by Maura Rose
She added a twist to her wrist as she stroked him, her thumb swiping over the head where he was slick, and Pavel spat out a few curses. Natalia chuckled, letting go of him and taking his chin in her hand, guiding his face up so that she could kiss him.
He spread her legs and slid his fingers back into her, making sure she was still open and wet. “Are you good?”
Natalia nodded, wrapping her arms around him and hitching her leg up. “Yes. Please, I—want you so badly—”
He could hardly think, he wanted her so much. Pavel fumbled for his discarded pants, finding the condom he kept in his wallet and playfully flipping her off when Natalia asked if he’d gotten lost down there.
“I’m going to have to kiss the sass right out of you,” he told her, suiting the action to the words by kissing her deep and messy.
“You’re welcome to try,” Natalia managed to gasp out, pushing the words into his mouth before they were kissing again and talking became impossible.
Pavel lined himself up and began to push inside of her, slow and careful at first. It was like a blow to the head. He wanted to bury himself inside of her and never come out.
Natalia moaned, biting lightly at his throat, her legs shaking. Her heel dug into his back, urging him deeper into her. “You’re so—fuck it’s—want you to fill me up, fuck me open—”
She sounded desperate, her words slightly slurred, and Pavel felt a little drunk just listening to her. “You’re a greedy girl, anyone ever told you that?”
“I have been told I’m spoiled.” Natalia’s smirk was clear in her voice, even if he couldn’t see it because he had his face buried in her shoulder as he tried to keep himself from ending this all too early.
“You want me to give it to you, hmm?” Pavel kissed just below her ear, nosing into her dark hair. “Just like we talked about earlier, hot and rough. You want to feel me for days?”
He punctuated his words with a sharp, sweet thrust into her and Natalia gasped. “Yes, please.”
“You want me to mark you up a little?” He nipped at her neck, and Natalia yanked at him, pulling him up so that she could kiss him again.
“Later,” she whispered into his mouth, and Pavel understood—they still weren’t supposed to be doing this. Any marks on her would be suspicious.
It made him feel a little like they were in medieval times or something but he ignored that. He had Natalia underneath him and around him, kissing him, eager and demanding, and he wanted to give her everything that she asked for.
He thrust into her again and Natalia cried out, clawing at him, kissing him all over, every place she could reach. He didn’t stop that time, didn’t slow down, just kept fucking deep into her, so deep. It had been far too long since he’d done this with someone and he had to grit his teeth to hold himself back. He wanted this to last, to be good for Natalia, not just for him.
Natalia kissed him again, muffling her noises in his mouth, her finger digging into his shoulders. Pavel took her wrists, pinning them down on the bed over her head. Natalia let out a kind of moaning whine, her mouth falling open as she shuddered.
“Oh, you like that,” he murmured, almost without thinking.
Natalia nodded vigorously, her tongue flicking out to run along his lower lip. “Please…”
He tightened his grip slightly, not enough to hurt but just enough to make her feel it, and sped up a little. Natalia’s noises grew higher and more desperate in pitch and she pushed up into Pavel’s hands, not to get away, but as if she was testing that his grip would hold, as if she just wanted to feel his touch as much as possible. She was so sweet and tight and hot, and the noises she was making rang in his ears, in his blood.
“Natalia…” he kissed along her jaw, starting to lose his rhythm. “I’m—”
She dug her heels into his back, arching up into him, encouraging him. “Yes, go—I’m so—please, I want you to—”
He bit down on her shoulder, shuddering as he buried himself into her, feeling emptied, a roaring in his ears. Natalia strained against his hold, and he slid his hand down between them, his thumb finding her clit and working it in tight, fast little circles until she clenched down around him, prolonging his own orgasm as she came with a long moan.
They lay there for a moment, catching their breath, before he remembered himself and rolled off of her. Natalia’s eyes were glazed over, her hair spilling out all over the bedspread, her chest heaving.
Fuck, he wanted nothing more than to nap and then do it all over again, try different things, lose himself in her until he forgot that the rest of the outside world existed.
Natalia gave him a small, pleased smirk. “I’d say that test drive went well.”
Pavel snorted, reaching out to tuck a lock of dark hair behind her ear. “I agree.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “I suppose this means we shouldn’t have to do it a few more times…”
“Oh, I’m sure we could use some fine tuning,” Natalia replied, picking up on his teasing. “Just to make sure, you know.”
“Hmm, now that’s a thought.”
Natalia curled a little closer, almost hesitant, as if she thought that he wouldn’t want her to touch him now that they were finished with the sexual part of things. Pavel opened his arms so that she could curl into them if she wanted to.
There was a moment of hesitation, and then Natalia moved into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. Pavel settled around her, feeling her warm and soft against him, so much more gentle now than she ever was usually.
Not that he wanted her to be gentle like this all the time. He liked the rough, demanding, prickly parts of Natalia as well.
For a little while, silence reigned. Then Natalia said, her voice small and quiet and unlike her:
“We’re going to be in so much trouble if they find out.”
“Maybe.” Definitely. “But it’s not like we were promised to other people, so it could be worse.”
If he’d been promised to Irena, for example, or to another one of Natalia’s sisters, and had fallen for her instead.
Not that he’d—this was just sexual attraction, and a growing friendliness with one another. This wasn’t—he was just coming to like her as a person, that was all.
“Irena wants us to announce things at her wedding,” Natalia added, her voice still quiet. Like speaking in normal tones would break something. “So that everything is proper.”
“Good.” The wedding wasn’t too far away. “Will they let us see each other after that?”
“Probably not. Father’s old-fashioned.”
“The old ways are changing.”
Natalia laughed. “That’s dangerous talk, lieutenant.”
“Good thing you’re a woman who likes dangerous.”
Natalia rolled her eyes. “Lucky for you.”
They dozed, or he must have at least, because the next thing he knew he was waking up as Natalia put on her clothes.
“I have to get back,” she whispered, sounding regretful. “They’ll wonder what’s up if I’m gone for too long.”
Pavel nodded, hating that it made his chest ache to see her go, hating that he missed the warmth and weight of her against him, in his arms.
They still only barely knew each other. It was accelerated in a way, sure. They’d basically interrogated each other to learn everything that they possibly could. But it was still only two dates and one round of sex. That wasn’t anything to build such deep feelings on, was it?
He waved to her as she left. Natalia gave a small wave in return, laughing a little as she slipped out the door.
Pavel kept staring at the closed door, even long after she’d disappeared. Wondering what the tightness in his chest meant. Scared that he already knew.
Chapter Eight
The next day, Natalia was summoned to see Father.
She couldn’t quite keep the flutter of fear from blooming inside of her chest, but she was able to stamp it down well enough. If Father had found out that she’d been so rebellious yest
erday, he would’ve summoned her immediately. He wouldn’t have waited for the next day and asked if she would join him for lunch.
Natalia found him in his favorite restaurant, tucking into his meal with gusto. Natalia inwardly sighed. “You’re going to get a bad heart, you know, eating like this.”
Father waved for her to sit down. “What good is a life spent eating nothing but vegetables, I ask you? Let me die young and happy, my child.”
Natalia sat down. Such impudence wouldn’t have been allowed from Irena, but as the youngest Natalia knew she could get away with a little, especially when Father was in a good mood as he seemed to be now.
“As you know, the date of your sister’s wedding is fast approaching. She is the oldest, and it is only fair that she get married first.”
“Yes, Father.” Did he think she was upset about her marriage coming last or something? How old did he think she was?
“You will be meeting your fiancé there,” Father went on. “The Sokolov family along with others will be in attendance. We’ll announce our alliance through the announcement of your engagement. I trust that you will behave properly and conduct yourself in a way that will make me proud.”
“Of course, Father.”
“Any inappropriate behavior will reflect not only on yourself, but on me. And the Saito family will be within their rights to annul the marriage with your sister if they wish it. Do not give them any reason to think that we are unfit to ally themselves with.”
Something about that struck her and Natalia decided to go out on a limb. “Are we in trouble, Father? Do we need the backing of the Saito family?”
Her father looked down at his plate, then pushed it away and looked up at her. “You have succeeded in putting me off my meal after all,” he said. He was not quite angry with her, he was still joking, but there was a serious tone underneath that made Natalia sit up straight.
“The truth of the matter is—I should not be telling you this, but you are to be married to the Sokolov heir, unless Ivan has a child soon, and in any case the Sokolovs are up-and-comers. You must become aware of the politics. The thing is, we are falling behind. Not enough for others to notice just yet. But enough to worry me.” He sighed softly before continuing.
“The old ways are changing. These newer, ruthless groups have taken over, and for years we have been beating them back, but they are ultimately winning. And only the Japanese and the Chinese have strong enough numbers and resources from their home economies to combat them. Most of their families are exports—they report home still. They have the backing of huge families in their home countries, families we can only dream of.”
“But don’t we have that backing as well? From Russia?”
“We did back in the day, but the split between the old world and the new… it is not as distinct, and that means it is more distinct than ever. We are no longer under the thumb of Mother Russia, yet we are able to interact with those who live there constantly. It makes for a slightly… tense relationship. We cannot necessarily count on them for support. And they are not here in person. The Saito family is.”
“Does anyone else know that we’re vulnerable?” Natalia asked, her heart in her throat. The Mikhailov family had been the top of the food chain for years. If someone saw a potential opening, they would strike and try to take the position. It could lead to another war, and as much as the families liked to posture about it, nobody really wanted a war—not unless they were certain they could come out on top.
Father shook his head. “Not as far as I know. Of course my lieutenants are aware. But nobody outside of them and Irena.”
What pressure it must be for Irena, Natalia thought. Her own marriage was political, as well, but it seemed there wasn’t as much riding on it.
It was more important than ever that her marriage be seen as her father being generous to the Sokolov family and supporting a powerful up-and-comer. It couldn’t be seen as covering up for two people who’d had an affair.
“You understand the importance of your union as well now, I trust?” Father asked. “The Sokolov family may not be as powerful as we are now, but they very likely will be soon. Ivan has taken care to go back to Russia and reaffirm ties and is in a stronger position than we are with that backing, although…” Father rolled his eyes. “I doubt he realizes that. He is still young in some ways.” He clasped his hands in front of him and looked at her in earnest.
“We must strengthen ourselves with as many families as we can. You and your sisters are able to do that through marriage, rather than through a written treaty or an exchange of men. Even in this age of divorce, there is still something of permanence to a marriage when it happens, and I want these bonds to be permanent.”
“Of course, Father.” Natalia stamped down the urge to tell him that she was an actual human being with thoughts and desires and not merely a robot, a pawn to be used to secure the family. But this was her work. Instead of smuggling or drug-running or bodyguarding or whatnot, she got married and secured an alliance.
She wasn’t sure if she was flattered or insulted. She almost wished she’d been told she was in charge of the smuggling operations instead.
Father fixed her with a look, the kind of firm, searching look that he would give her when she was a child and had snuck some dessert and he suspected but wasn’t sure she was the culprit. “You have not been giving your sister too much trouble with this, have you? Irena has many other things to think about and I don’t want her to be too stressed before the wedding.”
“No, I’ve been trying to not bother her,” Natalia replied.
Father nodded, apparently satisfied. “Every move we’re making is being watched. It would do you good to remember that.”
Natalia nodded. “Is there anything else, Father?”
“No, you may go.”
Natalia didn’t feel like she honestly let out the breath she was holding until she got back home, her lungs shuddering. Father hadn’t exactly broken down into tears but the fact that he was even telling her they were in a vulnerable position—that meant he was truly worried.
She found that she had, of all things, the urge to contact Pavel. To warn him of how important this was—as if he didn’t already know—and to warn him that her family’s position was more precarious than they’d all expected.
It was ridiculous, of course. She didn’t know Pavel all that well. In a way she did, seeing how she’d grilled him, but that wasn’t the same as spending time with a person, was it? Seeing all of their different moods. How could she be certain that he and the Sokolovs wouldn’t take advantage of this in some way if she confided in him?
Natalia took another deep breath. She would just keep a cool head and not tell anyone. That was the best option. Everything was going to be fine so long as everyone did what they were supposed to do.
Chapter Nine
When Ivan called Pavel into his office again, Pavel thought that someone had seen him taking Natalia to his apartment and had ratted on him. Of course, nobody knew about the wedding officially since it hadn’t been officially announced yet, but Pavel was aware that his lack of girlfriend up until now would make bringing a girl home big news. And don’t let the fancy suits and big guns fool you—bratva men gossiped just as much as anyone.
He was even more certain he was in trouble when he got into the office and Kate was there, signifying that this was once again big news.
“Can you shut the door?” Ivan asked, tone conversational. Of course Ivan wouldn’t let his tone show anything when someone might overhear. It wasn’t good to show people dissention in the ranks. Berating and beating up a subordinate was something Ivan’s father had been fond of, but Ivan wanted to inspire loyalty through camaraderie, not fear and resentment, and he wanted to show a united front.
“Something important has come to our attention,” Ivan said as Pavel sat down. “This is sensitive information, and we’re only telling you. Nobody else knows. We’re considering telling Kate’s father but for now, i
t’s under wraps.”
Telling Kate’s father? The head of his own crime family? Sensitive information? This couldn’t be about a simple indiscretion. Pavel breathed a little easier on that front but his mind raced as to what Ivan could be talking about.
“We’ve been making a few observations on the Mikhailov family in preparation for the announcement,” Ivan explained. “Discreetly, of course. But we want to make sure we’re not getting into anything we aren’t prepared for.”
Of course. A marriage between the two families meant that the Sokolov and Mikhailov families would now often be working together on joint projects, sharing operations at times, that sort of thing. If the Mikhailovs were going to screw them over or try to short-change them, it would be best to know ahead of time so they could prepare to countermand that.
“We’ve noticed some worrying numbers in the accounts,” Ivan went on. “Again, this isn’t something we want getting out—the old man will kill us if he hears that we didn’t trust him at his word, and I mean that literally. But we’re suspecting that the Mikhailovs aren’t as powerful as they used to be.”
“They’re right at the edge,” Kate said. “Perfect position for a power grab.”
“Are we… going to be the ones grabbing?” Pavel asked. He felt a torrent of fear in his stomach. Was the marriage off? What would happen to Natalia if a war broke out? Would she be in the crossfire?
Ivan shook his head and the rush of relief that Pavel felt nearly made his knees buckle. For a single moment, there had been the possibility that Natalia was in danger and that he wouldn’t be allowed to protect her—and that had nearly crippled him more than anything else. He was a soldier, dammit, a lieutenant, the right-hand man. And the mere thought, just the thought of Natalia possibly being in a compromised position filled him with dread.
“We don’t know that anyone will be doing anything,” Ivan said. “But this is something we need to look into and be prepared for.”
“Will we back out?” That idea filled his stomach with dread as well. Natalia would be humiliated if the alliance fell through. People could very well gossip that it was because of something wrong with her.
