The two men traded hits and kicks. Sergei stumbled backward after one good kick from Kelly, and the bodyguard jumped on the advantage given to him. He wrapped his arms around Sergei and shoved him into the fence.
"No!"
I watched in awe as Sergei used his incredible strength to free himself from the hold. Sergei slammed his elbow into Kelly's ribs, and the former Marine looked like he was going to die. He gasped for breath and wobbled on his feet. Out for blood, Sergei tripped Kelly and followed him down to the concrete floor where they grappled in the most brutal way.
"Oh god!"
I flinched when Kelly punched Sergei repeatedly in the temple. Sergei lost his grip on Kelly, and the other man escaped his hold and clambered to his feet. Sergei spat a mouthful of bloody saliva toward one side of the cage and wiped the back of his hand across his bleeding face.
The two men charged each other again. Sergei landed a punch that made Kelly totter. Sergei kicked Kelly right in the ribs and the man started to guard his right side. I witnessed a definite change in Sergei. Like a predator who spotted a weakness in his prey, he pounced on Kelly. With a punch and a choke hold, he brought Kelly down to the floor.
With my hands in a prayer position, I pressed them to my lips and looked on in horror as I fully expected Sergei to kill Kelly. Our gazes clashed—and the bloodlust seemed to fade from Sergei's eyes. He lowered his lips to the former Marine's ears and said something only the other man could hear. He repeated his words again, and this time Kelly reacted.
Weakly, Kelly tapped Sergei's arm three times before passing out cold. Eyes closed with relief, Sergei inhaled a long breath and carefully placed Kelly on his side. He crouched over him protectively until Jack and Finn Connolly made it to their brother's side. Only then did he back away and leave his opponent.
While the referee held Sergei's hand high and everyone around me celebrated, I simply smiled and held his gaze. It was over. He was out of the mob—and now he belonged to me and only me.
Chapter Nineteen
A loud snore from the passenger seat of my car made me smile. I reached over to rub Sergei's leg as I pulled into the driveway behind my house and waited for the gate to close behind me. "Sergei? Baby, we're home."
"Huh?" He bolted upright and then hissed with pain. Putting a hand to his ribs, he groaned. They weren't broken, but clearly they still hurt like hell. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"Sergei, you've had a long day. It's okay." I carefully touched his arm. "I didn't mean to startle you."
Yawning, he tried to stretch but was impeded by the cramped quarters of my car. "We've got to get you something bigger than this if you're going to drive me around town. This is worse than an airplane seat."
"Hey, now," I said with mock hurt. Running my hands over the leather, I remarked, "This is luxury, baby."
"Luxury, huh? No, luxury is coming home with you tonight and knowing I never have to cross that line again." He cupped my face in his battered hands and nuzzled his mouth to mine. "I'll never be able to thank you enough, Bianca."
"Well, I can think of a few ways you can start," I murmured against his broken lips. "But you don't have to repay me in any way. I did this for us. This was an investment in our future."
He gestured to his bruised mouth with his swollen hands. "You might have to give me a few days of deferment on paying this debt. I won't be much good to you until some of this starts to heal."
An invisible band squeezed my chest like a vise. I hated that he was in pain and wanted to make him feel better. "Let's get you inside. You need to shower and take some more anti-inflammatories. Then I'll give you a massage like Ivan described to me."
Even so beat up, Sergei still couldn't control his raging lust for me. "I've got something I'd love to have you massage."
I wanted to be annoyed with him but I couldn't stop smiling. "You are a very dirty boy. Now, unfold yourself from that front seat and march up to the house."
"God, you're so sexy when you give orders." He leaned over and planted a lingering kiss right on my mouth. "All right. Let's see if I can get some blood flow back into my legs."
I rolled his eyes at the overly dramatic description of my cramped—to him—front seat. "Normal-sized people fit just fine in this car. Thank you very much."
"Milaya moya, you know me better than that. I'm big all over."
Shaking my head at his nonsense, I slid out of the driver's seat and tried to ignore his flirtatious laughter. The guy needed to rest and heal, but I had a feeling he was going to try to get my panties off me the first change he got. Not that I was going to put up much of a fight about it…
Inside the house, I offered to make him something to eat, but he declined. I tried to take his heavy gym bag from him, but he refused to let it go. After a glass of milk and some anti-inflammatories, Sergei went through the house to check the doors and windows. Amused, I followed him on his nightly round. "You must have taken a hard hit that scrambled your memory. I don’t have a prowler anymore, and the Night Wolves are long gone."
"So?" He shot me a look that said his overprotectiveness was never going to fade. "Those aren't the only bad things that exist in this city. Believe me," he muttered. "I know."
Certain that he did, I waited for him to finish and then led him upstairs to my—our—bedroom. He dropped his gym bag on the ottoman, and I realized how much I had missed seeing it there. My closet door was open, and he backed up after walking by it to take a better look. Flicking on the light, he studied the newly reorganized shelves and bars. "Bianca?"
Coming to stand beside him, I reached out to touch some of the clothes he had left behind. "They were in dryer. I started to hang them up in that guest room closet but then I decided I would move everything I wasn't wearing this season across the hall and move your things here." I swallowed anxiously. "Where they belong."
He put his hand on the wall and turned to gaze down at me. His eyes were suspiciously shimmery. "Are you serious?"
"Yes." I slid my hand under his shirt to gently caress his chest. "I want you here with me."
"People will say I'm taking advantage of you and your kindness and generosity."
"I don't care what people say."
"No?"
"No." Then, just because I liked teasing him, I added, "Besides, I like to keep my investments close."
He grunted but bent down to kiss the top of my head anyway. "I have a feeling this is going to be a piece of ammunition you'll use against me for years to come."
"Well, yeah!" I said with a laugh. "It was a lot of money." I cautiously embraced him, minding his bruised sides, and savored the heat and strength of him. "But you were worth every single penny, Sergei."
"I'll make you happy, Bianca. I swear. I'll spend every fucking second of the rest of our lives doing whatever I can to make you smile."
"I'm holding you to that promise." Leaning back, I peered up at him. "Come on. Let's get you clean. Then? Bedtime."
Just as I had expected, Sergei tried to seduce me once we were naked and in the shower together. Thankfully my shower was too small for him to get anywhere with that. I playfully batted away his fondling hands and made him hold still while I scrubbed all the parts of him I could reach. He tackled his hair, face and neck because he was much too tall for me to adequately clean those areas.
The pink water and blood-tinged suds swirling around our feet and rushing down the drain left me nauseated. I reminded myself that this was the life I had saved him from and that this would never, ever happen again. In time, his abused body would heal, but I imprinted the sight of all that blood in my brain so I would always remember where we started our journey together.
"Don't put that on," Sergei admonished as we dried off after our shower.
I stared at the chemise in my hands. "But this is one that you bought me."
"I haven't seen you or felt you in days, Bianca. I want to feel your naked skin on mine tonight." He slashed his hand through the air in that imperious, alpha m
ale way of his. "No clothes at night for at least a week."
"Yes, master," I said with a roll of my eyes. Secretly thrilled, I dropped my chemise on the counter and followed him out of the bathroom. Sergei made quick work of tossing the decorative pillows from my bed. For tonight only, I chose not to scold him for being so messy, but I pushed aside the pillows that fell between the bed and the bathroom, just in case one of us had to get up in the middle of the night. A fall and a trip to the emergency room weren't appealing in the least.
"On your stomach," I said, remembering the way Ivan had described the massage. "I'll start with your back."
Looking dead on his feet, Sergei crawled onto the bed and did as instructed. I selected the only unscented lotion I had and climbed onto the mattress. Mindful of Sergei's many bruises and injuries, I carefully massaged his tight, knotted muscles. Every now and then he grunted or hissed and shifted beneath me. I followed his short directions and adjusted my technique to give him the most relief.
"Turn over, baby."
Sergei rolled onto his back and flexed his calves. "Start with my legs?"
"Sure." I helped him stretch his taut muscles in the way Ivan had showed me, holding his heel in my hand and applying gentle pressure to his toes. Sergei winced but started to slowly relax as the cramps left him.
With my palms slicked by lotion, I massaged his massive calves, all the while marveling at the unbelievable strength beneath my hands. Although Sergei wasn't going to fight for money any more, he wasn't about to let himself go. I had a sneaking suspicion Ivan would try to cajole him into joining him as a trainer for those legit mixed-martial arts fighters on his roster. Now that Sergei had options, I hope he explored all of them.
"Unnnhhh." Sergei let loose a guttural groan when I began to run my thumb up and down the sole of his foot. The more pressure I applied, the more he seemed to enjoy it. I didn't miss the way that big cock of his started to grow. Amused by the reaction, I used both hands on his sensitive foot, working my thumbs in slow circles along his arch. His erection throbbed to life, standing tall and proud, and weeping glistening drops of pre-cum.
Deciding to indulge my naughty side, I leaned forward and sucked his big toe. An explosive string of curse words shot from his mouth. Sergei lifted up on his elbows to watch me. He groaned and inhaled a shuddery breath. "You're killing me, Bianca."
"How?"
His eyelids lowered, hooding his dark, dangerous eyes. "You know how. Don't tease me, milaya moya. I'm on the edge tonight."
"Who's teasing?" I placed his foot on the bed and began to kiss my way up his sturdy legs. Pushing his thighs apart, I slid down onto my belly and dragged my tongue up and down and side to side along his heavy sac.
Cursing again, Sergei fell back to the pillows and spread his thighs even wider. "Suck me, Bianca. Put me in your mouth."
Smirking at the power I held over this Russian giant, I gave him what he wanted. My poor baby had suffered through one hell of a week. Surely he deserved some pleasure now.
I licked all over that huge cock of his, gathering the little bit of pre-cum from his slit before pulling him into my mouth. He groaned and reached down to caress my hair, urging me on with softly whispered compliments. Letting saliva pool on my tongue, I slicked down the impressive length of him and wrapped my lips around his wide shaft. He was so amped up tonight. I didn't think it was going to take him long to explode.
Hungry for his cum, I used my hand to stroke the bottom half of his erection while I concentrated all my oral efforts on the most sensitive part of him. As my hand moved up and down, my mouth followed the same path, stimulating him in ways that made Sergei cry out and whisper my name like a litany.
When I took him deep into my mouth, letting him nudge that hot, wet alcove at the back of my throat, Sergei lost control. He thrust up just a little bit, rubbing against my tongue and pushing himself right over the edge. I drank down his cum, moaning happily around the pulsing shaft stretching my lips, and reveled in the sound of my name shouted from his lips.
After I licked him clean, I peppered feather-light kisses up his belly and chest. Looking sleepy and so relaxed, Sergei placed his hand against my cheek and grinned at me. "You are so fucking amazing at that."
"I've never really liked doing it," I admitted. "Not until you," I added, when his brow furrowed. "You make it seem like a gift. You appreciate it."
"You have no idea how much," he said, kissing me tenderly. Tangling his fingers in my hair, he issued a gruff command. "Show me how much you like sucking my cock, Bianca."
Heat rushed into my face. I wanted to shake my head and say no, but those dark eyes of his enthralled me. Reaching between my thighs, I let my fingers ride the curve of my pussy to gather the evidence of my arousal. Lifting my hand, I showed him the shiny wetness clinging to my fingers.
Sergei stunned me by grasping my wrist and dragging my hand to his mouth. He licked my fingertips and growled with appreciation. "I've missed the taste of your pussy so much."
"Sergei!" I wondered if I would ever get used to the dirty things he said. Probably not…
"On your side," he ordered. "And open your legs for me."
"Sergei," I said uncertainly. "You're in bad shape. You need to rest."
"I need to feel your thighs wrapped around my head while I tongue-fuck you, Bianca. Now get on your side and give me what I want."
Trembling with white-hot currents of anticipation and excitement, I did exactly as told. Sergei slid down the bed and rested his head against my inner thigh. The position we were in allowed him to get what he wanted without having to rely on his tired arms to hold up his weight.
The first flick of his heavenly tongue on my throbbing clitoris made me want to sob with relief. Finally! Eyes closed, I surrendered to Sergei's skillful oral assault. He nibbled my clit and ran his tongue around it in slow circles before suckling me with long, slow tugs that made my freaking toes curl. Just as he promised, he probed my soaking entrance until I started to see stars.
When his tongue returned to my clit, I lost it. Shrieking his name, I rocked my hips and smiled as the blissful bursts of pure joy radiated through me. Even after my orgasm died, Sergei continued to swipe that wonderful tongue of his through my folds. Apparently he hadn't been joking about missing my taste.
Crawling back up beside me, Sergei burrowed close and rested his head on my shoulder. For the first time ever, I was the one cuddling him. I understood that he had survived some wild emotional turmoil this week. Pressing all the love I had for him into my embrace, I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight until he drifted off to sleep. It didn't take long for me to follow him into the realms of peaceful slumber.
But a strange sound woke me sometime later.
Confused and disoriented, I glanced at the bedside clock. It was late, almost three in the morning. I winced as my neck protested the odd position I had fallen asleep in and pushed up onto my elbow. Beside me, Sergei muttered something and flopped onto his back, his long arms slapping against the mattress.
I heard the sound again. It was a muffled thump that perplexed me. Certain it was coming from out back, I decided to investigate. I squashed the instinct to wake Sergei. Grabbing his shirt, I slipped into it and some panties before grabbing my robe from the chair in the corner. On tiptoes, I quietly left the bedroom and headed downstairs. The house was dark and still as I made my way to the kitchen and then into the sunroom. I heard the thumping sound a third time and pinpointed the noise's origin.
It was coming from the carriage house.
Curious now, I unlocked the back door and reached for the handle. The sudden awareness of another person's body heat made the fine hairs on the back of my neck rise. A hand closed over my mouth as a scream of panic erupted from my throat.
"Sweetheart, hush. It's me." Sergei's harsh whisper echoed in my ears.
Sagging with relief, I leaned back against his bare chest. The stiff sensation of denim tugged at my robe. He lowered his hand and kissed the
side of my neck. Giving my bottom a swat, he hissed, "Don’t ever do this again. When you hear something, you wake me up."
"You were tired."
"And you're stubborn," he retorted tightly. "Stay here while I go see what the hell that is."
"No way. I want to know what it is."
"Bianca—"
"Sergei, I'm going." I could just imagine his frustrated expression, but the darkness prevented me from confirming my suspicions.
Growling, he gently pushed me behind him and thrust my phone into my hands. The feel of cold metal stunned me. Was he armed? Of course he was. Sergei wasn't going to investigate a strange noise without a way to defend us.
"Stay behind me. At the first sign of trouble, call 9-1-1 and run."
"Yes, dear."
He snorted and dropped a kiss to the crown of my head. "Come on."
Holding my hand, Sergei led me out of the house. We both skipped the step that squeaked and hopped down onto the grass. Sticking to the shadows and glad for the new moon that left the sky an inky black, I followed him across the yard to the carriage house. The dilapidated structure seemed so sinister in the darkness. Sergei had joked once that I should rent the space out to film students as a horror film set. I had to concede now that he was right.
The thumping sound grew louder as we neared the building. Peeking through one of the grimy windows, we spotted the glow of flashlights and a battery-operated lantern. A man with his back to us attacked one of the masonry walls. I had no idea what he thought he was going to find back there, but I sure as heck wanted to find out.
I felt Sergei relax next to me. Whatever this guy was doing, he wasn't here to kill or attack us. He just wanted whatever was behind that wall.
Sergei tugged me along beside him but wouldn't let me through the door. He pushed me down by the adjacent wall and put a fingertip to my lips. I understood his instruction and gave his hand a squeeze to let him know I would stay put.