The Master (28 page)

Possessive,
primal.

I melted for him.

As he worked my body with short snaps of his hips and that hot, possessive hand, he nuzzled my ear. “If I were a cunning man, I would’ve trapped
you
with my child.” His
other hand flattened over my belly. “I imagined it. You big with my babe. These breasts full of milk.” He squeezed one, then the other. “My cock grew so stiff, I came in three
strokes.”

“
Máxim!
” He’d masturbated to that fantasy about me? The mere idea made my sheath tighten around his length. “
Dios mío, Dios mío.
”
With a cry, I ground my clit against his iron grip.

He bucked into me and jostled that maddening hold on my pussy. “You’re close, aren’t you? I want you to come hard for me.”

He removed that palm—“No! I need that, Máxim!”—only to return it with a cupped
slap.

“Oh. My. God!”

“There you go. . . . That’s it, baby. I can feel your wet pussy readying.”
SLAP.

The sound echoed around us as I tumbled over the edge. As heart-stopping pleasure coursed through my veins, I drew a breath,
needing
to scream lungfuls.

He put his other hand over my mouth. “Scream for your man.”

I did. Again and again and again.

“Greedy as ever!” He fucked harder and harder, shafting me with savage, animalistic thrusts.

He yanked up my scarf to bare my neck. A bite at my nape made my eyes roll back in my head. Right when I felt his heat spurting inside me, he snarled against my skin,
“Belong
to
me!”

Violent shudders wracked his massive body. One after another. Until he’d spent all his cum in me. . . .

With a last groan, he lowered his forehead to rest atop my head. He lazily stirred himself in our wetness, wrapping both arms around me. He squeezed me hard, but I loved it.

Slowly we caught our breath. “
En un sueño.
”

“A dream?” Nuzzling my ear again, he murmured, “You’re falling for me.”

My core quivered around his semihard shaft.

A low laugh. “You can’t hide that, can you? What are we going to do about this?” He’d said nothing about his own feelings.

I swallowed. “Get through this weekend?”

“Then we’ll have a long talk. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” Wait, what was I agreeing to? My head was still in the clouds.

“This is going to pain me, but I suppose we can’t be late for the festivities.” With another groan, he pulled out.

A shock of cold hit my pussy and ass. “Oh! Oh!” His damp dick must be freezing, but he sweetly tugged my ski pants and thong up before tucking himself back in.

He gave me a swat on my ass. I swatted his in return. He helped me into the saddle, mounting behind me. When his arms wrapped around me again, I lazed back, sighing in contentment. “
Me
podría acostumbrar a tí.
” I could get used to you.

“This is why I’m in such a hurry to learn your language. You speak Spanish in my ear during and after sex.”

And he spoke maddening Russian.

“Even when you sleep, you murmur in Spanish.”

I talked in my sleep?
Mierda!
“You’re learning too fast. I’ll have no secrets before long.”

“That’s the plan.”

I bit my lip, feeling like a countdown clock had started. Again, I thought,
What if I trusted Máxim?
Maybe I wouldn’t be calling Edward down upon me. Maybe I needed to
recognize a superstition for what it was.

Might it finally be time for me to recruit a teammate? A partner? Could any man be more qualified than Máxim to take on Edward?

By the time we’d reached the stable, I began to relax again. I didn’t have to decide anything for two days, and I was determined to enjoy this man, this place.

After we’d returned Chestnut, we walked back to the lodge hand in hand. As we approached the entrance, he said, “In case those farmers are still hanging around, I’ll show them
who you’re fucking.” He grabbed me, tossed me over his shoulder, and carried me inside.

I was squealing with laughter, pounding my mittens on his back, when I heard a man say, “
Maksimilian?
”

W
ith a laugh, Máxim turned, which put my ass—in tights—on display. “Ah, Aleksandr.”

His brother? “Down,
Ruso
!”

He let me slide down him, then pulled me around with my back to his front. He draped his arms over me, possessiveness in full force.

Aleksandr was as tall as Máxim and had similar features, that strong jaw and chin, the proud nose and broad cheekbones—though Aleksandr’s eyes were amber to
Máxim’s blue. And Aleksandr had tattoos on his fingers and closer-cut hair. Definitely rougher around the edges than Máxim.

Aleksandr stared at his brother as if he didn’t recognize him. “You look . . . changed.”

Máxim’s hair was ruffled, his skin tanned, his bright blue eyes hooded with relaxation. He appeared younger and was grinning—an authentic smile. His brother’s shock
clearly amused him.

Yet I could detect currents of strain between them, as if Aleksandr remained on guard.

“You brought a date.” Aleksandr turned his attention to me. I must have looked like I’d just gotten jackhammered in a covered bridge.

“Katya, this is my brother Aleksandr.
Bratan
, this is my woman, Cat Marín.” There was an undertone of
say something, I dare you
to his words.

“It’s a pleasure, Aleksandr,” I said. “I can’t wait to meet your bride.”

The man frowned down at me. “You’re from Miami?”

Máxim laughed. “Yes, this is the girl I held prisoner. But as you can see, she’s an overjoyed guest here. Aren’t you?” He squeezed me.

“I’m here to keep Máxim in line. There’ll be no mischief while I’m on watch, or I’ll kick his Russian ass.”

That got Máxim to laugh, while Aleksandr just looked baffled. Finally he said, “Natalie is going to like you very well. And please call me Aleks.”

After another couple of stilted exchanges, Máxim and I started back to our room.

As we made our way up the stairs, I asked him, “Why was he so shocked?”

“He’s never seen me like this.”

“Happy?”

Máxim paused on a step, seeming as shocked as Aleks had just been. “Happy,” he repeated, as if he were turning the word over in his mind, tasting it. “I suppose I
am.”

“You enjoyed his surprise. It amused you. Is my presence here solely to screw with people?”

“Though I was perversely pleased by Aleksandr’s surprise, I brought you here because I want you with me. Simple as that.” He leaned down to say, “And already,
you’re glad you came. In both senses of the word.”

I
was attending a Nebraskan dinner in a countryside lodge as the date of a Russian
mafiya
sex god. What exactly did one wear to an
occasion like that? I hoped I’d picked the right outfit.

My simple black pencil skirt accentuated my ass without being
too
tight. But my copper-colored blouse was a work of art. It was a cold-shoulder design with a scoop neck and long blouson
sleeves that were cut out to reveal my arms from my shoulders to my elbows. The back dipped low, almost to my racy new bra, and was held in place by a string (which I hoped Máxim would spend
all night thinking about untying). My black, strappy heels were high—because of my date’s height.

Saving the pearls for the ceremony, I wore the lock-and-key earrings. I left my hair down, curling loosely. All that time by the pool had highlighted strands to a caramel color, and I wanted to
show them off.

My makeup was understated, a touch of tawny eye shadow, mascara, and a bit of shimmery blush. The burnished gloss on my lips picked up the play of light on my blouse. My black clutch had a small
copper medallion in the center.

Holding my breath, I walked out of the dressing room to join Máxim. “
Te gusta?
You like?”

“
Me gusta
,” he murmured, immediately frowning. “I’m usually smoother than this, but you have a habit of making my mind go blank.” He crossed to me, wrapping
an arm around my waist. “I could not be prouder to show you off.”

I petted the lapel of his black suit. The lines were so classic and crisp, he looked like he’d stepped out of a magazine ad. “When you burn through all of your money, you can be a
model.”

With a grin, he said, “It’s good to have a backup plan.”

“How much did your suit cost?”

“The price of this one gave even me pause.” And he would wear it once. Sometimes his wealth blew my mind.

He grazed his forefinger against one of my earrings. “The lock-and-key ones. Do they make you think of me?”

“Only every time they kiss my neck.” Oh, I could tell he liked that.

He offered his arm. “Come, let’s go. Before I say to hell with this and take you to bed.”

His smoldering look made me very aware that I wore garters and stockings for him later.

I took his arm, and we headed downstairs toward the Grand Hall. As I’d dried my hair, I’d studied the fire escape plan to note exits, a habit born of self-preservation. I now knew
the layout of the lodge.

In the reception area outside the hall, dressed-up people mingled. At the outskirts of the room, men in understated suits stood alone, near all the exits. I recognized two of them from Miami. I
just stopped myself from waving.

“I see your security, Máxim. Is Nebraska a hotbed of mob hits?”

“Better safe than sorry.” He covered my hand on his arm. “The Sevastyans have much here that is precious to them.”

“Where’s Vasili?”

“Overseeing everything. He excels at this.”

We’d barely gotten downstairs before a redhead intercepted us, almost as if she’d been lying in wait. “So you’re Maksim’s mysterious date! I’m
Natalie.”

She was my height, with flawless pale skin, flame-red hair, and a sexpot figure. The green-eyed billionairess PhD student was a knockout. Because that wasn’t intimidating or anything. Her
engagement ring had a diamond the size of a meteorite.

Aleks joined her. “This is Cat Marín. She’s actually
with
Maksim.”

I stepped forward, offering my hand: “Hi.”

Natalie hugged me. “Oh, you’re freaking gorgeous!” She was sweet on top of everything?

When my cheeks heated, Máxim appeared charmed. In social situations like this, I tended to be more demure at first—a far cry from how I behaved with him. “Thank you,” I
told Natalie. “I can’t wait to see your dress. You’re going to be the most beautiful bride.” Having met her—and knowing her past—I hoped she had the WOTC,
wedding of the century.

Another girl our age slinked over. Must be Jessica. She looked like a runway princess with her svelte frame and cropped black hair. She wore a clearly expensive outfit: a red miniskirt,
thigh-high boots, and a silvery halter. No bra. The girl raked her blue eyes over me. “
OH-la,
fineness. I’m Jess. Why are you sober, hot
mamí
?” She shoved one
of her
two
drinks into my hand. “This ought to take care of the issue. Don’t say I never gave you anything.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m Cat Marín. Nice to meet you.”

“What kind of name is that?” she demanded. “You and Pussy Galore hang out? You sound like a cat burglar.”

“Thief of hearts, yo.”

Natalie cracked up. Aleks half-smiled. Máxim chuckled, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

Jessica’s red lips curled, and she lifted her cup to me. “You and I are going to have rocking chairs next to each other. It’s a done thing.”

Máxim said, “Jessica, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”

She gave him a chin jerk in greeting. “Are you really keeping this one prisoner in a Miami penthouse?”

Everyone grew quiet.

“He did keep me against my will,” I said airily. “Then he stopped being
un cabrón hijo de puta
, and I decided I’d let him hang out with me.”

“No wonder you like her,” Natalie said to Máxim. “She doesn’t put up with your bullshit!”

His eyes were lively. “She lets me get away with very little.”

Aleks said something in Russian that made Máxim tighten his arm around me. Natalie murmured something to Aleks that made him incline his head. Ah, the interplays. What I wouldn’t
give to speak Russian!

Jess asked me, “Hey,
mamí
, with an accent like yours, you speak Spanish?” I nodded. “I guess I’m the sole monolinguist. Which either means I know a single
language, or I’m committed to eating one box. In any case, it’s rude to speak another language in front of me.”

I belly-laughed at that. Had I actually thought these people would be stiff?

An older couple walked up then. The woman had shining brown hair and glasses. The man had similar glasses. Definitely a married pair.

The lady said, “Dinner’s about to start.” Then she turned to me. “Maksim truly did bring a plus one? I’m Natalie’s mother, Rebecca. And this is my husband,
Tom, Natalie’s stepfather.” They both struck me as good-natured. “We’re RVers.”

I checked my mental acronym databank for
RVer
, came up empty. Good money said they must do RV
ing
. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Cat Marín. And RVing sounds
exciting.”