Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Riley
What the hell did I just hear? The boss I've been secretly crushing on for two months just bought my virginity!
God, please tell me this is some kind of sick joke.
Before I could even process it, two burly men yanked me off the platform the moment I reached the bottom.
"Ah—" I cried out instinctively, but my mouth was immediately sealed with tape. The sharp, chemical smell burned my nostrils.
Next, a cold cloth pressed over my eyes, plunging everything into darkness.
My wrists were wrenched behind my back and tied with rough rope that bit into my skin. The whole thing took less than ten seconds. These guys clearly knew exactly what they were doing.
"You'd better behave," a rough male voice growled near my ear. "Your new owner doesn't like damaged goods."
New owner. The words stabbed into my stomach like red-hot needles.
I was tossed over one of the men's shoulders like a sack of flour. My stomach pressed against his hard shoulder, and every step forced the air out of my lungs. I felt like I might throw up—from nerves or the constant jolting, I couldn't tell.
I bet my ass and breasts were bouncing shamelessly in this position. If the stage had been public humiliation, this was the deluxe version. Thank God I'd already survived that. Never again.
He carried me for what felt like forever, then stepped into an elevator. The weightless drop told me we were going up.
They were probably taking me to the penthouse. I'd heard the staff say only the most important guests ever got access to the top-floor suites.
A door opened, and I was thrown forward, landing hard on something soft. I bounced a few times. A bed. A massive, expensive bed that smelled of rich cologne.
I tried to push myself up, but with my hands tied behind my back, I lost my balance and could only lie on my side.
"Everything is ready, sir," the rough voice said again.
"Get out."
A new voice came from the far side of the room—low, steady, with a faint Russian accent. The kind of voice that could make any woman weak in the knees. Including me.
The door closed with a soft click. My pulse jumped hard.
Steady footsteps approached the bed, unhurried but each one landing on my nerves. The heavy sense of presence grew closer until he stopped right beside the bed. God, I had never been this close to Matvey before.
I held my breath, waiting.
The moment the tape was ripped off, a burning sting spread across my lips.
I sucked in a sharp breath.
A large hand suddenly gripped my throat. Not hard, but firm enough to warn me.
"Don't move," he said, his voice right at my ear, hot breath brushing my skin. "I won't be gentle if you get hurt."
I froze completely. I didn't dare twitch.
Matvey's hand was big and rough. His thumb pressed under my jaw while his fingers rested against the side of my neck. My pulse hammered wildly against his palm. He had to feel it.
"Good girl," he murmured.
Oh God, did he really just say that?
He shouldn't have. Not while my hands were tied and my eyes were covered. The words definitely shouldn't have sent a strange spark straight to my lower belly. But they did.
Damn it.
"Now," his fingers gently brushed my lower lip, wiping away the sticky residue from the tape, "I'll give you a choice."
"Blindfold or rope. I'll remove one first."
What kind of question was that?
My brain short-circuited. Was this some kind of interview? A psychological test? I knew he was strict with employees, but this wasn't the office. Should I be glad he wasn't the one interviewing me? I'd probably get fired on the spot.
I wanted to say remove both, but I doubted he'd accept that.
"The blindfold," I answered, biting my lip.
I was afraid of the dark and of the unknown.
He didn't move right away.
"Reason?" he asked.
"I..." My throat felt dry. "I need to see you."
The words were barely out before I wanted to slap myself.
Riley Quinn, have you lost your mind? That sounded like a line from a cheap romance novel.
He let out a soft chuckle. My ears burned instantly.
It was the first time I had ever heard him laugh. At the office, he always kept a straight face. I used to wonder what it would be like to see him smile—I thought I might not be able to stop myself from kissing the little lines at the corners of his eyes.
"Fine," he said. "Good reason."
The next second, the black cloth was removed from my eyes.
It took my eyes a full two seconds to adjust to the light. The room was enormous—big enough to throw a party for a hundred people.
Then his face came into focus.
If the Matvey I saw at the office was the polished, untouchable man from magazine covers, the one right in front of me now looked like he had stepped straight out of a gritty action movie.
He stood by the bed, leaning over so his face was level with mine. Our lips were only inches apart.
I knew he was handsome, but this close, he was devastating.
His sharp jawline screamed danger. The shadows on his face were sharpened by his straight nose. Those silver streaks at his temples were incredibly sexy. I wanted to reach up and touch them—if my hands weren't tied.
"Do you always stare at people like that?" His tone was casual. I had no idea how to respond.
I nodded, then shook my head.
Please just let me disappear. What was I supposed to say? That I couldn't get enough of his face? Yeah, right.
He didn't seem to care about my answer. His fingers moved to his shirt buttons, popping them open one by one.
One. Two. All the way down. His chest was practically in my face.
There had to be some kind of paradox here. He didn't look this built when he was dressed.
Honestly, I couldn't imagine anyone having a body like this. Broad, powerful upper body, trim waist. His torso formed a perfect V-shape. If he stood there shirtless and motionless, people would mistake him for a lifelike Greek statue.
At least I would.
He shrugged the shirt off and tossed it aside. His chest muscles flexed with each breath. Raw masculine energy rolled off him. I couldn't help squeezing my thighs together.
But...
"Oh my God, why do you have so many scars?" I blurted out.
An eagle tattoo stretched across his chest and abs, ruined by countless scars. Some were long and thin, like knife wounds. Others were round puncture marks.
Bullet wounds? Had he been shot? My heart clenched painfully.
If he weren't standing right in front of me, alive and breathing, I wouldn't believe a human body could survive that. How come he was even still here?
He didn't answer. His mouth tightened briefly as he pressed one knee between my legs.
"Seen enough?"
Shit. Maybe I had stared too long. His expression now clearly said I was in trouble. He leaned closer. The dizzying scent of cedar wrapped around me like a wave, making me feel like I was drowning.
"Sorry..." I finally managed to lower my head.
"You're apologizing to me?" He raised an eyebrow and gripped my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes again.
His narrowed gray-green eyes looked even sharper. A scar at his temple stood out clearly. It should have made him look menacing, but on him, it only added to his dangerous appeal.
"Yes." My gaze locked with his. "I think staring at you made you uncomfortable."
"You?" His fingers tightened as he pressed his body over mine. "Call me Sir."
What kind of filthy position was this? His knee was right against my core!
And at this distance, all I had to do was move my lips a fraction and I could kiss him.
"Yes, Sir..." I whispered carefully, terrified of accidentally brushing his mouth.
He straightened up suddenly, then grabbed the tie of my dress. Just as I expected, it tore apart in one swift motion.
My breasts and sex were completely exposed to the air. I was sure my face was redder than the velvet curtains at the auction.
"Good." His hand slid from my face down to my chest.
God, could he not say "good" in that voice? My spine was melting.
As he touched me, I instinctively sucked in my stomach and tightened my muscles, trying to make my body look better.
"Don't hide." He paused, a flicker of displeasure in his eyes.
"I'm too fat, Sir—" I looked away. "I don't want to ruin your... experience."
His breathing grew heavy. Had I said something wrong?
"What are you insecure about? Do you have any idea how hard my cock got the moment I saw this body?" As he spoke, his hand moved behind me and pulled me firmly against him.
What was he doing? My breasts were now pressed fully against his chest!
His skin wasn't smooth, but it was surprisingly firm and warm... It felt incredible.
"F-cup? Those idiots measuring you must have been blind." A slight smirk tugged at his mouth as one hand cupped my breast. "See? My hand can't even cover half of it."
The soft flesh spilled between his fingers in an obscene way.
I stared at his hand, breathing fast. I felt like I might die.
"This deal is worth every penny."
Deal. The word instantly cooled the heat rushing through me.
Right, Riley. You already knew this. It's just a transaction. This man paid half a million dollars for your first night. He's not here to fall in love.
That's all it is. He doesn't even know who I am.
He doesn't know I've been secretly in love with him for two months, fantasizing about him every time I stepped into the office break room. He doesn't know I keep a tiny photo of him torn from the company annual report hidden in my desk drawer. He knows nothing.
"Crybaby." His rough thumb brushed the corner of my eye.
After a brief sting, he held his finger in front of me. It was wet. I was crying?
I looked up and met his deep eyes. They were more beautiful than any gemstone I had ever seen.
I think God still favors me. Otherwise, why would he have chosen me? This alone was already more luck than I deserved. I didn't dare ask for more.
"Don't look at me like that." He suddenly covered my eyes with his hand.
Then his kiss landed on my lips. My mind went blank. It was almost impossible to believe how wet I got in that single moment.
His lips were softer than I had imagined, and not at all brutal. The taste of whiskey deepened with the kiss, filling my lungs.
Every fantasy I had touched myself to under the covers for the past two months paled in comparison. The real him was far more addictive than anything I could dream up.
His tongue pushed past my teeth into my mouth. I let out a helpless whimper. I had never been kissed like this—actually, I hadn't been kissed much at all. My entire pathetic dating history added up to barely two short relationships.
I melted backward under him, sinking into the soft mattress.
"Didn't any of your ex-boyfriends teach you how to kiss? Open your mouth. Give me your tongue." His words slipped out between our lips.
I did as he said, my head growing hazy like I'd been drinking.
In those two awkward relationships, no one had ever made me feel this clearly that I wanted the man in front of me.
Finally, he lifted the hand covering my eyes and pinched both my nipples at the same time.
I shuddered and broke away from the kiss with a gasp. But those traitorous little peaks hardened into tight peaks under his touch.
"Sir, don't..." I panted, unable to form a full sentence.
"You're sensitive. Think you can handle tonight?" His hand finally left my breasts and moved to my stomach, kneading slowly. "All this soft body feels like it was made for me."
His words sent shivers through me. I could feel my wetness coating my pussy and thighs.
Then he stood up and reached for his belt.
Click.
The belt and trousers slid down his legs. His thighs were powerful and tight, the muscles shifting visibly when he bent his knees. He pushed his underwear down too. Now he was just as naked as I was.
His cock stood hard and proud, the head dark red with blood. Honestly, I had never seen anything that big even in movies. Why did something like that even exist? I swallowed hard. Could I really take all of that?