“Я так сильно тебя люблю,” I mutter against her mouth, telling her how much I love her.
She continues to touch me but stops suddenly and I groan, loudly, wanting desperately for her hand to be back on me. She starts unbuttoning my shirt and I sit up on my knees looking down at her. I slip my shirt off, letting it fall on the bed, and then push my pants and boxers down, kicking them off. She sits up on her knees as well and begins running her fingertips along my chest, then down my stomach. She glances up at my parted lips and starts kissing down my chest, which feels wonderful. I close my eyes and practically bite my tongue off, trying desperately not to curse. A few moments later I am pulling her nightgown up and over her head, revealing the most stunning woman I have ever seen. I lay her gently on her back and run my hands all over her beautiful body, watching as her body responds to my touch.
“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” I say lovingly, seeing this sexy smile creep across her face.
“Say it in Russian,” she coos and I just smile. Yep, my girl has a thing for Russia, who knew?
“Ты самая красивая женщина, которую я когда-либо видел,” I repeat what I just said.
I grin sexily at her as I begin kissing down her stomach. I glance up and see that her eyes are shut tight as she grips the bed sheets. She lets out a deep and sexy moan that actually makes me hesitate as I can’t believe it actually came out of my sweet Estelle’s mouth. I work my way back up to her lips, kissing her soundly. I pull away from her slightly, looking into her eyes.
“Are you sure about this?”
She brings her mouth to mine and mumbles yes. Well, that’s the only confirmation that I need. She feels like heaven. She starts kissing me and moves her hands leisurely down my back. I start moving, slowly, knowing if I go fast I will be done in like a minute and I can’t have that. She isn’t one of those girls at the bar that I don’t care about. With those girls, it was all about me but Estelle is different. I want everything to be absolutely perfect with her.
“I love you, Es,” I whisper.
“I love you too,” she says, fixing her penetrating gaze on me.
“I don’t deserve you,” I say honestly.
She sighs and touches my cheek. “You do.”
I ‘m at a loss for words as I continue to make love to her as we stare deeply into each other’s eyes until I can no longer hold off my impending release. I begin moving wildly, watching as her face contorts with pleasure and seeing unconditional love reflected in her eyes. Thisis singularly the most powerful moment I have ever had in my life.
Chapter 15
March
Charles’s Birthday
“Charles, why are you acting this way?” She asks flustered.
I tap my fingers nervously on the steering wheel and glance at her. She looks so gorgeous tonight in a blue low-cut dress. I have managed to avoid bringing Estelle to the bar for the nearly five months we’ve been dating but both Dimitri and Estelle have worn me down. It’s my birthday and Dimitri has planned this big party at the bar and has insisted that Estelle and I be there. I tried to get out of it but she has been just as insistent, wanting desperately to meet my best friend.
“You don’t want me to meet your friend?” She asks and I can hear the hurt in her voice.
“It’s not that. It’s just…” I stumble with my words. Estelle is smart, there is no way she is going in that bar and not figuring out who Dimitri is and in doing so, she will realize what I am as well.
“I just want you to myself tonight.” I kiss her cheek softly, trying a different approach.
She narrows her eyes and then looks across the street at the bar, shrugging. “Fine, Charles, let’s go,” she says not looking at me.
Oh, thank God! I start the car again and then hesitate. Wait a minute. That was too easy. I look over at her and her body posture says she is upset. Shit! I knew it was too easy. She doesn’t understand why I don’t want her here and, to be honest, I don’t understand it either. I just know that she is too good to be here. She’s not like these women and my stomach churns just thinking about all the possibilities that could happen. She knows very little about what I do. I have told her a lot about Dimitri, mostly emphasizing our friendship and how we met. I had to eventually explain some things but implied that Dimitri is getting his business going and I am helping him with that. Well, that is sort of the truth. She wants to know more though. I can see it in her eyes but she is being patient. She brings her hand up and swipes under her eyes and my heart drops. I turn the car off and step outside, snatching my gun from underneath the seat and immediately walk around the vehicle to open the door for her. When I do, she is smiling radiantly at me.
“Are you sure?” She asks hopeful.
“Yes, it’s been long enough. I want you to meet Dimitri,” I say determinedly.
The minute we walk in the bar there is cheering and people start calling out to me, wishing me a happy birthday, all in Russian of course. I smile and pull her closer to me, kissing her lightly on top of her head. I glance towards our table and Dimitri stands and walks over to us as people step out of his way. He looks nice tonight, wearing a dark suit and tie. I have never seen him wear a tie before and I chuckle as he approaches us. He sees that and narrows his eyes and I can tell he wants to curse at me but he doesn’t. He looks over at Estelle and takes her hand, pulling her away from me. He raises her arm and walks around her as if they were dancing and then brings her hand to his lips, kissing it gently.
“I can see why Bolʹshoĭ is so smitten. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, officially,” he says with the smirk he reserves for the ladies.
“It’s nice to finally meet you as well,” Estelle replies smiling at him and then me.
I take her hand from him and Dimitri laughs as we walk towards our table. As we are walking, I flip his tie and he mouths for me to screw myself as he straightens it out, causing me to laugh again. I glance at Estelle who is looking around the bar at everyone. As I scan the bar as well, I see that everyone is basically staring at her. It’s very obvious to anyone that she doesn’t belong here. I make eye contact with different people, making sure everyone knows she is with me. It’s the normal mix of people tonight, just family and close friends. Unfortunately, there are also several women in here that I have had sex with at one time or another. Estelle fixes her eyes on Alena who is approaching us. It figures she would be working tonight. Thankfully, she doesn’t say anything to me but after she sets our drinks down, she glances at me smiling and licks her lips seductively, a gesture that doesn’t go unnoticed by Estelle.
“Ms. Estelle, we drink vodka, would you like something else?” Dimitri asks, drawing her attention away from Alena.
“Umm, no, vodka is fine. Thank you,” she answers with a smile.
Dimitri nods and laughs as he pours us all a drink.
“Мой брат, который в настоящее время есть все, что он хочет в жизни, С днем рождения.” He raises his glass and I smile, and then kiss Estelle on the temple.
We down our shots and Estelle starts coughing, scrunching her eyes closed. “What did you say?” She finally asks Dimitri.
He pours us another shot and then takes her hand in his. “I told him that he now has everything he could possibly want in life.” He kisses her hand again and then arches his brow at her. “Tell me, Estelle, do you feel the same?”
She smiles and nods. “I love him very much.”
“Good,” he says grinning. “That’s very good. He is driving me crazy with how much he talks about you. If you didn’t feel the same I am not sure what I would have done.”
He lets go of her hands and now it’s my turn to cough. He grins at my expression as she looks over at me. I kiss her softly while she mutters she loves me against my lips and I immediately deepen our kiss. Hell, we are in the bar, I’ve practically had sex with someone in front of these p
eople so in all reality it is doubtful that anyone is paying us any attention. But Estelle doesn’t allow us to go very far as she stops me before it gets too heated. I rest my forehead against her temple, laying a soft kiss there.
“Have you met his bastard of a father yet?” Dimitri asks while downing another shot and I feel Estelle cringe. “I will take that as a yes,” he says, laughing even harder.
She frowns. “I don’t think he likes me very much.”
“Don’t worry about that. He doesn’t like anyone and he absolutely despises me, so it can’t be as bad as that. Of course, you would think after seventeen years he would learn to at least tolerate me but no, if anything it has gotten worse. He still acts like I am a dog, кто-то плевать на.”
There is an air of sadness in his last statement that Estelle picks up on immediately even though she doesn’t know what he said. She reaches over and takes his hand, tapping it lightly.
“It’s his loss. He’s just a pompous... asshole,” she whispers the last word which actually makes me laugh.
Dimitri grins and jumps up, pulling her into a hug, laughing. “I like you, Estelle. I will try not to be jealous of you taking my Bolʹshoĭ from me.”
“Well, he spends more time with you than me so it’s probably me that should vow not to be jealous,” she says with a laugh and then gives me a wink.
He grins and nods. No one can meet Estelle and not immediately fall in love with her. Well, except my dad, but there is something seriously wrong with him. Estelle just seems to bring out the best in people.
“I love you,” I mouth to her.
We spend the next several hours laughing and joking with one another. Dimitri is telling her all sorts of stories about things we did as children and somehow I am the one that is being painted as the instigator. Okay, well, maybe that was true when we were little but certainly not anymore.
“Alright, enough, enough,” I say, trying to cut him off.
“No way, Bolʹshoĭ,” he says motioning for her to come closer, which she does. He then starts whispering to her and she is watching me, covering her mouth and laughing. Hmmm. What the heck is he saying now?
“Вы не можете быть здесь!” We hear Viktor tell someone that they can’t be here and both Dimitri and I look up, all joking gone.
“Мне нужно поговорить с г-н Комаровском.”
Shit! That’s Mr. Borovsky. I stand up at the same time Dimitri does. Estelle starts to move but I put my hand behind me, stopping her. I then move next to Dimitri, blocking him and reach into my jacket, pulling out my gun. I hear Estelle gasp and I hesitate for a quick second but raise my gun slightly, ready to do what needs to be done. Mr. Borovsky sees us and starts walking our way but Stephan and Viktor block him. His men reach inside their jackets and next thing I know guns are pointed everywhere, mine directly at Mr. Borovsky.
“Это партия для моего брата. Вы не приветствуются.”
Dimitri tells him firmly that he isn’t welcome at my birthday celebration and starts striding towards him with purpose. I’m walking ahead of him but slightly to the side. Allowing Dimitri to make eye contact with Borovsky but also allowing me to protect him if it comes to that.
“Вы ранены моего сына,” Borovsky states angrily. He’s pissed that we beat the crap out of his son. Well his son deserved it.
“Он украл от меня. Он повезло, что он все еще дышит,” Dimitri growls back.
Now Dimitri is angry too, telling him with venom in his voice that his son stole from him and that he’s lucky his son is still breathing. Borovsky better get out of here or this is going to be a blood bath and someone will get hurt. Why did this have to happen tonight? Of all the damn nights, the one time I bring Estelle, there is a problem. That’s just perfect!
“Я хочу поговорить с вашим отцом.”
Borovsky brushes down his jacket and tells Dimitri that he wants to speak to his father, totally dismissing Dimitri and his standing in the family. Now Dimitri is pissed off. You can just feel it in the air. I bring my gun up more, pointing it directly at Borovsky’s face, while his men start muttering in Russian.
“Я сделать решения для семьи,” Dimitri states angrily. “Теперь оставить!”
It’s oddly funny hearing Dimitri say that he makes the decisions for the family, not his father, considering he never had any choices up until now. They stare at each other and I still have my gun pointing directly at Borovsky. Borovsky is trying to decide what to do and I can tell that he isn’t completely satisfied. This is not over but he grins at Dimitri and then waves at his men to stand down and they turn around to leave. These Russian mob guys are an interesting group. It sometimes feels like playing chess, maneuvering pieces on a board. Borovsky is up to something but I don’t know what.
“Я хочу мои деньги завтра.”
Dimitri tells him all matter of fact that he expects his money by tomorrow just as Borovsky reaches the door, and although I can’t see Borovsky’s face, I can tell by his body language that he is fighting the urge to turn around and start something right now. Damn it! Dimitri is pushing it. When Borovsky pushes through the door and walks out, Dimitri laughs and turns to me, tapping my shoulder. I nod and place my gun in my jacket as we return to our table. Dimitri waves his hand and everyone starts drinking and laughing again, picking up conversations and activities they were doing before we were interrupted as if nothing had ever happened. When I get to the table Estelle is breathing heavily and not looking at me.
“Es, it’s alright,” I say, touching her arm.
She quickly jerks her arm away and looks up at me. I swallow thickly as I see fear and then disappointment on her face. I am used to seeing that look on my dad’s face, hell, it’s pretty much expected, but to see it on my beautiful Estelle’s face makes my world stop. She quickly moves from the table, looking around, and then walking in the back towards the restrooms. I gasp and start breathing rapidly. I sit haphazardly and look up at Dimitri, distraught.
“Bolʹshoĭ?” Dimitri says loudly and I blink my eyes several times, trying to focus. “You should have told her what you were. She shouldn’t have found out like that. She isn’t from our world. She doesn’t understand. She doesn’t belong here,” he says calmly.
All I can do is shake my head while covering my mouth with my hand. This can’t be happening. This is exactly what my fear has been, that she would look at me like that, that she would realize what I am, and when she did, she would do what she did just now, she would leave. I know I should have told her but I just couldn’t. I run my hand through my hair and look at him sternly.
“NO!” I finally say slapping the palms of my hands on the table. “She belongs with me, Mladshiĭ.”
I stand up and push away from the table angrily, heading towards the restroom since I know that must be where she went. There isn’t anything else back there that she can go. I don’t bother knocking and just barge in, startling her.
“I’m sorry,” I say, looking at her frightened expression.
“For what, Charles?” She asks arching her brow. “For scaring the crap out of me? For lying to me? For putting me in danger? What? What exactly are you sorry for?”
I look down and lean against the wall. “All of it.”
“Are you in the mob, Charles?” She asks, crossing her arms.
I shake my head, not meeting her stern gaze.
“You’re not?” I can hear her anger. “Well I am no expert here, Charles but that looked an awful lot like some kind of mob confrontation to me.”
I close my eyes, not wanting to meet her eyes.
“Be honest with me, Charles. Are you in the mob?” She asks again and once again, I shake my head.
“Then what are you to him?” She asks furiously.
I can feel tears in my eyes. “I’m his friend…” I
finally look up at her, “I’m his brother and…” I swallow hard. “I’m his protector. I have been since we were eight.”
She doesn’t say anything for a long time as she just watches me. “Is he in the mob?” She asks softly.
I take a deep breath and nod slowly. “Yes, he is.”
She brings her hand to her mouth and closes her eyes. She shakes her head and I’m not sure what she’s thinking right now but the silence in the room is deafening. She looks like she is contemplating something but what I don’t know. She drops her hands to her side and stares at me for a long moment.
“Do you always carry a gun, because I have never seen you with one before?” She questions and I can see her anger is subsiding and being replaced with something else, fear perhaps.
I nod once again. “I never carry it when I am with you.” I take a step towards her and she shakes her head so I stop. “Estelle, I love you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Dimitri sooner. That was a mistake. Please, I can’t lose you because of this.”
She closes her eyes and a few minutes later her facial expression starts to soften, “I love you too, Charles.” I can see tears forming in her eyes. “I just don’t know if I can...”
She doesn’t finish her thought and my heart sinks at what she was about to say. “Estelle, please, don’t do this.”
She is silent for an excruciating amount of time. I wish I could go back and tell her all about my life. About Dimitri, explain how much he means to me. Really explain it versus just skim the surface. If I had done that then this wouldn’t have been such a shock to her. She would understand why I do what I do. My stomach is queasy. I can’t bear the thought of losing her because of my affiliation with Dimitri. When I finally look at her, she is watching me carefully.
“What if something happens to you? What if you’re killed?”
I shake my head. “That won’t happen, Es.”
“There is no way you can know that,” she says, rolling her eyes.
Brothers Forever Page 9
