Plus-Size Bratva Bride (Vadim Bratva #9)

Chapter 9 - Pippa

My heart stopped. The world tilted on its axis as Abe's words echoed in my head. The Unholy Trinity. Spies. Hackers. Killers. And he was one of them.

I sucked in a sharp breath, my chest tightening as if iron bands were constricting around my lungs. My fingers dug into the soft fabric of the couch, seeking an anchor in this surreal moment.

"You're… you're part of the Unholy Trinity?" I managed to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper.

Abe's blue-gray eyes met mine, unflinching. "Yes, I am."

I stared at him, taking in his impeccable appearance—the crisp white shirt, the perfectly styled dark hair. How could this man, who looked like he'd stepped out of a GQ magazine, be part of the most feared group of protectors in the Bratva? I’ve heard of them before from behind closed doors, in passing. I never thought they’d be walking amongst us like regular people.

"But… how?" I stammered, my mind reeling. "Why?"

Abe leaned back, his body relaxed despite the bombshell he'd just dropped. "It's quite simple, really," he said, his voice steady. "The Vadims gave my brothers and me a chance, and where we come from, a chance is a rare thing to have received." He leans over, fierce loyalty etched on his face. “For them, we would do anything .”

I flinched at his focused use of the word 'anything.' My stomach churned as I processed the implications. "So you… kill people?"

"When necessary," Abe replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "But it's not just about killing, Pippa. We gather intelligence, infiltrate rival organizations, and protect our own. The Trinity is about maintaining order and safety for our people."

I listened, my mind racing. The Vadims had always kept me away from the darker side of the Bratva. But now, here I was, face to face with one of its most dangerous alliances. And yet…

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly. "Aren't you worried I'll… I don't know, be afraid of you or something?"

Abe's lips curved into a small smile. "Are you?" he challenged.

I bit my lip, considering. The smart thing would be to run, to get as far away from this man as possible. But something kept me rooted to the spot, a mix of everything; that night in my office, the way we innocently bickered all the time, how he killed a man to save my life, and his gentle hands when he fixed my wound.

"No," I admitted finally. "I’m not."

Abe nodded as if he'd expected nothing less. "Good," he said. "Because believe it or not, Pippa, I want to keep you safe."

His words sent a shiver down my spine, an unexpected thrill mingling in my chest as I realized that not only did I believe him, but that I felt a profound joy to know he wanted to keep me safe. The Unholy Trinity's reputation loomed large in my mind—stories of ruthless attacks and merciless revenge. Yet, as I looked at Abe with that small smile on his chiseled face, a hint of a dimple on his chin as he stared at me with the softest eyes, I felt an inexplicable sense of safety wash over me.

I realized in that moment that I didn’t have to understand anymore. It wasn’t all black and white. He was both , the man who smashed another’s head in tonight, and a man who fixed my wounds with the gentlest hands.

My hands trembled slightly, and I clasped them tightly in my lap, willing them to be still as I reconciled all the emotions flooding through me.

"Are you alright?" Abe asked, his voice low and intense.

I swallowed, and when I looked at him with all that concern across his face, I realized I could be honest. “Confused, mostly. But I’m alright.”

He leaned forward and gently placed his hand over mine, before squeezing tight. I felt a spark shoot up my arm, and my heart raced at the touch.

“I understand,” he whispered. I swear, he was so close I could have leaned forward and felt his breath on my nose. Gently, he released my hand, and the peaceful joy I felt a second ago was replaced with loneliness, as though something was amiss.

I stared at the spot where his hand had rested, where I could still feel his heat, but when I looked up, I caught him glancing at his watch. With a sigh, he rose from the couch, his eyes seeking mine out for that dreadful, imminent goodbye. My heart rate spiked as I realized what was happening.

"I should go," he said, his deep voice steady and reassuring. "But you'll be safe here, Pippa. This place is more secure than Fort Knox. There’s food in the fridge, so you won’t go hungry. Stay here tonight and tomorrow, we will see whether it’s safe for you to go back home."

He stared at me for a brief moment, his eyes lingering on mine momentarily as though he was waiting for something. But, I was too shell-shocked to imagine spending the night here alone. That idea seemed unfathomable, but how would it sound if I begged him to stay? What would he think?

I remembered that night in my office, how he’d walked out when I thought we’d be having sex. He didn’t show up to work for four days after.

And so, I choked on my words, allowed the inevitable to happen.

He turned and began to walk toward the door, but with each step he took, this place felt darker. The walls were closing in on me and the panic rose in my chest. The thought of being left alone in this unfamiliar safe house, with everything I'd learned pressing down on me, was unbearable.

My vision narrowed on him, his hand on the knob. One more second, and I’d be here alone. What if someone came? Was there a gun around here? Did I know how to use a gun?

"Wait!" I cried out, my voice cracking. "Abrahim, please… don't go."

I didn’t know whether it was the sound of my voice, the desperation clawing in my tone, or the very fact that I asked him to stay, but he paused, hand on the doorknob, and turned to face me. I could see the hesitation in his eyes, a flicker of softness.

It seemed safe to tell him exactly how I felt after he admitted who he was.

"I know I should be stronger," I continued, hating how vulnerable I sounded. "But I'm scared. Everything's changed, and I… I don't want to be alone right now."

My lower lip trembled, and I bit down on it hard. I'd always prided myself on my independence, on being the tough, no-nonsense woman who could handle anything. But right now, with my world turned upside down, I felt like that scared little girl my aunt and uncle had taken advantage of all those years ago.

"Please," I whispered, my eyes locking on his. "Stay with me. Just for tonight."

I held my breath, waiting for his response, acutely aware of how pathetic I must look—a trembling mess in a rumpled pencil skirt and blouse, mascara probably smudged from fighting back tears. But in that moment, I didn't care about my image. I just knew I couldn't bear the thought of facing this new reality alone.

Abe's hand slipped from the doorknob, his shoulders relaxing as he turned to face me fully. The conflict in his eyes was palpable, but something shifted in his expression. From the anguish I saw in his eyes, it almost felt as though my pain hurt him .

"Alright, Pippa," he said, his deep voice rumbling through the room as he strode toward me in a hurry. "I'll stay."

I felt my breath catch in my throat as he approached, his presence filling the room in a way that made everything else fade into the background.

"Thank you," I murmured, relief washing over me.

Abe settled beside me on the couch, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from his body. The scent of his cologne—expensive, masculine—enveloped me, and I found myself leaning slightly toward him, drawn in by his comforting presence.

"You're safe here," he said, his voice low and reassuring. "I won't let anything happen to you."

I nodded, trying to ignore the way my heart raced at his words. This was Abe, after all—arrogant, infuriating Abe who drove me crazy on a daily basis. But right now, he felt like an anchor in the storm of my emotions.

"I know," I said softly but my voice cracked all the same. "It's just… a lot to process. It’s been a long, scary, difficult day."

He shifted slightly, his arm brushing against mine. And then, ever so slowly, he placed it up on the couch behind me, like an invitation. I felt so damn exhausted and he felt so damn warm, that without thinking, I nestled closer, my head resting on his chest.

I took a deep breath, and my heart was beating ever so wildly, but for a completely different reason. This time, the wildness of its pace was accompanied by a sweet calm. I felt his hand fall to my shoulder, slowly pulling me in.

“Rest now,” he said into my hair. “It’s all going to be okay.”

I felt his lips on my hair as he spoke, and I became acutely aware of how close we were sitting. I could see the intricate designs of his tattoos peeking out from beneath his crisp shirt sleeve, the way his muscles moved beneath the fabric.

I lifted my gaze to meet his, and suddenly, the air between us felt electric. His eyes were mere inches away from mine, flickering across my face in rapid motions. His chest rose and fell harder against mine and I could feel this strange need to be closer to him. My breath caught in my throat as I realized the look he was giving me wasn't just concern—it was desire.

"Abe," I whispered, my voice barely audible. The fear and adrenaline that had been coursing through my veins began to transform into something else entirely, a heat that spread from my core outwards.

He leaned in closer, his breath warm on my cheek. "Tell me to stop, Pippa," he murmured, his voice husky. "Tell me you don't want this."

But I couldn't. I didn't want him to stop. Instead, I found myself drawn toward him, like a moth to a flame.

"I can't," I admitted, my heart pounding. "I don't want you to stop."

That was all it took. Abe's hand came up to cup my face, his thumb traced my lower lip, and I shivered at the contact.

"Are you sure?" he asked, giving me one last chance to back out.

“More than anything,” I whispered before I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. I felt him hold back a little, but when I grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, he weakened. The soft, tentative kiss gave way to something fiercer. He repositioned himself straighter, his hands reaching for my hips. When he held me in his hands and pulled me atop his lap, I swear I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

I melted into his lap, my arms wound around his neck, and my legs straddled his waist. He then slid his hands to the back of my neck and pulled my face closer, his tongue parting through the gap between my lips, gently flicking over my teeth and everything in his motions told me he wanted more.

I parted my lips wider and curved my back to feel closer. And that was when I felt it—that bulge between his legs, digging against my pelvis.

Shit. He wanted me bad.

His hands roamed my body; Down the swell of my breasts, thumbs flicked across my nipples, fingers dug into the rolls along my waist. Each touch was reverent. I gasped as his lips trailed down my neck, my fingers tangling in his dark hair.

"You're beautiful," he murmured against my skin, and for once, I believed it on another’s lips without an ounce of internal doubt. He then reached for the buttons of my shirt, slowly undoing the first one.

I watched as he looked down at the peek of skin before his eyes flicked up to mine attentively. I assured him of my intentions, reaching for his belt.

"Pippa," he groaned, closing his eyes for a brief second, struggling with something. "If we didn’t stop now, I wouldn’t stop at all."

"Who said I wanted to stop?" I said, flicking the belt aside and sliding his shirt out from the waist of his pants. When I did so, I marveled at the way his muscles had rippled beneath his skin.

When I glanced up, he was watching me like I was a thing to be devoured. He growled and the next thing I knew, we were a tangled mess of hands and clothes. He ripped the rest of my buttons off, slid my shirt down my arms, and threw it across the floor. I did the same with his.

I balanced myself off his lap on my knees, reaching down to undo his pants. He bucked off the sofa, resting on the curve of his back as he slid down his pants.

He then grabbed my waist and pulled me down against him, hard. I gasped as I felt his cock through his boxers, against my panties. His hands reached down in the space between us, and I felt the coldness of his skin seep through the wet warmth of my panties. He thrust his hips upwards and took me with him and shuffled around, and when we settled back into me straddling him and he moved away his hands, my eyes widened when I realized he had taken off his boxers.

Slowly, I got back to rest on my knees and leaned back, feeling for his cock with my hands. It was massive, harder than I had ever imagined. It throbbed under my touch, the veins pulsing sensationally. Never in a million years did I imagine what it would feel like in reality.

I traced the shape of it with my fingers, feeling the length and girth explode in my hands. He groaned beneath me, his words a husky plea to take him.

"Fuck," he swore softly as I stroked him gently, feeling each vein that ran along the length of his shaft. "You have no idea what you do to me.”

“Walk the talk, would you?” I challenged playfully and leaned forward to gently nib his lower lip as I continued to stroke his cock. Was it my imagination or was he getting larger in the cup of my hand?

The next thing I knew, he grabbed my hand and pulled it off his cock, the other gliding down to the small of my back and he quickly had me on my back, his body now towering above mine.

I whimpered as I watched his naked form above me, his eyes ravishing every inch of me.

He released my hand and went for my skirt.

With a swift flick, he had my skirt undone and thrown aside, leaving me naked from the waist down. He then reached down to my panties and slowly pulled them down with the same reverence as before. When they were halfway, he looked up at me for permission, and I nodded in assent.

His hands traced up and down my glistening thighs before reaching for my panties again and pulling them off completely. He tossed them aside like he did with my skirt, leaving me utterly naked.

He then lowered his head to my inner thighs, trailing kisses from one knee to another, making sure to cover every inch of skin with his lips. His kisses—soft and loving—seemed to savor me inch by inch, but I was hungry for more. The energy rippling between my legs demanded to be satiated.

I placed my hands through his hair and pulled his head up. “Please,” I mouthed, desperate for him to stop teasing.

“Patience, Sweetheart,” he grinned.

But, he heard me because when his head went back down, I felt a flick of his tongue up the slit between my legs. It was warm, strong, and sent me reeling off the couch. His hand went straight for my stomach, gently guiding me back down.

“It’s just the beginning.” His voice ghosted over my skin before his tongue slid into me for a quick taste.

“Oh my god,” I mewled, nearly in tears from how good it felt. I had never had a man’s mouth on me before, and if it already felt this excruciatingly delightful, what would more feel like?

He continued to tease and pleasurably torment me with every flick of his tongue, every soft kiss he planted, and every gentle suck he performed. My hips arched off the couch without my permission, completely at the mercy of his skilled mouth.

I clung onto his shoulders for support, my head back, eyes closed in pure bliss. My mouth held open in silent screams of pleasure as my body begged for more, my pussy dripping from pleasure. I was not sure how long it went on for, but deep down, I knew I didn’t want it to end. Yet, at the same time, I wanted to see what was coming next.

And the next outdid the present.

"Abe," I breathed out softly, barely able to speak through my heavy breaths. "Please," was all I could get out in between sighs and whimpers of pleasure.

His lips slowly left my skin, followed by his warm breath before they reached my ear. “You’re all nice and wet now, Pippa. I could make you cum in ways you’ve never imagined.” His fingers reached between my legs, flicked my clit, and sent a jolt of blinding sparks through me. His tongue swept across my lips, and I could taste myself on him. He pulled away, and his finger swept under my chin. “Which way do you want me to make you cum, Pippa?”

My eyes widened at his question, the look of shock causing me to lose focus for a moment. He was…asking me what I wanted? My body stilled, every nerve ending responding to the feeling of his finger tracing along my clit and the memories of Abe's skilled tongue.

"I-I don't know," I stammered, my voice barely audible above my whimpers. I was on the edge, one touch, one kiss away from shattering into a million pieces.

A smirk formed on his lips as he read my answer perfectly. "Well, I think you better tell me what you want right now," he said firmly. His eyes locked onto mine and I wanted to scream at him in rage against this pause in our plans. Couldn’t he tell that he had all the power in the world to make that decision for me?

But something told me he would keep playing his games until I said exactly what I wanted. It was a battle of wills between us, and I felt like I was losing control.

His eyes glittered with amusement and hunger as he trailed his fingers up from my pussy, stopping to circle my dimpled hips. God, how I missed the feel of him down there. How my body hummed for more.

I was completely and utterly starved for this man.

"Fuck me," I blurted out suddenly, unable to contain my desperation any longer. My eyebrows furrowed, and a deep blush painted my cheeks at my own words.

Abe's eyes darkened at my words, his expression morphing into one of pure possession and raw hunger. In response, he gave me a quick kiss before he positioned the tip of his erection right at my entrance.

“Pippa,” he whispered, one hand on my cheek. “We can stop anytime. Just say the word, okay?”

I knew he was worried about this being my first time. I had sensed it in every move he’d made. But here I was, writhing beneath him for more, and this conversation only delayed what I wanted most—him inside me.

“There isn’t much to stop if you don’t start now, is there?” I teased him.

His eyes widened with surprise. “Feisty,” he grinned with approval and took the tip of his cock past my entrance, making me hungrier with every slow push forward, just enough to make me scream from desperation if he kept pushing like that.

“You want me to fuck you,” he said lowly in a rumble that sent shivers down my spine. The way he looked at me made time stop still.

I nodded vigorously, unable to find my voice again past the dryness in my throat. His words had an effect on both of us, we knew it was for real now, and not all playful foreplay. This was serious, and I knew there was no going back from this point.

Not that either of us wanted to. I most certainly didn’t.

I reached for his lower back and pulled him closer, thrusting my hip up just a little and feeling his cock slide in just a little further.

God, that stretch.

I mewled and threw back my head and Abe groaned as he held my gaze, making sure I was alright before inching in further.

I nodded at him, telling him to carry on. With a quick nod, Abe slid the rest of his length into me. I felt like I was being molded to another, and whatever pain it was bordered on such sweet pleasure, that I’d go through this sensation all over again. It was indescribable. My body wrapped around him so tightly, and he moaned, his eyes darkening, looking every bit like a man possessed.

"Pippa," he whispered, his breath hot and ragged in my ear. "You're so fucking gorgeous."

I sighed, enjoying the feeling of him inside me. His thrusts were slow and deliberate, building up the tension within me until I thought I couldn't take it anymore. But then he would pause, his hips counting down to the next push, and every time he pushed deeper, the sense of fullness grew stronger and stronger. It was maddening and wonderful all at once.

"Abe," I gasped out, my voice barely a whisper as he hit a particularly sensitive spot inside me. My hips bucked slightly, trying to encourage him to move faster, but he held back, maintaining his slow pace.

He leaned down to kiss me, his lips soft and warm against mine. His hand gripped my hip possessively as he moved inside me, coaxing me closer to the edge. I could feel his heart pounding against my chest, a rhythm just for me.

And then, he took his hands to the only piece of clothing I had on, my bra. Time stilled when he pulled it down, his eyes on my ample breasts as they spilled out under his gaze. I blushed, realizing I was finally, completely naked.

He reached over and flicked my nipple, before looking over at me. “Beautiful,” he said, and he arched his hips, his cock hitting again at that one sweet spot we discovered today.

“Oh my god,” I moaned and moved so my hips could meet his. With his hands caressing my breasts, his cock deep inside me, I could no longer hold back the dam threatening to spill over. A powerful source of pleasure began to ignite in my core.

I clutched onto Abe's muscular hips, wrapping my legs tighter around him as I urged him to keep going. The pleasure coursing through my body was now a burn that needed to be extinguished.

“I… Abe… I think I’m about to—”

I couldn’t find the words to describe what I was feeling. His touch became frantic, his kisses wild as if trying to draw out the moment just as much as me.

"Cum for me," he growled into my ear, his breath hot against my skin. "Let go."

And with those words, I did just that. The emotions built up from weeks of sexual tension and desire for this man rushed through me like a torrential river, and I came hard against him. I closed my eyes as every muscle trembled and I lost control of every nerve, losing all sense of the world beyond this very moment.

The waves washed over me and I lay there limp, breathless, as I saw streaks of light in my vision from the pleasure soaring through me. He groaned into my ear, his shoulders tensing as his thrusts became harder, faster. His hips slapped against mine in a perfect rhythm, and I felt his cock twitch inside me.

"Ah, fuck…" he roared, burying his face in my neck as he lost over his own body. I felt his cock throb and his warmth seeping right into me. I ran my hands through his hair, loving the feel of his thick, dark strands between my fingers.

As we came down from our shared high, reality slowly started to seep back in. I lay there, nestled against Abe's chest, listening to his heartbeat slow. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Was this just a one-night stand? A moment of weakness born from adrenaline? Or was it something more?

I glanced up at Abe, expecting to see regret or dismissal in his eyes. Instead, I found him smiling down at me, utterly at peace. He brushed a stray curl from my face, his touch lingering on my cheek.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.

I bit my lip, unsure how to respond. “Nothing,” I shook my head. “Just how glad I am you found me when you did tonight.”

He kissed my forehead softly, and when I looked back up again, his eyes fluttered close as sleep overcame him. I felt guilty for lying.

But what other choice did I have? My emotions were a confused mess, and given that this was just a one-night stand, I felt no need to involve him in it.

All I knew was that the constant tension between us now felt foolish. After the way he had treated me so wonderfully that night, worshiped me in bed, and made love to me like I was some kind of treasure, I knew we could never go back to our bickering ways.