Chapter 18 | Leo
Leo
Iawoke to the glorious smell of Katia’s skin. It enveloped me, and I inhaled deeply, wanting to savor it. She breathed in a soft cadence beside me, and I turned my head on the pillow to gaze at her.
Her swelling had actually gone down slightly, although I knew she had weeks before she’d look normal again. Unable to resist touching her, I ran a finger over her cheek, under her swollen eye, in a feather-light caress.
Her eyes fluttered open and she moaned. “Oh, god...my face feels like it exploded.”
“Let me get some Advil. Be right back.”
I headed to the kitchen to get a fresh glass of water for her and grabbed two Advil from my bathroom cabinet. Sitting up, she took the pills and gulped down the entire glass of water.
“I’m never going to take water for granted again,” she said, wiping her lips as I set the empty cup on the nightstand. “I was so thirsty when they were holding me captive.”
We both settled on our sides, facing each other as our cheeks rested on our pillows.
“If there’s anything you haven’t told me that you think is important, I need to know. Even a small detail can help.”
She recounted the entire story of her captivity to me, and I filed away every detail. When she was finished, she formed a weak smile.
“I’m still exhausted. I might need to sleep for another hour or so.”
“Sleep as long as you want,” I said, tenderly rubbing her side; wishing I could snake my hand under her shirt and touch her soft skin. “I never take days off, so I’ll lie here with you.”
“All it took for you to relax was me getting kidnapped,” she teased, scooting closer. “Let’s work on that.”
Chuckling, I nodded. “You’re a good influence on me. I’m getting much better at teasing, and now I’ve taken my first day off in years.”
Her lips formed a sexy grin before she sat up and tugged off her shirt. My eyes roved over her breasts, and I told myself to stop staring at her like an idiot. She drew her shorts off, leaving her naked as she lay back down on her side.
Gliding her leg over my thigh, she pressed the front of her body to mine. Her breasts smashed into my chest, and I struggled to breathe as desire pulsed through my frame.
“Yes, I think you need to keep me around, agent.”
My palm slid over her side, rubbing the silken skin before moving to her ass. I cupped the perfect globe as I slowly massaged her there. “That’s my plan.”
She wiggled into me, opening her legs wider as she pressed her pelvis to mine. My cock searched for her; the need to be inside her almost choking me.
Her hips undulated against my shaft, and I shook my head. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.”
Her wet core slid over the head of my cock, causing me to gasp as my hand tightened on her ass.
“Are you sure, baby?”
“Please,” she whispered. “I need you, Leo.”
The words shattered something in my soul as I positioned the head of my cock at her slick entrance. I gazed into her half-lidded non-swollen eye, pushing down the guilt that she was in pain.
“I’m okay,” she said, smiling as she cupped my cheek. “Unless you don’t want to look at me like this. I can turn over—”
I gently pushed inside her, reveling in her sultry gasp.
“I’ll never turn down the chance to fuck you, Katia,” I said, easing further inside her. Her warmth surrounded me, closing around my cock in the most pleasurable vise. “Jesus, you’re so tight...so fucking warm around me...fuck, it feels so good, baby...”
I glided in and out of her wet pussy, my hand gripping her ass as I claimed her. Our bodies moved in tandem, tethered together as we gazed at each other. Groaning, I reveled in her soft purrs each time I fully buried myself inside her.
“Feel...so...connected,” she rasped, her hand sliding to my hair and gripping tight. “Like you belong inside me...”
Fuck, yes, I belonged inside her. She was everything I’d dreamed of for years, and in that moment, I admitted the truth: I was deeply in love with her, and had been for a very long time.
“Leo...” she whispered.
“I know, baby,” I murmured, increasing the pace of my strokes as her body milked my cock. “I feel it too. I have for so long.”
Her chin wobbled as emotion clouded her expression. “I wasn’t ready...”
“It’s okay,” I whispered, understanding why she’d closed off her heart. Anyone with her amount of loss and pain would be wary of loving someone new. But she was resilient, and I wanted to be the one who made her feel safe enough try again.
Needing more, I gently turned her on her back and loomed over her. Lifting her leg, I anchored it behind my back to open her wider. Staring down at her, I fucked her in long, measured strokes, dying to make her come.
“Nothing matters but now,” I said, pressing a kiss to her lips. “Take me deep...just like that...” I worked my hips to ensure my cock slid against her clit each time I surged inside.
“Ahhh...that’s it...” she cried, her head falling back on the pillow. “God, Leo...so fucking good...”
Licking my fingers, I lathered them in my saliva and lowered them between our bodies. Pressing them to her clit, I circled the tiny nub in firm, concentric circles as my cock claimed every inch of her tight pussy.
We both moaned, our eyes closed with pleasure as our bodies exploded. I emptied everything into her: all my years of longing, and all the love I felt for her deep in every cell of my frame.
Relaxing against her, I shifted to the side, lying haphazardly against her body so I wouldn’t crush her. Her long fingernails scratched pleasurable strokes against my back as I nuzzled her neck. I licked the skin there, longing to taste her and surround myself in that irresistible scent of hers.
“Are you...smelling me?” she asked, her tone teasing.
“I don’t know what you do, woman, or what perfume or lotion you wear, but you smell better than any woman I’ve ever met. Hands down.”
She giggled. “For real? I do use a lotion with a light scent after every shower. Maybe that’s it.”
“When we used to meet in the club, I almost drowned in it,” I said, too replete to care that I was divulging my years-long obsession with her. “You would sit beside me, and I’d get so goddamned hard, I felt like a kid looking at his first porn magazine.”
Her laugh surrounded me. “First of all, I don’t think kids have magazines anymore. The internet took care of that.”
“Their loss. Sneaking my dad’s Playboys was one of my favorite pastimes as a teenager.”
“How very naughty, Agent Stabler,” she teased, her voice sultry. “And I had no idea you even noticed what I smelled like or anything else. You always looked uncomfortable in the club, and I felt terrible for forcing you to meet there, but it was the best place to remain inconspicuous.”
Lifting my head, I planted it on my fist as I caressed the hair at her temple. “Meeting you there was the best part of my day... and week... and month. Sometimes, I think I just made up reasons to meet with you that could’ve waited until I saw Michael again.”
Her teeth flashed as her grin widened. “Wow. I’m really dense, huh? I don’t say this to sound conceited, but men have looked at me in a sexual way my whole life. I just stopped noticing after a while.”
“I get that.” My thumb caressed her lips as I spoke softly. “It wasn’t just sexual for me. I mean, it was, because you’re fucking gorgeous, but it was...more. I always thought you were so smart, and I admired you for working your way up from being a stripper.”
“But not when I was a stripper?” she asked, arching a brow.
Sighing, I shrugged. “It was complicated. I was raised a certain way, and I’ve had to train myself to let go of stereotypes. I realize now that the women who work in the club are doing the best they can. I should’ve been more accepting.”
“Hey, I get it. I know you don’t like that part of my past, and although I’m not ashamed of it, I was ready to leave it behind too.”
“I don’t love that part of your past because I know you’re capable of so much more. I hope that doesn’t make me sound like an asshole.”
She squinted her eye. “Only a little, but I understand you now, and I get it. You’re trying your best too. I can appreciate that.”
We lay there for a while, content to caress each other in the early morning light.
“Do you want to sleep more,” I asked, “or do you want to shower and have breakfast?”
“Can we...shower together?” she asked, biting her lip. “I think I’d like that.”
I felt my grin grow wide. “Oh, yeah, we can do that.”
I carried her to my shower, which took way longer than my normal morning shower. After another thorough lovemaking session, we dressed in comfortable clothes and I cooked us omelets.
“Okay, you can cook, and I’m impressed,” she said, finishing up her omelet as we sat at the small table in my kitchen. “I can get used to this.”
“I hope so,” I said, winking as I reached over and caressed her thigh.
Sonya sauntered into the room and plopped in front of us, giving us a meow as she waited expectantly.
“She’s a little beggar, but don’t feed her human food,” Katia said. Looking at Sonya, she wagged her finger. “Leo has plenty of nice cat food for you in your bowl.”
Sonya emitted a wailing meow before strutting off and diving into the cat food.
“She’s a regal little thing,” I said.
“She’s too much, but I love her and she’s glued to my hip, unfortunately for you.”
Laughing, I rose and picked up our plates. Heading to the sink, I rinsed them and put them in the dishwasher.
“She’s kind of growing on me, and it pisses me off because I hate cats,” I muttered.
Chuckling, Katia approached and lifted to her toes to give me a kiss. “I’m thrilled to hear it.”
My phone rang and I checked the number as my eyebrows drew together.
“I need to take this.”
Katia nodded, and I lifted the phone to my ear. “Hey, Jermaine.”
“We received an anonymous tip this morning that Michael Caruso received three fraudulent international deposits and that the bank didn’t report them properly.”
“Fuck!” I said, shaking my head.
“Gerald reported them, but suppressed the files so they wouldn’t get extra exposure,” Katia said, overhearing our conversation.
Putting the phone on speaker, I asked, “Did you hear that? Katia is Caruso’s accountant, and Gerald is the bank manager.”
“I heard, but Daniel wants this investigated. Want to partner with me on it?”
“Absolutely. I need to squash this immediately.”
Jermaine cleared his throat. “Should I ask why Caruso’s accountant is with you at nine in the morning?”
“Nope,” I uttered.
“Fair enough. Want to meet me at the bank at eleven?”
“See you there. Thanks, Jermaine.”
I clicked off the phone and sighed. “Sorry. I was looking forward to hanging with you today.”
“I’m glad you’re on it,” Katia said, gliding her arms around my neck. “If you keep me out of jail, I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”
My lips curved, if only slightly. “I’ll take you up on that. Make yourself at home here today. My dad’s going to come over while I’m gone. He’ll have his gun on him, and him being here while I’m not is non-negotiable, so don’t argue.”
Katia’s lips pursed. “I don’t do well at taking orders—”
“Katia—”
“But,” she said, placing a finger over my lips, “I understand why you’re giving them, and I’ll comply. Maybe work on your delivery, though.”
Breathing a laugh, I leaned down to kiss her. “Katia, please let my dad protect you while I’m gone. He’s a really good guy, I promise.”
“Well, he raised you, so I believe it.” She nipped my lips and released me. “Get to work, Agent Stabler.”
I swatted her behind, loving her playful yelp, and headed upstairs to get dressed. I knew that Marco and Oskar would retaliate, and it was best to bury this before it became a problem.
And once I took care of this, I would take the next step of doing my best to eliminate their threat, once and for all.