Chapter Seven
Peter
“She’s a fucking virgin!” I spun around and glared at Ivan.
I was surprised he’d been willing to see me so close to the last time. It made me wonder where he was staying, and if he was close by, why he wasn’t trying to win over Niamh fucking Byrne. He didn’t have another woman. There was no one waiting for him back home.
He was close to his other Brigadiers’ wives, but that’s because he liked them. It was no secret he seemed to gravitate toward broken women. Aurora, Adelaide, and Charlotte had come from messed-up backgrounds.
Ivan had been the one to save them.
Niamh fit the profile of the women he’d been matching to his men.
“And?” Ivan asked. “You do realize knocking up a virgin is the same as knocking up any other woman. There is no secret society or special lock.”
I ran fingers through my hair and turned toward him. “Why?”
“Because I’ve told you to.”
“You know I don’t love her!” Not that it would matter.
Ivan smiled, but it was one of those smiles that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I don’t need you to love her.”
“What about the others?” I asked.
“Others?”
“Slavik, Andrei, fucking Ive. They all love their women. You made sure you chose right by them, and what, I don’t get the same regard?” I asked. There was no point in pretending. The moment Niamh was pregnant with my kid, she was going to be my wife.
Ivan had chosen her for me.
She matched all the descriptions Ivan chose when it came to wives for his men. She was damaged but she also provided something to the Volkov Bratva with her name.
Not that I’d see Byrne and Ivan sitting down and enjoying civilized meetings. Far from it.
Ivan chuckled. “You think they were in love with their wives when I forced them to marry?”
I turned to look toward him. He hadn’t moved from his perch on the hood of his car. Ivan was dressed in a suit, impeccably, without any wrinkles. Always calm, always in control. Nothing could knock that coolness.
“Don’t…” I said, holding my hand up and shaking my head. “You’re not going to play me for the fool.”
“I’m not playing you for anything, but you might want to consider the fact that the others were not in love with their wives. All three of them hated being married. It was a job to them, but then, most marriages are jobs, right? Sacrifices.”
I stopped and ran a hand down my face.
“Niamh doesn’t deserve this.”
“Three bounty hunters have been killed in the past twenty-four hours,” Ivan said, making me tense up. “They’re closing in and your opportunity to make this work is closing. I don’t give a fuck what it takes, make her pregnant, and speed this shit up.”
With that, Ivan didn’t say another word. He climbed behind the wheel of the car, and took off, leaving me in our secret meeting spot. Running fingers through my hair, I blew out a breath. That didn’t end how I wanted it to.
I’d never been with a virgin. Niamh deserved better than this.
Climbing behind my own wheel, I turned over the ignition and headed back into town. I’d already cancelled the day’s appointments, even Niamh’s. I didn’t go home, instead, I parked my car in the only available parking space outside the diner, climbed out, and headed inside.
It was busy, close to lunchtime, and I made my way into the small booth at the back. This allowed me to check out the locals, as well as any potential bounty hunters making their way into Pickle Quest.
I didn’t realize they were so close, but now that I was aware, I was more prepared. I’d already gotten used to the locals. There were one or two tourists that were part of a group. They had arrived yesterday and were exploring the town. They had a map, and I watched them talk and mingle together. No one had infiltrated their group.
There was no bounty hunter in the diner.
Niamh was also serving, dashing around like a madwoman, taking orders, speeding across to the kitchen, leaving tickets, picking up food. Keeping a smile on her face as she served.
The locals were kind but not too trusting. They were happy for her to serve them, but they were not willing to open their hearts to her. I couldn’t help but wonder what it would take for them to accept her. There would be trouble wherever she went.
Finally, after what felt like an hour, Niamh was able to come to my table. “I’m so sorry. I’ve been trying to come and take your order. What can I get you?” she asked.
“How about you get me the same thing you’re having when this rush is over?” I asked.
“Uh … are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. I can wait.” I needed to turn on the charm.
“Okay, I’ve just got to, you know, finish serving people, and then when it slows down, I can take my lunch break.”
“Until then, I’ll have a coffee.”
She nodded and left. I watched her ass as she walked away. I loved the curve. The uniform wasn’t flattering, but the way she moved, there was no hiding the body beneath. She was all temptation, and I was more than ready to take a bite.
Niamh was going to be mine, and it was time for me to start acting like it.
I was not going to act like a spoiled brat. I was going to do exactly what Ivan had told me to do, and that was to knock Niamh up, and then I’d deal with the fallout. There was no doubt in my mind Niamh was going to hate me. One day, she’d forgive me, because she’d know I did it for her.
No, I was doing this for Ivan, and his messed-up reasons. I was annoyed.
The time ticked by, and finally after an additional thirty minutes, Niamh came back to my table, carrying two plates, which looked to be overloaded burgers and fries. Not that I was complaining. They looked good.
The food at the diner wasn’t bad. I had no complaints. Niamh sat down opposite me. Her hair was falling out of her ponytail, and she looked so incredibly tired. I picked up my burger, took a bite, and watched as she ate some fries. It suddenly occurred to me that I’d never cared for a woman’s company. I’d taken women out on dates plenty of times, but that had been for one purpos e— sex.
Glancing over at Niamh, I watched as she grabbed a napkin to dab away some mayonnaise she’d gotten on the corner of her mouth. Niamh wasn’t trying to impress me. There were no fake giggles. She wasn’t hanging off my every word. She was just being herself, which was a shocking reality to what I was used to. I found it refreshing that she wasn’t faking anything with me.
Ivan’s plan was pissing me off. I wasn’t interested in the subterfuge, but at the same time, this was in fact a chance, one I didn’t think was possible.
“How has your morning been?” Even though I suddenly saw this as a new opportunity, considering I was going to be married to this woman and having kids with her, small talk wasn’t exactly my strong suit. It was very, very, very, very (possibly a few extra verys) bad, probably more awful. I didn’t do small talk.
When your father at a young age trained you how to survive, small talk wasn’t on the menu. Fighting your way out of every situation, doing what you could to surviv e— hunting, killing, maimin g— anything to keep your heart beating. Not realizing you’d become entertainment for a group of spoiled men. It certainly didn’t change a man’s perspective.
Niamh smiled. “It’s been pretty busy. I came in early and helped set up seeing as you cancelled our morning session.”
“Yeah, about that, how do you feel about doing an evening one?”
“At the gym?” she asked.
“Yeah, I had some business to take care of, which was bullshit, and I’d like to be able to make that up to you. Do you think I can do that?” I asked. I had to figure out a way to get close to her.
I didn’t have a clue how the gym would help, but that did require close, physical contact, so there was a chance right there.
“Ugh, sure, I guess. I don’t see why not.”
Offering her my best smile, I took another bite of the burger. “This is good.”
She chuckled, and I happened to like the sound. I wanted her to chuckle a lot more often, because there was going to come a time when she was going to need a reason to. I had no doubt these lies were going to mount up. It was just a matter of time.
****
Niamh
Being on the mat with Peter in the not-so-distant past didn’t seem quite this hard. My bathing suit was beneath the large sweats I’d quickly thrown on. Being prepared to leave at a moment’s notice meant I was ready for anything. A quick, late-night training session hadn’t been a problem, not for me, Miss Prepared.
Peter’s hands on my body, though, I was finding a little more distracting than usual. Were his hands always this large, and did they press in all the right places? Like right now, the tips of his fingers were so close to the apex of my thighs. I wasn’t used to the contact, and it was driving me crazy. A little more than crazy.
I released a moan, and his hand gripped my thigh a little harder, which didn’t help.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Ugh, yeah, I’m fine. I think we should be good to get into the pool.” I sat up, needing to create some space, because right now I didn’t have a clue what was happening.
I get that Peter and I kissed a couple of times, and I told him I was a virgin. That didn’t mean anything. We’d not promised anything to each other, so I didn’t have a clue why I was nearly freaking out. It made no sense.
We’re just two consenting adults, in the gym, quite late, but not too late, alone. The owner of the gym, Carl Fields, had given Peter the keys. I didn’t know how he’d managed to do it, but he’d earned Carl’s respect, and, well, now he could use the gym whenever he wanted.
Peter was damn good at what he did. Even if it was only with his hands.
Crap, now I was thinking about what those hands could do to my naked body, and this wasn’t good. Sitting up, I forced a smile to my lips.
“We don’t want to be too late. The last thing we’d want is for Carl to think we’re … you know … outstaying our welcome.” I pulled away from his touches and quickly got to my feet, trying to create some distance.
Peter got to his feet smoothly. I felt all jerky, like my body wasn’t quite my own. How did this happen? How did he get to look smooth and calm, and I felt all jittery? It was insane.
Get over yourself. Right freaking now!
I spun on my heel and made my way toward the swimming pool. It was not too far, and as we entered the pool area, I removed my shirt, followed by the loose sweats I’d thrown over my costume. A one-piece. I never wore a bikini. It would never happen. I was a one-piece girl all the way, and as per instructions, I went toward the small set of nozzles on the far wall, and sprayed myself with some water.
Before getting in the pool, one must step into the shower first, and now I walked to the shallowest end and climbed into the water.
Now, over the past few weeks, Peter has been in and out of the pool with me. It wasn’t always a guarantee that he’d be by my side, because according to him, I had to learn to stand on my own two feet when it came to matters of water safety. It was great.
I thought tonight wouldn’t be any different, but it would seem I was wrong, because Peter didn’t just step under the showers to spray himself with water. Nope, he had stripped down to just his boxer briefs, and was showing off his very impressive arrangement of ink. I’d known he was covered in tattoos, because he had told me. He’d been getting them from a young age. When I asked why, he’d just say he liked them, as if that made any sense.
I had thought about getting a tattoo a couple of times, but then always dismissed the notion. It would require me sitting with a stranger touching me, and of course the needle. Not happening. There were limits on what I could take. Strangers. Touches. Needles. It all sounded like a recipe for a horror movie to me.
He climbed into the pool, and how did someone make wading through water look sexy? I’d seen it in a couple of movies, but those walks were slowed down and made to appear … I don’t know, natural. Peter didn’t have any special effects. All he had was me for company, and no slow-motion machine, but he looked so good.
“Are you ready?”
It took me a second to understand what he was asking me. What was I ready for? And then, it dawned on m e— ready to start swimming.
“Yeah.” I had to stop and clear my throat, because it sounded like I had a frog caught in it. “Yes, of course. What’s it going to be, Boss?” Now I was just speaking without any rational thought. Please shoot me.
I didn’t want to embarrass myself, but that seemed to be the goal I was going for, which sucked big time. Big, big, big time.
“Show me what you’ve got, Coach.”
Peter laughed. It was a nice sound. I had a feeling he didn’t know how to laugh, not that it was any of my business.
“Do you have any family?” I immediately wanted to slap myself. My one rule was not to ask personal questions.
“No,” he said. “It’s why I’m here.”
“Me neither.” It wasn’t a lie.
Liar.
It was a lie. My parents were alive and well when I went on the run.
Peter’s hands went to my hips and he drew me close. “You’re nervous,” he said.
I didn’t know if that was supposed to be a question, and I didn’t feel comfortable answering it.
“Ugh, no, of course not, what do I have to be nervous about?”
He turned me around so my back was pressed against his chest. Both of his hands were at my hips, and I couldn’t help but cringe wondering if I was having one of those days when they felt large or small. I was so confused right now.
Peter’s lips brushed across my neck and I closed my eyes as pleasure seemed to rush through my body. Is this why people acted so irrationally when it came to someone they wanted to be with? Was this sex? Attraction? Flirting? I’d never experienced anything like it, and I felt so out of my depth.
“You have nothing to be nervous about,” he said.
“I don’t think this is part of a lesson, Peter,” I said. Did I have to remind him that we were at the pool? That he was supposed to be doing a job? I didn’t want to remind him of anything. Not a damn thing.
My body felt on fire. My nipples were incredibly tight and my breasts felt so heavy. Between my thighs, I didn’t know why, but I felt need for friction, pressure, something to relieve the tension coursing through my body. I needed it.
And I tensed up as one of Peter’s hands began to travel up my body. It was such a slow process, and I couldn’t help but moan as he got so close to my breast. His other hand stayed at my side, not moving.
I licked my lips, trying not to think or feel, or do anything that was going to mess up these feelings. I had no idea what was going to come next, or how I was supposed to react.
Then his lips were wreaking havoc with my body as well. Soft, light brushes against my neck. Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I tried to focus. I tried to think of anything that would keep me grounded, but all thought left my mind. All I could feel was Peter. He stood behind me still, his hands on my body, and as he cupped one of my breasts, his lips seemed to set fire to my body.
My neck felt so sensitive as he nibbled, right near my pulse. It was like that one bite forced me to submit my body. I had no control. My nipples tightened and he stroked them through the fabric of the suit. I didn’t want him to stop. The pleasure was so good.
The hand at my hip didn’t stay still. No, he slid down my body, going beneath the water line, and held my pussy within his palm.
“I know you’re a virgin, Niamh. I know it’s going to take time to get you ready, but I can be a patient man.”
Here’s the thing: I was not saving my virginity for anything. The men I’d been around had been total bastards. Most of them wanted to get to know my father, or be around my father when he came around. No one else showed any interest in me. It was always about getting close to my father. Never about me. This man was the first person to want me, for me. And I couldn’t help but find that a heady combinatio n— one I didn’t want to let go, so when his hand sunk beneath the fabric of my bathing suit, I didn’t fight him. I let him touch me, because the truth was, I’d run away and forced myself to live in even tighter confines than I had when I was near my mom or dad. They were still controlling me.
I knew I was afraid of my dad finding me and what would happen. I hoped he never did, but I didn’t want to still be a virgin, chasing away the one guy who wanted me.
I spun around, breaking all contact Peter had with me, and I lifted my head, looked him in the eyes, and asked him to take me back to his place.
I was ready, because I didn’t know what the future held, but what I did know was that right now I wanted to be with him. My father wasn’t here, so who I was didn’t matter. Peter wanted me for me, and I wanted to hold onto that with both hands and not let go.