Page 23

Arielle

“I pleaded with him to give you some time to recover before calling you back to duty, but he wouldn’t listen. He insisted that your accident should’ve brought you closer, and he was disappointed you weren’t using the situation to your advantage, knowing what is at stake.”

Vivian’s words cut through me like a sharp blade. It was an unwelcome reminder of Mikhail’s true nature despite his sweetness to me. There was also the slight hurt from knowing Father prioritized the mission over my health, but even I couldn’t deny he was right. I recovered a long time ago and was intentionally stalling the mission because a man was nice to me while I was sick.

A cocktail of bitter emotions trickled down my throat, and my face became heated from the shame that flashed through me. I averted my eyes from Vivian, focusing on the picture of us on a trip to Edinburg hanging on the wall.

“He is right, you know. I should use the situation to my advantage. We barely have much time left,” I replied, earning me an eye roll from Vivian.

“But you were in an accident weeks ago, and even though your body seems to have recovered, these events are equally very traumatizing and can take a psychological toll on you. I’m the psychologist here. It’s my job to say if you’re mentally fit for a mission or not.”

If I hadn’t had a combination of guilt and shame about the size of the Empire State Building weighing on me, I would have whipped up a teasing comment for Vivian’s outburst. She was always timid and avoided confrontations at all costs. Seeing her challenging and willing to go against Father for me warmed my heart, but I didn’t feel worthy of her protection anymore.

I almost didn’t belong anywhere at this point. I had guilt eating me up for lying to Mikhail. I couldn’t even stand Maya’s kindness to me anymore without feeling like I would burst into tears. On the other hand, was the crippling feeling of shame I felt with my family. I was slowly betraying the man that I owed my life to for a man who took lives at the snap of his fingers, returned home covered in blood, and had hands in child trafficking.

I was both embarrassed and disappointed in myself. The past few weeks might’ve opened me to a side of Mikhail I didn’t know about, but that weighed nothing in comparison to the person he truly was. But here I was, letting stupid feelings take the reigns over logic.

When Father finally arrived, it took a combination of every training I had received in the past to fine-tune my body language and maintain eye contact with him. He was very quick-witted and would pick on the slightest change and flicker of an eye.

“How are you feeling Cara?” he asked, balancing his walking stick on the wall before settling into the sofa.

“Much better. How about you? The knee giving you more trouble?” I inquired with a look of concern.

“Nothing I can’t handle. I’m scheduled for a replacement surgery in a few months, so it should be a thing of the past shortly.”

“Do you want me to get you anything?” Vivian’s voice almost startled me. I had completely forgotten that she was in the room as I focused my energy and attention on making sure I appeared as neutral as possible in Father’s presence.

“Not to worry, Viv. I’m old, not disabled.” He muttered, and I chuckled on cue. “So, tell me, Cara, what have you gathered in your period of recovery? I understand the accident shook you up. I’m sorry I couldn’t visit for obvious reasons, but I’m certain you were smart enough to use the situation to your advantage,” he said, going straight to the point.

One thing about Father, he was the grandmaster of disguise. Be it to disguise his true intentions as praise and concern or to sandwich them between compliments, he had his way with words. A way that completely disarmed you. Even the fury simmering in Vivian’s eyes had dulled down following his admission, but his question was passed clearly.

“I was able to take note of a few things while in recovery. It appears he has shifted most of the family dealings to his brother Benjamin and channeled his focus to the expansion of his business,” I replied, my heart thudding in my ears as I prayed my pathetic excuse of observation would be enough to placate him till I could find something bigger to occupy him while I figured out what to do with the feelings growing inside me.

“You must’ve been really distracted by your accident,” he said in a flat tone, and I felt my heart slam into my rib cage. He has me. Of course, he can fucking see through me. How did I ever think I could fool the person who trained me?

My eyes discreetly darted to the door, surveying the room for the nearest escape before he calmly added, “There’s an exclusive party tomorrow morning, and I need you to go with him. You can bring Vivian along if you feel you’ll need help. All you have to do is note the people present, memorize their names and faces if you must, and report back to me.”

I held down the sigh of relief that threatened to spill from my lips and offered a wordless nod to his demand, not trusting my voice to produce an answer without quivering.

“That would be all.” He said, getting on his feet. “I would’ve passed the message through Vivian, but I wanted to see how you were doing myself,” he said, casting me a soft gaze I hadn’t received in a while, and the knot in my chest became impossibly tight. Why couldn’t he just remain the stern Father we’ve grown accustomed to me? Why did he have to be kind and sweet all of a sudden and at this time?

“I’m fine, Father. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I’ll always worry about you. You’re still my little girls, both of you.” He said, looking at Vivian and me before picking up his walking stick and walking out the door.

“Your accident must’ve done a number on him,” Vivian muttered as soon as he was out of the room, and I nodded in agreement.

“So, would you like to come with me to this exclusive party?” I asked, sinking into the sofa.

“There’s no way I’m letting you take on a mission alone until I deem you psychologically fit,” she replied, falling into the seat Father had just left.

“I’ll tell Mikhail about it. I’m still in recovery, and I’m certain he won’t say no to me,” I said, sending him a quick text to be home before dinner time.

*******

Father had completely missed out on the part where the party was a masquerade ball, making it very difficult to see the faces of some of the guests. Although some left their faces uncovered like Mikhail, the dim lighting of the hall made it slightly difficult to make out their facial features.

“I’ll have to leave you ladies here for a bit. There’s something that urgently requires my attention, but Canaan will be watching,” Mikhail said, placing a soft kiss on my forehead before disappearing into a hallway at the right.

“So where do we start from?” I asked Vivian, discreetly scanning for Canaan. If he was watching us, we needed to be extra careful.

“The guest list,” Vivian replied, pulling out a shiny paper from her pause. “I was able to swipe one of these while you and Mikhail exchanged pleasantries with the couple at the entrance.

“Wow.” I stared at the list of all the people present for the party. For some reason, the names all had an aristocratic ring to them. You didn’t need to see the bearer; you just knew they were rich. “This should do. It’s exactly what Father asked for,” I muttered, my breath hitching slightly when I saw Mikhail’s name on the list. I found myself itching to scrub it off.

“Not really. Remember, he asked us to place faces to the names and observe what they were doing at the party. What is the party even about?”

As if on cue, a stage I hadn’t noticed materialized in the middle of the room, and an almost naked lady slid down the pole in the center in an awkward manner. I could do much better than she did, but she was a lot more endowed than I was and had the attention of the room. Soon, wads of cash were raining on her from every direction as she danced.

“Woah,” Vivian exclaimed behind me, her eyes soaking up the scene unfolding before us.

Soon, the first dancer was joined by a second woman and then a man while the audience seemed to decide on their next line of action with their money. The highest bidder got whatever act he wanted to enjoy. Far off to the left, I could see a couple having sex in a dark corner, and some were engaged in different acts. The masks suddenly made sense, and Mikhail’s initial refusal to bring me here made even more sense.

“Hello, beautiful,” a raspy voice touched the back of my neck, causing the hairs at my name to stand. I turned to see a man who looked to be in his forties staring at me like I was a piece of meat.

My midnight blue asymmetrical dress was a lot more decent than what most of the ladies here were currently wearing, so his look was a bit lost on me.

“Hello. I’m here with someone,” I politely greeted him, cutting his advances before he got the chance to make them.

“Is this your partner?” he asked, turning to Vivian, who looked like she was going to throw up. “I’m sure you both won’t mind accommodating an old man for the night.”

“Thanks for the offer, but we’re not together, nor are we looking for company for the night,” I said, making for the opposite side of the room.

Iron fists wrapped around my wrist, pulling me flush against an equally hard chest. Before I got the chance to struggle, a fist flew past me, connecting to his jaw, and I could hear Vivian’s sharp intake of breath beside me. His hand immediately fell from me, and I turned to see Mikhail and Canaan circling like him predators.

“Do you have any idea who I am?” the man roared, charging at Mikhail, who landed another blow on his face, the crunching sound from his nose echoed through the room.

“A core rule of this establishment is to make sure women feel safe enough to express themselves, and this bastard tried to force his hands on a woman, not just any woman, my woman.” Mikhail addressed the little crowd that had gathered around us before turning to the security. “Make sure he never sees the four walls of this building or that of any exclusive club in the whole of New York.”

“Take me out of here,” I asked Mikhail, who immediately walked me out of the hall. Vivian insisted on staying behind to complete the assignment under the guise of enjoying herself. Mikhail asked Canaan to watch over her while he drove me home.

*****

“What was that party about?” I asked, walking in on Mikhail holding his bruised knuckles under the bathroom tap. I watched his face for the slightest bit of pain, but it never came.

“It’s a sex party. The majority of the people who make up the top 1% are sick fellows and like to have a space where they can let out their inhibitions without judgment. I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen,” he replied, reaching for the washcloth, but I beat him to it.

I poured hot water into a wash bowl, added a bit of disinfectant into it, and dumped the wash cloth in it. “This exclusive party, do you attend it often?”

“I’ve been aware of it, but today was my first time visiting. A client insisted on meeting there. He wanted to know if I had what it takes to build a club they’ll appreciate.”

“And do you?” I asked, helping him out of his white shirt.

He sighed, evidently displeased with my questions, but he still answered. “I do what I have to do, baby. You already know this.”

I lifted my hands, feeling his body stiffen as I traced the outlines of his defined muscles. My eyes caught a glimpse of blood on his hand, and I was reminded of the washcloth. I hoisted myself on the sink, pulled him between my thighs, and began cleaning the cuts. He stood still, watching me wordlessly, not making a sound or an attempt to stop me. Satisfied with my work, I pulled open the overhead cabinet and took a bottle of ointment from it.

“I don’t like it when you fight. You should’ve let the security or Canaan handle it,” I said as I applied ointment to Mikhail’s burst knuckles.

“I’m not going to sit around and wait for security to come while another man puts his hands on you, Arielle,” he hissed, and I knew there was no way I’d be winning this argument.

I clamped my lips shut and focused on making sure every shallow cut was well-cleaned and oiled while he continued watching me. There was something unnaturally intimate about Mikhail standing between my legs while I perched on the bathroom sink and tended to his injuries, injuries he sustained while fighting for me. It was almost erotic, and I didn’t like how I was reacting to the scenario.

He hooked a finger beneath my jaw, pulling my face to him. “You don’t want me to fight for you, princess?” he asked, holding my gaze.

I wasn’t a fan of violence or blood spills, even when it was necessary, even when I had to do it myself, but I couldn’t find the words to tell him that. I didn’t want to tell him that. I was ashamed to tell him the sight of him breaking that man’s face did things to me. Heck, I was even ashamed to admit it to myself.

I tore my gaze from him and attempted to go back to cleaning his cuts, which were already squeaky clean, disinfected, and oiled, but he stopped my movements.

“Arielle,” he said, taking the washcloth from my hands. “Look at me.”

I let out a soft gasp when my eyes met his. The soft look in his eyes had suddenly disappeared, and in its place was something darker, something feral, and it set off a fire in me. I was sure if I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, my eyes would be mirroring his.

Get a fucking grip, Arielle. You’ve seen the man naked before. Heck, you’ve had his cock buried inside you and deep down your throat. Quit acting like a teenager. I mentally scolded myself. I tried to avert my gaze again, but his voice froze me in place.

“Don’t look away from me, Arielle. I won’t ask nicely the third time.”

I could only bring myself to nod at his subtle command, my throat suddenly feeling too tight to produce a sound.

Something had changed. I couldn’t tell when it did or how it did, but I knew there was something different about us, or should I say, something different about me.

“You haven’t given me an answer, Princess,” he said, his voice dark and husky as he dragged his palms up my thighs, slipping beneath my T-shirt and settling for a firm grip on my hips.

Heat pooled at my core, and I found myself growing dizzy from the feeling of his fingers digging into my bare ass. I had no underwear, and the only thing separating him from my pussy was a mere shift of a finger.

“I’m still waiting,” he repeated, leaning down to gently capture one of my ears between his teeth, tugging lightly on the lobe while his tongue darted out to lick the helix. A combination of his hot breath on my ears and his tongue leaving a wet trail had my core clenching, and a moan slipped from me before I could hold it in.

“Words, princess. Do you want me to stand by the side and watch like a gentleman while someone else takes care of any asshole that lays a finger on you, or would you prefer I beat the shit out of them, then you can tend to my cuts while we’re home?” he asked, his mouth not leaving my ears, and I let out an involuntary whimper.

The image of the event at the party resurfaced in my head, and this time, my reaction was completely different. I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t horrified. I didn’t feel the need to stop him. I was incredibly turned on, knowing he’d get his fingers bloodied for me.

A mixture of shame and lust swirled inside me as the moral compass I’d fought so hard to build pushed back at the new feeling growing in me. A feeling that didn’t care about right or wrong, light or darkness, and only craved to be totally consumed by the man in front of me. How did I miss this? How did I let this happen? I was so busy trying to lower Mikhail’s guard and penetrate his heart I had forgotten to keep watch over mine.

My breath hitched as one of his hands left its position on my hip and settled between my thighs. He wasn’t touching me yet, but my pussy clenched rhythmically in anticipation, wetness pulling between my thighs.

“Look at you, all wet and dripping for me.” He pulled out his fingers, bringing them up for me to see. “Does the thought of me fighting for you excite you? Does the knowledge of the fact that I’ll set the world on fire if any harm comes to you get your pretty pussy weeping for me?” he asked, bringing his fingers to my mouth and forcing them past my lips. I sucked on them, loving the sour, tangy taste of my juices on my tongue.

He watched me through heavy lids, groaning as I lapped on his fingers like a hungry dog. “There you go, princess. You like the taste of your pussy when it’s crying for me?” he asked, and I nodded frantically.

Emotions were winning over logic, and common sense and shame were slowly giving way to lust. This was different from every other time. I could feel it, and judging by the way he was looking at me, I could tell he felt it, too.

“Good girl,” he praised, sliding his finger out of my mouth. “Will you answer my question now?” I clamped my lips tighter, fighting the urge to give in to him.

“The hard way it is,” he said, shoving two fingers into my pussy without warning, and I let out a loud moan as my walls clenched tightly around him, sucking his fingers in.

“So greedy, so needy, so wet.” He muttered as he watched his fingers slide in and out of me. “Yet, so stubborn.”

He added a third finger, stretching me out as his fingers picked a rhythmic pace, hitting a spot that sent my eyes rolling. I clung to his shoulders as he continued moving his fingers in and out of me, and my heart almost stopped when I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror behind him.

I looked nothing like me. My hair was sticking all over the place, my cheeks were flushed and almost red, and my eyes scared me the most. They were wide, dark, and filled with unimaginable lust. I looked like a wanton whore. Shame burned down my throat like acid, and I could almost feel my senses slowly returning, but Mikhail’s fingers curled inside, pushing me deeper into the hole he was digging for me, and my reflection in the mirror didn’t matter anymore.

I could feel the tempo building inside me, pressure rising in my core as my orgasm drew near. I was riding his fingers at this point, chasing after that high only he can give me, and just as I was about to be engulfed by the bliss, his fingers withdrew from me, and a cry of protest left me as the pressure growing in me died off.

His thumb settled on my clit, applying pressure on the bud but not not moving. “Answer my question, sweetheart, and I’ll give you as many orgasms as you want till you can’t feel your limbs,” he murmured, staring deep into my eyes.

Lust and frustration didn’t mix well together. The battle between my morals and my feelings intensified, and I could feel my morals fall apart brick by brick as the pressure of his thumb on my clit intensified.

“Mikhail,” I groaned, rocking my hips into his thumb.

“Wrong answer, baby,” he replied, capturing a peaked nipple jutting from my T-shirt between his teeth and biting down on the sensitive bud. Another moan left me, and he hummed in response.

His tongue darted out to suck on the peaked bud, his teeth grazing over them while his thumb intensified its pressure on my clit. The sensation was enough to bring me to the edge but not send me over, and I felt myself writhing in frustration.

“Say it, Arielle. Fucking say it already,” he groaned, and a weak ‘yes’ tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop it.

“Yes, what?” he asked, his teeth tightening around my nipple and sending my hips bucking. “Dammit, Arielle, yes, what?”

Something in me snapped, and I suddenly didn’t give a fuck about what happened from here on. “I loved watching you fight for me. I loved the feeling of tending to your cuts after you’re done fighting for me.” I practically screamed, the feeling becoming too much for me to bear.

I can’t recall Mikhail lifting me or him moving from the bathroom to the room. The next thing I felt was my back hitting the soft mattress and the weight of his body on me.

With the same swiftness he used in carrying me from the bathroom to the room, he slammed into me. I was wet enough to take him in completely, but he was still too big, and the slight burn from the stretch mixed with the feeling of him buried into me sent a sharp jolt of pressure through me.

He withdrew himself from me at an almost agonizing pace till his length was almost completely out before slamming back into me, sending the bedrest crashing into the wall, and my moans followed.

The sound of creaking bed and skin slapping against skin echoed in the room, my loud moans periodically joining the chaotic rhythm our bodies created. I didn’t care how loud we were. He was all I could feel and all I could think about. You could ask me my name, and I’d have no idea what to say, but his was burned into my brain, and the walls of my throat were dry from screaming it.

“Keep your eyes on me, princess,” Mikhail ordered as my eyes lulled back into my head, refocusing them on him. “So, fucking beautiful.”

I struggled to keep my eyes open as he practically fucked me into the mattress, every stroke drawing a new sensation, each more intense than the previous, and stars clouded my vision.

We’ve had sex multiple times, but somehow, this felt like the first. All guards were laid down. There were no boundaries or inhibitions. It was just us—naked and bared to each other. This moment was raw. It was uninhibited, and there were no lies. Just two people spelling out with their bodies what seemed too heavy to express with words.

I could feel the familiar pressure building in the pit of my stomach, stretching through every part of me and settling in my pelvis. My eyes pulled to the back of my head, but Mikhail snapped them back.

“Eyes on me. I want to see you when I make you come, and I want you to watch what you do to me.”

With a final thrust, he tore one last moan from me and sent me soaring off the edge. I struggled to keep my eyes open as the waves of my orgasm tore through me. I was certain I would have levitated from the bed if not for Mikhail’s weight pressing into me.

He kept fucking me while I rode out my orgasm, and shortly, I could feel him stiffen, his hips thrusting erratically as his orgasm hit him. He never took his eyes off me, I watched every emotion flash through his eyes, and before I knew what was happening, I felt my pussy clenching, and a second wave of orgasm hit me, this one more intense than the first.

I had no idea where my body ended or where his started. I felt liquid and boneless, and all that echoed in my head before I slipped into oblivion was a dark voice muttering in what sounded like Russian before ending his speech with an ‘I love you’ and a soft feminine voice that sounded so much like mine whispering “I love you too.”