Nikolai
Rose is tucked into bed, sleeping.
I fucked her so hard that I lost myself completely. I fucked her so damned rough that her orgasm was just as violent, and I held her until she curled into me and passed out from exhaustion.
Shit.
I let that go…Part of me wants to say too far but fuck that. She seethed with hate, pushed my buttons, fought me, and she loved every second of it. She let me use her as a fuck toy, took a brutal face fucking, and she was enjoying it as much as I was.
Shit. Just thinking about the sounds she was making, her face as she stared up at me with those huge blue eyes, loving every second, wanting more, I’m getting hard again. When I finally pushed into her cunt, it was absolute heaven, and when I let her finally have that big orgasm she’d been chasing for a while, it didn’t end. She fucking squeezed and squeezed my dick until I thought I was going to come again. I’ve never…never had that intense an orgasm before.
My little Rose is full of surprises, and she loved it all.
Me? I’m liking this defiant side of her. The claws. The stubbornness. She’s fire and heat. She’s perfection. I’m realizing more and more that being inside her is dangerous. It feels dangerously like I could want her forever.
Shit.
I spent too long in that bed with her while she slept. I held her, traced patterns over her soft, warm skin, drew my initials. When it dawned on me what the actual fuck I was doing, I got up, went to my room and scrubbed myself. I beat off because… Because she sets a need in me that I can’t seem to satiate, like I have to come more than when I was a hormone-flooded teenager.
After I rubbed one out, I switched the water to cold and stood there, cooling my blood. When I dressed, again, I found Mia and set her with instructions to feed Rose lunch when she wakes and report in. The last I checked on the camera feed, Rose is still tucked up, asleep.
I sigh. Being a busy fucking man, after that shower, after I dressed and gave my orders to Mia, I went to work. I spent the afternoon getting the plans ready with Tony and Rush. If they noted the scratch marks, the bruises, the fact I had another shower, they didn’t say a word. When we were done, they went off for their jobs and I hit the books to make sure all is fine and dandy in my world.
Now, we’re done for the day. Rush is done for the evening, probably got some hot little number to bang. Probably? It’s Rush. He’ll be in Queenstown in one of our properties, safe and fucking his heart out. Girls love him, and he loves them. That’s fine with me, as long as he doesn’t think about touching Rose.
Tony’s with Mia. I’ve got the house to myself, security outside and Rose upstairs sleeping.
And me? I’m fucking hungry so I’m making dinner. I finish slicing the bok choy and dump it in the bowl. I’m in the mood for spice. Thai. And- “You’re cooking?”
I turn, gaze sliding over Rose, who looks exactly like what she is: someone who woke up after being fucked within an inch of their lives. I linger on the light mark on her throat. Fuck. I know I should feel worse about it than I do, but it’s hot and I don’t.
“You’ve been in my room.” I wave the knife in the air along her body. She’s wearing one of my shirts again, but this one I hadn’t put out for her.
She must have sought it out herself.
“You destroyed my robe and you took the dress,” she replies simply.
I probably should have some clothes for her, but…fuck, does Rose look perfect in my button down. “Fair’s fair, I guess,” I say, turning back and prepping the herbs.
She comes up and eyes the pot and the wok, then the bowls and the rice cooker. “You’re cooking.”
“You said that, Rose. Did I loosen some brain cells?”
She narrows her eyes, like she’s trying to work out where we are now, or how far she should push. “Maybe next time.”
“Yes, I’m cooking. I can cook. I’m actually very good at it. I just choose not to very often. I prefer take out, or someone else cooking for me.” I eye her again, this time very deliberately. I’m betting she can’t cook because she takes a small step back before she stops herself. Then she crosses her arms, which has the delicious bonus of exposing her right breast.
It’s that sweet pale gold blush of hers, and her rose-colored nipple and areola are just perfection, as are my bite marks and bruises from today. I should probably be more careful. Probably.
She sees, and drops her gaze down, but she doesn’t cover up. In fact, she unfolds her arms and undoes two buttons, exposing more naked flesh to me.
“Fucking little vixen.”
She sniffs. “So, you can cook but you want a woman to do it for you?”
The rice cooker beeps. I switch on the wok and add the already just cooked ground chicken, the roasted powdered rice, and after I toss it, I add the chili powder, chilis, onion, and bok choy. I turn off the heat, add the fish sauce and fresh lime, and stir in the herbs.
“I’m fine with a male personal chef, when I have one, but Mia’s a good enough cook, and we get someone in on special occasions.”
She watches as I serve up rice and the larb gai, adding the fresh cucumber, carrot and lettuce. I have a bowl ready to fill for her, but I don’t.
Instead, I pick up a fork and spoon-the Thai way- and prep a mouthful.
Rose tilts her head. “I’m not sure I believe that.”
“Here, try this. Larb gai.” I feed it to her, and her eyes widen in real pleasure. When she’s done, I feed her some more. If I’m a little close, it’s only to feed her and not because I like the warmth of her, her scent, the softness she exudes, the way she can inexplicably make a man feel cleaner than he is.
“That’s…so good.” She makes her sex moan, and my dick twitches. “But don’t all men want a woman to cook and clean? A housewife, or like my mother used to call it, a slave with a diamond ring?”
“No.” I snort and feed her another mouthful. “Not all men. If you’re asking, I won’t ever take a wife. It’s one more person for someone to kill. I also don’t expect a woman, should I have one, to cook for me.”
Her hand comes to rest on my sleeve. “So you don’t want to get married?”
There’s a note of hurt I don’t understand in her voice. I know she once might have thought she was in love with me, but not now, not after all I said to her, not after I let her father take her.
“No,” I say softly. “I’m never getting married.”
“Good because you’re an asshole. I feel bad for any woman forced into that arrangement.”
“Forced? I assure you, I wouldn’t have to force anyone to be with me.”
“Or kidnap them?”
I sigh. Normally those words would mean punishment, but there’s more hurt than anger in her tone, her expression, and that only confuses me more.
What does she even think this is? Courting?
“Have I treated you so badly, Rose?” I shake my head. “No, don’t answer that. I have, but I treat you better than those other men. There’s that.” A part of me wants me to say I care, but that’s a lie, isn’t it? I know it is. I’m high on the sex still, even if it was that morning. It’s intense fucking hormones running rampant when I should know better. I change the subject.
“I’ve worked out my plan, Rose. If it all goes well, you’ll have your revenge.”
“And you’ll have yours.”
“We can share.”
Rose nods, leaning into me a little, and I offer her more food. There’s something about it, but I’m not sure what. It’s almost like she’s giving me what she thinks I want, or at least trying to. Then again, does it matter? She can’t escape, and I think it’s more than clear what waits for her if her father is still in the picture.
“So…” She looks at me, hand remaining on my arm. “If I’m going to be an instrumental part, what is it you want me to do?”
“Every fucking thing I say. When it’s time, I’m going to let you call him. Then, he’s going to take you somewhere. The house you went to before is now empty. He’s moved on. What I’m most interested in is his lair.”
“Lair? Like a super villain?”
“More like a gremlin. He’s going to go underground, like I said, and his secret fortress is where he has everything I want. If he gets there without me knowing, we lose him, and you’ll be in danger.”
If that happens, I’ll send her away, but he’ll still try and come for her.
He’ll send someone, bounty hunters, private eyes, anyone to do the job.
He’ll get her, and that’s not an option.
“Your bracelet will track you,” I say softly. Maybe I shouldn’t tell her. She recoils just the slightest bit at that. I’d have missed it if I wasn’t so fucking tuned into her, if I didn’t watch her so closely.
She lifts her hand from my arm and touches the piece, and then she takes the bowl and cutlery from me and eats it herself. I think about stopping her. I like feeding her, but this isn’t happy romantic bliss. This is about me prepping her for what’s to come.
“You’ll call him, make it desperate, garbled, and then you’ll hang up. I’ll take you to that compound and leave you there, looking rough. When it’s time, I’ll come and get you. I will. Wherever you end up, just keep the bracelet on.”
She nods. “Rough?”
I drop my gaze to her exposed tits. “Rough. Gloriously rough.” I get up and serve myself some food and take a seat at the table in the kitchen. I motion for her to sit next to me. Rose takes in the chairs and chooses the one opposite. I almost laugh. Fucking little minx.
“He doesn’t like me, Nikolai. Actually, I think he hates me.” Her gaze drops to her bowl as she pushes some rice around. “Why would he come and get me?”
“You’re his daughter. You’re worth something to him. Revenge for me getting you first. Take your pick.” I shrug. “It’s pride, mostly. He’ll see it as a win, that he’s top fucking dog, that he got you from me, that you chose him.”
She really doesn’t say anything. Just, “I see.”
We eat in a soft, gentle silence, like companions, and the animosity she’s been showing isn’t there. To make it more complicated, the softness isn’t pure either. There’s something weighing it, almost like hurt or sadness. I can see it in how she sits, spine curled forward, chin tilted down. I want to ignore it, so I bring up the charity ball.
“Tonight, there’s an event, a big charity ball. I have to go because I donate a shit ton of money each year, so I have to show face.”
Her head shoots up. “You? You’re involved in charity? What is it? Guns for Thugs?”
“It’s for battered women and shelters. For kids.”
She’s looking at me like I’ve revealed I’m from another planet. I narrow my eyes. “Don’t get ideas, Rose. It’s an act. It’s a huge charity. They have a bunch of feel good crap that rotates around women and kids, and I don’t know, three legged kittens and puppies.”
“I see.”
“It’s a great way to keep up my legit persona and make contacts, as well as wheel and deal in the open. As I said, an act. I’ve got hands in a lot of jars, Rose. This is one. I want you to go with me.”
She recoils. “Me? Why? So we can pretend to be in love again and make my father feel impotent?”
“I’m sure he does that on his own.” “And what if I say no?” she asks.
I lean forward and take hold of her wrist. “Not an option.”
“Of course not.” She sniffs and drops her spoon with a clatter. “I can’t wait to be put in a dog collar and paraded about like a prize, as your sex slave.”
Her hiss of sarcasm is delicious, and my dick twitches and stirs. “Absolutely, if that’s what you want, my little Rose. I’m more than happy to oblige.”
“I’m sure you are. Do you want me naked?”
“Don’t tempt me, but wrong event.” I’m not letting others see her naked, not again. Did it once and it still annoys me, knowing there are probably some still jerking off to what I let them see. “Actually, I meant for you to come along as my legitimate companion.”
“Your what?” She frowns. “You mean date?”
I smile very slow. “Yes, as my date.” As she stares at me, I get up and come around the other side of the table. I lean on the edge and draw her up to stand in between my thighs. I run my fingers over her mouth, and then I kiss her slowly, thoroughly, drawing her out, until she sighs and melts. “Is that a yes, Rose?”
“You’re not really asking.”
“If I am?”
She’s quiet for a long moment as she thinks it over. There’s that odd expression on her face, part hurt, part steel, part something else. I could threaten her, but what’s the point? She already understands the score. She’s a very smart young woman. While I can make her go, and I would, I’m curious to her answer.
“Rose? How about this. I’m asking, not telling. Will you come as my date?”
Blue eyes shining a little brighter, a small smile appears, one that twists a little in my chest.
“Yes.”