“You always know what I’m doing. I haven’t gotten away with anything so far.” She slumped down on the floor in defeat and placed her head in her hands. This thing they had between them left no room for inaccuracy. She didn’t want to go to prison, and she damn sure didn’t want to get them both killed. She looked up to where he was standing over her. Hands in his pockets, watch showing, shoes shined to a high gloss. Why did he have to look so good and be so damn captivating?
“So… I can keep the money?” she teased.
“So… I can put a tracker in you? Oh… and brand you?”
“One good turn deserves another.” She smiled when he reached a hand down in her direction to help her get up.
“You’ve got nice hands.”
“And shoes. Let’s not forget the shoes, Lydia.”
“Couldn’t if I wanted to…”
Chapter Eighteen
He could feel it. It started before they ever left his house—the jealousy. That same rage he felt when the fuck-wad he killed came into the room pawing all over her. Mine! If he had a chink in his armor, it was her. The need to possess. The need to own her. The need to protect her from another man’s eyes, hands, or even attentions. She was his and he didn’t want to share her attentions with anyone else. It was evident how captivating she was. Anytime she walked in a room everybody in it turned to stare. It wasn’t just the way she looked either, it was the energy she exuded. What made her even more breathtakingly beautiful was she didn’t even realize how gorgeous she was. She was clueless when it came to the spell she put people under. Unless it was a job, then she used every trick in the book to get it done—no female wile was left unutilized when it came to a job. He’d seen a lot of women in the business and she was the best, bar none. She wasn’t even officially trained yet, just raw talent—the best kind.
He grabbed her upper arm harder than he intended. He pushed the divider up so Heinz couldn’t hear him from where they were seated in the back of the SUV. “What the fuck are you doing to me?”
She looked puzzled by the contorted expression on his face. Was it accusation? The tone of his voice held an undercurrent of anger. It triggered the knowing she always got when the gift of realization hit her cerebral cortex and turned to understanding—understanding that she always used on jobs.
“I get it. You’re jealous. You don’t want any other man looking at me. I can’t promise you they won’t, Dominic. What I can promise you is I’m not interested. I haven’t ever been truly interested in a man—until now. I haven’t dated for years because I’m not normal.”
“What do you mean?” He softened.
“I mean, I’ve always been different. I just didn’t know what was wrong with me until I met you. I’ve always rooted for the villain. Even as a kid watching television, I would wish for the bad guy to get the girl. Before I ever knew what Stockholm syndrome was, I wanted the girl to get it so the anti-hero would get her.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you. I’m a predator and you’re my prey. Look at it like this: you want to be wanted. You want to be desired so much that a man obsesses over you. You want him to stalk you, to take pictures of you and hang them on a wall so he can view you twenty-four hours a day—at will. You want a man who will do anything to not only get, but keep you.”
“Did you do that? Take pictures and put them up so you can look at them?”
“Of course I did. I’ll show you one day. If you’re a good girl,” he teased. “Now listen very carefully, please. You—belong to me. No dancing with anyone else. No flirting with anyone else. No giving your number to anyone else. No talking to anyone else without me. Well, you can forget that because I’ll be glued to you. Oh… and if you steal anything, I’ll cut one of your fingers off myself. These guys are animals.”
“I get it—I’m wanted.” A small curve of her lips softened him more.
“You are wanted, you are coveted, and you are mine.”
“I am wanted.” A comforting warmth went through her. For the first time in her life she was wanted for all the right reasons—or at least for all her right reasons.
Chapter Nineteen
It was the first time she could ever remember being in awe of a house—more like a mansion really. The man who answered the door was suited in a butler’s uniform and completed his welcome with a slight bow. He checked their names off of the guest list and ushered them in, leaving them at the entrance of the grand ballroom Alexander Glazov used for big events.
She pressed in close to Dominic, in an effort to not feel overwhelmed with her surroundings. His arm snaked around her, pulling her body in close to him and he leaned down whispering in her ear, “You’ll be fine. I’ll get a couple of drinks in you and it will take the edge off.”
“Only if you’re going to take advantage of me later.”
“I’m going to fuck you like I hate you. Will that do?”
“Only if you kiss me first. I like to be kissed before I get fucked.”
“Then you should have kissed me before you ripped me off for fifty thousand dollars. You fucked me over. Without so much as one kiss, I might add.”
“I’ll make certain to next time.”
She grabbed a flute of champagne from a waiter who passed by and tossed it back emptying the glass.
“Damn girl.”
“I’m certain they have more.”
“Well, let’s get started on the good stuff—vodka shots.”
She rubbed her hands together. “Oh goody. We’re going to get drunk and then fuck like rabbits later.”
“Yes. I might even spank that ass of yours for stealing from me.”
“I’ve never been spanked before.” She contemplated the thought of what it would be like for the first time.
“First time for everything.”
He ushered her to a corner and ordered vodka shots for them. He waited until the waiter was gone to speak. “I would have ordered your normal Ciroc Peach or a Bellini, but your brand is made from grapes, and the Russians prefer a potato, wheat or rye based vodka.”
“Uh, like those two headed in our direction?” Shit! Shit, shit, shit.
“That would be Glazov and his cousin Novak.”
She recognized him from the pictures she’d seen in the local paper. “He goes by his last name?”
“He goes by whatever he wants to.”
She craned her neck, looking up at the massive blonde haired man standing before her. His features were etched in stone, and the blonde shoulder length ponytail looked good on him with his suited attire.
“I’m so pleased you came, Dominic.” Lydia could feel her heart thundering in her chest when he directed his attention towards her. “And you must be Lydia. The woman who is working with Dominic. Am I to assume you’re discreet in matters of employment?”
The man with him, who looked just as intimidating in his own way, with all the tattoos and piercings he had, spoke up before she had time to answer.
“You better be able to keep your fucking mouth shut or you could end up getting your tongue cut out.”
“Back the fuck off, Novak!” Dominic growled. Lydia placed a hand on his forearm in an attempt to calm him. The look he had on his face was terrifying. The fear it was causing in her lodged somewhere in her chest like a tight fist clenching around her heart. He’d always scared her with his ominous expressions, but this time it was a look of death. Like the raw rage of a beast ready to pounce on its prey. It was evident that even though Dominic respected the Russian mobsters, he wasn’t going to kowtow to them or anyone else. She felt a swell of pride surge through her at the thought of him protecting her from cold blooded killers. Balls of steel. Go Dominic.
“Ooh, it must be love” Novak taunted. This guy is a fucking trouble maker. An instigator by nature.
“Gentlemen.” That one word was enough to shut both men up, but it did nothing to alleviate Dominic’s cold piercing gaze. “I’m certain Dominic has ensured that our guest is trustworthy in matters of business
. It’s been very nice meeting you, Lydia. Dominic”—he directed his attention back towards his guest—“eat, drink, and have a nice evening. As I said: I’m pleased to see you took my invite… shall we say, to heart? I would have been very displeased had you not graced my soiree with your presence. Manners reveal a lot about a man and yours are impeccable.”
With that, he turned with precision to leave but not before Dominic grabbed Novak’s arm. The tatted man looked down at his hand with scorn.
“You ever threaten my woman again, and even Glazov won’t be able to stop me from dragging your ass outside.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Novak answered, brushing his sleeve off and smiling before he joined his cousin.
He leaned in whispering in Glazov’s ear when he joined him at his side. “He’ll do well. He’s not a pussy.”
“Yes,” Glazov answered. “We found out all we needed to know with your little antics. Anger has a way of bringing out a man’s true nature. A man’s true essence is always revealed when it comes to a woman. Those two care about each other. They’ll work well together. You know me—I’m all about women being involved in business. They bring power to the table that we men don’t possess.”
“Gotta give it to him, he’s head over heels in love and still in control. That… I respect,” Novak admitted.
He twirled her around like the princess she was. She had a new respect for him. He’d stood up against a killer for her. No one had ever done anything like that for her. It was the sexiest thing any man had ever done for her. She didn’t need to say a word because her eyes said it all. Tonight, and any other night, she would only have eyes for him.
“I thought you were going to bite him. You looked so feral,” she laughed, as they held each other dancing in their own corner of the full ballroom.
“I’m saving that for you.”
“You can do whatever the fuck you want to me after standing up to that guy.”
“I’ll remember you said that.”
“Please do.”
He grabbed her hand pulling her towards the bathroom.
“Where are we going?” she laughed, making no attempt not to follow behind him.
The click of the deadbolt amplified in the silence of the elegant surroundings. In the Glazov house, a bathroom was never just a bathroom. Everything was over the top when it came to the Glazov family. Alexander Glazov demanded excellence in every area of his life, and that included the décor of his home.
“Anything? You must have balls of steel, girl. My hand reaches all the way around your neck.” He squeezed, his fingers touching together at the tips—giving testimony to the truth of his statement. “Get your ass over to that sink, and no matter what happens, you better not move those hands. They are to remain on that sink.”
He pulled her legs out and flipped the gown she was wearing up onto her back. He hooked his thumbs under the sides of her G-string and slowly slid it down to her ankles. “Step out of them.” He held her waist, ensuring she didn’t stumble. He took them from where she held her heel up giving them to him. He locked eyes with her in the mirror, intentionally placing them up to his nose so she could see what he was doing. He placed them in his pocket, running his thumb and forefinger over them to feel the soft texture of silk.
She saw it when his eyes changed. He felt it when the blood pumped to his cock, straining it in the confines of his tailor made trousers.
He took his time spreading her open and staring at her pussy. “You’re so classy, but with me you’re my dirty girl.” He pulled his cock out, pushing into her wet folds. He stopped balls deep, savoring the tightness of her. With no warning, he clamped a hand over her mouth and smacked her ass so hard he could see the print he left.
“You think you can fucking steal from me and get away with it? That’s a rhetorical question being that you’re not in a situation to talk right now. This… is called a hand gag.” He looked in the mirror and watched as he purposely smeared her lipstick and then rubbed the tint on her hips, where he forcefully grabbed her. He fucked her hard and fast and pulled his cock out spraying his seed on her.
“You don’t get to come. You little thief! This is about one thing and one thing only: me marking my property!”
Chapter Twenty
Damn. That was hot. A small smile curved on her lips. She tipped the wine glass up taking a sip and slowly ran her hand through the soapy suds of the tub. She allowed herself to slink down in the hot water deeper, relishing in the effects it was having on her sore muscles. She always felt sore, used, and so very sated, anytime they made love. The aftereffects of his touch were as delicious as the act itself. Something as simple as shifting in a chair the next day and feeling a sore muscle, or the pain of a bruise he’d marked her with, would bring a smile to her face—then the blush of embarrassment and a glance around wondering if her secret showed to outsiders. She knew they didn’t know what she was thinking, but she always felt so open and vulnerable when her mind went to memories of him against her will. It was something she had never experienced—the intrusive thoughts and visions of a lovemaking session popping into her head when she least expected. He took her to a place that drowned her mind with emotion and her body with sensation. No woman could resist revisiting the memories of what he did to her in and out of bed. He occupied the shadows of her mind. The simple turn of a phrase could bring the hint of a smile to her lips. She was always vaguely aware of him. She’d catch herself covertly looking around, expecting him to come from behind a corner. Then there was that moment she became aware of the sweet humiliation—the awareness that her body betrayed her with his lascivious demands. There were times she could smell the sweet perfume of her need for him, and she’d press her knees together in an effort to ward off the addiction of his touch. She wasn’t quite sure when the truth hit her that whether they were a state away, a continent away, or even a world away from each other—he was still with her, because he was in her head.
He didn’t need chains or a cell to bind her. She was captive, vulnerable, and overwhelmed when it came to Dominic. She’d been helpless before he ever put her in a cell or blackmailed her with another man’s life. The odd thing about it was, along with that captivity came a knowing that she was loved. She was loved as she had never been loved before, or would ever be loved again. Even if they were melted down and soldered together, they couldn’t be any more connected than they were. With the captivity came freedom. With the pain came pleasure. With Dominic came a new awakening.
A man being good looking was one thing. A man who could fuck your mind and emotions as well as your body was a whole different beast. This was a dangerous place to be, which for Lydia, only made that much more inviting.
She jumped when she opened her eyes and he was leaned against the door jamb in those damn drawstring pants that hung low on his hips, giving a view of the V on his lower abdomen. An uninvited fluttering in her lower belly made her bite her lip.
“Woman. You’re insatiable.”
“This coming from a man who just fucked me in the bathroom of a Russian gangster. Okay, whatever you say.”
“The last time you said that you got yourself in trouble.”
“No, the last time I said you could do whatever you wanted to me I got myself in trouble.”
“I don’t need your permission. You gave it all up, girl, when you gave me that safe word. How in the hell you ever plan on remembering that is beyond me. But, it works for me because it means I can push your limits.”
“Don’t plan on using it—push away. I don’t have any limits when it comes to you. I’ve got balls of steel according to my owner. And it’s funny you say that because I thought the same thing about you when you stood up to a Russian gangster for me.”
“Don’t mention it. Ownership doesn’t just have its benefits, it also means a tremendous responsibility for another’s life. I take that shit very seriously. I’m glad you’ve come to the realization of your present predicament—you know, the whole you
belong to me thing. On another note, no masterbating. Your orgasms belong to me now.”
“I should. You left me high and dry.”
“No, that’s the price you pay for stealing from me. I need to be able to trust you. I don’t lie to you. I don’t steal from you.”
“No, you just kidnap and blackmail.”
“We can go back and forth all night, but always remember one thing: I never lose. Now, please get out of the tub. We need to talk.”
Chapter Twenty One
Dominic fingered the black box as he waited for her to make her way from the bathroom. She looked so cute in the oversized fuzzy robe she was wearing when she came out. She hugged it around her tighter as if it would give her the confidence she needed to face him. She never knew what to expect with him. He was one of the few people she found difficult to read. Maybe that was what kept her intrigued with him.
He patted the bed, signifying for her to sit next to him. She looked so innocent—almost angelic. He knew different. It still didn’t change the need in him to protect her.
“I have to protect you.”
“Why?”
“Because I think I’m falling in love with you.”
“You think?”
“I’ve never been in love. So how would I know?”
“I think I’m falling for you too. I’ve never been in love either.”
“Anyway… back to protecting you.”
“Just put the damn thing in already,” she barked out, reaching for the box. She opened it up, peeking inside with trepidation like it was a snake that would strike out at her. “It’s so tiny. It looks like a grain of rice.”
“I can’t lose you. If you got kidnapped, that tiny implant would tell me everything I needed to know to rescue you.”
“Well, do it already. I’m scared it’s going to hurt.”
He swabbed her shoulder area with alcohol and inserted a needle that shot in the tiny device that would possibly save her life one day.
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