Chapter Eighteen
Sofiya
Istand at Dimitri’s side as his guests arrive – around twenty people, both men and women. All Bratva members. Even my parents are among them. The sight of them takes everything in me not to cry. I can tell my mom is happy to see me standing up right, looking unhurt after everything that happened.
But I don’t run to her. Dimitri wants me at his side tonight and I’m going to make him proud.
Though, my mom beelines straight for me and pulls me into a hug. “Sofiya, I’m so glad to see that you’re ok.”
“I’m ok,” I say into her ear. “I promise.”
“Then why haven’t you called me back? Your father didn’t tell me anything about what happened when he came over here.”
I pull back from the hug and give her a warm smile I’m hoping will calm her down. “That’s because nothing happened. I’m ok, Mom. I’m happy. You don’t need to worry about me anymore.”
“I’ll always worry for you and you know it.” She turns to Dimitri. “Are you taking care of my daughter?”
“I’m trying to, Polina.”
“I want to see her this week. I’ll come by tomorrow. Don’t stop it from happening.”
He inclines his head. “All right.”
My dad tugs on her arm gently. “Polina, I’m sure Dimitri’s other guests want the chance to talk with him.
” They head into the living room as we greet Dimitri’s other guests.
Names and faces blur together. Some of them I recognize from other mafia functions in the past. Friends of my father. People who were at my wedding.
They all say hi to Dimitri and give me nods of respect.
None of the men dare touch me, not even a handshake or a side hug.
The woman are a bit more open with it, giving me welcoming hugs, but only them.
Dimitri eyes the men over warily when it comes to me, silently warning them to keep their hands to themselves.
After all of his guests arrive, Dimitri turns to me before we join the others in the living room. “You’re doing well so far. I’m proud of you for that.”
“I know how to be polite. How to be cordial. My father made sure of that. I’ll make you happy tonight, Dimitri.”
“You’re already making me happy.” His hand slides around my thigh. “How does it feel, knowing my cum is right there against your pussy, and there’s nothing you can do about it?”
A flare of arousal hits me and I try to push it away. Now is not the time to be turned on. “It feels good,” I admit. “I like how you make me feel.”
“I know you do. Now, let’s go join the guests and I promise I’ll give you another orgasm soon enough. I can tell you already need one.”
I press my thighs together. “You’re making me needy. This is your fault.”
“My fault, huh?” A mischievous smile crosses his face. “I’ll have to take you back down to my basement and spank you for saying that.” He grabs my backside and pulls me flush against him, making me gasp. “I could fuck you right here and now.”
“But our guests…”
“You’re right. They would hear it and that would be awkward, wouldn’t it? I won’t do that. For now. But I love knowing how turned on you already are. Because you are, aren’t you, baby?”
“Yes,” I moan softly.
“Good. Now, let’s go.” He grabs my hand and tugs me into the room filled with his guests.
My father eyes Dimitri over with suspicion.
I’m amazed Ivan even showed up tonight. The fact that Dimitri tried to kill him just a couple of days ago wouldn’t sit well with anyone.
It’s why my dad looks wary. He doesn’t want to be here but he came because that’s his job.
What he has to do. Endure. The same as he told me.
Dimitri keeps me standing at his side as he talks with his guests.
Mostly about business or inside jokes or even old memories from when everyone was younger.
I can’t really join in since I don’t share any of the jokes or memories with them.
It makes me feel a little isolated, which I’m not sure if Dimitri is purposefully doing.
I wouldn’t put it past him to make me feel isolated just so I’m more desperate for him after this party is over.
He'll always have that darkness inside of him. The need to control me. I’ve accepted it. Embraced it, even. I want to be his and there’s no denying it.
That’s when a hush falls over the room.
I frown and look to see what has happened. A man enters the room. In his late thirties or even early forties, I’m guessing from the grey at his temples. Still incredibly handsome though. His presence commands attention.
But I have no idea who he is.
Dimitri’s hand tightens on my low back. “Alek. What are you doing here? I didn’t invite you.”
“I heard you were throwing a party for Bratva members. Seeing as I am one…” He flashes Dimitri a charming smile that doesn’t work at all on my husband. It only makes Dimitri scowl.
“This is my home,” Dimitri seethes. “You have no right to be here.”
“I have every right. I’m allowed to attend a Bratva party.”
“We’re at war with each other. I offered you a deal and you didn’t take it. So before I kill you in front of all of these people, I suggest you leave.”
Alek smirks and his eyes fall onto me. “What a lovely wife you have there, Dimitri. It would be a shame to lose her.”
“Go,” Dimitri growls.
Alek makes a show of looking around the room like he has all the time in the world before he says, “Fine. This party looks dull anyway. I don’t like boring parties. I’ll leave.” He saunters out of the house like he owned it in the first place.
“Fucker,” Dimitri mutters under his breath.
“Who was that?” I ask.
“Alek Morozov. An enemy of mine. Getting too big for his fucking britches.”
My dad comes storming over to Dimitri’s side. “We have to deal with Alek.”
“I’ve been trying to but he keeps eluding my men. I haven’t been able to get to him.”
“Dimitri, he knows where you live now. He knows what Sofiya looks like. What if he tries to hurt her?”
“I will not let that happen,” Dimitri hisses.
“Excuse me if I doubt your capabilities when it comes to caring for my daughter.”
And there it is: out in the open. The distrust my father has for Dimitri, when he was the one who gave me to him in the first place.
“Be careful, Ivan,” Dimitri warns. “We have guests.”
“Maybe they should all know who you really are.”
“What’s going on?” Mom asks.
My dad holds up a hand. “Nothing to worry about, Polina. Dimitri?”
Dimitri gives my father a hard look before his lip twitches. “I will protect Sofiya at all costs. You have my word.”
“I’m fine, Dad,” I murmur, drawing his attention to me. “I’ll be fine.”
He looks like he wants to object but what can he do? Dimitri owns me and my father was the one who signed the contract. It’s all his fault and he knows it. I can see the shame in my father’s eyes.
“The party is over,” Dimitri announces to the room. Alek has shaken a lot of people up. I wonder what kind of power he holds that he has the ability to do that just by entering a room.
Dimitri storms out of the living room and I follow without hesitation.
“Dimitri?” I ask.
He doesn’t stop until he shoves the back door open and heads out into the backyard.
He stops when he sees my garden. All the flowers I have planted.
Some of them have sprouted already from the seeds he gave me.
Others were already full blown flowers that were already here that I made sure to tend to.
“You did this?” he asks in a quiet tone, looking over the garden. Even in the dark, the bright colors of the flowers stand out.
“Yes. You haven’t been out here?”
“I rarely come out here. No need to. There was nothing out here for me. But this…” He gently touches one of the flowers. “You have a talent, Sofiya.”
“Well, you gave me some of the seeds to make this garden possible. So thank you for that.”
He huffs. “I did the bare minimum. You’ve done the rest. Beautiful work. I’m glad that I didn’t break you down too much that you’re still able to make a beautiful garden.”
“I’m glad for that too. I have found safety out here during the weeks since I’ve been married to you. I’m happy you didn’t take it from me.”
He pulls me into my arms a little roughly. “You are mine. I thought that I only wanted to break you down when we first met. And it’s true. I want you to be consumed by my darkness. But… I also want you to be happy. I want you to willingly come to me. Want me like I want you.”
“All I’ve asked for is love. Kindness. But I have found that I need the darkness along with you. I know that now. It still frightens me a little. But I need it.”
“You need me now?” His voice deepens into something dark and sexy, making me shiver. “I need to know that you’re mine. Alek thought he could come into my house and lay his eyes onto you. But no. He doesn’t get that right. No other man does.”
He shoves the end of my dress up and pulls my panties down. They’re stained with his semen and my own wetness. I sigh a little at the sight of it. How can he turn me on this much?
Dimitri grabs my waist and lays me onto the ground, surrounded by all my flowers. The dark look he gives me tells me that he’s not going to be gentle with me. And I don’t want him to be.
He pulls his cock out – it’s already hard and erect – and places it against my inner thigh.
“You are mine,” he growls before thrusting into me roughly.
My body is still somehow a little sore from how many times he has taken me.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever get used to it fully.
And that’s ok. I like the small amount of pain I feel every time.
The pain mixed with the pleasure is the thing that makes me feel more alive than anything else ever has.
I gasp when he grabs my legs and places my ankles on his shoulders. He kneels before me and thrusts into me, deeply, again and again and again. My moan comes out choked. I can barely breathe. The way he claims me is always magnetic. Desperate. Feral. Animalistic.