Page 42

When we got home, the sun was beginning to show itself at the edges of the rooflines. As I pulled through the gates and glanced over at Emerson, the feeling of relief was indescribable. The darkest night of my life was finally over, and she was once again at my side.

Her head rested against the side window, her hands tightly clasped together in her lap as she dozed. I cursed inwardly that we hadn’t found the key to the cuffs in Arkadi’s car, and neither me nor Ivan had one on us. She swore she was fine now that she knew they’d come off eventually, but I wasn’t fine with it.

I waved over the nearest guard, who hurried to hand me his key, and as soon as I opened the car door, Emerson snapped awake, fully alert and thinking she had to fight. Her shoulders sagged as she saw it was only me, and I hurried to get the blasted cuffs off her. The harsh red lines left behind broke my heart and fueled the rage that simmered far below my relief.

We’d find Arkadi. And then I’d make him pay. Now, it was time to make sure Emerson was all right.

I lifted her out of the car and carried her straight to our bedroom, where I took an inventory of her injuries. Her face was pretty scuffed up from the airbag, and she admitted she was a bit sore from when Arkadi had knocked her backward with his car. I plopped her down on the bathroom counter and began to gently clean the scrapes and cuts. After applying ointment and band-aids, I ran my hands down her arms to take in her disheveled appearance.

Her red hair was a wild tangle, with no sign of the neat ponytail she wore to work. With a kiss on top of her head, I found her brush and smoothed the strands as she sat patiently, if not a bit embarrassed. I kissed her again, more fiercely this time, and her hands rose to my shirt.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, so quietly I wasn’t sure I was meant to hear.

I ignored it. There was no reason for it, and her clothes were caked with dirt and soot.

“Did that bastard make you go near the explosion?” I asked, thinking of the picture of her rings. I’d found them in the center console while searching Arkadi’s car. After putting them in my jacket pocket, I forgot about them because of my concern over her injuries, but there was plenty of time now to get them back on Emerson’s finger.

“I crawled under the car to try to get away,” she sighed.

“That’s my girl,” I said, swelling with pride.

She didn’t look impressed with herself. In fact, she looked utterly defeated and exhausted. Keeping a strict hold on my self-control, I pulled the dirty shirt over her head and helped her stand up, asking if she wanted a shower. Her arms and legs trembled, and she nodded, looking at me wistfully before pushing me away.

“I’ll just take a minute.”

“Take as long as you want,” I said. “I’ll bring you some food.”

She probably hadn’t eaten anything since lunch the day before. The small bites she took here and there in the kitchen to make sure everything going out was perfectly cooked wasn’t enough to sustain anyone through what she’d survived.

“You don’t have to,” she said softly, once again as if she was afraid to speak.

“I know I don’t,” I rumbled, hurrying to fix her a platter fit for a queen.

When I returned to the bedroom with an array of pastries, lunch meats, fruit, and cheese, she was perched on the edge of the bed, wrapped in my heavy bathrobe. The sleeves fell well past her hands, and her hair hung down her back in long, damp waves, darkened to a deep ruby hue against the white cotton of my robe.

She was home where she belonged. I placed the tray beside her and sat on the opposite side, pushing up the overly long sleeve to take her hand.

Overall, she was surprisingly fine, just as she insisted. I was glad of it, but it did nothing to alleviate my anger toward Arkadi. It didn’t mean he wasn’t the sadistic monster I had feared he was. It only meant he hadn’t gotten around to really harming her yet.

“He’s lucky,” I muttered, tracing along the edge of the small cut at her hairline.

“I don’t think he was going to kill me,” she said shakily. “I was never the target.”

Before I could answer, she burst into tears, crying as if her soul was being ripped out of her body. I’d only ever seen her cry once before. It wasn’t something she allowed herself to do, not easily. Despite not being physically hurt, she must have been far more traumatized than she let on. I gathered her close and smoothed the wet strands away from her face as she clung to me.

After a shuddering sob, she pushed away, looking stricken. “It was all my fault.”

“What was?” I was totally confused.

“Everything. Every building they destroyed, every business you and your family lost tonight was all my fault.”

I grabbed her shoulders a bit too roughly, instantly easing up on my grip. “No, it wasn’t,’ I gritted out. “That was all Arkadi. You can’t blame yourself for him using you.”

“But…” she said, trailing off and taking a breath. Wiping at her tears, she looked up at me, green eyes shining with remorse. “I was trying to get away from you. I ran as soon as you left the apartment. I-I stole a credit card to take a taxi back to the restaurant.”

She paused as if waiting for me to lay into her for taking one of the emergency cards my brother kept in the apartment. “I’m not worried about the forty bucks for the taxi ride,” I said. “I don’t give a shit about the buildings. It was you I was worried about.”

It hurt like hell that she was trying to run away, but I got it. It was part of why she was so special to me. “I knew you were independent from the moment I met you,” I said. “Who else would come to one of the most expensive cities with, what? A couple grand and a dream? Most people would think you were basically crazy.”

“Two of those people would be my parents,” she admitted.

I scoffed. “They’re the ones who are off their rockers for not believing in you. Because you’re also one of the most stubborn people I’ve ever known, and you’ve met my brothers.” This got the ghost of a smile, which quickly faded. “I’ve been watching you excel in a highly difficult and competitive field. Hell, I threw every impossible task I could think of at you, and you rose to the top every single time.”

“I didn’t believe you when you said Arkadi was dangerous,” she said, sniffling again.

“No more tears,” I told her, wiping the remaining moisture from her cheeks. “You should have believed me, but most normal people simply can’t understand how degenerate some in this world can be. I wish you didn’t have to.” To silence any more arguments, I confessed my own regret. “I shouldn’t have left until security arrived. They were supposed to be a couple minutes away, but…”

She sobbed again, filling in the blanks. I could have kicked myself for bringing up their fates. “Emerson?” I asked, thinking of something as the tears continued to flow.

“What?” She grabbed a napkin off the forgotten food tray and mopped her face. “God, I hate crying.”

“There’s nothing wrong with letting it out,” I told her. “I’ve read a self-help book or two.”

“Liar,” she said, stifling a laugh. “You’ve never read a self-help book in your life.”

She had me there, but I remembered my original question. “Why did you go back to the restaurant?”

“Because I’m stupid,” she spat angrily.

I took her chin and made her look at me. “Don’t ever say that again. And don’t think it, either. You’re not. Far from it. You had a reason, because, at that point, you could have gone anywhere.”

She sighed but didn’t try to look away. “I wanted to prove to you that I could finish the service and everything would be fine, so you’d let me keep working.”

Holy fuck. “That’s the only reason?”

It wasn’t. The look in her eyes gave me hope. Her words dashed them. “Khoroshiy feels like home to me. I don’t want to give it up.”

Not because she felt any kind of way about me, not because she yearned to be back with me. Damn it, I really was jealous of my own restaurant.

“We’re not discussing that now,” I rumbled.

“I don’t want to, either,” she snapped.

There was the fire I loved. I grinned down at her. “That’s better. Now, why don’t you eat something?”

“Straight back to barking orders,” she muttered.

“How was that an order? I’ll give you an order. Stop blaming yourself for something that wasn’t and never will be your fault.”

“Well, it wasn’t yours,” she said, crossing her arms.

I pulled them toward me, sliding my hands down the bulky sleeves to push them up and stroke her soft skin. Taking both her hands, I tugged her closer to me. Her head tipped back, so she had to look me in the eyes, her mouth only inches from mine.

Once again, the slightest smile quirked there.

“I’m glad you’re back,” I told her, letting my gaze drop to those luscious lips.

“I’m glad to be back,” she admitted, her soft sigh warm against my face.

“I’m going to have to kiss you now.”

“I really wish you would,” she said, her lips parting as her eyes closed.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather eat something?”

Her eyes flew open. God, I loved teasing her. Loved seeing the fear and anguish disappearing, replaced with the same heady lust that coursed through my veins. Before she could answer, my mouth was on hers, reclaiming her, taking her back.

She was mine, always mine.

“Nik,” she murmured.

It felt so right to hear it; it felt amazing to run my hands up to slide my fingers into her still-damp hair, to breathe in the scent of her shampoo. I pulled away, feeling the cut on her lip, and gently running my thumb across it.

“It doesn’t hurt,” she insisted, grabbing the back of my head and pulling me in for more.

I was more than happy to give her everything she wanted. Her mouth was what I craved. I told her just that before I licked along the seam of her lips, parting them for my tongue.

Her arms tightened around my neck, pulling herself onto my lap as I tightened my grip on her hair. With a moan, she settled onto my hard bulge, wriggling as she pressed her heat against me. Her legs locked behind my back, our mouths never parting from each other until I made my way down the side of her neck.

“I like to hear your noises,” I said, swiping my tongue behind her delicate earlobe.

She made the cutest squeak, grinding against my cock as she dug her fingers into my shoulders.

“That’s right, just like that.”

Another soft sound, her breath hot near my own ear, and then she nipped the side of my jaw. “I like the stubble,” she said, rubbing her mouth against my scruff.

“I was a bit too busy to shave,” I said.

Her head lolled back as I made my way lower, pushing aside the heavy robe to reveal her creamy skin. I frowned at a bruise, kissing lightly around it as I made my way down her body. I couldn’t reach much lower without moving her from my lap, and she felt much too good grinding her sweet pussy against my cock. I wrapped a handful of her hair in my fist and pulled her back to plunge my tongue into her mouth.

If I couldn’t taste her pert tits just now, I could feel them pressing against my chest. Her heart thudded, the same as mine, and she eagerly gave me back as much as I took. Finally, I couldn’t wait any longer, and eased her onto the bed. Her glorious hair spread all around her like a fiery rainbow.

“I want our children to have your red hair,” I said, out of the blue and shocking even myself.

Not half as much as it shocked her. “So they get called orange peel at school?”

“Give me the names of anyone who called you that,” I said, kissing my way back down her body.

She stifled a giggle, which turned into a sigh as I pushed aside the robe and licked my way around each nipple, drawing one into my mouth. She arched against me, her hips seeking mine.

Nudging her legs apart, I settled between them, my cock throbbing to be inside her slick heat. It felt like an eternity since we’d been together this way, and the fear of losing her only made it seem longer.

“Emerson,” I growled, just to prove to myself she was really here, safe and sound.

“Mmhmm,” she murmured, lazily trailing her fingers down my back as I made my way lower.

She had nothing on under the robe, and when I got to the crux of her thighs, I plunged my tongue deep inside her, turning her sighs into a squeal as her legs clamped tight around my shoulders. Desperate for her, I lapped her juices as if I was the one who hadn’t eaten since yesterday. So ravenous, I pushed deeper and harder until her head thumped against the headboard, and she gripped my hair with both hands.

I barely paused to yank her back down again, finding her swollen clit and sucking it between my lips. Pushing on her hips as she writhed beneath the onslaught, I was lost in my own world, hard as a rock and never wanting to stop.

She tasted so fucking good. Her moans were like commands, driving me on. I teased her to the brink and yanked myself back, breathing hard as she begged me for release.

“Please, Nik. You know what I want,” she gasped.

“Yes, I do,” I said, pushing her legs wider. “But this is what I want. I could eat your hot little pussy all damn day.”

Shuddering beneath me, she changed tack. Instead of pulling on my hair, she pushed my face deeper into her slippery folds. I pushed harder with my tongue, lifting her body off the bed with my shoulders. She screamed, jerking beneath me. I kept going, until her fingernails made grooves in my shoulders through my shirt.

Why was I still wearing clothes when my woman was naked and wet and screaming for me?

I finally pulled away, face slick with her juices, my hair feeling like it was standing on end from all her tugging. Emerson lay limp, her legs spread wide for me, her thighs glistening, her pussy so ready for my cock.

I tore off my shirt, buttons flying in every direction, and Emerson tried to push herself up to tug at the zipper of my pants. I pressed her palm against my bulging erection, then tossed her hand away to rip the pants off, sending them and my boxers along with the shirt. She reached for me again, panting, her eyes wide and hungry.

“I just want to fuck you, little girl,” I said.

She shook her head, wrapping her hand around my shaft. “I want more than that.”

“If you so much as put your pretty mouth on my cock, I’ll come right down your throat. I fucking need you, Emerson. So damn bad.”

With a shudder, she ignored my warnings and pulled herself up. Leaning over my cock, she breathed along the length, making my whole body tense up.

“This is torture,” I gritted out.

She grinned, but kept her eyes on her prize. “Good. I finally get my payback.”

And just like that, she took me deep in her mouth, her lush lips gliding along the tender skin, her tongue circling the tip as she pulled away. I growled, twisting her long hair around my hand, ready to yank her away and take her.

But this felt… like heaven. Like I’d died and gone to a much better place. The culmination of the night from hell, but now everything was perfect. My woman had her lips wrapped around my stiff cock, moaning with pleasure as she drove me to the point of no return.

“I have to have you, Emerson,” I said, at the end of my self-control.

She sucked harder, holding onto my hips. Leaning over, I lightly spanked her ass cheek, bouncy as she bobbed on her hands and knees over my lap. Liking the feel of her, I slid my palm down the smooth, pale mound and dipped my fingers into her from behind. She jerked, her teeth dragging over my sensitive skin. I pushed deeper, stretching her, my fingers in her pussy and my cock in her mouth. The sight of her body moving as she gobbled me up.

It was all too much.

With a feral groan, I gripped her hips and pulled her away, easily flipping her onto her back. She closed her eyes and reached for me, her lips parted and swollen and still so hungry. I leaned down to kiss her, getting between her thighs.

“Hurry,” she breathed, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“I need you to come as soon as I get my cock deep inside you,” I said. “I want to feel your pussy grip me tight.”

She shuddered, nearly strangling me as she pulled me closer with her legs. “Yes, you know I will.”

I was already gone, lost in her, and loving it. I never wanted to return from this ecstasy. And yet, I couldn’t stop. I was deep inside her wet heat, and within seconds of my frantic thrust, my gorgeous wife was screaming out my name. We were perfectly in sync and I growled as I tried to hang on, to wring out every last drop of her bliss. Like a cannon, I shot my seed inside her body, roaring into the warm space of her neck, her hair tumbling across my cheek when she turned her face, seeking kisses.

I gave them to her as I rammed home again and again, until I was spent and weak, falling on top of her with a final groan.

“Every single time,” I said, heart thumping against her chest. I kissed her some more, wondering if I’d ever get enough of her.

She made an incoherent noise, her breath ragged beneath me. I rolled off, bereft at the loss of her heat, until I had her close to me again, tucked against me with her head under my arm.

I let my eyes drift shut, enjoying the sounds of our mingled breathing, and her satisfied sighs as she cuddled next to me. A cool breeze wafted down from the air conditioning vents, and I reached to pull the side of the bedspread over us.

“Nik?” she whispered after a long, silent moment.

“Anything,” I said. “Whatever you want.”

She leaned up on her elbow, looking less than blissful all of a sudden. “I-I’m so sorry for what I did. I—” she paused, looking like she was in pain, unable to get any more words out.

I sat up, but only to pull her back down beside me so our faces were level, our eyes locked. “Stop. You have nothing to apologize for. I love you.”

The last part was unexpected, but wholly true. She needed to hear it as much as I needed to say it. I refused to let her apologize one more time for being a victim of that psycho, or let her think she needed to.

“I love you, Emerson,” I repeated. “I expect you to listen to me from now on, when I clearly know what’s right, but Arkadi was determined to take us on for a long time. He was clearly planning that attack with or without you to shake things up and buy him some time. None of it was your fault.”

I waited, but she only nodded and rested her head against my chest again, remaining silent instead of saying the words I hoped to hear back. Perhaps she still felt guilty. I let it go, for now, and stroked her hair until her body relaxed and she snuggled closer. So maybe this night wasn’t perfect. It was close enough, and I was glad my own feelings were out on the table for her to examine.

After a while, I lifted my head, looking for the food tray, but it must have been knocked off of the bed and I was too content to get out from our little huddle under the covers to reach for it. Emerson was limp at my side, her hand falling from my chest to her side and her breathing growing slow and rhythmic. As much as I wanted to fall asleep with her in my arms, there was still so much to do.

To hell with all of it. I wasn’t leaving Emerson again. Not for anything.

Least of all, not for my damn phone, which had suddenly started blowing up from somewhere on the floor.

“You better get it,” she murmured. “It’s probably important.”

An argument arose, but I squashed it down. Whoever was calling clearly wasn’t going to give up, so I dragged myself out of bed and found the phone in my tangle of discarded clothes.

Fuck. It was Aleks. By the immediate shouting on his end, it was evident he was pissed.

Really pissed.

They were still putting out fires, and Arkadi was still at large, once again pulling one of his famous disappearing acts. My brothers and our men had captured a lot of his crew, but that obviously hadn’t lifted Aleks’s mood. Right before he hung up, he shouted that there was going to be a family meeting the next day and I better be there. Emerson needed to be there, too, since they had to make some decisions that concerned her.

His entire end of the conversation was yelling, so there was no need to fill Emerson in on anything once he ended the call. Her stricken face told me she had heard the whole thing. I wasn’t feeling that great about it either.

Forcing a cheerful look, I climbed back into bed and pulled the covers over us once more. She kept giving me an anxious, questioning look, too fearful to actually ask anything. I pulled her close and wrapped my arms around her, trying to exude a confidence I didn’t feel.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, kissing the top of her head. “Everything will be fine.”

I only hoped I wasn’t lying to her for the first time.