Place it on social media for all to see.

 

***Ruby***

 

I still can’t believe I’m holding a piece of paper, well…not so much paper…a freaking marriage license. This is insane. Yet it’s another thing he did to protect me. Slowly placing the paper on the table, I lean back against the couch.

I turn my head in his direction. “So Paco can’t touch me now that I’m married to you.”

It’s not a question, because I know a little about the Italian mob…ugh…again, only from reading. Like how I read about giving a blowjob…the way I was using my tongue and mouth on him…very productive information, if I do say so myself. Then again, it was more like a crash course taught by Yegor. Because the way he took over wasn’t from any book I’ve read.

My cheeks flush at the reminder and I’m thankful his voice pulls me away from my thoughts. “It was the first thing that popped in my head, a short-term solution. You should have told me sooner. I have no doubt the news that you were freed from the hands of those snuff movie idiots has already reached him. That’s why you panicked earlier, right? Because he’s still after you, isn’t he?”

I nod in agreement. It’s time to tell him some more about what happened, so I might as well start from the beginning. “I worked as a secretary at a car dealership. My friend, Ava, she…” I have to swallow, because a memory flashes through my head that I need to bury. “She takes, took, side jobs. Ava was a waitress at these high-class cruise nights. She knows…dammit…knew…I’d never…but I needed the cash, and she practically begged me not to let her go alone. So, I went with her and the moment we stepped foot on  that ship…”

Yegor stands from the couch. “He planned it, even if you hadn’t gone to that ship, he would have had you picked up anyway.”

“Yeah, but then Ava would still be alive, now wouldn’t she? Because it was me they wanted, not her. It’s my fault. Her blood is on my hands.” I don’t mean to hurl the angry words at him but no one else is around.

“Never.” He grunts back. “Don’t ever fucking think that way.”

“How can I not? They raped and killed her right in front of me, Yegor. I never should have…”

“What?” He snaps. “Never should have made friends? Never should have lived your life? What, Ruby? Because he’s the one who slipped off track, not you. This whole pile of shit is on him and the fuckers involved. Not you.”

My chest is heaving and the words stumble through my mind and over my lips. “I want him dead.”

“Soon.” That one word from Yegor is a solid promise in my ears.

He checks his watch before his gaze lands back on mine. “I need to head over to Ford’s place. There’s a meeting, and I’m going to bring this matter up. He’ll reach out to Paco so it’s official and out in the open that you’re not to be touched.”

I step back. “No.” I whisper. This means he’s settling. Not killing, just protecting me. “You promised.”

“We will get our revenge, Little Spitfire. I just need a fucking plan. But first, I’m taking the official route, through my boss. This is the only way to handle it correctly.” He pins me with a gaze that only boils fury within me.

“Never mind,” I sneer. “I’ll handle my own problems. I wouldn’t want to get you in any trouble with your boss.”

I can’t help it. My jaw hurts from grinding my teeth. Spinning around, I head for the stairs. How could I have thought it would be him and me going after Paco? How could I drag him into this? Slamming the door shut behind me, I flip the lock and lean back. I hear and feel Yegor pound on the door before he checks the handle.

“Open the fucking door, Ruby.” He bellows.

I pound my fists on the door to add some force to my words. “Leave me alone.”

 “Never. Open the fucking door or step away, because I’m going to kick it in, Ruby.”

Flipping the lock, I swing the door open. “Just go, okay? Rewind the last few hours and go back to Ford. I can’t….”

His fingers wrap around my throat while he lowers his face to mine. “No, we can’t. Believe me when I say I want nothing more than to hunt Paco down and kill him on the fucking spot. But before I get to that point, I need to go through my boss. That way, I not only have the  whole gang to back me up, but I will also sidestep betrayal. Ford may not care if I shoot one of our own men in the leg, but he sure as fuck will care if I provoke a war.”

Shit. I didn’t think about that.

“Sorry.” I mutter.

His fingers leave my throat as I step away. I walk toward the large window, taking in the beautiful scenery outside. I’ve come to love this house. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d sleep, let alone live, in a large mansion like this. Right now, though, I can’t enjoy the view. Tears blur my vision as everything washes over me. It’s all such a freaking mess. When does it stop?

Strong arms wrap around me before I’m pulled against his hard chest. Yegor buries his head against my neck as faint endearing words flow against my skin. Spinning in his arms, I slide my arms around his torso and hug him close.

“I’m sorry.” I repeat. “I’m pulling you into this and…”

His head rears back and he snorts. “Sweetheart, you didn’t pull me in. I was born into this shit. It’s another dot on the fucking agenda. Don’t trouble your pretty little head about it. Like I mentioned earlier, the marriage certificate is a statement. We need to walk a few paths to obtain our goal. Go grab a bag with a change of clothes. We’ll be sleeping at Ford’s house tonight because the meeting might take a few hours. You are not to be alone again. If I’m not with you, a bodyguard will be. Not just for Paco, but you’re my wife now, so…”

“Lemme guess…other fucking dots on the agenda can stir shit up.” I say.

And why does it bother me so much that he said the marriage certificate is a statement? A chess piece on a board, nothing more, nothing less. Laughter slips from my mouth because it’s kind of ironic at this point.

Over the past weeks, I’ve gone through so much and so many things have crossed my path, stuff I’ve previously only read about in books. Some are close to the truth, others are way off.  Seriously my mouth on him earlier was way more intense than any other version I’ve read. That makes me wonder if it will hurt more when I have sex for the first time.

“What’s that thought, Ruby?” The intense look he’s giving me make the words tumble from my mouth.

“Can we get the sex part over with now? I know you’ve created the barrier with the marriage license, but even then…something could happen.” There, I need to treat it as it is…another formality, like the married part.

“No one is ever going to take you again, Ruby.” His stern voice sends goosebumps all over my skin.

Ignoring the way my body reacts to him, he needs to understand where I’m coming from. “Still. I need this over and done with.”

His arms leave me as he steps away from me and starts to pace the room. Anger is rolling off of him in waves. He stops midstride and snarls. “I’m not going to fuck you.”

Somehow his anger triggers the same in me. “You didn’t have any problems with fucking my mouth, to give me a taste, so why the hell not?” Strolling to the bed, I turn back the blanket and lay down on the virgin white bedsheets. Ironic, right? “We could snap a picture of the fresh blood and place it on social media for all to see. Send out a clear message. Bye, bye option pick-up-the-virgin-and-marry-her.”

Like a predator stalking his pray, Yegor advances on me. Every time he raises his foot and place it on the ground, inching closer to me, I feel like time is on hold. The anger that was there a moment ago is nothing compared to the fury that surrounds him now. I should take my words back, but instead I decide to add more.

“Take your pleasure and I will take mine, be sure to leave some space between us so I can rub my clit.” I don’t know where I find the courage, but I somehow know he’d never hurt me.

Although the fierce look in his eyes would make a grown man scramble into a corner and curl into a ball, I stand firm. Not me. I’ve been through enough, and it’s time to grab hold of my own life; stand up and fight. Something that Tarzan keeps repeating to me when she trains me. Okay, that’s in self-defense, but that’s what I need at this moment.

One instant I can read his emotions, and then it’s gone. Standing before me is the utterly captivating, made man. Yegor has shielded me from this side of the person he really is. This must be a glimpse of what his opponents  see before their time is up.

That’s what’s going through my mind right now. There’s not a gleam in his eyes that hints at what’s to come. His law, his decisions, his verdict. One thing is for sure; my time is up.

His hand inches closer, and I don’t even flinch. I crave his touch. The way he took my mouth earlier? Control. That’s what he had. Had. Because I for damn well know how fast he came. I remember how he was pumping his dick in his hand, a breath away from my lips.

With every pump, I was sure he would let me wrap my lips around that thick hard length. So hot. Veins wrapped around it, the manly scent I can only link with Yegor. I was so turned on, I only needed to brush my fingers over my clit when I came at the same time his cum pumped down my throat.

“Think I would allow my wife’s fingers to touch what’s mine without permission?” His hand fists the fabric that covers the part between my legs. “You haven’t experienced it fully yet, Ruby. How I fuck. Mouth, pussy, or ass for that matter.”

His statement makes me snort. It shouldn’t, but I can’t help it. Does he really think he’s impressing me? Throwing up statements how he has fucked all these women before me? Do I really care? Pain slices through my chest at the thought. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m jealous of those who had a part of him before me. A part that I haven’t had yet. I steel myself from this weird emotion, because I can’t slip, I need to focus.

Cocking one eyebrow, I shrug and pick an imaginary speck from my clothes. “Why should I care about who you fucked before me? It all involves your dick, so whip it out and start pumping. Think you can handle that much?”

Oh, shit. Did I mention earlier that I somehow know he’d never hurt me? Right…that thought just went out the window.

His grip releases on the fabric and he steps back. Without another word, Yegor leaves the room in two breaths, leaving me absolutely stunned.