Chapter Twenty-Two - IVAN
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
IVAN
“HOW ARE YOU feeling, lyubimaya?” I ask Emma as she lays in my arms.
“A little sore, but also good,” she replies.
I reposition her so that Emma is facing me on the bed and our foreheads are pressed together. She smiles, and I kiss her gently before pressing my forehead back to hers.
“Feeling sore is normal after your first time. It may feel that way for a few days,” I tell her.
“Thank you for being gentle,” Emma says.
“I will always be gentle with you,” I say as I tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear. “That also includes helping you heal and relax. Stay here, and I’ll be right back.”
I kiss Emma again before pushing myself off the bed and heading to the bathroom. I have a custom bathtub that’s deep enough for soaking, and my first task is to get the water flowing and the tub filling with warm water. I add some lavender bath salts for relaxation.
I grab a washcloth and soak it in warm water then wring it out. I fill a glass with some water and grab a bottle of ibuprofen before heading back into the bedroom.
Sitting on the edge of the bed next to Emma, I pull the covers down, exposing her naked body. I take the washcloth and gently wipe between her legs and over her pussy. Emma sucks in a breath when the warmth hits her entrance, then she quickly relaxes.
“How does this feel?” I ask her as I continue cleaning her up.
“Warm,” Emma replies, a smile curving at the edge of her mouth.
“Good,” I say as I finish cleaning her and toss the washcloth aside. I hand her two ibuprofen from the bottle along with the glass of water. Emma pops them in her mouth and swallows them down with the water. “Now, come with me.”
I take Emma’s hand and lead her into the bathroom.
The tub is about halfway full, and I make her use the toilet before helping her into the tub to sit down.
I climb into the tub behind her, turning off the tap and pulling Emma between my legs, her back resting against my front.
Emma leans into me and lets out a relaxing sigh.
“Thank you for taking care of me, Ivan,” she says as she smiles.
“It is my pleasure, lyubimaya,” I tell her, placing a kiss on the top of her head.
“You’ve called me that several times. Why?” she asks.
“Because it’s what my father used to call my mother when she was alive. I call you that because you are my beloved.” Emma angles herself so she can turn and look up at me.
“I am?” she asks as her eyes go wide and uncertainty crosses her face.
“Da,” I confirm. “I meant what I told you the other night. I have deep feelings for you that go beyond keeping you safe from harm. You are mine, and I will always love you and call you lyubimaya.”
“I have feelings for you, too, Ivan. I don’t know how to qualify or quantify them yet, but they are there,” Emma says.
It takes everything in me not to fully spin Emma around and push my cock inside her. Instead, I kiss her deeply and hold her close. Emma settles into my chest again and sighs.
When the water starts getting cold, we get out of the tub and I help her to dry off. I grab one of my shirts on the way back to bed and slip it over Emma’s head. It’s way too large for her, but I love the sight of her wearing it.
We climb into bed and I pull Emma close, wrapping my body around hers. I can’t keep my hands to myself when it comes to this woman. It’s not long before her breathing becomes slow and even.
I lay there with Emma in my arms, thinking how I am the luckiest bastard in the world.
My entire body warmed when she called me vanyusha.
Nobody has ever called my anything but Ivan.
My mother called me vanya unless I was in trouble for something.
Now I just need to keep Emma safe with me until this threat against her is eliminated.
I wake up the next morning feeling the most relaxed I have felt since taking over the bratva. I check the time on my phone and see that it’s after six o’clock. When was the last time I slept this late? I’m usually awake before four o’clock, only getting a few hours of sleep.
I look over at Emma’s side of the bed and smile.
She is sleeping peacefully beside me, her hair splayed across her pillow and the covers tucked under her chin.
She looks so beautiful laying there, the moonlight just barely still peeking through the curtains.
It won’t be long before the sun comes streaming through that window and wakes her up.
I kiss her gently before getting out of bed and pulling on a pair of pants and a shirt. I should have known reality would come crashing down all too quickly. When I checked the time earlier, I noticed several missed messages from Mikhail and Maksim.
It’s not unusual for Mikhail to message me overnight, but it is unusual for my brother Maksim to do so. He stayed in the guest house last night, so I message him to meet me in my office. Mikhail replies that he’s already on his way. This better be important.
Within ten minutes, they’re both sitting in my office. Mikhail had the foresight to bring coffee. Triple espresso…this can’t be good.
“Why are both of you in my office before seven o’clock on a Saturday morning?” I ask as I sit down and drink my espresso. Mikhail is the first to speak.
“There are internal grumblings, Ivan,” he starts. “At least two of your father’s associates are angry at being pushed out. They feel they are owed more respect by you since they were valued by your father.”
“Which ones?” I ask, downing the remainder of the espresso.
“Nikolai Popov and Vladimir Zaytsev,” Maksim replies.
“Fucking hell,” I say as I brush my hand over my face. “Those were my father’s number two and number three. They should have retired and returned to Russia with my father.”
“They are making the loudest rumbles among the ranks,” Mikhail continues. “They don’t like the message you sent when you said they had to hand everything over in three months. They’re talking about challenging you for leadership of the bratva.”
“How strong are these rumblings?” I ask. Popov and Zaytsev are the assholes who walked out of our meeting last week.
“Pretty strong,” Mikail says.
“I had Kolya look into them and do some digging into their recent activities,” Maksim adds. “We wanted to bring you something concrete. They’ve both made contact with Declan Callaghan in recent days.”
“Let me guess, Callaghan is offering a deal in exchange for his help,” I say as I narrow my eyes. Mikhail and Maksim both give me looks like they’re holding something back.
“What did he offer them?” I ask, standing and leaning over my desk.
“The warehouses and properties in the Seaport District, along with all current distribution channels in the harbor,” Maksim reveals.
“What does Callaghan get in return? It’s obviously not territory, if he’s letting Popov and Zaytsev keep it under Russian control.” Maksim and Mikhail look at each other again before looking at me. It’s like they’re arguing to see who is going to drop the next information bomb.
“Callaghan wants Emma,” Mikhail says reluctantly.
“BLYAT!” I roar, pounding my fists onto my desk top.
“Ivan, we have a plan,” Maksim says, holding his hands up, trying to placate me.
“Which is?” I ask, my temper barely contained.
“We’re already in the process of cutting off their financing.
Popov and Zaytsev can’t pay their soldiers,” Mikhail starts.
“They can’t rely on Callaghan for future payments, either.
Callaghan’s funds are currently being redistributed to other accounts and organizations with less nefarious connections.
It’s not enough to be terribly missed, but it’s enough to be noticed and make Callaghan believe someone is embezzling from him. ”
“What else?”
“We are increasing security around the house and will double the bodyguard count on you and Emma,” Maksim adds. “Patrols are also being doubled around our territory. Checks are being conducted more frequently.”
“Good. We’ll stay here at the estate until this situation is taken care of.”
“You got it, brother,” Maksim says.
“Mikhail, schedule a meeting with Alexei Rostov and Denis Beridze. I want to meet with them separately and judge if they can be trusted or not. Make sure all my brothers attend, as well. We need to know if they are with us or have allied themselves with Nikolai and Vladimir.”
“It will be done today,” Mikhail confirms.
“I don’t want them arriving here at the same time, so make sure those meetings are scheduled far enough apart,” I tell him, then direct my attention towards my brother.
“Maksim, keeping digging into all four them. There will be leverage somewhere we can use.”
“I’ll call you when we find something,” Maksim says as he stands from his chair. He’s on his phone and talking to Kolya as he walks out of my office.
“What else?” I ask Mikhail.
“After cutting off Popov and Zaytsev’s funding, our next step is to find and cut off their supply line.
This is why we’ve increased patrols and security checks at our properties.
We’ve also got tails on all four of your father’s highest associates, tracking their movements and who they meet with,” Mikhail explains.
“What about Callaghan?” I really don’t like that fucker, especially after he threatened my woman and my organization.
“Still digging. We’ll find something sooner or later.”
“Make it happen sooner rather than later,” I tell him. Mikhail sits back in his chair and smiles at me like he knows something I don’t.
“What’s with the look?” I ask him.
“How was your evening with Emma last night?”
“It was good,” I tell him, schooling my features so as to not give anything away.
“Uh huh,” Mihail responds with a smile like he knows Emma is upstairs in my bed right now. “How does it feel to go on a real date with a woman?”
“Go on one yourself and find out,” I say sarcastically. “Emma knows she is mine, and I have now publicly claimed her with this date. It may have been private for her safety and security, but people out there know she is with me. My number one priority moving forward is keeping her safe.”
“As it should be,” Mikhail says.
“I’ll be giving her lessons in self-defense for those times when I need to be away. I also need you to stay on the property until this is over. All my brothers, too.”
“We’ll all be here by the end of the day,” Mikhail says.
“Good. Now, I have some things to take care of before those meetings today. Make sure they’re scheduled for as soon as possible,” I tell Mikhail as he rises from his chair.
“I’m glad you’ve found someone, Ivan,” Mikhail says as he pats my shoulder in friendship. “She will be good for you.”
“See you later, Mikhail,” I tell my friend.
Mikhail leaves to carry out his instructions and set up those meetings I asked for.
I smile as I climb the stairs to my bedroom.
Mrs. Ivanova will be here soon to make breakfast, and I’ve left a note asking her to make some of Emma’s favorite things and bring them up to my room.
She’s been wanting to see me settle down as much as Mikhail has, and this will make her happy.
I make a mental note to make sure she always keeps Emma’s favorite things stocked in the pantry.
I am eager to return to Emma and wrap my body around hers again. There’s plenty of time to give her more orgasms before breakfast, and I can’t wait to provide them.