15. Talia
Chapter 15
Talia
T he next several days pass by in a chaotic blur of doctor appointments for Max, rehabilitation plans, and phone calls with Allie, who’s incredibly happy for me but very much wishing she had her own man to sleep naked with at night.
Max’s frustration at having to continue with the pain meds is a palpable thing, and I worry he’s going to toss the bottle out the damn window and call it quits, especially since I refuse to let him do anything for me.
He edged the hell out of me and left me very wet and wanting, but it doesn’t feel right to do anything when he’s so out of it and feeling bad. I’d rather wait until he’s clear-headed and can at least enjoy himself. He disagrees, but he’s in no position to fight me on it, so I’m currently winning this particular argument.
“Most of my family’s going to head back in a couple of days,” I say when I walk into our room with a breakfast tray. “My parents and brothers are staying for a bit longer, though.”
He eyes me, gauging my reaction before sitting up and letting me put the tray on his lap. He’s learned to not fight me on this, but I can tell he hates being what he considers helpless. The sling is still on for a few more days, but the doctor said the swelling is going down and everything is looking good. The physical therapist has a lot of experience with musicians, and he’s already made a rigorous rehabilitation schedule for him that they’re going to be starting next week. I know he’s anxious to get started but also worried it won’t take, that he’ll never get back the nimble dexterity that he once had. I’m confident he will.
Leaning closer, I place a kiss on the tip of each of his fingers before pressing my lips to the gorgeous mouth that always makes me feel a little delirious. Now is no exception, and when I pull back, I feel a bit spacey and blissed out.
He gives a frustrated sigh and asks, “Are you on the menu this morning?”
I smile and push the tray of food closer to him before pointing at his pain pill. “Nope. Eat up, Max, and take your pill.”
“You’re a bratty sub and a domineering nursemaid,” he tells me, but he takes the pill and reaches for his fork, earning him a big smile from me. He tries his best to look angry, but he fails miserably as the corner of his mouth lifts in a grin.
While he starts to eat, I sit down next to him. I already had breakfast with everyone else, but I reach for the extra mug of coffee I’d put on the tray.
“How do you feel about them leaving? They’re all welcome to stay as long as they want.” He takes a drink and watches me. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll miss them like crazy,” I say, not seeing the point in lying about it. “But I’d miss you more, and at least my parents and brothers are staying a bit longer. You should’ve seen Niki this morning with Bran. I swear he’s trying his damndest to set a record for how fast any one person can learn ASL.”
Max reaches for a piece of toast and says, “If anyone could do it, it’d be him.”
“Damien was over here learning with them while I was cooking your breakfast, and Damian seemed to be picking it up really quickly too. He said something about it making a lot more sense to him than reading and writing.”
“Damien’s dyslexic,” Max says. “I hadn’t thought about sign language being easier for him, but it makes sense. Trying to decode a paragraph is enough to make him crazy, but he’s fantastic with video games and spatial learning, and he has a memory like a goddamn elephant. He might beat my brother at learning it, and, god, that’ll piss Niki off,” he says with a laugh.
“I’m just thrilled they’re trying to learn at all. It’s really nice of them.”
“Of course we’re all going to learn. We’re family now. Unfortunately, it’ll be a while before I can practice the signs, but lucky for me I have my own private tutor.”
“You do, huh?”
He smiles and finishes off his orange juice. “I do, but make no mistake, sweetheart, you’ll be the sexy one in the short, plaid skirt, and I’ll be the one with the ruler dishing out punishments.”
“I don’t think that’s how it works.” I take the tray and set it aside before he grabs my wrist and pulls me closer.
“It’s how it works for us. You’ll teach, I’ll learn, and my reward will be bending you over, lifting up your tiny skirt, and smacking your ass with a ruler. It’ll be the greatest motivator ever. I already can’t wait to start our lessons.”
I grin and let him pull me closer. He leans back, and I lay between his thighs, being careful to not touch his arm. His left hand reaches up to brush my hair back behind my ear and then grazes his fingers along my cheek.
“Any way I can convince you to sit on my face?”
I laugh and turn my head so I can kiss his palm. “I think we need to wait until you feel better.”
“I’m feeling pretty good right now,” he argues, and gives a soft laugh that I recognize as his I’m high on painkillers laugh. His blue-grey eyes look glassy, and when he gives another laugh, I can’t help but join in. Max is adorable when he’s doped up.
“Okay,” he relents. “At least make out with me then. Give me something, baby. I’m dying here.”
I give him a kiss and then sit up so I’m straddling him. “You want me to give you something?”
“God yes,” he groans, running his eyes over me, and not even the drugs can hide how hungry he is. With a grin, I grab the bottom of my shirt and slowly lift it up and off my head. He watches me reach around to unhook my bra, and when it falls down, exposing my breasts to him, he grabs onto my waist and growls, “Talia, lean your sweet ass over and let me suck on those fantastic tits before I lose my goddamn mind.”
Something about this man brings out my bratty side, and when I ignore him and slide my hands up my body to cup my own breasts, his fingers dig into my hip in warning. “These tits?”
The feral look he gives me just eggs me on as I start to massage my breasts, tweaking my own nipples and rocking against his stiffening cock. We both know it’ll be impossible for him to maintain it, not with the drugs he has in his system. It’s here now, though, and I use it with a wild abandon, grinding against him and pinching my nipples hard enough to send a rush of pleasure straight between my legs.
“Such a fucking brat,” he growls, rocking his hips up and pulling another moan from my body. My sleep shorts aren’t much of a barrier, and when the hard length of him rolls along my clit, I throw my head back and moan his name.
He brings his hand between us, pressing his thumb exactly where I need him to and giving me a soft rub.
“Fuck,” I groan, so desperate to come but also fighting the guilt I feel.
“Give me what I want, Talia,” he demands.
When he gives me an even firmer rub, I cave in to his demands and brace one hand by his head as I lean over, hovering my nipple over his waiting mouth. Before he sucks me in, he reaches his hand around to grab onto my ass and says, “Come for me, baby. Let me see you come undone.”
“It’s not fair,” I start to say, but he cuts me off with a soft bite to my aching nipple.
“I fucking need this,” he begs. “Please, baby. Give me this.”
I hear the truth in his words, feel the raw need coming off him in waves, but it’s not for his own pleasure. It’s for mine. His tongue runs over my nipple in a slow, sensual lick that crumbles the very last of my restraint. When I grind harder against him, he digs his fingers into my ass cheek, locking me to him like he’s worried I might change my mind, and then he wraps his lips around me and gives a suck that nearly makes my toes curl.
“Fuck,” I moan, already so close to the breaking point. It’s been too long since I’ve gotten to come, and all that edging has me primed and ready to explode in record time. He licks and sucks on my breast while I rock and grind against him, using his dick to get myself off. Pleasure builds in my core, and right before it hits me full force, I lower my head close to his and whisper that I love him. He groans against my tit, feeling me come undone in his arms. Euphoria consumes me, drowning out everything else, and when I start to come down, he doesn’t let up.
Giving me one last suck, he kisses a line up my chest before softly biting the crook of my neck. “Take off your shorts and sit on my face. Let me clean that messy pussy for you.”
Still drunk on my orgasm, I quickly wiggle out of my shorts and then carefully slide up his body so my knees are on either side of his head and my pussy is hovering over his face while I look down at him.
“My poor girl has been neglected for far too long. Look at how wet you are, baby.” His look is downright ravenous, and I’m already shaking in anticipation. “I bet one orgasm wasn’t enough for you, was it? I bet you’re still aching for another.” He pulls me lower and slowly runs his tongue up my slit. “Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”
“Yes.” I moan, a shiver of pure pleasure running through me when he gently licks and sucks on my overly sensitive skin.
“Let me take care of you,” he murmurs against my pussy. “Let me give you what you need.”
He sinks his tongue into me, making me gasp. My hips instinctively start to rock, and he groans out his appreciation while he fucks me with his tongue. I will never get enough of this man’s mouth. It had felt amazing when he’d eaten me out on the dryer, but there’s something about this position that makes me feel bold and sexy.
I reach down and run my fingers in his hair while he reaches up and cups one of my breasts. His thumb teases my nipple, sending sparks of pleasure all through me, and when he slides his tongue out of me to focus on my clit, I’m more than ready for him. He sucks on my aching flesh and gives my nipple a hard pinch, effortlessly sending me straight into another orgasm. Losing myself to it, I grind against him in a way that should leave me embarrassed, but I’m anything but shy right now. I meet his eyes and work my hips, savoring every drop of pleasure he wants to give me until I’m spent and shaking and so sensitive I start to squirm.
He gentles his touch, covering me in soft licks and kisses, keeping the aftershocks going as I catch my breath.
“Oh my god,” I finally say, and as soon as I start to feel bad about what just happened, he gives my clit a soft kiss and lifts me up just enough so he can talk.
“Don’t. I wanted this, Talia. I fucking needed this, so don’t you dare feel guilty about it. You have no idea how much I enjoyed this. God, baby, I could eat your pussy all day, every day, and never get tired of it.”
“But it’s not fair,” I start to say.
“It is fair if it’s what I wanted.” He gives my pussy another line of kisses before I slide down and lay beside him, lifting onto my elbow so I can see him better. “I’m done with these fucking pain meds.”
“No, you’re not,” I say, but he smacks my ass hard enough to sting.
“I am. I’ll take something that’s not as powerful. I hate the brain fog and being tired all the time, and I really hate not being able to keep an erection. Seriously, I’d rather put up with the pain and be able to slide into you.”
“Is there any way for me to talk you out of this?”
He gives me his sexy grin, the one that always makes my heart speed up, and dances his fingers along my stinging cheek. “Nope.”
“You’re a stubborn man, Max.”
“It’s best you learn this now.”
I smile and say, “You mean before I marry you and join my life with an impossibly stubborn man?”
His hand moves to cup the back of my head as he pulls me closer. “We’re already joined together, svetik moy . No ritual, no ceremony with pretty words and vows is going to make us any more united than we already are. You are mine, and I am yours. I have been since the first day they dragged you down into that basement and chained you up beside me. Nothing will ever change that or make it more permanent than it already is. So I hate to break it to you, but you’re already joined to an incredibly stubborn man.”
He kisses me again and says, “Before you get too mad, I’ll remind you that I just gave you two very powerful orgasms.”
“You did,” I say, letting out a soft moan at the memory.
“That edging paid off, didn’t it?” he teases, and when I don’t say anything, he laughs. “We’ll need to do some experimenting.”
“Like what?”
His fingers drag along my jaw and neck. “Just some testing to see what feels best. I wonder how good it would feel if I didn’t let you come for weeks instead of just days.”
“I’m not so sure we need to test that theory.”
“It’s for science, sweetheart. Everything must be tested.”
I groan, but he knows deep down I love it, and that I’m more than ready for anything he wants to try. He might push me outside of my comfort zone, but I know he’ll never force me to do anything, and having that safety net is everything. It allows me to be courageous and to jump into the deep end of whatever kink he’s offering, because ultimately I have the control. He’s willingly given it to me, and it’s the greatest gift any man can give a woman. Freedom to explore and the freedom to say no with no repercussions or judgment.
When his hand starts to roam to my ass again, I laugh and give him another kiss. Wanting more, he cups the back of my head and starts to deepen it, and I know he’ll happily stay in bed all day making me come over and over again until exhaustion forces him to sleep.
I smile and pull back. “All right, stud muffin. You need to get ready for your appointment.”
His deep laugh is infectious and adorable and sexy as hell. “Stud muffin? Really?”
“It’s true,” I say with a laugh. “Now get your fine ass up. I’ll help you get dressed.”
“I see the domineering nursemaid is back,” he murmurs with a grin.
“Play your cards right and maybe the bratty sub will come out to play later.”
His eyes immediately light up. “I’d very much like to see that. You’re sexy as hell when you get bratty. My sweet girl just begging to have her mouthwatering ass spanked.”
I laugh and go to grab him some clothes. We eventually make it out of our bedroom with just enough time to meet his dad by the elevator. After a quick goodbye to the others and a promise to text updates, we head down to where a driver and bodyguard are waiting in a black SUV. To the best of my knowledge there haven’t been any signs of danger, but no one is taking any chances, and I’m not at all surprised to see some of my dad’s men following in a car behind us.
Life is always going to be like this, especially since the man I’m going to marry is involved in the Bratva as well, but I don’t mind. It’s comforting to know there’s someone, or several someones, watching our backs.
Once we’re at the doctor’s, some of the men stay with the vehicles while a couple walk with us to the building. Aside from one guy, they remain outside. He’s a Medvedev man, so I’m guessing he’s following strict orders from my dad. There will be no talking him into waiting in the car, so I don’t even bother trying.
I look around the nice waiting room that doesn’t feel anything at all like a stuffy doctor’s office. There are comfortable chairs, a large fish tank along the length of one wall, and instead of annoying talk shows or news coverage, there’s peaceful, classical music playing at a low volume.
Max and I walk up to the check-in counter where a model-gorgeous woman is giving Max a smile that’s a little too big for my liking. Her look goes way beyond typical friendly customer service, and it has my hackles raising in no time. The man next to me is beautiful to look at. I know this. I’ve always known this, but this is my first time seeing another woman’s reaction to him, and I can’t say I care for it. It would be different if it was just a quick, appreciative look, but she’s eye-fucking the hell out of him and completely ignoring me.
Feeling the anger radiating off of me, Max wraps his arm around me and says, “I have an appointment at eleven.”
“You must be Mr. Melnikov,” she says, smiling even bigger, and I swear she leans forward just to show off her big tits. To his credit, Max ignores her and doesn’t even glance down at what she’s offering. Instead, he looks down at me and gives me a wink.
Turning back to the receptionist, he says, “I’d like to add my fiancée as my emergency contact.” Lowering his voice, he leans in and says, “Try and flash me your tits again, and I’ll have you fucking fired. Insult my girl again by flirting with me, and I’ll make sure you never get another job in this city. Understood?”
She visibly pales and finally turns to look at me. Getting her shit together, she hovers her fingers over her keyboard and asks me, “What’s your name?”
I tell her my info and get added as Max’s emergency contact, and by the time we’re taking a seat, Danil is fighting a laugh and the receptionist is embracing her new work ethic of not being a complete and total asshole while my bodyguard pretends he has no fucking clue what’s going on.
“Thanks,” I tell Max after we’ve taken a seat.
He puts his arm around my shoulder and kisses my head. “For adding you as my emergency contact? You’re very welcome, and I expect you to do the same. Actually, never mind,” he says with a soft laugh. “I’ll just have Niki do it for me.”
“He can do that?”
Max grins. “He can do anything.”
“I would love to add you as my emergency contact,” I tell him with a smile, “but that’s not what I was thanking you for.” I glance back over at the woman, pleased to see that she’s still keeping her focus on her work and off of Max. “Thanks for not flirting with her in front of me.”
“There’s a few things wrong with that sentence. First, you don’t have to thank me for being faithful to you, and, second, there’s no reason for you to add in front of me . I would never flirt with anyone else. Whether you’re right next to me or not makes no difference. You’re the only woman I want, and I would never be unfaithful in any way to you, and that includes flirting with idiotic receptionists who try to flash me their breasts.”
I lean in and kiss him. “Thanks, Max. I feel the same way about you.”
“Glad to hear it, but if any man ever flirts with you in my presence, I will fucking kill them.”
I see the truth in his eyes, reminding me that the man I love isn’t just a pianist who’s here for rehabilitation on his hand. He’s a trained killer. It’s easy for me to forget that because he’s always so sweet with me, but there’s a whole other side of Max that has nothing to do with sexy smiles and unlimited orgasms.
I’m not sure what to say about his promise of murder, so I look around and change the subject. “Pretty swanky place.”
Max gives a soft laugh, letting me steer us in a safer direction. “He’s the best hand therapist in the city, and for what he charges, it should be swanky.”
We’re the only ones in the waiting room, so it’s not long before the door opens and a woman asks, “Maxim Melnikov?”
Max and I stand and Danil lets us go first while my bodyguard takes a seat. Evidently, his instructions aren’t to actually follow us into the appointment itself. We’re taken into an exam room, and Danil and I take a seat while the nurse gets Max set up and takes his vitals.
He stays seated on the exam table after she leaves, and a few minutes later a tall, middle-aged man walks into the room. His smile is warm and genuine, and I like him immediately. He’d already met Max and his dad at one of his other appointments when they were first deciding on his schedule for therapy, and even though next week is when the actual rehabilitation starts, today is a big day because all the bandages are coming off so we can see what his hand looks like. I’m nervous enough for everyone.
Dr. Bennett must see it written all over my face because he holds out his hand and says, “You must be Talia. Max mentioned you during our assessment. Don’t worry. I’m going to take good care of your fiancé.”
I look over at Max, who gives me a wink. Even though he still hasn’t officially proposed with a ring, he’s apparently been telling everyone who will listen that we’re engaged.
Shaking Dr. Bennett’s hand, I thank him and then lift a brow when he adds, “So are you excited to learn all the finger exercises?”
“What?” I look between the doctor and Max.
Dr. Bennett laughs. “You didn’t tell her?”
Max grins and says, “I didn’t want her to worry about it.” Then he quickly says, “You don’t have to do it. My dad can, and he can teach Niki so they can take turns.”
I look at his dad, who quickly nods and says, “I don’t mind doing it, Talia. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”
I turn back to the doctor. “What is it exactly?”
He sits on a rolling stool and pushes himself across the floor to Max. “Well, I’m going to take off all the bandages today and see how his fingers are looking. I might be able to get away with leaving some of the finger splints off altogether, but right now what I’m worried about is finger stiffness and scar tissue formation. We need to keep the circulation going for healing. He’ll need help with these exercises, and I want them performed three or four times a day for about fifteen minutes each session.”
“What if I do it wrong and hurt his fingers?” I ask, voicing my biggest and loudest fear.
“I’ll teach you how to do it properly, and you’ll practice in front of me so I can make sure you’re doing it right. Plus, Max will let you know if it hurts too much, and if it does, stop immediately and give me a call.”
“You don’t have to do this, Talia,” Max says again, and I can tell he means it.
I can say no, and he won’t hold it against me or make me feel bad about it, but as scared as I am of getting it wrong, I want to do this. I want to help him in any way that I can, so I look at Dr. Bennett and say, “I want to learn how to do it.”
The doctor smiles and nods before turning to Max. “Okay, let’s see how your hand is looking today.”
Danil and I stay out of the way while Dr. Bennett unwraps Max’s hand and takes off the finger splints. I get my first look at his hand since the basement, and when I see it, my first reaction is to come and stand next to him. I rest my hand on his back and kiss his shoulder as I lean in. His hand is still swollen, but the dark purple bruising has turned into a greenish yellow. The knuckles are puffy and red, and his hand visibly shakes as he tries to hold it steady.
I know it must be killing him inside to see the visual reminder of how much healing he still has to do, but he doesn’t let it show, and his voice is strong when he asks, “Still think I’ll get it back?”
Dr. Bennett gently pokes and prods at Max’s hand before he calmly says, “I do, yes. Do everything I tell you to do, and we’ll get your hand back to where it was. It won’t be overnight, though. It’s going to take a few months, but we’ll get there.”
He does another scan and determines that the index finger is the worst and needs to remain in a finger splint but that the others can be taped together to support one another. Max is given a softer, more flexible hand splint to wear, but we’re under strict orders to splint all fingers at night. Overall, it’s an improvement, but I can tell Max wishes this was all over and done with. The next few weeks are really going to test his patience.
“Okay, Talia, are you ready for the fun part?” Dr. Bennett asks, motioning for me to come stand next to him.
“I’m ready,” I say, not really feeling it but ready to do my part.
Dr. Bennett lays Max’s hand down, and then starts explaining the exercises to me one by one. I listen to every word he says and memorize everything he does. My stomach drops when he gently grips the middle joint of Max’s ring finger and slowly moves it side to side.
“We don’t want intense pain with any of these exercises,” Dr. Bennett says, watching Max’s reaction to every movement. “This isn’t a grit your teeth and bear it exercise. Pain is your warning system, and you need to listen to it. Anything stronger than a three or four on a scale of one to ten, you stop immediately. If you hear any sort of popping noise with the pain, you stop and you call me. Don’t tough this out, Max.”
“I won’t,” he tells him. “Trust me, Doc, I want this hand to heal properly. I’m not going to let my ego ruin that.”
“Good,” Dr. Bennett says, “because what a waste that would be.” He sees the confusion on Max’s face and smiles. “Your mom sent me a video of you playing. You’re quite talented. It’d be a shame if you lost that gift over something as stupid as a misplaced sense of pride.”
Danil lets out a soft laugh and shakes his head. “My sneaky little wife. I had no idea she did that. I’m not surprised, though.”
“She’s the one who taught me how to play,” Max tells the doctor. “She would also be in line right behind Talia to kick my ass if I tried to push through the pain.”
“Good.” Dr. Bennett scoots his stool aside and motions for me to step in. “Okay, your turn.”
I meet Max’s eyes, and the complete lack of fear in his gives me the confidence I need to rest my hand on his wrist and reach for his first finger. With Dr. Bennett’s guidance, I go through the exercises, constantly looking up to make sure Max is okay.
“You’re doing great, baby,” he tells me when my hands start to shake a little. “Just channel your inner nursemaid.”
I nearly snort out a laugh and drop his finger. The amusement in his blue-grey eyes has me shaking my head at him. “Behave,” I whisper, so grateful he didn’t add the domineering part to that sentence. The last thing I want to do is try to explain that to his dad.
My escape from embarrassment is short lasting, though, because as soon as I’m done with his exercises and the doctor starts putting a splint on his finger, Max says, “I’m no longer taking the strong pain meds. I took my last one this morning. I need something a lot lighter, or I can just take over-the-counter stuff.”
“Really?” Dr. Bennett asks, keeping his focus on taping together the rest of Max’s fingers. “You should really stay on them for a few more days. These exercises will make them ache, and you might have a hard time sleeping.”
“I’ll be fine,” Max says while my face heats up.
Dr. Bennett grabs the new hand splint and fits it around Max’s hand. “Are you reacting badly to them? Having a reaction of some sort?”
“It’s more like I’m not having any reaction at all,” Max says while Danil hides his laugh behind a cough, and I pretend I have no idea what he’s talking about.
Dr. Bennett finally looks up. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
I cover my face with my hand when Max says, “They make it impossible to keep an erection, Doc. I can’t do it anymore.”
Max pulls me close and kisses my flaming cheek. “I promise I’ll do all my exercises, I’ll stop if the pain is bad, and I’ll take a mild pain reliever around the clock, but I’m not taking that shit anymore.”
Dr. Bennett thinks for a sec and then nods. “Okay, I can work with that. I’ll prescribe you something much more mild that shouldn’t interfere with anything below the belt, but I want your word that you’ll take the stronger stuff if you can’t sleep. A good night’s rest is a huge part of your healing, Max. More important than sex right now,” he adds.
Max grins. “Agree to disagree on that one, but you have my word. I’ll take the other pills if I need them.”
Despite my embarrassment, I look at the doctor and add, “And I give you my word that I’ll make sure he does.”
The doctor laughs while doing the last adjustment on Max’s splint. When he’s done, he pushes his stool back and says, “I can see that you’re in good hands and that I won’t need to worry about you after you leave this office. I’ll write you a prescription for something more mild, and I want you doing those finger exercises every day, four times a day as long as the pain isn’t severe. Keep the sling on while you sleep. Other than that, I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
“Sounds good,” Max says, stepping from the exam table to come and stand beside me. Danil thanks the doctor and when we hit the waiting room, my bodyguard joins us as the SUV pulls around to the entrance.
On the drive back, Max’s dad looks back and says, “Looks like you both have the appointments under control, so I’ll leave you to them from now on.” He grins and adds, “Niki regularly hacks in to read the doctor’s notes, so he keeps me up to date anyway.”
“Of course he does,” Max says with a soft laugh.
We make a quick stop at the pharmacy to pick up his new pain medicine, and then head back to the penthouse. As soon as we get there, we fill everyone in on how it went while we eat lunch. I’ve already planned out a schedule for his hand exercises and set reminders on my phone.
When the alarm goes off, I look over at Max and ask, “Where do you want to do this?”
He grins and says, “I can think of a variety of places.”
I laugh before I can stop it and then grab his good hand, pulling him to standing so I can lead him to the bedroom.
“Good choice, baby,” he says, eyeing the bed when we walk in.
“This isn’t playtime,” I tell him. “We need to squeeze in another session before bed, and then tomorrow, we’ll do the full four.”
When I see the very amused look on his face, I point a finger at him. “Don’t say it.”
“Don’t say what?”
“I know what you’re thinking,” I tell him. “I’m not being domineering. I’m being helpful. There’s a difference.”
“Of course there is,” he says in a way that makes it clear he thinks I’m most definitely showing my domineering side, and then adds, “And because you’re being so helpful , I think it’s worth mentioning that I think it would really help the healing process if we do these exercises while you’re topless.”
“You think so, huh?”
“I do, yes.” He steps closer and slides his hand up my shirt so he can cup my breast.
I try not to let it distract me and instead raise a brow and say, “Let me guess. For science, right?”
He grins and tweaks my nipple. “Exactly.”
I can tell he’s all set to conduct the first experiment, but before he can lift my shirt and relieve me of my bra, his brother knocks on the door and yells, “Nat just went into labor! We’re going to meet them at the hospital when you’re done, okay?”
Max grins at the news and then scowls when I yell, “You can come in if you want, Niki.”
Leaning close, he whispers, “That was cruel, sweetheart. I’ll have to think of an appropriate punishment for later.”
Before I can come up with a smartass comeback, his brother opens the door and walks in with my two brothers right behind him.
“How’s Nat doing?” Max asks his brother.
“She’s doing great. It’s Dominic you need to worry about,” he says with a grin. “He’s freaking out and worried. Uncle Lev and Aunt Jolene are with Isabella at the hospital. The last message said everyone else was on the way and that Nat is handling it all like a pro.”
“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Max says. “She did great when she had Isabella too. It’s always the men who lose it.” He gives me a quick wink and says just loud enough for me to hear, “I wonder how I’ll handle things when the time comes.”
I have no doubt he’ll be amazing, and when he sees my grin, he returns it and gives me another wink.
We want to watch , Bran signs. How are you able to do this, Tally? You’re usually pretty squeamish.
The memory of how it had felt jamming that knife into Miguel’s throat comes back with a vengeance. I swallow back the bile that threatens to rise and shrug my shoulders as I sign, Guess I got used to it.
I see the regret in his eyes and the worry for me, so I quickly add, I’m fine. I promise.
He nods and squeezes my shoulder as he walks by. I lead Max to the chairs in the corner and turn them so they’re facing one another. Putting a pillow on my lap, I motion for him to lay his hand on it and then get to work. I do exactly what Dr. Bennett showed me, carefully removing the hand splint. Starting with his pinkie finger, I undo the tape and work through each finger at a time.
“Does it hurt too much?” I ask when I get to his index finger. “Do you need me to stop?”
“No, it’s fine,” he says. I know he won’t lie to me about this, but I keep watching for any signs that it might be too much. His idea of what’s acceptable is probably different from mine, and there’s no way I’m going to let him push himself too hard with this.
“The swelling’s gone down a lot,” Niki says, leaning over to study his brother’s hand. “Your doctor mentioned in his notes that he was very pleased with how it’s looking so far.” He looks at his older brother and laughs. “He also mentioned you insisted he put you on a milder painkiller, said it was affecting your ability to perform.”
“Jesus,” I whisper.
“What’d you just say?” Dima asks, and I quickly lower my head, putting all my focus on fitting the splint back onto Max’s index finger.
“Oops,” I hear Niki mutter before he says, “I said that his doctor is really pleased with how good his hand is looking.”
“Not that part,” Dima says. “The last bit, the part about the painkillers and his inability to perform.”
“Okay, well we can stop spreading that particular rumor around,” Max says. “Because that’s not at all how I worded it.” Despite the fact that my two brothers are looking less than thrilled right now, Max laughs and says, “I mean, that’s what it boils down to, but inability to perform just sounds really bad.”
Dima sighs while Bran, having lip-read the entire conversation, crosses his arms and shakes his head.
Undeterred, Max looks them in the eye and says, “I love your sister, and I’m going to marry her.”
“We know that,” Dima says, “but that doesn’t mean I want to hear about anything that happens in this bedroom.” He laughs and smacks Bran’s shoulder. “Or doesn’t happen.”
Bran smiles while Max says, “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. My pride can take the hit.”
When Bran signs something, Max asks, “What does that mean?”
Dima laughs. “He said if you hurt our sister, you’ll never see the bullet coming, and it won’t be a quick death.”
Max nods at Bran, not even slightly offended at the death threat. “I’ll never hurt her, and you two are welcome to visit anytime you want.”
I’m not ready to face the idea of not seeing my brothers every day, so I fix the last velcro strap and say, “Okay, all done. Are you ready to go and see if your nephew is here yet?”
“ Our nephew,” Max corrects, and then he leans in and kisses my cheek. Bringing his mouth to my ear, he whispers, “Thanks for doing my hand, baby. We’re going to talk about that look you just had on your face later, okay?”
Of course he didn’t miss the sadness that had briefly crossed my face at the thought of not seeing my brothers.
“You’re way too observant,” I mutter.
He gives a soft laugh and kisses my cheek again. “No, I just love you, svetik moy, and I don’t like seeing you sad.”
Standing up, he reaches for my hand and asks, “Ready to go meet our nephew?”