Chapter 12 – Nik
I’d just stepped out of the shower, and my body was still glistening with water droplets. Steam curled around my skin, the marble floor cool beneath my feet as I strolled over to the minibar.
There, I grabbed a bottle of brandy, popped it open, and poured myself a glass. I lifted it to my face, inhaled the sweet aroma, then took a sip.
My fingers combed through my damp hair, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of my lips. As I stood there with a towel wrapped around my waist, I recalled the way my Dikaya shrank under my gaze last night.
I was certain that my proximity to her on the balcony had more effect on her than she cared to admit. She tried so hard to mask it—but as a master at this game, I easily saw right through her.
The way her breath hitched when I leaned closer, the clenching of her jaw, the heaving of her chest, and the flicker of desire in her eyes all hinted at one thing. The flame ignited within her.
In other words, the girl was turned on. She was horny—and if I’d attempted to kiss her, there was an eighty percent chance that she would’ve kissed me back. I’d played this game long enough to master the art of seduction.
Remembering her struggle to stay calm and composed broadened my smirk. It was amusing how much effort she put into pretending to be unaffected by my advances.
Funny girl!
I drained the drink down my throat and refilled my glass. While at that, my brain was busy cooking up more ways to torture her until she begged me to take her.
She thought she was strong enough to resist me, but last night revealed just how vulnerable she was around me. It was clearly a matter of time before she’d fall for the temptation she’d tried so hard to resist.
A flash of lightning streaked through the dark clouds outside, accompanied by rolls of thunder. In no time, the heavens began weeping.
I gulped down the glass of brandy, sealed the bottle, and, while I was heading over to the king-sized bed, the front door slammed open.
Dikaya barged into my bedroom uninvited, her bare feet padding across the floor. Her eyes were blazing with fury, and a scowl was etched on her face.
For a moment there, I wondered what the hell this was all about. She’d never come in here before—never showed any interest in knowing where I lay my head at night. But for some reason, she had the effrontery to barge in unannounced.
No one had ever invaded my privacy the way she just did. Although I was intrigued by it, part of me couldn’t wait to know what her reason was for acting so recklessly. And whatever it was, it had better be good because I’d hurt people for lesser crimes than this.
She stood a few paces from me, seething with her arms across her chest. Her black, semi-transparent nightgown, a sheer lace chemise, revealed a teasing glimpse of her matching underpants beneath.
The hem of the fabric grazed the smooth curve of her alluring thighs as a light white robe hung loosely over her shoulders.
The see-through fabric did little to conceal the temptation it was meant to cover. Her hair cascaded down her back in effortless waves, and her stormy green-gray eyes sparkled under the soft light.
The intoxicating scent of her perfume drifted into my nostrils, and although she looked pissed, everything about her tonight was seductive.
“You really are heartless, aren’t you?” she attacked me, her voice harsh and stern. “Do you find comfort in watching other people suffer? Why are you so mean?”
I paused, holding her intense gaze. “I’m afraid you’re gonna have to be a little bit more specific than that.”
“I saw Katerina crying in the backyard.”
My brows rose in confusion. “Who?”
“Katerina,” she snapped, irritation flashing in her eyes. “Your maid. You know—one of the decent people keeping this mansion of yours running.”
Silence.
I could now see where she was going with this. A few hours ago, the girl was refilling my glass in my study when she spilled wine on an important document on my table. I snapped at her for being clumsy and ordered her out of my sight.
Now Dikaya was here, seeking justice. How amusing.
“Are you really that self-absorbed that you don’t even know the names of the people who work for you?”
“A good judge doesn’t jump to conclusions based on one side of the story.”
“You yelled at her and sent her out of your sight like she was some riff-raff!”
“She spilled wine on an important document.”
“It was an accident!” she shot back. “She didn’t mean to do it, and she definitely didn’t deserve to be treated like a lesser human being.”
“She is lesser,” I said, trying to push her to her limit.
“No, she’s not!” Dikaya snapped, her eyes blazing with fury.
Gorgeous. I loved it.
“She’s your maid, not your slave!”
A small grin tugged at the corners of my lips. “I don’t see the difference.”
She swallowed her words, and her head shot backward, shocked by my response. “You’re a monster,” she declared, her voice dropping below a whisper.
“I am,” I said coldly. “And you’re in my den, alone…shouting in my face. That’s a reckless move for a smart woman such as yourself.” With that, I stepped toward her, my gaze fixed on her fiery eyes.
“In case you haven’t noticed, Nik, I’m not afraid of you,” she said, staring right at me.
“No, you’re not,” I whispered, closing the distance between us. “You’re afraid of something else—something darker. Something that makes you tremble and makes your heart race when you think about it.”
She swallowed hard and locked her jaw. “Are you projecting your own fears on me, Nik? Is that what you’re doing?”
I towered over her, flashing a cocky grin as my eyes drank in the sight of her sexy body. “Go ahead. Mask your desire with anger all you want, but I see you.”
Silence.
Her chest was rising and falling with measured breaths, her eyes still pinned on me.
“Tell me, Dikaya,” I began, circling around her with slow, calculated steps. “Why are you really here?”
Lightning flashed across the room.
“To call out your bullshit and maybe remind you of what humanity looks like.”
I moved around her like a predator studying its prey, my fingers slipping through a handful of her soft brown curls. The scent of shampoo and conditioner clung to the strands, sweet and clean.
“Then why are you half-naked?” I paused in front of her again with an unwavering gaze. “Did you have to dress up provocatively to make a point?”
A crooked grin played on her lips. “Why? Does it bother you?” she asked, her voice laced with sarcasm. “Is it affecting your focus or maybe making you feel a certain way?”
My expression darkened. “Careful, Dikaya. You keep testing me like that, and I might start taking it personally,” I said, my voice a low whisper.
She paused, her eyes locked to mine, her chest still heaving slowly. “Is that a threat?”
My lips twisted into a mischievous grin. “Stick around long enough, and you’ll find out.”
“Maybe that’s what I want: to find out what you’ll do if I keep pushing,” she answered, her tone quiet, but seductive.
I leaned in to mirror her face, her fresh breath warm against my skin. “You’re playing with fire, Dikaya. And you just might get burned.” I grabbed her arm, watching her expression shift from furious to tense.
Her body collided with mine, her soft breast pressing against my skin. I expected her to resist—to push me away, but she didn’t. She just held my gaze as if daring me to take her despite the glimmer of fear in her eyes.
I released her arm and wrapped my right hand around her waist while caressing her cheek with the other. “Aren’t you going to stop me?” I whispered in her face. “You know what I’m doing. Push me away if you don’t want it.”
Her throat bobbed, her breathing quickened, and her jaw locked, but she said nothing.
Another round of thunder clapped outside.
I pulled her closer, my cock growing harder by the second. “Tell me to stop and I will,” I dared her.
Still not a word, just a look that begged me to take her already.
“You go quiet when you should be running.” My hand slipped to the back of her neck. “Your silence, Dikaya, says more than you think.”
Again, no response. Although seconds ago, her lips had parted as if to speak, but no sound came forth. Her breath caught in her throat, and her defiance faltered. The air between us was charged with tension, and I could almost hear the sound of her beating heart.
She stood frozen in place, a hint of anticipation dancing in her eyes. It was obvious that she wanted me as much as I wanted her. A soft gasp fell from her mouth when I pressed my fingers into the back of her neck.
I pulled her head closer and planted a kiss on those cherry lips of hers. The sudden action stole her breath, drawing an abrupt moan from her. She didn’t kiss me back; instead, she tore her lips from mine.
Her chest heaved more heavily than before, her body trembling as she held my gaze. I didn’t push any further, just waited for her own desire to take control. And it didn’t disappoint.
Seconds later, she damned everything and rushed at my mouth, her lips devouring mine in the heat of passion. I pulled her to myself, reveling in the feeling of her body against me. Her tongue invaded my mouth, our heads tilting to the rhythm of the hunger that fueled our desire.
The light robe slid off her shoulders, revealing the spaghetti straps of her nightgown. I dared to palm her breasts over the fabric of her dress—she didn’t stop me. I squeezed deliciously, molding her gentle swells with soft caresses.
I whisked her into the air, her legs wrapping around me as I headed toward the bed. While still in motion, she continued to devour my lips with an intense fervency that only fueled my lust.
It felt like a dream—but it wasn’t. It was real; we were at last making out.
I lay her back on the bed, her hair sprawling over the pillow as I crawled on top of her. I broke the kiss and stared at her for a moment, savoring the look of want and embarrassment plastered all over her face.