31. Willow
31
WILLOW
" Y ou know this is technically kidnapping, right?" I ask, in case anyone was paying attention.
Dimitri kisses the top of my head. "Yes."
By the time we made it back to the city, every single one of my belongings was in his apartment. Apparently, one of his goons handed my notice, along with three months of rent, to Anna and Lucy, both of whom have been blowing up my phone for the past hour.
I bob my head. "Good, at least you're aware of your crimes."
"All right." He crosses his arms. "Say you stay at your apartment with your two friends. In three days, you're on my arm for the city gala, in five, we're flying out for a chat I am not looking forward to with your sister. And in four weeks, I am marrying you. Do you know how many of my enemies are going to close in on you? Do you know what might happen to Anna and Lucy in the meantime? I can't have everyone constantly watched."
"You're marrying me?" I blink. "Since when?"
"I believed that was discussed and agreed upon. Earlier today, in fact. I distinctly remember a speech about not wanting to be my side piece."
"Dimitri, you are married," I remind him, because someone ought to.
"Yes. Hence the four weeks, and not tomorrow." He leans back on the doorframe. "How do you like the room?"
I decide to ignore the question and keep us focused on the main point. "I must have missed the part where you proposed to me."
"I can't do that, I'm married. Polygamy is illegal in the States, you know."
"Oh, and you've never done anything illegal."
"Not in the last three hours." He shoots me that smile, the one I almost never see, and that's absolutely unfair.
The amount of power this man has in the palm of his hand is scary. But I've seen him lose it. I've seen his control snap several times; when my safety is at stake, but also when I take it from him.
He's just moved me into his apartment. I decide it's time to remind him that I also have power here.
"Fine. I'll move in. You want to control my life? You want me to move in, quit my job, marry you? All right."I lift what remains of my blouse over my shoulders, and lower my skirt, stepping out of it. His eyes, amused a moment ago, turn dark, as I stand in my simple, Monday workday underwear. "But I get to play with you however I want, every day, for an entire hour. That's the deal."
He lifts an eyebrow. "However you want?"
"You can't touch me until I say so. You can't fuck me unless I tell you you can. I am in charge."
I see a muscle in his jaw tick. "Are you?"
I make my way to him slowly, treating him like I'd treat my viewers. Teasing. Drawing it out.
My hand undoes his black tie, and I wrap it around my head, blindfolding myself.
I want to mess this up. I want to make it frustrating, unbearable. And I want him to suffer it because I asked it of him.
"You touch me before I say you can? You lose."
And then I start. Awkward hands, fumbling, trying to find buttons. I smile when he growls. "It's right there!" he snaps.
Now I'm beaming. "Oops."
"What I'm going to do with you, petal. You have fifty fucking minutes left. Use them well."
I don't. I mess up some more. It takes me at least twenty minutes to get the shirt off, and I take my time, licking every bit of exposed skin.
Honestly? Removing a belt isn't that hard. I could have made very quick work of it. Instead, I take my sweet, sweet time, and Dimitri swears in at least seven languages.
It's his turn to count, just like he made me count his spanking. Thirty-nine minutes. Twenty-one. Fifteen.
He slips here and there. He brings his hand to my face, and his thumb to my lips, unable to stop himself. But each time, his trembling hands go back down, because he respects me. Because he wants to give me what I ask.
And I love, utterly love him for it.
"Five minutes," he growls threateningly.
At long last, on my knees, I free his cock, and bring my tongue to it. There are cool, smooth bulbs at the tip. Four of them. "Piercing?" I ask, finding my pussy tightening as I remember the strange sensation inside me. That must have been it.
"Oh, yeah," he tells me. "And you're about to feel them down your throat. Three minutes."
I take my time, running my tongue around the tip, flicking the piercing, teasing the ever loving fuck out of him.
He doesn't have to tell me when my hour is up. He just drags me up under the arms and throws me onto the bed.
I giggle, as he lifts my ass up in the air and drives inside me, without so much as removing my panties, simply pushing them aside.
Fuck, yes.
"Was it worth it?" he demands, with hard, fast, punishing thrusts that make my toes curl, and my insides quiver.
"Yes!" I scream.
"I'm going to screw you into next week for this shit."
I can't help it. I'm laughing, and so is he, though that doesn't stop him from delivering thrust after thrust, until we're both panting for air, and dying for the next orgasm.
I fall first, my insides tightening around him, so much he explodes with harsh grunts and fall on top of me.
"Jesus," he growls, rolling over to avoid crushing me. "Were you trying to drive me insane?"
I smirk. "I owe you. You drove me insane literally for years ." He must have known he was, too.
Dimitri snorts, bringing me to his side, his heart racing as much as mine. "Never forget, petal. You're the one who started this. You kissed me. You claimed me. You were just too young and innocent to be shoved in the cage you're going to live in now."
He sounds…apologetic.Like he's sorry that being with him means that I can't have the freedom I had before, when I was nobody. Nobody's.
He told me what the deal was. He showed me the danger of his world. He doesn't get that I accepted it, as much as I accepted him.
I don't think he understands the fact that it's not a sacrifice for me. That all I've ever wanted was for someone to care enough to want me protected, cared for.
Loved.
When I first met him, I realized what kind of person he was. Who wouldn't have? He saved my sister from a kidnapping, not even bothering to hide the guns, the blood, the simple power around him.
I've wanted the man, yes. But what I truly craved was to be safe in his cage.
It occurs to me he doesn't know that.
I sit up, and look into his green eyes. "You know, Dima, I've craved you for years. But what I truly needed was your cage."
At long last, the nickname feels right. It feels like we’re finally something like equals, after everything that happened tonight.
He frowns up at me, confusion in his eyes.
"I wasn't protected, growing up. Morgan cared for me the best she could, but the simple truth is, either of us could have just died. So easily. Every moment was a fight for survival until she met Cam. And Cam caged her in. I've dreamed about someone caring for me half as much since he walked into our lives. And from that day, I just…" I wince, remembering everything I did to get his attention. "I thought it might be you."
His arms are around my shoulders, his face in the crook of my neck. "I'm sorry I ever made you feel like I didn't want to be. I always did. I just wanted to see you fly before I clipped your wings, petal."
I chuckle in his shoulders. "Clip away."
I realize this is not a modern, feminist stance. I should say I'm an independent woman capable of caring for myself. And I am.But with him, I don't want to be.
"I'm gonna need a job, though." Because I'll be bored to tears, otherwise.
"How do you feel about gaming apps? I have an empty corner office right next to mine."