by Kenya Wright
What did that girl do to you, Ava? Why did you give her the towel? Do I have to take care of her?
Maxwell came over to my side. “Change of plans, Misha.”
Grinning, I nodded. “Yes, Maxwell. I figured.”
He shrugged. “We’ll be heading back to the hotel instead of doing the cocktail party.”
“Be careful with Valentina.” I gestured to her. “She’s known to kill her lovers, and I happen to like you.”
Maxwell winked. “I like you too, man, and I’m aware of Valentina and her ex-lovers. I’ll stay safe.”
“I can hear the both of you.” Valentina pouted behind me.
“Thanks for everything, Misha. This was a…really good night.” Maxwell glanced at the stage. “And Ava really is beautiful and talented.”
“She is.”
“New York girls can be tough,” Maxwell said. “If you want Ava, then go hard or go home. That sitting in the shadows shit won’t work with her.”
I quirked my eyebrows. “You’ve just slept with Valentina. I don’t think I’ll be taking your dating advice.”
“Fair point.”
Valentina crossed her arms on her chest. “I really can hear you two.”
A couple of jabs and jests were thrown in after that, and then the new couple left. Only God knew what would happen to Maxwell and Valentina. They were even more ill-fated than Solor and Nikiya.
Never mind that.
Nothing would keep me from seeing Ava at the cocktail party.
It was a small gathering exclusive to the biggest patrons of the theater and held on the second level.
I arrived in no time.
There were only a few millionaires that had come to toast with the dancers. Time had been given for the ballerinas to shower and wear magnificent gowns. We all waited, sipping our champagne and toasting to an amazing ballet experience. Several minutes later, the hors d'oeuvres appeared along with the gorgeous dancers draped in diamonds and expensive gowns.
Ava came out last. My heart stopped for a few seconds. When it came back alive, it pumped for her. She wore a strapless red gown, matching the color and delicateness of all the roses I’d given her.
I hadn’t left a card saying they were from me, but she knew.
She had to know.
Dear God, Ava. I must have you tonight. I won’t wait anymore.
The rose red gown glimmered in the chandelier’s light. It was an intensified mingling of red with her smooth brown skin. With long legs and ballerina strength, she was all curves and sensual muscle. Her small cleavage teased from the top. Those breasts would be nice little morsels in my mouth.
I licked my lips, and she spotted me right in the motion.
Yes. I’m drooling over you, Ava. How do you feel about that?
She froze there for a minute. Others came around her—millionaires wanting to take pictures and news reporters asking her questions. She talked to them with a smile, but still, she glanced at me every few seconds.
And I watched her with an intensity I couldn’t control.
Maybe Maxwell is right. Go hard or go home. How long can I watch her and never simply ask her out? For God’s sake, I gave her a car and bought the penthouse for her.
Both I’d made seem like necessities for the moment, instead of clear gifts. With Olesya gone, Ava figured she would need to leave the penthouse. Hadn’t Kazimir bought it for her friend Olesya and not her? It made sense for her to prepare to leave.
Ava had been looking for a new place to stay when I called her a few days later.
Shock rode her voice. “Misha?”
“Did I catch you at a busy time?” I’d asked.
“No, but…”
“What?”
“I don’t remember giving you my number.”
“That’s okay. I called because I realized you must be looking for a new place to live.”
“Wow.” Ava chuckled. “I literally was sitting on my computer looking.”
I’d been watching her do it, but there was no need to mention that. “Stay in the penthouse.”
“What? I can’t…I can’t afford this place.”
“It’s mine now. I bought it.” I finished hacking into the real estate site and changed the title from Kazimir’s name to mine.
I planned on letting Kazimir know later.
“You own it now?” she asked. “That was fast. O…I mean Olesya just…died last night.”
“It’s fine. I own it now. I’ll bring you the paperwork this week. I’m in Prague, but I’m heading to Moscow.”
“Paperwork?”
I made something up. “There’s an AB form that you should have just in case.”
“I…Misha, I can’t live here anymore.”
“We’ll talk more about it later. Just stay until I get to St. Petersburg. I have a few things to do now.”
“I know. I heard about your father. I’m so sorry.”
My heart ached, but I pushed my sadness aside. “Don’t worry. I will be okay. I’ll see you sometime this week.”
I’d hung up with her that night, right in Prague, right as I was preparing my father’s funeral arrangements. Watching Ava was the only thing that kept me calm.
And now, this war is gone. Don’t I get to celebrate too?
Sipping my champagne, I studied her. People cheered around her. A few kissed the air. Many laughed. Other ballerinas came out, dressed in glamour, enticing and teasing the millionaires who’d paid a little extra to be around them. The ballet company’s cocktail party was a thin line between dangling the dancers out like escorts. No one would be forced to have sex, but many fucked after these.
What ballerina wouldn’t like to bounce on the dick of a filthy rich ballet patron? Not everyone would be the Prima Ballerina. Not many would even be here next year due to injury, weight gain, or the fact that some new hot dancer had come along, taking up all the space.
A few ballerinas glanced my way. I didn’t give them any attention. By now, everyone knew I came here for Ava, even if Ava didn’t fully understand.
When people finally left her side, she walked out onto the open balcony hovering high above a glittering St. Petersburg.
Finally.
I prowled after, ready to get some alone time with Ava.
Behind her, I could make out the lush curve of her ass under the gown. Her silky black hair was in a bun. The moonlight glowed on her skin.
She turned my way and gasped, yet anticipation rose in her eyes as if she had been waiting all night to talk to me.
Interesting.
“You were beautiful tonight.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“You were Nikiya.”
She blushed.
“And you’ll be Russia’s first Prima Ballerina.”
Her bottom lip quivered.
“Don’t be scared.” I touched her cheek, unable to help myself. Every other time I’d been around her, I’d kept my hands to myself, never stealing caresses or holding her hand. But this time, I touched her face and lifted her view to me. “You will win at anything. You will knock down any wall in front of you.”
She blinked. “I believe you.”
“You should.” I dragged my fingers away from her soft skin.
She sighed. “I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Did you give me all of those beautiful roses?”
I curved my lips into a smile. “Yes. I just hope I gave you enough to match your amazing performance.”
“You gave me more than enough. Thank you so much. That meant a lot to me.”
“You’ll need help taking all of those roses to the penthouse.”
She widened her eyes, knowing where I was going with this.
“Let me help you.” I hoped the desire left my voice. “I would love to take you home tonight.”
Three
Ava
“I would love to take you home tonight.” Misha’s voice held a deep, commanding tone as he towered o
ver me, dripping sex and slow groans.
Damn.
He had an endearing, gorgeous expression as he gazed at me through those long-lashed eyes. It was such a delicate detail on such a chiseled face. Tattoos peeked from his collar. I had no idea if he had more. Part of me yearned to find out.
Since I’d moved to Russia four years ago, I hadn’t taken a lover. First, it had taken a good year to learn the language.
The second year, I was just trying to survive at school. Everyone watched me. There could be no mistakes. And if I fucked up here, there would be nothing much for me back in New York. Grandma depended on me. She put every dime she had into my childhood—shoes and costumes, classes and coaches. She worked an extra job cleaning toilets in a crappy bowling alley so I could be ready for auditions. Grandma had sacrificed, so I did too.
Third and fourth year, it was game time. I stayed focused. Dedicated myself to healthy eating and added yoga. I stayed to myself, besides hanging with O. I kept the guys out of my life, vowing to move my grandma out first.
But Misha stood in front of me, and I’d won tonight. Surely, I’d be ready to bring my grandmother out. Even if I didn’t become a principal for the next ballet, I would’ve grabbed enough attention to perform somewhere else.
Everything is going to be okay. I’ll have the money soon. I can relax, right?
With the idea, I could barely contain my horniness.
I was on a high from the performance. On a high from finally accomplishing something I’d worked for all my life. On a high from watching all the people that had twisted their faces up in disgust every day as I walked into class now shift to admiration.
Misha disturbed my thoughts.
“If you’re hungry, I can take you to a nice place that I know.” Misha’s gaze grew more intense, heating with lust. “Anything you want. Anything you need. Let’s celebrate.”
I smiled. “I’m…celebrating.”
“Not as much as I want you to.”
Something about the way he said it made me squeeze my thighs.
“What do you want to do, Ava?” he asked. “Where do you want to go? I’ll take you anywhere in this world.”
I blinked.
“Anywhere?” Taken aback, I swallowed, loving the way he made me feel. Every time I was in his space, I felt utterly adored. And it was in the way he held the door open for me to the car he’d bought for me that really showed me how serious he’d taken his adoration.
But should I stay away from him? O messed with this group and now she’s dead.
I stepped back as if that could be enough to clear me from the lure that radiated from this man.
Think. Think.
“I…won’t need any help.” I hated that stupid break in my voice. Misha made me nervous. Or maybe it was the heat bridging between us that had me on edge.
His deep voice massaged my insides. “You’ll need the help. At least, I can have my limo take the roses and you back.”
I grinned, imagining the ride, full of roses surrounding me.
Misha assessed me with his gaze, slipping his attention all over my body. It was clear what he wanted. I could see the lust in his eyes. I could hear the hunger in his voice.
I swallowed. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Then I’ll have my men bring them over to you tonight, and we’ll ride in the limo together, on our own.” There was an awareness in his stare like he knew how to win me over and he wouldn’t give up.
Damn it. Do I even want to give up? Haven’t I been a good girl for too long?
Misha moved forward. He was close enough to touch. His masculine scent mingled with a designer cologne that clung to him. “What’s wrong?”
“I’ve been trying to play it safe.” I wished my heartbeat would slow down.
“Play it safe at what?”
“At life. No men. No partying…I remained focused.”
“And now you’ve won, you deserve a reward.”
“Do I?” I tucked a stray curl behind my ear.
“Yes.”
I couldn’t keep the silly smile off my face. I shook my head. “Thank you.”
“But what else is wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“There’s something. There’s nothing that should ever make you nervous, when I’m around.” Confidence lathered his already sexy voice. “I will always protect you. Anything you need, I will give you.”
I had no idea what his job was. When I’d researched him, it talked about him owning several successful tech companies. But every time I looked at him, I knew there was a dangerous man under the corporate look.
I gulped down my nervousness.
His intense stare remained. “Now, let’s talk about tonight and how we’ll celebrate, unless you want me to leave you alone. I can.”
“No,” I blurted out. Here I’d been trying to say no to him, and suddenly I freaked out when he was going to walk away.
“Good.” He lowered his voice. “Tonight is all yours. Tell me what you want.”
My body ached for his touch. I couldn’t deny it anymore. Hadn’t he always been helping me? Did he seem more like a friend than any man I’d ever met?
“I…only want a ride home,” I whispered. “And maybe…we can share a drink.”
He reached for my hand. At his touch—just that one touch—awareness poured through me. Succulent heat flushed my cheeks. Desire tightened my body.
“Yes,” I whispered. “Please, take me home.”
Four
Misha
We stepped out of the theater. The sounds of St. Petersburg filled my ears—horns, voices, the backfire of engines. My limo waited for us. My driver climbed out and arrived at the door to open it for her.
For a few seconds, Ava hesitated and then stepped inside the limo, sweeping some of her red gown up with her. As she slid in, the part of the gown that had a split opened, exposing her lush thigh. My cock grew hard. When she disappeared into the car, I almost groaned in annoyance.
Calm down and try not to rip her gown off in the limo.
Any other woman throughout Russia would’ve been happy to share my bed. Many didn’t know my dark connections or murderous roots. Most thought I was a successful businessman in the tech business. And with the way things went here, no one ever assumed that I didn’t deal with a little blood as I made money.
But Ava had been smart and kept her distance.
Not anymore.
I climbed in after her. The limo pulled away. I studied her, drinking in the cute bun that I wanted to mess up. When she danced, she kept her hair pinned up. But in that moment, I wondered how she kept her hair, when she fucked.
“How are you doing?” she whispered.
I knew she was referring to the loss of my dad. Little did she know, I’d lost my father many years ago. The day my mother was killed by one of his enemies. Since then, he’d only been a shell of a man, plotting and killing, but doing no more.
I let out a long breath. “I’m okay. Your company was just the thing I needed, and your dancing, it comforted me.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll be at every performance.”
She widened her eyes and giggled. “You won’t.”
“I will. Just look up, when you’re dancing. I’ll be right there in the balcony. I’d sit on the edge of the stage, if I could. Right with my feet dangling over the edge.”
“You would not.”
“I would Ava.” My voice rose hunger. “I damn sure would.”
“Truthfully, I would love that. My grandmother hasn’t seen me dance out here. Well, at least not in real life.”
“We’ll change that for the next performance in two days.”
“What?”
“I’ll fly her out and put her in a nice hotel. She can’t live another week without seeing her granddaughter perform.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I do. And frankly, Ava, I’m just jumping to it first. If anyone had known that, people wou
ld’ve gotten together a fund and made it happen. That’s how beautiful you are. That’s how talented. That’s how amazing.”
She parted her lips, but no words left them.
“You’re not alone here.” I gently grabbed her hand and squeezed. “Anything you need, you have, and I won’t need any payment.”
“I…would want to give you something.” Her voice stroked my skin. “Anything.”
I licked my lips. “Then you will.”
The limo slowed. The driver climbed out and opened the door. I left and helped Ava out.
The full moon glowed in the dark sky. It was a beautiful evening to be with a gorgeous woman.
We took our time going to the elevator and getting on as if we were both savoring the moment.
“What do you like to drink?” she asked as if to make conversation on the ride up.
I turned to her. “I would love to drink you, Ava.”
She blushed.
I touched her hand. “I’m serious.”
“And what do you expect…if you drink from me?”
“Nothing. I just want you, Ava.” I gritted my teeth, yearning to rub my cock at the very idea of sipping from her. “Just you.”
She swallowed and gazed back at the double doors.
When they slid open, she stepped out.
“No.” I gently captured her hand and pulled her back to me.
The elevator doors slid closed, and the elevator rose. She gazed up at me, her chest rising and falling.
“Tell me,” I whispered.
“Tell you what?”
“How can I have you?”
She swallowed.
“Tell me.” I inhaled her. “Do you want me?”
“Yes,” she whispered back with no hesitation. “But…”
“What?”
“You’re dangerous.”
“Every man in Russia could be considered dangerous.”
“With O being killed—”
“That would never happen to you. I’ve dealt with the person who did that.” I didn’t say anything else, and she was smart enough not to ask. “There are no threats coming your way, and there is nothing that I will force you to do.”
