Page 11

Lying on my back on the massage bed, while the woman tilts my head to the side and works her fingers into my neck, I think to myself that I don’t often make use of the wellness spa for massages or treatments—anywhere near as often as I should. I carry my tension and stress in my shoulders and up the back of my neck. Coming here and getting a massage would save me a number of headaches. I guess I should stop and enjoy the benefits of this lifestyle along with the hard work I have to do to maintain it.

The treatment room smells of aromatherapy oils and the woman pressing her fingers into my muscles is causing me to twitch in pain, but the good kind. The kind that gets rid of the knots that pull your body out of alignment.

Aly lets out a soft moan of pleasure from next to me and my entire body sparks. I glance over at her.

She’s lying on her stomach with her face through the massage bed opening. A towel is neatly covering most of her ass but her back is naked and covered in oil. Glistening and looking silky and smooth.

My eyes trace the curve of her spine, down to the upward arch of her ass, just before the towel hides things from my view.

She moans again and moves on the bed, arching her back and lifting her ass a little.

“Oh my word. It hurts and feels good at the same time,” she giggles, enjoying the massage.

I want to tear my eyes off her, but I can’t look away. I need to look away though. This is dangerous for me. I can picture myself sliding my body against her back, over the slick, oily surface of her skin.

“I’m rolling over,” I huff, turning on the bed so that my face is also through the opening and I can’t look at her anymore.

She gasps and moans again and my cock begins to go hard.

For fuck's sake. This is not good.

I want to tell everyone to get the fuck out of the room so that I can run my own hands down her oiled skin and spread her legs so that I can fuck her from behind.

I want to hear those sounds—sounds created from the pleasure that I am giving her.

A soft whimpering groan drifts from her lips and I quite literally feel like I’m about to explode from desperation.

“Stop. I’m done,” I mutter to the masseuse. She lifts her hands off my neck, and I hear her leaving the room.

Aly lets out another long moan, oblivious to what she is doing to me. I prop myself up on the bed, watching her for a long time, wondering what it would be like—

I have to get out of here before I do the stupid thing I keep telling myself not to do.

As quietly as I can, I climb off the massage bed and grab my robe. My cock is throbbing. I can’t let anyone see me like this.

I don’t want to disturb Aly’s treatments, but I can’t be around her with those noises coming from her mouth.

I hurry from the room, closing the door behind me just as Alyona lets out another delightful sound.

I walk with a towel clutched in front of me, hiding the massive bulge of my cock—I head straight to the pool area.

Tossing everything onto one of the loungers I dive right into the cold, crystal clear water. Letting the sudden shock of it force my body to calm the fuck down.

We have ice baths in one of the other treatment rooms and if this doesn’t work that definitely will.

I float on my back, staring up at the glass ceiling.

This is helping.

My body relaxes a little and some tension eases from it.

I spend some time doing laps up and down the full length pool, then climb into the jacuzzi and let the hot water and bubbles massage any remaining stress away. I can’t go back into the treatment room with her. That’s for sure. But I can still enjoy the afternoon at the spa.

I pull my mouth to the side. Frustrated. Annoyed. Turned on.

This day at the spa was a good distraction from what she really wants me to show her. I don’t know how to handle that request.

What am I going to do about her? I don’t want to expose her to the types of things she saw in that video. I only showed her that because I felt I had to. She wouldn’t have believed me otherwise. But I don’t want to put her through that in real life.

I climb out of the jacuzzi and settle on one of the lounging day beds overlooking the city. From up here it feels like you own the world.

I drift off at one point, completely relaxed and letting my thoughts wander in any direction they please. And the direction they are pleased to go in is thinking of Aly lying naked on the massage table.

I let the images float through my mind as I fall into a light sleep.

Except I wake up with a raging hard on again after dreaming that Aly is riding me right here on this day bed.

I grab the towel and cover my crotch. Fuck. I hope no one noticed.

The pool area is quiet, so I think I’m fine.

I take a few deep breaths, wondering if I should jump into the pool again. Yes. Fuck it. How else am I going to calm down?

I throw the towel aside and dive back into the cold water.

It feels incredible.

When I resurface, Aly is standing at the side of the pool wrapped in a white silk robe and grinning down at me. I know she’s not wearing anything underneath there.

“Where did you disappear to?” she asks.

“I felt like a swim. How did your afternoon go?”

She dips her toes into the water and wiggles them. They are painted bright turquoise. “Look,” she says happily.

I reach out and take her foot in my hand. Feeling the delicate arch of her sole and the softness of her skin.

“It’s a great color,” I say. “And do your fingers match?” I nod towards her hands.

She shakes her head. “Pink.” Spreading her fingers and pointing them in my direction to show me, she smiles and gorgeous little dimples imprint in her cheeks.

I can’t help but smiling back at her. Her face is glowing. She looks incredible. This is the first time I’ve seen her properly smiling since we met at the club.

“You look radiant, Aly. And relaxed. It’s good to see you smiling,” I say, lifting myself out of the pool and noticing how her eyes trace over the muscles of my arms and then across my torso. I press my face into the fresh white towel to hide my smirk. At least I know she is checking me out as well.

She bites her lip, and it sparks that fire inside me again. She’s definitely checking me out.

No.

Focus.

Not again, Rigor. Get it together otherwise you’ll need to spend the entire afternoon in that ice bath.

Rubbing the towel over my wet hair I change the subject of my thoughts.

“Shall we get some lunch?” I ask. “They have an incredible salmon salad here.”

“Oh, yes please, I’m so hungry,” she says enthusiastically.

I shrug the robe onto my shoulders and place my hand on the small of her back as I lead her towards the restaurant on the other side of the spa.

I order us each a salad and a bottle of sparkling water.

Aly sits quietly, taking it all in, a soft smile on her lips and her eyes glittering. She looks peaceful, which makes me happy.

Beneath the table, our legs brush against each other while I try to ignore it. But it’s sending sparks through me and I’m fighting the urge to run my hand over her thigh and tell her how incredibly beautiful I think she is.

“Rigor—“ she says, looking up at me with curiosity in her eyes.

“Mm?” I respond, still thinking about touching her.

“Why do you hate my brother? Did he do something to you or someone that you love? Like torturing them or something?” she asks nervously, realizing that it might be a sensitive topic to discuss.

I clench my jaw. I didn’t want to have this conversation with her.

“What makes you think I hate your brother?” I ask, trying to steer the conversation.

She rolls her eyes at me. “Please, don’t treat me like I’m stupid. You obviously don’t need money from him. This isn’t a ransom kidnapping—so he must have done something bad to you—or someone you love. Otherwise why would you have kidnapped someone he loved?”

I sigh and press my fingers against my eyes. I have to be careful with how I answer this. The less she knows the better. But at the same time I don’t want to lie to her. Besides—she too smart for that. She will see straight through it. I decide to answer her with as little of the story as I can give without making it sound confusing.

Alyona stares at me with patience. She sits quietly, holding her fork lightly in her left hand.

When I start talking, she sets it down on the plate and gives me her undivided attention.

“Your brother took something from me,” I sigh. “Some one . He took someone from me that I love very deeply. And I want her back,” I say.

Aly bites at her lip and her eyes narrow as she listens. She shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

“He took someone you love ? Has he hurt her?”

I nod. “He’s forced her into a life she doesn’t want to live. A life without freedom. He has essentially taken her prisoner against her will and I want revenge for what he has done to her—but more important than that—I want her back.” I clench my jaw. I’ve said more about my sister than I wanted to say.

I look up and my eyes lock with Aly’s. She’s frowning and her lips are pursed tightly together.

“Avraam would never do that,” she blurts out, tears shining in her eyes, but not spilling down her cheeks. She blinks them away.

“He did it, Alyona,” I snap back at her. “Why would you not believe me?”

“Because my brother would never be that cruel. He is gentle and kind and he has always taken care of me. That isn’t the type of person he is. He wouldn’t force someone into a life they didn’t want.” She is shaking her head, denying the truth.

“Maybe it’s time for you to stop being so blind to the truth of who your brother really is. You’ve seen the video. You have to know that if he’s capable of that then he’s capable of anything.”

I’m angry, but I’m not really angry at her. I’m angry because I’m thinking about my sister and what Avraam is doing to her. I’ve had a fresh reminder of why I hate him—and why I took Alyona.

I’m also angry at myself.

Aly has been a distraction to me. I should be focused on getting Ruslana home safely but instead I’ve been taking care of Alyona.

Family first.

That has always been my priority. Look after my family before anything else.

But this is a unique circumstance. I dragged an innocent girl into the Bratva world. I became responsible for her safety the moment I did that. I owe it to Alyona to take care of her until this is over. And to make this all as easy as possible for her.

Aly has gone quiet, and she’s poking at her salad with her bottom lip pouting out.

Every now and then she picks out a piece of avocado or salmon and eats that—but the leaves and sprouts she is just pushing around the plate, uninterested in them, as though she’s lost her appetite.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” I say gently, reaching across the table and taking her hand.

My fingers brush over her skin and my heart beats a little faster.

“It’s ok,” she sighs softly.

“It’s not ok. I know this is all new to you and I need to be more patient with your questions.”

“No, you were right. I should stop being so blind. I am na?ve and I don’t know anything. The sooner I accept that—the sooner I can accept the truth about my life and the people in it.” Her eyes are piercing into me. Deep, dream-like pools of swirling browns and caramels.

I can tell she is talking about more than her brother, but I have no way of knowing what she’s referring to. With the way she is looking at me it’s like she’s directing her words at me. Like they are about me. But that doesn’t make sense.

“Aly, you’re processing a lot of new information. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re not na?ve. No one would have been able to know what your brother was hiding from you. I just think —moving forward—try to see things for what they are. But I do understand that you need time to process it all.”

“I see things for what they are.”

She sighs softly and carries on pushing her food around her plate.

The glow in her eyes has faded, and she looks tired and lost.

I have to fight the urge to reach out and pull her into my arms to comfort her.

“I think I’m about ready to head back home,” I say, trying to sound cheerful.

“Sure. Home—uh—back to your mansion. I’m tired.”

“I always get tired after a massage. Don’t forget to drink water.” I raise my eyebrows at her.

“Ok dad ,” she mocks me, the slight grin on her face making me feel better about her headspace.