Chapter 30 – Elijah
30
ELIJAH
D arkness has always been a crucial element in my life.
It’s the void of color, the absence of light, so empty but so full that every sensation is heightened. Right now, I find myself in utter darkness, but I still feel the light. My light takes the form of a woman with black hair and beautiful, amber eyes.
When you’re accustomed to darkness, seeing things so vividly, so clearly, colors so vibrant, it’s both powerful and strange, almost magical.
When she told me that I was her light, I wanted to explain how dark my mind really was. If I were truly full of light, why would everyone leave me?
She healed every scar just with the softness of her lips. A smile graced my lips, remembering the feeling of having her perched on top of me, trying to make me feel seen, really seen .
My Little Nightmare gifted me heaven while I was still awake. She offered me her soul to own and protect, to stain with my cruelty and darkness, yet made it look beautiful.
She was always with me, even when she didn’t know it.
My constant since I lost myself.
Sometimes, when I look at my reflection in her eyes, I realize there’s still so much about me that I don’t know but that she manages to see—an Elijah I haven’t met yet.
I’ve always found comfort and stimulation in darkness, it’s a habit of calm and solitude. But with her, light takes on a whole new meaning. And if she represents light, then light is what I prefer.
My brokenness felt less alone with her. I don’t know what kind of fucked up witchcraft it is, but my pain was hers too. And hers was mine.
I hold her tighter, feeling her hair down my chin, I notice her furrowed brows, as if she’s still battling a nightmare.
That’s when I remember her fight against her own darkness. I want to bring her light too, and if I can’t do it alone, I’ll be her mirror, so she can see by herself her own brightness.
My eyes were closing, and then I heard my phone vibrate, a text from Nikolai. I slipped out of the bed, carefully. Making my way to the living room, I found him lounging on the couch, a mischievous smile on his lips.
I sighed, fully aware that my friend had a penchant for irritating the shit out of me so easily.
“Killing a man in the middle of an event. Classic you,” he said, chuckling.
I shot him a glare, and sat beside him. “You make it sound like a hobby.”
He leaned back, a teasing smile playing on his lips, “For you, it might be. Also, now you’re with Little Z.”
I just offered a silent nod. I never really understood what ‘being with someone’ meant for normal people. It was so much more than just titles, something beyond reality itself, beyond normality.
He released a long sigh before adopting a more serious tone. “Can I be honest with you?”
“Since when do you have to ask Nikolai?” I replied with a smirk.
He laughed, shaking his head. “Fair point.” Leaning forward with his arms resting on his thighs, he fixed his gaze on me. “I can see it now. Your obsession, I can see it clearly, and it makes sense.”
My obsession made sense.
It’s been a while since I counted anything. I don’t care about that anymore. She was my anchor. Whenever the cold sweats began to surface, I would simply kiss her and remember that I wasn’t there anymore. That she was with me. Not just in my head.
This addiction was vital to me. She was vital to me.
I nodded to let him continue, I was way too curious to hear the perspective of the one person who had been by my side forever. “Little Z looks at you as if you’re the only soul in a room. And don’t even get me started on how you look at her.” He grinned. “I’m so fucking happy for you, brother. She deserves the world, and so do you.”
“Thank you.” That was all I could say.
Thank you for that, thank you for always being here and thank you for everything else.
A few months ago, I wasn’t really sure about the timing to bring Zanae into my life. But Niko and Ben made the decision for me when we discovered that the organization was behind all those gifts I was receiving.
They never left my side. They accompanied me on her university days when she would stay alone in a park, losing herself in music or a book while gazing at the sky, sad and lonely, while I watched her and scrutinized her every move to make sure everything was okay and that she was safe.
She was 19 at the time, and now she’s 25. It’s been 6 years of pure stalking and obsession. Prior to that, there were 4 more years during which my best soldiers kept a close watch on her, ensuring her missions were never too dangerous.
But she always was my Little Nightmare .
Last year, at an event, she was there with her family, looking lost and tired, and I couldn’t stop my eyes from searching for her, even Niko saw it and he said to me, “Sometimes, I don’t think your heart is capable of hating her.”
He has always been right.
When I think about it, even Benny always said that if I ever had to be with her, I wouldn’t know how to keep myself from being close to her.
Maybe they knew it before my brain even realized it.
“Eli?”
“Yeah?”
“How much do you love me?”
“Go fuck yourself, Niko.”
He leaned back in his chair, laughing as if he just cracked the best fucking joke ever, even though it wasn’t. “Listen, I just wanted to remind you, Zanae can be your romantic interest, but I’m your bro-mantic one.”
I stared at him, smiling, “You’re going to end up dead-mantic if you keep this up.”
He bursted into laughter, “You won’t kill me, you bastard.”
We sat in a comforting silence, my voice carrying a truth I never thought I would admit loudly and proudly too, “She means something to me, Niko.”
He pretended to be shocked, and placed a hand over his heart, “I might just cry right now.”
This fucking guy… I sighed. “Niko, you know what I mean.”
“Eli, she always meant something to you. She nearly killed Ava for being close to you, and you took a life for her. It was clear to everyone, I think, that you two aren’t just some kind of archenemies.”
“It’s scary. Now it’s different. You two and Ben are the only family I have.”
Nikolai, pretending to wipe away a tear, replied, “I never thought I’d see the day when Elijah Volkov admitted he has a family.”
I hadn’t either. That’s why he and Ben were the only family I’ve ever had, and now, she’s in the picture too.
“You’re fucking insufferable, you know that?”
“Hey, I’m just loving this moment right now. We should mark that day,” he said, grinning like when he was younger.
“If you tell anyone about this, I’ll make you regret it.”
“Your secret’s safe with me, Eli. Just remember, family or not, I’ll always be by your side.”
I leaned on the sofa next to him. “Then I’m okay with that.”
“Does that mean you’re okay with my tattoo proposition I mentioned last time?”
He brought up the idea of getting matching tattoos so many times.
“Which one, Nikolai?”
“The one where you write my initials over your heart, and I write yours over mine?”
I looked at him with disgust. “I honestly want to punch you every time you bring this up.”
He crossed his arms behind his neck, like it was a really good idea, “Hit me up when you realize what a fantastic idea it is.”
As dawn approached, I led him to the door. He clapped me on the shoulder and said, “You’ve got something good with her, Elijah. Don’t let your past mess it up.”
I nodded, closing the door behind him, and returned to the bedroom, where the most beautiful girl was still peacefully asleep.
Zanae
I wake up alone in my bed, tired, but remembering my night I unintentionally smile. Eli’s up way too early again, and I think I heard other voices last night while I was sleeping.
I wash my face and brush my teeth. My hair is curly and tangled, and my mouth is still swollen from yesterday. Elijah can be rough in kissing, really rough.
I head to the kitchen, and that’s where I find him, dressed up, preparing breakfast. Nikolai is already at the table. I can’t resist the urge to mock Nikolai for always being here.
“Hey, you. Don’t you have a home? Or are you completely obsessed with us? Because Ben isn’t always here even if he loves us.”
Nikolai grins, unfazed by my comment. “Morning, Little Z. Just so you know, this place has better breakfast options, and I get front-row seats to the daily Elijah and Zanae show. And Ben isn’t as obsessed as I am. Plus It’s my first episode, so shut up and sit down to eat, little brat.”
Elijah hears me, turns, and flashes a little smirk. “Morning, Milaya .” he says, placing eggs on the plates.
“Hi. Did you sleep well, or did you stay up plotting world domination with Nikolai?” I reply, leaning in for a quick kiss.
Niko pretends to gag and covers his eyes like a child, “Oh please, spare me the morning sex. I think I just lost my appetite.”
Elijah chuckles, wrapping his arm around my waist. “You’re the one crashing at my place every morning, Nikolai. If it bothers you, feel free to get the fuck out.”
He dramatically clutches his heart, “I’ll survive somehow even if you don’t love me anymore.”
This man is completely crazy, I couldn’t hold my laugh when I saw him pretend to be hurt, he even tried to cry. Sometimes I really ask myself how he can switch up personalities like this. He’s so different with us and with the others.
“I feel like I’m with my mom and dad eating before school right now.”
“And here I thought I was just making eggs.”
“You’re kidding? The eggs are fantastic, and being near you my dear Elijah is enough for me to feel like home, you know what they say? Home is where the heart is.”
Elijah shakes his head and Niko is proud of himself for what he just said.
A little chuckle slips out of my mouth, “Well, if this is the breakfast, I can’t wait for lunch.”
Niko winks at me and adds, “You’ll see, Little Z.”
“Okay, I need an explanation. Why are you so well-dressed this morning? Did I miss a memo?”
Elijah grins, looking pretty handsome in his suit. “We just have some business outside of town today.”
“Yes, we’re stepping into the world of corporate shit. A dangerous place in my opinion.” Niko says, with a sigh.
I raise an eyebrow, “Corporate? Don’t you just go around and kill people?”
“Something like that. If you need anything, just call me immediately, okay? We’ll be back really late or really early tomorrow morning.”
I nod at him, “I expect you to be careful, and stop avoiding your bodyguards.” I lean to Elijah’s ear and whisper, “Keep the suit, you look hot in it.”
Nikolai gives me a disgusted gaze, saying, “I just want to leave right now.”
We finish eating and clean up the table. With a passionate kiss, Elijah tells me goodbye before heading towards the elevator with Nikolai.
Seems like Niko is still visibly disgusted by our habits because I catch him making exaggerated gagging sounds, pretending to vomit before the doors close on them.
Today I had some work to get done.
I’m still trying to find pictures and analyze surveillance footage to catch sight of that woman around the areas where she appeared. I also asked some of my father’s contacts for information.
On my screen, I can see new emails with files and videos, including zoomed-in images of faces. One of those new emails catches my attention. It’s been a few days since this sender last sent me anything new.
This person sent me many clear photos of women’s faces resembling the woman in the areas where she appeared, allowing me to study their expressions easily.
Elijah didn’t know about that. I wanted to make sure that everything I had was useful and important before discussing them.
The note reads, ‘If you read this, I have more to show you. Meet me at this address. Trust no one.’
What should I do?
Please think about it, Zanae.
I hate being impulsive, and I know it’s not safe.
The thing with human nature is that our curiosity is an instinct driven by impulse. That’s what makes this dangerous.
So obviously I prepare myself to go and meet that person. I just convince myself to let Elijah out of this, I don’t want to disturb him until I have more concrete information. I dial Miranda’s number, and after a few rings, she picks up, and I can almost envision her raised eyebrow through the phone.
“ Mira , quick favor—I need you to note down an address for Elijah. Just in case I don’t call you back tonight.”
“Hey, slow down Zee. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I have to go somewhere but I don’t really know who I’m meeting there yet, so just keep it to yourself and if something happens, call Elijah.”
“It’s not a good idea Z, you know that you’re a target right now. You can’t do that, you’re?—”
I interrupted her, “Miranda, trust me, this could be important. If something happens, Elijah needs to know where to find me, that’s all.”
“Zee, this is dangerous.”
“Good thing I’m dangerous too. Plus I’ve got my gun and knife to protect me,” I try to reassure her.
She lets out a long breath, and finally agrees. “Fine, give me the address. But you better call me as soon as you’re done with whatever craziness you’re up to.”
“Deal. And remember, if anyone asks, I’m just chilling somewhere, a library or whatever.”
I hear her chuckle behind the screen. “You’re unbelievable, Zee. Love you, be safe.”
I hang up and go straight to my car. The cold air envelops me as I approach the deserted smelly and dirty building.
Where the fuck am I?
The address leads me here, and it doesn’t exactly scream safe haven. But if I don’t take risks why would I even engage myself in such a big vengeance plan.
From the silence, a voice slices through the empty hall, making me instinctively reach for my gun. A figure emerges, a woman dressed in vibrant colors, and smiling.
She’s beautiful but was that her? Why am I more intrigued now?
“Show your hands.” I say, aiming my gun in her direction.
“Easy, huntress. Call me Brian.” she replies, her voice surprisingly sweet. “You can calm down. I’m not dangerous to you.”
“Who are you and why are you helping me?”
She smiles and begins, “Let me make it short.” She taps her chin thoughtfully, mimicking reflection, and continues, “Cheated death years ago, found sanctuary in the mafia, and here we are,” she declares with a dramatic flourish.
I raise an eyebrow, skeptical but weirdly drawn to her charisma and personality. “So, you’ve been stalking me?”
Brian grins. “Not Stalking of course, just observing. You’re the Huntress, after all. They fear you, Zanae. I needed to know why.”
“Why are you calling me that? The ‘ huntress’ ?”
She lifts her gaze up to mine with a smile, “You didn’t know? That’s how people in the underground world call you now. You hunt people, seduce them and then Pouf! They disappear. You’ve made yourself a good reputation, Zanae.”
Is that true? Is that really how people see me?
I don’t say anything, and she continues, “When I found you, I thought, ‘Yes, a woman, the perfect partner in crime.’ And I saw images of you working with your father and the Zennites. You’re so good. Imagine the chaos we could create together.”
“Is that why you decided to reach out to me for the names of the gangs involved and all the pictures? What’s in it for you? Why help me?”
Brian, undeterred by the suspicion in my eyes, winks playfully. “Huntress, we both have a bone to pick with these bastards. Plus, I know you’re not here out of curiosity; you want revenge too, you want chaos, just like me. I heard that Zanae Dellé was searching for information and help, and I thought it was the best moment to chime in.” Her nonchalant attitude does little to ease my anxiety. “So, what’s the plan, Dellé? Are you ready to have a new ally or not?”
“I need more information about you.”
She chuckles and approaches me. “First of all, let’s just take this weapon out of the way, please.” Her hand reaches out as she tries to push my gun away but I’m quicker and leave it on her forehead.
“Back. Off.”
Another laugh erupts from her chest. “I love you already. I’m a hacker Zanae, not a fighter and I needed one to do something against this organization.”
I tilt my head, studying her. No signs of shifty glances, her breathing seems a bit off, and her pupils aren’t normal. But she’s sweating too.
“Are you scared of me?” I ask, tracing her face with my gun. I need to make sure she’s not a threat before talking about anything else.
“I am, mostly because your gun is still on my head,” she answers, with a nervous smile.
I holster my weapon and place my hand directly on her neck and check on her pulse. “I’m gonna ask you questions, and you’ll have 5 seconds to answer.”
She nods.
“How old are you?”
1-2-3 , “I’m 24.”
“What’s your real name?”
1-2 , “Briana, but I go by Brian since I was rescued years ago.”
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Purple.”
Okay, she’s calmer now. “And tell me, Brian, are you here to help me or do you want to kill me?”
1-2-3-4… “I really want to help you, I promise. I’m the best hacker you could ever find,” she lets out, sincerely.
Her pulse is still the same, she was just nervous before.
I let go of her throat and took a step back. “Okay.”
She breathes out a long sigh of relief.
“God, you’re intense.”
I consider the offer, it’s a risky alliance, but if Brian holds the key to find information on the organization, it might be worth the gamble. And she seems to hold a lot of hate for these people, she seems genuine about her goal, I don’t think she’s the enemy here.
Still on high alert, I eye Brian warily. “I need you to be more precise, because why wait for me if you’re the best hacker as you say. What’s in it for you exactly?”
“I’ve been tracking these guys for a while. They ruined my life, just like they did you. But I’m not stupid. I knew I couldn’t take them down alone. That’s where you come in. You’ve been causing quite a stir, hunting them down one by one. I figured we could pool our resources, take them down together.”
Though still suspicious, I listen intently. Brian continues, “I’ve been following you, trying to guide you without blowing my cover. I’ve seen your efficiency, your little superpower you just used against me now. We need someone like you in this fight. Oh, and I’ve been quite entertained watching your little life. Especially the tension between you and one of the Venom Reapers. You got yourself the Pakhan, it’s impressive.”
The comment about him makes me want to rip her open.
“Don’t play with me. We’re not friends.”
She smirks, not scared at all, “Fine, fine, to be honest you’re more my type than he is, no worries. No need to get all worked up. Let’s just focus on taking down all of them. Deal?”
We continue to discuss our potential partnership. She provides me with a burner phone number, telling me that we should use this line to communicate. She explains that her best friend is like one of the biggest names in the Colombian mafia.
Though still cautious, I find myself considering her offer. “I’ll think about it.”
Brian nods, smiling, “Take your time. When you’re ready, give me a call, okay?”
I put away the phone she handed me. “I’ll be in touch.”
“A pleasure meeting you, Huntress,” she says, before disappearing.
I return to my car, head full of questions, excitement and a weird sense of satisfaction.
I reach for my phone and call Miranda to update her, like I promised. “Hey, still alive, nothing to worry about.”
“Thank God! Also, about that,” Miranda hesitates, “Niko and Elijah finished sooner than planned. Elijah noticed your car was missing, and he’s been trying to reach you. He seems pretty angry and stressed.”
I check my phone and find a barrage of texts and missed calls from Elijah. Shit, I was in for a storm when I got back home.
He’s pissed off, text after text it’s like escalating in threats. ‘If you’re not Zanae behind this fucking screen, I’m going to fucking destroy you.” is the last one I received. Ok, it’s bad, really bad.
“Thanks for letting me know,” I say to Miranda. “I’ll handle it.”
Ending the call, I brace myself for what’s waiting for me in the penthouse.
When I arrive, I hesitate to enter the living room. The Venom Reapers and Benny were there, waiting for me.
Cold, angry, worried ?
Elijah took a sip of his vodka, he is calm, way too calm.
His gaze found on me almost instantly.
Nikolai, who had been on the phone, quickly ended the call and made his way to me. Despite the anger, relief flickers in his brown eyes. He just hugs me, and whispers, “Never do that again Little Z, I thought they took you.”
Benny did the same, a small hug, before checking my face, his clinical eyes studying me, assessing every detail to ensure I wasn’t injured or hurt in any way, and then whispered, “Thank God, you’re okay.”
Oh, they thought I was kidnapped again. Fuck .
I smile at the two of them and reassure them, “I’m fine, guys, no need to worry.”
But Elijah cut our little moment with a cold voice, “Leave us alone.”
After they left at Elijah’s command, the room felt smaller, the silence made it less breathable.
Breathe Z, breathe.
He prepares his drink, methodically rolling up his sleeves one by one, neatly folding them above his arms.
With a casual flick, he loosens his tie before lifting the glass to his lips for a sip. Then, he pivots towards me, his hands resting on the counter, his eyes burning.
He finally breaks the silence, “Do you want to kill me?”
I can feel the anger radiating from him like molten lava, but there is something else in his eyes, a mix of fear and frustration.
I take a deep breath, preparing myself for this Elijah.
“You think you can just vanish like that? Do you understand what could have happened, Zanae?” he continues.
I wasn’t weak. Not physically at least. Never. I trained, fought, killed. Weakness was never an option. It enraged me that he thought I couldn’t protect myself.
“Stop talking to me like I need protection every time I put a foot outside. I’m capable of defending myself.”
He lets out a humorless chuckle. “Oh really? Show me, then. If you’re so capable, show ME!”
I shoot him a perplexed look. “What does that mean, Elijah? What is your problem? I fought before you. I was alone before you. And I haven’t even had a chance to explain where I was or what I did.”
His gaze is cold, challenging even, “Explain, then. I’m listening.”
I start explaining about the help, the faces pictures and the footage surveillance but Elijah cuts me off. “You kept this from me? How am I supposed to protect you if you keep secrets? I can’t read your freaking mind Zanae.”
“It’s not about keeping secrets, Elijah. It’s about handling things on my own.” I reply, my tone louder.
His jaw clenches, his tone so low, “This is not something to handle on your own! You’re being reckless, you’re taking fucking risks without fucking thinking about it.”
“And you’re being controlling, Elijah. I really don’t like this,” I shout back at him.
Gritting his teeth, he retorts, “Don’t piss me off, Zanae. Don’t push me to my limits.”
“Or what?”
He chuckles darkly, “Keep your tone lighter, Zanae, before I fuck this whole insolence out of you so hard that you won’t be able to get out of my sight again.”
I’m speechless. And he continues with the same tone, “Is that what you want? My madness? Because I will show you just how insane I can be when you’re in danger. You’ll learn the hard way never to lie to me again.”
Is he threatening me?
“You don’t want to do something you might regret, now, would you Volkov?”
“You’re just fucking testing me.”
He paces back and forth in the living room, and I can’t do anything else than just watch him closely, witnessing how stressed he is.
Maybe I should’ve told him.
Not that I regret giving Brian a chance, but more so for not telling Elijah about it. The thing is I’ve never been taken seriously before, even if I was always helping my dad, even if I was literally a fucking human liar detector, no one ever took me seriously.
Maybe Elijah trusted my talents and my capacities?
“You think you can play with your life like this Zanae? Are you aware that your father may try to come after you? That the people you helped him get rid off may come after you? Do you understand that someone is threatening you?”
“I just wanted to do something on my own, don’t you dare think I’m not capable of doing it alone.”
He takes a step closer to me, his eyes flashing with frustration. “I never thought you weren’t capable of that, you’re my greatest weakness Zanae, that says a lot about how dangerous you can be.”
I kept things from him, was it bad?
I always kept secrets from everyone.
“I told you; I can handle it; I want to handle it. I want to participate, not just listen to you and do everything you tell me to do Elijah. I want you to trust me about doing things on my own and not worry about it.”
“Fuck, I thought they’d fucking take you; I thought you were fucking dead! Someone is letting hints that she wants to fucking kill you and you do shit like that?”
Realizing the depth of his worry, I softened my tone, “Eli, I didn’t want you to worry. I thought I could handle it alone. I know I can in fact, I wanted to tell you only if I had concrete things to say. I didn’t want to bother you with that.”
“Bothering me? Zanae you’re my fucking priority, we’re in this together. You don’t get to decide otherwise.” I don’t even know what to add to this. “ Milaya , this isn’t a joke. Your life is not a fucking joke.”
“I get it. I just... I needed to do this, but if I don’t do anything on my own it’s like I’m just as useless.”
A thumb brushed my chin, his large hands cradling my face, gently tilting my head to meet his green eyes full of affection and worry. “You know, I can see the rage in your pretty eyes, the thirst for vengeance. I know you’re dying to see their blood spill, and I live for that fire within you. I’ll be there to offer you their heads on a golden platter, and I promise you’ll see them dead. We’ll bring hell to earth together. You’re not alone anymore, and you don’t need to prove your worth to me. I know better than anyone just how deadly you are.”
Not a word comes out of my mouth. He believes in me. He trusts me. A small line appears between his eyebrows, “I hope you understand that now, we’re a team, and that means we face these things together, not alone, do you get that?”
My hand naturally caresses his cheek, as if to reassure him. “I should have told you. I’m okay, I’m not hurt or anything, everything went fine.”
He looks at me with so much relief, “Promise me, no more fucking solo missions.”
I nod in agreement. “Promise.”
He envelops me in a hug, his arms encircling my entire back as if shielding me from danger. I feel so safe with him, nothing in the world could harm me if I stayed there.
Whispering against the top of my head, he says, “You scared the hell out of me.”
“I’m here, in one piece, Eli.”
“I’m glad you are,” he murmurs before lifting my chin and capturing my lips in a delicate kiss.
He tastes so good, his lips, the way he towers over me, the way he trusts me.
He is perfect.
A smile appears on my lips. “You taste like trouble and vodka.”
“And you taste like life itself, Milaya . So don’t play with your life like this, ok?”
I just nod and process what he just said. I love how he talks to me, the way he calls me Milaya , the way his eyes soften with me. I love it when he’s next to me. It’s everything with him; he drowns out the voices in my head. It’s so much more peaceful inside when I feel him against me or near me.
My body doesn’t even know how to be far from him anymore. It’s as if I discover everything by touching him, but now that I’ve tasted it, I can’t stop myself from wanting him even more.
He looks at my mouth, then my eyes.
Breathe Z, breathe.
“I missed you, a lot,” I say before putting my hand on his erection. I lean into his neck and whisper in his ear, feeling him inhale and exhale faster. “You’ve never looked sexier than when you’re taking care of me, Volkov.”
What are you doing Z?
Without any warning, I drop to my knees.
I’m so eager to feel him everywhere within me, to taste him, to witness him lose control just from my mouth alone.
It’s so intimate, I’ve never experienced that, nor felt the desire to do that with anyone else. But with him? I craved more; I wanted it all.
I unzip his pants and tug them down. He places his hand on my cheek, caressing it. “You look so good on your knees; I can’t wait to fuck your pretty filthy mouth,” he murmurs.
The more he speaks, the more I salivate at the thought of having him deep in my throat.
“Elijah, it’s— it’s my first time doing this, I might not be the best,” I confess.
I’m stressed, of course I am.
But I want to give him something so badly.
It’s always him pleasing me, and I want to reciprocate it. To make him lose control like I do everytime his mouth touches me.
He lifts my head to meet my gaze. “Just seeing you on your knees, with your tongue out like my good little toy brings me so much pleasure,” he smirks. “I think we’ll be good for that.”
Breathe Z, breathe.
I remove the only obstacle between us, and he stands before me, naked, his arousal glistening at the tip. Perfectly thick and long, his thighs sculpted and strong. How have I never noticed that he has so many tattoos on his thighs?
I tentatively trace my fingers along his length before curling them around it softly. I notice his reaction; he knows I’m exploring, sensing the control I have over him without even using my mouth yet is so pleasing.
He grips my hair firmly, pulling it back to lift my head. “ Milaya , if you don’t put your mouth on it soon, I might just die.”
I laugh at his impatience. “Let me relieve you from all the stress I caused you today.”
His skin feels silky beneath my lips as I kiss the tip, lightly stroking with my hand. “Fuck,” he growls, his grip on my hair tightening, urging me on.
Feeling emboldened, I begin to take him into my mouth, inch by inch, while still stroking him at the base.
I glance up to meet his gaze; his eyes are partially closed. I want to make him proud, so I continue, taking him deeper with each suck.
“I knew I’d enjoy seeing that insolent mouth shut, but having it wrapped around my cock is even better,” he murmurs, his voice so low and demanding.
I grip his balls and squeeze them because of his remark and his reaction is immediate, a groan escaping his lips.
God, he sounded so sexy. “Fuck, Zanae. Your mouth was made for me to fuck and fill,” he says, his grip tightening on my head as he thrusts faster and harder in my mouth.
Throughout, he lavishes me with praise, his words fueling my need and will to satisfy him. “You’re taking me so well,” he groans, urging me on to take him deeper and deeper, despite the gagging and tears streaming down my face.
I didn’t know I could do that; I didn’t know I possessed that primal desire to please him like this.
“Open your throat wider, baby, take it all,” he commands, his touch soft against my cheek. I comply, swallowing my fatigue as I accommodate him fully.
Fuck.
I can feel him reaching the peak of his pleasure because of the breathy sounds he lets out. Then he asks something, his tone so soft, so low, so demanding, “Does my beautiful Little Nightmare want to swallow?”
I nod in response, so aroused, my eyes brimming with tears, my chin slick with saliva.
I know I look like a mess right now. But I don’t care.
With his release, a wave of salted warmth fills my throat, and I swallow it down, feeling a surge of strength and satisfaction witnessing him let it all go because of me, and me only.
I get back to my feet, wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, and he kisses me without waiting, his hand on my chin, pushing me against the wall with a smirk. “You know, I was so fucking stressed that I didn’t have dinner, Zanae. Would you mind opening your pretty legs for me, Miss Dellé?”
“I hope you’re hungry enough,” I reply with a dark laugh.
He kneels before me, his half-smile filled with anticipation. “Call me insatiable.”
He unzips my jeans and pulls them down, grabbing my ass and drawing my hips closer to his face. “Oh, you’re wearing red panties, Zanae. Fuck my life.”
He then pushes the thong down and spreads my legs wider with his hands. His lips trail kisses along my thigh, causing my breath to hitch.
Breathe Z, breathe.
When he reaches my core, he presses his palm against it, I can’t inhale anything right now. “So wet, I haven’t even touched you yet.”
He plants kisses on my folds before focusing his attention on my clit with his tongue, sucking and circling it with so much hunger.
“That’s perfect…” I breathe.
The sensation is overwhelming, and I find it difficult, even impossible, to keep my eyes open. I can’t take in the pleasure of feeling his mouth on me. He continues sucking and teasing, then introduces a finger, and another one inside me.
Oh. My. God.
Breathe Z, breathe.
But I fucking can’t. It’s too much, he is too much.
My breath catches again as he curls them inside, moving faster and faster, while still licking my clit with his tongue. Just seconds after he introduces a third finger, I come undone, trembling like I was being touched for the first time.
My eyes roll back, and I exhale his name, “Eli...”
Seconds pass, and he cleans the mess I made with his tongue and fingers, then looks at me, dazed, smiling. “Repeat my name again when you come, and I won’t be able to control myself. I’ll have to bend you over and fuck you, Zanae. Not that I’ll complain.”
We kiss, tasting each other in our mouths. His warm skin pressed against mine as he backed away to let me breathe. I smile at him. “I haven’t even told you about tonight.”
He chuckles before leaning in again, brushing his lips against my jaw before getting up. “You’re right. I was too distracted.”
“Maybe I should get on my knees more often, then.” I reply, smiling.
He leans in once more, brushing his smiling lips on my jaw before getting up. Goosebumps. Shivers. Chills. “Definitely. I’m going to let you refresh yourself and get comfortable, and then we’ll discuss it.”
He kisses my neck and lets me move to the room.
“You look good from any angle, but I have to say my favorite is from below your waist,” I say, grinning, before he playfully spanks my naked flesh, making me laugh as I run to the room.
After changing into my pajamas, I returned to him. He’s in sweatpants, bare-chested, sitting on the sofa. I sit beside him, snuggling against his arm, and begin. “The hacker I told you about, the one I met tonight—Brian. She’s been watching me. She survived the organization, and she wants to take them down too.”
He looks at me skeptically, his hand resting on my hip, while the other one caresses my arm. “What does she want from you?”
“She said she’s been observing me since my early days working with my father, watching me at dinners, events and all. Also, the organization is fully aware of my ties to the Zennites—they gave me a stupid nickname too, the Huntress .”
He smiles, and tilt his head toward me, “The Huntress? What do they know about you?”
“I don’t know, it’s unclear.”
“And this Brian? Can we trust her?”
Can we? I recall my meeting with her vividly. She never once looked away from me, and her eyes were completely soft. Not once did her eyebrows furrow. She kept her arms relaxed at her sides, it felt honest and sincere. And when she smiled, her eyes followed. No defensiveness or discomfort, her facial expressions were consistent with her words.
She wasn’t lying. I’m sure.
“I think we can. She’s been a victim of the organization, and survived an attempt on her life.” I look at him, confident. “She genuinely wants to make them disappear. She mentioned her best friend, he’s like the leader of the Colombian cartel, she thinks we can aid each other.”
He rises from his seat, taking a sip of his vodka. “We have to be careful with her, even though I trust your judgment, Milaya . But it’s your life we’re talking about.”
A smile plays on my lips, “I understand. But if there’s a chance to end this, we should explore it.”
His gaze softens as he leans closer, enveloping me in his arms. “Hey, I trust your instincts. If you think this Brian can assist us, I’ll stand by your choice. Just promise me you won’t take other risks.”
“I promise.”
He lifts me up, my legs around his waist as I put my arms around his neck. “Good. But remember, if she’s a threat for you, I won’t hesitate. Even if I don’t harm women, I’ll forget about every rule for you.”
Thump, thump, thump.
He’s staring straight ahead, unaware that my heart is going to burst because of his words.
“Guess that makes me special, huh?”
He smirks before kissing my neck softly, “You’ve always been special, Zanae. Just be careful, okay?”
Thump, thump, thump.
“I will. And Elijah?”
He raises an eyebrow, then asks gently, “Yes?”
I kiss his cheek, feeling a surge of affection. “Thanks for always looking out for me.”
“I’ll always look out of you,” he replies, tucking me into bed and snuggling beside me, feeling like the home I’ve always dreamt of having.
“Have a good night, Batman” I murmur, kissing his chest, right where I can feel his pulse.
He chuckles softly, returning the kiss on my forehead. “Just sleep, you brat.”