Chapter 4
Four
Nadia
I’m still shaking when I stumble into the bathroom with the pile of clothes from yesterday in my hands, and close the door behind me.
What. The. Fuck. Just happened?
I lean against the sink, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My hair is a mess, my lips are swollen, my eyes are wide and glazed over. And I can still feel him on my mouth, between my legs, all over my body, inside me… His mouth, his fingers, his insanely talented tongue.
Oh, my God.
I just let a man I barely know… a mobster… my accidental husband… kiss me stupid and go down on me. And it was the best orgasm of my entire damn life! Wasn’t I the one trying to prevent Leah from marrying a guy she’d just met?… I’m losing my entire damn mind.
I frantically wash my panties at the sink and wrap them in a towel to dry. Then, turn on the shower, still trying to get my brain to work, but all I can think about is Zak. How he touched me, looked at me like I’m a feast, like he wanted to own every inch of me, like I belong to him. I shiver.
Get it together, girl.
I need to think. I need a plan. I need…
But more thoughts invade my mind. His mouth on me, his fingers inside me, the way he growled against my pussy like he was cumming too, just from tasting me.
I finally get in the shower, sighing under the seventy-thousand shower-heads massaging my body from all sides, trying to clear my mind and figure out what I’m going to do.
What the hell is going on in my life right now?! A shootout, a freaking accidental marriage, sleeping in a kingpin’s bed, everything I let him do to me?!!
I take my time, using Zak’s fancy body wash that smells freaking amazing.
Like cedar wood… that same scent I caught on him.
It feels so intimate to be in his bathroom, using his things, surrounded by his fragrance.
It all feels like a dream. I shake myself and start washing the foam off, trying to come back to myself.
By the time I step out of the spa-like shower and dry off, I’m feeling a bit more steady. I lotion up, put on my clothes, and finger-comb my damp hair as best as I can. Welcome to the walk of shame.
I take a deep breath, square my shoulders, open the door…
and nearly swallow my tongue. Zak is standing in the middle of the room in another perfectly tailored suit.
This one, charcoal gray, with a crisp white shirt under, no tie, top button undone, showcasing his corded throat.
His tattoos peeking out. He looks like he stepped straight out of an expensive cologne ad with all that badass elegance, his neatly shaven jaw, combed-back hair…
And the asshole is smirking. Like he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.
“Ready?” he asks in his low, gravelly voice.
I clear my throat. “Yeah.”
He moves to me, and I have to tilt my head back to meet his eyes. He’s so damn tall, so broad, it’s like he’s taking up all the space in the room.
His eyes drop to my mouth and linger there… before coming back to meet mine.
“You look good.”
I roll my eyes. “Liar.”
“Not lying.” He reaches to brush my cheek with his knuckles, and I feel it everywhere. “You always look good, wife.”
Wife. He keeps calling me that. And I hate how much I like it.
“We should go,” I say quickly, stepping away from his tempting presence before I do something stupid. Like climb him like a tree and beg him to show me that long, big, hard thing I felt in his sweats earlier…
He nods, that goddamn smirk returning.
* * *
When we step outside, there’s a sleek black Maybach with tinted windows waiting, a driver standing by the back door. Zak takes my hand to help me inside. I slide on the buttery leather seat, and he follows.
“What’s your address?” he asks.
I rattle my address, and the driver nods, starting the engine.
“Uh… Zak,” I start. “My purse, my phone, my keys. I don’t have any of my stuff.”
He nods slowly. “The guys will get your purse today when they go back to the venue to take care of the repairs.”
Oh. Okay. Wow!
“You need to make calls?” he asks.
“Yes. Work and Leah, for now.”
He pulls out his phone and hands it to me. But when I reach for it, he catches my hand and holds it, his thumb brushing over my knuckles.
“No police,” he commands.
I huff. “Fine.”
He lets go, and I take the phone, unlock it, and call Leah. Her number being one of the few ones I have memorized.
She answers on the second ring. “Hello?”
“Leah, babe, it’s me.”
“Nadia! Oh my God, are you okay? What happened last night? We were so worried…”
“I’m fine, honey.”
“Where are you? I keep calling but it goes straight to your voicemail.”
“I’m sorry, I dropped my purse. And I’m… with Zak. The guy from last night.”
There’s a pause. “The hot guy you left with?”
I let out a nervous laugh. “Uh-huh.”
“Girl, you went in there trying to prevent me from getting hitched!”
This time I laugh. Oh, God, it’s good to hear my friend and get some semblance of normal. “I’m fine, I promise. It’s complicated, but I’m safe.”
She harrumphs. “Do you need me to come get you? You know I’ll come right now.”
I glance at Zak, who’s watching me, listening to every word.
I roll my eyes before returning my attention to my conversation, my gaze fixed on my lap. “No. I’m good. I’ll call you later and explain everything.”
“Okay… if you’re sure.” She doesn’t sound convinced.
“I’m sure, babe. Thank you. How’s married life?”
She giggles. “Amazing. George is perfect.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“I’m happy, too. And I really hope you’re good.”
“I am. Promise.”
“Okay, call me? I want to see you. Make sure you’re really alright.”
“Okay, I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon, friend.”
I hang up, then call the clinic to let them know I’m dealing with a family emergency and need a few days off. Thank God, my supervisor is understanding. When I’m done, I hand the phone back to Zak.
“Good?” he asks.
“For now.”
We drive in silence for a bit. I’m hyperaware of him next to me. His presence. His scent. The way his thigh rests only a couple of inches from mine.
My mind starts running through this morning again. How his mouth felt, his hands… The way he growled against me like I was the best thing he ever tasted. Heat floods my face.
“What are you thinking about?” he asks in a low voice.
“Nothing.”
“Liar.” He leans closer, his mouth near my ear. “You’re thinking about earlier. About how I made you come on my tongue.”
I elbow him, lifting my chin to the driver’s back. “Zak!”
But my asshole accidental husband just chuckles darkly. “I’m thinking about it too, baby.” He leans even closer, whispering for me only, “I can still taste you.”
Oh my God. I’m going to catch fire.
I turn to glare at him. And, of course, he’s looking all smug, sexy, and freaking slappable.
“You’re an asshole,” I mutter.
He winks. “I’m your asshole husband.”
Why do I love hearing him call himself that?
“We’re not really married,” I finally retort.
“Papers say otherwise.”
“Papers we signed by accident.”
“Still legal.” He leans back, stretching a long arm over the seat behind me. Close enough that his body heat envelops me. “Still binding.”
“So is an annulment.”
He chuckles. Fucking chuckles.
I want to argue and fight, but there’s a part of me… a traitorous, stupid part of me… that’s kicking her feet and giggling right now.
The rest of the drive passes in a blur. With Zak sitting way too close, casual and relaxed, and me trying not to think about his mouth between my legs.
Then we finally pull up to my apartment complex. It’s a nice place, not mansion-level nice, but I love it. My two-bedroom unit with a balcony overlooking the trees is cute and comfortable.
Zak helps me out of the car, and he doesn’t let go as we walk to my door.
I grab the spare key from under the entry mat and unlock to let us in.
“Nice place,” Zak says, looking around. Taking in my space.
“Thanks. It’s not a mansion, but…”
A loud, angry meow cuts me off. Then Crabby appears. My chubby, old, gray cat. All fifteen pounds of grumpiness. He stalks into the room with his tail up and his ears back, takes one look at Zak, and hisses.
“Crabby, no!” I start toward him. “Be nice. This is…”
But then something unbelievable happens. Not only does my asshole cat, who doesn’t ever like anyone, including me sometimes, stops hissing, but his ears come forward. He stares at Zak, and Zak stares back. It’s absolutely fascinating. Like… mutual recognition. Two soul brothers meeting.
Crabby walks to Zak, rubs against his legs, and freaking purrs.
I freeze, staring.
“What the hell?”
Zak crouches down, scratching Crabby behind his ears. And my lunatic cat, leans into it. Eyes closed, purring louder.
“He never does that,” I whisper in complete shock. “He hates everyone.”
Zak glances up at me, eyes twinkling. “He has good taste.”
Crabby headbutts Zak’s hand, demanding more attention, and Zak gives it to him. Running his fingers through his fur.
“Unbelievable,” I mutter.
Then Zak stands, picking up Crabby, still petting him, and settles on the couch with my supposedly anti-social cat in his lap. And they’re so freaking cute, my ovaries might just explode. Big, tall, sexy badass and my frowning ball of fur. Like they’ve known each other forever.
All I can do is stand there blinking like an idiot.
“Well,” I finally say, trying to regain some sense of control. “Thank you for everything. Last night, this morning. I hope your situation gets resolved.”
Zak slowly raises his gaze from Crabby to me, his dark eyes pinning me in place.
“Pack a bag,” he says in his low, gravelly voice, sending an electric current through my body. He lowers his gaze to my cat, who’s still purring like a damn motor. “For you and Crabby.”
I blink. “What?” He just looks up, holding my eyes. “I’m not going back with you.” He cocks one thick, dark eyebrow. “Zak…”
He keeps petting Crabby’s head without looking away from me. “Pack a bag, or I’ll do it for you.”
“You can’t just…”