Chapter 17
Chapter
Seventeen
BORIS
Before the party …
I fucking hate Moscow. Dirty streets and dirty homes. New York is similar, I’ll admit, but at least New York has that something special quality. Moscow is just a poor man’s New York.
I can’t wait to get out of this fucking city and return home to New York with Mila by my side. Ever since I laid eyes on the Morozova sisters, I knew I had to have one of them. Viktoriya seemed the obvious choice at first. She’s the oldest and arguably most beautiful with her white blonde hair and intense blue eyes. But that bitch has a mouth on her. She thinks she’s too good for me. I wanted to put her in her place, but instead, I chose to go after Sofiya.
Sweet Sofiya.
She was easy to capture. She would have been mine if that bastard Mikhail hadn’t stolen her away.
So that leaves me with Mila. The most innocent of the bunch. Fine by me. I can easily put that bitch in her place and make her mine. No other man is coming for her. Mila will be sucking my cock soon enough. I’ll have her bred and giving me strong sons to carry on my legacy by the end of next year.
Mila will be mine.
But I have to get her first, and to do that, I’ll need help.
I don’t know Moscow that well. I need a place to smuggle Mila until I can get her back to New York where Mikhail can’t reach her.
That leaves me with only one obvious choice—the one man who’s no longer loyal to Mikhail.
Andrei.
I find him in a bar, nursing a drink. Sunglasses cover his eyes. I heard about what Mikhail did to him. Nasty stuff. Bastard is lucky to be alive—and it’s lucky for me, too.
“Hello, Andrei,” I say, taking the seat across from him.
He sits up straighter. “Who’s there?”
“It’s Boris. Can you really not see at all?”
“I can see shapes but not exact features. Mikhail fucking ruined my eyesight. It’ll never fully return.”
“So, you want to hurt him, I take it?”
A slow smile stretches across Andrei’s face. “I would love to hurt him for what he did to me.”
“I also know you have an interest in his wife. I’d like to offer you a proposition. You and me work together. I want Mila, and you can have Sofiya. I say we take them out right under Mikhail’s nose.”
“But how? He has them under lock and key. Either he’s with them, or a guard is.”
“He’s throwing another party. I can sneak in unnoticed and hide within his house without him knowing.”
Andrei takes a sip of his drink. “You seriously think you can do that? Mikhail is a smart man.”
“Oh, I know he is. But he has a weakness. Sofiya. If he’s paying attention to her, he won’t notice anything else. Trust me, this will work. I’ll smuggle the girls out of the house, and you’ll wait outside. Obviously, we’ll need a driver, but you can help us tell us where to go. And then, you’ll have Sofiya for yourself. How does that sound?”
“I think that sounds like a wonderful plan.” He holds his glass up before chugging it back.
At the party, I blend in with the rest of the men in attendance. Mikhail doesn’t even look my way once. It just so happens that everything works in my favor. Aleksander makes a mockery out of Viktoriya.
Good. That bitch needs to be put in her place.
That leads to Sofiya becoming upset with Mikhail, which I use to my advantage by sneaking into the library near the back of the penthouse. I’ll take the girls later. I just have to wait for Mikhail to clear everyone out and lower his guard.
Then I’ll strike.
I can’t believe how easy this is. Maybe Mikhail isn’t the super smart Bratva leader everyone thinks he is. It’s time for me to show Mikhail someone else is in charge.
SOFIYA
Eventually, I leave Vik’s room and head back to my own. I’m all cried out. There’s nothing left inside me.
Mikhail is waiting in our bedroom. I almost jump at the sight of him. I’m so used to him being in his office or out of the penthouse. Rarely is he just … there.
“Things didn’t go to plan tonight,” he says.
“No? What did you have planned?”
“I don’t appreciate your attitude, Sofiya. I’m going to punish you for how you acted. You embarrassed me in front of my men. That’s unacceptable.”
“Well, you let that man embarrass my sister in front of all your men! You made me cry, Mikhail.”
“I know.” His words throw me up short.
“You knew?”
“I heard you,” he admits. “But you still need to be punished, Sofiya. You know you are not to disobey me. I know you feel happier when you’re submitting to me.”
I hate that he’s right, but,… he’s right. I’m happier when I let Mikhail control everything. It’s strangely freeing.
But he didn’t stand up for my sister when she needed help. Vik told me she doesn’t feel fully safe here, and Mila said the same thing. Mikhail is just proving to me that their worries are valid.
“I still need you to protect my sisters,” I tell him. “I will submit to you, Mikhail, but only if I know, for a fact, that you will be there for them. That you will make sure no other man ever hurts them.”
“You’re not in a position to bargain with me. I will punish you, Sofiya, and then we will talk. I think that’s fair. Now, lie on the bed. I won’t be gentle with you.”
When is he ever?
I lower my eyes because I know Mikhail wouldn’t appreciate me staring him down. Besides, I do need this. I need to know he’s not upset with me.
I also need to know I can depend on him.
With a deep inhale, I lean over the bed. Then Mikhail steps up behind me, and before I can even prepare myself, he spanks me hard . I clamp my lips together to keep from crying. He doesn’t even bother lifting my dress to spank me. For some reason, that makes everything less intimate. It feels … colder. Like Mikhail is still keeping a level of distance between us.
He spanks me again and again and again. Each time, he uses more force. I never thought his hand could hurt more than the paddle, but he’s proving that right now.
Each spank forces me up onto the bed, but Mikhail keeps grabbing my hips and moving me back into position.
“Stay still,” he growls.
“It hurts.”
“Of course, it’s supposed to hurt. It’s a punishment, Sofiya. Be my good girl again and take it.” Spank .
I don’t complain any longer. I’m desperate for him to see me as his good girl.
My hands clutch the bedsheets as I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for this to be over. I want to feel his hand on my skin, but Mikhail doesn’t lift my dress once. He just spanks me through the fabric, over and over.
“Please,” I gasp, unable to take any more.
“We’ll be done when I say we’re done. You need to learn your lesson. Now, tell me. Will you ever embarrass me in front of my men again?”
“No!” I cry out.
“Good.”
Quickly, he pushes my dress up and rolls me onto my back, ripping my panties down. The sudden movement makes me wince as my sore backside touches the mattress. Mikhail unzips his pants and takes out his erection. He pulls my hips to the edge of the bed.
I gasp when he places it against my entrance. I’m also surprised by how warm I feel. He locks his eyes with mine right before entering me.
We moan together. My inner walls clench down hard on him, needing more, always needing more.
Mikhail grips my hips and thrusts into me hard and rough. I let my body relax into the bed and take what he’s doing to me. I need this. The pain and pleasure. The punishment and the forgiveness.
“Are you my good girl?” he asks, grinding his hips against mine.
“Yes,” I moan.
“Are you mine?”
“Yes!”
Despite how upset I am with him, I know I’m still his. I want to be his forever.
I just want him to be mine as well.
“I need more,” I whine, reaching up for him. He grabs my hands and lays them over my head, pressing his chest against mine. It dawns on me that this is the first time we’ve ever had sex in our bed. I’m not sure Mikhail even realizes that. Is this his way of letting me in?
God, I hope so. I just want him to protect and care for me.
I want him to love me.
Mikhail groans as he pushes deeper inside, brushing his length against every part inside of me. Our pace is fast and wild like we don’t have a care in the world. He’s claiming me.
I’ve never seen Mikhail this unhinged during sex before.
“Mikhail,” I gasp out. My hips arch up to meet his.
He growls lower, thrusting harder.
“Promise me you’re mine,” he says in a gentler voice. “Promise me.”
“I’m always yours, Mikhail. Always!”
We come at the same exact time, our bodies shuddering with our release. When I feel his seed inside me, I feel the smallest amount of hope that we’ll have our own child someday and Mikhail will tell me he loves me.
Because I know why I was so upset tonight. It’s because I love him. I’m not falling. I’m already there. But he hurt my heart when he didn’t stand up for Vik, and I don’t know if I can forgive that.
Mikhail gently kisses my neck as he remains buried inside me. My hands cling to his back, keeping him close. I don’t want him going anywhere.
But, eventually, he pulls out of me and stands up, putting his length back inside his pants. “You’re forgiven, Sofiya.”
I almost cry at his words. “Thank you.”
He sighs deeply as he looks me over, gazing at me body sprawled out on the bed. “You’re right. I should have stopped Aleksander from doing that to Viktoriya. She didn’t deserve that.”
“Dance is her life. I know it’s hurting her that she can’t do it normally right now.”
“I didn’t realize what dance meant to her. What it meant to you either.”
I sit up, pushing my dress back down. “I miss it,” I admit. “But not as much as Vik does. Ballet was always her dream. It just became mine because that’s what my father wanted from me. It was exhilarating, though.”
“Dance for me,” he says softly. “But only if you want to. I won’t force you to.”
“I can’t dance in this dress. It’s too tight.”
“So, get naked for me.” His voice turns husky and lights me on fire all over again.
Keeping my eyes on his, I slowly peel my dress and bra off. My underwear is already on the ground. Mikhail looks me over like he always does, with lust and awe.
“Sit down,” I tell him.
For once, he does what I say.
Then I begin to move. I let the familiar motions fill my body. I spin for him. I arabesque for him. I pirouette for him.
I dance for him.
Mikhail doesn’t look away from me once. I want to sink into his gaze and never leave it. I want to know he cares for me. That maybe he loves me, too. Mikhail is a man of action, not words.
But I need to hear the words if I’m ever to fully trust him with my heart. I can’t tell him how I feel unless I know how he feels.
I finish the dance with a bow.
“That was beautiful. You’re exquisite. Just like you were when I first saw you dance. It was the first time I ever saw you.”
I blush at his compliment. It amazes me that I can still blush after everything we’ve been through together. “The first time I saw you was at the funeral. You scared me,” I admit.
“I tend to scare people. After Alexei died … I made myself the scariest I could be.”
I stand between his legs and place my hand over his heart. “You don’t have to be scary with me, Mikhail. You can be vulnerable.”
“You make it sound easy.”
“It can be.”
He cups my hand with his. “For you, maybe. Not for me.”
“Don’t push me away again,” I whisper. “I can’t take it.” I place his hand over my stomach, and he inhales sharply. “I could be pregnant. I don’t even know. But one day, I want to be. And I need to know that I can fully trust you. I know you’ll take care of me, but what about our future child? Or my sisters? I need to know, Mikhail. Please.”
He grabs my hips and pulls me in closer to him. “I will protect your sisters. I know that now. I will never make you doubt me again. As for our future child … I will protect him or her. You have to know that.”
“But will you be able to love him or her?” Will you be able to love me ?
“I will try. That’s the best I can offer right now.”
Mikhail doesn’t know it, but he’s breaking my heart. I can’t force him to love me or our child. I just wish he would.
“Ok,” I whisper, holding back more tears. I didn’t think it was possible for me to cry this much.
“Now, let us go to bed.”
“Will you stay tonight?”
“I will stay tonight,” he says.
That’s something, but it doesn’t wash away my sadness.
Unsurprisingly, when I wake up the next morning, Mikhail is gone. And when I go downstairs, Mary tells me he’s left. Of course, I don’t even know for what. Mikhail doesn’t share much information about what exactly he does. I think it might be better if I don’t always know.
“Do you know when he’ll be back?” I ask.
Mary sneers at me. “Do I look like a clock? I have no idea. Mr. Ivanov will return when he wants to return.”
“Look, Mary, I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I shouldn’t have fought with you.”
“No, you shouldn’t have.” She’s flattening dough with a rolling pin.
“I’m not expecting an apology from you, even though you were the one to slap me.” I know it’s petty. I know Mikhail expects better of me, but when it comes to Mary, I just can’t help myself. She drives me insane.
“I slapped you because you were acting like a brat.”
Her words feel like another slap. Between crying all night, Mikhail spanking me, and him telling me he couldn’t even guarantee loving our future child, I am exhausted.
And I am tired of Mary acting horribly when I’ve done nothing to her.
Instinct takes over me, and I grab the rolling pin from her hands and smack it against her arm. She cries out, backing away from me.
“I am tired of your attitude,” I hiss at her. “You can tell Mikhail about this all you want. I don’t care. But I am done, Mary. Done .” I toss the rolling pin to the ground. It’s satisfying to watch Mary flinch when I do it. “You will treat me with respect, or I will hit you again with that rolling pin. Look at it as karma. You hit me; I hit you back. Now, do your damn job and leave me alone.”
I leave the kitchen, feeling like a badass. I’ve never had the confidence to tell someone off before. It’s exhilarating.
It’s freeing.
I find Vik and Mila in the living room, watching TV.
“You look oddly happy,” Vik comments, muting the TV.
“That’s because I just stood up for myself. Mary won’t bother me again.”
“I’m impressed. Normally, I have to fight your battles for you.”
“Or you’d create them,” I say.
She gasps and pokes me in the arm. “Only you would bring that on.”
“Vik, you were always trying to one-up me. You brought it on yourself.”
She rolls her eyes and turns the TV back on. “Fine. I’ll admit, I can be a little … intense sometimes.”
“Sometimes?” Mila teases, making Vik toss a pillow at her.
We all share a laugh. Looking at my sisters, I know they’ll be all right. Mikhail promised me he would care for them, and I believe him now. It’s just his heart I’m not sure about. Will he ever be able to give it to me? Or will our marriage just be one of lust and discipline?
“I talked to Mikhail,” I say. “You’re safe. What happened at the party last night will never happen again.”
“You’re sure?” Vik asks.
“I’m sure.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” a familiar voice says.
We spin toward the hallway to see Boris pointing a gun at us.
“How did you get in here?” I ask, slowly standing up and blocking his view of Mila. Vik does the same. She wobbles for a second but regains her balance. Her ankle is still pretty weak.
“During the party.”
“You’ve … been here all night and day?” The thought is horrifying.
“And your powerful husband didn’t even realize. Some leader he is. Now, I’ve come for Mila. Hand her over, and no one has to get hurt.”
“You know we’re not going to do that,” I say. Vik and I slowly take each other’s hand. I can feel Mila behind me. I just hope she doesn’t move. Boris cannot have her.
“What’s going on in here?” Mary asks, entering the room. Boris immediately turns to her and fires. The bullet lands in her stomach, knocking her to the floor. Mila screams, I gasp, and Vik stands there with her mouth gaping open.
“Think I’m still not serious?” Boris asks.
The front door bursts open, and the guard, Fedor, runs inside. Boris shoots him before Fedor even gets the chance to raise his gun. It’s a headshot. Fedor slumps to the ground, right beside Mary.
“I am taking Mila with me,” Boris says. “No one else has to die. Besides, Andrei is waiting for you, Sofiya. You’re coming with us.”
I go rigid. “Andrei?”
“What about me?” Vik asks. “Anyone coming for me?”
“Not this time.” Boris sneers at her. “You think you’re so special, but no man will ever want you. Not with your bitchy attitude. If you don’t move, I will kill you. I have no need for you.”
Vik takes a step forward. “No. I am not moving so you can take my sisters away and do god knows what to them. I would rather die.”
I stare at Vik in astonishment. Vik has always been a confident woman, but this is the first time I’ve ever heard her truly fight for Mila and me.
Boris shrugs. “Then so be it.” He fires his gun at her.
But I push her out of the way at the last minute. A sharp, hot, stinging sensation enters my arm and I scream, clutching my bicep. Looking down, I see blood seeping from a small wound.
“Mila, run!” I shout. She remains frozen. “Mila!”
That jerks her out of her shock, and she takes off running towards the kitchen. Boris follows after her.
Vik turns to me. “Are you all right?”
“I got shot. But it’s not life-threatening. I’ll be fine for the moment.”
“Good. Then we need to get Mila.” Vik, despite her weak ankle, takes off running after them.
I follow at a slower rate, my arm killing me. Right when I pass Mary’s body, I hear her moan. Shocked she’s still alive, I glance down at her.
“Help me,” she gurgles out, blood staining her teeth.
“I’ll try,” I tell her before running into the kitchen.
Mila has a knife and has placed herself on one side of the island while Boris is on the other. “Come to me, Mila.”
“No,” she says. “I’m tired of being nice to you. I don’t want to marry you.”
“You said Mikhail was keeping us apart.”
“It was a lie.”
The anger that seeps across Boris’s face sends chills through me. Vik runs right up to Boris and jumps onto his back, trying to grab the gun from him, but he manages to keep it out of reach from her. He slams her back against the counter again and again until she lets go and stumbles to the ground. Boris aims his gun at Vik, but I place myself over my sister’s body.
“Don’t!” I shout, raising my hands. “Boris, don’t.”
He hesitates. “Why shouldn’t I kill her?”
“Because … because I’ll go with you. You wanted me first. So, take me this time. Both you and Andrei can have me.”
“Sofiya, no,” Vik groans, sitting up. I ignore her and keep my eyes locked with Boris’s.
“I’ll go with you. Just spare Vik’s life.”
“You’ll come without a fight?” he asks.
“Yes.”
He nods at Mila. “And I’m taking Mila. I don’t want Mikhail’s used goods, but Andrei does. He can have you while I have Mila.”
My eyes flick over to Mila, who’s frozen solid. I hate myself for what I say next. “Fine. Take both Mila and me. Just don’t kill Vik.”
Mila gasps and backs away, the knife in her hands clattering to the counter.
I promised to always protect my baby sister, and I just broke that promise. I have to believe we will make it out of this.
But Boris was so close to killing Vik, and I couldn’t let that happen.
“Mila and I will go with you,” I say. “Leave Vik out of this.”
“Deal,” Boris says super quickly. He points his gun back at her face, but Vik doesn’t flinch. She only keeps her head held high as he speaks. “No funny business. No more trying to attack me. You will stay here, or I will shoot you.”
Vik looks like she’s going to object, but I nudge her and catch her eye, giving her a small nod. I can see the worry in her expression, but she slowly nods back. “I’ll stay here,” she tells Boris.
“Good. Now, let’s go, girls. I don’t have all day.”
Slowly, I get back up, my eyes trained on Boris’s gun. He turns to Mila and grabs her arm before she can run. He walks the two of us out of the room.
Glancing back, I see Vik on the floor, absolute pain in her eyes. My brave older sister, unable to protect us. I know it’s breaking her heart.
“I’m sorry,” Mila whispers to me.
“What for?’
“For not fighting harder.”
It dawns on me then—Mila, the one Vik and I were trying so hard to protect, felt the need to protect us both. I guess my sisters and I all share something in common beyond ballet.
We all want to protect each other.
But Boris has made sure we couldn’t keep that promise to each other.