Stone Cold Knockout (House of Pain Book 1) (17 page)

When she reached his big bed, Gennifer pulled out her ponytail and ran her hand through her hair. She caught his eye as she put a knee on the bed. He shook his head, practically daring her not to get in the bed. But he should know by now
—she loved a good challenge.

“
Do not play with me,” he said, his voice low. She smiled and crawled onto the mattress, plopping down in the center and crossing her legs at the ankles.

“
Come to bed,” she said. His face darkened and she knew his cold facade was close to finally crashing down. Her smile broadened, taunting him. Her eyes ran down the length of him, noticing that his cock was hardening already. He moved toward her, slowly, reminding her again of a wolf with an eye on the hunt. She felt the familiar dangerous thrill go through her. Mikhail was the sexiest man she'd ever been with, hands down. He radiated raw, masculine power. And he was all hers, whether he still wanted her or not.

He leaned over and yanked her across the duvet by her ankles. She squealed, her ass almost going off the edge of the mattress. She grabbed his shoulders and brought her knees up to clench around his chest, catching herself before she dropped to the floor.

“Go home, Gennifer,” he growled, his face close to hers.

“
No,” she replied.

“
I am angry with you.” His eyes scanned her face, the wildness coming to the surface.

“
It's not good to go to bed angry.” She pressed a kiss to his chest, right below his heart. He didn't stop her, so she continued trailing kisses up his chest to his throat. He let out a moan that vibrated through his skin against her lips.

“
I saw him touching you.” He took her face between his two big hands, forcing her head back to look him in the eye. “You let him touch you.” She shook her head, dismissing the kiss with Hector for once and for all.

“
I want you. I choose you.” She ran her hands up his ribs, loving the warmth of his skin. “You are mine,” she said, a jolt running through her at the powerful words that echoed his own. “I'm not going to give you up.”

“
Maybe it is not for you to choose,” he said. “If you do not go, I will go,” he said, dropping his hands and taking a step back.

“
Mikhail!” she cried out in frustration as he turned and left the bedroom. He didn't reply, and as much as she might have wanted to, she didn't follow him. Instead, she pushed herself back to the pillows and pulled the duvet over herself. She laid back, staring up at the ceiling as she waited for him to come to his senses. The whole thing was so stupid and ridiculous. But she wasn't going to beg him to forgive her any more. She'd already done everything she could. She refused to grovel.

When she heard the door open and shut, she jolted out of the warm bed in disbelief. She padded out to the living room, naked, and her heart squeezed painfully at the realization that she was alone in his big empty apartment.

He was gone.

Chapter 13

“
N
o more vodka for you,” Vadim announced, leaning over the bar at Tsar and taking Mikhail's drink. He finished it off in one gulp and then slammed the glass on the oak slab. “You are beginning to look pathetic in front of the staff.”

“
Do I care? No.” Mikhail said, reaching for the bottle behind the counter. His brother slapped at his hand with a laugh.

“
Explain,” Vadim said, placing the vodka on a high shelf, out of reach. “You do not usualyy drink during the week.”

“
I own this restaurant. I will drink when I fucking please,” Mikhail said, scratching his chin and sitting back down on his stool, not bothering to try for the bottle again.

“
We
own this restaurant,” Vadim said, rolling up the sleeves on his crisp white shirt. Mikhail stared down at his empty glass, knowing that he was acting like an idiot. But he couldn't turn his anger off. It had taken every fiber of his being to turn and leave House of Pain after he saw Gennifer kissing Hector. It had taken every ounce of self-control he had to not go after Hector with murderous intent. He wanted to beat the motherfucker black, blue, and bloody for laying his hands where they didn't belong.

However, he was not that kind of man anymore.

That didn't mean he was going to let them make a fool of him, though. He fisted his hand on the bar, fresh anger shooting through him again.

“
Is this about your mystery woman?” Vadim asked, running his hand through his short dark hair.

“
Her name is Gennifer,” Mikhail said.

“
Gennifer. I love that name. So American,” Vadim said, smiling wide. “Is she all-American girl? Blonde hair, big tits?” Mikhail didn't bother responding. His playboy of a younger brother understood very little about the fairer sex. He understood American women even less. Mikhail barely understood them himself, but he loved the challenge, especially when it came to Gennifer. At the thought of her, he closed his eyes, a stab of pain hitting him in the center of his chest. “Did she leave you? American girls do not understand loyalty like good Russian girls.” Vadim shrugged nonchalantly, but his blue eyes flashed in the low light of the bar.

“
Shut up, dear brother, before I put my fist through your face,” Mikhail growled. Vadim chuckled, then turned and grabbed the vodka off the shelf again. Quickly, he poured two glasses and slid one to Mikhail.

“
Alright. One more,” Vadim said. “Now tell me about your Gennifer.”

Two hours and one cab ride later, Mikhail opened the door to his apartment. Gennifer's scent hit him like a brick wall as soon as he stepped over the threshold. He pressed his forehead to the wall, wondering what he was going to do about her. Even as he obsessed over whether or not she was lying to him, he couldn't stop himself from heading straight to the bedroom to see her. Her clothes were still tossed willy-nilly across the living room, and he stepped over her T-shirt on his way. He stopped in the doorway, his heart catching at the sight of her. She was asleep on her side in his bed, her dark hair like a halo around her head.

Mikhail stared down at the infuriating woman, his cock still pulsing from the fucking he'd punished her with. Admittedly, her big brown eyes had been sincere earlier. And she said all the right words. But the vision of Hector kissing her was not one he could easily forgive. She had reacted to the kiss, he saw it. He knew his Gennifer; he knew how she responded to his touch. He knew she had responded to Hector's kiss.

He was tired and seeing his beautiful woman sleeping naked in the middle of his bed made him want to forget all about her betrayal. He undressed quickly and then slid into bed beside her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. He pressed his mouth to the curve of her dark shoulder and dropped a hand to her perfect breast, tweaking the dark nipple, hard. She moaned, her luscious body squirming against him.

“
I'm mad at you,” she murmured, her voice hoarse with sleep.

“
I'm angry with you, too,” he said, rolling the taut nipple between his thumb and forefinger, enjoying her reaction. She tossed her head back, a smile spreading across her lips. She thought she had won, and she had. He believed her, he realized. He believed that she didn't want Hector. He believed that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. But he couldn't let her off easily. It was not in his nature. He remembered how she hated to be tickled, and he took the opportunity to find the sensitive spot under her arm and take advantage. Her eyes widened and she screamed, writhing against him as he tortured her. He found himself smiling, watching her face light up in the low light.

Gennifer scooted her ass up the bed as she tried to get away from him. He looped his arm around her waist and yanked her back to him. She twisted in his grasp, laughing and kicking her legs. She almost got him in the balls, and in the interest of self-preservation, he rolled on to his side. She scrambled to the other side of the king-sized bed, her chest heaving.

“You're going to pay for that,” she giggled, now fully awake. He lazily propped his head on his hand.

“
I think not,” he said. “I think you still owe me.” He patted the bed beside him. “Come here.” She shook her head, her lips twitching. “Now, little girl.” After another moment, she inched over to him. He took her in his arms and kissed her hard. She kissed him back, giving as good as he gave. He felt himself getting lost in her again, the late hour contributing to his lack of focus. He went with it, letting the rage that had consumed him go. It faded away, and all that was left was her mouth, her hands, her hair—his Gennifer.  The tangy scent of her shampoo and the light salty tinge of her sweat combined in an intoxicating scent that he breathed in like a man dying from lack of oxygen.

Vaguely, he wondered how long he'd cared for her. Maybe from the first moment he saw her, punching the bag at the gym like her life was on fire. Definitely by the time he'd seen her in the shower. When the water ran down her body and she'd closed her lips around his cock, he'd already thought of her as his. At some point, she'd embedded herself inside him. The thought of losing her had sent him on a spiral back to the anger of his youth. When everything and everyone was his enemy. He didn't want to be like that anymore, he knew.

“Are we both done being angry now?” she asked softly, glancing up at him, the smile fading from her face.

“
Perhaps,” he said, running a finger under her chin.

“
You left me,” she murmured. “I was scared you wouldn't come back.”

“
This is my apartment,
solnyshka
. I had every intention of coming back,” he said, straight-faced.

“
Stop teasing me, Misha,” she said, her brow furrowing. “You scared me.”

“
Do not be scared,” he said, rubbing his cheek against hers.

“
Okay,” she said finally, a small smile returning to her lips. Then she pushed him onto his back and swirled her tongue around his nipple. “I'm going to suck your dick now. Got a problem with that?” she asked. His body jerked at her words, already swelling and stiffening and crying out for her.

“
I do not know. I am very tired.” He feigned a yawn and she narrowed her eyes at him.

“
Too bad.” She pushed down his body and took his hard cock into her hot little mouth. He dropped his head back and growled as she deep-throated him. He tangled his hands in her hair, closing his eyes. She hummed low in her throat, the vibration sending him over the edge. He felt her name on his lips, and he realized he was chanting it, like a mantra. His heart felt full as she loved him with her mouth and he realized that her earlier words were true.

She was his. And he was hers.

***

The next day, Gennifer couldn't stop grinning like a fool. She felt great, liked she just passed a big test with flying colors. She and Mikhail had weathered their first real argument and had come out on the other side, stronger than ever. She was beginning to wonder if the worst was over. A bad feeling still lingered at the back of her mind, but she chose to ignore it. In the shower that morning, with Mikhail asleep in the bed in the next room, she told herself that she wasn't going to jinx their relationship anymore. The more she thought things were going to turn to shit, the better chance that they would. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy, and she needed him too much to lose him.

As she parked her car a block from House of Pain, she felt a slight twist in her belly. She was dreading facing Hector. She didn't know what she was going to say to him, if anything. He was an ass, but he was also her brother. She had to figure out a way to make things okay between them. And between him and Mikhail. Diplomacy was not her strong suit, but she had to figure it out. Her future happiness depended on it.

As she slid the strap of her bag over her shoulder and slammed the car door shut, she took a moment to bask in the August sunshine. The summer was coming to an end and she'd been working so hard, she'd hardly had a chance to enjoy it. The city hummed with possibilities in the summer. She loved the energy on the streets. It was a Friday night, and the energy was at a fever pitch. She smiled to herself, taking her time walking to House of Pain. She was in such a good mood, she didn't notice Erica until she'd almost walked right through her.

“Genny?” Erica said, waving her hand, trying to get her attention.

“
Oh. Hey,” Gennifer replied, her grin immediately fading. The kiss with her Hector reared up and smacked her in the face again. Guilt, a feeling as uncomfortable to her as happiness, welled up in her. She didn't like it. She didn't like it one bit.

“
Can I ask you something?” Erica asked, falling into step beside Gennifer.

“
Ask away,” Gennifer said, gnawing on her lip.

“
Do you think you can skip training, just tonight?”

“
Skip training? Why?”

“
Well, I owe you margaritas. There's a great place a few blocks away.” Erica shifted her eyes to Gennifer's, nervously.

“
I don't know—” Gennifer began.

“
It's Friday night. I've had a shitty week and I need a drink.” Erica took Gennifer's hand and squeezed. “Don't make me beg to buy you an overpriced drink.” Gennifer glanced toward House of Pain, thinking about Mikhail waiting there for her. Alone. With Hector. But then again, she didn't really have any interest in being caught between them either. She could only take so much testosterone before she got hives. “A whole pitcher of margaritas, right? That was the deal?” Erica asked, looking so hopeful that Gennifer let her guilt and cowardice get in the way of good sense.

“
I would be dumb to refuse free overpriced drinks, I guess,” Gennifer said, folding like a cheap suit.

“
Exactly!” Erica said, smiling brightly.

Twenty minutes later they had shoved their way to the bar at the loud, crowded place Erica had chosen and found two empty stools. Gennifer wasn't dressed to go out on the town, but since she was trying to pick up anybody, she didn't worry about it too much. Erica was still in her work clothes, a breezy cotton skirt paired with a black camisole. She looked as effortlessly graceful as ever, even as she perched on a bar stool. Erica ordered a pitcher of margaritas and chips and salsa. Then she turned back to Gennifer, expectantly.

“So...” Gennifer glanced around the restaurant, trying to think of a topic of conversation that wouldn't lead back to Hector.

“
How was work? You're a dentist, right?” Erica asked, breaking the silence.

“
Yup. I had an extraction today. Pretty exciting,” Gennifer said with a laugh. “What do you do?”

“
I'm an artist's agent. I work out of a gallery in Chelsea.”

“
Hmm,” Gennifer said, not knowing how to reply to that. She was a gym rat who knew next to nothing about art.

“
Do you know Chadwick Benedict?” Erica asked.

“
The musician?”

“
Yeah. I work for his wife, Indira. She's a pretty well-known artist,” Erica said, with a smile. “The pay is not the greatest, but it's never boring.”

“
That sounds cool,” Gennifer said.

“
Being a dentist is cool, too.” Erica replied.

“
No, it's not,” Gennifer shook her head. “But I like it. And the pay is good.”

“
How did you decide to be a dentist?”

“
I don't know. When I was a kid, I would go to the dentist's office, I always loved those big white plastic teeth that they always have lying around. I just loved how smooth they were.” Gennifer laughed at herself, knowing it sounded silly. “I only applied to Rutger's Dental school, I was so sure. Luckily, I got in.”

“
Well I always wanted to be an artist,” Gennifer said, biting down on a chip from the basket between them. “But I wasn't good enough.”