Chapter 5
SONYA
Obnoxious pounding at the door wakes me from a deep, wine-induced sleep. I’m drooling, my hair is everywhere, and for a long moment, I have no idea where I am. Then I remember I’m in Prague in a hotel room that costs way more than I want to think about.
Knock, knock, knock. I swear I put the “Do Not Disturb” sign out last night. Bang, bang, bang. It’s getting louder and more insistent. Whoever it is isn’t going away.
When I sit up, the world tilts, the pounding taking up space inside my head as a pulse of pain. “I’ll be there in a second,” I call out. My voice croaks halfway through the sentence.
I manage to get myself out of bed, standing still as the world spins around me for a moment.
I down the glass of water and the aspirin I miraculously remembered to put on the nightstand before I fell asleep.
I run my fingers through my wild hair and scrub the drool residue from my cheek with the back of my hand.
“I’m coming,” I call out again. “Just hold on a second.”
I open the door with the chain still attached. Anything I was about to say is completely forgotten at the sight of Matvei Volkov, stealing any breath I had in my lungs.
Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit. He found me. Of course he found me. Why did I think a notorious mob boss wouldn’t be able to find me? How could I be so stupid?
I stare at him as the seconds tick by, my brain still fuzzy with wine, jet lag, and a break up. I try to think of something to say.
"Matvei," I gulp. “What can I do for you?”
“You disappeared on me yesterday at the airport.”
“I lost you in the crowd and couldn’t find you again. So I left and came to my hotel.”
As far as lies go, it’s not a terrible one, but I can tell Matvei doesn’t believe me.
Instead of anger, a predatory grin curls his full lips, a grin I can still feel on the back of my neck like a physical tattoo, flirting with the memory of his electric touch.
He leans forward, resting his forearm above his head against the frame, trying to get as close as he can with the chain still on the door.
“Come now, Sonya. We both know that’s a lie.”
His voice is like a purr, his blue eyes hypnotic. For a moment, I swear I can see the dangerous predator hiding behind that personable mask. It sends shivers down my spine, but it also wakes up an entirely different part of me, one that’s drawn to danger.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You know who I am. I’m aware that my asshole half-brother can’t stop talking about how much he hates me.” His eyes wander my frame. A flush grows on my cheeks as I realize I’m dressed in a tank and baggy sweats. “And apparently, he also has an inability to appreciate beauty when he sees it.”
I swallow hard, nearly choking. “How did you know?”
It’s a ridiculous question. We both know damn well how he found me.
I may not know a lot about the Russian mob, but I know enough to understand that the law doesn’t mean anything to men like Matvei and his organization.
Based on the expense of his suits and his choice of travel accommodations, I’m certain he has many resources at his fingertips—many more than I can even imagine.
My shoulders slump. “Look, I honestly didn’t know who you were when we met yesterday.
I was trying to get over my break up with your asshole brother.
I’m just here to enjoy myself for a little bit instead of chopping my hair off and dying it bright pink.
I don’t want anything from you; we just happened to be in the same place at the same time.
Can we be okay with that? Please? I don’t want any trouble. ”
I swallow the horrible thought that springs up—trouble has found me, no matter how much I don’t want it.
Matvei watches me for a moment more, his blue eyes gleaming like a tiger’s might as he decides whether he wants to eat his prey or play with it.
“I have a proposal for you, one that would benefit both of us,” he says.
I’m both intrigued and terrified. “I don’t want your money. I don’t want anything from you. The last thing I want to do is get tied up with a Russian crime syndicate.”
“This isn’t about money, Sonya. This is about getting even with Samson for dumping you for someone he deemed better, for the way he treated you.”
“Getting back at Samson?” My voice catches. I have to swallow my surprise before I can speak again. “I don’t understand.”
“Let me take you out. It looks like you haven’t had breakfast yet.”
Matvei’s eyes land on my sweats and the wine stains on them. I flush again, busted.
“Let me take you out to eat, to experience the best of what Prague has to offer. Give me a chance to explain my proposal in further detail. If you don’t want to do it, I won’t be angry, I swear. You can walk away, and I will never bother you again. But promise me you’ll at least listen.”
It takes me a shorter amount of time to consider what the man in front of me is proposing than I wish it would. No matter what I know about his background, I’m still drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
“Okay, fine. But I need to shower first. I feel like death.”
“A shower?” Matvei perks up, his interest piqued. “I could use a shower.”
“I—what?” It takes my brain a moment to catch up to what he just implied. I don’t miss the way his eyes darken and his nostrils flare, as if he’s scenting his prey.
I am his prey.
Damn, if that doesn’t turn me on immediately. There’s no warming up, no gradual play, no way for me to stop it. Matvei must see it, too, because he’s pressed to the opening in the door, his scent enveloping me yet again and making my knees wobble.
“Let me in.” It’s half question, half order, and I don’t need to think about it. I do exactly as he says.
Matvei steps inside, towering over me. I have to close my mouth to keep from drooling—I can’t stop ogling him.
“I, uh, need to brush my teeth,” I manage, running to the bathroom before he can stop me.
I’m spitting out toothpaste when he comes in.
He’s removed his suit jacket and vest. He takes off his big, silver watch and lays it on the counter before reaching into the shower to turn on the water.
Steam billows against the glass door as he begins unbuttoning his shirt, one slow button at a time.
Oh, holy shit.
We didn’t fully undress yesterday. I can’t make my eyes look away as the starched button-up opens to reveal a chest and stomach dreams are made of—rows of muscles that lead straight down to the sexy V of his hips.
Tattoos cover his chiseled chest and run down his arms in full sleeves.
Too many for my addled brain to comprehend at the moment.
When his eyes meet mine, I realize I’ve just been standing in place, staring at Matvei’s reflection in the mirror. His eyes crinkle with the return of his enigmatic smile, and he nods his head toward the shower. “I think it’s ready.”
“Okay,” I reply, realizing I’ve barely taken a breath since he entered the bathroom.
As I start peeling off my sweatpants he stops me. “I’ll do that.”
I don’t argue, and I’m not even sure I could if I wanted to, as Matvei gently pulls my tank over my head, then bends to take one rock-hard nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue and making me groan before doing the same to the other.
He takes one of my breasts into his hand and squeezes before brushing the nipple with his thumb.
A shiver runs through my body, his answering grin feral as he tugs my sweatpants down around my hips.
I step out of them and find Matvei staring at me with what I can only call admiration, fire smoldering in the blue of his eyes.
He steps toward me again, more like into me, his hands sliding over my skin, leaving a trail of sparks as his palms map my every curve.
“Fucking gorgeous.” His words skitter across my skin and dig themselves deep. I want to believe they’re real, but I know they’re probably just words in the heat of the moment. I feel desired. Wanted. Appreciated. I can’t remember the last time I felt such things. Certainly not with Samson.
My focus turns to raging need as Matvei unzips his pants, letting them and his silk boxers fall to the floor. He’s enormous and standing at stiff attention, causing me to wonder how he fit into me so smoothly yesterday.
“In,” he orders, nodding to the shower, and I nearly trip over myself to oblige.
I’m so wet, so hungry for him, I can barely breathe. The steam billows around us as Matvei steps in behind me.
Then he’s on me. He takes me into his arms, kissing me so deeply I’m breathless by the time we come up for air.
He gives me no time to recover, kissing down my neck, my shoulders, his hands in my hair as the water sluices over my skin.
The scent of him, the size of him, the sensations he stirs in me, overwhelm my senses until I’m lightheaded.
I dig my fingers into his enormous biceps as he pushes me back against the wall, the water cascading over both our bodies, the steam swirling around us only adding to the passion.
“Oh, fuck,” I groan as he massages my breast with one hand and strokes my soft folds with the other.
“That’s what I want to hear more of. Again.” His voice is deep and resonant, commanding.
“Fuck!” I cry as he brushes my entrance, teasing me. I’m so desperate to feel him inside me again I can barely stand it, and I whimper. “Fuck me, please!”
“Moya khoroshaya,” he rumbles in my ear. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”
Without warning he plunges in, giving the phrase “hurts so good” new meaning, because it does, and I nearly finish right then and there. But I’m not about to let the experience end so quickly.
It doesn’t take long before I’ve acclimated to his size, to the feeling of him stretching me as he plunges in and out again and again.
I arch into him, my hips grinding with his. I wrap my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life as the world fades to nothing but the heat between us and the waves of pleasure crashing over me, pulling me under. I don’t want to come up for air—all I want is Matvei and this feeling. Forever.
He tightens his grip around me, pulling me closer as he plunges deeper and deeper, driving me higher and higher until I’m writhing and moaning with unspeakable pleasure. When his free hand moves between us to play with my clit, it’s more than I can take.
White takes over my vision as my orgasm smashes into me, wrenching a scream from my core. I claw at his massive back, at the muscles flexing and moving beneath my palms.
Russian streams from his lips, forced through gritted teeth as he jackhammers into me. He roars as he comes, pulsing and jerking, his warmth filling me.
After, the only sound is the pounding hiss of the shower and our gasping breath. Liquid heat runs down my legs, washed away by the water. We hold onto each other, several minutes passing before we both let go.
“I’ll let you finish your shower,” he finally says, leaving me with a deep, thorough kiss.
“I swear I’ll be quick. Wait for me downstairs?”
I have a sudden fear that, having gotten what he came for, Matvei will disappear and I won’t see him again. Which, if I’m being honest, is probably for the better. But I don’t want to be honest with myself. Not yet anyway.
“I will wait for you downstairs. Don’t try to escape out a window. Your room is too high up.”
Despite myself, I smile. “The window is way too small, believe me. I would get stuck, and you’d have to rescue me again.”
Matvei raises an eyebrow. “Again?”
“Well, yeah,” I flush. “You kept me from having a panic attack yesterday and attempting to jump out of a plane window. So that’s two windows you’ve saved me from so far.”
The predatory grin spreads, and I shiver again. “Well, let’s hope there’s not a third.”
After a quick scrub, he steps out of the shower. I can’t help but watch as he towels off his incredible body, his muscles flexing and moving beneath glistening, still-wet skin in a way that is utterly hypnotizing.
When he leaves, he shuts the door quietly behind him. It isn’t until I hear the door to my hotel room open and close before I finally snap out of my daze.