“Joseph wasn’t working alone, Yafon,” Vladimira said pensively as she strolled down the aisle of empty, gilded display cases. She studied her blood red manicure, admiring how the light glinted off her beloved poison ring. “He wasn’t smart enough to pull off a theft like that on his own. No, he must have had a partner and I’m going to find him. I’m going to lure him in, catch him on that security camera, and then I’m going to kill him.”

“I agree,” Yafon replied as he strode from one corner of the store, noting the location of the security cameras Dmitriy had installed. “It makes sense that they would try one last time to wreak havoc on your brother. It must be dealt with decisively. If you kill, I will kill. If you die assassinating your brother’s enemy, I will die with you. But I insist that when we find this fucker, he suffers for his disrespect.”

“Well,” she purred as she walked toward him, hips swaying seductively, “I guess that means you’ll be camping out here with me, because until this son of a bitch pays for what he’s done, I’ll be sleeping right back there, keeping an eye on things.” She indicated the small storage room at the back of the store, across from a small office area. “Anfisa will, no doubt, enjoy a little time to herself in the guesthouse.”

She draped an arm around his neck and curved her sleek body against his. He pulled her close and pressed her head to his chest. “You’re a good man, Yafon,” she said on a sigh, her voice solemn. “I’m lucky to have you.”

Male satisfaction flared in his eyes and his arms tightened around her as he considered her words and what they meant. “No, printsessa, I am the lucky one. My allegiance will always be to you and Bratva. Don’t ever forget that and don’t ever doubt it.”

“How could I ever doubt you, malysh?” she murmured as she stroked under his chin with a long, perfectly manicured fingernail. "You’ve proven your devotion over and over.”

He brushed his lips over hers, then pulled her closer as he took the kiss deeper. When he raised his head some time later, his cheeks were flushed, his arousal pressing hard against her. “Now,” he murmured as his lips hovered over hers, “why don’t you show me this bedroom you’ve arranged for us, hmm?”

Tatiana stood before Bazarnik, unafraid and unashamed, so close that he could feel the warm, rapid puffs of her breath on his skin. His mystery woman was stirring something within him that he didn’t pretend to understand. He snaked his hand around her neck, then covered her lips with his.

Her body surrendered to his as if they’d always known each other, and maybe in a sense they had. From the moment he had seen her on the video footage, he had been intrigued. Ever since he found her sleeping peacefully in her bed, he had wanted her. It went far beyond simple physical attraction; in the short time he had known her, the visceral reaction she stirred within him had taken on a life of its own.

“You’re playing with fire,” he warned thickly as her hand cupped his swollen cock and squeezed. His voice was little more than the primal growl of a man in need.

“Maybe I like playing with fire. What are you going to do about it?” Her voice became heavy with desire, laced with lustful need for a man she barely knew.

“What am I not going to do?” he growled. “That list is shorter.” He pushed her down onto the small bed in the corner of the cell. “You’re past the point of no return now.”

He didn’t wait for her to answer before he tore out of his clothes. He needed her with a ferocity that defied logical explanation, as if he’d just been biding his time creating external fires until he found the woman who lit him up from within. He couldn’t resist the force that was pulling at his most base needs. He straddled her body, sliding his hand between her legs, watching the emotions play over her features, learning how to touch her to give her what she wanted…what she needed.

This--this intense understanding of another soul’s torment was what he had been searching for within the flames. With every cry, every moan, every breathless plea, she was burning him deeper than fire ever had – something no other woman had ever done. Fire had always been the only thing that made him feel alive, but not anymore; this tormented woman was reaching in and conquering the sacred spaces he’d kept hidden from the world.

She opened her legs and he thrust inside, groaning mindlessly as the bell end of his cock passed through the tight ring of muscle at her slick entrance. As he moved inside her, her fingers scratched over the skin on his back, spurring him on. He straightened his arms and braced the weight of his torso on his hands as he slammed into her. He owned her; as of that moment, he truly owned her in every sense of the word. And he didn’t care if she liked the idea. It was the simplest truth he had ever encountered.

It was as if fate had brought together two broken souls and, with their first touch, made them whole -- absolutely, irrevocably whole. And no one could have been more surprised by the whole thing than Tatiana and Bazarnik.

Her hands clutched at him, holding on to him any way she could. Her hips bucked wildly against his, circling in a way that rubbed the base of his cock over her clit with each thrust. Without warning, he flipped her over and spread her legs wide beneath him. He notched the head of his cock between her pussy lips, then yanked her back onto his length. It was the craziest thing that had ever happened to her before, but she let go and gave in to it because it felt so damn good and right. But she froze when he pressed his thumb against her rear entrance, circling the puckered flesh as his hips moved in a steady rhythm.

“Soon,” he rasped. “I want in you, Tatiana, in every way I can. I’m going to take it all.” When he pressed his thumb past the tight ring of muscle and beyond, she pushed back toward him, mindlessly clamoring for deeper contact.

Her body shuddered as a climax raged through her body. He continued to pound into her with a force that sent her spiraling into a mindless abyss of pleasure. She felt his cock pulsing and filling her as he followed her over.

He withdrew from her body, groaning as the sensitive head of his cock passed from her tight channel. She lay beneath him, boneless and deliciously sated. He supported his weight on his forearms as he struggled to regain his breath.

“Damn, I’m never letting you go now.”

“I don’t want you to, Bazarnik. I don’t want you to. This is crazy. I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“It’s true, then,” he chuckled as he shook his head.

“What do you mean?”

“They say the Bratva gods will bring soulmates together, no matter where they are on this earth. Everybody in the Glazov family has experienced it and found their happiness because of it. Hell, even the Pakhan abducted his wife and forced her into marrying him. No, no, it’s true,” he assured her with a laugh when she reared back and scowled at his words. “The men here aren’t your garden variety males.” He rolled off her and pulled her close, nibbling her lower lip, tugging on it with his teeth. “They take what they want and make no apologies for it.”

“Well, I can tell you this, I’ve never fucked a stranger before.”

He growled at the thought of her fucking anyone. She wouldn’t be fucking anyone but him from here on out. He leaned in and kissed her forehead, telling her, “I know you haven’t. But I’m not a stranger anymore. And I can tell you what you are: mine. Your life and your home are here with me now. With Bratva. There are only two ways out of Bratva: death and prison, and even if you get locked up you’ll still be Bratva. I guess that leaves you only one way to escape your fate. Your life is in my hands now, Tatiana, and I will protect it with my own. Yes, your life is in my hands now, just like the rest of you…mine.”

“What are you, then?”

“That’s easy. I’m yours.”