Chapter 9 - Valentina
I sit at the long wooden dining table, the heavy silence in the room weighing on me. Two burly guards stand stoically by the doorway, their eyes fixed straight ahead, but I can sense their watchful gazes. A plate of food lies untouched before me as my appetite wanes under the scrutiny. Does Dmitri still not trust me enough? Does he think I'll try to run away?
The creak of the door breaks the stillness, and Alexei strides in. He takes the seat across from me and locks his eyes onto mine with an intense stare. I shift uncomfortably under his unwavering gaze. He doesn't say anything.
"What?" I finally ask, unable to bear the weight of his scrutiny any longer.
Alexei leans forward. "Are you using Dmitri's feelings to get what you want?"
I blink, dumbfounded by his accusation. "What? No, of course not!"
He holds up a hand. "I'm watching you, Valentina. If you do anything to hurt him or betray us, I'll kill you myself."
I bristle at Alexei's threat and clench my hands into fists under the table. "I don't have any ill will toward Dmitri. I told him I was going to help him, and that's what I plan to do."
Alexei looks me up and down slowly, his eyes narrowed. The tense silence stretches between us as he seems to weigh my words. Then, his expression suddenly shifts, and a sly smile spreads across his face. "Well, if that's the case, then welcome to the family, Valentina."
I blink in surprise at his abrupt change in demeanor. Just moments ago, he was glaring daggers at me, and now he's offering me a warm welcome? The whiplash leaves me momentarily stunned as I try to process his erratic behavior.
"I... what?" I stammer, unable to hide my confusion.
Alexei chuckles, leaning back in his chair with an easy grin. "You've got fire, I'll give you that. And anyone willing to help take down that bastard Sergei is alright in my book." His eyes sparkle with mischief. "Just don't go breaking Dmitri's heart, eh? He's been through enough."
I shake my head slightly, still reeling from the shift in his attitude. "I would never hurt him," I say firmly.
"Now that we've settled that, you can call me Alex. Only family gets to use that name," he adds with a wink.
I feel a small smile tug at the corners of my mouth. "Alex," I repeat, testing out the name. "Can I ask you something?"
He shrugs one shoulder casually. "Shoot."
I take a breath, steeling myself for his reaction. "How was Dmitri left alive if they killed everyone else in his family?"
Alexei's expression shutters momentarily, a flash of something dark flickers in his eyes. I instantly regret asking, worried that I've overstepped. "I'm sorry, you don't have to—"
He cuts me off with a wave of his hand. "No, it's alright." He leans back in his chair. "They took him. He was too able bodied to be killed, so they brought him to the factory to work."
I frown, confused. "A factory? But my father doesn't have any factories..."
Alexei barks out a laugh and shakes his head. "You really are clueless about your father's dealings, aren't you?" His eyes regain their sharpness as he pins me with a pointed stare. "Your father has three whole factories for forced labor. There are close to 900 people working without pay. I was there for five years before Dmitri came."
My stomach drops as the full weight of Alexei's words sink in. A labor factory? Forced work with no pay? I had no idea the depths of cruelty my father was capable of. The man who I have called father is even worse than I could have imagined.
I feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.
"He was always fighting them, so they'd starve him for days on end and beat him senseless when he acted out."
Dmitri walks in at that moment and fixes Alexei with a stern look. He comes closer to us and slaps Alexei lightly upside the head.
"That's enough."
Alexei whines, rubbing the back of his head. "But she asked me first!"
"Go make yourself useful, Alex."
Alexei grumbles under his breath as he pushes away from the table and shuffles out.
Dmitri turns to face me. "Don't pay any mind to what he said." He reaches out to brush away a stray tear from my cheek.
I swallow hard, holding his intense gaze. "Was it... was it true?" My voice is barely above a whisper. I’m almost afraid of the answer. "Please… I want to know everything. Don't shut me out."
He holds my gaze for a long moment, then lets out a heavy sigh. "Yes, it was true. I worked in the factory for two years before I managed to escape with Alex and a few others."
A lump forms in my throat as I imagine the horrors he must have endured. My hands tremble as I reach up to cup his face. "Dmitri, I'm so sorry. I had no idea..."
He covers my hands with his own, his calloused palms rough against my skin. "It wasn't your fault, Valentina. You couldn't have known."
"I waited for you that night, you know, the night we were supposed to go the concert. I dressed up and snuck out to meet you like we'd planned." My voice catches on the painful memory. "You were late, and I started to resent you. I thought you were playing with me… my father came to get me himself. He told me you were dead, that there had been a fire at your house."
Dmitri pulls me closer and laces his fingers through mine. "I'm here now."
I lean in and capture his lips with mine. The kiss is desperate, filled with all the longing and heartache of our years apart. When we finally break apart, I'm breathless, and my heart is pounding wildly.
Dmitri rests his forehead against mine. His breath is warm against my skin. "Valentina, listen to me. Anything can happen at any time. I need you to be able to defend yourself or at least run if things go south."
I blink up at him, my mind still reeling from the kiss and the urgency in his voice. "I... I can fight a little," I say, trying to sound confident. "I've had some self-defense training."
He chuckles softly. "You could barely run ten years ago," he teases.
I gasp, shoving his shoulder playfully. "That's not true! I was light on my feet, thank you very much." I stick my tongue out at him, unable to hide my smile at his playful jab.
He chuckles, that deep rumbling laugh that sends warmth blooming in my chest. "We'll see about that." Dmitri stands, offering me his hand. "Come on, let's see what you can do. I'll assess your skills myself."
***
I follow Dmitri into a large gym area, and my eyes widen at the array of training equipment. Heavy bags hang from the ceiling, mats line the floor, and weights of various sizes are neatly organized along the walls.
"Wow!" I run my fingers along the smooth leather of one of the punching bags.
Dmitri shrugs out of his jacket, rolling his shoulders. "We make do with what we have. Now, let me see those self-defense skills you mentioned."
I nod, suddenly feeling self-conscious. I shift into a basic fighting stance and raise my fists defensively. Dmitri circles me slowly, assessing my form.
"Not bad," he concedes. "But your footing is off. You're too rigid." He steps behind me, his solid frame pressing against my back as he adjusts my stance with firm hands on my hips. "Relax. You need to be light on your feet and ready to move in any direction."
I try to focus on his instructions, but the warmth of his body against mine is incredibly distracting. His breath ghosts along the side of my neck.
"Now," he says. "What if someone grabs you from behind like this?"
Before I can react, his arms encircle me, pinning my own arms to my sides in a tight grip. I instinctively struggle against his hold, but Dmitri is much more stronger than I am, so it feels as if I’m fighting against a rock.
"Easy," he murmurs. "Don't waste your energy fighting against a stronger opponent head-on. You should use their own force against them."
He shows me how to shift my weight and twist my body to break free from the hold.
"Again," he commands, and I comply, practicing the move over and over until the movements become ingrained in my muscle memory.
With each repetition, Dmitri's grip grows tighter, his body pressing harder against mine. I can feel the solid planes of his chest against my back, the heat of his skin searing through the thin fabric of my tank top.
"Good," he praises. "Now, let's try something a little more... advanced."
He spins me around to face him, and before I can catch my breath, he lunges forward, capturing my wrists in an iron grip and pinning them above my head against the wall.
My heart hammers in my chest as I find myself trapped between the hard surface and the unyielding strength of his body. Dmitri looms over me, his face mere inches from mine, and I can see the flecks of gold in his eyes, the sharp angles of his jawline.
"What now?" he challenges.
I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. I can't think straight, and I can't remember a single defensive move.
Dmitri's gaze drops to my parted lips, and his jaw tightens. Slowly, he leans in. His breath fans across my face in a tantalizing caress.
"Valentina," he rasps. "What would you do?"
I kiss him. It's a fierce declaration, a claiming of my own. I pour every ounce of my desire into that kiss, and Dmitri responds with the same urgency. His grip on my wrists tightens, and he presses me harder against the wall, our bodies pressed together from chest to thigh.
He groans into my mouth, and for a moment, all thought flees as sensation takes over. My senses are overwhelmed by the feel of his lips, the taste of him, the scrape of his unshaven jaw against my skin.
I twist my hands in an attempt to free them from his grip, needing to touch him, to feel the solid muscles of his biceps flexing under my palms. He releases my wrists, and I immediately snake my arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
With a low growl, he deepens the kiss, taking possession of my mouth with a raw hunger. It's intoxicating, this unleashed passion between us.
Eventually, I pull away, breathless, my eyes searching his face. His eyes smolder with a fierce intensity as he stares down at me.
"Is that enough?" I ask, a cheeky smile tugging at my lips. I've kissed him before, but this... this was different. This was raw and primal.
He smirks, his eyes glittering with a wicked light. "Yes, if your opponent is me."
Before I can respond, he captures my lips again. His mouth is demanding, possessive, as if he's claiming every inch of me.
Dmitri's hands slide down my arms, and he pulls me tighter against him, as if it were possible to get any closer.
I feel his need, his desire, and it ignites my own. With a desperate moan, I part my lips, inviting him in.
As we kiss, my mind clouds with want. I've never felt like this before—it's as if I need him to survive, as if breathing him in is the only way to keep myself alive.
Dmitri finally tears his mouth from mine, both of us panting. He searches my eyes, his gaze intense and full of unspoken words.
"I need you, Valentina," he rasps, his voice thick with desire. "Fuck, I need you."
My heart hammers in my chest at the raw confession, and I know he can feel where our bodies are pressed together.
"Take me," I whisper, my voice hoarse with need. "Please."
His eyes darken at my words, and he hauls me off the ground as if I weigh nothing. I wrap my legs around his waist, clinging to him as he carries me out of the gym toward the bedroom.
He kicks the bedroom door shut behind him, never breaking our kiss. I feel the bed against the back of my legs, and then we're falling onto the mattress together in a tangle of limbs.
Dmitri's hands find the hem of my tank top, and with one swift movement, he pulls it over my head, leaving me bare from the waist up. My skin erupts in goosebumps as the cool air washes over my exposed skin.
His gaze rakes over me, eyes dark with a hunger that sends a coil of heat low in my belly. I want him to touch me, to claim me.
His mouth leaves a trail of fire along my collarbone, down to the valley between my breasts until his mouth is over my bare breasts. His breath is warm against my skin, sending shivers down my spine.
His hands cup my breasts, thumbs flicking over my nipples until they pebble in response. My breath catches as his mouth closes around one tightened peak, sucking gently.
A soft moan escapes my throat, and I thread my fingers through his hair, holding him to me as he lavishes attention on my sensitive flesh. Meanwhile, his hands continue their exploration, skimming lower, over my stomach, until they reach the waistband of my leggings. With quick fingers, he hooks his thumbs into the elastic and tugs them down.
I feel a rush of vulnerability in my exposure, but the desire burning in his eyes as he looks his fill quickly dispels any insecurity.
He kneels on the bed between my parted thighs, his fingers grazing the damp fabric of my panties. "You're wet, Valentina," he says, his voice rough with need. "So wet for me."
I bite my lip, feeling a flash of embarrassment at my body's eager response, but his words fuel the flames of my own desire.
"Yes," I whisper.
His fingers slip beneath the elastic, his touch sending sparks of pleasure through me as he strokes the sensitive bundle of nerves. "You like that, don't you?" he murmurs, his thumb pressing gently against my swollen clit.
I nod, breathless, arching my back as pleasure radiates through me. "Yes," I gasp. "But I want to touch you, too."
His fingers still, and he looks up at me, his eyes glowing with a wicked light. "Touch me then, Valentina. Take what you want."
His voice is a low purr. I reach for the button of his trousers, needing to feel him, to return the pleasure he's giving me.
With my fingers, I undo the button and slide the zipper down, my knuckles brushing against the hard length of him through his boxer briefs. He hisses at the contact, his hips bucking slightly.
I let my hand linger, tracing the outline of his erection, relishing his sharp intake of breath. "Can I taste you, Dmitri?" I ask, my voice a husky whisper.
He growls, his eyes burning with desire as he takes in the sight of me, naked and wanting beneath him. "Will you swallow me, Valentina? Take all of me into that pretty mouth of yours?"
Heat pools low in my belly at his explicit words, and my breath quickens. "Yes," I whisper, my cheeks flushing.
Dmitri groans, a deep, guttural sound. Then, with a smooth roll of his hips, he shifts, sitting back on his heels and giving me full access to the object of my desire.
My eyes rake over him, taking in the defined planes of his chest, the trail of dark hair that disappears beneath the waistband of his boxer briefs. My mouth waters as I imagine the taste of him.
I lean in, placing a soft kiss on the tip of his erection through the fabric of his boxer briefs. I feel him twitch against my lips, and a rush of desire courses through me. Gently, I tug on the waistband, and he lifts his hips to allow me to slide them down, baring the length of his hardness in all its glory.
My breath catches in my throat as I take in the sight of him, thick and veiny, pulsating with need. I reach out, wrapping my hand around him, but he's too big for my small grip.
With a tentative lick, I taste the bead of moisture that's gathered at the tip. Dmitri hisses at the sensation, his hips bucking gently. Slowly, I take him into my mouth, my gaze fixed on his face as I explore him with my tongue.
"Fuck," he breathes, his hands threading through my hair, guiding me. "Slow, Valentina. Take it slow. And no teeth."
I nod, relaxing my mouth around him as I swirl my tongue along his length. He tastes of salt and musk, and I moan softly, the vibration humming against him.
Encouraged by his sharp intake of breath, I take more of him into my mouth, my hand gliding up and down the part that doesn't fit. His fingers tighten in my hair, his hips stirring gently as I suck and lick, reveling in the power I have over him in this moment.
I want to give him pleasure, to taste every inch of him. So I take him deeper, relaxing my throat as I go, until I feel him hit the back. Tears prick at my eyes at the intensity, but I don't pull away. Instead, I hold his hip with one hand, steadying myself, and continue to suck, my tongue working feverishly.
Dmitri's control snaps, and he begins to thrust gently into my mouth, his breath coming in harsh pants. "Valentina... you feel so good... I'm not going to last."
His praise sends a thrill through me, and I hum in response, sucking harder. His grip on my hair tightens, and his hips stutter as he finds his release. "I'm gonna cum..."
His first spurt catches me by surprise. My rhythm skips, but it doesn't matter. The second and third splashes are salty over my tongue. I swallow around him, feeling his semen slide down my throat, and he shudders above me, a strangled groan ripping from his throat.
His hands slide from my hair, and he gently urges me away, his breath ragged. "You take me so well baby..." Words seem to fail him, and he shakes his head, a soft smile curving his lips.
I smile back, feeling a surge of satisfaction at having pleasured him so thoroughly. I sit up, my body flushed and my hair wild around me.
Dmitri's eyes roam over me, desire still burning bright in their depths. "Now," he says, "I want to fuck you with my tongue." He urges me back onto the bed. "Spread your legs for me, Valentina. Let me worship you."
I bite my lip as I part my thighs, exposing myself to him completely. "Like this?"
He nods. "Just like that."