Chapter Eighteen - IVAN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
IVAN
EMMA’S LIPS ARE the best thing I’ve ever tasted.
When I leaned down to kiss her last night in the kitchen, a heat exploded in my chest and the tightness I’d been feeling released itself.
When I angled her head and teased those lips with my tongue, Emma’s mouth opened for me so easily, and she submitted so willingly to my takeover.
I must have been dreaming about her, because when I woke up this morning my hand was around my cock, stroking it up and down with long and methodical movements. I start imagining what it would be like to be inside Emma, thrusting in and out while we both moan our own pleasure.
Instead, I get out of bed and move to the bathroom to turn on the shower.
Under the water, I grab my cock and start stroking again, imagining that my hand is Emma’s cunt.
She’s a small girl with curves for days, and I can only think of how tight she will be when I’m finally inside her.
The thought sends a blissful sensation down my spine and into my balls.
I’m getting close to climaxing, so I increase my movements and fuck my hand harder.
Four more thrusts, and I’m blowing my load all over the shower wall while moaning Emma’s name.
I blink quickly several times to clear the stars from my eyes.
This has definitely taken the edge off, and maybe I’ll be able to get some work done without distraction.
The universe has other plans for me today. My brothers have decided to pay me a visit. I walk into my home office, and all three of them are sitting in chairs in front of my desk.
“What the fuck are you all doing here?” I ask as I sit down in my chair. Mrs. Ivanova places coffee on the side table before quietly exiting the space and closing the door.
“We need to talk, Ivan,” Dmitri says. Leave it to him to speak first.
“About what?” I ask him, narrowing my eyes.
“First, we need to talk about the meeting with Declan Callaghan,” he answers.
“Callaghan says he has a claim to Emma as repayment for a debt owed by her father,” I tell him.
“You told us that after your meeting with him,” Dmitri adds.
“I’m not handing her over to that asshole for any reason. Emma is not responsible for her father’s debt to the Irish,” I say.
“We’ve increased security in the places you requested,” Dmitri confirms.
“Good. Maks, what about finding leverage on Callaghan?” I ask, directing my attention to my next younger brother.
“He and his people keep their tracks very well covered,” Maksim begins. “Everything looks above board at the moment, but I think we may be getting close to something. I’ve got Kolya looking into some questionable activities with city officials regarding permits for some properties.”
“Tell Kolya to dig deeper and faster.”
“Yes, Ivan,” Maksim replies.
“Grigory, where do we stand legally?” I direct my attention to my youngest brother.
“To the public we are nothing but upstanding citizens who invest in real estate with the purpose of improving the lives of people in our neighborhoods,” Grigory says, a smile growing at the corner of his mouth.
“That sounds like a load of shit, but make sure it stays that way,” I tell him. “Also, make sure there’s nothing Callaghan can come after us for.”
“You got it, Ivan,” Grigory says, giving me two thumbs up. He’s smart and he knows it. Grigory may act like you can’t take him seriously, but he’s a man who should not be underestimated.
“Ivan,” Dmitri speaks up, “we need to talk about Emma.”
“What about her?” I ask.
“What’s the deal with you two?” Dmitri is getting right to the point today.
“I’m keeping her here to ensure her safety,” I tell him.
“Cut the shit, big brother,” Maksim speaks up.
“Watch your mouth!” I snap at him. I usually snap at bratva men, not my brothers.
“You like her,” Maksim says as he stares at me and smiles. He knows there’s more there. “I’ve seen the way you look at her.”
“I do,” I admit, sighing and sitting back in my office chair. I look up to see the three stunned faces of my brothers staring back at me. “What?”
“Fucking hell.” Dmitri is the first one to speak up, throwing his hands up in surrender and turning away.
“Way to go, big bro!” Grigory is more cheerful.
“It’s about time,” Maksim adds, a smile growing on his face. “Mikhail will finally get off your back.”
“He already knows,” I admit out loud. “Remember those three days where I was unavailable and Dmitri stepped up to run things?” My brothers all nod.
“Her grandmother died. I spent those three days taking care of her and making sure she ate and bathed.”
“You had security watching her the day after we met her in the restaurant,” Dmitri noted, trying to make a timeline in his head.
“I did, and I’m not apologizing for that,” I tell him.
“You put a tracker in her phone when you were with her, didn’t you?” Dmitri asked.
“Yes, and I won’t apologize for that, either,” I confirm.
“Ivan, what do you really know about this girl?” Maksim asks.
“I know that I love her.” All three of my brothers blink and stare at me in shock. I’m surprised at myself that I uttered those words out loud.
“She doesn’t deserve what’s happening to her. She’s been imprinted on me since the night she was attacked outside of her apartment building. You know I had Kolya look more into her background. Last night, she told me herself about her history, confirming everything that Kolya told us.”
“And…” Grigory chimes in.
“I will burn the world if it keeps her safe, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop me,” I tell him.
“You don’t think things are moving too fast?” Dmitri asks. “Forgive me, Ivan, for being a little suspicious that you meet this girl who is in trouble with the Irish mafia, and allegedly doesn’t know it. It’s just a little too coincidental.”
“It’s your job, Dmitri, to help keep this family safe, and I don’t blame you for your suspicions,” I respond. “I’ve also fought my own feelings of suspicion, but I am certain of her innocence.”
“Well, at least you’re thinking about it,” Dmitri says.
“After meeting with Callaghan yesterday, my gut tells me that Emma is innocent in all of this. I trust you guys. You’re my brothers. I also trust my gut. It hasn’t been wrong before, and I won’t believe that it’s wrong now,” I tell them.
“Where do you and Emma go from here?” Maksim asks.
“I don’t know. In this house and by my side is the safest place for her to be,” I say honestly. “She made dinner last night,” I add.
“She cooks?” Grigory asks, perking up at the thought of more food. You’d think he was a teenage boy instead of a grown man who has been to law school.
“Yes,” I say with a smile. “Boris was teaching her traditional Russian recipes in between shifts at the restaurant. She spent the whole day in the kitchen making dumplings and cabbage rolls, as well as stew and bread from Ireland using her Gran’s recipes.” My mouth waters at the memory.
“You really do love this girl, don’t you?” Dmitri asks. Maybe he’s starting to accept it. I don’t need Dmitri’s approval to be with Emma, but it would certainly make things easier in the family.
The family I want to bring Emma into.
“I do. You think it’s early and moving too fast, and I get that,” I tell him, acknowledging his point of view. “Then I remembered the story of how Mama and Papa met.”
“I haven’t heard that story in a long time,” Maksim says.
“Papa would always say that he met Mama while he was walking down the street in St. Petersburg. He described her as the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen, and her smile was what made him fall in love with her,” I start the story with a smile.
“He asked her out on a date, and she turned him down. She said she was too busy with her studies and didn’t have time for distractions.
Papa kept at it because it took him asking at least three more times before she relented and finally went out with him.
On their first date, Papa told Mama that he would marry her one day.
She just needed to let him know when she was ready.
Less than a year later, they married.” I let out a small chuckle as I think of that story.
“Mama told it differently,” Dmitri says with a smile.
“How did she tell it?” I ask.
“Mama used to tell me that she met Papa at a school dance. He walked up to her and her friends and asked her to dance with him,” he says as he starts this version of the story.
“She accepted and she says she fell in love with him as they moved around the dance floor. They went out for dinner the next night, and then every night for the next few weeks, he spent the evening with her and her parents. He asked her father for permission to marry her, and they were married soon after.”
“They were married until Mama passed away three years ago,” I remind them. A feeling of sadness seizes the moment, but it doesn’t linger. We all shake it off and come back to the present.
“What is that smell?” Grigory asks, sniffing the air.
“Lunch?” I look down at my watch and notice the time is closing in on one o’clock. “Are you hungry?”
“I could eat,” Grigory admits.
I get up from the desk and walk towards the office door. I notice that it’s slightly ajar and figure that Mrs. Ivanova must not have fully closed it when she brought coffee earlier this morning. That explains why we could smell something cooking.
When the office door is fully open, my brothers and I are greeted with the smell of freshly baked bread and something else cooking on the stove.
“Seriously, brother, what is that smell?” Grigory asks again, inhaling deeply.
I ignore his question and follow my nose to the kitchen, my brothers trailing behind. Standing in the kitchen doorway, I see Emma leaning over the stove and Mrs. Ivanova standing beside her. It looks like she’s helping Emma with whatever she’s cooking on the stove.
“What’s for lunch?” I ask them. Both of the women jump in surprise, but recover quickly and smile.
“Ivan, did you know this girl can cook?” Mrs. Ivanova asks, pointing in Emma’s direction.
“Yes, I did,” I tell her.
“I see leftovers in the fridge this morning,” she says. “I make fresh bread to go with leftovers.” She points to the loaf of black bread sitting on the countertop.
“She’s helping me get the stroganoff just right,” Emma offers, turning towards me after stirring the sauce.
“Sit down, all of you,” Mrs. Ivanova instructs. “You eat.”
My brothers and I take a seat at the kitchen table.
Lunch has always been more informal than not, unless it’s a business meeting.
Emma sets the table and then takes a seat next to me while Mrs. Ivanova dishes out the food she’s placed in front of us.
The bread is sliced and passed around with butter before we are left to eat in peace.
This is nice. My brothers and my woman all sitting around the table and sharing a meal.
I smile at the thought that there will be more of these meals in our future.
Dmitri may be suspicious at how fast things have moved between Emma and I, but I feel he’ll come around.
Maksim, Grigory, even Mikhail see how happy Emma is making me, and I know they’ll support this.
I look at Emma and start formulating a plan for officially making her mine in every way.