My Russian Nightmare (13 page)

He shrugs. “I did my best.” He stuffs his hands into his pockets. “Oh, I almost forgot.”

He takes my hand in his, and it fits perfectly. I don’t want to ever let go, but he does, and slips something on the ring finger of my left hand. It’s a diamond ring. My breath is caught, trapped in my throat. The diamond is big and beautiful. It’s surrounded with what looks like wispy vines similar to his tattoos, adorned with small diamond chips above and below it. It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. I’m speechless.

“One more.” he says, slipping another ring on to rest above what I assume is an engagement ring. It looks like a plain band. So much for giving me time and space.

“Dimitri?” My hand trembles in his. Is he asking? “Is this real?”

“I assume you’re asking about the diamond. Yes. It’s two carats. You don’t need to worry about the sentiment though. These don’t come with strings or expectations. They’re only props. From this moment on, you’re my wife, for all intents and purposes. I guess you can call these a necessary evil.”

I’m surprised at how fast and hard my heart sinks and hope is snuffed out. I didn’t even consider it until this moment, and the idea of being forever tied to him, well…it exhilarates me. Even in this tumultuous state. Crazy as it is, it’s sort of the one thing that would make me okay with everything that happened leading up to this. As if it would prove we were destined to be together, but that wasn’t even what he meant, and the disappointment crushes me.

“That door,” he points to a closed door in the room, “leads to the master bath. Our rooms both connect to it. If you need me, or if you just want to talk, my door will always be open.” He checks his phone. “Dinner will be served in the dining room in two hours, and I’ll give you a tour of the rest of the house. I look forward to seeing you there.” He turns to leave.

“Dimitri, wait.” I’m panicked. I don’t want him out of my sight.

He stops and stares at me, waiting for something to come out of my open mouth, but I sigh and close it instead. The words won’t leave me. He’s right. I do need time. I just hope it’s not so much that he gives up on me totally.

“I don’t even know your last name.” It’s the only thing I can think of.

“My name is Dimitri Nombrasnya. The name on our marriage certificate is Dante Sterling. That would make you Kiera Collington Sterling.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

“Of course.” His lips curve up in the corners, and for a brief moment, I recognize the look of playful mischief in his eyes. Is it possible he knows what’s in my heart? What I can’t find the courage to say?

“Kiera, there’s one last thing you should know.”

I wait with bated breath to hear what he has to say. 

“I’m never giving up on you.”

Chapter 14

“I’m never giving up on you.”

I replay those words over and over as water spills down over my head. Each drop rolls down the length of my body as I stand under the showerhead and welcome the punishing stream of scalding hot water. Steam fills the room, making it difficult to see outside the clear shower door.

I finished soaping up and washing my hair ten minutes ago, but I can’t pull myself away from the water. I’m not sure if it’s cleansing my body or my spirit, but the water rushing over every inch of my skin is renewing.

Nombrasnya. The name is familiar. I’ve heard it on the news for sure. He said his grandfather is still very politically connected. Now I understand why he wasn’t killed as a child and why they even gave him the chance to look after me. They wanted him to prove he wasn’t trustworthy. Then they could do as they pleased with both of us.

After toweling off, I reach for the plush robe hanging just outside the shower and wrap myself up in it. The rich material is soft and cushy against my skin. I snuggle against the material, getting lost in it. I take a few minutes to towel off and blow dry my hair.

The bathroom is fully stocked with toiletries, with everything I can think of and then some. I feel like I’m visiting a 5 star hotel rather than getting acquainted with my new home. Not my home, I remind myself. Dimitri’s home. No matter how many of my things he decorates the room with, I don’t belong here. And I can’t help but feel that if I agree to the house, the money, all of it, I’m betraying my parents and somehow cheapening their lives, making them about material things instead of the amazing people they were.

A minute ago I felt rejuvenated, like I could take on the world. A veil of exhaustion has settled back over me. A few minutes with my eyes closed will do me a world of good. Besides, I don’t have anything pressing I need to worry about, just dinner. A few minutes, that’s all I need. I lie on my bed, tighten my bathrobe around me, and close my eyes.

I can’t breathe. My face is wet, my throat dry and raw. A sharp, shrill scream pierces the air, and I bolt upright in my bed. It’s me, I’m screaming and crying. Hands grip the top of my arms, and I thrash to break free.

“No. No!” I scream.

“Kiera, look at me!”

Dimitri’s sitting on the side of the bed in nothing but a pair of boxers. He lets go of me and now he’s pulling back, holding his hands up, as if in surrender.

“What…what are you doing here?” I look around the darkened room shaking in fear, adrenaline shooting through my veins. “What time is it?”

“About three in the morning.”

“Three? How? I just wanted to close my eyes for a minute.”

“I didn’t mean to intrude. I was in the bathroom, and it sounded like something was wrong so I came to check up on you.” His eyes drift from mine, down to my body and back up.

“Oh,” Remembering that I have nothing on beneath my robe, I adjust myself on the bed and pull the robe closed tighter, embarrassed that in my panic, I may have just flashed him. “I guess I had a bad dream.” I say, wiping the back of my neck.

“If you’re okay, I’ll just go back to my room.” He stands, but doesn’t move. I feel the heat of his stare burning through the terrycloth material around me. It’s heating me up, scorching my exposed skin.

“Good night,” I say in a voice just louder than a whisper.

“Good night.” He takes two steps away before I call out to him.

“Wait!”

He stops and turns. His brown eyes stare back at me.

“I’m sorry I missed dinner. I didn’t mean to,” I babble, not wanting to be alone and too distracted by the way the moonlight bounces off the ripped muscles of his bare chest to say anything coherent. It can’t hurt to look. Stare. Whatever the hell I’m doing to him with my eyes. “I wanted to be there, but I fell into such a deep sleep.”

His lips curl up and he looks relieved
as he takes a step toward my bed. “It’s fine. I thought you were avoiding me.”

“No,” I choke out.

“Are you okay?” he asks, narrowing his eyes at me while taking another step closer and sitting back down on the bed.

I reach out and grasp his hand. Holy hell, I want to feel this strong, warm hand touching me. “I’m not okay. Not at all. I’m an overly emotional wreck.” Tears stream down my cheek. “I’m scared of everything. Of how I feel. Of how I think I’m supposed to feel. And all I really want is to be next to you.”

“Ah, Slatkaya,” he says, wiping my cheeks with the padding of his thumbs. Even this simple touch has me reeling, craving more. “Don’t cry.”

“Dimitri. Can you stay? And hold me? Please?”

Pathetic left the building, and I’ve just reached the threshold three levels below pathetic.

He scrubs his free hand over his face. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

I turn away so he can’t see the deep crack his words etched into my heart. He doesn’t allow me to keep an ounce of pride. He takes hold of my chin and turns my face back so that he can get a good look. His eyes, those all-seeing eyes, pierce mine and hold me in place, paralyzed.

“If I’m lying in bed with you, breathing you in, pressed up against you,” he says each phrase slowly, letting the image form in my mind. “I don’t know that I’ll have enough control to leave it at that.”

I pull my bottom lip between my teeth before gathering enough courage to speak, a habit I picked up from Dimitri. I reach out and trace my fingers lightly around the bandaged area of his right shoulder, barely touching him, wondering if he feels the tingling, the zing of my touch the way I feel it with his.

“Then don’t.”

“I understand.” He nods and stands again. Misunderstanding. Ready to leave. I don’t let go. Instead I pull him back to me.

“Don’t. Leave it at that.” I release his hand and untie the belt on my robe, making sure my message comes across loud and clear.

Dimitri’s mouth opens, and his eyes take on a dreamy is-this-really-happening look as they drop to my bare breasts and below.

“See something you like?” I ask, willing him to lose control and touch me. He sucks in a deep breath and swallows hard before bending down and devouring my mouth with his own.

The stubble on his face scratches against my skin as his tongue clashes with mine and twirls. Pleasure and pain, it’s the epitome of us in every sense. Nothing that feels this good, this right comes without a painful contrast. Our bodies writhe together on the mattress, dancing to a rhythmic melody only we can hear. Everything in this moment is right. We’re right.

Under the robe, his hands glide over my waist and wake my nerve endings. My body yearns, begs to feel his touch everywhere. It’s calling him. Screaming out
to
him,
for
him. I never needed anything in my life the way I need him. I need to breathe him in, to make him a part of me.

“Dimitri,” I whisper.

I let my head drop back and moan in pleasure as he peppers kisses across my jaw and down to my neck. His tongue teases and tickles my skin. The more he kisses me, the more I want his mouth on every part of my body. His lips make their way down to my breasts. The pink nubs elongate and stiffen as his mouth closes around one and then the other, his tongue curling around, flicking over each in turn.

He’s moving slow, taking his time, and it’s driving me crazy. Spending so much time and energy being angry with him has me strung so tight my insides are vibrating, begging for release.

I want him. Right now. This second.

“Dimitri,” I whisper his name while running my fingers through his hair. “Please, take me,” I say in a heady, pleading tone. “I’m crawling out of my skin, like an addict. The only way to get my fix is to feel you inside me.”

“Oh, fuck, Kiera. If you keep talking like that, I don’t know how long I’m going to last.”

His hands slide under my ass and press me against him. I wrap my legs around his waist, keeping that part of our bodies joined, hoping even just rubbing against him will offer some relief, but it doesn’t. It makes it worse. 

I’ve only had sex the one time, and that was with Dimitri. He woke something inside me I can’t control. Is it normal to feel this way? Like I’m going to explode if he doesn’t move things along? I reach for the waistband of his boxers and push them below his hips, exposing him.

“Let me help you with that.” He pushes them down further and kicks them off to the side. I let my eyes linger on his perfect form, enjoying the sight before me. Tight round ass. Long, thick erection.

“If I had a clue what I was doing, I’d push you down on your back and climb on top of you,” I say, hoping he understands this is taking entirely too long.

“Do you know how bad I want you? Feel how hard I am.”

I reach down and wrap my hand around his shaft. With a firm grip, I slide my hand up and down. “I need you so bad.”

His eyes close, and the look of pleasure on his face is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

“I don’t know if you’re shitting me about your lack of experience or if you’re a natural tease, but you’re driving me crazy.” He reaches down between my legs. “Damn, slatkaya. You’re dripping wet,” he says, plunging first one then two fingers inside me.

“Please, Dimitri, take me now. Make the ache go away,” I plead.

He pulls his fingers from me and brings them to his lips. “Mmm.” I watch him run his tongue over them. “Sweet, Delicious.”

I think I just got wetter.

“Next time, Kiera. I’ll make you appreciate my tongue as much as my cock.”

Promises, promises.

I feel the head of his member press against me. He’s using one hand to guide himself inside. I feel my pussy stretching around him. Dimitri locks his eyes on mine as he starts thrusting his hips. Slow. Steady.

Careful not to touch his shoulder, my hands rest on his tight ass. I squeeze and press while lifting my hips to meet each of his thrusts.

It feels so good, I don’t think it will take long before I cum. Just as I think it, I feel his fingers on my clit, circling and adding pressure. My breaths are fast and shallow, and I scream as the explosion of pleasure takes over every conscious thought.

“Yes! Yes! Dimitri!”

“That’s right, Kiera. Cum, baby. Cum for me.”

As soon as my breaths increase and I unclench my fingers from the flesh of his ass, I feel his thrusts come fast and hard until his hot seed spills into me.