by Raven Rivers
“After that, I can go back to wearing my cotton pajamas?”
He pulled her into his lap. “After the holidays, you come to bed wearing nothing. This is my decision.”
“I like it when you’re decisive.”
Running one finger along the delicate décolleté of the cute bustier she was wearing, he said, “In that case, I decide that we are having sex tonight.”
“No, we’re not.”
Sighing, he dropped his hand. “As you wish, my Bethany.”
Giggling, she slid his hand between her legs. “You give up too easily. You’re supposed to demand sex and try everything to seduce me and I’m supposed to give you ninety-two pages of refusals before succumbing to your seduction.”
Wiggling his fingers into the side of her lace panties, he murmured, “I like the sound of that game. Tell me more.”
Running her hand down his shirt, unbuttoning each button, she explained. “That’s how it is in all the romance book I read growing up. The guy has to sweep her of her feet and get her to see how fantastic having sex would be. She’s supposed to protest, but every heroine eventually falls for the gorgeous hero.”
“So I’m the gorgeous hero and you are the hapless victim?”
Smacking him playfully on the shoulder, her outraged voice sounded off. “I’m not your victim. I’m the beautiful damsel in distress.”
“You do seem like an innocent damsel sometimes.”
“That makes you my hot, hunky hero.”
“I’m used to being the bad guy in this scenario.”
“Maybe we can meet in the middle and you can be my dark, brooding anti-hero. It means you’re the opposite of the hero but still on the good side.”
Rubbing one finger down her tender slit, he kissed her neck. “That actually sounds more like me. Open those pretty little legs, wife.”
“I’m afraid not, my dark, brooding prince.”
“You will obey my every command.”
“Only in your dreams, handsome.”
Turning her, he pressed her back to the bed. Dipping his head, he kissed her until she brought her legs around his waist. Nipping and sucking at her neck, his hand came down and ripped the lace away from her precious body.
“I cannot believe you did that!”
“Save your disbelief, my sweet. I am only just getting started.”
Skating down her body, he feasted on her delicate flesh like the beast he was. Hearing her feminine sounds turn to throaty moans really hit all the switches for Valisy. Sucking on her tiny pearl caused her to crash into a hard orgasm. Quickly finding her g-spot, he tapped it, shocking her into a prolonged orgasm that left her a quivering mess. She was so easy to pleasure.
Propping his chin on her tiny stomach, he looked up at her as he continued to pump two fingers in and out of her tight tunnel.
Catching her breath, she glanced down. “You’re entirely too good at that.”
“Servicing you is a pleasure. I can now die a happy man.”
“Not before we get to the main attraction.”
Stalking back up her body, he felt her draw him closer with her legs. Holding her face in his hands, he enjoyed a brief respite just kissing her. Her hands pulled at his shirt and he allowed her to pull it off. Bringing his hands to his pants, he pulled them open. Her hand drove in, grasping what she wanted and tugging him free.
“Aren’t you supposed to be playing hard to get?”
“Screw that. We can play that game some other time.”
“You’re so eager for what I have.”
“Me and half the damn city.” Pulling at him, she murmured, “Bring it on up here so I can have a little taste.”
Running one finger around her plump little lips, he looked deeply into her eyes. “I would never expect you to put my dirty cock in that pretty little mouth of yours.”
Squeezing his stiff rod, she stroked it up and down. “There’s nothing dirty about this. You have a damn nice cock and you know it.”
“It is yours. Perhaps you should see it up close.”
Quickly lifting to his knees, he lifted each leg outside her body and moved up for her to see his cock, proudly displaying himself before her made his balls tighten up.
Bethany suddenly sat up. “Tell me you are not wearing cock jewelry.”
Running her finger along the metal barbell pierced through the tip, she gasped. “That’s a pretty damn amazing decoration.”
“It is specifically placed to make contact with your g-spot.”
“You mean the g-spot of whatever woman you happen to be sleeping with, right?”
“I got it just for you, shortly after we were married, along with the inscription.”
Running one finger over the skin on his rather massive hard-on, she read the words tattooed in elegant script. “Bethany’s Personal Property. How sweet is that? Underneath, it says, Do Not Touch.”
Wrapping her hand around his thick erection, she pulled it forward slightly. “I’m definitely having a little taste of that.” Tonguing the tip, Valisy forced himself to hold perfectly still. Running her soft tongue down every single vein, she tested the piercing before sucking on him. Unable to take much of that, he pulled back and settled between her legs.
Her legs came up, pulling him closer. Running a thumb over her bottom lip, he murmured, “You’re a beautiful lady. It’s difficult to believe you are all mine.”
“You keep getting that turned around. I’m not yours. You are mine. It says so right down there on your dick.”
“You like these things I have done for your pleasure?”
Giving him a quick kiss, she nodded. “You better believe I do. That’s some kind of high speed sexiness that I’m not even advanced enough to think up on my own.”
“It is my honor to pleasure you.”
Wiggling against his hard-on, she nipped at his ear. “Then get to pleasuring. I’m dying to see what that feels like.”
“Place me, my Bethany.”
Gripping him, she placed the head of his cock at her entrance and her legs tugged him closer. He’d never been with such an innocent and eager lover. The woman was wetter than any he’d ever experienced. Still, fitting himself fully inside required a breathtaking series of thrusts. Sinking into his new wife was Valisy’s idea of heaven. Giving her a chance to get used to him, he caressed her cheek and kissed her lovingly. Rocking gently into her, he dipped his head lower to capture one berry-colored nipple in mouth. Suddenly, he found himself losing control. His thrusting became rougher as she raked her nails down his back. “Hands on the headboard, my sweet.”
Eagerly reaching up, he watched how her beautiful breasts lifted as if offering themselves to him. Running one hand down between them, he rubbed her sweet spot. Watching himself moving in and out of her body, his rod covered in her arousal, got to him like nothing else ever had. He could feel her peaking a second time and try as he might, he couldn’t hang on a moment longer. Emptying inside her, he growled his frustration at not being able to hold back.
“Round one. That was just round one. I promise you that.”
Gasping for breath, her hands came down to rub his chest. “That’s the kind of sex most women only dream of having. I could get by for a month on that round.”
Something loosened in his chest. “I can do much, much better.”
Wrapping her arms around him, she kissed his neck. “Yeah, baby, but I might not survive it.”
Kissing her, he was reluctant to pull out. That’s when she stilled in his arms.
“We didn’t use protection.”
“I’m clean. I got a medical report right after my tattoo and body modification.”
Peering up at him, she seemed pensive. “I was more worried about getting pregnant.”
Rolling off her, he rose from the bed and headed to the restroom. Shutting the door behind him, Valisy leaned against the sink, wondering how he managed to keep screwing things up with his wife. Of course she wouldn’t want to carry his child. The poor woman
hadn’t even decided if she was willing to keep him. Rubbing his temples, he decided to do the only thing he could do. Grabbing a quick shower, he headed out to pick up condoms. It wasn’t anything he’d thought to purchase when he packed. Carefully setting the security system, he made a quick run to the nearest open pharmacy, cursing his own stupidity the entire way.
Chapter 20
Bugs In Jars
~ Bethany ~
Bethany woke to a crowd of people in her kitchen. Last night had been pure sexual magic with Valisy. In his arms she felt every inch a woman, right up until the moment she pissed him off by mentioning protection. He was her husband, and that had been a particularly shitty way to spoil what should have been a special memory for them. In retrospect, she wished she’d just kept her ill-timed comments to herself. It would have been all too easy to work that into their conversation the next day.
This thing they had going between the two of them was the real thing. She could feel it in her bones. Screwing it up was turning out to be easier than she ever imagined.
Entering the kitchen, she found a handwritten map of her area on the breakfast table. The men stopped talking when she walked in. Valisy motioned her over and pulled her down protectively in his lap. As she stared down at the map, she noticed it was sectioned off into pieces. There were two names in each section. Suddenly, the strange situation coalesced into something that made sense. She sighed and snuggled into Valisy.
He quietly continued talking in Russian as the men ate. He fed Bethany from his plate. It was shaping up to be a capricious day and the only one who had his head screwed on in her world was Mishka. He walked towards her and stretched out his huge paw. Sitting in the center of his palm was a tiny cupcake with pink frosting. She gingerly reached out and took it, giving him a grateful smile. Valisy must have given him a quizzical look, because Mishka felt the need to explain himself.
“Miss Bethany says a big guy has to eat to keep his strength up. Miss Bethany only eat pretty things when she is sad. She need to keep strength up for what is to come.”
Bethany smiled up at him as she licked the icing off her cupcake. She didn’t normally eat cupcakes for breakfast, but this looked like it was going to be a two-cupcake kind of morning.
He handed her a cup of hot chocolate and she wrapped her hands around the mug, inhaling the rich aroma. “Mishka, Valisy is lucky I didn’t meet you first.”
Mishka laughed. “Ha, I have my own Bethany. She much more for Mishka than Valisy wife.”
Bethany rolled that around in her head for bit before being interrupted.
Dimitri said, “Bethany, we have some disturbing news for you.”
She glanced anxiously around the room. “Let me guess, you called in the cavalry because I have somehow acquired my own personal stalker? That thing I felt at the restaurant was someone, wasn’t it? I have had the feeling that someone was watching me over the last few weeks. I should have said something, but I thought maybe I was just being paranoid after what happened before. Wait, you don’t think this is related, do you?”
“We honestly don’t know. It’s not reasonable to think you have two incidents that are totally unrelated in such a short time. Did you ever figure out who Stan might be? You once said he looked familiar.”
“I don’t think he’s DEA. I feel like he’s someone I bumped into before…like from the distant past. Maybe I should talk to my family. If you have a picture I could show, that would be nice.”
Valisy pulled her close. “Someone broke into our home while we were out. They had our security code. I think Stan overheard them giving it to you when they installed the system. We have changed the codes but, unfortunately, we found a few little presents he left behind.”
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small jar. It was filled with cotton but she could make out part of small circuit board.
Valisy continued explaining. “They left three bugs. One in the living room attached to the back of a photograph on the mantel. Another outside on your back deck, and third in the SUV I bought for you. This is very helpful. We will be leaving them all in place. This one has been contained in such a manner as to not pick up our conversation. Once we let this little bug out of the bottle, it will be transmitting. The difference is, Stan will now be hearing what we want him to hear, instead of what we wish to keep private.”
Bethany’s face flamed red at the thought of anyone hearing what they did together last night. “I’m sorry to be causing so much trouble.”
“Nonsense. We don’t even know why this person is following you. Perhaps it is to do with us after all. I have arranged for enhanced security until this whole situation is resolved to my satisfaction. You are my wife. I will not risk any harm to come to you.”
“Seems like you really drew the short straw when you got assigned to marry me.”
“I would not change that for all the gold in the world.”
“Sure you aren’t hanging noodles off my ears?”
“You are now learning our sayings?”
“Hanging around Mishka is teaching me a lot about Russians. He’s full of good sayings, and not all of them are Valisy sayings.”
That got her a few chuckles from the assembled group, including Mishka, who looked at her fondly.
Chapter 21
Books and Covers
~ Bethany ~
Within an hour, Bethany and Valisy were sitting in her parents’ home showing them Stan’s picture. Stephanie came downstairs, still in her bathrobe, carrying a tiny black bundle of fur. She dropped down on the sofa, glanced at Stan’s picture, and gave a groan. “What’s he done this time? Let me guess. He knocked over a liquor store? No. I’ll bet he’s shaking down kids on the playground for their milk money.”
Valisy’s voice was steely as he replied curtly. “He must be as stupid as you say. He’s stalking a Russian mobster’s wife.”
“Good thing she has Mishka to look out for her. Where is the big guy?”
Bethany watched her wrestling the kitten around on her shoulder, and remembered how Mishka had held the very same kitten up to his face. The little guy was slightly older, but Bethany recognized it from her neighbor’s litter.
“You would know more about that than us, Stephie.”
The woman shrugged her shoulders noncommittally. “He left here hours ago. I haven’t heard from him. Said I should stay home today. Is it because of Stan? God, he’s no danger to anyone. I could literally beat him up with my purse.”
Valisy leaned forward. “Perhaps he has taken up with some more intelligent company as of late. He broke into and bugged our home. Someone has been scaring Bethany. Footage from a restaurant we dined at revealed someone touching the back of her neck. She has sensed someone following her.”
“That sounds like a bit much for poor little Stan to pull off by himself. Jesus, you don’t think he had anything to do with Aunt Zoe’s place getting shot up, do you?”
“We need to find him, Stephie. How did you meet Stan?”
“I dated an older gentleman a few years back.”
“I remember. It was during your silver fox phase. Thank god you outgrew all that. What was his name…Gregory?” Bethany said.
Stephanie smiled. “Gregory Moonello. It was a great six months, but in the end, he was much too controlling for me. He wanted to tell me where I could go, who I could talk to, and even wanted to assign me a driver. The old coot wouldn’t even allow me to drive my own vehicle. That’s when I finally put my foot down. His nephew was Stan, the family fuck-up, if you will excuse the language. It was his family’s nickname for him, not mine. I must admit it was very accurate. Seems like he screwed up a lot. If there was any way to mismanage a situation, Stan would find it. Remember, you got into it with him at a bar one night when we went out for your birthday. He wanted to take our salt boy away.”
“Yes, I remember now. Our little slave boy tuned waiter.”
“It was actually the other way around. He was waiter turned sex slave
for us.” Stephanie suddenly sat up. “We aren’t telling Mishka about that, Bethy. I mean it. He really wouldn’t understand getting so drunk that using a half-naked guy for a salt lick seemed like a good idea.”
“Don’t worry, we can explain all about tequila.” The look on her sister’s face told her that wasn’t happening.
Her father’s voice sounded off from the doorway. “You two really make your mother and I so proud. I hope you know that.” Running his fingers through his short hair, he walked out of the room. Stephanie shrugged again.
Bethany gave her a critical stare. “Speaking of which, Stephie. I didn’t know you were seeing Mishka. When were you planning on spilling the beans on that one?”
“Mom and Dad already know all about that. You are the one who never comes to Sunday dinner anymore. I don’t have time to track you down and bring you up to speed on every nuance of my life. What’s not to like about Mishka? He is very well mannered and quite the conversationalist. Did you know his parents were archeologists?”
“I didn’t even know you spoke Russian.”
“Of course I do. Remember, I spent an entire year on that grant funded dig to Phanagoria.”
“I thought that was a Greek city.”
Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Really, you should have taken more diverse electives in college, Bethy. Phanagoria is an ancient Greek city located within the borders of Russia. Remember that during ancient times the Roman Empire stretched—”
Bethany held up one slim hand. “Sorry, Stephie, no time for a history lesson. We’ve got a stalker to catch.”
“See, that’s why you never learn anything. Seems like someone hasn’t had their daily dose of chocolate.”
“If I could lay off the chocolate, I would have cute little hips like you.”
Valisy murmured, “I like your hips the way they are.”
“Spoken like a true husband. Get going, you two, and save the world from stupid stalkers with the IQs of a banana and all that. Tell my Mishka to hurry home.”
Bethany frowned at her sister. “Any idea why Mishka thought I would hate him for seeing you?”
