Going Once, Taken Twice: A Dark Romance

by Claire St. Rose

  “Because I needed his advice about what I should do. I knew I should turn you loose, but I didn’t want to. I was being selfish.” He dragged his hand down the length of her arm. “But that’s why I tried to leave you behind that night. He talked some sense into me. He reminded me that I was dragging you into a mess you didn’t deserve.”

  She scoffed. “Yeah, I’ll say.”

  He brought his other hand to the curve of her waist. She lowered the hand with the gun, glancing up at him. His dark eyes hooked her. “I brought you here. I might have saved you once, but then I pushed you into more shit.” He paused. “I can’t forgive myself, Claudia. I care about you. If there’s one good thing that came of all this, it’s that I met you.”

  She gulped, unsure how to respond. His words rang true to her—they resonated in the deepest parts of her being. But so what? What now?

  “Met me and then lost me,” she said.

  He let a soft sigh, pressing his forehead against hers. The warmth of him was practically a drug. “Is it wrong to want to keep you for myself?”

  She pinched her eyes shut. “Don’t say that.”

  “You’re right.” He laughed a little, then clutched at his ribs. “There’s no way it could work.”

  His words hung in the air, prompting a wave of sadness through her. She wanted him—was it so impossible? There’s no way you two can ever work out. Princesses don’t fall in love with killers like him. That should have been enough, but yet a glimmer of hope persisted in the darkness.

  She sighed, dropping her hand to her side. “Not in a million years.”

  Their gazes locked and electricity shivered between them. “But was it so wrong to think about it?”

  She swallowed a knot in her throat. She’d contemplated it too, like the lovesick idiot she was. Hearing him admit the same was a quiet victory, somewhere deep inside.

  When she didn’t respond, he brushed his nose against hers. “You’re the only woman that’s made me stumble.” He rubbed his cheek against hers. “Which is even more of a sign that I should stay away. When I stumble, look what happens. We end up here.”

  “And you get the shit kicked out of you,” she said, letting her gaze travel over the bruises on his face. “You poor thing.”

  He tutted, nuzzling her neck. “I need a nurse.”

  She giggled, pushing on his shoulder. “You need a lot more than a nurse.”

  He squeezed the soft flesh above her hip. “I only want you, though.”

  The smile fell from her face. Yeah, she wanted him too—but it was impossible. “Boris, this isn’t fair.”

  “I know, babe.” He pressed his forehead against hers.

  “So what do we do now? Huh? Just walk away like everything is fine?” Her throat tightened. Your heat feels too good. I can’t give you up.

  “How about you give me the gun first?” He peered down at her side.

  She handed it over. “I trust you with it more than me.”

  Boris stuffed it under his waistband. “Do you trust me?”

  She couldn’t help but laugh. “Jesus, every time you ask this question, I’m scared to find out what comes next.”

  He caught her chin between thumb and forefinger. “But do you trust me?”

  She blinked up at him, tenderness overcoming her. His busted lip, the drying blood, the banged up eye, his mussed hair. She wanted to kiss him and soothe him until it all felt better. Then maybe they could both wake up from this strange dream and live happily ever after. “I trust you.”

  “Good.” A wicked smile crossed his face. “Let’s leave Pavlichenko a little parting gift.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Parting gift?” Claudia’s brow arched.

  Boris pressed his palms against the wall on either side of her. His ribs throbbed like a motherfucker but hell if he’d let something like that stop him from this on-the-fly plan. Those goons beat him up real good—but not enough to snuff his sex drive. Not when it came to Claudia.

  “I want you,” he said, voice almost a growl. He’d kiss her if they hadn’t busted his lip. He grabbed handfuls of her ass, drawing a low breath. Hooking his hands under her ass, he hoisted her. She giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck.

  “Sounds like you just can’t resist me,” she said, dragging her lips over his unbroken cheek. “Even in the most unlikely places.”

  “Maybe you feel the same way,” he said, nipping at her earlobe.

  “Maybe I do,” she whispered. “Or maybe I just like your unconventional preferences for sex spots.”

  He glanced behind him at the guard. “Be honest. How did you knock him out? Do we have to worry about him waking up?”

  “Oh well if he does,” she purred into his ear. His cock stirred in his pants. “Parting gift, right?”

  He pressed his lips to hers gently, the cut throbbing, then pulled away with a wince. Claudia furrowed a brow, tracing her fingertips over the line of his jaw.

  “Does it hurt so bad?”

  “Everything is a little worse for the wear,” he said, grinding up against her. “But that won’t stop me.”

  She giggled, running her hands over the ridge of his shoulders, down the sides of his arms. “God, that’s sexy somehow. Even when you’re busted up and bleeding, you’re sexy.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.” He nuzzled her neck, grabbing big handfuls of her ass. She crossed her ankles around his back, cinching their bodies even closer.

  “You should,” she whispered, her breath hot in his ear. “You were what I was wishing for.”

  Her words rang inside his skull, both pure and prickling. You shouldn’t wish for someone like me. He buried his face in her neck, the words dinging around like pinballs. You deserve someone better.

  “What the hell did you wish for, then?” He met her gaze, forcing a smile. Her sultry look made his cock twitch.

  “I wished for an adventure,” she said, arcing her back, making her breasts round nicely. “When I left for my backpacking trip, I just wanted to experience something new. Off the beaten trail.”

  He laughed, which made his ribs hurt. “You definitely made your way off the beaten trail.”

  She grabbed at his biceps, clenching her legs tighter around his hips. “I found you. Or you found me, rather.”

  He stilled. “We found each other.”

  Her eyes glinted bright green, like sea moss. “And look at the adventure we’ve been on.”

  Boris pressed his forehead to hers. “But it hasn’t been a good adventure.” And he didn’t know how it would end up. Once he sent her back to her father, he wasn’t sure what his next move would be. Pavlichenko expected one thing. But now, after all this? Boris wasn’t sure he could hold up his end of the job.

  Especially when every cell of his being was begging him to escort Claudia back to her house himself. He’d promised an anonymous delivery. But he wanted to be the very opposite of anonymous from here on out.

  “That’s why they say ‘careful what you wish for’, dummy.” She giggled.

  He cracked a grin, squeezing her ass again. “Exactly. Next time, wish for a calm, regular tour group. Without the kidnapping.”

  Skipping kisses along his jaw, she said, “I should add that to my resume. Kidnapping survivor. I think it would look good on my job applications.”

  “What jobs are you applying for?” He reached down to loosen his belt, unbuttoning his jeans. They crumpled to a pile at his ankles. He bit his lower lip as he ground his groin into hers. She tensed, sucking in a sharp breath.

  “Oh, you know,” she gasped. “Stripper. Croatian countryside long-distance runner. Expert hostage. God that feels good.”

  He laughed low. “Stripper, huh? After that lap dance you gave me, I don’t think you should do anything else.” He yanked her shirt up, exposing the heavy breasts that could snag his attention anywhere, anytime. “Mmm. Except only for me.”

  She lifted a brow, but she looked pleased. “So you’ll hire me, be my boss?
Private lap dances, huh?”

  “Yes.” He lowered her gently to the ground, pushing her leggings down to her ankles, helping her step out of them. “Just for me.”

  Her skin went goosepimply as he dragged his fingertips up the lengths of her legs. “Sound like you might get bored.”

  “I don’t think so.” He hoisted her again and she sucked in a sharp breath. “I’m a man with specific tastes. Once I make a choice, I don’t waver.”

  “So what it sounds like to me.” She lolled her head as he nuzzled her neck. “Is that you just want exclusive rights.”

  He gyrated his hips in a wide, slow circle, loving the pleased gasps it elicited from her. He knew exactly what she was getting at. And he liked their roundabout way of talking about it. “Sounds about right.”

  Because right now, it didn’t matter how much of a pipe dream the idea was. There was something magnetic between them, and though the logistics didn’t make sense, there was something right about entertaining the idea. Just for now.

  He pushed his briefs down, making his cock bob up and down once it was freed. Claudia’s breath hitched and she tensed while he pressed himself against her, lining up their parts.

  The heat of her seared through him as his cockhead nudged into place, seeking the dampness between her legs. He pressed his cheek against hers, grunting as he eased himself into just the right spot. The crease of her pussy welcomed him and a small gasp escaped her as he pressed himself deep into her heat; slowly, slowly, inch by languorous inch.

  The entry was divine; a beautifully slick, hot union that made his mind spin. When he was buried to the hilt, he opened his eyes, still seeing stars. Her breath came out in a shuddery sigh at his ear.

  “Why?” He grunted and flexed against her, finding another inch of space. “Why do you feel so good?”

  She clung to him, arms around his neck, her half-sheathed breasts spread against his chest. “Hell if I know. This is unreal.”

  He worked her slowly at first, loosening her up, letting her acclimate to the rhythm. He drew a jagged breath, knowing his own glorious finish was near. Something about this position was extra killer—or was it the situation? Almost losing her. Finding her. Convincing her. Speaking his truth. The rawness of that conversation still lingered like a spritzed cologne around him.

  Maybe that was the secret code to intimacy. Fucking up followed by absolution. Fear followed by relief.

  Falling for a girl that he knew he could never truly have.

  He gripped at her hips, desperate to root her to her spot, to this moment, to lock her up and keep a piece of her inside him forever. Claudia’s ragged breaths urged him on, faster, harder; the residual aches of his beat-down faded into an innocuous hum in the background as the sexual energy soothed him. The stillness of the cell was punctuated only by the slaps of his body against hers, and the tiny, ecstatic gasps that Claudia uttered like a sweet song.

  His end came too soon. Within minutes, the prowling tendrils of release coursed through him. He pumped in and out one last time and then stilled, rigid against her, as the pleasure resonated through him. Grunting, he pressed his forehead to hers, drawing ragged breaths, mind hazy and legs like jelly as he relished the buzzy come-down of his orgasm.

  Claudia’s grip around his neck tightened. “Boris.”

  He tilted his head back to meet her gaze. “What?”

  She was flushed and breathless. “How can you make fucking in a jail cell so hot?”

  He grinned, helping her slide down the wall until her feet touched the ground. She held onto his shoulders for support. “Consider it a secret talent of mine.”

  She laughed a little, smoothing her palms over his biceps, down the lengths of his arm, then over the flat planes of his chest. “So I guess I should take that as the goodbye.”

  He pulled his boxers up, then his jeans. “We don’t have to take anything as goodbye yet.”

  “But I know what you meant when you said parting gift.” She pulled her shirt over her breasts, adjusted her leggings.

  “Claudia, I have to get you home still. We’ll figure out that part when we get there.” Even though his heart hammered in his ears at the unknowns ahead, the upcoming sadness that lurked around the corner.

  It was too soon to know how the rest would play out. Priority one was getting out of this warehouse, and back on the road. Followed by getting Claudia en route to D.C.whether or not he accompanied her.

  She pressed a palm against his shoulder. “I’m not trying to be a downer.” She bit her bottom lip, searching his face. “But you’re right. We should just focus on getting home.”

  Boris squeezed her chin between his thumb and forefinger, the aches and pains of his beat-down slowly revealing themselves once more. They needed to hit the road before he totally stiffened up and became useless. “One step at a time babe. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

  Claudia offered a small smile, smoothing her hair back into a ponytail. “Where to first?”

  Boris glanced back at the guard—still out cold. They should definitely get out before he came to, though. Maybe Pavlichenko would have a change of heart if he knew they’d been subduing his hired strongmen. “Let’s head out the way we came. My boss knows I’m taking you out, so we shouldn’t find any trouble.”

  “Oh, so all this seduction and destruction here was for naught?” Claudia scoffed. “Are you serious?”

  He grinned, catching her at the waist, bringing her hard against him. “Nothing in here was for naught, babe. I promise.”

  “I deserve an award,” she said, her theatrical pout making him laugh.

  “You’ve got skills. Nobody can deny that.” He squeezed her hip and then grabbed her hand. “Let’s hit the road.”

  He tugged her toward the door, glancing down the hallway before leading her toward the central axis of the warehouse. Their footsteps scuffed quietly over the cement flooring. As they rounded the corner leading back to the main entryway, a boom echoed through the warehouse.

  Boris stilled, squeezing her hand in his. He squinted at the ground; the reverberations hissed through his feet.

  Another boom sounded, followed by shouts. Gruff voices, shouting in both Russian and Croatian.

  “Shit.” Boris tugged at her, hobbling more quickly toward the sounds, which seemed like they’d come from the entryway. Rounding the last corner, the sight before them made him draw in a sharp breath.

  The main door was blown open, the steel door blasted clear away, jagged shards of metal strewn along floor.

  Two guards sat propped against scaffolding, clutching their stomachs, frantic conversations mingling into unintelligible swirls of consonants as they were surveyed by unknown sentries.

  Boris scanned the scene, struggling to find the best next step. This could have been an isolated attack—or maybe walking out that front door would lead them right into the line of the follow-up attack.

  BOOM.

  Another explosion rattled the warehouse, and this time it came from the opposite end, way past the abandoned cranes and empty space that consumed the majority of the interior. Pavlichenko appeared from the opposite hallway, eyes wild as he searched out the source of the noise.

  Boris stiffened, eyeing the main entryway. At this point, it was their only way out. And escaping this warehouse was the safest bet.

  “Come on.” He squeezed Claudia’s hand and hobbled toward the main door, the heavy breaths making his ribs ache.

  “Who is setting off these explosions?” She hissed.

  “Hell if I know.” He glanced behind him, saw a swarm of guards convening at the other end of the warehouse, assessing a newly formed hole in the far wall. Sunlight streamed through the jagged gap.

  “Pavlichenko obviously has some enemies,” Claudia muttered.

  Boris laughed, then winced. “That’s an understatement.”

  They broke through the threshold, which looked more like a gaping maw than the reinforced fortress during their arrival. He stepped over
a sizzling pile of metal scraps, squinting into the bright, abandoned parking lot.

  “Now what?” Claudia raised a hand to shield her eyes.

  Boris heaved with a sigh. “We walk.”

  He headed for the road they’d entered on, a dirt path that eventually linked up with a common thoroughfare. Barely ten step away from the warehouse, a gruff voice pierced the air.

  “Boris.”

  He froze, hesitant to turn around. It wasn’t Pavlichenko’s voice. And nobody else in that warehouse knew his name.

  He spun on his heels, steeling himself for the worst.