Chapter Seven
Maeve
Draven brought me to an amazing orgasm—the first one I ever had with a man—and then we had lunch, and it was like nothing happened.
I was confused. After lunch, he kissed me on the head and left. Even more confused.
So, I spent the rest of the day in the library, with the book opened at exactly the same page as when I had started. There was no way I could read the words before me. They made absolutely no sense. I didn’t even know what book I was reading.
Staring across the room, I kept replaying the events with Draven.
By dinnertime, I still didn’t understand what the hell was going on.
My mind was a scrambled mess. I tried to think of something else, but my frustration level had kicked up a notch.
Instead of going to my room or watching a movie, I changed into a pair of yoga pants and a large, oversized sweatshirt, and instead went to the gym I had barely frequented since I got here.
There were weights, running machines, bikes.
Everything everyone wanted at a gym was here.
There was also a punching bag in the corner and seeing as I was headed there, I got set up, preparing my knuckles. I refused to hold back.
My mind was completely frazzled. What did Draven want? Did he just want to own me? Was that it? Did he want to drive me crazy with all these questions I had?
I had never fallen for a guy. I had never been interested in anyone.
That was why I was still a virgin, although I had wanted to cause a mass rebellion that made me the worst candidate to be sold.
It hadn’t worked. The hair didn’t matter.
My ink didn’t matter. My bad attitude hadn’t changed things.
Begging hadn’t helped. It didn’t matter, because my fate had been sealed.
I imagine even if I wasn’t a virgin, I still would have been on that damn chopping block.
Standing in front of the punching bag, I expected to envision Draven. The only problem was, I didn’t want to hurt Draven. He had saved me, and I imagine more than the first time I had seen him do so.
Drawing my fist back, I hit the bag, which was hard and barely moved.
I had to put more force into it. I saw my father and mother, and I lashed out, swiping at the bag to the point I completely stopped counting.
I kept hitting, and then I thought of my brothers.
How they would gloat and the way they would look at me as if I was nothing.
Then my sister, who would always have a nasty word to say.
For the last twenty-one years, I unleashed hell onto the punching bag, and not once did I think about Draven. He didn’t incite my anger.
There was a sudden whistle as I hit the bag for the last time. I was covered in sweat, and I turned to find Draven standing in the doorway, clapping his hands.
“Well done,” he said. “Were you thinking about me?”
“No.”
He sighed. “So, what could incite such anger and passion in you?” he asked, getting closer.
I turned so I was able to watch him getting closer. “My family.”
“Your family?”
“Yeah. I ... hate them.” I press my lips together and look at him.
“Do you consider them your family?”
“No. They don’t give a shit about me.” I couldn’t help but force a laugh. “They sent someone to kill me, remember? It wasn’t enough that they traded my life for theirs, but they wanted to finish the job.” I hold onto the punching bag. “Do you know why?”
“A power play.”
“Power play?”
“Yes, to see who is stronger, me or them.”
“Who is?” I asked.
“Me.”
I nod. “Of course.”
“Maeve, I haven’t gotten this far in life because I followed in my father’s footsteps. My father was charismatic. He knew how to talk to people. How to treat people. He earned a lot of people’s respect.”
“And you don’t?”
“I’m not someone who is liked. I earned my place today because I wouldn’t back down.” His hands were clenched into fists. “I fought my way to the top.”
“It must be nice,” she said.
“Why?”
“Because your dad did all of this for you, and you can either keep it or lose it. It’s entirely up to you. No one can take any of this away from you. I didn’t have a chance, nor did I have a choice.”
“What do you want now?” he asked.
This question took me by surprise. “What does it matter?”
“It doesn’t. Would you want to be free? Would you want to get revenge on your family? What would you want?”
I hadn’t thought about what I would want. Did I want to be free of Draven? Did I want to make my family suffer? I hated them. I didn’t hate Draven, though.
My head was so scrambled.
“I don’t know. I would have to think about it.
For a long time, I just wanted to be ...
I don’t know, able to make my own choices.
” I shook my head. “If I walked away, my family wouldn’t stop coming for me or attempting to kill me.
” I shrugged, it was a pointless question.
“Have you come back to confuse me some more?”
“Confuse you?”
“Yeah, do you just want to play with me, pull my strings, and leave me without knowing what the hell to do?” I asked. I had every intention of keeping my upset to myself.
“What do you want, Maeve?” he asked.
“What do you want with me? Am I just some toy for you to play with when it suits you? Do you want to mess with my head, so I don’t know if I am coming or going? What do you want?” I can’t believe I am getting angry right now.
“I want you to go upstairs, go to my bedroom, strip naked, shower, and then I want you dried and ready at the foot of my bed.”
His order takes me by surprise. It is on the tip of my tongue to tell him to fuck off, but why would I do that, when this was also exactly what I wanted?
“Do you need me to tell you twice, because if you do, there is going to be a punishment for you.”
I should tell him to go and get fucked. Only, I take one step in front of the other and make my way upstairs, straight to his bedroom. I don’t even hesitate as I strip naked, turn on his shower and step into the spray that has already warmed up.
I’m nervous and excited at the same time. I feel my hands shake a little, and I quickly lather the sponge with some soap. Rubbing the sponge all over my body, in the back of my mind, I can’t help but wish I had Draven’s hands on me. I’m clearly a fucking idiot.
Next, I shampoo my hair, and I don’t linger. Next, I condition it, and once I am done, I step out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around my hair, I quickly dry my body.
He didn’t want me in any clothes.
I quickly use the spare toothbrush, brush my teeth so I don’t have bad breath.
My hair was as dry as it was going to get, and I swipe a brush through it.
Once I was done, I looked bright red and flushed. But I had followed his instructions, and now I stepped into his bedroom.
He is nowhere to be found. He wanted me at the foot of the bed, and that is where I stand and wait.
I’m not sure how long he expects me to wait. I don’t know what to do with my hands. Should I cover my body? Put them at my sides? Ugh, this was so frustrating.
I put my hands at my sides and just wait. That is all I can do right now. I take another deep breath, and it was during this exhale that the bedroom door opened.
Draven stepped inside. He’d removed his shoes, along with his jacket.
He was in the process of taking off his shirt, and I couldn’t help but watch as he exposed his back full of ink.
Nibbling my bottom lip, I couldn’t help but admire his body as he took his pants off, and he was in a pair of black boxer briefs. He looked so in control. So composed.
And so sexy.
He doesn’t remove those briefs, and then his attention is all on me, and there is nowhere else I want to look. My focus is on him.
“Spread your arms out,” he said.
Holding my hands out to either side, I know deep down I should be nervous, but I’m not. I trust Draven. He has never done anything but proven he was on my side.
****
Draven
I know I should tell her what my plan was. That I had killed her brother. I had already been sent the report that he died this evening. There was nothing that could have been done. The drugs he had taken had shut his body down, organ by organ.
Her family home was gone, burnt down. I made sure nothing could be saved. All their possessions were gone.
Mikhail Vasiliev had also lost a few businesses tonight.
I do not take attacks lightly. This is why the Mafia and Bratva give me a wide berth. This is my territory. I don’t take kindly to anyone disturbing my peace. But I was not going to destroy her peace tonight. Maeve didn’t need to know. They certainly hadn’t cared about her. But I did.
Putting my hands on her hips, I wait to see if she flinches. Nothing. Staring into her blue eyes, I know what I see, and I am honestly amazed. Maeve trusts me. I don’t know how I have been able to accomplish that feat, but I have.
I spin her around, and she lowers her arms so she doesn’t hit me, and her back is to me.
Let’s see how much trust she has when she cannot see me.
I run my hands up and down her sides, skimming the tips of my fingers against her flesh.
Slowly, I stroke up toward her breasts, over the buds, then curling around her breasts, down toward her hips.
I love everything about her body. She is fucking perfect for me in every single way.
I had been watching her for a while as she unleashed all kinds of hell on that punching bag. I did think she was thinking about me, but I saw her eyes, and she didn’t look at me in anger. I had won her over. I had her trust.
Moving her hair out of my way, I tilted her head to the side and slid my tongue across her neck.
She let out a gasp, and I growled against her throat.
She had a sensitive neck, and as I bit down on that pulse, I heard her gasp, followed by her moan.
I cupped her tits in my palm and felt the hard peaks.
She cried out as I pinched those buds. Not enough to cause pain, but enough to make her ache.
Letting go of one of her tits, I slid my hand down between her thighs to find her clit, and I stroked across the bud. Back and forth, I worked her nub, and at the same time, I continued to kiss her neck and drive her crazy. I also had my hand on her tit, circling the tight bud.
Within minutes, I knew she was close to orgasm, and I kept her at that point, dancing to that peak, not wanting to push her over just yet. I wanted to drive her wild.
She screamed my name, and I didn’t hold back. I let her fall into that peak, wrapping my arm around her waist as her body gyrated back against me.
Before she had even finished coming down from that peak, I took her to the bed.
She was a virgin, and I didn’t want her to feel any pain.
Spreading her legs, I kissed the inside of her knee and alternated with her other knee.
She whimpered my name as I kissed up the inside of her thighs.
Sliding my hands up, I pressed them open.
She had a small patch of hair that covered the lips of her pussy.
Using the tips of my fingers, I spread her open and looked at her beautiful, swollen clit.
She was going to be sensitive but that was how I wanted her.
Taking that nub into my mouth, I used my teeth and bit down just enough, not to cause pain but for her to be swamped by pleasure.
I let it go, then slid my tongue back and forth across her nub.
I loved the taste of her sweet cunt. Knowing no other man had been here before felt fucking pure and primal, and I couldn’t help myself as I took a taste of her. She was everything. Sweet nectar.
My dick ached, and I couldn’t wait to be balls-deep inside her and feel that tight cunt wrapped around my cock.
She shook from her previous orgasm, but I was a master and her body would dance to my tune. I teased her clit, allowing her to get accustomed to the feel of me, and then I pushed her to the edge.
I drew every last piece of pleasure out of her, dancing her to that peak, and only when I knew she couldn’t take any more of my teasing did I push her right to the end and thrust her into an orgasm that made her scream and cry.
I loved the sounds she made—the sweetest music I had ever heard. I didn’t want it to stop, but while she was still in the throes of her orgasm, I made my move.
This was going to hurt. I didn’t want to hurt her. It was the last thing I wanted to do. However, pain was a necessity to make her mine. If this was the only pain I would ever cause her, then I was more than happy to accept that.
I moved between her thighs, saw her eyes slightly glazed over from the orgasm, and then I reached between us and took hold of my dick.
I fucking ached to be inside her. Staring into her eyes, I watched as I lined my cock up to her virgin pussy, then I slammed forward, breaking through her hymen, tearing into her, filling her tight heat with my dick.
Even though I had done everything to prepare her, Maeve still cried out. I still caused her pain, which was not my intention. I hated hurting her. But I held myself still within her and took hold of her hands, pressing them either side of her head and staring into her eyes.
I did not apologize, because I was not sorry.
This woman was mine.
She belonged to me.
And now, she was never getting away.