"You guys ready to break a sweat?" Adrian said in his put-on high-pitched gym instructor voice.
"Hell yeah!" all the men declared, pumping eager fists in the air.
And so, it began. We descended on the gym with the fury of maniacs, but only I stayed in the mindset. I went for the heaviest weights first, two weight classes over my usual one. And even as pain and rebellion ripped through my body, I lifted.
From press station to curl station, barbell to barbell, move to move, I went like a machine.
At one point, Adrian passed by and watched me with raised brows. "You trying to kill yourself?"
I barely heard him. I lifted and moved, and I only stopped when I realized I was the only one left in the gym. Everyone else had finished.
"Was wondering when you'd show up," Adrian said as I walked into the locker room, taking a swig of his water bottle while his brow danced my way. "You trying to be the next Arnold?"
I shrugged. I was in no mood to think about it.
"You Adrian?" A pale well-muscled guy, who did actually look like he could give Arnold Schwarzenegger a run for his money asked.
"Yeah," Adrian answered.
"You know Aleksi?" he asked.
Adrian nodded, his shoulders tensing and his hands balling into fists at his side.
"What about him?"
"We heard he’s looking for you," said another beefy guy, coming up to stand beside the first. "Be careful, bro."
"Where did you hear that?" Adrian asked as they were walking away.
"From friends," the first guy shrugged nonchalantly.
After they left, Adrian and I stood there for a long moment.
“Who the hell were those guys?” I asked.
Adrian shrugged, staring off in the distance, his face frozen.
"So, he’s really in town," he said slowly, shaking his head. "This is bad. Really, really bad."
He got out his phone, muttering to himself, "I tried talking to Sasha more a few days ago, but couldn't get much out of her. Finally, she got fed up and told me some name. Aranovsky or something."
Adrian opened YouTube on his phone and typed in ‘Aranovsky, Russian mob.’ As soon as we saw the video picture, my fists tightened instinctively.
Adrian clicked on it and we watched in silence.
The words they spoke were in Russian, but I didn't have to speak the language to know what was going on. Five guys, with bicycle chains, against one. If this was who Sasha’s ex was running with, she and Adrian were both in a world of shit.
"Do you want help looking after Sasha?" I asked quietly.
"Maybe. I’ll let you know," Adrian said. "Maybe I can goad my building manager into installing an extra security guy for the next few weeks if I pay for it."
"Okay," I said.
"I have to go," Adrian said, rushing away.
I went to my car. My building had way better security than Adrian’s by far, but that didn't mean it would be the right place for Sasha. I meant to do what I’d promised myself – stay away from her for her own good.
But what if she was in danger?
Fuck that. I couldn't see her hurt. That. Could. Not. Happen. Not on my watch.
I drove in a thoughtless fury, and it was only when I pulled up to Adrian's apartment building that I realized I hadn’t been heading home.
Seeing Adrian get out and walk toward the door, I relaxed in my seat.
Adrian said he had it handled. There was no point in me hanging around where I wasn’t needed.
30
Sasha
"Thank God you're alright," Adrian said as soon as he got in the doorway.
I walked out of the shower with the towel wrapped around me. "What's up?"
"You don't answer your phone, is what's up," Adrian said, half hysterical. "I've been calling and calling and texting and recalling for twenty fucking minutes!"
His eyes were bulging saucers, his face red, his eyebrows flung up.
"What happened?" I said, a feeling of dread in the pit of my belly.
"At the gym," Adrian said in a voice tight with anger. "Some guys came up to Pierce and me, said that Aleksi is looking for me. They warned me to be careful."
"A warning?" I said, my heartbeat ramping up to a thousand. "What does that mean? Is he here?"
Adrian's head bowed. "Must be."
"Shit." I steadied myself on the wall behind me. Suddenly, the room was spinning. This couldn’t be happening.
"That's not all," I said quietly. "I got a text too."
"You what?" Adrian exclaimed. “When?”
"I was going to tell you today," I said. "I just didn't want you worrying unnecessarily."
"Worrying unnecessarily? In what world, where the Russian mob is after my little sister, would that be worrying unnecessarily?"
"I don't know," I said miserably as Adrian looked at the text.
"This is bad," he said, "Really bad. I don't know if it's safe here for you."
My head snapped up. "No. No. I do not want to go in hiding. Adrian, I've been making contacts. I've got some businesses that are gonna carry my clothes. I like it here."
Adrian didn't say anything; his gaze was set over my right shoulder, lost in thought.
"What if you didn't have to leave the city?" he said carefully. "Pierce's building has ten times better security than mine does, and he already offered for you to stay there."
"No," I said, as all of me rebelled. Not that. Anything but that.
Adrian began pacing fervently. "Then what are we supposed to do? Just wait here like sitting ducks?"
I went over to the kitchen to Adrian's knives, grabbing one of the biggest. I held it up in the air with a shrug. "I can sleep with this under my pillow?"
“What the fuck do you think that’s going to do Sasha? Aleksi has at least sixty pounds on you and, I’m guessing, a gun.”
“Well it’s better than nothing,” I shot back. “I mean it, Adrian, I don’t want to live in fear of that asshole anymore.”
Adrian thought for a few moments before nodding his head. “At least let me show you how to defend yourself.”
I threw on some gym clothes and spent the next half hour practicing basic punches, kicks, and ways to get out of different holds.
I was grateful when a knock at the door interrupted us. Although I was less grateful when I saw who it was.
"Pierce!" Adrian said, still obviously on edge.
"Hey," Pierce said. "Just wanted to make sure you guys were okay."
"Yeah, we're fine," Adrian said. "Just been practicing some defensive moves. Although Sasha won't see sense and agree to stay with you temporarily until we get this situation handled."
"My own wife won’t live with me?" Pierce tried to joke to lighten the mood.
I said nothing. I suddenly became hyper-aware of my body, how slouchy and baggy my T-shirt was. And that was probably a good thing given that my nipples were probably excited points right then.
"I’m serious though; I am happy to have Sasha stay with me. My building has a doorman and in-house security, not to mention cameras in every stairwell and on every floor. She’d be well-protected.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to be put up in a tower like some helpless Disney princess,” I said crossly.
Adrian shook his head in frustration before looking up at Pierce. “How about crashing here for the night and helping me figure out what the hell to do next? I could really use another brain on this.”
My heart dropped. Oh no. Please no.
But already, Pierce was smiling seriously, nodding. "Of course. As long as you need."
Adrian snorted. "You won't say that when you’ve had my breakfast."
"I have had your breakfast," Pierce reminded him. “Burnt toast specialty.”
"You really don't have to," I told Pierce. "I think Adrian is just overreacting. We’ll be fine."
"Yeah no," Adrian said to Pierce. "He’s staying."
Pierce nodded, avoiding my gaze.
&nb
sp; The next few hours were an exercise in awkward torture. As little as I knew how to be around Pierce, he seemed to have no idea how to be around me. Either that, or he was just being a dick; blatantly ignoring me whenever possible.
As soon as I could, I’d get my own place with good security and I wouldn’t have to endure seeing him anymore. And hopefully, by then, Aleksi would have given up and gone back to Moscow, though I knew that was highly unlikely.
That night, I did keep the knife under my pillow, as ridiculous as it felt. Like I was in some kind of action film. Then again, it couldn't hurt to be too safe.
I fell asleep without issue but woke up terrified.
I heard a creak from outside my bedroom. Was it the opening of another door or did I imagine it?
I sat up straight in bed.
I heard it again and knew that I did not imagine it. My hand inched under the pillow and came in contact with the cool handle of the knife.
Could it be Aleksi or one of his boys? Or was it just Adrian being an overzealous idiot?
A shiver went through me as the creaking came closer.
It wasn’t Adrian up this time, blundering around in the middle of the night, loud and careless even when he tried being quiet. I’d already woken up several times thanks to him.
No, whoever was moving out there now, wasn’t my brother.
The fact that my door didn't have a lock meant that, if they were sneaking around looking for me, my best chance would be to get to them before they found me, to cry out for Adrian and Pierce.
I walked over to the door, quietly opened it, then saw the back of the intruder. He was tall and muscular.
"Pierce?" I hissed.
He froze, turning to me, his face fell.
"Sorry," he said. "I was trying to be quiet."
I frowned. "I still heard you."
Pierce advanced, then stopped, his gaze going to the raised knife in my hand. "Is that a butcher knife?"
I nodded, lowering it. “Guess I won’t be needing it.”
"Not tonight you won't," Pierce said, and dammit if an amused smile wasn't curling up his face.
I wanted to slap it off of him. I wanted to shake him, yell at him, turn my back on him and never see his stupid face again.
"Sasha," Pierce said in a low voice.
Instead, I kissed him.
31
Pierce
Fucking whoa.
As soon as her lips connected with mine, whatever I’d intended to say fell out of my head.
The way she kissed, like a wild animal, was how I was feeling now. My hands roamed all over her, touching all her soft softness and curves.
Her tongue was plundering my mouth, daring me to take it further, daring me to do what we both know we wanted to.
I picked her up and carried her into her room. One more time couldn't hurt, right? Maybe this would be the time to do it, the time that would finally sate my desire for her.
I flung her on the bed and clambered up over the top of her. I stripped off her flimsy nightshirt and let my mouth suction over the breasts I've been trying not to admire when I'd arrived earlier that evening.
I feasted on her pert nipples, cupped her breasts and squeezed as she groaned.
"Yeah?" I growled. "You like that?"
Her hand snuck to my package and squeezed. Pleasure rocketed through me.
"You?" she shot back.
My hand went to the waistband of her shorts and slipped below, feeling her heat against my hand.
Her body shuddered, but her narrow eyes didn't flinch. She undid my pants and took my dick out. Oh God yes.
Without warning, she flipped me onto my back and plunged her mouth down over my cock.
I sat up and pulled her off of me so I could spin her around. She straddled my face and went back to work on my swollen shaft.
My mouth dove between her legs, and she moaned, sending vibrations through my cock.
I began by feasting on the tender flesh of her upper thighs as she squirmed.
"God Sasha, you taste so good," I growled.
She released me with a pop for a brief moment as she enjoyed what I was doing to her. Then she slipped me back down her throat, so far that the head of my cock hit the base of her throat. A grunt fell out of me.
Yeah, better get to work.
I kissed all up and down her opening, licking my lips at the taste. Dammit, if she wasn’t the best tasting woman I'd ever had.
I lapped my way up to her clit and paused there.
She was trembling against me, although still somehow able to keep up her pace on my cock. Already, I was crazy hard, ready to blow. But I wasn't going to come yet. Not until she had. Several times.
The thing was, I hadn’t expected Sasha to do what she did next. She'd not only repeated the deep throat move, but she held me there.
Oh fuck.
My mouth went for her clit, as I clenched everything within me, but it was too late.
She was just so fucking good with her mouth.
As I spilled down her throat, frustration ran through me.
What the fuck was that?
Yet Sasha was clambering over me, her eyes half-lidded, happy.
I turned away from her. I'd come too fast. I wasn’t even supposed to be with her at all.
Dammit, we’re in Adrian's apartment, in Sasha’s goddamn bed! What the fuck was wrong with me?
I tried to get up, but Sasha grabbed my arm.
"That's it?" she demanded.
I didn't look at her. "That's it. You should get to bed; get some sleep."
I walked forward a few paces when her answer came. "No."
"What do you mean no?" I asked.
"I mean, you're full of shit. This whole act," Sasha declared.
I stayed stock-still, careful not to look her in the eye.
"You know-" I began.
"I know as well as you do that this is messed up in a lot of ways," she said. "But don't lie to me about this. I know how attracted you are to me, and what it's like when we're together."
My hands clenched and unclenched. I went over and pulled on my pants.
"Say it to my face then," she said.
I paused. Sasha strode right up to me and stared deep into my eyes.
"Say it to my face," she said in a cold, accusing voice. "Say that you don't care about me at all. Say that I’m just a fuck toy to you; a good lay. Say that this was all just a meaningless fling, just bullshit."
Oh fuck. Those eyes, like knives at my throat. My fists clenched and unclenched, and I opened my mouth to force out the words that would get her to let me go.
Instead, I grabbed her by the back of the head and pulled her face to mine.
As our bodies entwined, and my pants slid off, and we fell back on the bed.
Sasha was insatiable. Clambering over me, she kissed all over my body, then lowered herself onto my erection that was already painfully prepared for round two.
If there was a better feeling in the world than her sweet, tight pussy clasping onto my cock, then I sure didn't know what it was.
"Perfect fit," I said through gritted teeth.
"Oh yeah," Sasha said, rolling her hips into me.
A groan escaped my throat.
"What were you doing in the kitchen so late at night anyway?" she asked casually, continuing to ride me skillfully.
"Getting something to eat," I grunted.
"That sounds good. I’m pretty hungry too," she said, still infuriatingly casual. She was enjoying making me wild.
Just like that, she slipped off of me, pulled on a robe, and hurried out of the room. My whole body clenched angrily. Luckily, seconds later, she was back with a bowl of strawberries.
"No more games," I growled, flipping her onto her back. Now I was the one on top, calling the shots. I spread her legs wide and knelt between them, dragging the head of my cock through her swollen lips. Instinctively, she lifted her hips, and I slid home effortlessly.
In less than a minute, Sas
ha was moaning under me. Hard, fast, and deep I plundered her until her whole body started to shake. Her eyes snapped open, and she murmured, "Please."
I paused, my hand between her breasts, looking down on her, holding her there.
"Please what?" I said.
As I dipped the tip of my dick over and around her slit, her lips pouted further. "Please fuck me, Pierce."
That was the green light I needed.
I fucked her for all I had. I plunged into her mercilessly until I was sure the slapping of my balls against her ass would wake Adrian in the other room.
But I wasn't finished yet. When her body started to tighten, still I didn't stop. I hammered into her over and over until I couldn’t take it anymore. As orgasm after orgasm rolled through her, I finally let go.
I opened my eyes and saw the look of such adoration on her face that I spilled myself into her.
Afterward, I lay there with my arms around her, floating in bliss. Something snuck between my lips — a strawberry.
"You said you were hungry," Sasha whispered devilishly.
"I was hungry for you," I said simply.
I looked away without taking the fruit. Really, had this changed anything?
Part of me had hoped that this would be the last time, that I would finally have had enough of Sasha. But I could see that that wasn't the case at all.
Right now, I was holding her in my arms, but I wanted to do more than that. I wanted to make love to her again. Slower, more gradual this time. I wanted to kiss every part of her. I wanted to talk to her until the sun came up and went down again.
I shook myself. I sounded like a fucking romance novel. I was not that guy. I did not fall in love, and certainly not so damn quickly. But with Sasha…
Sasha’s phone went off. She checked it, then exhaled a sigh of relief. "It's Adrian. He went down to the police station to let them know Aleksi was in town. He didn’t see you on the couch and figured you’d already gone into work. "
"Talk about lucky," I said.
I took a strawberry and popped it in my mouth although something else had occurred to me too. Something I hadn’t been thinking of in the heat of things.
I always used protection. But with Sasha, how many times had I'd forgotten to?
Men in Charge: A Contemporary Romance Box Set Page 80
