by S F Draven
Everyone was gathered outside of the grand ballroom where a lush red ribbon was tied directly in front of the door. There were waitresses handing out champagne while the festivities were already beginning, just as one of my representatives handed me a pair of large golden scissors to cut it with. I turned to everyone, taking a deep breath so I could give my speech.
“Thank you all for coming to be a part of this glorious occasion with me. It’s an honor to be expanding my business into such lively Manhattan territory, and I look forward to seeing where these adventures take us next. Thank you,” I said, cutting the ribbon on the first try as the cameras all around me began to flash, and everyone was cheering and clapping. I opened up the grand double doors, and before I even had the chance to look out into the beautifully decorated room, all I heard were the bloodcurdling screams of everyone behind me.
I looked up in horror to see the man who had been working so tirelessly for me for so many years, hanging from my million-dollar chandelier. The rope around his throat was cutting into his skin, as blood trickled down his chin onto the white linen tablecloths below. His eyes were bulging out of his skull, and he no longer looked human, but I knew exactly who it was.
“Oh my God, Alexei,” I said, turning back to see Katerina’s eyes widen as she realized who it was. I watched as my staff tried to usher everyone out of the ballroom, trying to contain the situation as best as possible, but the damage had already been done. I had been right all along that this was not just an attack on my business, that this in itself had been personal. It was time to stop fucking around, to actively seek this man out, and put an end to these games once and for all.
I’d never been so disrespected in my entire life, I’d never had my reputation compromised, and my integrity questioned so much as I had right now. I was fuming, the blood was boiling beneath my skin. The heat reached the tip of my head and I wanted to unleash my wrath onto the nearest person. I knew that I couldn’t do that, I had to appear as distraught as everyone else to throw off suspicion, but it was much easier said than done. I wanted nothing more than to jump into action, to give these people the stories they’d been looking for, because this was going to make things so much harder to overcome. Katerina dropped her pen and paper to the floor, running to my side as tears began to fill her eyes. I was so incredibly confused, and it was in that moment she looked up at me with such darkness in her eyes that I realized she was a much better actress than I realized. I held her tight, lifting her chin as I told her it was going to be okay. She let out a scream that matched everyone else’s and that was the end of our perfect little performance.
I was running out of time to find out who was doing this to me, but now I realized Katerina had finally proven her loyalty to me. She could’ve turned and ran just like everyone else had. I probably would’ve been too stressed to chase her down, but she held my hand, she stood by me against her better judgment and for that I’d be eternally grateful. I was beginning to see just how strong our connection truly was, and I was starting to believe that everything I had been so worried about in regards to her simply didn’t matter anymore. If it were Giselle, she would’ve been trying to work the angle to use this story to the best of her advantage, no matter who it was going to hurt in the process. It’s clear to me now that Katerina isn’t like Giselle at all, she’s everything I’ve been looking for and more. We’re going to fix this, we’re going to find a way to change the narrative, I know it. Though, for now, we’re going to have to clean up this mess, and I’m going to have to have a long talk with her about how things are going to move forward.
I could already see the headlines now, all talking about the terrible thing that occurred in one of Manhattan’s most prized properties. I had each member of my team doing as much damage control as they possibly could, but it was going to take a lot of time to get to the bottom of this as someone had called the police. The unfortunate truth was that there was no hiding this from anyone, the world was going to remember what happened here today, and it was up to me to make sure that it never happened again. Whoever you are, whatever you want, you’re going to pay for what you’ve done here today, and that is a promise.
Chapter Twelve: Katerina
For a while, I truly believed that my world was falling apart, that there would be no way for me to grab ahold of the girl I once was and fix the mess I’ve made for myself. I’m starting to feel as though this has been a blessing in disguise the entire time. I’m standing at a place I never thought I’d be, understanding a man who was supposed to have done the worst to me, but instead he chose to build me up. How could I argue with that? I thought, remembering how powerful it felt to stand next to Dominik while the rest of the world gawked at him. I dropped the pen and paper in my hands, glancing over at the revolving door at the entrance of the hotel, and chose to stay with one of the most dangerous men the world had to offer. It was when I saw Alexei hanging from the chandelier that I realized we were all playing a very dangerous game. There was no telling which of us were going to make it out alive, and it was best to just enjoy the ride before I’d have to pay my dues.
I grew accustomed to my surroundings in a way I never thought I would. Dominik’s staff and team felt like family to me, at least on the surface, and those who were hired to tail me, I managed to get used to them as well. He was living this incredible double-life that made me wonder how many of his counterparts were doing the exact same thing. I wanted to delve in deeper, I wanted to understand how he processed things like this, and I found myself wanting to tell his story less and less every day. At first, it was all about exposing the truth, now it was about protecting the man who made my life so much better. I could feel myself starting to change, my morality beginning to shift, as I realized that it was better to be on the safe side instead of having to deal with the consequences.
I was Dominik’s prisoner, as the only reason he took me in was to make sure I wouldn’t breathe a word about the terrible things he did when no one was looking, and now that I stood by him, everyone was going to question me just the same. I sat in our lonely hotel room, sauntering over to the executive desk in the far corner of the room trying to focus on work when all I could do was think about what had just happened. I’d never seen a body in that condition in my entire life, and to know that it was a man I had spoken to, a man who was ordered to watch over me, sent chills down my spine. The entire time I was watching the scene, all I could think was that it could have been me. I could have been the one hanging from that ceiling, or worse, being buried in an unmarked grave somewhere. I knew that my clock was ticking, and that people were going to stop looking and reach out to me eventually because I had no intention of responding.
It amazed me how I’d been so worried in the past about not being able to reach out to my friends and family, but now they all seemed like strangers to me. The only person I could find myself counting on was Dominik, because since everything happened with Alexei, he’d been a lot more open with me. We’d stayed up late talking about how his family came to be, how they established a name for themselves in the Russian mafia, and how they never let anything or anyone stand in their way. It was amazing to finally hear all of this from his point of view, and I didn’t want the information to stop flowing from his lips. I had begun to trust myself with his life story just as much as he trusted me. I still found myself writing it out every once in a while, but I knew that nothing he’d ever do could make me want to expose him any longer. He’s killed countless people, held others captive, me included, and I don’t believe there’s anything else that’s ever going to send me running at this point. I wanted to help him in any way that I could.
I knew that something had been bothering him for a while, but the moment the stunt with Alexei occurred, it was clear to me that this was bigger than the both of us could ever have understood. Someone was trying to unravel Dominik from the inside out, and I found myself becoming rather protective of him as time went on. I told myself that when everything was finally
settled, when we had a bit of alone time together, I would ask him to be honest with me. I wanted to help in any way that I could, and I could only hope that he’d be willing to accept it.
Everyone had been on standby since everything went down, and I was writing two-bit stories about things I didn’t care about so I could cash my paycheck at the publication, because there really wasn’t anything else that I could do to pass the time. Dominik had made it increasingly clear that I was to stay out of trouble, because he was afraid that something similar could happen to me. Any time he mentioned the potential danger I could be in, I found myself shuddering, wondering what it would’ve felt like to be in Alexei’s shoes, being so close to death but knowing that there was nothing that anyone could ever do about it. It’s an entirely different ball game now. Not only have I become accustomed to Dominik’s world, I’ve begun to care about him in a way I never thought I ever would. He’s become a part of my life, he’s isolated me from everything and everyone else around me. Now, it’s only us, and the more I ponder it, that doesn't sound too bad.
The sun was starting to set just a week after the incident occurred, but the news outlets didn’t seem to want to shut up about it. It was the most scandalous thing that could’ve happened to a hotel opening in ages, and even with all of my best efforts, my word wasn’t as good around Dominik in a light quite like this one. I had a feeling that this was just the beginning, and we were in for much more of a surprise than either of us could’ve prepared for. Dominik had promised to be back just before midnight, and I found myself waiting up for him in the hope that I could finally get some answers. I couldn’t help but notice just how much my stomach had been turning, how incredibly sick I was starting to feel, and I couldn’t imagine why.
I imagined that Dominik had called in the big guns, the people who he reached out to when times became too tough for him to handle on his own. I thought about his family, about the brothers he spoke so highly of, but never so much as mentioned any of their names. I could tell that there was a bit of tension in their relationships, but Dominik seemed to be quite the family man. The bond they seemed to share together was a strong one, and it made me feel good to know that he valued things other than money, women and his precious reputation. It gave me hope that maybe he was feeling the same way I had been about him, that there was a chance for us when this was all over.
I had drifted off to sleep on the chaise lounge in the sitting area not long after midnight, and I woke up to the sight of a rather haggard man standing in the beautiful entryway of our room. He looked absolutely distraught, so defeated by the things that were going on in his life, that I just wanted to run to him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. It was the first time that he came and sat down next to me, staring back at me as my eyes finally adjusted to the light and I could see all the bruises that were scattered across his face.
“What happened, Dominik?”
“It seems that things are much worse than I could’ve imagined, Katerina. Not only is everyone starting to talk, but the investigation that the NYPD is launching could put a dent in everything I’ve ever acquired over the course of my life. They could cease it all, and while I work out a way to silence them, I’m afraid that we’re going to have to head back to Moscow until I find a solution. I know that you were just getting accustomed to the way things were happening here, and that in some way it felt good to be back in your city, but I have to do this now. If we don’t go, it could put both of our lives in danger, and it could end up with one of us having to call it quits for good. Over the last few weeks I’ve come to see a different side to you, a side that made me understand that there is loyalty inside of you that I never would’ve expected. That’s why I’m giving you the option of leaving. If you want to walk out that door and never look back, you’re free to do so, but I won’t keep you here against your will any longer,” he said, and the look in his eyes was of genuine sadness. He didn’t want to see me go, but he trusted me enough to know that I would never hurt him in the way he feared the most.
I caressed his cheek, leaning in to kiss him as I felt his lips press into mine. It sent shockwaves through my body, reminding me of the first night we shared together when I was just a naïve journalist who got caught up with an incredibly mysterious man. Now, I was staring back at the man who had changed my life, the man I never wanted to betray, no matter if he gave me the option to do so or not. I couldn’t leave him defenseless now, not after everything that he’d done to both protect me and make sure that I had everything I wanted. We may not have started in a conventional way, but we were here, together, and I wasn’t planning on leaving him any time soon.
“I’m not going anywhere, Dom. You’ve done so much for me, and while we’ve had our differences in the past, you’ve more than proven to me that I’m more than just a prisoner to you,” I said, and I could see a smile curl up upon his lips.
“You’re the only person I have left in my life that I can wholeheartedly say I trust, Katerina. I never expected such loyalty from you, but I want to do what is best for you. I don’t know what I would do if I ever had to see you in a position like Alexei’s. I have to be honest with you, Katerina. It’s been such a long time since I’ve cared so much about a woman, and I’m just afraid of what’s going to happen if I let myself get in too deep. I’ve been betrayed countless times in the past, done things that I unfortunately regret, but the one thing I know for sure is that I don’t want to lose you,” he said, and the way he looked at me made me believe that he felt like his entire world was falling apart. It was time that I did him a favor, helped him rebuild everything he’d come to know, but that was going to mean that he had to share his darkness with me. It was time that I got to know the real him, that I could finally have a reason to protect him at all costs.
“You’re not going to lose me, Dom. I’m here for you, I’ve been here for you despite everything that has happened between us. Let’s go home to Moscow, let’s figure this out, together,” I said, as he lifted my chin and kissed me hard. I felt the fiery passion move between us as he picked me up and I wrapped my legs around the base of his torso. He was bloodied, battered, and his wounds were still fresh but I didn’t care. All that mattered in that moment was the two of us, sharing in each other’s pain and pleasure together before we’d have to return to reality. Reality paled in comparison to the incredible feeling of having his skin on mine, and I wanted to stay in that moment with him forever. I felt the stubble of his beard brush against my skin as the kisses trailed down my body, making their way over the curves of my breasts as he took one in each hand, pulling them out of my bra. He kissed each nipple lightly, slowly biting them as I let out a soft moan. I wanted him, I wanted to feel all of him because neither of us was sure how much time left we had alive. Judging from how quickly the person targeting Dominik managed to get ahold of Alexei, get him to New York and pull that stunt, it was only a matter of time before they struck again.
This time, we had the unbreakable bond between us on our side, and nothing was going to get in the way of that. Dominik’s lips trailed down my stomach to my inner thighs, as he slid off my lace panties, revealing my very wet pussy. Until I met him, it had been such a long time since my needs had been met, and after the night I spent with Dominik the first time, I knew that no one was ever going to please me like he did again. He knew exactly what he was doing, he read my body like an open book, and he knew what I needed every step of the way. I felt his fingers brush over the opening of my pussy, studying in me in my most vulnerable position, as he gazed up to see just how flushed I really was.
“Take me, Dominik. Take me right here and now,” I said, panting, wanting nothing more than to feel him inside of me. It was our last night together in New York, and I wanted nothing more than to commemorate it the right way, the way we first met, and the way we were going to live out the rest of our days together. He got up to slip out of his dress pants and boxers, revealing his extremely hard, long dick. I couldn’t wait to
feel it pulsate inside of me as he reached over my opening and slid inside. Everything within me was on fire as he thrust deep in my pussy, reminding me of how good we truly were together. Dominik reached down, caressing my décolletage as his hands reached up to my throat, choking me ever so playfully, reminding me that he was the one in charge. I wouldn’t have had it any other way, I wouldn’t have wanted to experience him any other way. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut as his dick slipped in and out of my wet core, as my moans finally turned to screams, and the passion shot through me in the most mind-blowing orgasm of my entire life.
He wasn’t done with me yet, and this time I felt him in an entirely different way. He wasn’t up to his usual tricks, no, this time he was dominating both my body and my heart.
He ran his fingers along my lips, sticking his thumb into my mouth and ordering me to suck on it. I did as I was told, before he turned me over on my side, lifting my leg over his torso as he drove his dick back inside of me. This time he didn’t need any help restraining me, as he held my wrists together so I wouldn’t be able to move, succumbing to the movement of his thrusts only. My tits were jiggling as he bent his head down, taking one erect nipple into his mouth as he gave it a light suck before biting down.
“You’re such a good girl, my fucking little good girl,” he whispered into my ear, and at that moment I realized I was now his. We were more than just a façade for the rest of the world to gawk at, we’d become a part of one another, and I was going to let him ravage me however he saw fit. My whimpers turned into screams as he began to speed up and I could feel his shaft jam into my already sore pussy. I grew wetter by the minute, dripping down the base of his dick to his balls, as he didn’t let up. He slipped out of my pussy, getting up overhead so he could dick-slap me. I felt the wetness across my face as I took it into my mouth and he face-fucked me right there.
