Page 14 of Cruel Russian Monster (Safin Bratva #2)

I inched back on the bed as Jaroslav kissed me possessively as my hands tangled in his hair, his body pressed against mine.

When he finally tore his mouth from mine, my whimper turned into a moan as his lips trailed between my breasts, his five o’clock shadow brushing against my skin and sending sparks along every nerve.

Then his mouth closed over one nipple, sucking hard as he pinched the other between two fingers. I gasped, my back arching, body offering itself up to him like a fucking sacrifice.

There was no gentleness in the way he worshipped me. He took what he wanted, and I wanted him to have all of me.

He moved from one breast to the other, biting and soothing in turns, coaxing sounds from me that only he could. I rolled my hips, desperate for his hands to move lower, to move where I really wanted them to be.

A growl rumbled in the back of his throat before trailing his mouth down my stomach. With one firm tug, he unbuttoned my jeans, and in one smooth motion, he stripped off my jeans and panties.

He stepped back, his eyes glistening, silver raking over me like he wanted to devour me alive…and truth be told, I'd let him.

With every second that passed, my pulse increased, but I refused to cover myself.

“Open for me,” he said, huskily.

I swallowed hard and lifted my hands above my head, fingers curling into the sheets. I planted my feet on the bed and parted my legs, exposing myself to him fully.

His jaw clenched. He looked like a man holding back a storm. And I wanted him to break all over me.

“Am I the only one getting naked here,” I said, smirking, “or are you planning to join me?”

Jaroslav’s mouth curved, more of a warning than a smile.

His boots hit the floor first, then his socks. When his shirt came off, I sucked in a breath. When he was wounded, I didn't have time to appreciate how well he kept up his body…but now?

I licked my lips.

His chest and abs were chisel led. His body bore the cost of survival, lined with scars, that made me want him even more.

The graveyard tattoo I remembered from years ago had grown. Once contained to his shoulder and upper arm, it now spilled across his chest like creeping vines, curling over his heart.

My gaze dropped as he unfastened his jeans and shoved them down with his boxers.

Fuck.

Just as I remembered…long…thick…and engorged.

I bit down on my lower lip as I felt juices running from my throbbing pussy lips.

And he hadn’t even touched me yet.

He moved over me, and I held my breath as he settled between my legs. He dragged his knuckles up the inside of my thigh, lighting every goddamn fuse in me.

He kissed the soft skin above my knee, then his mouth trailed over the inside of my thigh, teasing. I wiggled below him to shift him; he knew damn well that wasn’t where I wanted his lips to be.

He looked at me and winked.

“Jaroslav,” I whimpered, my hips twitching beneath him. “Please…”

He slid his hands beneath my thighs, spreading me wide, and lowered his mouth again.

When the broad, flat stroke of his tongue finally met my pussy, I choked out a gasp and arched off the bed. One taste, and he was locked in, feasting on me like a starved man.

His tongue and lips moved in perfect rhythm, teasing and taunting. When his fingers joined, I grabbed a fistful of hair and moaned. They curled against my G-spot as his mouth worked on ravishing my clit. It wasn't long before my legs were shaking, and I was seeing stars.

I blamed this on the fact that it’d been a long time. That was the only reason my body was reacting like this. It had nothing to do with how dangerously skilled Jaroslav was.

It wasn't long before I squeezed my eyes shut and a guttural moan ripped from my throat as I shattered, pulsing around his fingers. He didn’t stop until I was completely undone, soaking his hand, his mouth, every damn part of him between my thighs.

When I opened my eyes again, my chest heaving, Jaroslav was watching me, a smirk playing on his glistening mouth.

“Things never change, do they, malishka?”

He crawled up my body and kissed me deeply. I tried to reach for him, needing to feel and taste him, but he caught my wrists and pinned them above my head. His lips found my ear, then my neck, and I tilted my head, giving him access.

Then I felt him at my entrance.

He pushed just the head inside, and I tensed. But nothing else happened. When I realized he wasn’t going to pound into me like some impatient jackrabbit, I exhaled and relaxed.

“I’ll never intentionally hurt you, malishka,” he whispered, his hot breath dragging across my skin.

Then, inch by inch, Jaroslav sank into me. And when his balls pressed against my ass, we both groaned.

Then he slowly rocked in and out, allowing me to adjust to him. When he finally let go of my wrists, I gripped his biceps as his hands slid over my body, stroking, teasing….my pleasure and breathing climbing fast as one hand pressed against my clit.

He growled, “You’re not allowed to cum yet. If you do, this won’t happen again.”

Stunned by his words, I just nodded.

Then he changed the rhythm.

Jaroslav began to slam into me, and his fingers assaulted my clit ruthlessly, his eyes locked on mine. I moaned, whimpered, breath caught in my throat. I wanted to beg, plead for him to let me cum.

Every time my legs flopped weakly to the sides, he fixed them, planting my feet flat against the mattress, keeping me open for him.

My legs trembled. My body was wound so tight, I was sure the only thing keeping me from spinning off the bed and across the room was the man pounding into me, owning every inch of me.

And then…he gave me what I craved.

His voice came to me like a whisper. “Fly over the edge for me, malishka.”

The orgasm tore through me, long and hard, until I was gasping, gripping the sheets, my body no longer my own. But Jaroslav didn’t ease up. He kept working my clit, kept driving into me like he wanted to claim not just my body but my soul.

My heart thundered, wild in my chest, and just when I thought I couldn’t take another second, he slammed into me once…twice…and with a low, brutal grunt, he came.

He hovered over me for a moment, chest heaving, then slowly pulled out.

Before I could even catch my breath, he dipped between my thighs and gave my soaked, throbbing folds one long, sensual lick.

A whimper escaped my lips.

Jaroslav crawled up my body and kissed me, softer this time, intimately, then wrapped me in his arms, tucking me against his chest.

He kissed the top of my head.

And I curled into him, holding onto the moment for as long as I could until exhaustion took over and I fell into one of the most peaceful sleeps I’d ever known.

I didn’t know how long I was out, and at some point during the night, I swore I opened my eyes and saw Jaroslav between my legs. It was either him or me who had the most amazing wet dream ever.

Now, my eyes fluttered open, and I sighed. Sex with Jaroslav was fucking amazing. It always had been. But this time he was different. More possessive. More commanding. Darker…rougher…

My nipples hardened, and my pussy throbbed. Clearly, I liked the new him in bed.

I turned my head. He wasn’t there.

Well, what did you expect? You’re the one who said it should be casual.

Just thinking about his mouth on my skin, the way he filled me, made me moan. And then, because apparently I enjoyed suffering, I rolled to his side of the bed and buried my face in his pillow just to breathe in his scent.

Girl, you're acting like you just escaped from the damn psych ward.

I sighed.

Jaroslav had been my first love, first boyfriend, the first man I made love to. And after him? No one. He was the only man I’d ever known. But, because of how I ended our relationship, he thought I had an ex stashed somewhere out there, running wild in the streets.

As much as I wanted to stay curled up, I knew if I lingered, the memories of last night would short-circuit whatever was left of my good sense.

I’d end up hot and bothered all day, craving a man I couldn’t claim as mine.

Especially when I didn't know when we'd be having sex again, because I wasn't about to do the initiating.

Realizing how much that sucked, I dragged myself out of bed, took a quick shower, and left the room.

I hovered outside Jaroslav’s door for a second, debating whether to knock.

But he was probably already at the office smoothing things over with Lev.

And the last thing I needed was to come across desperate.

I made my way to the stairs. I could do this. I could do the friends-with-benefits thing. No strings. No emotions.

But the way my body reacted at the memory of his touch?

Yeah. My body called bullshit.

Not really in the mood for a huge breakfast, I grabbed an apple and headed to the back porch. I leaned against the railing, chewing slowly, counting ants crawling along the wall, the yellow leaves rustling in the trees that lined the front, anything to keep my brain from circling back to Jaroslav.

Two hours later, I’d reorganized every damn cupboard in the kitchen.

This was a nightmare.

I needed to get out of here. Seriously, how was I supposed to not think about him when this was his damn house? When the walls themselves practically whispered his name?

I wasn’t paying attention when I stepped out of the kitchen and walked straight into the one person I was trying to avoid.

He grabbed my arms to steady me, and the moment his skin touched mine, heat shot straight through me and smack dab between my thighs.

I bit my lower lip to suppress a moan just in time.

“Hey, Vera,” he said, smiling.

“Hey.” I stepped back quickly. His hands dropped to his sides.

“Where are you heading to?”

“Anywhere that's outside.” I inhaled. “I just need some fresh air for a while.”

He studied me for a few seconds before saying anything. “Since you need some fresh air, how about we take a short trip together?”

Warning signals went off in my head.

“With you?”

I was trying to forget this man, and now he wanted to go on a trip? One where I’d be stuck close to him, day and night?

Jaroslav chuckled, “That's what ‘we’ means.”

Was this his way of saying he wanted a repeat of last night?

“But, what about Lev? You're his underboss; he needs you.”

His expression was blank as he spoke. “After the little discussion I had with my brothers yesterday, Marten convinced Lev that I needed a few days off.” A smile tugged on the corner of his lips. “And I'd like to spend them with you.”

As much as I wanted to go with him, guilt tugged at me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d gone too far yesterday. Maybe I should’ve handled Lev with more diplomacy.

“So…Lev’s still mad at you?”

Jaroslav ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah. Marten’s hoping a little space will cool things down. He’s holding things down for me while I’m gone.”

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “If I caused a rift between you and your brother…”

“Vera, it wasn’t you. And honestly…I’d rather not talk about it.” He held my neck while his thumb gently stroked my cheek. “What I want to know is, do you want to come with me?”

“Where exactly are we going?” I raised an eyebrow. “And please tell me you’re not using a U-Haul.”

Jaroslav laughed, deep and unrestrained, as he shook his head. He wasn’t much of a laugher, but damn, it was a sound I could listen to every day.

“I promise, no U-Hauls,” he said with a smirk. “But I haven’t decided where we’re going yet. How about you pack, and then we figure it out?”

I smiled. “A woman doesn’t pack then decide. The destination comes first…then she knows what to pack.”

“Alright then, let’s decide.”

“How about Florida?” I offered. “There are some great resorts with private villas instead of hotels. I’ll get that fresh air I need, and there’s enough to do that we won’t even have to leave the property, but we'll still have a good time.”

“Do you have a name? I’ll make the reservations now.”

“You don’t have anywhere you want to go?”

“Nope,” he said, completely unfazed.

I rolled my eyes with a smile, pulling my phone from my back pocket. I tapped on the resort and handed it to him.

“Here you go. I’ll start packing. Thanks, by the way.”

He gave me a small grin. “No problem.”

As I made my way up the stairs, I couldn’t stop the hope curling inside me. Maybe tonight, Jaroslav would find his way between my thighs again…and remind me exactly how good we are together.

***

Six and a half hours later, we were in Florida, already checked in to our villa, which had its own private entry and a secluded stretch of beach just for us.

I’d convinced Jaroslav to come with me to the resort’s game night, which promised everything from Twister and Monopoly to oversized Jenga and Snakes and Ladders.

The air buzzed with energy as laughter echoed off the walls, shouts of victory and playful trash talk filling the space.

Jaroslav lingered close, watching as I bounced between games.

Eventually, I got him to join me for a round of Jenga.

You’d think, judging by the laser focus in his eyes, that he was strategizing an entire faction operation.

Of course, he won. But for once, he looked relaxed, almost at ease, and after everything that’d happened between us in the past few weeks, that was a win in itself.

Later, we found our way back to the villa and sank into the beach chairs, a bottle of wine between us, as we stared at the waves softly crashing against the shore.

I closed my eyes as the cool breeze kissed my skin. Jaroslav may not have been mine to claim. But for now, on this trip, under this sky, I was going to enjoy every second I got with him.