Chapter Seven
The next several days were an exquisite torture to Allegra. Viktor was gruff but gentle and solicitous. He made sure her every need was seen to. His touches were gentle but few and far between. Though, to her consternation, always clinical. He did everything he could to help her and carefully engaged her in light conversation only. Nothing of importance was discussed as if he thought that any heavy thinking would put her recovery back.
Who was he to tell her when she was ready to do anything?
And it infuriated her more than the report she’d seen Viktor watching one night. She’d been unable to sleep and went looking for him, hoping for at least someone to talk to.
She’d found him in the study, but she didn’t even make it to the door before she heard the voice of a reporter.
“Enrico Mariano has made the news again. Just over a week after the death and funeral of his wife, he’s announced his engagement to heiress and socialite Helena Stanton, a close friend of his deceased wife. It was recently revealed that Allegra Mariano had been fighting opioid addiction before she fatally overdosed despite the help Helena and Enrico tried to give her…”
It didn’t hurt her as much as she thought it would. In fact, Allegra was glad he was moving on with someone just like him. They deserved one another. How she could have ever fallen for someone so fake amazed her. She must have been overwhelmed by his glossy veneer, because the man underneath was rancid.
Obviously, her ability to figure people out wasn’t as good as she thought it was.
The one man she thought was the love of her life had turned out to be a louse while the man she had been afraid of turned out to be her knight in shining armor.
Viktor was everything she had thought Enrico had been. Allegra knew there was more to him that she wanted to get to know as well. From what she had learned over the past few days, Viktor was wickedly smart and funny in a dry kind of way that made her laugh. Adding that to his looks and the way her body responded to everything he did—no matter how tiny—only made her want him more.
She wanted to know what else he could do to her. And soon.
So, she formulated a plan to get things moving along the path she wanted.
After dinner, Allegra wandered around the house for a little while. Viktor had work to do in the study, apparently and he let her have full access to the building. She found herself quite pleased that he had so much trust in her to do whatever she liked. There was everything anyone could ever need or want all under one roof. A pool, a gym, a home cinema, gourmet kitchen, expansive gardens … she could go on and on.
The added bonus was that the entire property was completely secure. Viktor had cameras as well as sensors that detected motion and heat everywhere.
Allegra never had to leave if she didn’t want to.
And that particular urge was becoming less and less of a concern.
There were a few staff that included an amazing chef and cleaners who lived in a nearby village. Allegra had become friendly with them all. None had anything but glowing praise for their boss. And it all felt very genuine as well. They cared about him and were open about how happy they were that she had come into his life to alleviate his loneliness.
They made him sound like a tragic hero.
Allegra soon found her way back upstairs and in her bathroom. She filled the tub with warm water and the oils that had become her favorite. Pinning up her hair, she gave her reflection a small smile before she stepped into the water and the thickening layer of bubbles.
Luxuriating in the warmth, Allegra’s smile grew as she plotted, but she let the water grow cold before she could bring herself to put her plan into action.
She hoped his preternatural ability to know when she needed him still worked so she wouldn’t have to shout. “Viktor? I need your help.”
Allegra waited a moment and was about to call for him again when she heard heavy footsteps hurrying in her direction.
Excitement and anxiety warred in her gut. But it all evaporated when the door swung open.
“What’s wrong?” His gaze darted around the room as if he expected someone or something to jump out at him.
There was a pang of guilt that she’d worried him. Swallowing that and the growing reticence, Allegra stood. “Could you hand me a towel?”
There was a moment when he simply stared at her, his eyes riveted to the foam sliding down her body. The look in his eyes quickly morphed from a dangerous flash to a dark glow. “You called me to fetch you a towel?”
She shrugged and his eyes immediately went to her gleaming breasts. “Well, you seem to think that I’m too weak to do … things.” Allegra held her hand out to him which he took to help her from the tub.
His lips quirked as he pushed her back toward the sink. “Are you trying to tell me otherwise?”
“I might be.” Allegra gripped the marble countertop as Viktor pressed his hard body against her, not caring that his clothes were getting soaked. The feel of him made her body hum with delight, and when he ran his hands over her, her body screamed for more.
“Are you sure?” He wedged himself between her thighs, giving her an explicit preview of what she hoped was to come.
God, he was big. And getting bigger as he became more aroused.
She angled herself to get the friction she so needed. Allegra tried to drag him closer, but Viktor resisted. He kept his touch light and teasing which only increased her frustration and her body’s demand for more.
He flipped her around to stare at her in the mirror.
“Tell me, Allegra. Tell me what you want.” He ground himself against her ass with a groan. “I need to hear it.”
Trembling from head to toe now, she couldn’t deny what she wanted. Needed. Staring him in the eye, she licked her lips. “I want you, Viktor.”
“What do you want me to do?”
His hands left her now. As much as she hated being without his touch, she knew it was for a good cause. He unbuttoned his shirt giving her a glimpse of tanned skin. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears when he went for the fastenings on his trousers.
She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. All she knew was that if she didn’t get him inside her soon she would lose her mind. “Fuck me. I need you. Now.”
Viktor gripped her hips. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Spreading her stance with his foot, he brushed the broad head of his cock over her once before he plunged into her with one deep stroke.
She cried out at the feel of him so big and hard inside her. So good.
For a long moment, he did nothing. Allegra turned her questioning gaze to his reflection only to find him with his eyes closed. As if he were savoring every moment inside her.
The feeling was mutual. He was so snug inside her, fit her so well, that Allegra felt every throb of his heartbeat through his erection. But she needed more. She knew he was capable of giving her so much more.
As if he could read her mind, he pulled out, his grip on her hips tight to keep her from moving as he slowly thrust himself in and out. Every ridge and vein of his cock made itself known as he sawed his hips back and forth. He built the tension slowly, surely. At a maddeningly slow pace that was going to drive her insane. Allegra was sure of it. She tried to push back against him to speed up his pace. Anything to end this torture and give her what she needed.
But he held her tight as if he enjoyed her torment and his own. When she tried again, Allegra received a stinging slap in the ass.
“Aren’t you enjoying what I’m doing?”
“I am … so much … but I need…” Allegra ground herself against him. Just once more and she would reach the climax she craved.
“I know what you need. And I’ll give it to you.” He thrust hard, shoving the breath from her lungs. He pulled out again as he leaned down to bite her earlobe. “When I’m ready.”
Allegra quivered, she was so close. Would writhing against him again get her what she wanted or would he punish her?
Would either be so bad?
She couldn’t expend the brain power to figure it out. Not with Viktor doing such delicious things to her body.
Despite his words, his pace quickened. From how drawn his face looked, she assumed it was as hard for him to keep the slow and steady rhythm going when they both clamored for release.
Just as she was about to explode, Viktor pulled out. Allegra’s glare at him in the mirror didn’t go unmissed. He chuckled roughly as he fought his body back under control.
“Soon.”
She wanted to scream at him. The impulse was forgotten when he picked her up and carried her to the bed. Lowering her carefully onto it he stepped back to shuck his clothing as he raked his gaze over her.
Mesmerized, Allegra watched as he dropped the shirt, revealing his hard chest. Was there a part of him that wasn’t muscled? Tracing his pecs with her eyes, she followed his abs down to his glistening erection. Had he really fit that monster inside her?
He kicked his feet free from his trousers and he stood gloriously naked, letting her look her fill. “I take it you like what you see.”
Mouth dry, she nodded.
He waved at his cock. “And I’m sure you can tell I very much enjoy what I see.”
Her breath hitched as he stalked closer. But instead of climbing onto the bed with her, he stopped at the edge.
“It’s the taste of your pussy that I wonder most about.” He dragged her to him then knelt, hooking her legs over his shoulders.
Allegra couldn’t stop the keening cry that escaped when he opened his hot mouth against her and gave her the first devastating lick.
That was it. All she needed to shatter into a billion pieces.
Screaming, she clutched his head, digging her nails into his scalp as she exploded. But Viktor continued sucking her clit until she reared against him again, screaming his name this time as she came.
He gentled his ministrations, giving her a final lick before he crawled over her. He pushed her to the middle of the bed before settling between her legs. “You’re as sweet as I imagined you would be.”
And he was as good as she knew he would be.
Viktor traced a finger up from her clit, over her belly and between her breasts to circle the nipple of one. “I wonder if the rest of you is just as delicious?” He lowered his talented mouth to her breast and sucked the hardened tip into his mouth.
Allegra arched into him. How did he know exactly how to drive her crazy? He flicked her nipple then sucked in random intervals that did the most wonderful things to her nerve endings.
Just as she was about to turn into a puddle, he brought his hand into play. Viktor traced circles around her clit. The shock waves that came from that simple move rocked through her and left her trembling for more.
She refused to be passive this time. She needed to give him the same pleasure he gave her. Sliding a hand between them, Allegra closed her hand around as much of his thick erection as she could. The hiss that came from Viktor put a smile on her lips. That she had such power over a man as big and dangerous as him was incredible to her. But how could she doubt it when he was throbbing in her hand?
Allegra gripped him and slid her hand up and down his length, marveling at the same time at how big and hard he was. There was a slight curve to him. One that she knew hit all the right places inside her. She needed that again. Now.
Winding her legs around his lean hips, Allegra released him and rocked her body against his. “Please, Viktor. I need you inside me again.”
Only too happy to comply, he lifted himself only far enough to take himself in hand and guide his cock into her once more. He groaned against her neck. “You’re so hot. So tight. You’re perfect.”
Allegra agreed. This was perfect. He was perfect.
He thrust.
Oh, God. And so was his cock.
There was no going slow this time. Viktor set a hard, driving pace that verged on punishing as he drove into her. And Allegra loved every moment of it. She mewled when he found the spot deep inside her that no one had before. The smirk on his face told her that he knew exactly what he had found and he unerringly hit that spot again and again.
Allegra convulsed under him, clawing at his back as she tried to hang onto reality. But it was too much. The pleasure swamped her until it was all she knew. There was her and Viktor and indescribable delight.
For a moment, Viktor slowed, but as if he couldn’t hold back any longer, he pumped into her again. Like a wild man, he savagely took his pleasure, slamming into her again and again. Until finally he pushed his throbbing cock as deep as he could manage and groaned as he came.
The flood of heat inside her triggered another orgasm in Allegra—this one far gentler—and left her with a languid smile. Viktor seemed reluctant to stop and for a long while they writhed against each other drawing out the sensations.
Breathless, he took her with him as he fell to his side. For long seconds, he peered into her eyes. Whatever he saw there was enough to put a broad smile on his face. “I knew we’d be good together.”
She rolled her hips, setting off aftershocks. “Just good?”
He chuckled. “More than good.”
But what happened now? Things were beyond complicated between them. Then there was still the matter of Enrico. She wanted justice.
“Relax, will you?”
“How can I relax when my husband tried to have me killed? Not only that, but I’m falling in love with the man who was hired to kill me.”
“You’re falling for me?” He lifted his head and his stunned eyes met hers.
Was that the wrong thing to say? “I mean… I…”
Viktor kissed her. “Too late to take it back now. I told you, what’s mine is mine. And when the one I love has admitted it so freely, how could I let her say otherwise?”
“You love me?” Incredulous, she stared at him. “How is that possible?”
“I told you, you’re perfect for me.” He gave her a smile that she’d never seen before. For the first time, Viktor looked genuinely happy. “You think I’d go through all this trouble for someone I wasn’t serious about?”
Her heart swelled. He loved her! “But what about Enrico? If he finds out I’m still alive he’s going to come after you.”
“He can try.” Viktor caressed her cheek. “We’ll be ready.”
“And what about your … job?” Allegra couldn’t bring herself to think about it before, but having a man who did what he did in her life wasn’t going to be easy. If she could deal with it at all.
“Consider this my last contract.”
“You’d do that?”
“I already have.” He kissed her deeply. “I would do anything for you.”
Allegra knew deep down that he would.