Blossom barely had time to say anything before Illya was striding out of the room. He went through the house and out the back, stepping off the deck and going through the gate in the fence between their homes, and right to his back door. Illya somehow managed to get his keys and unlock the door.
All the while, Blossom was pressing kisses against him. His face, his neck and shoulder. Illya clutched her tightly to him, aware that his body was getting taut as a bowstring. He had a feeling he wouldn’t get her up to his bed.
Kicking the door shut once they were in the kitchen, Illya pressed Blossom against the wall and kissed her. Blossom sighed into his mouth and her legs tightened around his waist. Illya thrust his erection against her pussy and Blossom threw back her head with a gasp. Illya’s heart felt like it was going to come out of his chest.
“Are you still sure about this?” he gasped, his hands tugging her t-shirt up.
Blossom nodded, lifting her arms up to the ceiling.
“Enough talking, Illya. Just fuck me.”
Illya wasn’t about to argue with that. He pulled her t-shirt off, revealing Blossom’s breasts to him. They were bigger than he thought, and pert. His hands closed over them, feeling her nipples sharply against his palms. Blossom sighed and pushed her chest against him. Illya squeezed and that emanated a gasp from Blossom.
God, she was so responsive.
Illya couldn’t stop himself from kissing her again. Spinning them around, he sat Blossom on the edge of the counter. Reluctantly, he let himself step away from her. He didn’t take his eyes from her as he stripped. Blossom was breathing heavily, her eyes almost glowing in the dark. She shifted on the counter and managed to take her panties and shorts off, dropping them to the floor with her foot. Then, as Illya watched, she spread her legs and pressed her fingers over her clit, playing with herself with one hand as she tweaked a nipple with the other.
“You’d better hurry up, Illya, or I’m doing this myself.”
Illya’s heart almost stopped. This woman was pure fire. Swallowing, he hurriedly threw his t-shirt across the room and shucked his jeans and boxers. His cock was standing at attention, throbbing to an almost painful state. He stroked himself, hungrily watching as Blossom pleasured herself.
“God, Blossom, you’re fucking gorgeous.”
“Stop talking and fuck me.” Blossom hopped off the counter and turned. She leaned on the countertop, spreading her legs as she pushed her backside out, looking over her shoulder at him with a sly grin. “Right now.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Illya stepped up close to her, palming her hip with one hand and the other going between her legs. She was so wet. Illya couldn’t believe how aroused she was. He slid two fingers into her and Blossom sighed, pushing back against his hand. Illya thrust a few more times and Blossom pushed back. She threw her head back and moaned, rolling her hips.
Illya couldn’t wait. Foreplay would have to wait for another time. He removed his fingers and pressed his cock against her pussy. Then he thrust, his hips hitting her backside snugly. She was so tight that he almost came. Blossom cried out and her pussy clamped even tighter around him.
He wasn’t going to last much longer if they kept going.
Gritting his teeth, Illya pulled himself out almost to the tip and thrust back in again. Blossom spread her legs and arched her back, her moans getting louder as he fucked her, pushing back as he came in for the thrust. Illya’s hands tightened on her hips, the pleasure starting as a tingle in the small of his back.
This felt far too good. Illya had always thought sex was amazing, but not like this. This was mind-blowing.
Before long, the tingles got stronger and shot through his body. Illya cried out and hammered into her as he came. Blossom shrieked and her pussy spasmed around his cock, milking him as she shuddered through her own climax. It was enough to make Illya’s head spin and his legs almost gave way. Forcing himself to slow down, he managed to lay his head against her back, his heart speeding in his chest. He could feel Blossom’s own heart hammering against his cheek, her body shaking underneath him.
Illya managed to push himself up and kiss her back.
“You’re amazing, Blossom.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Blossom panted.
“You did a lot.” Illya eased himself out and straightened up, swaying a little. Then he got Blossom to stand and turned her in his arms. “Trust me, Blossom.” He smiled and kissed her forehead before kissing her mouth. “Just gorgeous.”
Blossom grinned, her hands flexing on his chest.
“I’m not the only one.”
At that, Illya felt himself hardening again. He hadn’t found himself becoming aroused this quickly after sex before. There was something about Blossom that had him wanting more almost immediately.
He bent his head to kiss her again when they heard a scream. Blossom froze, pulling back from him.
“What was that?”
Illya didn’t know. But he did know that the scream had come from Blossom’s house.
Ivan and Jenny.
He began to dress quickly. Blossom hovered by the counter uncertainly.
“Illya?”
“Stay here.” Illya tugged his t-shirt on. “I’ll be back. Lock the door after me.”
Then he darted out the back door and ran back to Blossom’s house. He couldn’t believe he had let his cock lead him instead of his head. Now he'd failed in his duty and someone had gotten hurt.
This was why he did the numbers and not the protection side of things.
Illya was almost at the back door when he heard someone running after him. Spinning around, Illya groaned when he saw Blossom, now dressed again, hurrying after him.
“Dammit, Blossom!”
“I’m coming with you.” Blossom pulled up beside him, tossing her hair out of her eyes as she glared at him. “Don’t argue with me, Illya. This is my house.”
Illya had no time to argue. He was more concerned about his brother. Where was he? He could still hear Jenny screaming but it was more subdued. What was happening to her?
Illya charged in through the back door, hurrying through the house and into the lounge. He and Ivan had left their guns, out of sight, in the room. Ivan’s was gone when Illya retrieved his. Then, with Blossom close behind him and grasping a baseball bat she seemed to have grabbed out of nowhere, he charged up the stairs.
Ivan was slumped at the top of the stairs by the bathroom, his back against the wall. There was a smear of blood on the wallpaper. Ivan was white-faced as he clutched at his shoulder.
“Ivan!”
Illya hurried to his brother but Ivan waved him away.
“I’m okay. Get to Jenny. Go!”
Illya wasn’t about to argue. He glanced over his shoulder at Blossom, who was staring at the blood in alarm.
“Stay with him.”
He darted away before Blossom could argue and went into Blossom’s bedroom. What he saw made his stomach drop.
Jenny was still lying in the bed with her limbs spread haphazardly. Her face was covered in blood and her leg was at an odd angle. Illya could also see she'd been shot in the stomach. She didn’t look like she was breathing.
Even then, Illya approached her carefully. He felt for a pulse in her neck, leaning over to hear her breathing. To his astonishment, there was a weak pulse and he could feel her breath on his neck. She was alive, but barely.
Illya heard footsteps approaching and hurried out, closing the door behind him as Blossom tried to get past him.
“What is it?”
“You don’t want to go in there.”
Blossom’s eyes widened. Her face paled and she began to tremble.
“She’s dead, isn’t she?”
“No, she isn’t.” Illya pulled her in for a tight hug as Blossom sobbed. He kissed her head and then eased her away, grasping her shoulders. “Call an ambulance. Now. Go!” He barked when Blossom didn’t move.
That had Blossom jumping into action. She
practically flew down the stairs, nearly falling flat on her face at the bottom. Illya went back to Ivan, who had slumped onto his side. His breathing was getting laboured and he looked close to fainting. He shook his head at his brother.
“I’m so sorry.” His Russian sounded slurred. “I didn’t get there in time.”
“Don’t talk.” Illya took Ivan’s gun away from him and tucked them both into the back of his pants. “Just stay as still as you can.”
So much for being a guard dog.
*****
Blossom couldn’t sit still. She paced back and forth in the waiting room, unable to stop and frightened because if she did stop she had a feeling she would collapse.
Illya hadn’t allowed her to see Jenny in her room, but she'd seen her friend as they wheeled her out to the ambulance. Covered in blood, oxygen mask on and her leg in a splint. Blossom’s stomach had dropped to her feet.
Her best friend was badly hurt because of her. If she hadn’t been there, Jenny wouldn’t have gotten hurt. But Jenny had been adamant she was going to stay with her and no amount of persuading her to go would get her to leave. And now she was on her way to the hospital with a bullet in her stomach.
Ivan was in bad shape as well. He'd caught a bullet in the shoulder, nicking the heart. He'd lost a lot of blood, most of it had pooled on the landing. Blossom could only mundanely think it was a good thing Illya and Ivan had taken the carpets out; it would be easier to clean.
That was awful to think. Her friend and someone who was becoming a fast friend were in surgery and all Blossom could think about was how to clean up the blood.
Illya had disappeared once they got into the ER. He had refused to leave Ivan’s side but was torn about going with Blossom. Blossom urged him to go with his brother. She highly doubted anyone would get to her in a secure hospital. Even then, Illya managed to speak to a security guard who now hovered at the end of the corridor by the elevator.
Blossom felt like she'd been waiting for hours. Jenny’s surgery couldn’t last that long and the hand on the clock was going ever so slowly. Blossom kept staring at it but it didn’t seem to move.
This was all her fault. Jenny should have run the other way and not looked back. She knew getting messed up in this would be a bad idea. And now her best friend was at death’s door.
Blossom wondered if her stalker had found out yet that they'd gotten it wrong. How long did she have before they tried again?
“Blossom?”
Blossom spun around. A tall man with a shaved, smooth head and built like a linebacker was in the doorway. His jeans and t-shirt looked like he'd just thrown them on without paying attention, seeing as the buttons on his jeans were still undone.
Blossom couldn’t help herself. She burst into tears.
“Jeremy!”
Jenny’s brother hurried into the room and pulled her into his arms. Blossom went willingly and buried her face in his chest as Jeremy Benson hugged her. He smelled like sweat and faded cologne. She couldn’t stop herself from crying. Jeremy didn’t say anything for a while, simply holding her.
What was Jeremy going to say about this? He was going to be so angry that his sister had gotten hurt because of her.
“How is she?” Jeremy croaked.
Blossom managed to get herself calm enough to pull back. She went over to the window looking into the corridor, wrapping her arms around her waist.
“She’s still in surgery, as far as I know. They haven’t told me anything.” She chewed hard on her lip and she turned to face Jeremy. “I’m so sorry, Jeremy. I had no idea this would happen.”
Jeremy’s expression was grim. He approached her and leaned against the wall, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“What did happen?”
Blossom swiped at the tear tracks with her sleeve. She was glad she'd put on a sweater and joggers over her nightclothes, she was feeling less exposed.
“Jenny was staying over. She was in my bed sleeping. Someone climbed in through the window and beat her as she slept. Jenny fought back but…he shot her.”
“And you think it was meant for you.”
It wasn’t a question. Blossom nodded. Then she burst into tears again. Jeremy’s expression softened and he pulled her back into his arms.
“Hey, come here.” He rested his chin on her head. “She’s going to be okay. Don’t worry so much.”
Jeremy was one of the calmest men Blossom knew. She didn’t know how he could be so stoic in this situation when the only sibling he had was in surgery after a serious assault.
“How can you be so cool about this?”
She felt Jeremy smile.
“Because if I end up freaking out, things are definitely going to hell.”
Blossom couldn’t help but smile at that. But then the smile was gone as she pulled away, rubbing at her eyes. They were feeling very sore.
“You have every right to be angry at me, Jeremy.”
“Why would I want to be angry at you?”
“Because this happened because of me. If Jenny hadn’t been there, she wouldn’t be…”
Blossom’s throat closed up and she had to turn away. She felt hands on her shoulders and Jeremy moved around her, tilting her chin up to look at him. His eyes showed that inside he was in turmoil but outwardly he looked as though he was talking about the weather.
“Look at me, Blossom,” he ordered quietly when Blossom tried to look away.
Blossom didn’t want to. She was sure she would see something she shouldn’t. But Jeremy was not a man to disobey.
“If Jenny hadn’t been hurt, you most certainly would have. It would have been you in surgery right now and it could have been far worse if you hadn’t had anyone there with you.”
“I know but…”
“Jenny would give her life for you. You know that.” Jeremy grasped the back to her neck. “She won’t blame you for this and I certainly don’t.”
Even as he said that, his voice sounded tight. Blossom realized he was close to crying. She stepped in close and laid her forehead against his, closing her eyes as more tears threatened to come out.
“Thank you.”
Then she heard a sharp cough. Blossom turned. Illya was standing in the doorway, glowering at Jeremy. Blossom had never seen that expression on him before. And it sent a shiver down her spine.
Number-cruncher he may be, but there was no denying that Illya Chekov was a dangerous man.
*****
Ivan was out of surgery and in ICU. The bullet had gone straight through him and apart from some muscle damage, he was going to make a full recovery. The doctors expected him to be walking out within a week.
Illya couldn’t begin to describe the relief at hearing his younger brother was escaping death, not for the first time. He wanted to stay by Ivan’s side but Ivan had ushered him away, telling him to go look after Blossom. Illya wanted to but he didn’t want to leave his brother. But Ivan was a big guy; he could take care of himself, as he said several times before he managed to get Illya to leave.
There was no news on Jenny. Illya didn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing.
He found Blossom in the waiting room outside. In the arms of another man. They weren’t kissing from what Illya could see but the sight of another man holding the woman he was beginning to think of as his had Illya’s blood boiling. He wanted to go over to them, rip Blossom away and disembowel the man for even touching her.
His pointed cough had Blossom turning away. She looked like she hadn’t stopped crying. The relief in her smile was evident as she crossed to him.
“Illya.”
Illya accepted her hug without complaint, still looking pointedly at the other man, who stood there watching them curiously. He didn’t even look jealous. Had Illya misread the signs?
Chapter 7
Blossom pulled back to stare up at him.
“I was wondering where you were.”
“I was staying with Ivan until he was settled.” Ivan was still g
laring at the third person in the room. “You look like you’re doing just fine.”
The other man gave him a weary smile and approached them, holding his hand out to Illya.
“Jeremy Benson. I’m Jenny’s brother. The hospital called me as her next of kin.”
Jenny’s brother. Illya could now see the similar features, the same cheekbones and the curve of the mouth. And then he saw the wedding ring on his finger. Relaxing, Illya gave him a smile in return and shook his hand firmly.
“Illya Chekov, Blossom’s new neighbour.” He turned to Blossom and kissed her forehead, watching Jeremy out the corner of his eye. He didn’t seem to bat an eyelid. “How’s Jenny?”
“We’ll find out soon.” Jeremy sighed and headed towards the door. “I’ll go and find out.”
Illya turned to Blossom who was still as pale as before. He drew her into his arms and led her to a chair, making her sit.
“You okay?” He winced at the stupid question. “Actually, cancel that. I don’t know why I said it.”
“I’m so drained.” Blossom swallowed, her hands wringing in her lap. “And I’m scared.”
“Jenny’s a strong woman. She’s going to be fine.”
Blossom nodded, although the look on her face said otherwise.
“How’s Ivan?”
“They got the bullet out, patched him up and he’s in recovery, albeit in ICU for the night.” Illya couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the memory of Ivan almost fainting when they put the IV drip in his arm. “He’s tough until he meets a needle so that was fun.”
“I bet.”
That raised a slight smile but not much. Illya dropped the attempt at humour and glanced at the clock. Almost three in the morning. No wonder they were exhausted. He squeezed her shoulders and tried to get her to stand.
“Let’s get you home.”
“I can’t go back home.” Blossom refused to stand. “It’s a crime scene now.”
“That was a slip of the tongue. I wasn’t going to take you to your home.” Illya smiled at Blossom’s confused expression. “I’m taking you to stay in mine.”
In Too Deep_BWWM Romance Page 7
