Chapter 19 – Blair
Ever since he found out about the pregnancy, Nik had been watching my every move like a hawk. Everywhere I turned in the house, he was there—in the garden, at the gym, in the foyer. I couldn’t go anywhere without sensing his presence.
He’d made himself my personal bodyguard, observing me from a distance. At first, I felt suffocated, but as the days blurred by, I grew used to seeing him around more often. The only problem was that with all that attention on me, it was difficult to do my job.
So far, I hadn’t found anything linking him to the disappearances in the city. He’d once told me his organization wasn’t involved in such activities, and although I wasn’t sure whether or not I believed him, I still had nothing on him. Yet.
But just because he wasn’t guilty of human trafficking didn’t mean he wasn’t guilty of other crimes.
Nik Tarasov was a bad man, and bad men deserved to be locked up for all their atrocities.
At least that’s what I kept telling myself each time a part of me was starting to see him in a different light.
I’d broken his rules and defied him more than anyone else ever had, yet this monster had never hurt me. If he was the beast I thought he was, I wouldn’t still be alive now—especially after all the stubbornness I’d shown.
Why would someone as cruel as Nikolai Tarasov be so lenient with a girl like me? He was right when he said there were a million ways he could make me suffer without ever touching me. But why hasn't he punished me yet?
I wasn’t eager to get on his bad side; I just needed some answers because things weren’t adding up anymore. The man whose name struck fear into the hearts of many across the street was gradually becoming someone I could hardly recognize.
In all sincerity, deep down, I liked this new version even though I hadn’t admitted it yet. This child in my womb must mean everything to him, given the lengths he was willing to go to keep it safe.
Tonight, I was seated in the library, struggling to concentrate on the novel in my hand, but my eyes kept darting toward him.
His presence was a welcome distraction, offering some sense of safety and peace.
He was lounging on the couch across from me, cradling a glass of wine in his hand as he skimmed through a book.
Nik had been sitting here with me for the past thirty minutes, and he hadn’t said a single word since then. I was bored in my room and decided to feed my mind with a book. However, I hadn’t spent ten minutes alone in the library before he arrived.
I pretended not to have noticed him, thinking he would just check on me and then leave. But he didn’t. Instead, he grabbed a book from the shelf, poured himself a glass of wine, and sat down at a distance, minding his own business.
It had now been over thirty minutes, and there was still no sign of him leaving anytime soon. I honestly wanted to ignore him for as long as possible, but from the look of things, I was the one distracted by his commanding presence.
He seemed to be doing just fine on his own, acting like I didn’t exist, even though he was the one who encroached on my space. The sweet aroma of the wine he was sipping drifted into my nostrils, blending with the scent of his expensive cologne.
His physique was highlighted by the table lamp beside him, his muscles rippling beneath his V-neck shirt. He sat with his legs crossed, his posture radiating confidence and style. My eyes flicked to the jagged scar along his jawline as I wondered how he even got it in the first place.
His short black hair was slightly tousled, slicked back effortlessly as he sipped from his glass in peace.
Unable to endure the silence anymore, I lowered the book from my face. “Don’t you have someplace better to be—some important meeting to attend?” I asked him, my voice tinged with a hint of frustration.
Without taking his eyes off the pages of the book, he answered, “No.”
My brows furrowed, accentuating the frown on my face. “Well, I’m pretty sure you’re stressed out from the day’s work, and your body needs rest.” I paused, my gaze unwavering. “Your bedroom is across the hall.”
“Why are you trying so hard to get rid of me?” he asked, still not bothering to look in my direction. “Does my presence bother you?”
“As a matter of fact, it does,” I answered, my voice rising a little higher than average.
“Why?”
“Are you kidding me?” I set the book on the nearby table and rose to my feet. “You’re always in my space—you won’t let me go, and you won’t let me breathe,” I rambled on, words flowing rapidly.
Finally, he lifted his head and faced me, his expression soft but unreadable. “It is my duty to protect what’s mine.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “You think spending a million dollars at the auction to ‘buy’ me somehow gives you authority over my life?” I asked, my tone low and venomous. “You think you own me because of that? Well, newsflash, I belong to no one.”
He set the book aside and quietly rose to his feet, his imposing six-foot towering over me. “You know,” he began, taking silent steps forward, “I couldn’t figure out why you disliked being around me. I thought it was because of your so-called hatred for me.”
He halted in front of me, his lips curling into a faint smirk. “But now I know why.”
I swallowed hard, struggling to be unaffected by how close he was to me. His scent was intoxicating—traces of sweat, his cologne, steel, and expensive tobacco. The sight of his muscles and rugged physique caught my eyes, stirring emotions I’d tried so hard to bury.
He reached out and ran the back of his hand along my arm, his touch awakening the passion in my heart. And just like that, something sparked inside me—dark and primal. I hated how much my body betrayed me around him and how easily he set my soul on fire.
My gaze dropped to the floor, my heart pounding loudly. Nik lifted my chin, his cold, hollow eyes staring into mine. The hunger in their depths fueled the flame burning inside me, and although I tried to hide my arousal, it was clear he could see right through me.
“You don’t avoid being around me because you hate me,” he said softly. “You do that because you’re afraid.”
I clench my jaw, my breath catching in my throat. “I’m not afraid of you,” I said, my voice weak and shallow.
“No, you’re not.” He let out a faint scoff, his eyes never leaving mine. “You’re afraid that what happened the last time will repeat itself.” Nik leaned in, his hand traveling down my lower abdomen.
“It was a mistake,” I said, trying to sound confident despite my aching heart. “One I’m not willing to make again.”
His lips curled into a sly smile. “I doubt that,” he whispered in my face, his hand caressing the edge of my waistband, enough to make me shiver.
My body stiffened when he dared to dip below, a slow and deliberate test of boundaries. A soft gasp escaped me, my chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. “Nik, we shouldn’t…” I breathed, my voice trailing off, betraying more confusion than command.
“You don’t mean that,” he added, his fingers teasing my underpants.
“I do.” My heart was warm with desire, my wetness proving his claim.
“Then push me away,” he dared me, his hand sliding lower, closer to my throbbing cunt.
Everything was happening so fast, and I barely had time to think.
The atmosphere shifted from calm to hostile, then to charged with sexual tension in a matter of seconds.
That’s how powerful his effect was on me.
Also, he was right; this was the reason I’d been avoiding being alone with him in a closed room.
He gently lifted my chin and looked deep into my eyes. “I don’t care what you think about me. I’ll never take you without your consent. If you’re not enjoying what I’m doing, then tell me to stop.” He slid his finger through my slippery folds.
A cold shiver ran down my spine, and I bent slightly in response. I reached for the table behind me and gripped the edge, anchoring myself. The feeling fanned the fire burning inside me, leaving me vulnerable.
“Go ahead,” he added, watching my resistance gradually dissolve. “Tell me to stop.”
My grip tightened around the table’s edge as his touch sent jolts of electricity coursing through my blood. The sound of his deep, husky voice only fueled my hunger—and the more I tried to resist, the weaker I became.
I wanted him so badly, but hated how he could easily get between my legs at will, without even trying. I should push him away, I should say the words, and since he was a man of his word, he’d leave me alone. But how could I reject him when everything in my body craved him?
His touch had stirred up emotions I could no longer control, and with each thrust of his finger, I felt myself unravel. He teased my wet cunt with practiced ease, caressing the right places at the right time.
“Say it,” he whispered in my ear. “I promise to step away if you do.”
My eyes rolled back, my teeth grazing my lower lip. He looked at me as if he enjoyed the mask of pleasure on my face. I grasped the edge of the table more tightly, bracing myself for whatever might come next.
Driven by passion, I closed my eyes, anticipating his lips on mine. The second he kissed me, my cells came alive, and when his tongue invaded my mouth, it sparked my desire. I could taste the wine on his lips, my head tilting to the rhythm of the passion between us.
He ended our kiss and locked eyes with me, his hand retreating from my body. We looked into each other’s eyes, the air heavy with tension, and my heart kept racing. I was aroused, soaked through—desperately craving more.
“Fuck it,” I murmured, rushing to reclaim his lips.
The kiss was hotter and more fervent, with our hands exploring each other’s bodies. Breathless, our heads moved in perfect sync, his hands fondling my breasts. Driven by our hunger, we started undressing each other, hands moving quickly.