Owned by the Badman (Russian Bratva #1) (13 page)

“Never again,
angel moy
. Catia is no longer a worry. I hope you realize this?” he asks, his breath tickling my skin. I sigh, arching my body even closer to his—craving the contact of his steel body against me.

“I am trying, Maxim. I truly am,” I whisper, my insecurity raw and out in the open.

Maxim slowly slides the zipper of my dress down my back and lets the fabric fall to the floor, leaving me barefoot and in only my panties and strapless bra.

“So beautiful,
golubushka
, and all mine,” he moans.

Maxim pulls a knife out of the back of his pants and grabs the expensive silk panties I am wearing before he cuts them off my body. I shake with fear and apprehension. He grins at me setting the sharp object on the counter before he pulls a gun out of his waistband as well, setting it aside.

He then wraps those same hands around my hips and I look down at the contrast. Maxim has his dark, golden tattooed skin pressed against my creamy white. It looks like danger lies against me, and I shiver with anticipation.

This man is oozes danger, he is scary, and he is
all
mine
. I rip the bra off my body and send it flying as Maxim lifts me to rest my ass against the countertop’s edge. I automatically spread my legs in sudden impatience.

“What do you want, Haleigh?” he murmurs, a faint smile on his lips. I can feel my body quaking, waiting and wanting whatever he wishes to offer.

“
You
, Maxim, just you,” I whisper as I watch him strip the clothes from his body.

My eyes take in all of his tattooed, muscular form, and my mouth waters. Every inch of him is fascinating.

Maxim drops on his star adorned tattooed knees, tattoos I have just noticed in the brightly lit kitchen, and kisses the inside of my ankle, my thigh, and finally my core. His tongue slowly slides through my center, flicking against my clit and then sucking it deep.

My hands fly to his hair and I wrap my fingers in the messy golden locks.

Maxim’s tongue slides inside of my center and I spread my legs farther apart, scooting closer to the edge of the counter, trying to get as close to him as I can. I need so much more,
want
so much more. His hands wrap around my thighs as he devours me.

His golden blond hair between my legs, his tattooed skin covering mine, and his devious tongue are all too much. I rock against his mouth as I come, screaming his name.

“Gorgeous,” he whispers as he stands from the floor. He picks me up off the counter and turns me around; his hand is on my back, pushing my chest down onto the counter.

“I am going to fuck you now,
angel moy.
It will be rough. If you cannot handle it, you must tell me, yes?”

I moan my answer because I can’t find any words.

My brain is too foggy with my recent climax and my current need.

Maxim roughly grabs my hips, his fingers digging into my flesh as he holds me up so he can easily slide deep inside me from behind. His mouth is on my shoulder, kissing and then biting down hard. I cry out from the initial pain and shock, but something unfurls deep inside of me, and I find that I like it
… a lot.

I push back on his cock, feeling blood droplets slide down my back, making me wetter than I already am. Maxim hums as he pulls out and then roughly thrusts into me, my hipbones crashing against the counter as he pounds into my center. His hand slides up my back and around my neck as he continues to pound deep, and hard, inside of my body.

“Stay calm, Haleigh.
Fuck, you feel so damn good
,” he growls as his grip on my neck tightens. I feel my airway restricting.

My heart begins racing and I start to panic. Then I hear Maxim murmuring for me to be calm and I let go.

I relax my body as he slams inside of me, harder than before. I try to cry out, but my voice is gone.

Maxim’s grip is firm around my neck, as his other hand slides to my clit. He begins to furiously rub circles against the sensitive nub, drawing me even closer toward my climax.

“
Come
, fucking
come,
Haleigh,” he bellows, pushing me over the edge.

I come—my body spasming around him, shaking uncontrollably with the most intense climax I have had. He then stills, his hand twitching on my throat before he finally releases it. His heavy body drapes over mine, trapping me against the once cold countertop that is now hot and wet from my sweaty body.

“Such a good girl for me,” he whispers in my ear as he slowly slides his cock out of me.

My body slumps. My legs are complete Jell-O.

Maxim lifts me in his strong, capable arms and carries me to bed, his face nuzzling my neck the entire way.

“Sleep,
angel moy
. Such a good wife, such a good girl,” he mutters as my eyes close.

I fall into an immediate deep sleep.

T
HE NEXT MORNING
, I stretch and roll over to find Maxim’s side of the bed is empty. I almost panic, but then realize he must have already gone to work for the day.

I take my cell phone from the bedside table, and am surprised to see that it is much later than I had initially realized. It is already ten in the morning. I should be up and doing things, but I find that I am feeling lazy and sore—deliciously sore. My phone starts to buzz in my hand. I answer with a sleepy
hello
.

“Are you asleep still?” Maxim’s gruff voice barks.

A few weeks ago, I would have cowered at his tone, but I know now that it is his business voice.

“You wore me out last night,
baby
,” I whisper the last word, trying it on to see if I like it.

“Say it again,” Maxim growls.

“
Baby
,” I say before I hear him grunt.

“I like that. You call me that now, yes?” he orders. I smile widely, even though nobody can see me, telling him
yes
.

“I work late tonight,
angel moy.
Do not wait for me. I will eat out, so do not make me dinner,” he says. I try to swallow the insecurity, the fear that it is not really work he’s going to but another woman.

“All right, Maxim. I’ll see you later sometime then?” I can’t help the way my voice weakens as the tears begin to gather in my eyes.

“It is only work, Haleigh, I swear this to you. Just work.” He tries to reassure me, but I just nod as if he can see me. Brightly, I tell him to have a great day.

“Have a good day,
golubushka,
” he whispers, hanging up before I can say another word. I am glad; who knows what kind of crazy I would come up with if he were on the phone a second longer.

I spend the day trying not to think about what Maxim is doing tonight.

Will he go to Catia?

Will he go to somebody else?

By the end of the day, the house is perfectly clean and I have paced the living room and kitchen about a hundred times. I glance at the clock every ten minutes after nine o’clock hits wondering where he is and what he is doing, or
who
?

I talk myself out of him being with anybody just as quickly as I talk myself into him being with
everybody
.

I pick up the phone fifteen times to talk to Sonia, but I end up putting it down before I dial her number. I feel stupid. Suddenly, there is a knock on the door and I rush to open it. My breath is stolen from my body by the person standing in the doorway.

Amelia Stockhardt

My mother whooshes right past me and into the living room without a single word, as if she owns the place—like she has every right to just walk into Maxim’s home.
My home
. I don’t know why she is here, and I don’t care. She hasn’t tried to contact me once since I have married Maxim.

“How can I help you, Mother?” I ask, my voice like ice.

“This home is nice, Haleigh. Too nice for you,” she states. I suddenly wish I had slammed the door in her face. She is a horrible person. Instead, I don’t say a word.

“I don’t see any visible bruising, so I assume he isn’t hitting you too hard, then,” she quips. My eyes widen, and I just stare at her.
Dumbfounded
.

“Maxim does not hit me, mother,” I say softly, my hand going to my throat to caress the delicate skin there. Not that he choked me
that
hard, but the skin is still a bit tender.

“What
does
he do? Chain you up and fuck you like the purchased piece of meat that you are?” she asks, arching a perfect brow at me.

My mouth gapes, and I can’t speak. I can’t do anything but stare at her in complete surprise.

“You
do
know that we sold you, don’t you? He
owns
you, Haleigh, so you had better not piss him off. He can get rid of you the moment you do,” she announces, her eyes taking in a full scan of my body.

“Mother …”

It’s the only thing I can say because I am at a complete loss for words. I was not under the impression that Maxim saw me one day and just had to have me; I knew there was some kind of deal made but
sold
?

“You look fat, Haleigh. You need to dance more and eat less or he really won’t want to keep you,” she continues, tapping her foot as if she is impatient about ...
something
. I close my eyes and ball my hands into fists before I speak.

“You need to leave my home,” I say sternly. She cocks her head to the side and then smirks.

“Silly girl, this will never be
your
house. This is Maxim’s, and by the looks of it, business is good for him. Maybe I’ll get rid of you myself and slide on into your place. I’m sure he’d appreciate a real woman who knows how to please her man,” she says with zero emotion to her voice and smirk placed on her lips. I step closer to her so I don’t scream or cry—or do both.

“
Go.
You are not welcome in my home,” I say. My voice is as low and lethal as I can possibly make it.

I don’t see it before it happens, but suddenly, I feel a thumping pain in my cheek. My mother has slapped me. I cup my face and turn my head back around to face her.

“You’ll do well to remember your place, Haleigh. You are nothing but property. He
owns
you. What you feel for him is some fucked-up illusion, some fucked-up game, and he’s playing with your mind. Make no mistake, little girl, your life is in his hands,” she announces, smiling widely.

I shake my head and she smiles even wider. She then takes my hair in her hand and pulls my head down so fast, I can’t even brace myself for the fall onto the spotless travertine flooring— flooring I spent well over two hours cleaning today. She lifts her foot before stomping onto my stomach with her sharp high heel, and then repeats the motion five more times on various parts of my torso. I can do nothing but moan every time she kicks or stomps on a part of my body.

“Remember, Haleigh,
you are nothing.
You have always been nothing,
and you will always
be
nothing. You are nothing but a bartering chip in this life, and you are nothing but property,” she informs me.

My eyes are swollen from the combination of her kicks and my tears, but I watch as her foot goes back and then, all of a sudden, she is gone.

“Dimitri, hold this bitch.” I hear a booming voice from somewhere in the distance and then I see my Maxim crouched down, his beautiful golden hair right in front of me, his handsome scared face in my sights.

I sigh at the sight of him.

“
Baby
,” I whisper slowly, lifting my arm to cup his cheek.

“The doctor is coming, Haleigh. I will kill her. I will kill her right here in front of you. I will watch her bleed like she has made you bleed.”

His voice is fading and I close my eyes, letting sleep take me. I can’t seem to keep my eyes open a moment longer.