Chapter Eight
Sofiya
When I wake up, I realize that I’m in Dimitri’s arms. My back is to his chest. It’s a surprisingly comforting experience. The man who has spanked me, who has locked me in a cage, and who has confused my mind ever since we got married. And yet, being in his arms feels so nice, I could cry.
“Are you awake?” I whisper into the dark room. The curtains are covering the windows but I can see a slight glow from underneath, telling me it’s the next day.
“I am.” Dimitri’s deep voice makes a heat settle between my legs. He never gave me an orgasm as punishment for running to my parents. I can’t deny: my body is desperate for his touch.
“What are you thinking?”
He’s quite for a moment before answering. “I was thinking how beautiful you look when you sleep.”
“As compared to when I’m awake?”
“You’re beautiful even when you’re awake. But there’s something just so… soft and pure when you’re asleep. Like you’re a child still. Your innocence is intact.”
“I’m not a little girl anymore.” Dimitri has made sure of that.
His arms tighten around me. Even in this moment, he’s making sure I know that I am his. But can he ever be mine?
“I know you’re not,” he answers. “Trust me. I know you’re not.”
Maybe because I’m not facing him but it gives me the courage to ask him my next question. “Why do you do the things you do to me?”
“I told you before. I am making you into my perfect wife. You will become utterly obsessed with me. Want only me. Think of only me.”
“Do you have to be so… cold sometimes?”
“I’m a stern man, Sofiya. It’s who I am.”
“Were you always so stern? Even as a boy?” I’m desperate to know him. Perhaps it will provide answers into who he is. Why he is the way he is.
“As a boy… I was happy for a while. Before my father became a violent, abusive person. Though, he might have always been that way and I was too young to notice. Or my mom protected me from him. I’m not sure which. But I had fun. I laughed. Until…”
Until his father murdered his mother. I remember him telling me on our wedding day. It feels like a hundred years ago already. So much has happened since then.
“That must have been so painful to go through. Losing your mom like that. If I were to lose my mom… I don’t even want to imagine it. I know the pain will cut me deep when the day comes.”
“I can tell you have a good relationship with her. No mom would fight so hard for her child if they didn’t get along.”
“I’m not sure about that,” I say. “I think a lot of moms would fight for their kids even if they didn’t get along.”
He settles his hands over my stomach. “When we have children someday, will you fight for them?”
The thought of having children makes me shiver.
Not because I’m opposed to the idea but because the idea of having Dimitri’s children is one I hadn’t given any thought to until now.
Once we have children, I’ll truly be bound to him forever.
And right now, I’m just trying to figure everything out.
How I feel for him. It’s all still so confusing.
“Yes,” I answer him because I know it’s what he wants to hear and I know it feels right in my gut. “I believe I’ll be a good mom. Will you be a good father?”
He goes still behind me. I desperately wish I could see his face. All it would take is for me to turn around and look but something holds me back. I don’t want to ruin this moment. We haven’t just talked like this since we got married.
“I’ll be a protective father,” he finally answers. “But it would depend on if we had a boy or a girl. If we had a boy, I would expect him to grow up strong. Tough. If we had a girl, I’ll probably never let her leave this house.”
Just like his sister…
“Do you really keep your sister locked away? I’ve been living in this house for days now and I haven’t seen her.”
“My sister is safe. And unharmed. That’s all that matters.”
That wasn’t an answer, I notice. Probably because Dimitri does keep Katya locked up. But why? I can tell Dimitri doesn’t want to go into details so I know I shouldn’t keep pushing it. I decide to change the topic.
“Have you ever been happy since your parents died?”
“I was in a dark place after my father killed my mother. I was eighteen at the time. An adult. So, I knew I had to care for my sister and I did. I worked hard to get where I am today. I worked hard to protect her.”
“How did you become a Bratva man?”
“My father was one. It was a natural path for me to follow.”
I hesitate to ask but I ask it anyway. “Were you ever worried you’d end up like him? Will you… murder me one day like your father did your mom?”
He presses his lips to my neck, startling me. “I’ll never do that to you. I want you in my life, Sofiya. I want you to be mine. All mine. So, trust me when I say, that is one thing you never have to fear from me.”
I relax slightly. Despite my fear of Dimitri, it’s nice to know that I don’t have to fear him in that regard.
“You scare me,” I whisper into the dark.
“If you just let yourself be mine, fully, then you wouldn’t be scared. You’d see how I can protect you.”
“I want to,” I admit. “I just don’t know how.”
“You’ll learn in time.”
I’m worried of what that means. I’ll learn in time. And during that time, will Dimitri break me down further? Make me desperate for his touch again? Make me ache for him that it hurts to even breathe?
Without even realizing it, I shift my legs together, trying to ignore the growing heat inside my body.
“I think you need a release,” he murmurs against my ear. “I know I didn’t give you one yesterday. I’ll do it for you now, if you want.”
If I want… of course I want it. But I know what Dimitri is doing. He’s making me choose so that way I’ll become more indebted to him.
Do I care though? All I know is that I need him. And that’s terrifying.
Slowly, I nod.
Dimitri brings his hand over my body and lifts my dress up. When his hand settles right over my underwear, I let out a shaky breath. Then he pulls my underwear down and places his fingers right where I need them.
A soft moan escapes my lips when his hand presses into my nub. Nothing has ever felt sweeter. My hips respond right away, rolling into his palm. Dimitri presses down harder, knowing I need the pressure. Knowing I need a little bit of pain.
I lean back against him and can feel his breath on my neck. Even his breath is a dominating force. Yet, I have never felt more safe than being in Dimitri’s arms right this moment.
“That’s it, Sofiya,” he murmurs, running his fingers over my clit. Over and over and over until I’m a panting mess. My hips arch and buck. I need this. I need this. God, do I need this.
“Oh,” I gasp out as a spike of pleasure hits me. The coiling sensation in my stomach grows and grows, letting me know I’m getting closer. Closer to the release I so desperately need.
“I love hearing your sounds of pleasure. Knowing they’re all for me. You’re all mine. When you come again, say my name.”
His command is sexy. I want to make him happy so I know I’ll do exactly as he says.
Dimitri presses down harder and harder on my clit until I can’t take it anymore.
A soft moan comes out of me right before I have my release.
“Dimitri,” I whisper. Just saying his name in this moment feels right.
Dimitri has shown me his dark side too many times.
Getting to see a softer side of him is a wonderful thing but also dangerous because I know he’ll win my heart this way.
Right now, he wants my body and mind. He doesn’t seem to want my heart.
But I know I’ll give it to him one day if he continues to treat me like this.
And I’m not sure how to handle that.
Dimitri keeps his hand between my legs, even after I stop trembling from my release. The kiss he places on my neck is his mark. Claiming me again.
There’s no way to escape the force that is my husband. I can either bend and then maybe I won’t have to break or he’ll break me either way.
Right now though, all I care about is being in his arms.
Dimitri
I hate having to leave Sofiya after our morning together.
The morning where I shared my thoughts with her.
Where I was open and vulnerable with her.
I’ve never been that way with anyone before.
It’s… concerning. I’m supposed to be breaking Sofiya down, not the other way round. She’s the one who needs to become mine.
What will happen if I become hers?
I don’t have time to think about it because I have a meeting with Ivan to talk about Alek Morozov – another Bratva member who’s been a real pain in my ass lately.
Alek has been making waves in New York, encroaching on my territory.
I need to put him in his place but to do that, I need all the strength I can get.
Ivan’s strength. He owes me since I married his daughter.
Ivan looks nervous when I sit down across from him at the table. It’s one of the restaurants he owns since I figured it would make him less nervous being in his own place rather than mine. But no. Ivan is twitching his leg and his eyes darting around, unable to look me in the eye.
“Why do you look like you’re worried I’m going to kill you?” I ask.
He lets out a deep breath. “More so, I’m worried you’ll want to end our alliance after what my daughter did.”
I tilt my head to the side. “And what did she do?”
Ivan hesitates for a moment before answering. “You know… when she ran away to come back to my house.”
“Oh. That. Sofiya and I worked through that. I’m ready to move on.”
“Good. Thank goodness. You have to know though that I didn’t ask her to come back. I know she belongs to you now.”
I take a sip of the scotch that was waiting for me when I arrived. Ivan is trying to butter me up. “You should tell your wife that. She’s going to be a problem if she keeps trying to take Sofiya away from me.”
“Polina won’t be a problem. The only thing is… let Sofiya see her mom on occasion. It would help them both out.”