Chapter Twelve #2
I continue speaking, telling them both that I’m not in harm’s way, and that I’m being taken care of.
The words are hollow, as if they can’t cover the aching emptiness that remains in my heart. The words spill free from my mouth.
Suddenly, Mikhail’s hand moves swiftly, his long fingers making an appearance just above the phone.
Five fingers, then four, three, and two.
He’s counting down the seconds until the video ends.
Before his final finger can be pulled down, they both look at me, expectantly.
With a sharp breath in, I blink through the tears, forcing the words out, even though it feels like my heart is breaking.
“I love you.” I whisper softly, my voice trembling. “I miss you both. Please take care of each other.”
The words leave my mouth just as the flash blinks off.
He stops recording, and Nikolai slips his phone back inside of his pocket.
My heart is still pounding in my chest, and I feel so exposed.
Before I can even think, Mikhail pounces on me. His hand is gentle on my face as his thumb wipes away the last of my tears, and his eyes full of something I can’t quite place.
“You’ll never be sad again.” He promises. “No more tears will fall from now on, beauty.”
I take a sharp breath in, swallowing hard.
Though his touch is soft, the way that he looks at me…
It makes me feel both safe, and lost, all at the same time. His gaze never once leaves mine as he presses the pad of his thumb to the corner of my lips, reassuring me not only with his words, but with his touch too.
There’s a flood of emotions rushing through me, and these feelings—terror, gratitude, conflict—only make me feel more confused than ever.
When did this happen?
How did this happen?
I can’t believe that these lines have blurred.
The lines of being held captive to my captors.
And…whatever this is now.
Mikhail’s breath is warm against my lips, his face so close to mine that I can feel the tension vibrating through his body, and into mine.
My heart beats harder in my chest, and for a little while, I forget about everything else.
I find my body betraying me once more as I lean into him, feeling comforted by his affection, despite all the pain he’s put me through.
And then, Mikhail leans in, his breath hot against my mouth, and then, our lips meet.
Our kiss is tender at first—soft, and slow.
But there’s something urgent in the way that he deepens it, his hand sliding up to hold me by the back of my neck, pulling me in even closer to him.
My body responds instinctively, my chest heaving as I allow a small moan to escape through my lips, every single nerve on fire as I sink into Mikhail.
I can’t even think straight any more.
Everything I thought I knew about myself, everything I thought I knew about them, is now slipping away, being replaced with a raw, desperate need that I can’t seem to explain.
And I don’t know if I should continue being afraid, or if I should just give in completely.
I gasp into his mouth, the air between us thickening as he swallows that sound straight from my lips, leaving me breathless.
His arms are heavy on my body, his grip tight, almost as if he’s afraid that I’ll pull away, but I can’t find the will to, not when his every touch is making me feel this loved.
His hand moves from the back of my neck to the side of my face as his fingers wrap around me firmly before he forcibly breaks our kiss.
My eyes fly open, my chest rising and falling quickly. His hands are still on my body, keeping me grounded, and his jaw is tight. His eyes are darker than I’ve ever seen them before. There’s an intensity there, something so raw and deep.
A shiver runs through my spine.
“Mikhail.”
I whisper, barely recognising the heavy need in my tone.
His gaze doesn’t waver; his eyes remain locked on mine with a fire in them that makes my heart race in a way that I don’t fully understand.
He remains silent, like he’s fighting to keep himself contained. The look in his eyes—the hunger, the desire—proves it.
And now, it’s impossible to ignore how much I’ve fallen into their trap, and how much I crave whatever it is that they’re ready to give me.
As Mikhail tips his forehead to mine, his breath hot against my skin, he whispers a string of Russian words I can’t understand. The tone of his voice sends a shiver down my spine, something deep and possessive in the way that he speaks.
I don't need to understand his language to know what he means.
His gaze remains on mine for just a second longer before he slowly pulls away from me, his fingers brushing across my skin in a lingering touch, causing my pulse to quicken as my lips part open, and a small sigh escapes me.
Mikhail remains silent as he takes my hand, tugging me closer to Nikolai, helping me step into his brother’s arms.
As soon as Nikolai’s hands settle onto either side of my hip, I feel a rush of heat moving through me. His touch is so deliberate, so demanding, yet there’s also a tenderness there too that makes my chest tighten with emotion.
Slowly, Nikolai raises one hand, lazily dragging his fingers along my body. His touch burns into my skin as he slides his fingers upward. Every inch of Nikolai’s body reacts to mine, just as my body reacts to his. He moves closer, pulling me flush against him.
Fire and ice, I decide.
Hot and cold.
Pleasure and tension.
My body responds to each and every touch of his, my thoughts scattering as I only focus on the feel of him.
But even then, with this undeniable desire that burns between us, I know that this isn’t just about that.
There’s something deeper, something that I don’t fully understand, something that I can’t resist.
Something that they’ve made me become.
Nikolai’s voice breaks through my thoughts, and I find myself squirming at his question.
“Do you really think recording that video is worth having to kiss my brother and I?”
I shudder under his watchful gaze, my breath catching in my throat.
He’s waiting for me to answer him. I swallow hard, knowing that this is another boundary crossed, but not the last. This is another step into the unknown.
“Yes.”
I say.
There’s a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.
“Good girl, darling. That’s what I like to hear.”
Before I can even react, his lips are on mine.
The kiss is hard and demanding, but there's also an edge of something tender to it, a rawness which makes my knees weak. Nikolai claims my lips, his kiss so deep and possessive, it sends a rush of warmth through my body. His hand moves to the back of my neck, holding me in place as he devours me whole, pulling me even closer as if he can’t get enough of me.
All I can feel is him; his warmth, his presence, his hunger.
This is not only a kiss, but a promise too.
It’s a warning, and it’s also a craving.
His lips move slowly against mine, teasing me softly, forcing me even closer, taking all of me.
Nikolai breaks our kiss, a sweet sound leaving his lips as we pull away, our bodies still pressed closely together. He cups the side of my face, his lips hovering just above mine, his breath mingling with mine.
“Next time, you’ll be doing a lot more than just kissing us.”
My body shivers as I look away, my eyes immediately dropping to the floor as heat blooms in my cheeks.
Nikolai takes a step backward, but Mikhail soon steps forward.
His presence towers over me again as he presses one hand to my back, guiding me. I hear Nikolai’s footsteps following us both closely behind as Mikhail takes us in the direction of the room.
As soon as we step inside, the room feels…smaller. The air shifts, thickening with the intensity of what has just happened between us.
Mikhail’s hand lingers on the small of my back for only a moment before he drops his hand, allowing me to step further into the room.
At first, I never wanted it, but now, their touch is comforting, grounding even. It’s a silent promise that I’m never truly alone, not when they’re both here with me.
I sit on the edge of the bed, my hands immediately going to my sides as I press my palms flat against the soft sheets.
Sometimes, I can't even believe it.
Taken.
And treated like this.
Like a princess—the Italian princess that I am—but also…like theirs.
This room feels so intimate now…feels like ours.
I look between both brothers, my heart pounding in my chest as they both stand on either side of the door, invading this space. They’re guarding me, guarding me like how they’ve always done, as though the world outside no longer matters.
The silence stretches between us.
They don't say anything. There’s no need to.
Their positions speak for them.
Nikolai is standing straight, his hands loosely at his side, his stance wide and open. Confident. He knows that he’s in control of everything in this room.
Mikhail slouches slightly, his arms crossed over his chest, a wicked smirk plastered across his face. Excited. He knows that he has the power to bend things to his will.
And the way that they both look at me…the way that they both watch every move I make…
My heart races.
They’re waiting for me to do something, to make the next move.
And I know they’re in no rush for it.
They’ve made it clear already; they’re in control.
All that’s left to do now is for me to follow.
I glance between them both, waiting. It will only be a matter of time before either one of them breaks the silence.
Both brothers study me as I sit on the edge of the bed, both brothers waiting for me to say something, anything.
I don’t, because I can’t.
And like Nikolai knows it, he decides to break the silence by speaking first. His voice is a little softer than usual, like he’s trying to be careful with the words that leave his mouth.
“What is your family like?”
I can’t help but stiffen.
It’s so sudden, so unexpected, that for a moment, I don’t even know what to say.
I swallow hard before even attempting to answer him.