My Russian Beast: Standalone Billionaire Romance (8 page)

“Since I learned you’ll be moving here,” he answered.

“WHAT?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Do you even realize how impossible that sounds?” Fredericka asked helplessly. Yes, she knew he was a billionaire, but to buy a house for that reason? That was insane!

“It’s a good investment,” he dismissed, “and I don’t fancy staying at a hotel whenever I come to visit you.” When he saw Fredericka blink at him again, as if unable to believe he intended to visit her frequently, Sergei gave her a mildly exasperated look. “I will come visit you often, naturally.” He shook his head at her. “After all this time, Fredericka, you must at least accept the fact you are not just anyone to me,
da?
”

She stared at him, stricken.

A moment later, she started to blink again, but this time it was obvious she was doing it to control her tears.

“Whatever.” The charmingly ungracious reply came in the form of a defensive mumble, accompanied by the defiant toss of her head as she deliberately turned away from him, her gaze focusing on the scenery outside the window.

Adorable
, he thought again with an inner smile. It seemed to have escaped his little bee’s notice that he could still her through her reflection on the window, and it was obvious she was fighting back tears.

To give her time to compose herself, he changed the subject and told her about his plans for the next forty-eight hours, and she gradually relaxed beside him. By the time they made it to his place, she was comfortable with him again, not hesitating to show her gaping admiration of his luxurious apartment.

“It’s insane, truly insane,” she told him, “the way you rich people make the craziest things seem so easy. You bought
this
and you’re not going to live in it most of the time?”

“Well…” He looked at her with hooded lids. “You can always stay here instead of your cousin’s place.”

Fredericka rolled her eyes. “Like I could ever afford the rent here.”

“I’m not asking you to pay.”

“Even worse,” she told him with a scowl. “I came here to be a state’s attorney, and I won’t be that if people start thinking of me as your mistress.” She looked at him warningly. “This is also the only time I’ll be staying over,
okay
?”

He chose not to address that, not wanting to lie to her. As far as he was concerned, tonight was the
first
of the many nights she would be spending under his roof. “Once you’ve freshened up, we’ll need to buy some clothes and toiletries for you.”

“But I have---” Fredericka frowned. Where
was
her luggage?

When her questioning gaze met his, he murmured, “I had your belongings delivered to your cousin’s place, and I’ve hired professionals to ensure that neither you nor your cousin will have to lift a finger. When you join her, your room should be ready for your use.”

For one moment, she could only stare at the billionaire, thinking that she should be mad at the way he had so easily taken charge and made decisions without even bothering to consult her. But on the other hand, a part of her was hopelessly swayed by his sense of authority. Maybe it was because she was so sick of the fact that her father hadn’t the guts to stand by her mother, but that Sergei Grachyov could be so decisive even though he was six years younger than her---

“You win,” she said finally. “Just this once, you win. Whatever you want, let’s do it.”

His lips slowly formed a devastating smile. “Thank you,
pchelka,
but we both know this won’t be the only time I’ll have my way.”

They stared at each other, his words playing in her mind in the most ridiculously lurid way possible.
Oh, he could definitely have his way…with her. Any way would do,
she thought deliriously as her imagination went into overdrive and her throat went dry.
Missionary, doggie, sixty-nine---

She suddenly noticed the Russian billionaire gazing at her with interest gleaming in his dark eyes.

“Dare I ask what you’re thinking?”

Wide-eyed, Fredericka shook her head quickly, thinking she would rather die than let him know what she was fantasizing about.

“It doesn’t matter,” the billionaire said huskily. “I think I have a good idea anyway.”

L
ife took
on yet another different turn, and this time it was marked by the comings and goings of the Russian billionaire in my life. Moving to Florida, the greatest thing that worried me was that we’d eventually drift apart, and that it would hurt me.

But the opposite happened.

The distance between us actually made our friendship stronger, and there wasn’t a day that I didn’t talk to him over the phone. Most weekends, Sergei also flew over to visit me, and every time he did I’d put up a token protest.

You’re spending too much money. You don’t have to visit me all the time. I don’t want to cause you any trouble at work.

But the Russian billionaire only brushed off my every excuse, and whenever he did, I didn’t try too hard to convince him otherwise.

Before I knew it, the day I turned the big three-oh came, and it was also the first time that the Russian billionaire had canceled on me out of the blue. To be fair, he did try to call me several times, presumably to explain his reason for canceling, but even so.

“That’s like the
eighteenth
time your phone rang,” Alyx remarked in amusement from across the table.

For my birthday, I had reserved one of the private rooms of a popular Japanese restaurant downtown. I had also planned to finally introduce Sergei to the girls tonight, but obviously that plan was moot, and it was yet another reason the Russian’s billionaire standing me up had me so bummed.

“Aren’t you going to answer it?” Anneke de Konigh prompted. Blonde and blue-eyed, she was a cool Dutch beauty made famous by her connections to the royal family of Contini…as well as the fact that she was married to Italian billionaire Marcus Ravelli.

“No,” I answered shortly, glaring at my phone. I knew I should silence it, but…I
liked
hearing it ring, liked to imagine that it was the sound of the Russian billionaire begging my forgiveness. “Anyway, let’s not talk about him---”

“What? No, we have to,” Alyx protested. “He’s the most interesting thing to have happened to you, and you’ve been so closemouthed about him. Seriously, it’s like the paps know more about you and Sergei Grachyov than we do.”

“Which isn’t right,” Anneke added primly, “since we’re your best friends.”

I made a face. “You guys are horrible.”

“Come on,” Alyx wheedled. “There must be some deets you can share with us.”

“What do you want to know?” I asked helplessly.

“Have you hooked up with him yet?” my cousin asked right away.

I gasped. “No!” But I couldn’t help turning red at the same time, and my friends crowed at seeing my expression.

“You’ve made out,” Anneke said slyly, “haven’t you?”

“No.” But my face turned even redder as I uttered the lie.

“Oh my God,” Alyx half-moaned, half-laughed. “I can’t believe it!
You
, my super-conservative cousin, actually made out with one of the world’s greatest heartbreakers!”

“Don’t confuse him with other billionaires,” I immediately protested. “He’s nothing like Yanna’s husband!” And by that I meant Constantijin Kastein, a billionaire married to one of Alyx’s high school friends, and who had once been known as Netherlands’ #1 Playboy.

“Whatevs.” Alyx simply waved my protest away. Leaning forward, she asked eagerly in a whisper, “Did you make it to second base? Third base?”

Again, my flushed expression gave me away, and Anneke and Alyx gasped simultaneously.

“Really?” Alyx looked stunned and impressed at the same time.

“And to think,” Anneke murmured pensively, “you kept telling us you were never going to have anything to do with a younger guy.”

“It was just
once
, okay?” Both of them sent me dubious looks, and I groaned. “I’m not lying. It was really just
once
. Okay?”

“What makes him different from the rest?” Alyx asked with undisguised curiosity. “I mean, that Russian professor you were crushing on was hot, too, wasn’t he? Why didn’t that push through?”

I responded with a tight-lipped look, determined not to say anything that could incriminate me.

“Is it because he’s
huge
?”

“Alyx!”
My phone rang at the same time, and the three of us started, looking at each other guiltily even knowing Sergei Grachyov wasn’t around to hear us talking about his package.

My phone continued to ring, but before I could cancel the call, Alyx completely took me by surprise as she reached for my phone and pressed the answer button.

“Alyx,” I hissed, but it was too late.

The call had connected, and Alyx only flashed me a sly grin, mouthing,
Loudspeaker please.

No way,
I mouthed back furiously. My gaze flew back to the phone, and with the time counter still running, I knew Sergei still hadn’t dropped the call. I reluctantly reached for my iPhone, mumbling, “Hello?”

“I’m sorry,
pchelka.
I would have been there if it were possible.”

“I understand,” I said very, very brightly. I had my pride, too, and I didn’t want him to realize how much his absence hurt.

“We had an emergency at the company, and with Papa still in Moscow, I was the only one who could take care of it.”

“I really understand.” I knew he wasn’t the type to lie about things like this, but even so.

“
S dnem rozhdeniya.
” The billionaire’s voice was soft but thickly accented, tender and fierce.

Damn him.
The sound of his voice, combined with the birthday greeting, made my knees go weak under the table, and I hated it.

I hated this.

I hated him.

“I miss you,
pchelka
.”

No, you don’t,
I thought. If he had, then he should have been here with me.

“I’ll be there tomorrow---”

“Please don’t bother,” I heard myself say in a sweet voice.

“Fredericka---”

“I think it’s good we spend a bit more time apart anyway.” In front of me, Alyx and Anneke gawked openly at my words.

“Is that so?” The Russian billionaire’s voice had become stiff.

I forced a laugh, asking, “You do know the paparazzi has taken to calling me
Attorney Moneypenny,
right?”

My “nickname” was due to the fact that my platonic-on-the-surface relationship with the Russian billionaire reminded people of James Bond’s friendship with M’s secretary, and as one tabloid had spun it, ‘I was the only woman to make the billionaire smile, the only woman Sergei Grachyov trusts because he knew my career meant more to me than being his girlfriend.’

They were right in a way, but they had also missed the pertinent fact that the Russian billionaire was exactly like me. As tonight had proved, work also meant more to him than our friendship did.

“I am aware of it.” The Russian billionaire seemed to be picking his words with care. “Does it displease you?”

“It does, actually. No single guy’s tried to approach me ever since people think I’m
your
Miss Moneypenny.”

Anneke’s jaw dropped at my words while Alyx simply looked at me like I had lost my mind.

“I see.” Sergei’s tone had never been colder than it was at that moment, but I told myself I was fine with it. “
Prosti.
I failed to realize how undesirable my presence in your life has become.”

The stiff formality in his words made me flinch, and I wanted to childishly snarl at him that 24-year-old guys like him shouldn’t speak English like he had a master’s degree in literature. I was the lawyer here, the professional, while he was the billionaire playboy who also happened to be
six years younger.
It wasn’t right that he was making me feel like I was the one acting immature.

“Yes, well, that’s how it is.”

“Ya ponimayu.”
I understand.
“I’ll make sure not to bother you too often then.” His voice was chillingly polite.
“Da svidaniya.”
It was a formal form of goodbye, followed by the sound of the Russian billionaire ending the call in a click.

When I lowered my iPhone back on the table, Alyx burst out, “What the hell was that?”

“It’s better this way, isn’t it?” I muttered. “I’ve become too dependent on him, and you two know it.”

“And what’s wrong with that?” Anneke asked, bewildered. “You two enjoy each other’s company---”

“In more ways than one,” Alyx added.

I glared at my cousin. “ALYX!”

“But it’s true,” she argued. “Haven’t you ever heard of friends with benefits?”

I snorted. “Tell me that when you’ve done it, too.” For all her bold talk, Alyx was a virgin as much as I was and we both knew it.

“Well, if I had a friend as yummy as Sergei Grachyov, I wouldn’t let those benefits go to waste. Unfortunately, I don’t.” She looked at me pointedly. “But you do, and I think it’s stupid that you’re pushing him away for no reason.”

“It’s better this way.”

And I kept telling myself that, day after day. A full month passed, and it was the longest that Sergei and I had neither talked nor seen each other, and it was like having the sun stop shining on me. Yes, it was dramatic, but it was exactly how I felt.

The nights were the worst. To my utter shame, I tried relieving my loneliness by touching myself. But this time, my fingers were no longer enough. I even tried fantasizing about him, but it still didn’t work. I couldn’t make myself come.

In a moment of absolute weakness, I succumbed to another urge. A pretty package in black was delivered to my doorstep one Friday night, and I couldn’t make myself look into the delivery guy’s eye as I scribbled my signature on his ledger.

When he left, I hurried to my bedroom, pulled the blinds shut, and closed the lights before unwrapping the package in the dark.

The feel of it was strange but familiar, and I couldn’t help gulping at what I was about to do.

My first ever vibrator,
I thought numbly.

Was this right or wrong? Was this an act of women empowerment or me sinking to the lowest of low? I had no idea. All I knew was that this might be the only way to forget him.

Pulling the covers over me, I placed the vibrator beside me before undressing myself. My nakedness made me shiver self-consciously, but I deliberately pushed all my worries away and forced myself to concentrate on how I was already anticipating what I was about to do.

I was
excited,
and that was a good thing. For the past month, I had been living like a zombie, and this was the closest I felt to being alive again.

Reaching for the vibrator, I allowed my legs to part under the covers, wider and wider and wider, until my insides began to ache and my folds began to swell at the delicious pressure I had put myself in. I closed my eyes, and to my shock an image of Sergei Grachyov suddenly filled my mind, vivid and powerful.

This was bad. This was good.

Either way, it was too late to stop myself.

In my mind, it was the Russian billionaire who had parted my legs open, and my lips parted in a soundless moan as I imagined Sergei running his dark gaze over my naked body. My flesh trembled, my folds becoming wet, and I knew it was time.

My hands trembled as I attached the sex toy to my tiny, throbbing nub of flesh.

Click.

As it started to vibrate, I squeezed my eyes shut more tightly, my lips parting in a silent gasp.

Sergei.

In my mind, it was Sergei behind the powerful vibrations, and my body arched off the bed in a sensual shudder.

Oh God.

I squeezed my eyes shut as my insides started to tighten.

Sergei, Sergei.

The steady, powerful vibration against my clit had me slowly seeing stars. My breasts started to swell, and I slowly reached for them, cupping and kneading the flesh before bringing my fingers to the aroused buds---

I pinched my nipples, imagining it was the Russian billionaire doing it---

AAAAAAAH.

My silent, drawn-out moan bounced against the walls of my mind, and my naked body arched against the covers. The silk over my body brushed tantalizingly against the tips of my breasts, heightening my arousal, and I gasped silently again.

Oh God, Sergei, Sergei, Sergei---

I reached for my little toy, made the vibration just one level stronger---

BRRRRRRRRR.

Oh God, oh God.

Sergei.

My eyes rolled back as my body started to tighten, the exquisite sensation painfully and wonderfully familiar.

BRRRRRRRRR.

My legs trembled hard, the inner muscles of my pussy contracting and releasing as it prepared for my release, and God oh God, it was just like having Sergei torment me---

BRRRRRRRRR.

Sergei.

I could see him in my mind, his beautiful face made harsh with desire.

I could picture his thin, perfect lips moving, could hear his accented voice growling---

Let me feel your cum.

BRRRRRRRRR.

Pleasure swept over me as I came hard with a silent sob.

My body shook harder and harder with every gush of wetness, and I could feel myself going faint. But even so I didn’t reach for my little toy. I let it vibrate and torture my nub, wanting to prolong my release.

It took a long time for the sensations to fade to nothing, and every tiny bone of my pussy felt used and exhausted by the time I put the toy away. The experience had been good. No, it was great actually, but even so---

Why did I still feel empty now?

Another month passed. Playing with my “toy” was now a weekly thing, just as stalking Sergei online was. To distract myself, I accepted as many cases as I could and worked overtime every night. My diligence paid off, and I was eventually assigned to a high-profile case that had me representing Nick and Jason Christakos. The two younger Greeks were twins and billionaires in their own right, and if I won their case for them, making it to state attorney was almost a shoo-in.

Once the contract for legal representation was signed and my meeting with the twins over, I called my friends, wanting to celebrate with them but both girls asked for a rain check, with Alyx tied up at work while Anneke was still overseas.