CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“Are you sure?” I ask.
She nods, her hands going to the hem of my t-shirt and lifting it up. “I’m positive.”
Releasing her, I raise my arms and allow her to undress me.
Soon, her lips replace her hands. Soft kisses rain down on my skin, reminding me of our first date. I’m at her mercy right now, even while my body is screaming at me to dominate her.
Forcing myself to allow her to take the lead isn’t easy. It’s pure torture. I can’t allow this to happen. I just can’t. “Even though I’ve killed people?” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She tilts her head to one side, her hair sliding over one bare shoulder. “Does it matter why?”
It shouldn’t, but it does. I should keep my mouth shut and give in to her. “Yes, it matters.”
“What if I don’t want to explain why?” she asks, the look on her face growing uncertain. Perhaps now she’ll reconsider her plan of seducing me. “Maybe I can’t explain why. Maybe I just know what I want.”
Her fingers trail down my chest, lower still to my abs, which contract in response to her light touch. Looking down at her, I stare at the white strips on her wrists as she unbuttons my pants and shoves them down. They are reminders of her time away from me. Reminders of what Viktor did to her. She could have died.
“Then don’t, love,” I murmur while taking off my boxer briefs. “I’ll give you what you want.”
Scooping her into my arms, I kneel on the floor and lay her on the white rug in front of the fireplace. Flickering light plays over her golden body as I sit back on my legs, simply admiring her.
Her nipples harden under my watchful gaze. Unable to resist the temptation, I lean over her, taking one into my mouth and sucking. Biting. Kissing. Licking. I give the same attention to the other one, until she is moving restlessly under me.
I blaze a wet path down her body, pausing at the soft swell of her stomach to kiss her there. The tops of her thighs, her plump hips. The dimples in her knees. All the way down to her ankles.
Taking a foot in my hand, I rub the instep and she rewards me with a sweet moan. I slip my hands up the backs of her legs, kneading the muscles as I travel higher and higher.
By the time I’m between her sweet thighs, her legs are parted and her voice is breathless when she asks, “See anything you like?”
I peer up at her through my lashes. “Everything.” Lowering my head, I part her soft curls to reveal her wet, hot flesh. “Try not to bring the house down with your screams, yeah?”
Her hands fist in my hair when my tongue grazes her swollen clit. She tastes divine. With slow, leisurely licks, I drive us both mad.
“Are you on birth control?” I ask, lifting my mouth slightly. I lick my lips, savoring each drop of her that still clings.
She nods and licks her own lips. “I get a shot every six months.”
“I want to—”
Pushing me back, Everly straddles my lap, wet curls brushing my hard cock. “Do it.” She runs her hands down my back and kisses my neck. The hard points of her nipples scrape my chest. “Make me yours.”
“You already were mine.” Cupping her hips in my hands, I position my cock at her entrance and her head falls back, eyes closing in pure pleasure. “You’ll always be mine.”
“Now, Roman.”
“Look at me.” Her eyes fly open. “Know who’s possessing you,” I say as I begin to ease inside. “Who owns you and will raze an entire civilization to keep you safe.”
She gasps, her thighs widening. I rock into her, taking my time and keeping her on edge, not allowing her to sink down on me.
“Know that I would lie, steal, and cheat for you.”
“You don’t have to,” she says. Her fingers dig into my biceps, a welcome stinging pain.
Not until I’m fully seated to the hilt do I speak again. It’s nearly impossible to do so. There is nothing between us. Only the hot, wet clasp of her inner walls. Our bodies are perfectly aligned with one another.
“But I would, love. I would use everything at my disposal.” My heart slams against my chest as she leans up to kiss me.
I kiss her back, mindful of her injuries. Her tongue traces the seam of my mouth and I open slightly, but that’s all she needs. Boldly, her tongue touches mine, strokes and caresses.
Rolling my hips, I thrust into her, hard enough to make her breasts bounce. I palm her ass and guide her movements, slow and then fast. Hard, then soft. Our bodies become slick. She’s as hungry for me as I am for her.
We can’t stop kissing, can’t stop touching and stroking. “Please,” she whispers in my ear. “I need you.”
Reaching between us, I find her swollen clit and tease it. She whimpers, her thighs tightening. There is something very humbling yet powerful about holding a woman like this. To touch and stroke her, to make her come undone…
Everly’s mouth parts on a cry. “Roman!”
Out of nowhere my orgasm slams into me, shooting down my spine, and I thrust deep. “Ya loobhloo tyeh byah fsyei dooshoi.” I love you with all my soul. I do. I love her more than anyone else I’ve ever known.
Carefully, I lay her on the rug and join her. She runs a hand over my hip and I can’t help but pull her against me, her back to my chest.
Kissing her again, I murmur, “Ya nyee mahgoo zhit byehs tyehbyah.” I can’t live without you.
“What did all of that mean?” she asks, her voice sleepy. Adorable.
“That you look beautiful when you orgasm.” That much is true. She is exquisite at that moment.
“Oh.” Her sleepy voice turns slightly bashful. “Thank you?”
I laugh, for the first time in days. “You’re welcome.”
We are awoken by the sound of a vase crashing to the ground. At first, I lie there with her in my arms, enjoying the feel of Everly in my bed. Earthquakes, while rare, are known to happen here. Rarer still is a woman in my bed. After she had fallen asleep, I had carried her to my room and finally allowed my body to relax enough to join her.
The entire house shakes one more, windows rattling this time. I hear shouting, and the sound of something large crumbling. I sit upright in bed. “Not an earthquake.” I’m nearly positive that the house has just been invaded.
Everly blinks up at me, her eyes sleepy as she snuggles closer. “Lay back down with me, Roman. It’s too early to get up.”
Silently cursing, I leap out of the bed and grab the outfit that Gustav had brought up for her the day before.
“Get up and put this on,” I say sharply, tossing the clothes on the bed before I dress.
“What’s wrong?” she asks, while quickly dressing in dark jeans and a light blue sweater. She pulls her hair into a ponytail and then slips on her old shoes.
I check the door, and then inch toward the window, grabbing my gun along the way. “I’m not sure. If you need to use the bathroom, now is the time to do it.”
Eyes widening, Everly bolts for the bathroom. She’s out in no time. “What do I need to do?”
“Check the drawer by the bed. There should be a gun and clip, fully loaded.”
“Got it,” she says, just as the door bursts open.
A smoke bomb is thrown inside. I dive for Everly, covering her mouth with my hand as we fall to the floor. “Try not to breathe too deeply and follow me,” I whisper into her ear.
One thing I did see fit to put into this room was an exit. Everly and I crawl to the closet. Pulling her up, I hit the button hidden on the side of a display cabinet for shoes. The wall swings open, and I send her through first. But before I can join her, someone grabs me. I clamp my hand on their wrist and flip them over.
“Gustav?” Had he set off the bombs?
“A parting gift from V—”
I shoot him twice before he can get one bullet off. “You stupid man. Viktor sent you to your death.”
“Roman,” Everly whisper-shouts.
Stepping into the dark passageway, I hit the interior button and the door closes. I lean over, grabbing the bag I had packed in case of an emergency like this and pull out a flashlight, clicking on the light.
“This leads to the cottage on the far side of the estate,” I explain as we walk in nearly complete darkness. Only the flashlight highlights our path. “It connects to an underground tunnel.”
“What about when we get there?”
The house rocks again, sending us stumbling to one side. Dust and plaster fall on top of us. I look at Everly.
“Run.”