Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
Sofia
S he was going to use him against himself. Destroy him from within.
Sofia had never felt a desire this intense or a daring need like this before, but Viktor had played his hand, and she was determined to ensure he didn’t do this with someone else. She was far too defiant and independent to be locked away in a penthouse with a man she didn’t know—a man who was dangerous, and rightfully so. How many times had he warned her that he could break her? But Sofia was patient. Two could play the game he stubbornly believed was his alone.
She glanced around the room and spotted his jacket on the bed. He’d left it behind. Tiptoeing over, she took it in her arms like it was a prayer answered, then brought it to her nose. It still held his scent, intoxicating her with desire, but she shoved the jacket away too quickly, as if it had burned her.
Sofia wasn’t blind to the effect Viktor had on her. His touch, his voice, his proximity—all of it sent waves of heat pulsing through her. It pissed her off that she could want someone so dangerous. But that was exactly it, wasn’t it? He was tame, and she was going to test just how much of that he could hold onto.
Tonight, she was going to provoke him.
She knew he hated being provoked. She’d seen it in his eyes every time she tested his patience, every time she pushed him away, only to feel him pull back closer.
Inhaling deeply, Sofia walked toward the closet. She needed something that would stir him—something that would make him want her and remind him of the power struggle between them. She pulled out a red dress. Not just any red, but a shade that screamed fire. It was simple, the kind of thing a woman might wear to a dinner date or a gala. But to Viktor, she knew it would be something more—a challenge.
The dress clung to her body as if it were made for her. It hugged her curves, the fabric soft yet with a sharp edge, a promise of danger beneath its sheen. She turned in front of the mirror, admiring how it fit her, highlighting the strength in her frame and the softness in her skin. For a moment, she felt more than just the woman he’d married; she felt like something dangerous—something he could never truly exercise power over.
By the time she finished, she could hear the door of his penthouse open, the faint echo of footsteps entering. Viktor.
Sofia straightened her posture, crossing her arms over her chest as if she were in charge. She’d been in his world long enough to understand how it worked. It wasn’t about being meek or submissive; it was about power, about standing tall and demanding what you wanted—even if that was something no one else could have.
Her pulse quickened as his footsteps drew closer, and she waited, pretending not to care that her heart was suddenly hammering in her chest.
The door opened, and there he was. Viktor. He was as imposing as ever, standing in the threshold of the bedroom, his broad shoulders filling the doorway. The atmosphere between them thickened with a compelling pull, the one that always made her blood rush in her veins. He stood there for a long moment, just looking at her, his eyes tracing over her slowly, deliberately.
She could feel his eyes burning into her, and part of her wanted to break the long stillness. To give him a smirk or a quip that would keep him guessing. But she wasn’t ready yet. She needed him to come to her.
“You’re going out like that?” he asked, his words edged with something she couldn’t quite place. There was a wave of annoyance there, but also a hint of something else.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Sofia replied, keeping her pitch steady, even as the temperature in the room began to climb.
Viktor's gaze smoldered with unspoken desire as Sofia took a bold step towards him, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor, a sensual rhythm that matched her confident stride. "What do you think you’re doing, Sofia? Do you think you can ensnare me with your wiles?"
A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes, her lips curving into a seductive smile. "Do you really think I'm trying to seduce you, Viktor?" she teased, her voice dripping with honeyed challenge.
He held his ground, his body rigid with restrained passion, every muscle coiled like a spring ready to snap. Taking a deliberate step forward, he closed the distance between them, their bodies a hair's breadth apart. "I know your tactics," he whispered, his breath hot against her skin. "But it won't work."
Sofia tilted her head, her gaze locking with his in a silent battle of wills. "I don't need to seduce you, my dear. You're already ensnared in my web."
His lips twitched, a battle raging within him. In a swift, possessive move, he captured her wrist, pulling her closer until their bodies were flush against each other. Before she could react, she was pinned against the wall opposite the bed, her mouth open and her eyes wide. She was supposed to be the one in control, yet she had just lost it in one second. “When will you stop thinking that you can have me wrapped around your little finger?” Viktor tilted his head as he watched her try to get a hold of herself, of her emotions. Yet, it slipped away from reach, making her frustrated with need. “I have told you countless times that this is my territory, and I run the things around here, including you. If I wanted to have you naked and in my arms, I would. There wouldn’t be a need for seduction.”
Sofia felt her pulse spike, the thrill of the moment getting to her. She couldn’t believe herself, that, for some reason, his controlling nature turned her on. It was like a part of her she hadn’t discovered until then, a part kept under lock and key for good reason. Sofia clenched her pussy, willing it to stop throbbing so she could think straight, think of a way to get back the power in the room. But Viktor was already edging towards her, his hands tracing a path from her thighs, going up unobstructed until the dress was bunched up around her waist.
“You always look great in whatever you wear,” he drawled. “But I have to say that red looks the best on you. It fills me with the urge to rip it off and take you right here and now until you realize who the leader around here is.”
Viktor pulled away from her and sat on the bed. “Since you were going to seduce me, I might as well let you have your way. I wouldn’t want it to be a waste of that sexy dress. Now, take it off slowly and sensually.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “I can’t do that. I have never…”
“How then were you planning on getting through to me?”
Silence.
“Come on, baby girl. I want to see you strip. I know you have that inner slut in you. I could feel it each time you pressed yourself against me. But I will never let anyone see it because every part of you is under my power. Now, strip.”
Sofia swallowed and looked into his eyes. Seeing the hunger saturating in there, she smiled and turned around. “I will need help with the zipper.”
Nodding, Viktor crossed the space and pulled it down, tapping her ass softly before walking back to the bed. Sofia didn’t turn around, rolling her waist sensually as she took the sleeves of the dress off, allowing it to fall to the ground. She stepped out of it, clad in nothing else. She had intentionally not put on any underwear, but she hadn’t planned on it getting out of her control like this.
Viktor openly watches her, not making any attempt to hide the lust in his eyes. He tilts his head and murmurs, “Look at me, Sofia.” Her eyes found his, and she sucked in a deep breath. “I want you to do something for me. I can’t touch you because you don’t want me to. But how about you touch yourself and let me watch?”
A red patch appeared on her cheeks and her eyes pulled away from his instantly. Sofia had never done that before, not in front of anyone. But he was asking her for it, and it made her tremble with so much awareness of herself and the man sitting across her - the one her body couldn’t seem to stop wanting.
“Sofia, I have a pile of work on my desk. Play with yourself so I can get around to them. Unless you want me to touch you. Trust me when I say that I wouldn’t mind doing that. Some days, I still remember the scent of your pussy on my fingers. It makes me want to do it again. Come on.”
Sofia would usually not have allowed anyone to ask her for something like that, but it was Viktor. She couldn’t say no to him. And she loved the look in his eyes each time she did something he liked. It filled her with so much excitement that she craved it every day. Of course, it would be the last thing she admitted to him.
Sliding her finger into her mouth, Sofia made it damp with her saliva before putting it into her pussy. It got soaked with her juice immediately as she sucked in a breath, and tried to calm herself before starting to move.
“Thrust harder, baby girl,” Viktor drawled, his hand already on his pants as he stroked his erection through the fabric. His eyes never strayed away from her, drinking Sofia totally and watching the arousal on her finger each time it came out before thrusting in again. “Add your ring finger.”
Sofia halted at once, staring at him. So, he got up and in long strides, took her hands in his and slid both fingers back into her. She moaned as he helped her, thrusting slowly with one hand resting above her head. Sofia bit her lip as her back scraped the wall, enjoying the sensation hitting her. He saw her eyes roll and stopped her abruptly, taking her fingers out. He takes her fingers into his mouth, licking off her wetness before lifting her with one hand. Viktor returned to the bed and dropped her in the middle, coming down after her.
“The whole room smells of your arousal,” he whispers, edging close to her pussy. Sofia reached for a pillow and held on to it as his tongue flicked through her clit. A tremble hit her body as his controlling mouth ate her out. Sofia felt every bit of the nibble, the bite, the lick, the pleasure. He tongue-fucked her until her legs started shaking. She came in shards all over him, falling to the bed in a heap as the aftereffects of the orgasm took over.
“I knew you would taste amazing,” he growled, licking his lips. “Next time, I will not deny my dick this pleasure. You have been taunting him for too long, and I think it is only right for him to have his way.
Sofia's eyes flashed to his, and for a brief moment, there was something more in them than just lust. There was understanding. And maybe, just maybe, something else he couldn’t name.
“I’m not going to give you what you want,” she said, her chest rising and falling with the same frantic rhythm as his. “Not yet.”
Viktor’s hands squeezed around her. "You think you can deny me forever? You think you can make me wait for it?"
“I never said forever," Sofia replied, sounding almost too sweet, too tamed. "Just... not right now."
He exhaled sharply, his body coiled like a spring ready to snap. His hands slid down to her waist, and leaned in, his lips raking her ear as he whispered, “You’ll regret making me wait.”
But instead of submitting, Sofia turned her head just slightly, her mouth hovering near his jaw. She kissed the line of his neck slowly, teasingly, dragging her lips along his skin, the heat of her touch intensifying. Her touch was light, but each kiss sent shockwaves of desire straight to his core. He shuddered, resisting the urge to push her against the bed.
But something inside him held him back. He didn’t want to force her—not yet. He wanted to see just how far she’d go, wanted to feel her fight against him.
Sofia’s restlessness was becoming unbearable. The four walls of the penthouse felt like a gilded cage, each day blurring into the next. Viktor had promised her security, but all she could feel was the suffocating weight of his dominance. She longed to break free, to feel the rush of freedom once again—the kind of freedom she used to have before all of this.
It had been days since she’d last ventured outside, and she was done with being cooped up. The idea of going out—of being in a crowded, loud club, surrounded by people who didn’t know her—pulled at her. For just a few hours, she could pretend to be herself again. To feel something other than his stares at her, his constant reminders that she was now part of his world, a world that came with rules and restrictions.
“Viktor,” she said, standing in front of him. “I want to go out. Just for a few hours. I need to get out of here.”
Viktor didn’t even look up from the papers on his desk, his expression already hardening. “No.”
“No?” she repeated, her frustration building. “Why not?”
“Because it’s not safe,” he said, dismissing her request like it was nothing more than a child’s whim. “Alexei is still a threat, and you’re not stepping foot out of this penthouse while he’s playing his games.”
Her chest constricted at the mention of Alexei’s name. She knew the man was a problem. But she wasn’t just some pawn to be hidden away. “I’m not your prisoner, Viktor. I can handle myself.”
He stood, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her blood run cold. “You think I’m keeping you here for my own amusement?” His jaw clenched, and for a moment, she saw the flash of something dangerous in his eyes—something that wasn’t just about dominance. It was about protection, a fierce, possessive need to keep her safe.
“I don’t care if you can handle yourself,” he continued, his pitch rising slightly. “You are my responsibility. You don’t get to just waltz into a club and put yourself in danger for some fleeting thrill.”
Sofia’s heart pounded. She hated this. Hated how he spoke to her like she was a child, like she didn’t have the ability to make her own choices. “You don’t own me, Viktor,” she snapped, sauntering closer, the anger bubbling up. “I’m not a possession for you to claim. I’m a person. I don’t need you to decide what’s best for me.”
For a moment, they just stared at each other, the room laden with unsaid words. Viktor’s lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes unreadable. She could see the storm brewing in him, but she wasn’t about to back down.
“I’m not keeping you here for my pleasure,” he muttered. “I’m trying to keep you alive.”
Her lips parted at the rawness in his tone, but she wasn’t ready to relent. Not yet. “Then let me decide if I’m willing to take that risk. I’m not some delicate thing you need to hide away.”
Before she could take another step, Viktor was on her, his hands clutching her arms, his body pressing hers against the wall with shocking force. “You think I don’t know what it feels like to lose someone I care about?” His pitch was low, strained as if the words were tearing him apart. “I can’t protect you from everything, but I’ll be damned if I let you walk into a fucking trap.”
She gasped, her pulse racing at the suddenness of his touch, the rawness of his anger. His hands were firm around her, but there was a subtle tremble in his touch. For a moment, she thought he might snap, might take what he wanted with no regard for her boundaries. But he didn’t. Instead, his mouth descended on hers in a kiss that was nothing like the others they’d shared. This was desperation—wild, untamed, fueled by the unspoken threat that hung between them.
Her body responded instinctively, the fire igniting in her veins. She had always been drawn to him, to his strength, to the way he seemed to own the space around him. But now, as his lips moved against hers with a bruising intensity, she felt the push and pull of her own desire. She wanted to give in, wanted to let him take charge and drown in the storm he was creating.
Viktor's mouth claimed hers with a hunger that matched the unspoken tension simmering between them. This kiss was different, fueled by desperation and raw desire. It was a kiss that bordered on possession, a wild and untamed storm of passion.
Sofia's body ignited in response, a fire spreading through her veins. She had always been drawn to his strength, to the commanding presence that seemed to fill every room he entered. Now, as his lips crushed against hers with bruising intensity, she felt the battle between her desire to surrender and her need to maintain control.
His kiss was demanding, his tongue invading her mouth, exploring, possessing. She tasted the heat of him, the wildness that mirrored her own growing hunger. Her body arched into his, her hands clutching at his shoulders, fingers digging into his hard muscles.
He pulled her closer, his hard cock straining against her, leaving no doubt about his desire. She could feel his length, thick and rigid, pressing into her softness, seeking entry, demanding surrender.
Moans escaped their lips, a chorus of pleasure and need. His hands roamed her body, cupping her breasts, thumbs brushing over her hardened nipples, making her gasp and arch into him.
"You like that, don't you?" he growled against her mouth, his voice hoarse with desire. "You want me to take control, to make you beg."
She whimpered, her body trembling on the edge of surrender. "Yes," she breathed, her hands gripping his hair, pulling him closer, urging him on.
His mouth trailed kisses down her neck, nipping and sucking, leaving marks of possession. His hands slid down her body, fingers delving beneath her skirt, finding the wet heat between her thighs.
"So wet," he murmured, his fingers stroking her sensitive bud. "You want me to fuck you, don't you, my baby girl?"
She could only nod, her body burning, her pussy throbbing with need. He teased her, his fingers stroking her, bringing her to the brink of release, only to pull back, denying her the climax she craved.
"Please," she begged, her voice hoarse. "Please, Viktor." She had no clue what she was begging for.
He chuckled darkly, the sound sending shivers down her spine. "Not yet, Sofia. Not until you're begging for it."
His mouth claimed hers again, kissing her deeply, his tongue dueling with hers as his fingers worked her body, bringing her closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy.
But she couldn’t. Not like this.
With all her strength, she pulled away, her heart pounding. “No, Viktor. Not like this.”
He paused, his forehead resting against hers, both of them panting, the heat between them undeniable. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Then, Viktor sighed deeply, his hands slowly releasing their grasp on her arms.
“You think I want this?” he murmured, more to himself than to her. “I don’t... but I can’t just stand by and watch you throw yourself into danger.”
Sofia’s heart twisted at the vulnerability in his tone, something she’d never expected to hear from him. Viktor Ivanov, the man who had built an empire on his ruthlessness, was standing here, confessing his fears to her.
But he quickly masked it again, the wall going back up. “Sofia, you’ll do what I say, whether you like it or not.”
The words were still full of that possessive, commanding tone, but there was something else there, too—something softer, buried deep beneath his anger. Something that made her wonder just how much he cared despite the walls he built around himself.