Page 25

Chapter 25

Control Me, If You Can

Galina

T he spare bedroom feels cold and empty. I pace the floor, still naked except for Vasiliy’s shirt, my emotions a tangled mess. One moment, we’re declaring our love, sharing this incredible intimacy, and the next, he’s trying to lock me away “for my protection.” My hands curl into fists. After everything we’ve been through, after I finally opened up and trusted him, he still sees me as something to be controlled. Caged. Just like everyone else in my life. Just like everyone who has betrayed me. And even now, after all that we’ve shared, my own heart tells me what I already know, what I should’ve never forgotten. We’ll never be more than enemies bound by circumstances.

One thing is for sure, though: he won’t decide my future.

If a fight is what he wants, a fight is what he’ll get.

I find some pants in the bottom drawer of the dresser and change into them, fighting the urge to storm into his room to tell him off. It’s clear that he’s planned this for a while now. Why else would my clothes be in the dresser? Someone went to my apartment to get them.

A soft knock at the door makes me pause. “Go away.”

“Galina.” Vasiliy’s voice carries a mix of frustration and concern. “Let me explain.”

“Explain what?” I snap. “Your plan to keep me prisoner while you fight my battles for me?”

He sighs. “ Lisichka , let’s talk. I want to?—”

“I’m not interested,” I interrupt. “I’m not your prisoner, and I will not hide here while the rest of the world burns.”

I flop on the bed, sulking. I can’t bear to think about our child while he’s acting so stupid. What kind of future would this arrangement give our baby? Absolutely none.

A thud suggests he’s leaning against the doorframe. “Just listen for a second.”

I stay silent, which he apparently takes as agreement.

“I’m not putting you in a cage, and all this is not for the reason you think. You wanted to be on the frontline, and that’s what we’re doing, right?”

It makes sense, kind of. But still...I cross my arms over my chest. “I can take care of myself.”

“Of course, you can.” Vasiliy’s sigh is muffled by the door. “And I’m not trying to control you. But Vladimir and Matvei are still out there. Now that they know about the baby, they’ll be even more desperate. You saw what Matvei tried to do?—”

“That’s a reason why we should put an end to this,” I snap, regretting it instantly. Yes, I’m irrational. Yes, I’m not thinking clearly. The attack is all I can see when I close my eyes, my nails scraping at the floor, struggling for a way out.

Not again. I can’t.

“I need to be at the club,” I hiss. “I refuse to hide while enemies circle what’s mine.”

“Ours,” he corrects. “The club is ours now. And that’s why I need you safe. If something happened to you or the baby?—”

“Then teach me to defend myself properly.” I press my palm against the door, imagining I can feel his warmth through the wood. “Help me become stronger instead of trying to wrap me in cotton wool.”

“Fine,” he growls. He’s trying to suppress his urge to dominate, but I still feel his need to assert his dominance. Like a tiger restraining his instincts, he lingers on the other side of the threshold.

Impressive, but that doesn’t mean I’m accepting the situation.

“Okay, teach me, but don’t exclude me. Don’t take my fight away from me.”

“Will it satisfy you?” He pauses. “Can I trust you not to go behind my back?”

My fingers clench. As the surge of anger fades, I know we won’t reach a conclusion today. We’re both too stubborn for that. Time to see how far he’s willing to stretch his patience—and mine.

“Yes, I promise.”

There’s a long silence on the other side. Finally, Vasiliy lets out a breath. “Do you need anything else?”

“I want to be your partner in this, Vasiliy. Not just someone you need to protect.”

“Understood,” he replies. The raw emotion bleeds through his voice, undercut by an honesty I never thought I’d hear from him. It reminds me of every moment we’ve had together. Beneath his savage violence, beneath his machinations and deceit, beats the heart of a protector. There’s compassion beneath his cold intensity, loyalty beneath his calculated mask. “But we do this my way. No rushing back to work until you’re fully healed. And you accept whatever security measures I put in place.”

I consider his offer. It’s not perfect, but it’s a start. “Counter offer: I work from home until the doctor clears me, but I get full input on security arrangements. And you teach me everything you know about self-defense.”

A low chuckle reaches me through the door. “You drive a hard bargain, lisichka .”

“Is that a yes?” I fight the urge to jump off the bed and fling open the door. It would be like admitting defeat.

“Yes,” he says. “You got yourself a deal. Now will you please open this fucking door?”

“Sure.” I let out a breath of relief and cross the room. I twist the handle, revealing Vasiliy lounging against the doorframe in nothing but his boxer briefs. His gray eyes darken as they rake over me in his shirt, and suddenly the air between us feels charged with electricity again.

“You’re beautiful when you’re angry,” he murmurs, reaching for me.

A smile breaks over my face, and I grab his hand. “I’m still mad at you.”

“I know.” He follows me into the room, moving with that predatory grace that never fails to make my pulse race. “Let me make it up to you.”

“How are you going to—” My breath catches in my throat as his arm snakes around my waist. A deep heat licks along my core, distracting me from rational thoughts. “Oh.”

He tugs on the hem of my shirt. “Would you like me to make you come again?”

“Yes,” I sigh, swallowing a gasp as his knuckles skim across the sensitive skin of my stomach. My whole body sings with desire.

“Then you’ll have to keep your hands to yourself.” He releases me and backs away slowly, crossing to the far side of the bed.

“What are you doing?” Lust flares within me, the mere sight of his gorgeous face and sculpted torso making me throb.

“Hands to yourself,” he reminds me. “No touching.”

I stand on the threshold, stunned. What kind of messed-up game is he playing now? “You can’t be serious.”

His brow rises, and he smiles, no doubt well aware of the effect his near-naked body is having on me. “Completely.”

I clench my hands, digging my fingernails into my palms. Now the fight against desire is inside me—and the one who started it, too.

“Come here,” he orders, sitting on the edge of the mattress. A command.

I nod and slide next to him. He nods his approval, and heat fills my veins.

“Close your eyes,” he demands, his voice gentle but firm.

I blink up at him, hesitant. This has the potential to explode in my face. I’ve never played this kind of game before, and I’m not sure whether I can do it. Would it show weakness or consent, letting myself go so completely? Would there be a difference?

Before I can decide, Vasiliy closes the distance between us, his hands coming up to gently cradle my jaw. My eyelids flutter, my breathing quickening as he presses his warm lips to mine in a soft, delicate kiss. His mouth moves over mine with slow, careful movements. The tenderness of the kiss weakens my resolve, igniting a flame in my belly that wars with the intense throbbing between my thighs.

I stay still, letting him run his fingers through my hair and brush the edge of my jaw. Electricity sparks wherever his hands touch, fire winding down my spine and making every nerve ending stand on end. Long moments stretch out between us, creating a spell that I desperately wish could last forever.

When he finally pulls away, I can’t suppress the soft moan that rises to my lips.

Vasiliy runs his thumb along my lower lip, a glint of pride in his steely eyes. “Take off your clothes.”

Nodding, I stand and reach for the waistband of my pants, then hesitate.

“That’s an order,” he says, his voice dropping a full octave.

I bite my bottom lip, hesitating for only a second before quickly stripping off my clothes. The feeling of cool air on my damp sex sends a shiver through me, my nipples pebbling instantly.

“Good girl.” Vasiliy strokes my upper thigh with his fingertips. “Turn around.”

“Why?”

“Because I fucking told you to.”

“And if I don’t?” I challenge, though I already know the answer.

“Then you’re being a disobedient little fox, and I’ll have to find a creative way to punish you.”

As appealing as the thought is, I force my reluctant body to turn toward the wall. He’s never been gentle with me, and while there was the odd hiccup and a good reason, I’ve since learned that Vasiliy doesn’t really understand the difference between love and ferocity. That is something we both have to work on, and maybe accepting the latter is a first step toward the former.

Now my skin comes alive at his mere presence, knowing what’s coming next, somehow knowing more than he does. Every brush of his fingers unleashes a new wave of anticipating pleasure, heightened tenfold by the small sounds of his breath. A soft caress makes me suck my breath through my teeth, even as it sets my body trembling. When his teeth graze the shell of my ear, a whimper escapes me.

I shudder and tremble, willing him to touch me there, certain that he won’t.

Vasiliy slowly slides his hands up my waist to fondle my breasts. His cock brushes my ass, sending shivers down my spine. I want to ask him again for what I need, but being denied answers seems too delicious a prospect to give up. I lean into his touch, moaning.

He begins trailing kisses along the arch of my neck, his hands still stroking my sensitive flesh. One long finger plays over the tip of my nipple, then gives the hard bud a single sharp tweak.

“Is that better?” he whispers.

My head nods even as I press back into his touch. “Please, stop teasing me.”

“Oh, I haven’t even started,” he purrs, sliding a hand down the length of my torso to cup my pussy. His hot breath ghosts over the shell of my ear, making my senses explode.

“Oh, God.” I struggle to keep my legs straight as his thick fingers skate along the edge of my slit, dragging wetness up to tease my clit. Gasping, I try to adjust my stance, but he’s too fast, and now his free hand moves to the front of my throat.

The light squeeze and firmer downward stroke send my hips bucking in desperation. Pleasure pools in my belly as he slides a thick digit into my slick entrance, a second quickly joining. I clench my inner muscles around his fingers, lost in a haze of incredible sensations. The feel of his thick, strong fingers inside me, stretching me and probing deeper, combined with the restraint on my throat has me whimpering. No matter how hard I try, I can’t stop shaking.

“Not good enough for you yet?” Vasiliy sounds amused.

“Yes.” I bite my lip to prevent more embarrassing whines.

He pinches the side of my clit, and I choke on a desperate moan.

“Beg,” Vasiliy commands, flexing his fingers.

I close my eyes, inhaling sharply as arousal burns through my body, the thought of coming undone once again by his hands just as thrilling as the first time. But despite the thrill, his ego isn’t the only thing fueled by this. If he denies me, I won’t give him the satisfaction.

“ Lisichka ,” he whispers. “Now.”

The tone makes me shiver, my breath catching in my chest as the word leaves my mouth. “Please.”

“Please, what?”

“Please make me come.”

He hums, licking the curve of my ear. “You’re learning.”

His finger becomes motionless, hovering just over my clit. Cold anticipation floods through me, knowing I’ll get the thing I crave, but only if I truly beg. “Touch me, Vasiliy. Right there. You’re driving me insane!”

“Better, but not quite.”

He does as I ask, his fingertips massaging my throbbing bud as his thick fingers probe my channel. All my focus collapses in on the place he’s touching, and I lose myself in the overwhelming torrent of pleasure. Within seconds, my toes curl, my breath coming in deep gasps as I rock my hips against his hand. I can feel his steely length pressed against my ass, my nerve endings exploding beneath my skin.

“Vasiliy, please!” I gasp. “Please, fuck me! I can’t...”

“See?” he says, amusement in his voice. “Now was that so difficult?”

With an obscenely lewd sound, he withdraws his fingers and turns my face toward him. His mouth crashes against mine, his tongue seizing control of my mouth. I shiver against him, delirious with lust, my juices running down my thighs. A needy whimper is wrenched from my throat, reverberating around us. His hands frame my face, both smeared with my arousal.

My breasts feel so heavy they hurt. My body burns and aches, my thighs trembling with the constant friction.

“Beautiful,” Vasiliy breathes, his hand ghosting over my clit. He drags his thumb along my throbbing sex, letting it linger between my folds.

There are no words to describe how desperate he’s made me. I cry out when he pushes back inside. The sound merges with his low groan, his hips jerking forward into my ass. There is nothing tentative or tender about him now, not when his chest is heaving and his breath is as fast as mine, his cock searing hot even through the fabric of his boxer briefs.

“You’re the most glorious thing I’ve seen,” Vasiliy growls, palming my breast with one hand as the other rests gently against my shoulder.

He gives me a nudge, guiding me forward so that I’m positioned on all fours. Before I can question his motives, he presses his body against mine. As his lips skate over the back of my neck, a hand snakes around to rub my pussy. I scream, arching into his touch, a pulse of fluid rushing to greet his fingertips.

“I won’t give you what you want, lisichka , not just yet. Not until you tell me what you’re asking for.” He brings his palm down, landing a stinging slap on the cheek of my ass. A tidal wave of emotions threatens to sweep me away.

I gush with arousal, a fresh wave of wetness leaking out onto his fingers. I can’t think—can’t do anything but give in. When he pulls his cock out and enters me in a single forceful thrust, I throw back my head and pant. Fuck. Shivers course through me as pleasure continues to build. So close. I groan, pushing back to meet his hips. And that’s when he pinches the tip of my clit and changes his angle, making me tremble.

My orgasm hits me like a hurricane. I thrash and wail, my inner muscles convulsing around his cock. Deep spasms seem to reach every cell. He pulls away but keeps thrusting, chasing his own release and forcing aftershocks out of me.

“N-No,” I manage to whimper, pushing back against his movements. “That’s too much.”

With an agonized groan, he buries his face in the curve of my neck, kissing me there. He shudders, emptying himself deep within me.

He moves slowly, so slowly. My hips jerk up, and suddenly, I’m able to take a deep breath. Now, at this exact moment, I feel nothing but a blissful elation. Then the bastard has to move and break the spell.

“Fuck!” I try to bat his hand away, but Vasiliy’s laugh lets me know he has no intention of stopping any time soon.

“Come for me, lisichka . Come again.” He rests a palm on the small of my back, keeping me in place as he continues his task.

Stars form behind my eyelids, and my fingers find purchase in the fabric below them. This wave is warmer, flooding every last inch of my body, my flesh feeling like molten lava.

Finally, he relents, and I fall forward with a satisfied sigh. My climax seems never-ending, aftershocks sparking across my flesh.

“Mm.” I barely register the fingers combing through my hair, or the soft kisses Vasiliy presses along my shoulder. The afterglow hasn’t fully worn off, but the tension I’ve carried since the night Matvei tried to rip my world apart finally begins to loosen. For a moment, wrapped in the tangle of warm sheets and Vasiliy’s arms, it feels like nothing can reach us.

Then the world shifts.

A sharp pop splits the air, muffled and distant, like fireworks heard through glass. Followed by another. Vasiliy stiffens beneath me.

His breath stills.

Then, sharply: ”Get down!”

He doesn’t wait. One arm sweeps around my waist, the other grabs the edge of the duvet. He half-drags, half-rolls me off the bed, shielding my body with his as we land behind the thickest piece of furniture in the room.

The first window explodes.

Glass rains like hail, glittering and violent, scattering across the hardwood floor as bullets shred through the penthouse. Wood splinters, lamps crash to the ground. Shards tear through pillows and books and picture frames—anything that isn’t nailed down becomes debris.

I can’t breathe.

Vasiliy covers me with his body, every muscle coiled, eyes scanning, mind already calculating. The acrid stench of gunpowder fills the room, mixing with the sharp scent of sweat and the copper tang of blood—though I can’t tell if it’s his or mine.

I curl instinctively; one arm thrown across my stomach.

The baby.

Our baby.

More shots. Rapid-fire now. The bedframe takes the worst of it—splintering above us, chunks of wood crashing down like shrapnel. Somewhere across the room, a painting rips in half. A wine glass explodes near the bar. The wall near the entrance caves in slightly with the force of a close-range blast.

Then—silence.

Heavy. Suffocating.

Boots crunch slowly across broken glass, each step deliberate. Closer. Closer.

Vasiliy grabs my hand, squeezing once. No words. Just pressure. I’m still pressed against the cool floor, naked under the covers we dragged with us, heart hammering against his side.

And then I hear the voice.

Familiar. Cruel. Mocking.

“Did you really think you could hide from me?”

Matvei.