Killer Abs (Makes My Heart Race Book 6)

by C. M. Steele

“Okay, but I will say this. I will tell you only when you ask. I refuse to bring you into all the dark. I like to see that light in your eyes.”

  “That’s fair,” she said, dropping her towel and sliding on a pair of black panties. I groaned, aching to fuck her until she couldn’t walk, but I knew Maria was sore and had been through one hell of a day. Tomorrow, I had plans for her.

  “He had a shrine of you in his house when we found him. He’d set up an altar to worship you on. Except he pierced the heart of an image of you with a twelve-inch kitchen knife.” She gasped and turned pale. “Now you see why I did not care to tell you, no? I’m to protect you even if that means from your own fears.”

  “Thank you, Maxim. You’re right. Some things are better left unsaid. So, how about I go make you dinner and we entertain your friends?”

  “Sounds wonderful. Do you need a sous-chef?”

  “I could use a hand.” I cupped her pussy.

  “Not that kind of hand.”

  “Well, my skills in the kitchen aren’t very good, but for you I’ll give it a shot.”

  “Thanks, handsome.”

  “Anything for you.”

  We were in the middle of chopping vegetables when she asked about Nina. “I haven’t seen her since this morning when she told me to bring you the coffee and cake.”

  “Really?” I tried to hold back the rage I felt. So it wasn’t Igor that intentionally sent her to me to be seen. Nina wanted me to kill Maria for seeing what I was doing, unaware that I’d do anything to protect her.

  “What’s wrong? Is she okay?”

  “She won’t be when I find her.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Maria. This morning I never asked for you to bring me breakfast. She lied to get you to that room, thinking that maybe if you saw something that I…”

  “She sent me there with the intention of you hurting me?”

  “I have to believe so. As much as I wanted to see you, I’d been busy and definitely didn’t want you to see me that way.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’d never harm a woman, but to protect you, I’d move heaven and earth.”

  “Wow. Do you have any loyal staff?”

  “I don’t know anymore. I’d hate to test people’s loyalties, but there will always be someone looking to strike. I have to be ready. Excuse me. I have to find out where Nina went. For her sake, she better have caught a flight out of this country.”

  An hour later, I learned that she had gotten on a flight out of town. She was now in Vegas. I had connections that could keep tabs on the old bat. One toe out of line, and she’d pay with her life. I saw the look in Maria’s eyes at the thought that I’d hurt an old woman, so that was the only saving grace Nina had.

  When I entered the kitchen, Maria turned away from the simmering pots. “What are you making?”

  “A cheesy mushroom Tortellini Carbonara.”

  “It smells incredible.”

  “Seriously, can’t we steal her? Only for a little bit?” Isabella pouted.

  “I’m afraid that look will only work on your husband. And nothing can separate me and my Maria.”

  Alessandro sauntered into the room with a grin. “Is she begging for your bella donna?”

  “Yes, she is.”

  “I told her it was useless. A man would be foolish to let go of the woman who is to be his wife. And you, my friend, are no fool.”

  “You can’t blame a pregnant woman for trying.” She smiled and hugged Maria. They laughed together, and I knew that with them as friends, Maria would get used to my life.

  Chapter Nine

  Maria

  Over the next two weeks, Maxim and I relaxed and got to know each other. The more I learned, the more I felt my heart letting him in. I knew that I lusted for the man and wanted his babies, but did that mean I loved him? I wasn’t sure. Our relationship was primal, sexual, and yet, my heart fluttered every time he came into the room.

  “Are you ready?” he asked, stepping into the room in a sexy dark grey suit. I couldn’t help but admire his being; every inch of him was gorgeous. “God, you look heavenly.”

  “I thought it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?”

  “I make my own luck. Besides, you aren’t in your dress yet.” He was right. I wore my silky white robe while I put on my makeup.

  “I’m sorry. I completely let time slip by.”

  “What’s on your mind?”

  “Just thinking about how wonderful the two weeks have been and how my temporary chef job is over.”

  “Are you trying to give me a heart attack? I can’t live without your cooking, woman!” He clutched his chest.

  “Silly man. I’m switching it for a different role. Wife.”

  “Oh okay. So I’ll get some good meals sometimes?”

  “Any time you want.”

  “Then you better hurry and get dressed.” He cupped my face and crushed his lips to mine. “I had to steal one more before you become my wife.” He strutted out of the room thoroughly pleased with himself, but just as he disappeared, in walked Isabella.

  “Oh my goodness, you’re here,” I shouted, throwing my arms around her as she did the same with me. We jumped about like schoolgirls and old best friends. She’d been my only friend in this new world of mine. With no family, the restaurant was all I had until I came here.

  “We have to finish getting you ready. I’m so excited. Just so you know, I’ve made myself your unofficial maid of honor.”

  “Well, if I’d known you would come back, I would have made you it anyway. Oh my, I’m so excited that I have you here to help me.”

  “Don’t start crying. The men will lose their shit if they see our tears.”

  For the next hour, Isabella helped me get ready to marry Maxim. When we were prepared, Isabella went down to call in Mr. Andretti. Bruised and beaten, he still asked if he could walk me down the aisle. Meeting him at the steps, I smiled. “You look breathtaking, Maria. Maxim is going to cancel the reception as soon as he sees you.”

  “Thank you.”

  We had a small crowd of guests from the restaurant and friends of Maxim’s who flew in from around the world. As soon as I started up the aisle set up in the garden, Maxim’s eyes trained on me. He took three steps toward me, then Alessandro pulled him back and whispered in his ear. Gaining control of himself, he stood in place and waited for us. My heart danced, beating to a rhythm of love so profound that I knew for sure that this was love.

  We said our vows and then he hooked his arm around my waist and pulled me in, kissing me until we needed to come up for air.

  “May I introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Maxim Kazakov! Congratulations!”

  “You look magnificent. I should send everyone home now,” he said as we moved down the aisle.

  “That wouldn’t be nice. I’m all yours for the rest of our lives.”

  “That will never be long enough. Come on. Let us eat, and then I’ll spend the evening twirling you around the dance floor before sneaking you away.”

  “Sounds wonderful, my husband.” My words caused a shift in his body. He tensed up and pulled me into his embrace, kissing me before we made it to the end of the aisle. Cheers erupted and the clapping roared.

  For the rest of the night, we laughed, danced, and ate until the last guest retired. Then Maxim flipped me over his shoulder for a wonderful, passionate dance only for the two of us.

  Epilogue

  Maxim

  A month later

  “What’s wrong, Maria?” I asked her as she pretended to be relaxed on the bed.

  “Nothing.” If she was going to rule at my side, she needed to be a better liar. Then again, I loved the innocence to her that softened all of the jaded parts of me. I had a feeling about what was going on with her, but I’d wait for her to tell me I was going to be a daddy.

  We’d been together for just over a month, and she hadn’t gotten her period yet. It was my logical deduction.

  “Then why were
you running to the bathroom again?”

  A blush crept over her face, and then she narrowed her brows. “Wait. How did you know that I was running to the bathroom? Are there cameras in here?”

  “No, but I came to check on my sleeping beauty who had barely jumped under the covers and pretended to be asleep when I came in.”

  “I’m not sleeping. I was reading.”

  “What were you reading?”

  “This book.” She tossed it toward me, and I caught it. A Baby on the Way: The Dos and Don’ts of Nursery Decorating.

  “Are you having my baby?” I didn’t mean to come off shocked, but I was. My chest beat with pride.

  “No, I’m having an alien baby,” she said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

  “What? Where is that green son of a bitch? I’ll contact NASA and hunt that bastard down,” I growled, pouncing on the bed and rubbing my nose between her thighs, then slinked my way up her body.

  “What am I going to do with you, my love?”

  “Don’t tell me that you can’t think of anything because I sure can.” I licked her pulse and then moved down to her tits, sucking on each one gently through her lacy nightgown.

  “Sex and then dinner?”

  “Damn, I’m lucky as fuck that I refused to let you go.”

  She pushed my shoulder and then rolled me onto my back before straddling me. With her finger jabbing my chest, she said, “You’re lucky I really didn’t want to go anywhere without you.” I’d let her think that, but I would have chased her ass down and locked her away until she fell madly in love with me.

  I had a surprise that I hoped would cause her to fall in love with me. I picked up the bruising digit and sucked it into my mouth, letting it pop. I felt her pussy flutter over my steel rod, showing me how needy she was for me. “Speaking of…are you feeling up to a little bit of traveling?”

  “Where?” Her eyes widened.

  “I got a message from Alessandro. Apparently Isabella has a super craving for your food. Well, Alessandro would do anything for her, so they planned to come back here, but I figured I could show you the world instead.”

  “Will you be my sous-chef?”

  “No, but I’ll be there to work your pussy while you wait for the oven timer to ding.”

  “Fine. That sounds like excellent qualifications, Mr. Kazakov.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Kazakova.” I cradled her head and brought it down to mine. It was a slow, tender kiss that led to so much more.

  By the time we got out of bed, it was well past dinnertime and I left a message with Alessandro that we’d be on the next flight out. I’d prepared Maria’s passport by the end of the first week. It paid to know people, and it only took two weeks to have her in a Versace wedding gown saying our vows in our home.

  “Oh my God, it’s beautiful here! No wonder you stayed here for so long, Maxim,” Maria sighed, spinning around after she stepped out of our car. She stared at the rolling hills and the classic architecture in the distance.

  “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful,” I state with my eyes trained on her.

  She stopped and turned to me, giving me a million-dollar smile. “I love you, Maxim.” I lifted her up in my arms and kissed her hard.

  My chest nearly exploded with the words she uttered. We’d been married, having a baby, and she hadn’t said it to me. I waited because I knew that I loved her, but I refused to push her. I stole her for myself, but I couldn’t steal her love. That she had to give me freely. “I love you too, Maria—so fucking much, moya zhena.”

  “Ah there you are. Welcome to our home,” Alessandro said, stepping out onto his large portico.

  Isabella rushed up to Maria, and the ladies hugged like old friends. “I’m so glad you could make it. I have so much baby stuff to show you.” They walked into the house, ignoring us.

  “Hey, sorry. Isabella missed Maria. She doesn’t have friends because she doesn’t trust the women around here. One of them tried to get in the way of our happiness, so they’re all her enemies as far as she’s concerned. My wife holds a grudge more than anyone I’ve ever met, except for myself. So come inside, and let me get you a drink.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “I got the options you asked about.” I’d asked for houses in the area for sale. Maria and Isabella spent at least an hour a day on the phone. I hoped having our own vacation home here would make my wife happy.

  I walked in and slid up behind my wife, hugging her. “Maxim, thank you for taking me on this trip.”

  “I’d take you anywhere you wanted if you smile like that all the time.” I kissed her neck and then let her go.

  “So, Maxim, Maria, we have a small lunch prepared out in the garden.”

  We followed them to their hanging garden with a round table in the middle filled with finger foods. “This place is so gorgeous. It’s out of a dream.”

  “That’s because Alessandro will do anything for me.” She shrugged and blushed while my friend nodded without hesitation.

  Alessandro leaned in and whispered, “Number two on the list.” That would be the last one we looked at for sure. I wanted my queen happy even if we only came when I was free from business. I couldn’t give up my empire just yet, but one day, if she wished, I’d move wherever she wanted.

  Many years later

  Maria

  “Ivan, don’t mess with Antonia,” I hollered when he splashed her with a water hose, soaking her. At fourteen, she had already developed curves and it was noticeable to everyone. I knew it’s what pissed him off more. He cared about her even if he wasn’t ready to say it. He was allowed to start dating, but he said he had no interest in any girls at school.

  “She started with me, Mom.” She did punch him in the stomach. She had a lot of Isabella in her.

  “I don’t care.” He messed with her because he had a crush. We all knew it, even he didn’t realize it. At sixteen, Ivan looked more and more like his daddy than any of the remaining five kids. Maxim and I shared the same coloring, so every one of the kids had blondish-brown hair and bright blue eyes. The others were still too little, but he was starting to look like a man.

  “They are at it again. We better be careful, or we’ll be grandparents in less than ten years,” Isabella chuckled.

  “Oh, tell me about it,” Alessandro grumbled.

  “Relax. We only come to visit once a year.”

  “Yes, but it looks like it’s not enough anymore.”

  “I know. We’ll have to keep an eye on them.” All four of us stood together, the men with their arms crossed, and watched the scene in front of us. They were still too young to decide their futures.

  A few more years

  Maxim

  “Moya krasota, what are you making?” I asked, stepping into the kitchen while we had a moment alone. She still glowed when I called her that. She’d always be my beauty, and I still craved her as much as I had when we first met.

  All of the kids were at school, whether it be college or high school. Twenty years together, and all I wanted was my sexy wife naked in my arms. I longed for stolen moments alone.

  She had on a beautiful summer dress that flared out at the waist, swishing as she walked. It looked like she stepped out of a nineteen fifties cuisine magazine. I groaned and licked my lips. I couldn’t care less what we had for dinner as long as she was on the menu.

  “Dinner. I’m making Chicken and Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo, but I wanted a spicy sauce so I’m working on two different sauces. Do you want to try them?”

  Growling, I answered, “Yes.” She turned back around with the one spoon. As I ran my lips over the spoon, my fingers dug into the meat of her thighs and dragged her on top of the kitchen island. “Delicious.”

  My hand slipped under her panties. “I prefer my own sauce right now,” I grunted, spreading her legs wide while dropping down to my knees. I pulled off her drenched panties and then pumped two fingers into her soaked cunt. “Damn, you’re so fucking wet for me, Maria
.”

  “A chef always appreciates when the feast is enjoyed,” she cried out as my tongue licked her clit.

  “God, I live for you, Maria.” Working her pussy with my hand and tongue, I savored her scent and taste. My dick stretched hard against my zipper, aching to be inside her pussy to the point it hurt. I reached down and freed my cock from its tight confines. “I need you inside of me, Maxim. Fuck me, please.”

  “Are you ready to be filled, moya lyubov?”

  “Yes, Maxim. I want to feel you take what’s yours and claim me right here, right now.”

  I stood up and spun her around, kicking her legs out wide for me. “You want to be fucked hard, wife?”

  “Yes. Fuck me like you own me.”

  “I do. Remember that, Maria.” I tossed her skirt over her back and then plunged deep into her hole, claiming her hard from behind. She leaned forward, pressing her chest onto the counter while I drove my hips into hers.

  I grabbed her hair, fisting it tightly as I tore her up. “You’re mine, and you’ll always be mine. That’s it, take that dick. You know it’s only yours. Squeeze it and drain me dry, my queen.” I slapped her ass, loving that we were still clothed as I drilled her.

  I needed her to cream for me because I was going to nut, and she did. “Fuck, Maxim. I’m coming.”

  “Take it all.” Her walls massaged every drop of cream out of my balls. It wouldn’t surprise me if I knocked her up again. I smiled, hoping that I did. I loved our large family, and I knew she wanted more. “I’m going to put another kid in you, my wife.”

  “I don’t think it works like that.”

  “I’m pretty sure this is exactly how we make them.”

  “I mean, you did the trick during our last trip to Italy.”

  “What?” I pulled out of her and spun her into my arms.

  “I found out this morning, Daddy.” She bit her lip. I remembered the moment she was thinking about in those eyes. In the middle of the vineyard, I’d been pissed about one of the young pickers staring at her beauty, so I fucked her in a hidden alcove, letting her voice carry for all to hear.