Touch Me

KAIA

A guard held the front door open for me, his gaze politely averted. I brushed past him, making a beeline for the stairs and my room.

~When did I start thinking of it as my room?~

I slammed the door shut and kicked off my heels. They clattered onto the floor as I collapsed onto the bed, clutching at my hair, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

~I shouldn’t be doing this. I shouldn’t be ~feeling~ this way.~ I repeated the words in my head like a mantra.

I was here for a purpose. To rescue Irina and take down those who stole our home. I couldn’t afford to lose sight of that.

But Aleksandr was making it incredibly hard. He was a distraction personified, with his six-foot frame of pure allure. His scent alone was intoxicating, making me feel like an addict getting a fix with every breath.

Maybe he felt the same, given his inability to keep his hands off me. And I let him, because I wanted to touch him too.

I groaned, tugging at my hair as if it would knock some sense into me. But it was futile. The more time we spent together, the more he was tearing down my defenses.

And I had a feeling he was doing it deliberately. I still didn’t know why he was keeping me here. I wasn’t naive enough to think he couldn’t find a woman to accompany him to these events.

So why me? Or was I missing something? Was he using me? But for what?

I closed my eyes, recalling the sensation of his arms around me as we danced. His body pressed against mine. Hard. Hot. Unyielding. He held me as if he owned me.

Maybe that was the image he wanted to project. But if it was all for show, why did he pull me onto his lap in the car when we were alone?

My eyes snapped open, irritation with myself flaring up again. I pushed off the bed and reached for the zipper of my dress. After a few moments of struggling, I let out a frustrated sigh.

There was no way I was getting out of this dress without help. I glanced at the door, which didn’t lock from the inside, and scowled. The last thing I wanted was to ask that jerk for help.

“Are you a virgin, kotik?”

His voice had been a mix of anger and curiosity. But all I could think about were the countless submissives he probably lost himself with at the club.

I wasn’t fooling myself. Aleksandr was a highly sexual man. My inexperience was mortifying and only served to fuel my anger… at him.

I paced the room, considering just removing my makeup and sleeping in the damn dress. But I doubted I’d be able to sleep in it.

I looked at the door again, my heart pounding. Seeking out Aleksandr in my current state was risky. For my sanity. For my body.

I heard heavy footsteps outside my door. They paused, as if he was contemplating entering, then receded down the hall. A door closed. Aleksandr had retreated to his room.

I let out a sigh, not of relief but resignation. I knew what I had to do.

In two strides, I was at the door. The knob turned easily in my hand, creaking slightly as I pulled it open.

The hallway was dimly lit, but I could see the dark doors of Aleksandr’s suite at the far end.

Gathering all my courage, I walked purposefully down the hall. Fueled by lingering anger, I barged into his room without knocking, just as he often did with me.

I needed to put on a brave face. I’d need it with him. I kept my gaze lowered as I stormed into the room.

“I can’t seem to reach…” My voice trailed off as I looked up, my steps coming to an abrupt halt.

The soft glow from the bedside lamps bathed the room in a warm, intimate light. But it wasn’t the room that held my gaze. It was the man standing in it.

He had shed his suit, leaving him in nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs that clung to his muscular thighs and sculpted ass. He had half-turned toward me when I entered, his profile so breathtaking it made my heart race.

Oh, the body on this man. Aleksandr wasn’t just tall. His arms were corded with muscle, his thighs looked like they were carved from steel.

His back, biceps, forearms, and chest were adorned with tattoos, a testament to his dedication to the gym. A thick gold chain with a cross pendant hung around his neck.

When I finally managed to tear my eyes away from his body and look at his face, I found him smirking. He hadn’t moved, just let me take him in. The cocky bastard knew he was a sight to behold.

I tried to hide my shock with a scowl, but there was no hiding the flush in my cheeks. I turned to leave. My voice was barely above a whisper.

“I should have knocked—”

“Come here.”

His words stopped me in my tracks. The husky tone of his voice sent a shiver down my spine. I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them again, too scared to turn around.

“Kaia,” he coaxed, “come here, kotik.”

When I didn’t move, I heard the soft sound of his footsteps on the plush carpet as he approached me.

Just like he had done earlier, he gently lifted my hair off my back and over my shoulder, pulling down the zipper of my dress.

As soon as his fingers left my skin, I moved toward the door. But Aleksandr caught me by the back of my neck, pulling me against his firm chest.

I gasped as my cool skin met his warmth. I clutched my dress to my chest, preventing it from falling to the floor.

“You never have to knock, kotik,” he murmured in my ear.

My eyes fluttered closed as his lips traced a path down my chin to the pulsing vein in my neck.

“~Aleksandr~…”

He nipped at my skin, sending a jolt of pleasure straight to my core.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

I couldn’t breathe. My mind was a fog. What had he asked?

“What question?” I managed to ask. I struggled to keep up with the conversation as his hands explored my body under my dress.

I could feel his smile against my back as he pressed his lips between my shoulder blades.

“Tell me you’re not a virgin.”

His words were a command, his tone almost mocking. I immediately bristled.

I pushed away from him and turned to face him.

That was a mistake. He looked even more enticing with his eyes half-closed, cheeks flushed, and chest rising and falling with restrained desire.

The outline of his arousal was clearly visible in the dim light, and my lips parted in surprise.

“And if I’m not? Would you fuck me then?” I retorted, using crude language to hide my fear.

He ran a hand through his dark hair, messing it up even more. His eyes locked onto mine, a storm of emotions brewing in them.

“I don’t fuck virgins.”

His words stung more than they should have. I should be relieved. Getting involved with him wasn’t part of the plan.

But a part of me was starting to realize that my plan was about to go up in smoke. I needed to think fast before I fell under his ~spell~.

“And I don’t want to fuck ~you~. So we’re in agreement.”

I turned to leave, but Aleksandr’s hand slammed against the door, trapping me between him and the wood.

He tutted in my ear.

“Such a pretty little liar, kotik,” he crooned. “If only you could see the way you look at me. Or feel how your body trembles against mine.”

And tremble it did, silently begging for his touch when my lips couldn’t form the words.

“Should we discover the truth?”

He withdrew his hold on me, stepping back to take me in fully.

“Shed the dress, Kaia.”

A moment of hesitation seized me as I turned around, his gaze intensifying.

“You made a vow. No dishonesty.” His tone was stern. “Do you desire my touch?”

His question stirred something within me. I’d never experienced this intensity of feeling before, and I wasn’t sure if I ever would again.

All I could do was give a silent affirmation.

His stern expression melted away.

“Then heed my request. Step. Out. Of. The. Dress.”

Maintaining eye contact, I moved my hands to the zipper, letting the dress pool at my feet.