Chapter 9
Chapter
Nine
SOFIYA
W aking up beside Mikhail leaves me with conflicted feelings. His warmth makes me draw closer to him, while the coldness that simmers underneath makes me want to get out of this bed.
He touched me in front of all of his men, showing me off like I was his trophy. I already knew Mikhail was possessive. I just never thought he’d do something like that.
And the worst part of all is I liked it.
No. I loved it.
I loved how falling apart in his arms from his touch felt. I loved that he put Andrei in his place. I loved being held by Mikhail. Being carried up to our room. I loved it.
And yet, I can’t help but feel like it was wrong. I’m a woman, not a trophy. The emotional side to me says Mikhail doesn’t have any more claim to me than any other man.
Whereas the logical side to my brain knows that none of that is true. I belong to Mikhail. He owns me now, and there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s frightening how much I want to be with him. How much I want him to touch me like that again. My body throbs at the memory.
It’s because of that fear that I also want to escape. No one should have this kind of hold over me. I should be free to just … what? Be by myself? I’m by myself most of the days anyway. That’s not what I want. I just want to know I’ll be fully safe.
Even though I know Mikhail would keep me safe from any man who wanted to do me harm, the question is—who will save me from Mikhail?
I stare at his strong back as he sleeps. The sight of him shirtless leaves me breathless. Mikhail has the strength to hurt me, but he hasn’t. Yet. I still can’t get the memory of him whipping Irina out of my mind. Mikhail made it clear I have a say in our relationship, but do I really? Because I’m not so sure I do.
Mikhail has all the power here. I have nothing.
He stirs, waking up. I quickly close my eyes and calm my breathing, pretending I’m still asleep. I can feel Mikhail sit up. I can feel his gaze on me.
“I know you’re awake,” he says, startling me. Slowly, I open my eyes. “Why were you pretending?”
“I’m not sure,” I admit. I’ve found that with Mikhail, it’s better just to be honest.
His eyes rake over my body. I’m in a lacy, satiny short nightgown. Those are the only types of pajamas Mikhail bought for me. I’m distinctly aware of how naked I am underneath my outfit. I never bother with bras or underwear when I sleep. Before Mikhail, it was never a big deal. No one ever slept in the same room as me.
Now, that’s all different.
He rests his hand on my stomach. It’s intimidating just how large his hands are compared to my body.
“What’s going to happen to Andrei?” I ask.
Mikhail’s eyes flare. “I’ll make sure he knows never to touch you again.”
“He’s still going to work for you?” My body is completely still.
“He’s a good worker.”
“Not a good friend, though.”
“Which is why I’m going to handle him. Now, I don’t want to talk about Andrei. You look beautiful this morning.”
I can’t help it. I blush.
“Sexy,” he growls as his fingers grab the end of my nightgown and bring it up over my hips. My core throbs at his touch. He spreads my legs wide, and I don’t object. Instead of touching me like he’s done before, he stares down at my vulva. Within moments, I can feel wetness covering my folds.
My hands are clasped on my stomach. The way Mikhail can make me anticipate his next move and want it but also fear it is astounding. No one has ever made me feel this way before.
“I’m going to taste you,” he tells me. “And you’re going to come on my mouth.”
My lips part, but no sound comes out.
Mikhail shifts to the end of the bed and leans down, placing each of my legs over his shoulders. I’m not saying no, but I also feel frozen.
He locks his eyes with mine before lowering his head between my legs. When his tongue licks right up my slit, I gasp, and my legs clench from desire. Mikhail grins, then continues to lick me all over, from my sensitive nub to my folds. My body begins shaking.
The sensation of his tongue on me is so different from his fingers. Neither one is better. Just different in a good way.
Instead of trying to fight it, I let my legs flop open, giving him better access. Mikhail grips my thighs, his eyes never leaving me, as he swirls his tongue around my bundle of nerves. Every time his tongue swipes over it, I feel a surge of pleasure rush through my body.
He brings his tongue lower and toys with it over my entrance. He’s never quite touched me here before, not even with his fingers. I can’t look away. Then Mikhail inserts his tongue into me, and I can’t hold it back anymore—I let out a moan. The sound is louder than I expected.
The tip of his tongue is inside me, pleasuring me, making me go crazy. His hands tighten even more on my thighs. I wonder if I’ll bruise. I wonder if that will bother me. For some reason, I don’t think it will.
My hips jerk up, looking for more friction. Mikhail eases his tongue out of me and resumes pleasuring my nub. He licks it and rolls it around with his tongue. I think I’m going to die from this pleasure. I can’t take anymore.
And then my orgasm hits me. My toes curl, and my breath catches in my throat, making my gasp come out strangled. Mikhail growls against me, and he continues to use his tongue on me.
I tremble and tremble until my body calms down. I’ve never noticed the view from this angle before—staring up at the ceiling after my husband just pleasured me with his mouth.
He kisses along my inner thighs. It tickles and sends goosebumps over my skin.
“Take your nightgown off,” he says, sitting up.
With shaking fingers, I do as he says. His eyes rake over my naked body. I’ve never felt more desired by another person than at this moment.
“Again,” he growls. I gasp as he grabs my waist and lies down. He pulls me over his body and angles my hips up toward his face. In this new position, I have no choice but to grab onto the headboard.
“What are you doing?” I whisper.
He pushes my hair behind my back. “I want to see your breasts as you ride my face. I’m going to make you come again.” I gulp. Hard.
“I don’t know how.”
He grips my backside, his fingers digging into my skin. “I’ll show you.”
I don’t resist as Mikhail pulls me down onto his face. Instantly, he starts using his tongue on me again. My body is already so sensitive from the orgasm I just experienced. I’m not sure I can do this again. But Mikhail is adamant, and I want to make him proud.
Mikhail helps guide my hips back and forth, grinding them down against his face. His eyes never leave mine. I could look away, but I don’t want to.
He eases my hips up slightly to speak. “Touch your breasts. Play with your nipples.” I gasp when he roughly pulls my hips back down, his tongue aggressively licking across my nub.
I slowly touch my breasts, unsure of what to do. My nipples are so sensitive they’re almost hard to touch. I rub my thumbs over them while my hands cup my breasts.
Mikhail drags my hips down harder. His tongue slips back inside of me, and I almost lose my mind. This is too much. Too much. Too much.
In this new position, I have some ounce of control. I can help set the pace.
Every time I shift my hips forward, Mikhail’s nose brushes against my nub. A spike of pleasure shoots up my body. A soft moan escapes my lips. Mikhail is great at wringing pleasure from my body. I can’t even process what’s happening.
Roughly, he pulls my hips against his lips and circles his tongue around and around my bundle of nerves. I gasp as my second orgasm of the morning hits me. I have no choice but to let go of my breasts and grab the headboard for support.
My eyes flutter shut. My breath comes out ragged. And my body continues to tremble for a long time afterward.
Mikhail continues to kiss my body, my inner thighs, and folds as my body winds down. I slump forward. He gently eases me off him, and I flop onto the bed, feeling spent for the day, even though it’s only morning.
He grabs my hips and kisses along my neck and chest. “I’m obsessed with your body.” His lips cover my right nipple. I’m too tired to object.
As suddenly as he grabbed me, he’s letting me go and getting out of bed. “I have work to get to. I wish I could spend all day in bed with you.” His eyes darken as they take in my naked form. “Fuck, I wish I could. But I need to leave now before I try and fuck you.”
I gasp and close my legs together. I’m not sure I’m fully ready for that yet. I know once Mikhail has sex with me, I’ll forever be his.
He heads into the closet, and I lie in bed, my body wired and spent, as I think about what I’m going to do.
When I knock on Mila’s door and get no response, I go over to Vik’s room and open the door. Mila is sitting on Vik’s bed, watching Vik pack up her suitcase.
“What are you doing?” I ask, quietly shutting the door behind me.
“What does it look like?” Vik tosses a shirt into the suitcase. “We’re leaving. We can’t stay here. I was physically attacked last night.”
“I know you were, and that was horrible.”
“And you clearly don’t want me here,” she mumbles.
“Vik, I never said that.”
She huffs. “You didn’t have to. It’s obvious. Besides, you told me last night I’m awful.”
I sigh and sit down next to Mila. “I’m sorry for that. I was emotional. I was being attacked as well. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I want you here.”
“No, you want Mila here. Not me.” She limps over to the closet, grabbing more clothes. I’m amazed Vik isn’t even using crutches. She still has her cast on, and it’s clearly not slowing her down though I should have figured it wouldn’t. Not many things can slow my older sister down.
“Where are you going to go?” I ask.
“I have no idea. Back to New York, probably.”
“But Boris is there. He could hurt you.”
“No. He wanted you, and then he wanted Mila. He doesn’t want me.”
“Vik.” I grab her arm, stopping her. “He wanted you first, remember? If you’re in New York by yourself, he could easily try going after you again.”
“I’ll be fine. Besides, Mila will be with me.”
I stand up, not believing my ears. I turn to Mila. “Is that true? Are you leaving with Vik?”
Mila can’t look me in the eye, which means she’s trying to lie but can’t. She’s a horrible liar. “Vik wants me to go with her. She says it’s not safe here.” She lifts her soft eyes to me. “But you could come with. We could protect each other.”
“Mila, Mikhail would hunt me down to get me back. I can’t leave him. And you’re safe here. Mikhail will keep you safe.” I rip the shirt from Vik’s hands and toss it to the ground. “All of you. He will keep you all safe. I’ll talk to him.”
“Sofiya,” Vik says, placing her hands on her hips. “He threw that party last night. He invited all those men here, and he left us alone with them. He’s already shown he won’t keep us safe. Maybe you’re safe because you’re his wife. But he has no obligation to us.”
“That’s not true. He didn’t know what was going to happen. That Andrei was going to do that. He won’t put us back in that position if I ask him.”
Vik laughs without humor to it. “You’re being naive. There will be other parties like that. A man like Mikhail needs to show off his strength. I remember Father having to do the same thing. Mila and I will never truly be safe around him because we’re not his top priority. So, we’re going back to New York, and we’ll deal with Boris. I’ll kill him if I have to.”
“You can’t kill Boris.” I shake my head and start pacing around the room. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Mila, talk some sense into her.”
Mila sighs. “Vik, I don’t want you committing murder. It’s wrong.”
“It’s not wrong to protect my baby sister.” She roughly shoves a dress into the suitcase.
“Oh, for the love of god,” I mutter. “Vik, you’re either going to get yourself or Mila killed. Boris might not be as dangerous as Mikhail, but he’s still dangerous. He’s going to become the leader of the Bratva in New York if he hasn’t already. Father wanted him to take over after him. You’re only going to be putting yourself more in harm’s way.”
“Then, what do you suggest?’ She stops packing and stares me down. “Where do we go?”
“We stay here,” I say, sounding weak even to my own ears.
“We can only stay if Mikhail promises to make sure we’re safe. Can you make sure he’ll promise that?”
I hesitate, and I hate that I do it because Vik notices it.
“That’s what I thought,” she says, resuming packing.
“If you leave, I’ll have to leave with you,” I say.
“Sofiya, no.” Mila grabs my hand. “You belong with your husband.”
I squeeze her hand back. “No. I belong with my sisters. I can’t let you both leave and get in trouble. I can help protect you.”
“How?” Vik asks.
“I’m not sure yet. But I’ll figure it out. Just promise you won’t leave until we discuss this more. I need time to think.”
“We don’t have time. Mila and I are leaving tonight. I’ve already booked us a hotel until our flight tomorrow. Either come with us or don’t. I don’t care. But I’m not going to stay at a house where I was slapped across the face.”
Everything is happening too fast. I have to go with my sisters. I have to make sure they’ll be ok.
But can I leave Mikhail? Do I even want to?
What I do know is I don’t want to be his trophy. I want to be his equal. I’m just not sure Mikhail can ever give me that.
“Ok,” I finally say. “I’ll go with you.”
The door bursts open. For half a second, I’m terrified it’s Mikhail, but when I see it’s only Mary, I relax.
“Mary. Hi,” I say awkwardly.
She glares at me and storms up to me, grabbing my arm and dragging me from the room.
“What are you doing?” I ask, trying to tug free, but Mary is surprisingly strong for her petite stature. Vik and Mila hurriedly follow.
Mary takes me all the way downstairs to the kitchen, where she shoves me against the counter.
“Ow.” I rub my hip. “Mary, what are you doing?”
“I heard you girls talking.” My heart drops. Mary sees the look on my face and smiles smugly. “That’s right. I heard you three talking about leaving. But you can’t leave, missy. You belong to Mr. Ivanov. And I’m going to punish you for having such sinful thoughts.” She grabs the ruler from the cabinet and walks right up to me …
… and smacks me across the arm with it. I cry out, clutching my arm as Mary hits my other arm.
“Stop it!” Mila says, running over. She tries to grab the ruler, but Mary is fast. She keeps whacking me with it.
Vik watches everything with a shocked expression. So much for helping.
Mary pushes Mila away, raises the ruler high, and brings it down right across my cheek. I gasp and curl away from her, clutching my face.
“What is the meaning of this?” Mikhail’s voice is thunderous.
Mary lowers the ruler. “I heard her talking about leaving with her sisters. She needed to be punished, sir.”
Mikhail stares at me hard. “Is that true?”
I don’t respond. I don’t even know how to.
“Is that true?” Mikhail shouts, making me flinch.
“No, it’s not,” Vik says, stepping slightly in front of me. “Mila and I were going to leave. We don’t feel safe here. But Sofiya never agreed to it. She’s going to stay.”
Mikhail breathes heavily as he keeps his eyes on me, not even looking at Vik. “Everybody out,” he says in a calm voice. “Now.”
Vik gives me a questioning look, and I nod. She grabs Mila’s hand, and they hurry out of the kitchen.
Mary hesitates.
“Everybody,” Mikhail growls.
With a glare at me, Mary leaves the room.
The kitchen is a large space, but right now, it feels very, very small.
“Sofiya, you will answer me. Do you plan on leaving with your sisters?”
“I didn’t plan on it. It just … sort of happened.”
He inhales deeply. “You want to leave me?”
I’m not sure I do, but I’m not sure I want to stay either.
“You’re mine, remember?” His voice is the lowest I’ve ever heard it. It’s so low, it could make the ground shake. “You’re not leaving me.” He nods at the counter. “Lean over it.”
“What?”
“Did you just question me?”
I quickly lean over the counter, feeling the coolness and hardness of it pressing against my stomach. Mikhail stands behind me.
“I’m disappointed in you, Sofiya.” His words hurt me straight to my core. “Your sisters can go. I don’t want them here causing issues. Making you want to leave me. But you’re not going anywhere. Now, lift your skirt.”
“Are you going to hurt me? You promised you wouldn’t!”
“And I didn’t think you’d try to leave me. Don’t make me repeat myself, Sofiya.”
My fingers are shaking so badly as I lift my skirt.
“Now, pull your panties down.”
I’m gasping for air. “Please don’t hurt me, Mikhail.”
“Sofiya,” he warns.
I slip my fingers under the underwear band and pull it down. It drops to the ground around my feet. The cool air in the kitchen hits the back of my thighs, making me shiver.
“Keep your skirt lifted and lean farther over the counter. I’m going to spank you.” My heart pounds as he continues talking. “This is a punishment. This is so you know never to disobey me again.” He places his hand on my back. “I don’t want to hurt you, Sofiya. But you leave me no choice.”
His hand slams down onto my butt. I cry out and jerk forward over the counter.
“Don’t move,” he growls, promptly spanking me again. I bite my lip to keep from crying as he spanks me over and over and over. My skin must be beet red from how hot it feels.
I rest my cheek on the counter. The coolness of it forces me to stay in the moment. Mikhail is punishing me. All because I wanted to protect my sisters.
It wasn’t even my idea. I wanted to go to Mikhail for help, but Vik wouldn’t have it. She forced my hand, and now, I’m getting spanked for it.
Mikhail is relentless with his slaps. Every time he hits my backside, I wince and squeeze my eyes shut tighter. Tears seep through my closed eyes.
“You.” Spank. “Will.” Spank. “Not.” Spank. “Leave.” Spank. “Me.” He gives me one final, incredibly painful smack and then backs away. Thank god for the counter. It’s the only thing keeping me up right now.
I hiss when Mikhail gently touches the skin of my butt. His fingers slide down between my legs, where he starts rubbing me. I gasp, my hips arching back on instinct. Wetness is already forming between my legs.
Mikhail’s finger brushes my entrance, and I tense. “You are mine, Sofiya.” He thrusts his finger inside of me. It hurts. God, it hurts.
I cry out, gripping the counter, and my dress falls down around my hips. Mikhail growls.
“Keep your skirt up.”
I quickly grab the edges of my skirt and lift it back up as he continues thrusting his finger in and out of me.
“Are you my dirty girl?” he asks. His presence, his heat, his body right behind me. It’s all too much.
“No,” I cry out. “I’m good.”
“You’re good? Because you weren’t acting like it. I want you to be my good girl. Don’t you want that?”
“Yes!”
He twists his finger inside of me, sending a ripple of pleasure right through my core. My legs clench together, but he uses his foot to separate them.
“If you want to be my good girl, then you will never entertain notions of leaving me ever again. Is that understood?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
I pause. What exactly is he asking of me? Mikhail has never told me to call him by anything other than his name.
He rams his finger deeper into me. It hurts so much, but it also feels amazing. What is wrong with me? “Yes, what, Sofiya?”
“I don’t know what to call you.”
He leans down and says right into my ear, “Call me ‘sir’.”
“Yes, sir,” I whisper.
He gently kisses my cheek. “Good girl.” And then he stands back up and pulls his finger out of me. I slump against the counter.
“I wanted to come to you,” I admit. “I wanted you to help my sisters.”
“But you didn’t. You decided to leave me instead.” His words slap me in the face. Without a backward glance, he leaves the room.
I push myself up on shaking legs, pull my underwear back on, and right my skirt.
Soon after, Mila and Vik come running back into the kitchen.
“We saw him leave,” Mila says. “We were in the living room.”
I tense. “Did you hear anything?”
“No.” Mila’s face is so honest I know she’s telling me the truth.
“What happened?” Vik asks.
“He punished me.”
“What does that mean?”
I just stare at Vik, letting her fill in the blanks. A horrified expression crosses her face. “Ok. That’s it. We’re leaving. None of us are safe here.”
“No,” I practically shout. “No. I can’t leave. And neither can you. We’ll be safe here.”
“You just said your husband punished you. None of us are safe here.”
“Let me talk to him. Let me convince him you won't get me into trouble. I will make sure he’ll keep all of us safe, ok? Just let me do that.”
Mila slowly nods. “I think we should let her do that, Vik.”
Vik’s face is ice cold. The Ice Queen.
“You’re not safe back in New York,” I remind her. “And you’re not safe in Moscow, where you don’t even know the language. Let me talk to Mikhail.”
After a moment, she sighs. “Fine.”
I brush past her and head to Mikhail’s office, passing Mary on the way. She’s aggressively cleaning the floor and glares at me as I go.
Standing before Mikhail’s office fills me with fear. I’m willingly going back to him after what he just did to me. I want nothing more than to run away from him. And I want nothing more than to have him hold me again.
I knock.
“Who is it?” he asks.
“It’s Sofiya.”
A beat. “Come in.”
I slowly open the door and find him leaning against his desk, his head bowed low. He glances up at me.
We stare at each other for a moment, and then Mikhail opens his arms wide, and I find myself crying and running right into him. He wraps me against him.
“Your punishment is over,” he tells me. I sag in relief.
“Mikhail, I need to talk to you.” I wipe my tears away. “The reason my sisters want to leave is because they don’t feel safe here. But you can keep them safe. Can’t you?”
He pulls away from me and walks around his desk, sitting down. Instantly, I feel the distance grow between us. “It was your sisters who convinced you to go. I don’t trust them. I don’t want them here. They’re leaving and going back to New York.”
“But Boris is there. He’ll force Mila or Vik to marry him. I can’t have that. Please. Please tell me they can stay, and you’ll protect them.”
“They wanted to leave. They’re free to go.”
“But I want them here. And the only way they’ll stay is if they know they’ll be safe. Please. If you care for me at all, Mikhail, you’ll do this.”
He flinches but quickly composes himself. I’ve never seen my husband look so uncertain before.
Meeting my gaze, he says, “I have a deal. I’ll let your sisters stay and offer them protection.”
My heart blooms. “Thank you.”
He holds up a hand, and all my hope is dashed. “But you have to give me something in return.”
“What?” I’ve already given him so much.
“Give me your virginity.”
I blink. And then it dawns on me. I’m not sure if I’m ready to have sex yet fully, but Mikhail’s and my chemistry is intense. I could do this for him if it meant saving my sisters.
“That’s not all,” he continues. “I like to frequent a BDSM club nearby. A lot of people attend it. Both men and women. People will put on shows for others.”
“Like …”
“Yes. Like have sex in front of other people. If you want me to keep your sisters safe, then you will give me your virginity and you will do it in front of a group of people at the club. You will let me be your dom when I do it. Not your husband.”
All the air leaves my body, and I have to take a seat in the chair opposite his desk. “And if I say no?”
“Then I won’t make you. But your sisters are going back to New York. They can deal with Boris on their own. Think about it. Don’t make a decision right now.”
But I have to. Because if I don’t, Vik will try to leave either way, and I have to protect her even though she’s too stubborn to see it.
I have to save my sisters at all costs, but what about me? Mikhail wants to claim me in front of a group of strangers. I’m his trophy again. Not his wife.
I stand up and leave his office, weighing my options. I could give him what he wants, and I’ll be bound to him forever. My sisters will be safe, but I don’t think I will be.
But if we escape, none of us will be safe. At least we’ll have each other.
And our freedom.
I walk back into the kitchen and look at my sisters. I can’t make them lose their freedom, and if they stay here, they’ll be a prisoner just like I am.
There’s only one choice:
“We’re leaving,” I tell them.
Even though it’s the last thing I want.