Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Riley
Were the things he said true or false?
I didn't know. Didn't want to know.
"Riley, trust me, I'd do anything for you." His urgent voice stopped my hand on the door handle.
"Anything?" I looked at him. "Even swallow that damn pride of yours?"
I learned when I was five—promises like that were bullshit. Nobody could do anything for another person... He wouldn't even choose me firmly in front of Veronica. He was the pakhan of the bratva. He was powerful enough. Did he really need to be controlled by anyone?
Did he think a few words would make me understand him, trust him, then compromise myself for some so-called love?
"Whatever you want." He pulled me into his arms, holding me carefully. "Forget pride—you want the world, I'll give it to you."
Had Matvey lost his mind?
"I don't want the world. I want you to serve me." I forced the words through my teeth. "The way you demanded I serve you."
I'd bet that kind of servile obedience would make him feel humiliated and furious. Then he'd get pissed, decide I was unreasonable, dump me on the street, and drive off.
And this whole thing could finally be over.
"I will." He didn't get angry. There was even relief in his voice. "My princess."
What?
He kissed my ear, trailing down to my cheek. One hand cupped the back of my head while the other slipped under my clothes, kneading gently.
"Let's go somewhere else." He kissed me once more reluctantly before letting go, reaching for the wheel. "Soon."
The car stopped in front of a five-star hotel.
The second we walked into the hotel room, we crashed together.
His mouth found mine with an urgency that stole my breath, but this time—God, this time was different.
He kissed me like I was something precious, something that might break.
His hands framed my face so gently I barely recognized them as the same ones that had gripped me so roughly before.
My heart stuttered. This wasn't the Matvey I knew.
His tongue swept against mine, slow and thorough, like he had all the time in the world. Like he was savoring me. One hand slid into my hair while the other traced down my spine, leaving heat in its wake. I found myself melting into him, my fingers clutching his shirt.
When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, something in my chest went soft.
Before I could process it, he scooped me up. I yelped, grabbing his shoulders.
"What are you—"
"Shh." He carried me toward the bathroom. "Let me take care of you."
He set me down on the marble counter and turned on the shower. Steam began to fill the space as he came back to me, slowly peeling away my clothes. Each brush of his fingers was reverent, almost worshipful. He stripped me bare, then stepped back to look at me.
"Beautiful," he murmured.
My cheeks burned. "Stop staring."
"Never." But he guided me under the spray, following me in.
The hot water felt amazing, but it was nothing compared to his hands. He grabbed a washcloth and soap, lathering it up, then began washing me with an attention to detail that made my breath catch. He started with my shoulders, working his way down my arms, my back, my stomach.
Every touch was careful. Tender. His fingers traced patterns on my skin, and everywhere he touched came alive. By the time he reached my breasts, I was trembling.
"Matvey..." My voice came out shaky.
"Shh." He cupped them gently, thumbs circling my nipples until they peaked. "Let me."
His hands continued their journey—over my ribs, my hips, down my thighs. When he knelt in front of me, washcloth forgotten, I nearly lost it. He pressed kisses to my hip bones, my lower belly, getting closer and closer to where I was aching.
"I can wash myself," I managed.
He looked up at me, water streaming down his face, and smiled. "Didn't you tell me to serve you?"
My face went hot. Damn him.
He stood, turning off the shower, and I thought we were done. But then he moved to the enormous soaking tub, turning on the taps.
Then he lifted me again.
"Matvey, I can walk."
"I know." He lowered me into the tub, the water almost too hot, then climbed in behind me.
I gasped as he settled me between his legs, my back against his chest. His arms came around me, one hand splaying across my ribs just under my breasts, the other resting on my thigh.
"Comfortable?" His breath was warm against my ear.
I couldn't speak. Could only nod.
We stayed like that for a moment, just breathing together. Then his hand began to move. The one under my breasts slid up to cup one, thumb brushing over my nipple. The other hand drifted higher on my thigh.
"Matvey."
"Shh. Relax." His fingers found me, slipping between my folds.
The water made everything feel different—silkier, more intense. He circled my clit slowly, and I moaned, head falling back against his shoulder.
"That's it," he murmured against my neck. "Let me hear you."
His fingers moved faster, alternating between circling and pressing. I was already sensitive from earlier, and it didn't take long before I was panting. When he slipped a finger inside me, I cried out.
"God, you're perfect." He added another finger, pumping them in and out. "Feel how wet you are for me."
I turned my head, seeking his mouth, and he kissed me deeply as his fingers worked me higher. The water splashed as my hips moved, chasing the pleasure building inside me.
"Come for me," he breathed against my lips. "Want to feel you."
His thumb pressed hard on my clit, and I shattered, crying out as waves of pleasure crashed through me. He held me through it, fingers gentling, murmuring praise in my ear.
"So beautiful when you come. So perfect. My perfect girl."
Before I'd fully come down, he was lifting me out of the tub. He dried us both quickly, then carried me to the bed. The cool sheets felt amazing against my heated skin.
He laid me out, then began touching me again. His fingers traced every curve, every line of my body. When he reached my breasts, he lowered his head and took one nipple into his mouth.
I arched off the bed. "Matvey..."
He switched to the other breast, sucking and licking until I was squirming. Then he kissed his way down my stomach, spreading my legs.
"So pretty," he murmured, then pressed a soft kiss to my clit.
I jerked, oversensitive, but he held my hips down. His tongue traced through my folds, licking up the wetness there. When he focused on my clit, sucking gently, I thought I might die.
Then he moved, lying down beside me.
"Come here." He tugged at my hips.
I looked at him, confused. He wanted me to—
"Sit on my face."
My eyes went wide. "What? No, I'm too heavy."
"You're perfect." He pulled harder. "This weight is exactly what I need. One pound less and I wouldn't enjoy it."
"Matvey."
"Riley." His voice dropped, commanding. "Sit on my face. Now."
My body obeyed before my brain could catch up. He positioned me over him, hands gripping my thighs, and pulled me down.
The first touch of his tongue made me moan. He licked up through me, then focused on my clit, sucking hard. The angle was intense, overwhelming. I tried to lift up, but he held me firm.
"Stay," he growled against me, the vibration making me shudder.
His tongue was relentless, licking and sucking, occasionally dipping inside me. I was already sensitive from coming twice, and the pleasure was almost too much. My thighs trembled on either side of his head.
"Oh God!" I grabbed the headboard, trying to stay upright. "Matvey, I'm—"
He sucked hard on my clit, and I came apart, pleasure so intense I saw stars. But something else was building, pressure mounting in a way I'd never felt before.
"Matvey, wait!" I tried to lift up. "I'm going to—"
He held me down, tongue working faster, and then I couldn't hold back. I squirted, fluid gushing into his mouth. I was mortified, trying to pull away, but his grip was iron.
When he finally let me move, he shifted me down to straddle his hips. I felt his cock, hard and thick beneath me. He looked up at me, eyes dark, and swallowed.
He swallowed it.
"Matvey!"
He sat up, pulling me against him, and kissed me deeply. I could taste myself on his tongue. Then he positioned me over his cock and thrust up.
I cried out at the sudden fullness. I was so sensitive, still pulsing from my orgasm, and having him inside me was almost too much.
"Can't wait," he groaned against my neck. "Need you."
His hands gripped my hips, lifting me and pulling me down on his cock. The pace was fast, desperate. Each thrust hit deep, making me see stars.
"One more," he demanded. "Give me one more."
"I can't—"
"Yes, you can." He reached between us, thumb finding my clit. "Come on my cock."
The combination of him filling me and his thumb on my clit sent me over again. I came with a sob, body clenching around him.
"Fuck, Riley!" He pulled me tight against him and thrust up hard, coming with a groan that I felt through his whole body.
We stayed like that, breathing hard, bodies still joined. His arms were wrapped around me, holding me close.
"I really do love you, Riley." His voice was rough in my ear. "Love you so damn much."
I thought I'd misheard. This wasn't something Matvey would say.
"What are you talking about?" My voice was hoarse.
He'd made me scream and shout, so speaking at all was an achievement.
"I never saw you as a toy." Each word was deliberate. "Never."
Toy. The word was a needle, finding a wound that hadn't healed.
"Stop joking. It's not funny." My arms, which had been holding him, fell away.
"I'm not." No hesitation. "I know you don't trust me right now. That's okay. I'll prove it with my actions. Everything I'm saying is true."
His words felt too empty. I couldn't trust him so easily anymore. I wasn't alone now—there were two little ones in my belly. I couldn't risk them.
My chest tightened again.
"Didn't you say so yourself?" I turned my head away. "That I was just for fun."
His breathing paused.
"That was for Veronica to hear." He lifted his head from my ear to look at me. "Riley. I've told countless lies in my life. But that wasn't one of them."
This was when I should blame him, even mock him for using such clumsy lies to deceive me over and over. I wouldn't fall for it again.
But unfortunately, that flutter appeared in my chest almost instinctively.
My body always accepted him before my brain could catch up. Hours ago, I'd sworn never to be fooled again, but he'd only needed a few tricks to crush all my defenses. My body's instinct was overwhelming. I hated myself for it.
"I know it's not easy to trust me unconditionally right now."
He leaned down, forehead against mine, breath falling on my lips—warm enough to make me tingle. We were close enough that I could see his lashes clearly. See, Riley? The moment his handsome face appears in front of you, you're completely lost.
Damn it!
"I'll prove it another way. Everything I'm saying is real." His voice was low, each word brushing my lips.
This closeness, this breathing, was more deadly than any words of love. I gripped the sheets beneath me. He didn't kiss me again, just traced my lower lip with his thumb over and over. I could feel my breathing becoming erratic, chest rising and falling rapidly.
There was a voice in my heart telling me to confess everything—tell him there were two babies in my belly, his babies. But I didn't dare. I didn't know if he'd accept them. If this was all fake, he'd definitely force me to abort them. After all, he'd once wanted to kill me.
"Your heart is racing." His voice was low, fingertip sliding down my neck to rest on my chest. "Faster than before."
"That's because I'm tired." Not really a lie—this reaction definitely included fear.
"Is it?" He raised an eyebrow, but his hand didn't move. "Then why didn't you push me away? I gave you chances."
I couldn't speak. He was right. I'd had countless opportunities to stop, but I never did.
I hated how he saw through everything, and I hated even more how my body never lied to him. My mind screamed for me to run, but the moment he came an inch closer, my instincts betrayed me, surging toward him like a tide.
This feeling of wanting to refuse but being uncontrollably drawn to him was tearing me in two.
"Move into the manor." He said suddenly. "There's a whole garden. The flowers you like—I had them all planted."
The flowers I liked? I'd never told him what flowers I liked.
"How do you know what I like—"
"I know everything about you," he said. "You detour on your way home from work to see those hyacinths in the hospital flower bed. You thought nobody noticed."
My eyes widened. He'd been watching me. These little habits I hadn't even paid attention to myself—he remembered them clearly. Had he been stalking me? That night too—if he hadn't shown up in time, I would have been...
No. Riley, wake up. I used all my strength to swallow that sweetness, propping up my weak body to sit up.
"I want to go back to my own apartment," I said.
His expression darkened immediately.
"Do you even have the strength to get out of bed?"
I nodded, struggling to sit up, but he pressed my shoulder and pushed me back down.
"Your body is still weak." The hardness in his tone hadn't diminished at all. "The manor has doctors, servants, and the most reliable security. Your apartment isn't safe."
"I've lived there for over a year without anything happening."
"My woman shouldn't be in danger." His jawline tightened.
His woman... Words that made my heart race.
"Matvey." I looked directly at him, throwing his own words back at him. "Didn't you say you'd prove it with actions? Then start now."
"I'm telling you now—I want to go back to my own home. If you respect me, you'll take me back."
He stared at me for a long time, so long I thought he was going to lock the suite door and use his favorite method to shut me up. But he didn't.
"Fine." He forced the word through his teeth, as if using all his self-control. "I'll take you back."
He got out of bed and bent to pick up the scattered clothes. Moonlight outlined the scars across his back and the solid lines of muscle—that body I knew so well now filled me with mixed feelings.
He'd actually compromised. For the sake of the "proof" he'd just promised, this man who never took no for an answer, who hated anything beyond his control—he'd compromised.
I buried my face in my knees so he wouldn't see my reddening eyes.
How I wished I could trust him without reservation.