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I can feel the heat of our bodies as I carry Lara to the couch, our lips still locked in a desperate, urgent kiss. The weight of her in my arms feels just right, like she’s always belonged in them, and I know that we are both teetering on the edge of surrender.

Gently, I lay her down on the soft cushions, my hands roaming over the curves of her body with reverent curiosity. My fingers trace the outline of her hips, dipping slightly beneath the waistband of her pants, teasing her as an involuntary gasp escapes her lips. "Dima…" she breathes, her voice quivering with anticipation.

"Patience, Sweetheart," I murmur against her lips, but to my surprise, she decides otherwise. Sitting up suddenly, Lara stands and pushes me back onto the couch with unexpected force, straddling my hips and pinning me down. A mischievous smile dances across her face as she looks down at me with pure, unadulterated desire. This strong, confident woman is such a sight for sore eyes, and I can't help but groan in approval.

"Seems unfair that you’re left to always take care of me," she teases, her fingers deftly working to unzip my pants. They fall to the floor with a soft thud, and she slides off the couch, kneeling before me.

As she gazes up at me with those beautiful, soulful eyes, the adoration in them cause my heart to swell with love. She doesn't hesitate any longer—slowly, tenderly, takes my cock in her hands, and her gorgeous pouty lips part as she takes me into the wet heat of her mouth. The sight of her lips stretched around me is almost my undoing.

She sets an unhurried pace, lavishing attention on every inch of my length. Her tongue swirls in a way that has pleasure building at the base of my spine.

"God, Lara…" I manage to choke out between gasps as she suddenly takes me to the back of her throat. My body tenses as Lara's lips and tongue work their magic, eliciting groan after groan. My fingers tangle in her hair, not to guide her, just to touch her. The intimacy of the act overwhelms me—that she would give herself to me so completely tears at my heart.

"Ah, Lara," I rasp out, my voice strained with desire. "You're…incredible."

When her eyes meet mine again, I'm lost. I watch as she keeps her gaze on me and hollows her cheeks to pick up the pace. The coil of pleasure in my gut winds tighter and tighter until I can no longer hold back.

But, I must. The night is young, and she’s served enough. Now, I need to serve her.

Fighting against all carnal instincts, I gently grab her shoulder, pulling her back. “Stop,” I moan, as she fights to return to my cock with her mouth. I pull her up from her knees, sliding her down on the couch. She gazes up at me expectantly, her chest rising and falling with each ragged breath, her eyes flickering to my rock-hard cock.

My hands roam down her body, slipping under her dress to caress her thighs. I trail my fingers higher, delighted to find the stretched-thin panties, which I remove with a slow trail of my fingers down her legs. She shivers with each inch I cover.

I leave a trail of kisses on my way back up, her panties now discarded, and the scent of her gets intoxicating, drawing me closer like a moth to a flame.

"Your turn," I whisper, positioning myself between her legs.

Lara moans as I stroke her slick folds. Her hips undulate, seeking more pressure and friction. I oblige, sliding my tongue across her parting. She bucks her hips, a soft "oh my god” parting from her lips. I take my thumb, caressing her clit, my tongue flicking at her folds.

She tastes just like herself, honeyed summer nectar, and I drink her in as deeply as I can. She is mine, and I am hers.

Her juices drip down my mouth, and when I feel her ready for me, I gently put a finger in her. Her muscles tense from the invasion.

"Relax, Lara," I breathe, my warm breath fanning across her heated skin. "Let me take care of you…"

And with that, I lose myself in the act of pleasuring her.

***

The soft rise and fall of Lara's chest lull me into a state of tranquility as she sleeps in my arms. The moonlight filters through the curtains, casting a gentle glow on her peaceful face, her inky black hair spread out against me. I haven't felt this content in ages.

Totally at peace.

The shrill ring of my phone shatters the serenity. With a sigh, I carefully disentangle myself from Lara's embrace and step out of the room, careful not to wake her. My heart races with unease as I answer the call. "Nikolai, what is it?"

"Dima, we have a problem." Nikolai's voice is tense, and I brace myself for whatever news he has to deliver. At this hour, it can’t be good. "Lara's brothers are in trouble. They sent an SOS alert."

"Damn it," I mutter under my breath. "Why couldn’t they stay out of trouble just this one night?"

"Unfortunately, I don't have time to discuss that now,” my brother replies wryly. “Look. Ivan, Mikhail, and Sergei are out of town, and I can’t get in touch with Boris and the gang. I’m tied up with other commitments, and my men and I won't be able to reach them in time. Can you help them?"

Panic surges through me, and my mind races to formulate a plan. After all, they are my sister’s brothers. Family. "Where are they?"

"An old warehouse on the outskirts of town. Apparently, they stumbled upon some rivals, and things got ugly."

"Understood." My protective instincts kick into overdrive. "I'm on my way."

For Lara.

"Be careful, Brother," Nikolai warns before hanging up the phone.

I glance back at the bedroom, not wanting to wake Lara. She doesn't need to know about this, at least not until it's resolved. I gather my things and leave the house, summoning my bratva force.

As we leave the house in a convoy, my thoughts swarm with worry and determination. I have to protect Lara's brothers—not just because they're family, but because I love her. And I'll do whatever it takes to keep her happy and safe.

"Let's move," I order my men, the urgency in my voice unmistakable. "We don't have much time."

Together, we race toward the warehouse, each second ticking away like a countdown to disaster.

I dial Fedor's number as we speed through the dark streets, my heart pounding in my chest. The phone rings once, twice, before he finally answers.

"Dima? What's going on?"

"Fedor, I need your help," I say urgently. "Lara's brothers are in trouble, and we need to get to them as soon as possible."

"Of course. Where are they?"

"An old warehouse on the outskirts of town. Nikolai says they've stumbled upon some rivals. I’m sending you the location."

"Understood. I'll meet you there."

“Bring back-up,” I tell him.

***

We arrive at the first location on our list, an abandoned warehouse the Solntsevskaya often use to conduct their business. I motion at my driver to kill the engine. The convoy follows suit.

Fedor arrives at the warehouse moments after we do, his eyes filled with determination as he looks at me from his car. We exchange a quick nod before he jumps out and joins me in my vehicle.

Together, we watch the scene before us.

After a few minutes, I spot a flicker of movement near one of the entrances. "There," I say, pointing.

"Alright," I say, my voice low and steady. "We need to sneak in undetected. Any ideas?"

"Let's circle around the back," Fedor suggests. "There's likely to be less security there. We can take out any guards we come across and make our way inside."

"Good thinking," I reply, impressed by his quick tactical assessment. I instruct all our men to take their positions to the east, north, and south. We go in from the west.

"Let's move," I tell my brother.

Fedor and I slip from the shadows, gliding across the broken pavement toward the warehouse. We come across two guards engrossed in conversation, cigarettes glowing in the dark as they gesture lazily with their free hands.

Amateurs. This will be over quickly.

I slide up behind the guard on the left, clamping one hand over his mouth while pressing my gun into his side. He stiffens in alarm, but I hold him fast. "Not a sound," I growl, "or this bullet will be the last thing you hear."

Fedor has already subdued the other guard in a similar fashion. He looks at me for the signal, and I nod.

Two muffled cries ring out, accompanied by two thumps as the guards crumple lifeless to the ground from the veins we pressed to make them dead to the world for just a while. Our men behind us drag the bodies away to tie them up and keep them subdued while Fedor and I keep moving forward.

Fedor tries the door. It’s locked.

“We can’t risk it,” I whisper. “Someone can hear us trying to break in.”

The warehouse looms before us like a fortress. Fedor motions at me, and we run to take cover behind a stack of crates near the entrance, our eyes scanning the area for any sign of danger. Our hearts pound in unison, adrenaline coursing through our veins as we prepare to face our enemies.

"See anything?" Fedor whispers, his voice barely audible.

"Two men patrolling the other door,” I whisper.

"Can’t risk it," he says, communicating with hand gestures with one of his men behind the trees. Apparently, the men have nothing. "Let's circle around to the side. There might be another way in."

As we move silently along the perimeter of the building, my thoughts race with possible outcomes. What if we fail? The thought of losing Lara's brothers, of failing her, is unbearable. But I can't let fear control me now. For their sake—and hers—I must remain focused.

"Look," Fedor murmurs, pointing at an open window on the second floor. "That's our way in."

"Perfect," I say, grateful for the opportunity that fate has provided. "I'll climb up first and make sure it's safe."

Scaling the side of the warehouse, I manage to hoist myself up into the open window, my muscles straining with the effort. Once inside, I signal to Fedor to follow. He does so with ease, his agility impressing me as always.

"Let's find them quickly," he urges, his voice low but urgent.

He’s right. We should do this before anyone discovers us here.

Creeping through the dimly lit hallways, we keep our senses sharp, ready to react at any moment. It isn't long before we hear muffled voices coming from a closed door. I press my ear against it, straining to make out the conversation.

"Sounds like them," Fedor whispers to me.

"Good," I say. "Let's make our move."

With our plan of attack clear, we burst into the room, catching the rivals off guard. The element of surprise is on our side, and we waste no time in taking advantage of it. Our fists fly with precision and skill, and Lara’s brothers join in the fight, overpowering the opposition before they have a chance to react.

"Run!" I shout to Lara's brothers as we fend off the last of the attackers. "Get out of here!"

“Not without you,” Nikolai insists, joining us. We've done it—we've saved them. And they’re standing by us now, safe and sound.

But there's no time to celebrate; we must ensure all of us make it out alive.

"Let's go!" I yell to Fedor and Nikolai, who have just delivered brutal knockout punches to one of the remaining thugs.

"Right behind you," Nikolai grunts, his breathing heavy but determined.

***

The cold night air nips at my skin as we exit the warehouse, but a warmth blooms within me. Lara's brothers, still visibly shaken, keep their distance from Fedor and me. We exchange tense glances, but I can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment.

"Thanks," Vladimir finally mutters, his voice gruff and hesitant. "For helping us out."

"Of course," I reply, trying to suppress my surprise at his gratitude. "We're all family now, aren't we?"

Mark nods, his expression softening ever so slightly. "Yeah, I guess we are."

Denis, on the other hand, rushes forward and envelopes me in a bear hug. “We were really stuck without you,” he says with humble honesty.

“Denis is right,” Nikolai says, shaking my hand, then Fedor’s. “We needed you guys tonight, no matter how much we wish otherwise.”

Vladimir smiles wryly. A glimmer of acceptance flickers in their eyes, and it feels like an unspoken truce has been reached.

“Come now,” I say, opening the doors to a spare SUV we brought for them. “Time to get you gentlemen home.”

We watch our driver leave with them before Fedor and I head our separate ways.

***

Later that night, when I return home, I find Lara waiting for me in the living room. Her eyes widen with concern as she takes in my disheveled appearance.

"Dima, what happened?" she asks, her voice trembling.

"Your brothers…They were taken by some enemies and needed help,” the words spilling out as fast as my racing heart beats.

"Are they okay?" she inquires, her hand instinctively going to her chest.

"Safe and sound," I assure her, feeling relieved just saying the words. "Fedor and I got there in time. You see, Nikolai called when you were asleep and…"

I tell her all that happened.

Once the story is complete, Lara's face crumples with emotion, and she throws her arms around me. "Thank you," she whispers into my ear, her breath warm against my skin. "Thank you for looking after them. Without you, god knows what could have happened."

“They would have done the same for me, I’m sure,” I try to comfort her.

She looks up at me with a smile and takes my hand in her own. “After tonight, I know they will. At least from this point on, you’re going to get along like peas in a pod.”

“You really think so?” I ask curiously.

“I know so,” she whispers.

"At last. That’s a relief, my love," I murmur, holding her close. I hear her chuckle into my chest.