22. Nikolai
22
Nikolai
The ballroom hums with energy, the sound of clinking glasses and laughter mixing with the string quartet’s elegant strains. But all I can see is her. Sabina stands next to a petite blonde I know to be her best friend, though her companion is nothing more than a blur at the edge of my vision. Sabina commands the room in a way she doesn’t even realize—graceful, powerful, and utterly magnetic. The emerald green dress she wears clings to her every curve, the plunging neckline and daring slit revealing just enough to make my pulse thrum. The golden cuffs glinting on her wrists tighten a grip I already have on her, even from across the room.
She’s mine.
The thought isn’t born of possession but of truth, the kind that cuts deeper than I want to admit. I should walk away, let her continue her evening undisturbed. But the second I see another man lean in too close, his hand brushing her arm, something primal inside me snaps.
Now, she is beside me, and I can’t let her go.
“Where are we going?” she asks, her voice low and even, though I can feel the tension humming in her frame. She lets me guide her through the hall, away from the cacophony of the gala, her hand warm in mine.
“Somewhere we can talk,” I reply, my voice steady but laced with the fire she stirs in me.
The hallway outside the ballroom is quieter, the sounds of the party growing muted and distant. I open a door to a small, elegantly appointed office tucked away just off the main corridor. A leather couch dominates one side of the room, a sleek glass desk on the other. The floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the glowing cityscape, their reflections glimmering like distant stars. I step inside and lock the door behind us with a decisive click.
She raises a brow at the sound. “Planning to interrogate me?” she teases, though the tremor in her voice betrays her calm exterior.
“No,” I say, turning to face her. “But we do need to talk.”
She crosses her arms, the movement plumping her gorgeous tits, pushing them together in the deep neckline of her dress, almost baring her nipples. I want to feel those perfect, full handfuls in my palms, lick her, suck her nipples, make her moan and arch. Instead, I force my gaze back to hers.
She watches me, her full lips tilted in a secret, feminine smile. She knows exactly where my thoughts have wandered.
“Chasing another man away from me so publicly—don’t you think that will get back to your father?” she asks.
I shrug, taking a step closer, breathing in the scent of her hair, her skin. “It will.”
Her brow furrows. “And you’re not worried?”
“Everything is in place for what comes next.” I keep my tone measured. She doesn’t need to know the details—not yet. I won’t let her bear the weight of my plans or the danger they carry. “He’s already lost. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
Her lips press into a thin line, frustration sparking in her eyes. “You could have told me you’d be here tonight. Or sent a warning. Anything.”
“I stayed away from you to keep you safe.” I close the distance between us, my hands finding her hips, pulling her closer. “But the second I saw you tonight...” I trail off, letting my gaze sweep over her. The sight of her is enough to weaken my resolve, to strip away the careful walls I’ve built around myself. “Do you have any idea what you do to me, Sabina?”
Her breath catches, her hands finding my chest, splaying over the fabric of my shirt beneath my jacket. Her touch is electric, a shock that reverberates through my entire body.
“Then don’t stay away,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “Stop pretending you can.”
I don’t hesitate. I pull her full against me and my lips crush hers, my hands gripping her waist. The kiss is raw, desperate, every ounce of restraint I’ve clung to over the past weeks unraveling in an instant. My mouth crushes hers, my tongue pushing past her lips as I take and give, making her gasp and moan. She melts into me, her body molding perfectly to mine as her hands tangle in my hair, pulling me closer.
My hands slide to her ass, her perfect, gorgeous, round ass and I lift her, her legs coming around my waist, the high slit of her dress letting the material fall away. I deepen the kiss, demanding more, taking more, until I’m dizzy with the taste of her, my cock a throbbing ache, demanding release. When I finally pull back, it’s only to rest my forehead against hers, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
I set her back on her feet, her dress falling back into place with a soft swish of silk.
“We should go back,” I murmur, though the words feel like ash in my mouth. I want to take her, fuck her, dominate her, own her. But I force myself to remember where we are and who might be watching. “You’ll be missed.”
She doesn’t respond with words. Instead, her hands slide down my chest, slow and deliberate, a challenge in her darkening gaze. Her eyes are wide, pupils dark and dilated so only thin rims of pale blue iris surround them. Her lips are parted, her breath coming in shallow rasps. Her nipples are hard, delineated by the soft silk.
I can’t stop myself. I palm her breast, rub the pad of my thumb over her nipple through her dress. Her body arches into my touch. She’s so fucking perfect.
“Nikolai,” she whispers, a plea.
I slide my hand beneath the neckline of her dress, my palm against her naked breast. I catch her nipple and pinch, gently. She whimpers. I play with her, watching her face, enjoying the way her eyelids flutter closed, her head falls back as she stands perfectly still, allowing me to pinch and tease, to make her gasp.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I murmur, reluctantly pulling my hand away.
Her eyes open and she meets my gaze, holding it for a long moment. And then she gives me a little shove, pushing me back toward the couch. Amused, I let her push me down until I’m sitting, expecting her to sit beside me.
Instead, she sinks to her knees in front of me, her movements deliberate and sure. My breath hitches, my body going taut as she looks up at me through dark, hooded eyes. My already rock hard cock twitches.
“Sabina,” I rasp, not sure what else I mean to say.
She looks up at me, her gorgeous mouth curved in a knowing smile. Her hands are deft as she undoes my pants and pulls my cock free. It juts forward, so fucking hard it hurts. Her fingers close around me and she runs the tip of her tongue over her lower lip, as if she’s savoring the anticipation.
I’ve imagined this—her kneeling before me, not because I demanded it, but because she chose to. The reality is infinitely better.
“Suck me,” I tell her.
When her mouth closes around me, I groan, the sound low and guttural. Her tongue swirls over the sensitive head before she takes me deeper, her eyes locked on mine. She’s unrelenting, her movements precise, devastating. And the way she’s looking up at me, like my cock is some gourmet treat she’s indulging in.
With another groan, I pump forward, fucking her mouth, my cock sliding in to touch the back of her throat. She moans, not in dismay, but with lust, the sound making me even hotter. She’s fucking enjoying this, enjoying teasing me, pulling me to the edge.
My hands find her hair, threading through the silky strands, anchoring me as she pulls me apart, piece by piece.
“Fuck, Sabina,” I murmur, my voice thick with pleasure. “You’re going to ruin me.”
Her response is a hum of approval, the vibration sending sparks of electricity through my body. My hands tighten in her hair, my hips jerking instinctively, pushing deeper into the hot, wet pull of her mouth.
With a strained groan, I pull her away, guiding her to her feet. Her lips are swollen, her lipstick smeared, her cheeks flushed, her light blue eyes alight with mischief and desire. She looks like sin incarnate, and I want nothing more than to drown in her.
I pull her toward me and cup her face, kissing her fiercely, tasting myself on her lips.
My hands slide down to the slit in her dress, pushing it aside to bare her thigh.
She reaches beneath her dress, slipping her panties down her legs and stepping out of them. Then with a little smile, she balls them up, leans forward, and tucks them into the pocket of my tuxedo.
“Just in case you need a reminder later,” she murmurs.
I laugh, the sound strained, husky. Fuck, this woman undoes me.
Slowly, she pulls her dress up, baring long legs in sky-high heels, then baring her naked cunt. The sight of her, bold and unashamed, steals what little restraint I have left. I pull her onto my lap, and she straddles me, the heat of her searing against my skin.
I slide my hand between her legs. Her cunt is wet, hot, and as I slide a finger in, so fucking tight. I smear her moisture over her clit, the lips of her cunt, and she rocks into my touch with a sexy little gasp.
Her hands grip my shoulders as she lowers herself onto me, and we both moan at the sensation. She’s tight, wet perfection, her cunt enveloping me, stretching to take the width and length of me. I grip her hips, guiding her movements as she sets a rhythm, slow and deliberate at first, then faster, more desperate.
“Fuck, Sabina,” I growl, my hands roaming her body, as she sets a rhythm, slow at first, then faster, more frantic.
Her head falls back, her sleek dark hair cascading over her shoulders as she moves above me. I lean forward and kiss the spot where her neck meets her shoulder, then lick her, tasting the salt of her skin.
I feel her tightening around me, her movements becoming erratic, and I know she’s close. I thrust up to meet her, my fingers moving to her clit, rubbing, stroking, pushing her over the edge. Her climax comes like a storm, her body trembling, her cries echoing in the small room. The sight and feel of her shattering in my arms, the sounds of her release, pull me over the edge, pleasure crashing over me in waves.
For a long moment, neither of us moves. We’re tangled together, our breaths mingling, our hearts pounding in unison. I press a kiss to her temple, my hands gently stroking her back as the world slowly comes back into focus.
“You’re mine,” I murmur again, my voice soft but firm. She is my obsession. “Do you understand that, Sabina? You’re mine.”
She lifts her head to look at me. “And you’re mine,” she whispers, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands as she pushes her hair back from her face.
Eventually, we pull ourselves together, straightening our clothes and stealing one last kiss before stepping back into the hallway. The gala is still in full swing, the noise and lights a stark contrast to the intimacy we just shared.
I walk her back to Nicole and Leo, my hand lingering on the small of her back before I let her go. Leo’s gaze meets mine, and though no words are exchanged, the look he gives me speaks volumes. He’ll stand with me when the time comes. I nod, a silent agreement passing between us.
As I turn to leave, I glance back one last time. Sabina is watching me, her expression unreadable but her eyes blazing with an intensity that burrows into my chest, gnawing at my resolve. It’s almost impossible to walk away, to trust someone else with her safety, even if that someone is Leo Russo, a man who would burn the world to keep his sister safe.
But I am nothing if not a realist. Tonight, I can’t be the one to protect her. Tonight, beside me would be the most dangerous place for her to be.