife of Valisy, not cutie.”
Their dinner arrived around the same time as Valisy. He seemed perturbed as he relieved Mishka. Bethany set the table and put the food out. Valisy was quiet for a while, then he broached the subject she knew he would as he picked at his dinner. “You dismissed the driver I handpicked for you. Do you mind if I ask why?”
