Mikhail Dmitriyev was even more impressive and formidable than before. Perhaps because he sat casually in the plush chair by the bed, studying me with a smile on his face. Wearing dark trousers and a white shirt similar to the first time I’d met him, the difference was he was without a jacket, his sleeves rolled up past his elbows.
He’d loosened his tie, unfastening several buttons on his shirt, and exposed a forbidden hint of his muscular chest. Even in the shadows, he was far too attractive.
The thought annoyed me.
No matter what he might lead me to believe, he wasn’t some innocent man who’d simply lost an employee to a horrible crime.
“What… How did you…” Unable to finish the sentence, I swallowed hard, trying to think about an escape route. Just with what I’d heard on the news report, I knew the man was capable of anything.
He chuckled in response, tipping his head to the side as he studied me. With his one leg crossed over the other, he had an elbow on the arm of the chair, allowing him to rub the tip of his index finger back and forth across his full lips.
“You followed me or had me followed,” I hissed, anger furrowing just beneath the surface. I hiked up the towel, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing I was terrified.
I dared to lock eyes with his, the bathroom light creating a slight glow over every inch of his incredible body. The television remote remained in his hand, and I could swear I was able to notice a glint of steel from a weapon. He’d also snagged my phone, placing it on the nightstand near him and several yards away from me.
There’d be no calling for help and Josie’s closest neighbor might not hear me scream given the thick concrete walls. What the hell was he doing here?
I’d been right. He’d quickly learned someone had been at the murder scene. As soon as he’d heard there was a witness, he’d become determined to find them. How had I been found? Fuck.
I was able to see the curve of his angular jaw, his voluptuous lips and his long fingers. He was gorgeous, dangerous, and tonight he appeared like a true threat.
“If you’re asking how I discovered who you are and where I could find you, I assure you that I have extensive connections in several cities. Plus, you were my sister’s bridesmaid. You take a lovely picture, Bristol.”
His sister.
Lilia. How much did she know about her brother’s dangerous persona and why hadn’t she told me? No, why hadn’t she warned me to stay away from him? Had she not noticed us together the night of her wedding? What was I saying? She’d been too googly-eyed over her husband. And to think I’d been jealous.
“That doesn’t give you the right to break in.”
He laughed. “It gives me every right. You certainly weren’t interested in providing the truth about your identity.”
“And why the hell is that? Because you’re a gangster.” Heat flushed my system, the distinctive throb deep within my core pissing me off. He was obviously a monster. How could I still be attracted to him?
“A gangster. I haven’t been called that in years. You seem confused as to why I’m here,” he said in his dark tone, allowing his eyes to sweep over me.
“I’m only confused as to how a talented, intelligent woman could have a monster as a brother.”
He seemed amused, both corners of his upper lip curling in a smile. “Both my sisters are protected within my world. They chose not to be a part of the family business. However, it would appear you’ve been talking with someone about the Dmitriyev family and our less than scrupulous reputation. I’m curious who. Although I have my thoughts. You were my sister’s roommate in college.”
He’d already researched my life and my past. “So what?”
“So, did you try and manipulate Lilia into telling you trade secrets?”
“Are you crazy? She was and still is my friend. We studied together. We laughed together. Other than the fact she had a twenty-four/seven bodyguard, she was just another student.”
His laugh was sardonic. “And you weren’t curious as to why?”
“Oh, please. There were a half dozen rich kids with bodyguards.” I was winging it, although the idea seemed plausible. I couldn’t provide him with any ammunition to hurt me. Would he?
Snorting, I folded my arms across my chest, shivering, the realization that even if I screamed, no one would be able to hear me creating a wave of terror. I had to allow him to think I was no danger to him.
“Very true, Bristol, but you’re no fool.” He narrowed his eyes, watching me. Studying me.
My skin was beginning to crawl.
“Maybe I am since I became tangled with you,” I threw back, instantly regretting it. Irritating him wasn’t in my best interest. “I saw your interview on television. You were threatening.”
“Was I?”
“You’re dangerous.”
He shifted in his seat. “Yes, I am.”
“What are you doing here? Why hunt me down?” I had to buy some time. I needed to get my phone.
“I think you know that answer, Bristol. I’m curious if you are experiencing a guilty conscience.”
“For what?” My legs were trembling.
“For crouching over the body of a very good friend of mine. For having your long, lovely fingers wrapped around the murder weapon.”
Oh. My. God.
A single bead of perspiration formed just above one eye.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
When he took a deep breath, his eyes became more penetrating. “I can handle many things, many foibles of human nature, Bristol, but one thing I can’t handle is lying. You were seen at the home of Sergio Pavel. Don’t bother denying you were there. You either went there to seduce or kill him. Perhaps both.”
“That’s not true. I’m not that kind of girl.” My skin began to crawl. What was he planning on doing with me?
The air between us crackled with electricity just like it had a few nights before. Yet it was supercharged, leaving me close to suffocation.
His sigh was heavy, full of disbelief.
I took a step away, mentally going through the number of steps I’d need to take before racing through the back door, which was closest.
“Then what kind of girl are you?” His question created another trickle of fear.
“The kind of woman who senses when a man is threatening her.”
“At this point, I’m doing no such thing. We’re simply having a nice discussion.”
Leaning forward, Mikhail placed the remote on the bedside table before rising to his feet, his actions forcing a whimper to escape my mouth. I hated that I was afraid of the man.
“I have nothing to talk to you about. Now, get out.”
His laugh was as electrifying as it was disturbing. I inched backward toward the door and he wagged his finger. “I suggest you don’t attempt to escape. That won’t bode well for our relationship.”
“We don’t have a relationship.” I calculated the odds of being able to get downstairs and out the door before he reached me. They were not in my favor. Yet I had to try. Before I had a chance to bolt, his deep voice penetrated every cell.
“You’ve been a very bad girl, Bristol, but you already know that, don’t you?” He crossed the room within seconds, gripping both my wrists and dragging me against the heat of his body. He was so strong and tall, his chiseled cheekbones and high forehead only adding to his dangerous appearance.
“No. No! Let go of me.”
“Hmmm… Not until I’m finished with you. What you might not have realized, sweet, precious Bristol, is that no one crosses either me or my family without paying a significant price. Now, all you need to do is to tell me the truth about what happened in Sergio’s home. If you do, then we can consider this chapter closed.”
This chapter. Why did I have a terrible feeling he thought I’d been hired by my father to spy on him? Because in a way, that could be true.
“I didn’t see anything, Mikhail.”
“But you admit you were there.” He cocked his head, his eyes narrowing.
“I was.” There was no point in lying to him, at least not about where I was. Within a phone call, he could figure it out. Then he might kill me.
“If you lie, I’ll know. There is no reason for you to hide the truth. It would seem that you had nothing to do with Sergio’s death, but from all appearances, you were the only one at the scene.”
“I…”
Inhaling, he tilted his head back and forth, his eyes sparkling in the dim lighting. My God, the scent of him was full of exotic spices and cedar wood, the fragrance entirely too intoxicating. I was thrown by the haze forming around my eyes as I was forced to stare into his. The same frigid cold, soulless cavern that I’d seen on television peered back at me, but this time, his gaze was filled with something else.
Burning desire.
I struggled in his hold and in doing so, the towel slipped from around my chest, sliding ever so slowly to the floor. Mortified, heat rose across my jaw.
He took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring, and the look of lust intensified.
“Talk to me, Bristol. Did you kill Sergio?”
“No!”
“But you saw something. Didn’t you?”
“Like I said, it was dark, Mikhail. I didn’t see anything. I was there to deliver a goddamn pizza.”
He chuckled. “Some truth, but not enough. Keep talking or you will be punished.”
“You’re not going to bully me. You stand in your expensive clothes and hide behind your mask of legitimacy while engaging in illegal activities, so you’re not allowed to judge me.”
“Quite the contrary. I am a legitimate businessman, but you’ll soon learn I’m ruthless, refusing to accept apologies or excuses. At minimum, you were at the scene of a crime, yet you didn’t stay where you were until the police arrived. You fled the scene, merely calling in the tragedy. What were you afraid of, Bristol? That I’d find out?”
“I was shocked, Mikhail, when I noticed a dead man lying on the floor. Certainly, even someone like you could realize sticking around wasn’t in my best interest.”
His laugh only increased. “Have you been listening to your father, the great mayor of our city? Did he promise to protect you? Did he suggest you lie to protect his illustrious career?”
Oh, shit. He knew everything about me. He did think I was involved in a conspiracy against him.
“To hell with you,” I snapped. “I don’t need to listen to anyone. I can read, including between the lines. You’re Russian Bratva and you think you can threaten anyone who gets in your way. I’m not one of your enemies. I delivered a pizza based on an order from Door Dash, which you can easily check if so desired. He was dead when I got there. I called the police. End of story.”
His sigh was heavy. “You’re still lying.”
I’d had enough of playing games with him. Even though more than a trickle of fear swept through me, I jerked away, immediately spinning and kicking him in the gut.
Stunned, his body was pummeled back against the bed when he thumped down. That didn’t stop him. He lunged forward, but there was no anger on his face, only sheer amusement.
I didn’t hesitate, managing to get off one hard kick then a second, but he caught my ankle, twisting me around. He wasn’t expecting my quick reactions. I jammed one fist under his jaw, breaking the connection. Only this time, I stumbled backwards.
That gave him enough time to regroup.
He snagged my arm, jerking me toward him.
“Your penance begins now.” Ripping my arms over my head, he grabbed both wrists with one hand, wagging his finger with the other. “You’re a very clever girl, moy ideal’nyy angel, but playing games with me will never be in your best interest.”
I’d never felt so vulnerable, scared to death about what he was going to do. When he backed toward the bed, sitting down and yanking me over his lap, my mind began to shut down. I was lost to the fear, my heart hammering to the point the thudding sounds echoed in my ears. Was he going to… no. No! I had to fight him. I refused to be some weak girl he could terrorize.
The second I began to struggle in his hold, he brought his hand down against my bottom with enough ferocity I gasped. Pain skittered down the insides of my legs, creating a wave of fire. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be possible.
“Things would have gone so much better if you would have told me the truth from the beginning.” I hated how his deep baritone created a wave of desire even stronger than I’d felt before. I wiggled on his lap, wishing I could be horrified that his cock was hard, the intense throb pressing in between my legs.
Mikhail smashed his hand down again, delivering several brutal smacks in a row. My stomach twisted and I managed to pitch my body forward and backward, horrified when I gathered a whiff of my desire. He was enjoying this too. When I was almost able to roll my hips off his lap, he released my wrists, fisting my hair instead.
“That’s not very nice, Bristol. I don’t think you want to cross me any further.”
I hated the way he said my name, the syllables far too seductive. He was spanking me, but he was also reawakening the same desire from two nights before. I was in some kind of shock, my tone turning into pleading. “Please, just let me go. I was telling you the truth.”
Mostly.
Had there been a camera inside the house? If so, why hadn’t it caught the person responsible?
He issued a single deep growl, the sound subtle yet even more provocative. “That’s not going to happen.” He continued the spanking, bringing his hand down in rapid motions, moving from one side of my bottom to the other.
I bit back my whimpers, refusing to allow him the satisfaction of hearing me cry. The pain was building, tears of frustration and fear drawing near. I kicked my legs in frustration, feeling more like a petulant child than a lawyer to be. I’m not getting away. The thought rolled through my mind as his actions became rougher, the sound of his palm striking against my ass cheeks floating into the room.
When he caressed my skin, rolling the tips of his fingers up and down my heated ass, I threw my arm behind me in some crazy attempt to stop him.
He wrenched it against my back, his fingers digging into my wrist.
“I can tell you’re going to need to be taught a much stricter lesson. All in good time.” He slid his fingers across my seared flesh then down the crack of my ass to my wetness.
“No!” I struggled as hard as I could, my actions only causing me to grind against his legs and the bulge between them. My entire body ached, and I was shocked and humiliated that my nipples had hardened. Fuck. Fuck. I couldn’t be aroused.
As he dipped the tips of his fingers past my swollen folds, I let off a series of moans.
“You’re very wet, moy ideal’nyy angel.”
“Fuck you.”
His laugh was too husky, too seductive. He pumped his fingers inside several times until I almost fell into the lull of ecstasy. I broke the insane spell, beating my fist against his leg. He wasn’t fazed in the least.
The spanking began again in earnest, the strikes long and hard. My pulse in my throat, all I could do was close my eyes and pray this would be over soon.
Then I’d kick him in the balls for using my vulnerability against me.
Mikhail pushed his hand between my legs again, this time rolling a single finger around my clit several times before thrusting it into my pussy. “You will learn respect as well as absolute obedience. I won’t accept anything less. Do you understand me?”
My body shuddered, the utter betrayal infuriating.
“You’re insane.”
“Perhaps I am, but until you tell me the truth, I’ll continue punishing you.”
I gritted my teeth, still fighting him.
He stopped long enough to caress my bruised skin. “We can play this in one of two ways. You can confess your sins, or we can have a much rougher discussion.”
“Only if you confess your sins.”
He thrust his fingers inside, pumping several times. My pulse increased and there was no way of shutting down the intense desire threatening to derail everything I was made of.
“From here on out, I’m your master, the man who will determine your penance for lying. At some point, you will learn to be a very good little girl.” He thrust several of his fingers deep inside, flexing them open as he drove them in hard and deep. Every touch was invasive, deliberate. With every plunge of his fingers, he dragged me toward a climax.
My breathing stopped short, my mind refusing to accept what was happening to me.
The passion we’d shared seemed a lifetime ago and what he was doing should horrify me.
But I was wet and hot, and he knew it. The attraction between us was off the charts, the need building to a steep precipice.
I tried to remain incensed by his words as well as the way my body responded to him. I was sopping wet, aching for him to continue touching me, furious that I couldn’t control my reactions.
The bastard repeated his damn chuckle, dark and devious, yet ripped with the most intensely sultry tone I’d ever heard.
Bucking hard, I managed to dump myself off his lap, immediately scrambling on my hands and knees into the darkness. I turned over and did what I could to struggle to my feet but my legs felt like lead. He laughed, his eyes becoming hooded as he allowed a slow and torturous gaze to slide to my toes.
The heat was building, every muscle in my body on fire.
He was even more handsome tonight, the earlier fight tousling his hair. I had a crazy need to run my fingers through the thick strands. Something was wrong with me.
He’d somehow managed to find me, hunting me down as if I was the criminal. Yet the twinkle in his eyes was a rush, keeping me fully aroused. To him, this was just a game.
One of domination.
And possession.
Hell, no. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.
Bolting, I tried to reach the safety of the bathroom. I heard his deep sigh seconds before he yanked me by my hair, jerking me against his massive chest. He held me in place for a few seconds, cupping my chin as he laughed.
“You have no idea how much you turn me on, my perfect angel.”
I almost managed to knee him in the groin, but he twisted his leg in time. “I already told you. I’m more like the devil.”
“Devils especially need to be tamed.” He captured my mouth, instantly thrusting his tongue inside.
The strong woman inside of me knew I should fight him in earnest, but my hunger was brutally intense. I fisted my hands to keep from falling into his trap, but as he rubbed his groin against me, my mind spun around the memories of how amazing his cock had felt, how incredible his lips had been on my pussy.
The kiss was powerful, even more so than the man. He was the most infuriating, dangerous man I’d ever met, yet I couldn’t deny the attraction or the sheer connection we shared.
He broke the kiss, immediately nipping my bottom lip. His growl was similar to before and every nerve stood on end.
But I wasn’t going to give in so easily. When I managed to pummel my fists against his chest, stumbling backward, he arched an eyebrow, his grin even more possessive.
He dragged me back to the bed, shoving me onto my hands and knees.
I was out of breath, the combination of distrust and fear mixed with intense longing keeping my stomach in knots. But I was certain of one thing. There was no way I was getting away from him.
“You’re a little fighter. I’m going to break you of that, but first things first.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I threw out, although I knew exactly what his filthy intentions were. I looked over my shoulder, watching as he took his time removing a weapon, placing his gun carefully on the chairside table. As soon as he took two steps away, I lunged forward, almost managing to wrap my hand around it.
His hand was around my throat before my fingers were able to touch the cold steel, digging in as he slowly pulled me backward. “That wasn’t very nice of you. You really are a very bad girl. I completely underestimated you.”
“I warned you.”
“Yes, you did.”
Barely able to breathe, I blinked furiously, shivering to my core. When I was back in position, he removed his hand, patting my bottom then yanking me until my feet were dangling off the bed.
“To answer your question, I’m going to fuck you, my perfect angel, which is exactly what you desire. Isn’t it?”
“You’re such a bastard!” I clawed at the comforter, using all my strength to kick him, finally able to connect my foot against his stomach.
“That’s going to cost you.” He brought his hand down several times against my bottom, only adding fuel to the ache burning deep inside.
The pull on my hair was just as painful as the spanking. Within seconds, I was exhausted, panting, aching all over as a wave of electricity shot straight into my core. He stroked his fingers along the seam of my pussy, every move utter perfection, arousing me even more. The man knew exactly what he was doing to me. When he thrust them inside again, I realized I was bucking against his hand involuntarily, driving the long digits as deep inside as possible.
Every inch of my body tingled as my pussy clamped around his fingers. I was lightheaded, reminding myself that this was just physical chemistry. I should be afraid of him. I should continue to fight him.
But the hunger was real, the need to have his fingers touching me, filling me unlike anything I’d ever experienced.
“Oh. Oh. Oh.” The guttural sounds from my throat were almost unrecognizable. This wasn’t me. This wasn’t what a good girl should crave.
I almost laughed since I’d been the one to insist I wasn’t a good girl.
But when I heard the bastard unzipping his expensive trousers, I sucked in and held my breath, another round of lights pulsing in front of my face.
“I can provide extreme anguish or exquisite ecstasy. The choice is entirely up to you. If you’re a good girl and obey me, you’ll get exactly what you crave. If you fight me on any level, then the punishment you receive is going to be something you remember for a very long time. Do I make myself clear?”
I couldn’t answer him. I had no words, no ability to make any additional sounds. I was lost in a surreal moment, a part of me wishing I’d never agreed to be Lilia’s bridesmaid. Why hadn’t I acknowledged her family was dangerous? I’d never learned anything from her about the family business, but he remained positive I’d broken some veil of secrecy.
“Answer me, my perfect angel,” he growled.
“Yes. I understand.” The sultry tone of my voice surprised me.
“Excellent,” he said in a subdued voice, as if using the softer tone to try to comfort me, to sway me into thinking he wasn’t a monster.
But I sensed what he was capable of.
A part of him wanted to believe I’d had something to do with his friend’s murder. Why didn’t I just come clean? Because I knew that would give him ammunition and I wouldn’t be needed any longer. Was it possible the man was a killer? I had no idea, but I strongly believed escaping him was the only real chance I had of survival.
This was unbelievable. I was worried he’d end my life, yet I was dizzy from the current, wet from his touch.
The moment I felt his cock slicing back and forth across my bruised bottom, I stiffened, fisting the covers.
“Relax, my angel. I’m giving you exactly what you need.” He purred the words, driving me into a state of desire unlike anything I’d ever known. I’d never been taken so forcefully, disciplined as if I was a bad little girl. The concept took my breath away, leaving me weak and anxious, yet a sickening level of excitement continued to build. The scent of my arousal created another wave of heat spilling across my face.
Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you. The words rolled in my mind over and over again, as if they had the ability to keep me sane.
He kicked my legs apart then pressed the tip of his cock against my slickened folds. “Relax and push back for me. Take my cock like the perfect angel you were the other night. Obey me.”
Obey him. The thought was strangely attractive, the softness of his voice enveloping every inch of my body like a blanket, soothing and enticing me into submitting.
As he pressed his cockhead past my swollen folds, my body acted entirely on its own, pushing against him. A warm, almost dizzying series of sensations washed over me, shooting straight into my aching pussy. Nothing was going to stop him from taking what he wanted.
He seemed larger than a few nights before, my muscles struggling to accept the thickness. I was stretched wide open, involuntary moans rushing up from my throat.
“Uh. Uh.” My pants were primal, my starved-for-attention body and mind yanking the brazen woman from the dark catacombs of my being.
He thrust the entire length inside, digging his fingers into my skin. His husky growls were cries of satisfaction, his breath becoming just as ragged as mine. “You’re tight. So fucking tight.”
“Uh-huh.” My mind was a blur as the pleasure overcame the insanity of hungering for the man.
“Did you think about me after the time we spent together? Did you crave my cock filling you, fucking you?”
I hated this man and everything he stood for, yet my mind was fuzzy, the scent of him alone intoxicating and driving all common sense away.
This was wrong, so very wrong. While I wanted to say no, he knew whatever I’d say would be just another lie. “Yes.”
“Did you hunger for my lips against yours?”
I shuddered inwardly, the truth reckless and dangerous.
“Yes.” The word slipped from my mouth.
Reaching around me, he caressed my breast, twisting my nipple until I cried out in the sweet release of pain. Skittering jolts shot through me, each one more intense than the one before.
Every part of me was on fire, my hunger almost as desperate as his. I was crazed from what was happening, unable to process his actions.
Or my body’s intense explosion of sensations.
I could tell just how wet I was, my juice trickling down both legs. Moaning, I smacked at the bed, groaning like a crazed animal. When he pulled out, slamming into me again, I couldn’t fight the gasps coming from my throat.
“That’s it. Take all of me. Every fucking inch.” He pummeled into me, the force used rocking the bed. He kept his hand tangled in my hair, holding me in place, as if there was any possibility of escaping. I was his prisoner.
Yet I’d never felt so free.
Together we rocked, both breathless.
Sweat beaded against my back, rolling down my neck. I arched my back, panting as he filled me completely.
Time seemed to stand still as he fucked me, the powerful man growling as he ravaged my body. I tried to resist, but it was no use. I could feel an orgasm threatening to make the final betrayal, taking me to a place of bliss.
I gasped for air, my moans scattered. And I lost it, the climax rushing up from my toes, slamming into my system with such ferocity I could no longer see.
“Oh. Oh. Oh!”
The same dark chuckle sounded behind me as he fucked me long and hard, filling me completely.
“Such a little tease,” he growled, finally releasing his hold on my hair, gripping my hips as he powered into me, yanking me back with every brutal stroke.
I dropped my head, my body nothing but a rag doll as he thrust harder and faster. I wanted this over with. My muscles continued to clamp and release, another orgasm forcing me to throw my head back, the scream soundless, my body shaking violently.
“Fuck. Yes. Yes,” he roared.
As he erupted deep inside, filling me with his seed, all I could think about was how much I’d craved him and how terrified I should be of the ruthless man.
Yet he’d stirred something inside of me that I couldn’t explain, a feeling so deep that I feared I’d lost all sense of control around the man.
He gripped my ass, teasing my punished flesh. “Now, my perfect angel. You and I are going to have a nice, long talk.”