by Bella King
“You can talk with your father, but he has already given me permission to take you there once you agree to the marriage,” I inform her.
Cora narrows her eyes at me, a smile still on her lips. “We’ll see about the marriage.”
She must be teasing me. I already know that she’s almost guaranteed to agree to it so long as I don’t stumble and reveal my true self to her yet. I didn’t pay her father millions to let her slip through my fingers. She’s mine, and I won’t let it be otherwise.
I take a sip of my whiskey, watching her as she mimics my movement. Once again, her perfect rose-colored lips part to make way from her drink. Her movements are so sensual that they drive me crazy with lust. She must know what she’s doing.
I reach beneath the table and adjust my cock in my trousers as the waiter arrives. It aches in the tight confines of my pants, begging me to let it loose on this woman sitting in front of me.
Patience. I must wait for my prize.
“Are you ready to order?” the waiter asks, leaning in with his ear pointing toward us.
Cora straightens up in her chair. “I haven’t looked at the menu yet. Viktor,” she says, looking at me. “Is there something you would recommend.”
Always so polite.
I nod at her, then look to the waiter. “A large quatro-fromage, please, and go heavy on the sauce.”
“Four cheese is one of my favorites,” Cora notes as the waiter leaves the table again.
“This is no ordinary four cheese, though,” I say, holding up a finger. “They use cheeses that you won’t find many other places. You’re going to like it.”
Cora’s blue eyes are wide with interest as I speak. She must be hungry, and so am I. Perhaps an extra-large would have been a better option, but they do tend to make them fairly large here anyway. She’s a small woman. How much can she eat?
“Where did you grow up?” Cora asks, tilting her head and letting her blonde hair fall over her shoulder.
The question is innocent enough, but I’m not going to let her catch me off guard. I know she’s trying to find holes in my story.
I clear my throat. “A was born in the United States, on the west coast. After that, I spent a lot of time in Russia, close to Abakslavia,” I say, making up the story and locations as I go. There is no Abakslavia in Russia, but she won’t remember what I say anyway. Most Americans are terrible at geography.
My story is good, and it explains my heavy Russian accent well enough, but Cora digs in, asking more questions. “Where did you go to school?”
“Harvard,” I answer, hoping my confidence is enough to silence her.
No luck. Cora leans in. “I received a private education, but I never went to college. I don’t really want to either if I’m being honest. You must be smart if you went to Harvard. What did you major in?”
What do politicians major in? I have no idea. Maybe I should have done more research before I decided to take on this persona.
“Political science,” I answer. That sounds accurate.
Cora nods, seeming satisfied by my answer. “That would make sense.”
“Yes,” I reply. “It would make a lot of sense.” I’m praying the pizza will arrive so that she’ll stop bombarding me with questions and start filling her pretty mouth with food instead.
“I wonder,” Cora says, continuing the onslaught of questions, “What would happen if someone were to go to jail for like, a minor crime. Could they still serve in office?”
“All politicians are criminals,” I reply smoothly, completely avoiding her laced question. I know what she’s getting at, but there’s no way that she knows I’ve been to prison. That was in Russia many years ago.
Cora leans in, propping her elbows on the table. I can see straight down her dress, into her cleavage, but I try not to stare. They’ll be plenty of time for that once she’s completely nude and at my disposal. I’ll teach her to shut her mouth and serve me instead of asking silly questions.
“Yeah, sure politicians are crooked, but they hardly ever get caught,” she says.
I nod, rubbing my stubbly chin. It’s a nervous habit I have, but most people just think I’m deep in thought. It works out to my advantage. “I don’t think they would let an actual criminal in office, though.”
“Of course not,” Cora replies, leaning back into her seat and removing her elbows from the table. “That would be preposterous.”
“Indeed.”
“But what if you committed a crime in another country, then came back to the US. What then?”
I shake my head. “Enough with these questions. I don’t know all the answers,” I say, tightening my jaw. I’m trying not to explode on her, but it’s difficult. If anyone else drilled me like this, I would have snapped their neck already.
Cora shrugs. “Just wondering. There’s a lot I don’t know about the world. I don’t get out much.”
“You’ll learn,” I say, glancing up from the table as I spot the waiter again. Thank god, the pizza is here. I wouldn’t last much longer having to answer the maddening string of questions flowing from Cora’s mouth.
Cora’s eyes light up when she sees the pizza floating toward us on a thick wooden platter. The waiter slides it onto the table between us and places two warm plates for us beside it. Cora is instantly captivated by the beautiful arrangement of cheese, sauce, and bread. I admit that I am as well, having forgone food for most of the day.
“Dig in,” I say, waiting for Cora to serve herself before I take a piece.
Chapter Ten
Cora
Viktor has managed to answer all my questions without hesitation so far, but I can tell he’s getting annoyed by them. I don’t want to piss him off, in case he is who he says he is, but something still isn’t right.
I take a bite of my pizza, tasting the fabulous flavors of various expensive cheeses all at once. This is hands down, the best pizza I’ve ever had. I could fall in love with Viktor just for his refines taste in food.
It wouldn’t be just that, though. Viktor is incredibly handsome, and his voice alone is enough to make me feel strange in my lower belly. It’s not the hunger that’s making me feel this way. Even as I shove pizza down my throat, I feel the butterflies fluttering around inside of me.
Neither of us speaks while we eat, but I catch Viktor taking a peek down my dress several times. Good. I like it when he looks. It makes him seem more like a human and less like a sexless robot. I would hate to marry a man who won’t make love to me.
Maybe sex should be the last thing on my mind right now, but it isn’t. It’s rare that I ever see a man who suits my fancy, and this is the first time a man has made me horny just by existing close to me. I can still feel his warm hand on my thigh from the car ride here.
Ignoring Mrs. Johnson’s warning, this evening is turning out to be an absolute delight to my senses. If I were to tune out my worries, I might chalk this up as the best night out I’ve ever had. The company, the food, and the location are perfect.
My whiskey is already gone, but the waiter swings by and refills it without asking. I could blame my lustful feelings toward Viktor on the booze, but that would be a copout. It’s true that I find him attractive, and that he makes me feel as no other man has made me feel. It’s a dream getting to be the bride to Viktor.
I suppose I must agree to this. I mean, that’s once I hear what Mrs. Johnson has to say. I’ll be pressed to make my final decision soon, and I haven’t been able to poke any holes in Viktor’s story. The only thing I have left is the secretive advice of Mrs. Johnson when I get back home tonight.
It takes Viktor and me only fifteen minutes to devour the pizza in front of us, collectively drinking six drinks in the process. I feel pretty hazy by the end of it, as though I could fall asleep on the ride back home.
“Dessert?” Viktor asks with a silly grin.
I laugh, leaning across the table and looking him deep in his eyes. “I would literally pop,” I say, matching his grin.
/> “I might go for some cheesecake,” Viktor says, lifting up the menu.
“Seriously?” I ask, amazed that he could possibly want to eat anything about the gigantic meal we shared.
“For sure,” he says, lowering the menu back down and looking me over. “Unless you want to get out of here and take a little walk with me.”
“A walk?”
“Yes, it’s always nice to take a walk after dinner. The weather is lovely,” he replies.
I feel way too good to say no. I’m up for just about anything after such a wonderful dinner with him. With both us so relaxed and deeply buzzed, we could really connect over a private walk together.
I pout my lips. “No bodyguards, though?”
Viktor shrugs. “We don’t need them.”
“We probably do, though,” I say, growing more serious.
“They’re everywhere, Cora. You just don’t see them. Don’t worry about anything. I’m going to take very good care of you.”
The way he says those last words makes the butterflies in my stomach go wild. I’m still not completely comfortable around him, but with the liquor in me, I’m tempted to trust him for a nice walk. It’ll be refreshing if nothing else.
“Let’s go for a walk then, but I don’t want to be out too late,” I say, giving myself a way out if I need one.
Viktor nods. “As you wish, darling.”
Darling? That’s a new one. I’m not expecting it, and it makes the butterflies about ten times worse. I’m unsure if it’s the alcohol exacerbating everything, or I just naturally react so strongly to Viktor. I presume it’s a bit of both.
“I paid for the meal before we arrived, so we don’t need to wait. Let’s go down this street to the park, shall we?” Viktor suggests, standing up from his seat.
I rise with him, feeling the effects of the whiskey fully now. My legs feel like noodles. Three drinks aren’t a lot for a man his size, but it is for a woman like me. I don’t take much to get drunk. Not that I am, however. I’m just very tipsy.
I follow Viktor as he starts to walk away from the table. My belly is so full that I’m afraid he might see it bulging out from my dress. I guess if he’s going to marry me, he should see all sides of me first, before tying the knot.
Viktor, although having eaten and drank plenty, walks with the stride of a man on a mission. He doesn’t slow his pace as I struggle to keep up with him. I have to take his hand and yank it back to get him to slow down so that I’m not jogging to keep up with him as we leave the restaurant.
“I’m I too fast for you?” he asks, looking down on me with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
I frown, putting my lips out as I clasp his large hand in mine. “Yes.”
He chuckles. “I can slow down, but you said you had to be home before it got too late.”
I scoff playfully. “I can be out as long as I want. I’m the boss of myself.”
“Sure you are,” he replies, looking ahead again as we make our way down the sidewalk and away from the building.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, challenging his words.
“Nothing. I was agreeing with you,” he replies calmly.
That’s doubtful, but I don’t press him any further. I’ll let him get away with it this time.
Chapter Eleven
Cora
A breeze slithers up my dress and wraps itself around my warm thighs. I feel as though Viktor and I are gliding through the park and that nobody else is there. Of course, there are other people, but I don’t notice them. I can only see Viktor, like there’s a halo around his body, gifted to him by the spirit world.
It does feel unearthly out here this evening. I never go out in public, so the experience is dreamlike. Pair that with a woozy perception of my surroundings, and someone might just be able to convince me that I am in a dream. Reality is flexible.
“Have you ever been in love?” I ask Viktor as we walk toward a fountain in the center of the park.
His eyes open wide for a moment before his face returns to its regular calmness. He’s surprised by my question. Maybe he hadn’t expected me to ask him deep questions on our first date.
“Are you suggesting that I am in love with you?” he asks.
I laugh. “No way. I don’t believe that people can fall in love so quickly.”
“But you would like to fall in love,” he says.
“I imagine it would be nice,” I reply, choosing my words carefully. I don’t know whether love will ever be present in our marriage, but I would like to think that he will make an effort. Politics aside, we’d probably make a good couple.
Viktor looks ahead, his eyes unfocused as his mind travels back in time to a distant memory. Yes, he has been in love. I can tell by the look in his eyes. Men who have loved look a certain way.
“You have been in love,” I state.
Viktor smiles, but only with his mouth. His eyes continue to stare into the distance as he explores a memory. “Yes, but that was when I was much younger.”
“Do you still love her?” I ask.
“No,” he answers sharply, a frown tarnishing his handsome face. “I don’t love anyone.”
“Not even your parents?” I ask.
“I never knew them,” he replies.
This is new. Born in the US, raised in Russia, and he never knew his parents? I believe I’ve found the first hole in his story. I wonder whether to dig in or to back off now that I’ve gained information. I don’t want him to explain it away. Maybe he’ll dig himself into a deeper hole.
“I, uh, had a tough childhood, which is why I went to Russia where my grandparents lived,” Viktor quickly says, patching up the hole in his story. “It’s tough in the US when you have no parents.”
“I can imagine,” I reply, lying through my teeth. I can tell he’s not telling me the truth now. I could let the other stuff slide, but this is too obvious. I’m going to get to the truth before I agree to marry him. I must know exactly what I’m getting myself into.
“Let’s talk about you,” Viktor says as we reach the fountain.
“Me?” I ask. “There isn’t much to say. I feel like you know everything already.”
“I doubt that very much.”
“I’m only twenty-two, and I’ve lived at home my entire life. There really isn’t much to say,” I explain.
“A blank slate,” he says, a smirk entering his face.
I nod. “You can teach me about the world.”
“Oh yes, I will teach you many things,” he replies, his eyes dancing over me again.
I can see the sexual intent in his eyes this time. I know that he desires to have sex with me, possibly even before we’re married. It might not be love, but it’s better than nothing. I’m excited about what he can show me in the bedroom, but I hope he’ll be gentle with me.
“What will you teach me?” I ask flirtatiously, unable to help myself.
“Adult things,” Viktor grumbles.
I raise an eyebrow. That’s awfully direct. “Adult things?”
“Things that adults do,” he says, clarifying nothing.
“And what do adults do?” I ask.
“Adult things,” he says, coming back to square one.
I laugh. “Okay, Viktor. Keep your secrets then. I’m just a curious girl.”
“You’ll know everything once you agree to marry me,” Viktor says, holding the deal over my head like bait once again. He really seems to want to go through with it. But I want to know why.
We stop in front of the fountain, and I place my hands on the rough concrete edge, feeling the mossy texture beneath my palms. I’ve felt many fountains since the estate is filled with them, but this one is different. It’s not so well-maintained as the ones on the estate, with moss and dirt covering it. I bet many people have laid their hands on it, just like I’m doing now. It’s like I’m touching every one of them and listening to the stories they have to tell.
“I’ll give you my decision tomorrow,” I sa
y. That will give me enough time to check with Mrs. Johnson.
Viktor remains silent. He was probably hoping that I would agree to it tonight, but I’m not that certain of him yet. I need to make sure that no harm will come to me once I’m fully accepted into his care. As unlikely as it is, this could be a big ploy to kidnap me and cart me off to Russia or something. I just don’t know.
I turn around to face Viktor, jumping in surprise when I see that he’s nearly touching me with how close he’s standing. I can feel his hot breath against my forehead as he looms over me like a willow tree in the sticky summer heat.
“Tomorrow, we will go to my house,” he says, his voice nothing more than a rumble in his throat.
“If I agree to marry you, then yes,” I say, sidestepping him to regain room to breathe.
Viktor stands straight and turns to face me again. “Do you have doubts about me?”
I shrug. “Probably not.”
“Probably?”
“Yes,” I say, frowning. “Probably. And you should probably not bug me about it, or my answer will be no.”
Viktor stares at me, his face blank for a moment before breaking into a smile. “Sounds promising.”
“Let’s keep walking,” I say, taking a step away from the fountain.
Viktor follows my lead, offering me his hand once he catches up. I take it, accepting his gesture. For everything wrong about him, there are twice as many things right. His hand feels like home in mine, and I like the way his cologne smells, like juniper and spices with a hint of something sweet. I could live with that.
Chapter Twelve
Viktor
My evening with Cora was enjoyable, but she sure knows how to push my buttons. One minute it’s a flirtatious smile, and the next she’s telling me that she might not agree to the marriage after all. Women like her drive me insane, but they also make me inexplicably horny.
I tried to suppress my urges to kiss her during our walk in the park. She almost seems too innocent to touch. I feel as though I’m corrupting her just by looking over her lovely sun-tanned body.
