Forced to Marry the Bratva: Age Gap Mafia Romance (Zolotov Bratva Book 5)

Chapter 16 - Genevieve

His fingers hike up my skirt ever so slightly until the seams rest right on the curve of my ass. I burn where he leaves his touch, hating it when he pulls away, even briefly.

“Genevieve,” Damien whispers longingly. My name on his lips sounds so sweet, so gentle, that I can’t believe it’s coming from a man whose seemingly always so cold. His hand reaches out to cup my face, drawing me closer to him. I’ve never been touched with such tenderness. I don’t know what to do with it. I think I might just burst from the joy of it. Our breaths mingle for a moment before our lips meet again, igniting that same old fire I’ve come to associate with him and him alone.

“Damien,” I respond breathlessly, allowing myself to be swept away by the intensity of our kiss. He touches my cheeks and the nape of my neck, then teases my earlobe. I clutch the back of his neck, straddle his legs tighter, and tickle his ankles with my toes.

Our hands roam each other’s bodies with an urgency one might feel while looking for an escape from a burning building. My fingers trace the contours of his muscular arms, feeling the power hidden beneath his seemingly lanky exterior.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he murmurs against my lips, his hands untucking my blouse from the waist of my skirt. He slips his fingers under my clothing, causing my heart to race even faster. I lean into his touch, yearning for more, feeling hot, cold, and dizzy all at once.

“Damien,” I whisper, my voice trembling with desire. “I need you.”

“Your lips were crafted for sin,” he says with a grin, his eyes darkening with lust, and I feel a thrill at the knowledge that I have this effect on him—the calculating, controlled Damien Zolotov. “I intend to savor every inch of you.”

My heart skips a beat as he pulls the blouse off my arms and exposes my skin, his lips trailing along the curve of my breasts, causing my breath to falter. I arch into him, craving more of his intoxicating touch. I sit harder on him and feel his bulge beneath me.

“Easy there, tiger,” he grins. “Or I might not be able to control myself.”

“Who says you need to be in control?” I tease, nipping his neck.

“Your words are as dangerous as your touch,” he mutters, my eyes fluttering closed as I lose myself in the sensations he creates.

But to my surprise, I lose balance and fall on his chest. I open my eyes to see he’s pushed his seat all the way back and lies against it, with me on top.

“Genevieve,” he groans, his strong hands gripping my hips. “Trust me?”

“Always,” I whisper, allowing him to guide my movements. He gently lifts me upwards, and with a mix of shock and curiosity, I find myself seated on his face, my thighs framing his cheeks.

“Relax, beautiful,” he murmurs. He takes his fingers and twists them around the elastic of my panties before shredding them off me in pieces. I hear the fabric tear from his teeth against it. Now, I sit on his face completely bare.

The intimacy of this new position makes me blush furiously. I’ve never had a man go down on me. I don’t know if I’m to do something or nothing. I don’t know whether he’d enjoy it. All these questions swirl in my head, and I clamp up.

“Relax, Sweetheart,” Damien murmurs, gently caressing the curve of my ass. “Just let your legs loose; give me some space to work.”

My breath catches in my throat, and I think I loosen up my legs, but evidently, I don’t, for he reaches over and gently caresses my chin. “Look at me,” he commands.

I open my eyes and look down, feeling hot and embarrassed. He’s looking up at me with eager eyes like I’m the most delicious thing he’s going to taste.

“Trust me,” he nods, his eyes still on me. “I’ll make it worth all this time you’ve waited.”

I realize now that he’s figured it out. Damien’s steady gaze encourages me to let go of my inhibitions. I nod and close my eyes. I take a deep breath and loosen up.

His tongue then makes its way to my most intimate place, and I can feel the heat between my legs rising, the fire spreading across my entire body. His tongue glides over me, exploring and discovering every inch. I close my eyes, tempted to arch my back and beg for more, but I keep myself in control.

I open my eyes again to find Damien looking up at me, a devilish grin forming on his face. His eyes are turbulent, like the ocean, a mix of lust and tenderness. “You taste like honey,” he whispers, hitting me with another smirk. I roll my eyes and bite my lip in an attempt to remain calm.

He’s devouring every inch of me, his skilled lips and tongue exploring each curve and ridge, driving me wild with desire. I moan softly, my fingernails digging into his shoulders as he pleasures me, my hips bucking against his mouth in a silent plea for more.

“I can’t take much more of this,” I whisper, my voice shaking with wanton desperation.

He chuckles against me, the vibrations humming through my body in a way that makes me moan even louder. My breath catches as his tongue teases my entrance before swirling around my clit in slow, deliberate motions. Self-consciousness dissolves into ecstasy, my body trembling with pleasure.

“Damien... oh God,” I gasp, my mind unable to form coherent thoughts as waves of euphoria crash over me. Each lick, each flick of his skilled tongue, pushes me closer to the brink.

“Let go, Genevieve. Let me take you there,” Damien urges softly, before he licks the length of my pussy, and begins slamming his tongue into my clit. His words, combined with his relentless attention, send me spiraling toward an explosive climax.

My legs begin to clench and quiver. I feel my muscles contract against his tongue, but he keeps at it. My eyes are closed, and I’m floating, and this small tickle takes form between my legs before spreading like fire down my thighs, my calves, up my belly, and across my back. I shake, shiver, tremble, and I feel something I’ve never felt before. Something I could never put into words.

“Damien!” I cry out at last, forgetting to breathe. By the time this insane wave of pleasure washes over me, I sit there breathless.

“Are you alright?” Damien asks tenderly, concern etched in his eyes as I slide off his lap, still shaking from the aftershocks of my orgasm.

“Better than alright,” I manage to say, laughing breathlessly. “You... you’re incredible.”

“Only the best for my wife,” he replies with a smirk, his fingers brushing a stray curl away from my face.

The way he says wife makes me want to claim him even more. I yearn for him like I’ve never yearned a thing before. As I gaze into his smoldering eyes, I find myself reaching for the waistband of his trousers, desperate to free him from the confines of his clothing.

But, to my disappointment, he stops me.

“Genevieve, wait,” he murmurs, his strong hands gripping my wrists gently but firmly. Confusion clouds my lust-addled brain, and a flicker of insecurity creeps into my heart. Was I too forward? Did I misread his intentions?

“Did I... do something wrong?” I ask hesitantly, searching his face for any indication that I’ve crossed a line.

His lips curl into a playful grin as he shakes his head. “No, not at all. But we need to slow down, just for a moment.” He presses a soft kiss to my forehead, reassuring me as his thumb rubs soothing circles along my wrist.

“Trust me, there’s nothing I want more than to be with you completely,” he confesses, his voice low and full of longing. “But not here. Not like this. Someone could see us.”

“But someone could have seen us doing what we did, too, couldn’t they have?” I fight back, annoyed.

He looks surprised but chuckles. “Well, true. But you needed to forget how scared you were, and I calmed you down, didn’t I?”

He proceeds to give me a cheeky wink.

I slap his chest playfully, my face flushed with both excitement and unrequited desire for more. But he’s right. We can’t sit in this car and keep doing what we’re doing.

I slide off him, and he hands me my shirt. I put it on, and he leans over to tug my seatbelt into place.

“Thanks,” I roll my eyes at him. Like I couldn’t put my seat belt on myself?

“Anytime, love,” he replies, his grin widening as he catches sight of the mischievous glint in my eye. “Now, is there anything else you’d like to do before we head home?”

“Actually...” I start, not wanting our night to end so soon. “You still owe me that dinner you promised.”

“Of course,” he agrees, frowning a little now. “But we can’t go out just yet. Some of those people might still be looking for us.”

I frown, disappointed but understanding. “I don’t want to be anywhere near that,” I admit.

“Don’t worry, Gen. I have a plan.” He offers me a reassuring smile before adding, “Let’s have dinner on my balcony. We’ll order some pasta and have some wine. The city lights will be our only company, and our night doesn’t have to end just as yet. And sometime later, when it’s safe, I promise I’ll take you out.”

Relief washes over me as I realize we’ve got all the time in the world. It was never about going out. It was always about spending more time with him, and as far as I’m concerned, I could eat dinner in this car if it meant being by his side.

“We have a deal,” I giggle.

He reaches out and gently brushes the hair from my face before leaning back and bringing the engine to life. “Let’s get you home,” he says, driving out into the street.

***

“Bon appétit,” Damien announces with a flourish, setting a plate of steaming pasta in front of me. We’re seated at a small table on his bedroom balcony, the warm evening air brushing against my skin like silk. Below us, the lavish gardens and pool glisten under the city lights, casting a romantic glow over our intimate dinner.

I twist my napkin around my wrist, feeling a sudden surge of nerves. Our eyes lock, and I feel myself blushing.

“Everything okay?” he asks with concern, sitting opposite me. I reach over and take a sip of my wine. I let out a sigh and take the plunge. “It’s just,” I begin. “I realize now that this is the first time we’re eating dinner together.”

Damien studies me for a moment, his eyes darkening with emotion. “I see,” he murmurs. “Genevieve, I really haven’t been around, have I?” He looks pained as he says it, and instantly, I want nothing more than to take my words back.

“We hadn’t met a month ago,” I try to make sense of this. “And now we’re married. I think we’ve both tried our best. It wasn’t just you who didn’t show up the way you were meant to,” I confess, my heart beating wildly in my chest. “I used to think your family was everything that was wrong with the world, but now…”

He cuts me off, his eyes intense. “But now what, Genevieve?”

I take another sip of my wine, trying to gather my thoughts. “Now I realize that your family is everything I ever dreamed a family could be.”

“Genevieve,” Damien gushes, leaning over and caressing my hand in his own. “You have no idea how much those words mean to me. This whole time, I worried you wouldn’t be happy. I worried that I would be responsible for being the cause of your distress.”

“I guess we were both wrong, huh?” I smile at him.

“I guess we were. And as for the not eating together thing,” he says. “It’s not too late to change that, is it?”

“It’s never too late,” I say.

He nods and refills our glasses. The clink of our wine glasses punctuates the calm night air.

As we dig into our meal, I find myself captivated by the way the moonlight catches in his eyes, making them sparkle like the stars above.

“Besides,” Damien says. “Now that you’re going to be involved in business with me, we’ll be eating more meals than you’d hope to. In fact, you might just decide you want nothing to do with my business,” he laughs.

“Never,” I say vehemently. Without thinking, I blurt out a thought that’s been playing in my head. “I couldn’t help but notice how you handle your business affairs with such... integrity. It’s not what I expected from someone in your line of work.”

“Someone in my line of work?” he raises an eyebrow.

I sigh and dab my mouth with the napkin before setting it aside. “It’s just… I’ve observed my father through the years. He’s got ruthless tactics; he chooses to honor his word when it suits him and forget it when it doesn’t. I realized,” I say, with anger now, “that I never learned what true honor was until I saw you at work. I know it’s wrong of me to say this about my own father, but it’s a revelation I don’t know what to do with.”

“Genevieve,” he replies, his gaze never leaving mine, “Everyone has their reasons for what and how they do things. Perhaps your father has his, and we don’t understand them. It’s best not to dwell on it.”

I can’t help but compare his reaction to what my own father’s would have been. Had I said the same of Damien, he would have egged me on for more and thrown him under the bus. But here, Damien is trying to defend the man who wants to bring him down in his own sweet way.

A sudden revelation dawns on me—perhaps Damien isn’t the enemy I once perceived him to be. Maybe, just maybe, he holds the potential for something more.

“What was it like?” he asks. “Growing up with your father?”

I take a deep breath, feeling an unfamiliar vulnerability creeping into my chest. “You know,” I begin hesitantly, “I’ve always sought my father’s approval and attention. But it seems like no matter what I do, I can never quite earn it. Growing up, I paid attention to everything he did. I tried to listen in on his conversations, to learn what I could. I worked hard and studied harder. I got a scholarship for business school. Graduated. I thought he’d bring me into the business, but he shut his doors to me.”

“Genevieve,” Damien gasps, leaning forward, listening to every word I say. I see a pain in his eyes, a pain for me. Surprisingly, there’s a sense of security that comes with it—something I haven’t felt in a long time; this person is on my team.

“You know,” I say as a tear comes to my eyes. “The thing is, I was such a fool. I thought he was shutting me out because I didn’t have enough experience. I worked three internships after that. From event management to finance to operations. The companies wanted to hire me, but I turned them all down, thinking Papa would give me a chance now.”

“And did he?” Damien asks softly.

I wipe away my tears, but they continue to fall. I shake my head. “Never,” I say, with anger. “He never wanted me to share that world. Everything was for Gael. Father never paid me any attention until I got married to you. And that’s when I realized I was always a daughter he planned to give away. I was just for him to safeguard, to be handed over to a husband someday.”

Damien’s hand reaches out, gently wiping away the tears from my cheeks. His eyes hold a mix of sadness and anger. His fingers trail gently down my face, then cup my jaw. “Can you imagine how difficult it must be for your father to see you in this situation with me and know that he’s lost you?”

I let out a sarcastic laugh. “He’ll never see me, Damien,” I almost scream. “Growing up, I used to think that if I worked hard enough, if I was successful enough, then maybe my father would finally be proud of me,” I confess, my voice trembling. “But now… now I’m starting to realize that he’ll never care what I gain or lose.”

Damien stands and comes over to where I sit. He gets on his knees and takes my hands into his, peering into his own. “But I see you, Genevieve. I care if you win or lose. I care if you’re happy or sad. I see you, and I’m here to tell you that all I want is for you to fulfill your heart’s desire. I’ll open every door I can for you, I’ll hold you when you fall, stand by when you rise. Perhaps now, you can finally be the phoenix to rise from the ashes of her past.”

His words envelop me like a warm blanket, wrapping me in safety and assurance. There’s a sadness in his voice, and as he lifts my chin to meet his gaze, I can see a new emotion emerging—determination.

“Damien,” I whisper, my voice barely above a whisper. “I... I don’t know what to say. I never had someone like you in my life. My father... he never... honeyed my words, never made me feel cherished. He would never understand the depth of your kindness, your strength.”

“And I don’t want him to,” he replies, his eyes never leaving mine. “I want you, Genevieve. I want you and only your happiness. We’ll show him, you and I, just what you’re capable of.”

My tears now turn to tears of joy. I cry through my tears, having never felt this loved before. Damien smiles as he rises to his haunches and brings my lips to his own. He tastes them, salty from my tears and sour from the wine, and he feels soft, cozy, and comfortable.

And at the same time, fiery.

I realize, at this moment, that I want to give myself to this man completely and wholly. I’ve wanted to before, too, but he stopped me each time. But now, I’m going to set out to get what I want, exactly how Damien says I should. And he’s not going to be able to put up a fight.