Chapter 11 Maddie
Maddie
Looking in the rearview mirror, I see Volodya’s cherry-red Camaro following behind me.
I’m still trying to process everything that’s happened.
I went from being devastated by his silence and feeling completely rejected when I woke up in his bed alone to having him rush to me when he knew I was upset and wrapping his arms around me, comforting me in a way that makes me teary-eyed just thinking about it.
It’s always just been me and my mom. I’ve been by her side through everything, holding her hand and trying to get her through it as best I can.
Even when I was with Derek, he wasn’t around when I needed him.
I’ve learned to be strong and to just accept that I don’t have a man to lean on and go to for comfort.
Volodya is changing everything and turning it all on its goddamn head.
Feeling his arms around me and knowing that I didn’t have to go through that moment alone is threatening to break me.
I give Boris a wave at the gate, trying to hide how badly I’m crying from him, but when I park in front of the garage, I lean my head against the steering wheel and give up the fight.
And that’s exactly how Volodya finds me.
“Kiska,” he murmurs, reaching in and unbuckling me before gently picking me up. “She’s going to be okay, baby. I know it’s scary, but I really believe she’s going to get through this.”
I wrap my arms around him and cry harder, feeling like a jackass.
I am worried about my mom, of course I am, but that’s not why I’m crying right now.
I’m crying because I’m completely in love with this man, and I don’t know how in the hell I’ll survive it if I’m just a fling to him.
I’m afraid to let myself be comforted by him because if it’s taken from me it’ll just hurt all the more.
He carries me inside and sets me on the counter while the dogs jump around us, sniffing all the hospital smells and whimpering with pure joy at seeing me again.
I laugh and scratch behind all three sets of ears until Volodya lures them away by filling their food bowls.
Coming back to me, he grabs my thighs, spreading them so he can stand between them.
He cups my face and looks at me, running his thumb across my cheeks to brush away the tears.
“Talk to me, kiska.”
“Thank you for coming to the hospital. It meant a lot to me to have you there.”
“Thanks for letting me into the room.” He gives me a small smile and runs his thumb lightly over my lips. “That woman at the front counter really didn’t want to let me back there.”
“My fiancé, huh?” I say with a laugh.
He gives a small shrug. “It’ll be true soon enough, kiska.”
“Don’t tease about things like that,” I say, trying to pull back.
He holds me tighter, refusing to let me back away. “Who said I’m joking?”
“Volodya,” I whisper. “You’ve made it very clear that you don’t let people get close to you and that after what happened to your parents you have no desire to ever become attached to anyone.
” I rest my hands on the chest that I swear I could recognize in a pitch black room with a hundred bare-chested men in it and only my fingers to guide me. I’d find him every damn time.
“I’m not as strong as you seem to think I am. I don’t want to end up hurt when you decide that all this is too much commitment for you.”
“I see.” He watches me, studying me with those whiskey-colored eyes that are so familiar to me now. “You think I’m going to break your heart? Wake up one day and decide to leave you?”
“Something like that,” I whisper. “Or decide you can’t be happy with just one woman.”
“I can promise you a million different things, but words are just words. I believe it’s actions that really tell the truth of things. Do you agree?”
“Yes.” I’m not sure where he’s going with this, but I feel like we’re laying out the blueprint for whatever future we might have, so I quickly add, “I still think it’s important to say the sweet things, and then back them up with action.”
He smiles and leans closer. “I won’t forget the sweet things, kiska. And as far as actions go, I’ll run you through a quick list of everything I’ve done with you that I’ve never felt the slightest desire to do with anyone else.”
I nod and slide my fingers under his shirt so I can hook them into the waistband of his jeans and pull him even closer. His soft, deep laugh has quickly become one of my most favorite things. I smile at him and lift a brow, waiting for him to continue.
“Where to begin,” he muses and then dives in to a long list of firsts.
“I’ve given you a nickname, I let you ride in my car, I introduced you to my dogs, hell, I let you into my house,” he says with another laugh.
“I asked you your name, I want to know everything about you, and I bought you a Jeep because I need to know you’re safe. I also publicly claimed you.”
“Publicly claimed me?” I ask with a laugh.
“Yes, in the club. That was a statement, sweetheart.”
He leans closer so I can feel the heat of his breath against my lips.
“I can’t stop touching you or tasting you or thinking about you.
I fucked you without a condom because I couldn’t stand the thought of anything between us.
I turned you around so we were face to face.
” He gives my bottom lip a soft suck. “I kissed you, kiska, and then I took a bath with you and put you in my bed.”
Pulling back, he slides his phone out from his pants and pulls up a chat message, letting me see as he types out a quick message that I can’t read because it’s in Russian.
“And right now I’m texting my brothers to invite them over for supper tomorrow night because I want you to meet my sister-in-law and nephew.
I’m also inviting Andrei and his wife because I want you to meet her.
We grew up with her in Russia. Her mom cooks for Vasya, and Svetlana used to clean for him but that was before she married Andrei. ”
He sets the phone down and smiles at me. “You may not realize what a huge deal that was, but trust me, my brothers are laughing their asses off right now, and I’m never going to hear the end of it.”
“Volodya,” I whisper, sliding my hands up his chest and wrapping them around his neck to bring him back to me.
“I’m not finished.” He picks me up and starts to carry me to his room. When he lays me on his bed and hovers his body over mine, he runs his tongue over my top lip, pulling a moan from me as I wrap my arms and legs around him.
“I love you, kiska.” He whispers against my lips. “I never thought I could fall in love, but I love you. I love you so fucking much, and I know it happened fast, but it’s happened, and there’s no going back for me. There could never be anyone else for me.”
I cup his face, memorizing every detail because I’m going to replay it over and over again for the rest of my life. I run my fingers over his stubbled cheek and along his chiseled jaw before caressing his dark brows.
“Maddie, for the love of god, say something,” he finally says, and the worried look on his face makes me realize that the silence has stretched on for too long while I’ve been drinking in the sight of his gorgeous face.
I smile at him. “First time you’ve ever looked so unsure of yourself.”
“That’s not funny,” he says, but there’s a grin playing at his lips.
“I love you, Volodya.”
His entire body visibly relaxes at my words. “That was the longest minute of my entire fucking life, kiska.”
“I’m sorry. I got a little lost in your face. You’re insanely good-looking. You sure you don’t want to wait for someone prettier?”
“Prettier than you?” He looks at me like I’m crazy.
“No one’s prettier than you. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
That’s what got me in trouble the first night I met you.
The only description I got of Kaylee was short, dark hair, and gorgeous.
When I turned around and saw you, I thought for sure you had to be her. ”
“Everyone thinks Kaylee is gorgeous.”
“She’s not, and she’s truly an unpleasant person to be around.”
“I’m glad you didn’t fall for her like every other man seems to.”
He smiles and gives my bottom lip a soft bite. “How in the hell could I have fallen for her when I’d already lost myself to you?”
“There’s that sweet stuff I wanted.”
He laughs and kisses along my jaw. “I’ll always give you the sweet stuff, baby.”
His tongue flicks my earlobe, and when I rock my hips up to him, he presses against me, letting me feel how hard and ready he is for me.
“I’m still sore,” I tell him, smiling when he whispers “Good” in my ear.
“I can be gentle, kiska.” His hands slide down my body, gripping my shirt and pulling it off.
“Fuck,” he groans when he sees the long, red marks that still mar my skin from our night in the woods.
Unclasping my bra, he tosses it aside and runs his fingers over the scratches.
“So fucking beautiful,” he whispers, bringing his mouth to my skin to kiss the closest cut.
He takes his time, kissing the long red lines that decorate my skin before finally running his tongue over one of my nipples.
I run my hands through his hair, watching him lick and suck my sensitive skin.
“I’m going to give you another one of my firsts, kiska. I’m going to worship your body.” He gives my tit a sharp suck that sends a bolt of pleasure straight to my pussy as my back arches up to him. “I’m going to prove to you just how sweet I can be.”