Chapter 33
ALEXSEI
Compromise.
That was the crucial ingredient to what we needed here.
In any relationship, the ability to work with a little give-and-take was something that could have two people last or fade. Love was one factor in it. But this need to meet in the middle was important.
And it was vital for how Kalina and I could try to get past this last and biggest hurdle in the way of our future.
She couldn’t be safe with the Riveras not paying for what they’d done and with their expecting they could take her from me.
She wouldn’t be at peace with Erik and Yusef at large and posing a threat.
We had to kill them.
I was only slow to fully realize how deeply this mattered to her.
That it wouldn’t be me doing something for her and on her behalf because she couldn’t do it.
But because she shouldn’t, all because she had the much bigger and more important responsibility of carrying our child.
The new beginning that was so significant and symbolic of us both moving on from our pasts.
Meeting and loving her was the first step of my departure from grieving how I’d failed Elena. Not because I was still in love with her but because I failed at my job.
Welcoming this new baby we’d both share and raise together would be a more lasting step toward the brightness ahead of us.
Yet, I couldn’t try to stampede her wishes for revenge. It was a careful balance, not making her feel like she had no power or control but also being firm and taking charge when it came to her safety.
“Okay.”
I lowered my head, wondering if I’d misheard her. That quiet mutter of agreement came again though as she lifted her head and faced me. “Okay, Alexsei.”
I kissed her, stamping my love for her ability to bend with me. Not to bend to me, but with me.
“I wish I could kill him…” She furrowed her brow. “But if I could at least be there nearby, to witness it, then that will be the second-best scenario that will have to do.”
“I am only worried about your being so near danger,” I reminded her.
She nodded, leaning up to reach my lips and give me a longer kiss. “Me too. But when we’re there, I know I’ll be guarded. Protected.”
“You will be,” I said. “We have an entire team heading out, skilled, trusted men I would trust with my life.”
A small smile lifted her lips. “Well, then. I suppose I’d have to trust them to keep you safe, too.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” I kissed her again, relishing the taste of her sweetness and cooperation. “Thank you for compromising with me.”
She gazed at me, smiling wider. “Thank you for compromising with me too.”
Maybe she feared that I’d shut down her wishes and concerns immediately. But that wasn’t who I was. I loved her too much to ever try to control her.
“I love you.” I hoisted her into my arms, mindful of her larger baby bump. “I love how much you try and work hard on healing from your past.”
She sighed against my lips, holding on to me as I carried her toward the bedroom door. Misha was in his room, but I wanted more privacy to really show her how much I admired her ability to bend with me and compromise.
“Where are we going?” she asked, frowning.
“Shh.” I carried her all the way into the room, then closed and locked the door.
Setting her down on her feet, I leaned over to kiss her as I marched her toward the bed.
“Misha’s here,” she whispered.
“Then we’ll be quick,” I whispered back as I hurried to get her clothes off.
“That’s not the issue,” she said, catching on and prying my shirt out from where I’d had it tucked. “It’s how loud we are.”
I smiled against her lips as she stepped out of her skirt and panties. Covering her pussy with my hand, I stroked back and forth, rubbing the heel of my hand against her mound, teasing her clit. “I’m not loud.”
She groaned lightly at my touches, giving me that heavy-lidded look I never tired of. That expression of pure pleasure. “Fine. Then I’m worried about how loud I am.”
Before I could lead her to the bed, she smiled and lowered.
“Or maybe I could solve that like this.” Taking my dick in hand, she licked the tip of the head.
Watching her suck at the tip had me growling and standing still, excited that she’d be this playful no matter the serious conversation we’d just had.
I had wanted a quickie just to show her how much I adored her willingness to compromise, but it seemed she had other plans.
Thrusting into her mouth, I savored the torment of her lips wrapped tightly around me, the exquisite suction of her mouth pulling me in and making me so close to losing control and coming.
I could admit that I was greedy, not wanting her to stop because it felt so fucking good, but I wanted this to be good for her, too. Leaning over to watch her, I caught her fingering herself as she moaned and sucked me down. She was enjoying it, but I’d be damned if she had to do all the work.
Without any warning, I pulled her up and brought her to the bed. Because of her baby bump, she couldn’t lie down. But it was to both of our relief that having her bend over in front of me allowed us both to come hard.
“Now we’re back to the same problem,” she said as she pushed her hips back to me so I could slide into her wet entrance. Snug and slick, she swallowed me until I had to pause for a second to regain my control.
“Problem?” I asked, panting as I thrust into her over and over again. Caressing her ass cheeks, then smoothing my hands over her sides, I stared at the sight of her on her hands and knees on the bed, naked and opening herself up to me fully. “I don’t see a problem.”
“I’ll be loud,” she argued with a choppy voice.
I smiled, urging her to lean up. On her knees, her back flush to my chest, I slowed and changed my angle of filling her up with my dick.
“Then be a good girl for me and kiss me,” I whispered in her ear. Holding her up with one arm over her so I could cup her breast, then lowering my other arm so I could bring my free hand to her clit and rub it, I urged her to turn her head toward me.
She reached up her arms to hold my head to hers, and as she latched her hungry mouth to mine and kissed me possessively, moaning with need, she lost that particular argument.
She came. And she was loud. Muffling her cries as she arched and jerked back against me at the force of her orgasm, she was effectively quieted.
Needing air, I charged faster into her. I pounded into her slick body. I rammed forward while not knocking her over. And I strummed her points of pleasure, keeping my fingers moving on her nipple and clit.
Pushing her to have another orgasm right on top of the first was all I needed to come.
Feeling her clench around me pushed me over the edge.
Hearing her muffled moans of need was all I had to hear to be so turned on that I’d lose it.
With her still trembling in my arms, her cunt sucking me in, she gloved me so perfectly that I came.
Squeezing her tit tighter, I tensed and rode through the punch of my climax. Even though I was already in all the way, I thrust my hips forward to secure my dick deep inside her. So no drop would be lost. So not a single millimeter of space could part us.
Racing to catch our breaths with our mouths still locked in a kiss, we gave each other the risk of passing out.
She fell forward, gasping, when she broke it. I sagged back and leaned on my haunches as I sucked in air. Setting my hand on her waist to steady her so she wouldn’t drop onto her stomach, I blinked and willed myself not to stumble.
“Was that…” She paused to catch her breath. “Was that quiet?” she asked.
I barked a wry laugh, amused. Pulling out of her, I urged her to lie on her side so I could go to the bathroom and clean her up. “I think so.”
She smiled, a sexy grin of satisfaction as she watched me step away from the bed.
“It was a compromise,” I joked. Quick and mostly quiet.
“I like that one,” she teased.
“Daddy?” Misha knocked on the door and I froze. “Kalina?”
She bit her lip and stared at me.
Okay, maybe not as quiet as I thought.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” I called out to him. “Just taking a quick shower. Kalina is…”
She put her hands together by her head and gave the universal gesture for sleep.
“She’s napping,” I replied.
She grinned at me as Misha said okay and backed away from the locked door.
I came to her and kissed her on the lips. “It’ll be even harder to steal a quickie like that when we’ve got two.”
“It will be. But I can’t wait.” She kissed me back and sighed happily.