Viktor had never done this before, be tender and solicitous to a woman. He’d fully embraced the BDSM lifestyle after his brief affair with Marissa. To regain the control he’d lost with her, he took submissives, and gave them what they wanted as their Dom. It worked for eight years. He was emotionally detached, and when it came to a point that the submissive wanted a more permanent relationship, he would find her a new Dom. He knew he couldn’t expect the same from Marissa. For one thing, she didn’t have a submissive bone in her body. Well, maybe sometimes when he had her on the brink of orgasm, he could order her to do whatever he wanted.
He lightly brushed her curls from her face, pleased that the steam from the water had flushed some color into her cheeks. He had been determined to keep an emotional wall between himself and Marissa, but his resolve crumbled the moment Agent Olsen called HQ to report that Marissa’s vehicle had exploded with her in it. The few seconds it took to confirm Marissa’s fate were the worst of his life. He felt like his chance for true happiness had been ripped from him anew, and he hadn’t cared to mask his panic at the datacenter.
Viktor stood up from his crouch and divested himself of his clothes to join the woman who had once again wormed her way into his life, the woman who managed to get under his skin. This morning, in the midst of not knowing whether she lived or died, he had actually vowed that if she did survive, he would never let her go and would do everything to keep her.
“Viktor?” Marissa mumbled sleepily when he slipped in behind her, cradling her body between his legs.
“Shh, kitten,” he whispered in her ear. “Let me take care of you.”
“Watch it. I might get used to it.”
That’s the plan. Viktor thought. His fingers stroked her damp skin, brushing the sides of her breasts, slipping down her torso, gently caressing the skin where her thighs formed a vee. She squirmed against him but didn’t utter a sound. He brought both hands up to cup her breasts, kneading them firmly, and watching them plump up above the water. Her pink, dusky nipples were visible, and Viktor couldn’t help capturing them between his thumb and index finger to pinch them lightly.
Marissa grew restless, and a low moan escaped her lips, her legs thrashing in the tub.
“What are you up to, big guy?”
“Relax, Iz, let yourself go.” He nibbled her ear, and was satisfied to note the goose bumps that appeared on her skin despite the heat of the water. Releasing her breasts, he gingerly massaged her shoulders. “Let me know if I’m applying too much pressure.”
She groaned.
“Am I hurting your shoulders, Iz?”
“Not sure . . . it’s painful, but it feels good. You’re poking at me.”
Viktor chuckled. “Can’t help it, sweetheart, you turn me on so much.”
“I’m half-asleep, perv.”
“Yes, and utterly delectable,” Viktor muttered. He couldn’t resist lowering his hand beneath the water, straight for her bare pussy, which was just begging to be stroked and petted. He wanted to pleasure her, make her scream. His other hand captured her breast.
“Viktor . . .” She gasped this time as he slid a finger inside her while rubbing his thumb against her clit. “That feels so good . . . I want more.”
She leaned back and twisted her neck to kiss him. He ducked and took her mouth in fierce possession, sliding his tongue across hers, all the while massaging one breast with one hand and finger-fucking her with the other. She writhed against him, and for a moment, he worried about her back, but Marissa was gone—she was in the grips of her orgasm, so he gave her more.
She was moaning in earnest now, gasping and almost crying as she tore her lips away and leaned back against him. Her thighs clenched around his hand, her nails digging into his arms as she rode the waves of her release. Her scream of pleasure almost made him blow his load, but he kept a grip on his passion to the point of pain and absorbed every shudder coming from her.
Marissa mumbled in protest when he gently eased away from her, slipping out of the tub. The water was still hot; he had enough time to take care of his hard-on. He went straight into the shower and went to work. Fisting his cock firmly, he pumped the length of his erection, stroking vigorously, and it wasn’t long before ropes of cum spurted out. One hand shot out to steady his stance against the wall as he groaned out his climax.
He heard a muffled voice coming from the direction of the tub. Marissa was awake. Her eyes hooded lazily; her smile held a hint of mischief. And though he couldn’t make out her words through the spray of water, he knew she had watched him jack off. That fucking turned him on like nothing else, and his cock, still hard from his last erection, was once again pulsing upward. Fuck.
*****
Getting dressed was never fun when your body was recovering from a bout with an explosive shockwave. Her back felt better, the bath had definitely helped, but twisting her torso to perform the simplest task was aggravating. Marissa woke up to an empty bed and an empty loft. It didn’t take her long to find out where Viktor had gone off to, for he came back all sweaty from working out.
“Where’s the gym?” she asked.
“First floor,” Viktor replied, his eyes briefly taking in her appearance. “I don’t think you’re ready.”
“Oh, I’m planning to be lazy with my workout regimen.”
“If you need a workout, I’m more than available.”
Marissa shook her head, grinning. “I’m sure you are.”
“Coffee’s all ready to go, just push the button,” Viktor said. “I’m hitting the shower.”
She decided to make some omelettes and toast for breakfast. She knew Viktor liked his protein shakes after exercise, but eggs had protein too, right? Taking stock of what was in his fridge, she pulled out the eggs, peppers, mushrooms, and diced ham.
The omelette was happily cooking away, when Viktor strode into the kitchen; barefoot, dressed only in boxer briefs, hair damp from the shower. Marissa gaped at him momentarily before shutting her mouth and returning her attention to the pan.
“You should be an underwear model,” she muttered.
He gripped her chin, tilted her face up, and gave her a firm kiss.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, big guy.” She smiled up at him.
“You keep looking at me like that, and I’ll take you right here.”
Yes, please.
“Not going commando today?” Marissa teased.
“I don’t feel like it, but you could change my mind.” He shot her a roguish smile that sent visions of her straddling him and riding the fuck out of his cock. What was it about this man that reduced her to her primal instincts? No woman should be enslaved by a man’s dick, and clearly, she was letting herself be led around by it.
She turned the omelette as she allowed the disturbing thoughts to fester.
“Hey, what just happened here?” Viktor asked sharply.
“What?”
“You suddenly closed off. What did I say, Iz?”
“Nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. Look at me,” he ordered.
She tried to act nonchalant, glancing at him briefly and pasting a fake smile. His eyes narrowed.
Uh-oh.
“Move.” He grabbed the spatula from her and nudged her out of the way.
“What are you doing?” Marissa asked in annoyance.
“I’ll finish this. You start thinking of an explanation for why you suddenly had an attitude adjustment.”
“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“I read people fairly well, Marissa. I lost you right before you flipped that omelette.”
Who the hell is this guy?
“Don’t you dare try your interrogation tactics with me, Viktor.”
He turned off the fire and slammed the pan to the back of the stove, causing her to jump.
“Don’t bullshit me. What the fuck happened just now?” he growled.
“Oh, so you can keep all your thoughts to y
ourself, but I can’t?”
“Damn it, Marissa. I’m trying here. What. Happened?”
“You. I’m addicted to you!” The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. “You turn me on like no other man. My brain turns to mush when I see your . . . your freaking gorgeous body, and even if my joints are screaming in pain, I think of nothing but having you inside me . . . hav—having you sink into me.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” Viktor asked incredulously. His lips were twitching.
“It’s not funny!” Marissa wailed. “No man should have such control over a woman.”
“Yeah, sweetheart, it’s funny.” His chest was shaking with repressed laughter, which infuriated her more, but she didn’t resist when he pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on top of her head. “Would it make you feel better if I say it’s mutual?”
“It is?”
“If we didn’t have so much damned responsibilities, there’s nothing more I want to do than fuck you all day. I never get enough of you, Iz. You’re a distraction. I can’t think straight when you’re physically near, and I can’t think straight when I don’t know where you are. I want to fuck you so hard, you’d have trouble walking the next day. Sound like an addiction to you?”
“Yes.”
“We good?”
Marissa nodded.
“Good. I’m hungry. Let’s eat.”
“I hate taking a leisurely breakfast. It’s almost 10:00 a.m.” Marissa said, glancing at the kitchen clock. “I told Allison we’d be tackling the data out of Damascus bright and early.” She hadn’t shared her suspicion about Matthews—that he had betrayed the agency to Shadid—and decided to table that discussion for later. There was just too much information to process from the past few days.
“Technically, you did some work over the weekend,” Viktor replied while taking a sip of coffee. “You’re allowed some leeway. Don’t worry about it.”
“Easy for you to say, you’re the boss. I’m just a grunt.”
“Are you fishing for compliments, Ms. Cole?”
“Of course not!” she replied indignantly. “When are we talking to Matsuda?”
“Christ, you’re like a dog with a bone,” Viktor muttered.
“Well?”
“We can’t contact him directly. Too risky.”
“I’ve got any number of people who can approach him. Just give me the go ahead.”
“I’m not about to let a stranger tell him that the United States government is about to fuck up his life again.”
“We just need information, Viktor. We’re not dragging him into an op.”
“That’s what we told him before all hell broke loose and Daliyah kidnapped his wife and daughter.”
Marissa held her tongue because Viktor speared her with a “shut up and let me think” look. She diverted her impatience by drinking more coffee.
“When do you want to meet?”
“The sooner the better.”
“Ain’t it always?” Viktor said. “Her husband’s probably going to kill me this time.”
“Umm. I don’t understand?”
Shooting her an annoyed look, he picked up his phone, scrolled through his contact list and hit “Call.”
When his contact came on the line, he said, “Sophie?”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Sophie had never lied to Derek. Ever. At least, not that she could recall and never after they had gotten married. Okay, maybe she would tell a little white lie every now and then, or omit some information from their conversation. After all, her husband was an unreasonably jealous and possessive man, and it was better to fib about the attentions she was getting from male acquaintances than retrieving her husband from jail for assault. But she had never blatantly lied about her whereabouts.
Damn Viktor Baran. This was the second time he had lassoed her into his “brilliant” plans. The first time, she was excited because it involved using technology she had developed. She had officially become AGS’s advanced boutique weapons designer if there was such a title.
However, on this second go round, she was supposed to act like a spy, relay information and set up the meeting. Did they not learn from her debacle in South Africa? Not a day on the field yet, and she got made. Obviously, Viktor’s faith in her was stronger than her faith in herself.
Jiro Matsuda was her sensei and kendo instructor. After her classes last Monday, she informed him that Viktor Baran wanted to set up a meeting. An operative with the CIA would be present. Her sensei had not acted surprised—he almost looked resigned, as though he had expected something like this to happen.
So here she was at the Japanese cultural center’s main dining room on a Wednesday evening. After their class ended at 7:00 p.m., Jiro and another classmate, David, left with Sophie for the cultural center. That wasn’t the plan. David was not supposed to tag along. This was bad for two reasons.
One, the meeting was in regards to highly classified information. Sophie wasn’t sure how a seemingly genial man like Sensei Jiro could be mixed up with someone like Viktor. But they appeared to trust each other. Sophie discreetly texted Viktor about the slight chink in the plans. His response?
“Fuck!”
Which brings about the second reason. David used to have a thing for her, and judging from his actions, past and present, he still did. Sophie wasn’t naive. Every opportunity he had, he’d whine that she should have given him a chance. If she didn’t love her kendo classes so much, she’d stop attending. And now she was alone in the dining room with him.
Right after their main course, and before dessert, Viktor walked into the restaurant. Hardly acknowledging Sophie, he proceeded down the hallway to another exit that led to several tea houses scattered throughout the center. After five minutes, Sensei Jiro excused himself and said he had to talk to the cultural center manager about the upcoming cherry blossom festival.
Sophie smiled. That was months away.
“So how’s married life?” David asked with a hint of sarcasm. Sophie frowned. She wasn’t in the mood for this.
“It’s good.”
“Derek Lockwood, huh? You know he has quite the reputation.”
“He’s changed.”
“If you say so.” David shrugged.
Sophie fumed. Derek didn’t deserve all the doubts heaped on him by the media. Though it was admittedly still awkward to be running into his past liaisons, she wasn’t jealous anymore. Because he had proven time and again that he loved her to distraction and would risk everything for her.
“So, do you have a girlfriend?” she asked to deflect the subject back to David.
“No, the woman I was hoping to fill that position married someone else.”
Okay, this is getting aggravating.
“David—”
“You never gave me a chance, Sophie.”
“We’ve been over this. Don’t make it awkward.”
His face finally softened and he reached out to touch her face. Sophie fought the urge to flinch. She owed him this at least.
“Sorry, Sophie. It’s just that—” He smiled sheepishly. “Never mind. I hope you won’t let my dumbass behavior prevent you from coming to class.”
“Anytime you need my kendo stick to knock some sense into you, let me know.”
“My, you’re a bloodthirsty vixen.”
They both laughed as the tension eased.
As they were perusing the dessert menu, Sophie’s phone rang. It was Derek.
She had a moment of panic, but decided to answer. Knowing her husband, he would continue calling until he’d actually talked to her.
“Hey, honey, what’s up?”
“Hi, Angel, how are drinks with Beth going?”
Sophie fidgeted in her chair and shifted away from David to mumble into her phone. “It’s okay. I don’t think I’ll drink another martini.”
“Where are you? Maybe I could join you?”
“Ah…we’re bar hopping.”
Silence. And t
hen, “Sounds a bit too quiet to be at a bar.”
“Um, you caught me at the ladies room.”
Another uncomfortable pause.
“I guess I’ll see you when you get home.”
“Okay.”
“I love you, Sophie.”
“Love you, too.”
Sophie blew her bangs out when she ended the call. She was a terrible person.
“Lying to the husband?”
“Shut up, David. Order your dessert,” Sophie groused.
Outside the Japanese cultural center, Derek Lockwood stared disbelievingly at the woman who meant everything to him, who at the moment, was having dinner with another man. The scene wasn’t incriminating by itself, except she lied to him. Why would she lie to him? He once wondered what people meant when they said their world was ending. Now he knew. Devastated didn’t even begin to describe what he was feeling.
Sophie said she was having drinks with her best friend Beth, except he saw Beth at Rooster Bar. Sophie’s friend didn’t know he saw her. He felt bad that he immediately got suspicious. He wouldn’t have if Sophie hadn’t been acting strangely all of yesterday and this morning. She was jumpy and she’d been avoiding him, unable to look into his eyes. Now, he knew why.
So he used her phone to trace her location and here he was.
He wanted to charge in there and reclaim what was his. But some Karmic force was staying his rage. Was he to blame? Had he failed her somehow and driven her into the arms of another man? Was he being punished for his past hedonistic life of sex and women?
His hands were shaking when he started his car. He needed some perspective. He needed a drink.
Smoke and Shadows Page 10
