Her sympathetic exhale expressed she comprehended his plight. She could tell him all day long that he wasn’t broken, just damaged, he could be repaired, but she knew he’d never listen to her, accept that he could be fixed.
His bleak, miserable, brutal life was ingrained from his birth, and punctuated throughout his motherless childhood, violent teens, and continued to his ruthless adulthood. So she asked instead, “What happened with your mom?” She’d heard his mother had died young.
Naithon swiped his paint on the wall until the brush was dry. Setting the brush down on the table, he picked up a rag and wiped his hands. Rubbing hard at a black smudge on the back of his hand, he peered over at Kiri. She was watching him, her expression sad. With an aggravated grunt, he said, “I don’t want your pity Kiri, or your repulsion of me to plunge to even lower depths.”
She picked up a sponge and dabbed at the wall giving the paint texture and blending colors. “I want to know you, Naithon. If you have any hopes of building anything…between us, I need that.”
“Damn women,” he muttered under his breath. Men don’t care how you were made, they just deal with who a man is. “Fine,” he snapped, then let out a harsh breath. “My mother was my da’s mistress. She died bearing me. My da hated me for killing her, and for looking like her, and my older half-brothers hated me because Da loved my mother more than theirs. The three of them beat on me every day of my life.”
Ignoring her big sympathetic eyes he went on. “Their mother, my stepmother Verona, never looked at or spoke a word to me. Ever. I did not exist, she looked right through me. Being invisible was worse than if she cursed me or beat me. It meant I was nothing, I didn’t exist.”
He kept his eyes on the rag he scrubbed over his fingers. He didn’t want to see her pity. Kiri had a huge soft heart, and she would feel sorry for the rejected boy that he’d been.
She stayed silent waiting for him to continue.
He took a deep breath, let it out slowly. “Okay,” he said, his voice void of any emotion, feeling. “So, my da made me drop out of school when I was twelve and start in his business. I rode along with other enforcers and learned the art of knee breaking. A couple of years and I’d put away a nest egg. Learned to gamble, had to have older guys place my bets as I was underage. I also ran a few…businesses under the table.”
He said quickly, “Those you don’t need to know about.” He grinned slightly at her disapproving pursed lips. It was better than her pity.
“So, when my da found out how rich I was getting, he forged papers with corrupt bankers, stole my money and kicked me out. With nowhere to go, sleeping in store doorways freezing my ass off, eating out of dumpsters, and fending off perverts sucked. I joined a gang. I won’t go into detail about that or prison, so don’t ask.” His face tightened and paled at the recollections that threatened to flood him again like some kind of PTSD triggers.
Kiri replied quietly, “Okay.”
He glanced at her, she was facing the wall holding the sponge in her hand. His heart warmed, she was deliberately not staring at him so she wouldn’t see the harrowing feelings the memories dredged up, and he couldn’t see her disgust and shame for the life he’s led. “I suppose you want to know about the wheelchair?”
She nodded and sponged the wall with a few dabs.
His drawn inhale was rough, then expelled like he was spitting out a bad memory. “You probably heard about me, and my brother Misolav’s wife, Fiereza. This town gossips like parrots at a tea party.”
“Just that you were involved at one time.”
“Ja. When I was young, for some crazy reason Fiereza thought I would inherit the wealth of my da’s business when he passed, so she set her sights on me and proceeded to reel me in. Of course I didn’t know it at the time, I was young, dumb and horny. She used sex, sometimes sick and dangerous sex, to keep me tied to her. I don’t know why she thought I would inherit, I’m the youngest of four boys.”
“Maybe because you were clearly the smartest, the most effective of your brothers?”
A nice smile lifted the dour set to his mouth. “Thanks for that, baby. I don’t know why she thought it. Anyway, the slut that she is, she slept with our attorney and discovered that not me, but Misolav as the eldest would inherit. I was basically considered a bastard child as my mother was not wed to my da. So,” his chest swelled then thinned, “I came home one day and found Misolav and Fiereza going at it like dogs. Literally. Like rutting Rottweilers. He was banging her from behind on all fours, and not in her pussy if you know what I mean. Grossed me out for weeks.”
A perplexed divot dug between her eyes. “Not really,” she said naively. Her head cocked as she then grasped his meaning. “That was what you were going to do to me that day you thought I was sleeping with your friends?”
Naithon’s head hung, he nodded. “Not my proudest moment. Thinking you were with Maz put me back to that time of seeing Misolav fucking my girl. But,” he looked over at her, “it was different with you. Fiereza is sort of slim all the way around, on the edge of bony. When Mislo was slamming into her, her small tits flapped back and forth like insipid flags. The minute I wrapped my body over yours, I smelled your scent, your freshness, your body is lush, baby. Your tits are full and perfect, ass a perfect round peach.”
With an air of self-consciousness, she said, “Hmm, Fiereza is a beautiful girl,” her tone indicated his description of Kiri was way exaggerated.
His head twitched towards her, was that jealousy? Cool.
“You hurt me that day, Naithon.”
Ears ringed red with shame, he looked down at his boots. “I was furious with you, but I wanted you anyway. I grabbed your tits so roughly because they made me remember Fiereza’s scraggy body and how sordid she had looked getting rammed up her ass by my brother. I don’t know, maybe I felt I was punishing you for her.
“Or entranced at how different you are. How different you smell, feel. Your scent is fresh, sweet, your perfect body is rocking lush as shit. Fiereza’s natural scent is always blocked by heavy perfume, her figure is scrawny, like a boy’s almost.” He chuckled, “Like they say, if you were a rose, she would be a cactus.”
Now that she understood about what Fiereza and Misolav were actually doing, Kiri cringed, then commented, “But you loved her at one time.”
Shoulder bumped with a disputing snort. “I was in lust with her at that time. Normal for a teenaged boy. She was easy pussy and taught me some…” he glanced quickly at her then away, “kinky, some real heavy violent stuff. For the life of me I don’t know what the hell I saw in her way back then, she’s disgusting.
“Thank Dio I dodged that bullet. She and Misolav deserve each other. They make each other miserable, and both cheat like there’s a swinging door to the bedroom. Now, you,” he set the rag down and moved over to her.
Naithon took the sponge from her and set it down, took her hand. “I adore everything about you, your hot little bod, your smart brain, insane talent, that brave, sweet heart of yours. Everything. I would never seriously hurt you. I would have stopped that day, Kiri, but, ja, I might have harmed you somewhat before I did by handling you too roughly.”
He stroked a hand through the back of her hair to clasp her head. Clutching her hair, he pulled it back until her face tilted up to his.
“You were going to force me when you first brought me to your home, Naithon, you told me. You would have hurt me then.”
Silence permeated, then, he released her hair and grasped her hand. “I hadn’t thought it through at first. I was so blinded with desire for you, I just wanted you anyway I could get you. In my world women have very little say, the men rule, you know that. The way I grew up, women are possessions, objects, their feelings and desires don’t…matter, to the kind of man I am. We just take what we want.”
“But,” he rubbed the back of his neck with an embarrassed grin, “the day I brought you home, Mazonn and I had a little talk. He made me aware of how much I would seriously injure y
ou by forcing myself inside your virgin body. He told me if I raped you that you would never forgive me, we would have no chance of a real relationship, which once I had you in my home I realized that was what I truly wanted. He said if I wanted you willing more than not, that I needed to go slow with you.”
His words sifted through her brain. A line crunched between her brows, she asked, “How long would we have a relationship? A week, a month, before you tire of me and desire those women that can give you that, uh…kinky sex you want? Would you expect me to stay around while you…slept with them? Or, I’m silly, of course you would push me out the door.” Her self-disparaging laugh told she was growing upset.
Rankled that she continued to doubt his complete and utter devotion to her, Naithon bent to Kiri, whispered against her lips soft as a butterfly to a flower, “I would never cheat on you, my lamb. Never. Because you are the only woman I ever want to be with for the rest of my life, our lives. I’ve never felt this way before, like I want to protect you, cherish you, make you happy. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Not seeing this little face every day, hell,” a shiver rippled goose bumps up his arms.
Not wanting her to feel under attack, he cupped the back of her head and his kiss was slow and gentle, softly exploring. Needing her to believe him, he kept his hands off her sexual parts and kept his erection turned away from her.
It was a cherishing kiss, and Kiri felt that, and she responded. Naithon’s heart did a high-five, finally. He didn’t rush, or push her, just cradled her head with his hands and swallowed his grin when her hands stroked up his chest to latch behind his neck. Not wanting to, but he broke off the kiss before things got too steamy. Letting go of her, he stepped back.
The green in Kiri’s eyes shimmered blurry. Surprising Naithon how quickly and deeply she responded, dazed, she just stood, lids heavy, lips parted as if waiting for his to return. She blinked confounded up at him as if asking why did he stop?
Grinning, ja, he was finally breaking through. “Baby,” he said in a low voice. “Mazonn sent me a fresh change of clothes. You were right about me not changing before coming here,” he grinned down at his paint-splattered clothes.
“I’m gonna shower in the locker room then we can eat. It’s cool outside, but I think warm enough for us to sit on the patio and watch the stars. If the night is clear, we’re high enough up on the hill we can see the blinking city lights. Okay with you, pigeon?”
That brought her out of her stupor. Mahogany brows drew down her tone chastised, “Naithon.”
His laugh teasing. “Can’t help it, baby.” His gaze drifted down to her chest. “That’s what they look like- hey!” he barked when a towel hit his shoulder. Kiri swatted him, only made him laugh more. She swung it again, he grabbed it, and used it to pull her close, and kissed the tip of her nose.
“You wanna play with the big boys, honey, you need to watch yourself. I can take this towel and tie those pretty hands of yours behind your back and have my way with you.” At the alarm that struck her face, he smiled and said, “In fun. I would only restrain you with your permission. I swear.” His fingers crossed behind his back.
One brow lowered in mistrust, her hands landed on her hips. “Uh huh, one of those kinky things you referred to, no doubt. What about when you think it’s okay to punish me?”
“Ah, well, then, I guess you’d better behave yourself so we don’t have to find out, eh?” The grin slid into a leer.
He looked so boyish, relaxed, playful, she almost smiled at his joking. But she didn’t, because that would encourage him to feel he had the right to spank her when he felt she had disobeyed him, or displeased him. “Go shower, Naithon. I’ll clean the brushes and put the stuff up.”
“Ah, there’s my bossy little pigeon.” Grinning, he leaned over and gave her another light kiss on the tip of her nose then took off.
Chapter Nineteen
Naithon hurried through his shower, he’d finally gotten Kiri to respond to his kisses and he didn’t want to lose the mood. Rubbing his face, he frowned at the mirror in the locker room. The driver had thrown in deodorant and a toothbrush and paste, but Naithon forgot to ask him to bring a razor.
He planned on more kissing and her skin was so delicate. And tasty, he licked his lips. For sure he was hungry and not for dinner. He wanted Kiri to be his dinner. But, you feed a lady like her first, then jump her.
Not like the bitches he was used to. Fuck ‘em and go chow with your boys. A smile warmed his face, his Kiri was a lady, his lady, and she deserved to be treated like a queen. He was pretty sure he was growing on her.
He’d been so careful to not touch her sexually, and to eat dinner with her every night the past weeks, court her properly. That way she’d think of them as a couple, a family someday, not as kidnapper and captive, horndog and victim.
Even if he let her go and tried to date her normally, Ignacio would hide her away so fast, and she would be in danger from whoever was assassinating their people. Not to mention that red-haired paunchy dick that had tried to lay claim on her before Naithon had snatched her out of his pudgy hands.
Not that he actually kidnapped her, Ignacio handed her right over to him with his blessing. Then again, it wasn’t with her consent to go with him, or to stay with him.
In the beginning, he only knew he wanted her. Desperately, obsessively. Naithon hadn’t cared what she wanted, but that had changed. Now he would do anything to make her happy, give her anything to see her smile at him. Stay with him willingly.
Those green eyes had always haunted him, but the weird thing was how the second he saw her for the first time when she was out of childhood, he’d known he’d want her forever. That feeling had only intensified once he brought her home to the point he couldn’t imagine his life without his little pigeon.
That made his smile widen. She got so blushing pink when he called her that. Even if she was mad, she was hot no matter what her mood, so he said things to see her blush in embarrassment, or glower at him in anger, his prudish, prim, lamb.
Stuffing his comb in his back pocket, he checked the small gun tucked in a holster at his lower back, then bent and checked the weapons he kept in his boots. He’d love to make love to her here, but they’d be vulnerable to attack. It’d have to wait until they were safe in the mansion.
Smiling at his reflection, he thought, ja, she is ready. He could tell. If anything, he knew when a woman was aroused. With others it was immediate, with Kiri he’d have to move in small steps or she’d shut down.
While she continued cleaning up the tasting room, Naithon removed the dinner he’d put in the oven to warm before he went into the shower. The plant was full functioning with a commercial kitchen, laundry service.
Tucking the blanket under his arm, he carried their dinner, and the basket that held candles and their iced tea. Also, how could he forget, he could smell the rich chocolate of the cake. Plates and cutlery were in the basket.
He set everything up outside on a patio table, and lit the candles. Standing back and surveying his work, he mumbled, “Who’da thought Naithon Adranokov would have turned into a romantic, domesticized gangster?”
It wasn’t long when Kiri strolled on uncertain feet outside. Her eyes flicked from the food to the glasses, the candles, to the blanket he laid on a lawn chair, then to him. As usual, he felt the instant throb in his pants, his heart raced at the sight of her. He was going to show her what it was like to be his.
Only a few puffs of dark clouds humped like round grey sheep blotched the black dome of night over them, not enough to hide the stars or veil the glittering lights from the city in the distance. The air was cool but not yet uncomfortably so. Later in the night it would get chilly. Naithon pulled out a chair for her to sit, then joined her. He set the food out in the serving dishes.
Kiri inhaled and closed her eyes. “Oh my goodness, Naithon, it smells delicious. What is it?”
“Well,” he started, spooning some golden potatoes on her plate then his.
“We have beef bourguignon, gratin dauphinoise, roasted root vegetables and a melty goat cheese salad with hazelnuts.” Handing her a basket of warm bread, he waited until she took one then he set one on his plate.
“I have to say, Naithon,” Kiri commented, watching him scoop some of the beef loaded with carrots, pearl onions and mushrooms on her plate, “I’m impressed that you knew what all this was called.”
His lips pushed out. “Because I dropped out of school at such a young age?”
Buttering a roll, Kiri set the breadknife down, her brow puckered. “Of course not. Clearly you managed to gather an education along the way. You are well spoken,” she said quickly with mild admonishment, “when you want to be. You dress tastefully to the nines,” her admiring smile swept over his length.
Even in casual clothes he wore top label. The sweater was cream cashmere, boots worn yet expensive, his black jeans were well worn as well, fitting perfectly on his lean hips and tight butt that she did not look at.
“I meant men don’t usually seem to be too preoccupied with fancy dishes like these and what they’re called. The few times I’ve eaten out with my father and brothers they just grunted and pointed.”
Stabbing a hunk of salad, Naithon slid it in his mouth, chewed then swallowed it down with a sip of tea. “There’s sugar and lemon for your tea,” he gestured to the condiments on the table. “Gariellos is one of my favorite restaurants, I haunt it quite frequently. Conduct a lot of business over drinks and meals.”
Munching a hazelnut, Kiri asked with casual indifference, “You take your dates, your girlfriends there?”
A hard laugh almost tossed his beef. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he said with humor, “Baby, I don’t do dinner, or dates, or girlfriends. All that is fuck more trouble than it’s worth. The only thing I get from women is sex, the rest of my time I spend with my crew or friends.”
Distilled Duplicity Page 17
