Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Nikolai
Just like I expected, Alexei’s friends are not happy when they realize he’s missing. When I get a package sent to my club, I know a war has started.
I stare down at the severed hand in the box, sitting on my desk. Maksim, and his father, Gregor, are seated across from me. My club was the best place to have this meeting. I promised Irina I’d keep her safe and I won’t bring this home to her.
“Who’s hand is it?” Maksim asks.
“I’m not sure. We’ll have to test the prints. But it’s an obvious message. The men who work with Alexei are not happy he’s missing.”
“They won’t find his body. I made sure it was taken care of.”
Gregor nods at his son. At sixty, he still looks good with silver hair and a nice suit on.
Gregor was one of my first allies – a man who used to work for my dad before I killed him.
But it’s his son, Maksim, that I have become friends with.
“This is a problem though. Clearly they know Alexei is dead. They’ll be coming for us. For your wife, Nikolai.”
I clench my hands under the desk. “I know. And I will not let anyone hurt my wife. I will not. If we have to go to war, then we go to war. But…”
“But?” Gregor has a powerful, commanding voice that makes everyone listen to him. “But what, Nikolai? If we don’t stop Alexei’s men before they become a problem, then we could all die. I will not risk my own wife’s life for this.”
“But a war puts our wives in danger. Maybe there’s another way.”
“What way?” Maksim asks.
I stare at him for a long moment. “You’re single.”
He blinks. “So? What of it? I’ve never tied myself down to one woman. I’ve never cared to.”
“I know a lot about Alexei’s men. There’s four of them that hold a lot of power around the country. And I know at least one of them has a daughter. Young.”
Maksim sucks in a breath. “Are you… are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?”
“I’m suggesting instead of going to war, we try to make peace with these men.”
“By marrying me off?” Maksim surges to his feet. “What the fuck? I didn’t sign up for that. I’ve worked with you for years now, Nik. We’re best friends. I’m not going let you use me.”
“Sit down,” Gregor commands. “Don’t be impulsive son. We should talk about this.”
“I will not get married to anybody,” he hisses.
“It’s a good idea and you know it,” I say.
“How do you even know Alexei’s men would agree to this… arrangement? Who even is the girl?”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“Her name,” Maksim says flatly.
“Natasha Sokolov. She’s the daughter of Lev Sokolov.
They have a lot of power in Chicago. Lev was a huge reason why Alexei had so much money and confidence to try and go against me.
Because he knew he had the backing of a powerful man.
Alexei was obviously stupid though. Coming after me when he shouldn’t have.
He let his greed get the best of him and it killed him.
But I know Natasha is unmarried. She’s the perfect age for an arranged marriage.
Young but not too young. If we can get Lev to agree to this before a war starts, it could save a lot of lives. ”
“How do we know it wasn’t Lev who sent the hand?” Maksim asks.
“We don’t. We have to make this offer. I wanted to give you a heads up before I do. It he agrees, then you’re going to marry Natasha Sokolov to keep the peace.”
“Even though you’re the reason we’re in a war to begin with?”
“I killed Alexei out of self-preservation. Not because I chose to. So I am sorry, Maksim, that saving mine and my wife’s life has put you out. But if Lev agrees, this will happen.”
“Then get him to agree first and then we can talk. Otherwise, I’m not listening to this.” He storms out of my office.
Gregor sighs. “My son was always impetuous. Impulsive and immature.”
“This is a good idea, is it not?”
“It is. But it’s going to be hard to get Maksim to agree.”
“It’s the only play I have to keep the peace.”
“Then reach out to Lev and see if you can make this happen. I’ll support you. I don’t want a war either.”
Contacting Lev is going to take some time, so for today, the only thing I can do is return home. Return to Irina.
She rushes to my side the moment I step through the doors. “Are you ok?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Just… with everything.”
I smile as I pull her into my arms. “I’m glad you care that much about me. That you’re worried for me. But don’t worry, Irina. I know that’s hard for you. But I got this. I have a plan.” I just hope it all pans out.
“Good. Because I want to be with you. Just happy with you. I don’t want you dead now that I’ve fallen in love with you.”
I pick her up around the waist, making her squeal. “You love me, huh?”
Her smile is gentle and kind. Fuck I am truly whipped for this woman and I don’t care one bit. “I really do. I have to ask though. Will everything truly be all right?”
“I know I’ve made promises to you in the past that I’ve had to break. So I won’t make another promise. I can’t guarantee that everything will be all right. But what I can promise is that I’ll try. And like I said, I have a game plan. If it goes well, then you’ll be safe.”
“And if it doesn’t go well?”
“Then we’ll deal with that if we have to. But we can make it through. I know it. Now, enough talk about that. I just want to spend time with my wife.”
“How?”
“Like this.” I kiss her deeply. Irina sinks completely into my arms. No hesitation. She truly trusts me now and I’ll do everything in my power not to break it.
I carry Irina to our bedroom. It’s becoming a common occurrence for us. We can’t seem to keep our hands off each other.
We quickly strip our clothes off and I lay Irina down on the bed. “I need to taste you,” I growl, pulling her hips right to the edge. She gasps. When I part her legs, I can see her wetness on her inner thighs, ready for me.
I don’t waste a moment longer. The moment I place my face between her legs and lick her nub, Irina moans my name. It’s the best fucking sound I’ve ever heard.
She raises her hips up to meet my face. I hold her thighs tightly and lick her with all my might.
I need her to come on my tongue. I need her to lose herself with me.
I need to get lost in her body forever because I don’t know what the future holds but what I do know is that I’m happy here, with the woman I love.
She’s accepted me despite all the darkness I have within myself.
Despite how we first met. She makes me believe I’m worthy of something good in my life.
I groan against her pussy. I’ll never get tired of tasting her. Irina can’t stop herself from bucking her hips against my face. I love how much she lets herself go when she’s with me.
I lick her nub over and over and over until she cries out, shuddering her release. God, she’s a thing of beauty.
I stand up and bring my cock to her entrance. She’s fully spread out on the bed, looking like a goddess. My goddess. My wife.
My eyes lock with her eyes right as I grab her legs and thrust into her. We both moan together.
And then I truly take her.
The sound of our bodies moving together is rough and vulgar and hot. It’s pure fucking but there’s still an element of love making between us. There always will be.
Irina shows her trust in me as she closes her eyes and lets me have my way with her. No resisting. I’m not deserving of her but I don’t care. She’s mine and that’s all that matters.
“Play with your breasts,” I growl as I grip her thighs around my waist tighter. Irina does as I command. When her hands tighten on her breasts, she lets out a soft moan that makes me drive into her harder. Her moan gets caught in her throat. Fuck. I love this woman.
“Nik,” she gasps out. “Please.”
“You need this, baby?”
“Yes!”
I thrust into her harder. My hands are gripping her thighs so tightly, she might bruise. I ease off but she quickly shakes her head.
“I need this,” she says. “All of it.” The darkness and the light.
I tighten my hold and fuck her with everything I have inside of me. Nothing held back. No more secrets. No more shame. Just us, open and honest with each other.
“Please,” she gasps. “Please.” Her eyes look right into mine, desperation there. Lust and fear. The perfect combination.
“Yes, baby. I’ve got you. I’ve always got you.”
When I drive my hips into her again, it sends her over the edge. She moans my name as she comes. It spurs me on and I thrust into her once, twice, and then three times more before I find my own release.
“Fuck, baby,” I groan. “Irina.” My hands press onto the bed to keep my weight off her but Irina doesn’t hesitate to pull me down onto the bed with her. Our limbs become entangled together.
“I love hearing you say my name,” she admits. “When you…”
“You can’t even say it, baby? After everything we’ve shared?”
“I still have more growing up to do. But I know I’ll get there in time. With you at my side.”
“I’m never leaving you.”
She inhales sharply. “I never knew I would find the love of my life the way I did. You forced me to marry you and I was so angry. But now… Now I love you. Is that messed up?”
“We’re the mafia, Irina. Our entire world is fucked up. It’s filled with darkness. I know I forced you into a marriage with me but I’ll never regret it. Not after I made you mine. That’s what you’ll always get with me. I may not be perfect but I am me.”
“And I love you for it. Even if how we started wasn’t normal.”
“For our world it is. I was just talking to Maksim about a possible arranged marriage for him. Our live is politics and darkness. It’s not easy. But I know having you by my side makes it easier. You give me something to fight for.”
“But I’m also your weakness.”
I cup her face and give her a tender kiss. “You’re not my weakness, Irina. You’ve made me stronger. You’ve made me open up and realize I can have more than I ever thought possible.”
“But people will use me against you.”
“Not if I can help it. But if you’re my weakness, am I yours too?”
She thinks on it for a moment before smiling. It lights up her entire face. “I guess you are now. That means we love each other. And that I’m happy. That’s all I’ve wanted in life. To be happy and safe. My father tried to take it from me but you’ve given that to me. So thank you.”
“Let’s just focus on us. No worries. I’ll always try my best to protect you. I just want to be happy too.”
She links our hands together. “Then let’s be happy together.”
Nothing has ever sounded better in my entire life.
The End
You can read the second book, Prince, starring Maksim and Natasha, HERE!