Chapter 17: Chapter 15

“Why are you doing this, Vasya, baby?” My mother’s voice sounds sad and worried through the line. “It’s been almost two months. Please come home, and we’ll sort out whatever it is that’s the problem. We miss you so much.”

I close my eyes and lean back on Rafael’s naked chest. We tried working on his data repository twice this afternoon but ended up in bed both times. “I miss you guys, too, Mom. I’ll be home soon.”

“You say that every time and— No! Roman! Give me back the phone!”

“Vasilisa.” My father’s low, rumbling growl practically explodes through the speaker. “The instant I find out where you are, I’ll be dragging you back home and locking you up in your room. Forever!”

“Sure, Dad.” I sigh. “Can you put Yulia on the phone, please.”

He grumbles something in Russian and, a few moments later, my sister chirps. “Hey, Vasya. How are you?”

“I’m fine. How—”

“Dad has Felix tracing your calls,” she whispers urgently. “He’s been doing it for weeks, but he can’t pinpoint your location. I heard Gramps tell Dad that he’ll be switching to another tracking software and—”

I immediately cut the line. How long did we talk? Rafael said his phone can’t be tracked, but still . . . Panic grips my chest, and suddenly it’s hard to breathe.

“Vespetta?” Rafael drops a kiss on my bare shoulder. “Is something wrong?”

Did they pin my location? Bile rises up my throat. My father could be out the door and on his way to Sicily right at this moment.

I turn around so I’m straddling Rafael’s chest. My eyes find and lock onto his gaze as the storm brewing inside me becomes a hurricane. This is exactly what I wanted, isn’t it? For my dad to find me and bring me home. But, the thing is, I don’t want that anymore.

I don’t want to go home.

But I also can’t remain with the man who won’t let me choose between staying and leaving.

“Vasilisa?” Rafael threads his hands through my hair, pulling me down for a kiss. “Will you tell me what’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”

“My father is tracing the calls,” I mumble into his lips.

“Of course he is. But he won’t be able to discover where you are. No one will.”

“And you won’t let me leave until I’m done fixing your system?”

He takes my bottom lip between his teeth and nips it. “That’s right.”

I cup his face with my palms and pull away, breaking the kiss. “Then stop instructing your men to sabotage the work you had me dragged here to do.”

Rafael’s eyes flare dangerously. He couldn’t have seriously believed that I wouldn’t figure out what he’s been doing. The system “disruptions” that keep popping up can’t be the result of an external source. I realized this two weeks ago but I went along with the farce because I didn’t want to leave. Didn’t want to leave him.

“I want you to stay,” he growls as he shifts his hand to my pussy, teasing me with his finger.

I gasp. Everything is still tender, but his touch feels so damn good. As he starts stroking my clit with his thumb, I feel myself getting instantly wet. Biting my lower lip, I widen my legs to give him more access.

“You want me to stay,” I whisper, holding his gaze, “or, do you want me to want to stay? Those are two very different things.”

Rafael’s other hand slides to the back of my neck, gathering a fistful of my hair while he pushes another finger inside my quivering core.

“No one can offer you what I can, Vasilisa.” The grip on my hair tightens slightly. “Name whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you. Money. Jewels. A yacht, if you want it. I have two, but I can buy you a new one. If you don’t like Sicily, just pick a spot, and I’ll get you a house there. It’ll be in your name.” He pinches my clit, making me cry out. “Any damn thing you desire, I’ll deliver.”

“So, anything, except the freedom to decide whether I want to stay with you?”

“You will want to stay with me,” he growls as he moves his hands under my ass. “I’ll make sure of it.”

With those words, he pulls me forward until my hips hover just above his face. His warm breath feathers over my wet folds before his tongue slides between them. A shiver shoots up my spine, causing me to arch my back and moan with pleasure. With his fingers digging into and massaging my rounded cheeks, Rafael slowly licks up the length of my slit. I hold onto the headboard like a lifeline as he continues to feast on my pussy. The sounds of crickets and distant voices outside fade into the background as I lose myself to the sensation of his hot mouth on my most intimate parts. Nothing else exists except for Rafael. Nothing else, at this point, matters.

His skilled tongue delves expertly, exploring every curve and crevice, ravaging me with masterful precision and powerful waves of pleasure that I never want to end. The room becomes a hazy blur, and my body melts into divine oblivion. My every gasp, every sigh blends in harmony with muffled groans and languid mmms, accompanied by the sound of his lips and the gentle swivel of his tongue.

The graze of his teeth on my throbbing bundle of nerves sends a jolt through every cell of my body. The headboard rattles from my furious grip while I struggle to breathe as he seals his mouth to my clit and sucks it in. My body shakes from the sheer intensity of the pleasure he’s giving me, and a loud shout rips out of me as I climax, exploding into a million tiny particles.

Air leaves my lungs in short, shaky bursts as I try to pull myself together. Rafael licks my pussy one more time, then kisses my inner thigh, and gently lowers me to sit back on his chest.

“I’ll worship every part of your body like this, Vasilisa. Every day. Every night,” he says as he slides his hands up my ribcage and over my breasts to wrap them around my neck. With his thumbs at my chin, he strokes my lips. “You’re going to become so addicted to my touch, that just the thought of being away from me will manifest as physical pain.”

I pant as I search his eyes, finding steely determination reflecting at me from the green flinty rocks. He’s wrong, though. I’m already addicted. And just like every addict, I want more.

Just one more. That has become my mantra. Just one more day with him, and then I’ll put a stop to this crazy train. Just one more night in his arms, and then I’ll find a way to leave. Just one more bone-melting kiss . . . Just one more soul-searing touch . . . Just one more moment in heaven.

And slowly, each of those “ones” became a two. Then, three. Then, ten. Then, a yearning for forever.

But the time has come, and this counting game has reached a point where it can’t continue anymore.

“I’m going to take a shower, and then I’ll resume my work.”

“We both know there’s no need for you to work for me anymore,” he barks.

“Of course there is. I’ll finish the configuration changes today, and then I expect you to arrange for me to go home. I will not be kept a prisoner here any longer.”

“I don’t see you in chains, Vasilisa.”

“Because the shackles you’ve chained me with are not tangible.”

Rafael’s eyes darken, upheaval swirls in their depths. He grabs my chin, pulling me closer to his hard-lined face.

“I’m in love with you, Vasilisa.”

My heart stops beating. For a fleeting moment, every molecule in my body is completely still while I process the words I’ve been longing to hear. But there’s no joy in hearing his declaration. That feeling of soaring through the clouds is missing entirely because I can’t believe that what he said is true. He might have a strange way of showing it, but I do think he feels something for me. I’m just afraid it isn’t love.

Love is the purest of emotions. It’s not selfishness. Not ownership. What he feels is an obsession over someone who didn’t easily fall into his hands. It will pass, be replaced with something new. And in the end, it won’t even matter. Nothing will change for me. Except for the presence of a crippling fear. Did I fall in love with a man who’s not capable of loving me back? A man who will do anything to keep me with him. Anything, except let me go.

“I can’t do this anymore, Rafael.” I press my shaky palms to his cheeks and lean down to caress my lips over his. “We had a deal. If you don’t keep your side of the bargain, I will withhold mine, and find a way to leave.”

Dread explodes inside me. Panic surges in my chest, spreading throughout my body. I don’t know what I should do to make her want to stay. I would never hurt her parents or siblings, but the threat to their lives is the only leverage I have. What if she does manage to find a way to flee? I wrap my arms around her middle and roll us until I’m on top.

“I swear I’ll kill them,” I growl, watching her eyes widen in alarm. “If you dare to run from me, Vasilisa, I’m going to destroy your family and I’ll make you watch.”

A shadow passes over her face, transforming her shocked expression into anguish.

“Move,” she hisses.

“No.”

“Get your hands off me!” She wraps her fingers around my throat, squeezing. “Or I’m going to choke you to death.”

Instantly, my cock resembles a steel rod. It always turns me on when she goes feral. “I love you! Can’t you understand that?!”

“And yet, you keep hurting me every day by making me choose between you and my family.”

I grit my teeth so hard that it makes my fucked-up facial muscles ache. “You’re staying. And if you’re going to hate me, so be it.”

Vasilisa pushes on my pecs with her palms. I let her wriggle out from under me and follow her with my eyes as she gets off the bed. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she walks to the bathroom but stops at the threshold.

“You don’t love me, Rafael. You don’t even know the meaning of the word.” Her voice is barely a whisper, but every sound particle pierces my chest like a blazing blade. “The only thing you know is how to buy things. And when your money has no power—you just take.”

A soft click resonates as she steps into the bathroom. I sit motionless in the bed with the scent of our lovemaking in the air, enveloping me in its embrace while all I can do is stare at the closed door. Hushed sniffling seeps in from the other side. I made the woman I love cry. That realization crushes me like a ten-ton block of concrete. Despair settles in my gut as I cross the room and press my forehead to the wooden surface.

I’d never do it. Would never harm her family, even if she somehow did find a way to run away, breaking our deal. Her love for them must be boundless if she was willing to spend all this time with a monster like me to ensure their safety. What would it be like to have her love me like that? For her to want to be with me? Not because it would keep her family safe. Not because I can make her melt from pleasure with my touch. I want her to stay because of me. I want her to love me because of who I am. Not for what I can give her. And what have I done? Coerced her, and tried to buy her love.

My lily of the valley is right.

I need to let her go. Return her to where she belongs.

Back to all those handsome, perfect men who are a part of her world.

Collecting my scattered clothes from the floor, I leave the bedroom. Down the hall, one of the maids is dusting a sconce and humming a melody under her breath. When she sees me approaching, a strangled shriek leaves her lips. Her cheeks blush bright red, and she tries hard to look anywhere but at my naked body.

I continue along the corridor, eliciting a few more startled cries from other staff who see me trudge past in my newfound stupor.

“Raff?” Guido’s voice comes from the stairway. “What in hell—”

“Not now.” I step inside the guest room, heading to the bathroom.

“I gather the moment might not be the best, but this is urgent.”

“I said, not now!” I slam the bathroom door shut.

Adjusting the water to scorching hot, I step inside the shower and press my palms on the tiled wall.

“I just found out that Calogero bought several properties southwest of Messina,” Guido’s muffled voice comes through the door.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Scalding water beats down on my head and back, but it doesn’t strip away the rage and misery festering inside me.

“Raff?” Loud banging on the door. “Did you hear what I said?”

“Yes.”

I tilt my head up, letting the spray hit my face. Fucking Calogero. I can’t bring myself to give a shit about what that motherfucker is doing. Not now. He can go buy every goddamned inch of land in Sicily, for all I care.

“And? What are we going to do about it?”

Turning off the tap, I step out of the shower stall and grab the edge of the sink. Handling the Calogero issue is long overdue, but I wasn’t willing to risk an open confrontation with Vasilisa in my home. I guess I don’t have to worry about that anymore since she’s leaving. Unless . . . unless she decides to come back.

The mirror over the sink is completely fogged up, blurring my reflection. I wipe the condensation off with my palm and stare at the monstrous visage looking back at me. Yeah, as if a beauty like Vasilisa would ever choose to spend her life with a beast like me.

Throwing all my strength behind it, I hit the mirror with my fist. It shatters into jagged pieces. Blood gushes from my split knuckles, crimson dripping to the reflective fragments, seeping into the cracks and edges of the remnants below. It reminds me of me, that fucking broken mirror. A multitude of messed-up shards, just like my currently splintered soul. And all that red—the tears of my bleeding heart.

I snatch the towel off the hanger and open the bathroom door.

“Gather twenty men,” I say as I wrap the towel around my waist. “I want everyone armed and ready to go in thirty minutes.”

“Go where?”

“To burn every damn building that bastard bought.”

“Now? In the middle of the day? Why not wait till nightfall?”

“Because if I don’t wreck something right the fuck now, I’ll kill the first asshole who crosses my path!” I snarl. “Is that enough of a reason for you?”

“Quite a solid one. I’ll go gather our men.”

* * *

I light a cigarette, then nod at Otto who’s directing men with jerricans of gasoline. “Keep away from the trees, I don’t want them damaged.”

“Sure, boss.” He returns the nod and heads toward the top of a hill where the one-story modern villa is surrounded by a much older but well-tended orchard, its trees heavy with fruit.

“I think you should reconsider,” Guido says next to me. “Burning Calogero’s properties on our turf is one thing, but this is a completely different matter.”

“I know.” I take a long drag of a cigarette and eye the luxurious mansion. It’s my godfather’s favorite getaway. He likes to bring his business partners here so they can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the western part of Sicily while having drinks on the spacious, shaded terrace.

It’s also where he took his vows when he became the don. Earlier today, when I torched the two warehouses he bought outside Messina, that was a simple statement. But this? This is a declaration of war.

“There’s no turning back after this, Rafael. You know that, right?”

“Yes.”

“And what are we going to do with his men?”

I look at the four men kneeling by the greenhouse, their hands tied behind their backs. The bastards managed to shoot one of my guys while we stormed the place. I reach into my jacket, pull out my gun, and aim at the first dickhead in the line. The sound of my 9mm splits the air.

The other three men look at the body splayed before them, then start fidgeting, trying to get to their feet. I send two more bullets flying. One hits its target in the head, the other, in the neck. The last of Calogero’s men was able to stagger to his feet, but now he’s just standing there, staring at his dead buddies.

I holster my gun and set off across the lawn. With my peripheral vision, I spot Otto in front of the main house, motioning to my men to get outside. He’s holding a Molotov cocktail in his hand. I stop in front of Calogero’s surviving goon and pin him with my gaze. “Turn around.”

The man swallows and follows the order. His bound hands are shaking behind his back.

“You’re going to deliver a message to your don.” I cut the zip tie at his wrists.

For a few heartbeats, he remains rooted to the spot with his back to me, then, he chances a glance over his shoulder. “What’s the message?”

“Everybody clear!” Otto’s voice thunders from the driveway, followed by the sound of shattering glass.

Orange flames quickly engulf the interior of the house, climbing the walls to the outside and licking up the terrace posts. Dark smoke rises into the sky, spooking a flock of birds in the orchard. En masse, they take flight, their frantic cries mixing with the sound of crackling wood.

“That’s the message.” I nod toward the burning building, then turn around and head toward my SUV where Guido is leaning against the grill, watching the raging fire.

“Now what?” he asks when I approach.

“Recall every team from our European bases. We’ll need the manpower.”

“Already did. They’ll be here in the morning.”

“Good. Have them deployed at all the likely places where Calogero may hit us back. He’ll need a few days to regroup before he makes his move, so we have a brief window of time to prepare.” I get behind the wheel and pull out my phone. “And up the security on the house. I have to drop by Catania, and it’ll be a few hours before I get home.”

“Let me guess. Another visit to that jeweler?”

“Maybe.”

“You just started the damn war, but instead of helping me coordinate our men and make plans, you’re heading off to shop for trinkets for your Russian princess?”

“Exactly.” I hit the gas.

* * *

All the lights except for two sconces on the landing are off, shrouding the hallway in darkness as I walk toward my bedroom. I stop in front of the door and listen, but I can’t hear anything. Without making a sound, I turn the handle and slip inside.

The reading lamp over the headboard is lit, illuminating the bed. The neatly made and empty bed. Vasilisa is on the couch by the fireplace. Asleep.

I leave the golden bag on the nightstand and crouch beside my sleeping beauty, taking in Vasilisa’s face. Her eyes are a little puffy, and there are a few crumpled tissues on the floor. She’s been crying. A knot forms in my stomach. Reaching out, I brush my knuckles along her soft cheek, then slide my arms under her, and carry her to the bed.

Once I have her tucked in, I head to the walk-in closet and start gathering Vasilisa’s clothes. She will be mad as a wasp at me in the morning, but it doesn’t matter. I want to see her wearing nothing but my shirt again.

It’ll probably be the very last time.