by Mason, V. F.
Instead of reacting to my jab, he pushed me gently forward and shut the door loudly. I slipped off my shoes and went to the couch, dropping onto it rather ungracefully, but I couldn’t give two shits about it as I rested my head on the soft cushion.
Heaven.
The sun shone brightly on my face through the window, and I smiled slightly, exhaling in relief. The throbbing in my side eased and I didn’t have to put on a tough front anymore.
My eyelids fluttered shut and I groaned, kicking my feet up onto the table. I felt the couch dip next to me as Yuri’s scent washed over me, filling my nostrils with his male smell that could seriously give a girl inappropriate ideas. “I feel so good right now I don’t even care about you,” I whispered, seeking solace from my hectic life for a moment in time.
“You will stay away from the Kuzmin brotherhood.” His deep, throaty voice broke the silence in the room, bringing reality back in.
Glaring at him, I snapped, “If you expect me to sit and wait till they—”
“They will try to harm you. If you catch them, then fine. But don’t initially go looking for them,” he warned, and then looked to the side as a myriad of emotions I couldn’t name flashed across his face before he focused his attention back on me. “Please.”
Blinking a few times, I huffed in exasperation, although my cheeks heated up. I couldn’t remember the last time someone cared about my safety, unless it was job related. But I couldn’t really compare general worry over the one shouted to be careful in the field.
But I quickly squashed it inside my heart, because it had no business growing there. The man was emotionally unavailable, and blowing his worry out of proportion in my head would bring me nothing but pain.
The time had come to act like a grownup and not a hormonal female who reacted to a male like that for the first time. “Yuri, look, I understand you feel guilty or whatever. But catching the likes of… well, you and worse, is my job. This”—I pointed at my bruises as his eyes immediately followed and his gaze hardened— “is a normal occurrence on the job. Truly. Stop feeling guilty and go on with your life or whatever business you have to do,” I muttered, but quickly added, “Just don’t tell me, because, after all, I operate on the side of the law. Thanks for all the help, but really… no need for that.” Finishing this speech, pride filled my chest, because I sounded so well put together, when I felt anything but.
Instead of relief though, fury crossed his face, and before I could even blink, he flipped me over to straddle him and he fisted his hand in my hair, bringing us closer to each other. Reflexively, my hands rested on his chest and I could feel his rapidly beating heart that probably matched mine. “Not worry? How can I not fucking worry, Melissa?” His tone was gutted, so much pain coated it, and I sighed heavily, understanding all his reasons better after the encounter with Lev.
Even this position shouldn’t be the one I was in, but he left me no choice. Palming his face, I spoke softly. “I’m sorry you lost the woman you loved, Yuri.” Anguish filled his eyes before he covered it. He wanted to turn away, but I didn’t let him. “It’s hard to lose someone you love.” Searching for the right words, I tried not to focus on how much the fact of him not being available really hurt me. Which was ridiculous really for the number of days we’d known each other, but the emotion was there and I couldn’t hide from it. “But don’t mix your grief for her with your sense of responsibility. I’ll be all right, and even if I’m not… it’s not going to be your fault. Those kind of men don’t really need a valid reason for wanting to kill someone.”
“You will not be harmed because of me,” he finally replied, almost as if trying to cement the words in stone.
“Even if it happens, it’s because it’s my job. Please, Yuri. Don’t prolong whatever it is.” I hoped he could read between the lines, the pleading that burned inside me from the prospect of seeing him every day. I would fall fast and hard, while he would live in the past.
I knew that much, and it was enough to want him gone from my life forever. The pain I’d feel would be much less than after more time together. If I could experience the emotions so strongly in such a short amount of time, I was afraid to think about more.
“Savannah.”
At the name, my brows furrowed. “What?”
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Her name was Savannah. The girl I loved.” I stilled, afraid to even breathe, as it could break his confession. “She was everything to me, and I have nothing to offer after her.”
I tapped over his heart lightly. “Because she is forever here.”
“Yes.” He brought me even closer to him, squeezing my waist with his fists as his nose inhaled my smell. “I have nothing to give to a woman.”
“I know.” If his heart belonged to another, he was right. No one could ever compete with a ghost; she’d fall short in every regard.
“But the idea of you dead just like her… I can’t accept it, Melissa. I’m asking you to let me handle it right along with you. Please.” I closed my eyes, as the intensity of his stare became too much. How could I refuse when he asked this way?
When it was almost like his sanity depended on my decision. Maybe my situation brought back some nightmares he locked away. “It’s dangerous,” I whispered, pressing my forehead against his while wanting, just for a second, to bask in his closeness before I had to push him away. “This need might be my undoing.”
“I want you like I never wanted anyone.” Except her, right? But I didn’t voice it as he continued to talk. “We can be together until they settle down.”
“And then I will be left brokenhearted?”
“Don’t invest your heart in it.”
How could I not if it was already in it?
“Melissa.” I met his stare as he begged me silently to agree to his terms, and my raspy breath filled the space between us.
On one hand, my sanity and my heart inevitably would get broken once he satisfied his desire for me. On the other hand, his pain and his already shattered heart for some unexplainable reason needed to see me safe before moving on.
Any choice I’d make would bring anguish to one of us.
It was just in my hands to choose who.
Yuri
She stayed silent for so long I didn’t know what to think or say to convince her.
Everything in me longed to hold her in my arms and soothe the pain brewing behind her eyes that held so much pain for what I had offered, but I couldn’t do that.
I loathed myself for not being able to let go of her, but I had to be by her side for safety reasons, and there was no way in fuck I’d be able to resist the chemistry that seemed to permanently reside between us.
The fire burned bright and demanded our attention until we could both extinguish it.
And then I’d walk away even if I had to shoot myself to do that. She deserved better than me, and I would not succumb to the insanity my friends had experienced.
I didn’t want to destroy her life.
Suddenly she climbed down and stood in front of me, and my heart that I considered fucking dead pounded in my chest, because I understood she was pushing me away with my fucked-up proposition.
But then she licked her lips and started to unbutton her shirt, and I had to blink, too stunned to say anything. “Okay,” she finally said, throwing the shirt on the floor as her fingers followed to her pants and the zipping sound echoed between us. I rose swiftly. “I agree. This need will never go away, so we might as well enjoy it while we can, right?” she said cheerily, too cheerily, and I covered her hand with mine, stilling her movements. She wouldn’t look at me, so I raised her chin, only to see her eyes full of regret but at the same time desire.
But most prominent was the look of loss. “Melissa, I—”
She shook her head and palmed my face, her soft, sweet breath fanning my cheeks. “We both know it has no future. Even if you wanted to… I’m an FBI agent and you are a mafia man.” She glanced down and took a deep breath,
facing me again. “But I’m not ready to say goodbye. Let’s just… pretend it’s real for the time being, okay?” she asked, stepping closer to me.
Automatically, my arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against my chest as she closed her eyes and threw her head back. I leaned down to give her a soft kiss, swiping my tongue along her full lips before she opened them up and I pushed inside, devouring her mouth.
She tasted like no one else, with her sweet scent filling me with so much need I could barely breathe through it. She became so soft, so lovable in my arms, and all I had to do was bring her closer to get more of her sweetness. Our mouths locked so tight, devouring each other in passionate and needy licks that awakened—or rather intensified—the fire that hadn’t gone away.
I was about to hike her up in my arms and fuck her into submission against the nearest door, when she placed her hands on my chest and pushed me away, and since it was so unexpected, I stumbled back. “Melissa,” I growled, throwing my jacket on the couch and rolling up the sleeves of my shirt. “Get back here.”
She winked and then, instead of complaining, hooked her fingers in the loops of her pants and slid them down, down, down until they reached the floor and she stepped out of her shoes, then away from the pants, leaving me speechless as she stood there in fucking lacy black lingerie.
Under those horrendous suits of hers, it seemed she had a love for expensive and seductive lingerie. “Upryamaya, you are testing my patience.”
“I’m not stubborn,” she huffed, and my brows rose at her understanding of the word, but then I chuckled.
“Oh, yes. Ty upryamaya.” My gaze swept her firm body, with a shapely ass that my hands itched to slap and teeth wanted to bite. “I krasivaya. Ochen krasivaya,” I murmured the praise for her beauty, but she just rolled her tongue at me and then spun around, sauntering to her room.
Following her, I disposed of my own clothes, and finally freed my raging hard-on from the fucking pants, but I halted in my tracks as she faced me once again and then sat on the bed, patting it silently. “Lie down, Yuri. I think it’s my turn to play.” Since I didn’t move, she spoke again, but this time she slid her hands from her breasts down her stomach and dipped one inside her panties, moaning lightly. “I’m aching, Yuri. Don’t you think this time I deserve to play?” she murmured, and I didn’t know what to say.
Because no one ever played with me—the touches and seduction of other women never interested me much.
In fact, I found nothing more uncomfortable than when women kissed or went down on my cock. I hated it, because then my senses alerted me to who it was.
Or rather who it was not.
And I wanted none of them.
But this time, everything was different, because the minute she suggested it… the images of her laving my dick wouldn’t leave my mind, even if I tried.
So I listened to her and obeyed her command. I exhaled lightly as my back hit the bed, because last night was spent in the office studying contracts.
She didn’t give me rest for long though. She climbed on me, throwing her silky brown hair on either side of me, creating a cocoon around us as she looked down at me. I fisted her hair, bringing her closer, and our mouths met in a heated kiss. Then she moaned into me, sliding her pussy over my stomach, her wetness indicating she wanted me badly.
I barely restrained myself from digging my fingers into her ass and lifting her up to feast on her pussy. Instead, I let go and licked down her chest, but she shook her head and slid down, placing butterfly kisses over my chest, biting my six-pack while she ran the back of her palms softly up and down my hips, arousing me more with every move. She dipped her tongue into my belly button and I jerked, not familiar with that sensation, but her arm on my abs kept me still.
I couldn’t lose control and hurt her. So I used my willpower to lie still.
“It’s like you expect something bad to happen,” she whispered, drumming her fingers on my navel. “Relax and enjoy, Yuri.” And that was when I felt her breath on my fucking dick, as her soft fist wrapped around the base, squeezing it lightly and nipping on the tip, swiping the leaking precum. I had a second to enjoy it before she swallowed me, clamping her hot mouth around it. I fisted her hair, keeping her there, but she just slid up a little, sucking it, and then moved down while her hands covered the length she couldn’t reach.
If it weren’t for that, I’d think the woman didn’t have a gag reflex.
Her fingers travelled lower and played with my balls, rolling them in her hand as she let my cock pop from her mouth, but then she licked it from root to tip, arousing me more, if that were even possible. I could barely see from the pressure building inside me; every nerve in my body was attuned to each move and breath she took.
“Melissa—”
With all her manipulations, this wouldn’t be a long ride, but she just shushed me. “Enjoy, Yuri. It’s not going to be an everyday occurrence.” I smirked at the stern tone, thinking that I shouldn’t find this sexy, but I so fucking did.
She took my cock in her mouth again, moaning around it, and the vibration sent even more sensations down my dick. I cursed. “Fuck.” She continued to give me all the fucking pleasure in the world, but I knew this wasn’t enough.
I had to have her with me in this moment.
I tugged on her hair firmly so she let go once again. As she focused her desire-hooded eyes on me, I noticed little sweat droplets on her breasts. Oh, my upryamaya got aroused sucking me off, but nothing would sustain her need but me.
“Enough,” I ordered this time and pulled her to me, and she had no choice except to comply.
She ended up straddling me, and I immediately pressed on her lower back, making her arch to me so I could catch her pink nipple with my mouth and lavish it with attention, licking around the sensitive skin right before sucking on it mercilessly as she tangled her fingers in my hair. My thumb drew circles around her other breast, and as her scratching in my hair intensified, I travelled to the other one, repeating my actions and driving her insane. She glided over me, her heated flesh so fucking close to my dick as she unconsciously sought it out with her hips moving back and forth.
My hands slid to her wet pussy, cupping it with my palm, and she moaned, trying to scoot closer, but my tight hold on her hair kept her in place. “No, you stay right there.” I pushed my finger inside her, and it ripped a groan from me at how fucking hot and wet she was, and how her pussy instantly gripped my finger in a tight hold. “You left it needy for so long it is ready to burst from one light touch. We can’t have that, can we?”
She just murmured, “Don’t tease.”
“Ah, your dirty talk needs improvement.” I bit on her nipple and she jerked in my arms, but then I flipped her on her back, shouldering her thighs apart while I opened her up with my fingers. I licked her lower lips from top to bottom, enjoying her taste and empowering my senses, and then I thrust two fingers into her, stretching her for my length.
I could’ve stayed there for hours and wouldn't have needed anything. After I swept my tongue inside, I pushed it in and out and gripped her thighs so she wouldn't be able to move this heaven from me.
Nipping her skin, I trailed my lips up and pressed a kiss on her clit before flicking it with my tongue and licking around the flesh, swirling it in my mouth. Her ass rose, practically attaching her pussy to me. I continued to bring her closer and closer, tasting every part of her while she thrashed in bed demanding more, yet begging me to end the torture and finally give us what we both so desperately desired.
Giving her one, long lick right in the middle, I rubbed my chin all over her wetness and flipped her over again, then kissed up her back. I brought her tight ass close to my dick as I fisted her hair, and then I pushed myself inside her from behind.
Her damn scream could have woken the dead, and I stilled, fucking basking in the sensation of her tight pussy gripping me so much it left no doubt where and with whom I was in this moment.
But then I pulle
d back, only to slide home again while she covered her mouth with my hand, not wanting my men who undoubtedly followed to hear the sounds she made. She bit on my palm and the pain only intensified the sensations rushing through my entire system. My dick surged deeper and deeper into her, so much that I couldn't think about anything but her and the soft groans and moans and puffs of air she produced. “When you’re like this, I could fuck you for hours,” I growled in her ear, while sliding inside her again. She raised her hand, placing it on my neck as she turned her head to the side and we met in a hot kiss. Our combined tastes mingled, creating the flavor of us, and it made me fucking hotter than the summer heat, shooting electricity down to my dick.
“Harder,” she demanded, and I sped up, making sure to bring her closer and closer with each thrust that shook her on the bed.
My ass cheeks clenched as my balls pressed more against my dick, and by the tingling in my spine, I knew I was getting close, so I squeezed her waist roughly, slid my hand to her pussy, and pressed my thumb hard against her clit. She shuddered and her tight heat gripped me so hard I had no will to resist, and with my own fucking groan, I spilled inside her, still holding on tight to her.
As we stayed in this position and caught our breaths, while she still burned in my arms, I understood two things.
It was one of the hottest connections I’d experienced in my life, but at the same time, I couldn't have been further away from her.
Because on some level right after we were done, she blocked me away, and I couldn't have that.
I needed her even if it was temporary, and while she was in it with me, she had to give me all.
I would give her all, as much all as would keep her alive, instead of bringing her only sorrow.
She could have been mine.
But I couldn't be that selfish.
Chapter Eight
Moscow, Russia
Yuri, 22 years old
Rubbing my finger over the velvet box in my pants, I wondered when was the time to properly ask the girl to get married.
