Temptation

ALEKSANDR

~What the hell am I doing?~

I hadn’t planned on barging into her room without knocking. But a part of me still didn’t trust her. If I were being honest, I’d admit that I wanted to catch her off guard.

I was sure she was keeping something from me. I just didn’t know what.

Seeing her in the closet, her creamy skin exposed, made me instantly aroused. Something that hadn’t happened since my wife passed away. I wouldn’t be truthful if I said I’d been celibate since then.

Instead, my sexual preferences had only intensified. They’d become what some might label as perverse. I often visited sex clubs that catered to these preferences, where boundaries were clearly established to avoid any misunderstandings.

I enjoyed the primal aspect of sex. The chase, the capture, the domination. I had lost all gentleness in sex when I lost Nadya. I liked it rough. The rougher, the better.

So why did this innocent girl, with her wide eyes and insecurities, make me want to pin her to my bed and take her again and again until she screamed my name?

She was clearly inexperienced. It was evident in the fragments of her past that she unintentionally revealed. But there was no denying the look in her eyes when she looked at me.

Her expression was open, honest, because she didn’t seem capable of deceit. She was attracted to me, and she was fighting it… hard.

I could feel her internal battle as she sat next to me in the Defender, nervously wringing her hands, with Niko driving.

I had no strategy when it came to this girl. I didn’t even know why I asked her to accompany me to the event tonight. I was comfortable enough to attend these events alone.

But I wanted her by my side. I wanted to show her off and see how she would handle the attention. The scrutiny that would inevitably come from being with me. From belonging to me.

A thrill ran up my spine at the thought of Kaia belonging to me, and an image of her kneeling at my feet made me shift uncomfortably in my seat.

~Damn, what’s wrong with me?~

Kaia was young. Definitely younger than any woman I’d been with. But there was a certain maturity about her, in the way she carried herself.

She never mentioned parents. Maybe because she was taking care of her younger sister?

It didn’t matter, though. I was determined to uncover all her secrets. Even if I had to strip her bare to do it, and I didn’t just mean metaphorically.

Niko glanced at me in the rearview mirror, raising an eyebrow as if he could hear my thoughts.

I smiled, remembering his surprised expression when I’d walked out with Kaia on my arm. It was the first time I’d seen him genuinely shocked by a woman. She’d surprised him, and I was glad I wasn’t the only one affected by her.

Wanting to distract her from her thoughts, I turned to her.

“How old is your sister?”

Kaia’s hands fell to her lap, and her eyes widened at the question. She bit her lip as if she didn’t want to answer, but that small movement made me want to nibble her lower lip.

I exhaled slowly, silently cursing myself for tormenting myself with her presence tonight.

“Irina is eighteen.”

Her voice calmed me, but it turned teasing when she asked her next question. I knew she was deliberately trying to change the subject.

“What charity is this event for?”

I couldn’t help but smile because she was anything but subtle.

“I donate to many charities. But this one is to ensure that no child goes hungry. Especially those in countries that can’t afford to feed them.”

There was a strange look in her eyes as if she was mulling over my words.

“Is that so surprising?” I asked, my tone mocking.

But then I saw it—a flicker of sadness as she looked away from me.

I frowned, realizing that her reaction was quite revealing.

~Did my little kitten go hungry?~

The thought of it ignited a slow burn in my stomach.

“Where are your parents, kotik?”

I felt her tense beside me.

“Gone.”

“How long have you been taking care of Irina?”

She shrugged slightly.

“How long have you been on your own, kotik?”

She hesitated before confessing, “Most of my life.”

This meant she was the one who had essentially brought up her sister. Cristo had exploited this vulnerability. Was I any different, planning to use the same weakness to keep her close?

Sure, I intended to help her find Irina, or at least discover what happened to her, but it was also a means to keep her with me.

“Where in Russia does your family come from?”

Her response was immediate this time. But it was a lie.

“I don’t know.”

“What’s your father’s name?”

“Enough.”

“Give me your last name, kotik.”

“Enough, Aleksandr!”

Her glare wasn’t fueled by anger, but fear. She was terrified. I had already confessed that I wasn’t a gentleman, so my voice was stern when I pressed her.

“If you want my help, you need to be honest with me.”

She lifted her chin defiantly, and the fire in my gut simmered down to a low growl.

“There will be other influential men at the party tonight, right? Maybe I’ll ask one of them for help instead?”

My fingers were around her throat in an instant, pulling her against my chest. Our faces were so close that our breaths intertwined. I could smell her—jasmine and temptation.

“Do you want to start a war tonight, kotik?” I asked, my voice dangerously calm. “Because that’s what will happen if you give any other man your attention. Do you understand?”

I didn’t care that I sounded possessive. I wanted her to know the truth. This was who I was.

Her eyes dropped to my lips, her tongue darting out to moisten her lower lip, and I swore my cock threatened to burst out of my pants.

~Is she doing this intentionally? Does she know the effect she has on me?~

“You chose me to help you, Kaia,” I managed to keep my voice steady, using her name, and felt her shiver under my touch. “Why me?”

“W-what do you mean?”

My fingers traced the curve of her throat gently, though all I wanted was to mark her with my teeth.

“I’m not known for my kindness,” I explained. “It would have been easier to approach Don Marco or even Santiago. I’m sure either of them would have been willing to help you.”

Then she wouldn’t have been under my control—literally. The mere thought made my fingers tighten.

“You’re the pakhan. You hold all the power,” she managed to gasp out.

My eyes narrowed at her.

“You’ve been researching me?”

I felt her nod in affirmation.

“And? What did you discover?” I moved my hand to grip the hair at the back of her neck.

She licked her lips again, as if struggling to breathe.

“You’re not as cruel as you want everyone to believe.”

I inhaled sharply. “I’m not?”

“No. You’re eliminating all the human trafficking in the city, and the Dons are assisting you. But you’re the one leading the charge.”

My grip on her hair loosened. “Smart girl,” I murmured, surprised.

“Cristo controlled the largest human trafficking routes in Central America,” she continued. “If Irina was trafficked, I know you’d be able to find her. You have the connections.”

Her reasoning was sound. But why was she still hiding so much from me?

I caressed her cheek with my thumb, unable to resist touching her. “I already promised to help you, kotik,” I said. “But I want a promise from you in return.”

She frowned, and I could feel her anxiety rising again.

“I want the truth from you. No more lies.”

“I’m not—”

My finger on her cheek tightened its grip on her chin, causing her teeth to clatter. “Don’t say it. You ~are~ lying to me,” I growled. “I’m letting it slide this time. But if you ever do it again, you’ll be punished. And you won’t like how I punish naughty little girls who try to play me for a fool.”

This time, the shiver that ran through her didn’t seem to be out of fear. Her eyes were glazed, and her breath came in soft pants.

The tension between us thickened. I leaned in to kiss her.

“We’re here.”

Kaia jerked back as if she’d been shocked when Niko’s voice cut through the fog.

She casually tossed her hand back to adjust her hair, while I struggled to regain my breath.