Page 60 of Deceptive Vows

We all look toward the door as Mikhail walks in, moving with an air of authority.

Out the corner of my eye I note how Sophia straightens and no longer seems to take charge.

She’s not afraid of him the way I am. Her reaction seems more respectful than anything else. The seamstress, too, takes notice and looks cautious.

Mikhail comes closer and walks right up to me. It only takes a second before my mind summons the intimate kiss we shared this morning. A kiss too intimate for us, for him, for me.

My first kiss was from one of Raul’s drunken soldiers trying to force himself on me. I was barely fourteen and he was nearly fifty. My father luckily got me away from him. If he hadn’t, God knows what would have happened to me. There were many underaged girls on the plantation with children. Girls as young as twelve. All impregnated by Raul’s guards.

The myriad of kisses that followed after the first were from men who’d forced their lips on me and would have forced me to do more if not for the forbidden mark Raul placed on me. Touching me meant death. Felipe barely got away with what he could, but he knew Raul would have killed him, too, if he lost him the business opportunity I was.

Mikhail is the first man I gave my kiss away to willingly.

“I think we can agree this is the dress,” he states, glancing at Sophia, who nods and smiles.

“Apart from your mother, I don’t think I’ve seen a more beautiful bride,” she states, and then she says something more to him in Russian.

He returns his attention to me and looks me up and down before talking again.

“Spasibo, chto byli zdes'. YA by khotel pobyt' seychas so svoyey krasivoy zhenoy.”

He’s speaking to her but looking right at me, and, of course, I have no idea what he’s saying. Unlike when he’s talking to the maid and I’m not surewhatthey’re talking about, I know he’s talking about me from the way he looks at me.

“Of course, that’s no problem. We’ll be done in about fifteen minutes,” Sophia replies.

“Great.” He glances back at her then leans close to my ear in an openly seductive manner, uncaring of who is watching us. “Come upstairs when you’re finished.” His voice is low enough for my ears only, but I’m aware of the two women watching us. “Don’t wear any panties.”

Our eyes lock, and my breath hitches. I swear I turn every shade of red. My skin is hot with the seductive rush that heats my body up from the inside out. I remember the panties he pocketed yesterday morning and the way he sniffed them before tucking them away.

“Or a bra,” he adds, deepening his stare.

I know what he wants.

I know what going upstairs with no panties or a bra will mean and what’s coming next.

He wants me, and he wants me to give myself to him now.

He doesn’t wait for an answer, doesn’t need to.

Mikhail knows as much as I do that the wordnowill never be an option for me.

17

Natalia

Imake my way up the stairs on shaky legs.

Sophia and the seamstress just left, and the house has quieted down. Even though tonight shouldn’t be that different to any other night, the house seems extra quiet, so quiet you could hear a pin drop from the other wing.

Aleksander has retired to his quarters, so the only people inside the main section are Mikhail and me.

The only good thing about that is the fact that I don’t have to feel so aware walking up the stairs with no panties on.

I’m wearing a woolen tunic that just brushes the tops of my knees.

I’m also aware of the moisture gathering between my thighs, and I’m not sure if I should lie to myself and believe I’m not aroused, because I am.

It doesn’t make sense to think I could be aroused for anything other than him, and I hate my body for betraying me. It’s like the years of being around the worst men known to man have done nothing for my common sense. What good is common sense here, though?