Downswing Read online

  "Yo, what previous engagement is this?"

  At the pissy question, I sighed, turning back in a swift movement. Both Viktor and Cin stood outside the parlor doors, arms crossed, looking at us with those identical frowns that would have been hilarious if I wasn’t ready to crush someone’s skull. I merely smiled, my expression dripping ice.

  "A private one." I said silkily, turning once again to ascend the stairs, Silas' hand firmly grasped in my own.

  I heard Cin swearing as we left and felt that obsidian gaze on my back as I moved swiftly to the second floor. Barreling down the hall, I felt my facial muscles slowly start to morph, turning from ice to pure, frothing rage.

  "Emilia." Silas finally spoke as we entered my room in a rush, with me slamming the door behind us. I leaned back against it, my eyes closed, and my hand raised as I calmed my breathing slowly.

  "We can put off our exercise until tomo-"

  "No." I said firmly. My eyes opened, and I looked at Silas with my signature cold stare. He stared back at me, finally giving a nod.

  "Very well." He pulled the chair from my vanity to the center of my large room, sitting down. Pulling out his phone, he pressed a button and suddenly 'The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum' covered by Collide started blasting through the room. He crossed his arms, raising a brow to me.

  "Then come to me, Emilia. And let us begin."

  I stared back at him for a full minute. My lips suddenly curled into a sultry grin, and my eyes drooped down, capturing his gaze with a heated look of my own. I began to slowly undress, striding towards him, my now nimble body moving fluidly as I swayed in time to the pulsing beat echoing around my spacious room.

  Silas's form faded away as I slowly tore my shirt off, and I pictured Viktor's obsidian gaze searing me instead. As my body heated, I let my pent up sexual desire slowly melt over my face and down my body. My body pulsing to the music, I straddled Silas, my hips moving in perfect harmony with the beat.

  “Are you ready, mon ami?” Silas whispered in his deep, sultry voice and I couldn’t suppress the shiver of awareness that ran up my spine.

  “Do it.”

  As Silas slid his hands to my thighs, his fingers seeking the pressure points in my legs that would turn my every breath into agony, I let my tremulous emotions drain from my body. I relaxed my muscles, holding myself perfectly still as Silas suddenly pressed his thumbs into my flesh and right on those pressure points.

  As agony flooded my system, I felt the rage and heartbreak drain from me. Sweet, tortuous pain consumed me, and I couldn’t help the flood of relief as physical agony wiped every thought from my mind. As I held myself still, trying not to scream out from the torture, one last errant thought slipped through the cracks in my hardening heart and echoed inside of me.

  Viktor…

  • • •

  Viktor

  "The fuck are they doing up there?" Cin grumbled, leaning against the door to the parlor, neither of us taking our eyes from where Silas and Emilia had disappeared from.

  "I do not know." I said, my face a stoic mask.

  "They've been doing this shit a lot lately. They disappear for a few hours, and then they both come out, looking like they just…" Cin trailed off, a dark frown covering his face.

  My fists clenched before I could stop the movement, and a stab of fury raged through me. I exhaled, forcing myself to calm down immediately.

  "Oh, they totally fucking."

  Both Cin and I turned to the woman leaning against the doorframe, an amused grin curling her lush lips. Meiling sipped whiskey from her glass, lifting that annoying brow at us, every movement of her body seeming to taunt us.

  "The fuck they are, you Chinese witch." Cin snarled, stepping right up into Meiling's face. The woman merely laughed throatily and just sipped her whiskey, calm as could be. She tsked up at Cin, shaking her head.

  "No? What do you do with someone for a few hours, behind closed doors, then come out, looking like you just ran a mile while screaming, eh?" Meiling laughed, turning and going back to the revelry inside the parlor.

  Cin and I stood for a moment, shock on both of our faces, before we turned as one to the stairs. Cin was fast and silent as usual, leaping up the stairs so quickly I had to almost break out into a full-scale run to catch up to him. I stopped at the top of the stairs, straightening my shirt, before walking with a slower pace behind Cin. I schooled my features back into an impassive mask, following Cin to the doorway to Emilia's room.

  Music thumped loudly from inside, and we both stood there, silently staring at the doors. My eyes narrowed, and I knew Cin's did the same at the provocative beat of the music from within. I had not set foot inside Emilia's room in over a year, ever since my self-restraint had started to melt into oblivion. I hadn't trusted myself to be alone inside of the room where Emilia performed her most private living routines. And now, faced with the uncertainty of the activities going on behind her doors, I felt trepidation chill me to the bone at finally facing my cowardice and going inside.

  "She's wrong." Cin whispered the words to me, his voice barely audible over the music. I glanced at the often-cantankerous man and was surprised to see uncertainty staring back at me. He looked over to me, caught my surprised stare, and immediately wiped his face of all emotion save the constant anger that was the norm for Cin.

  "Shouldn't you check and see if they're okay, Mr. Bodyguard?" Cin snarled at me, though his voice was still quiet.

  "Emilia would not like it if we disturbed her." Even as I said this, my hand raised of its own accord, almost looking like it was going to knock for me. I hesitated, leaning closer to the door at the sound that suddenly rose. Cin leaned in closer, as well, and we listened silently.

  The music wound down, and with it came a low, throaty whimper that hit me with such force, I almost stepped back. Rage covered my vision, but before I could even move the few inches and pound my fist through the door, Cin's foot suddenly flew past, kicking the offending object wide open

  The scene that greeted us made our jaws drop open simultaneously.

  Emilia, clad only in black lace panties with a matching bra and black heels, was straddling Silas. Her torso was bent backwards, her upper body draping his legs, and her hair dangling in the air as she stared at us. Silas’s thumbs were pressed into the space right above her naked navel. She was breathing heavy, bent over backwards, and Silas merely raised a questioning brow at the sudden interruption.

  "Can we help you?" Silas drawled, running a hand over bare skin to circle around Emilia’s back, tugging her up into a sitting position on his lap. She clasped her hands to her chest, facing away from us, not moving from her position on Silas's lap.

  "The… fuck… are you doing?" Cin snarled quietly, slowly stalking inside the room in the silent, creepy way that usually signified someone was about to die. I gripped the man's shoulder, tugging him back to stand beside me.

  "Forgive us. We were concerned and entered hastily." I forced Cin to bow with me, waiting for Emilia to speak.

  "I hope this isn't a new habit, bursting into your boss's private rooms without permission." Emilia's frosty tone sent shivers down my spine, and I nearly winced.

  Straightening, I cleared my throat, staring at her back. My eyes drank their fill of the tanned body that was draped across another man's lap, her curves beautifully captured by her lingerie.

  Fuck, her ass… pure perfection.

  I raised my gaze to Silas, and at the man's lift of his brows, I knew that I hadn't managed to suppress my inner rage that was urging me to crush the Frenchman into several different pieces. Preferably in a way that made him bleed.

  A lot.

  "Please forgive us, we will leave immediately."

  "The hell I will. Silas, the fu-" Cin roared, a snarl curving his lips.

  "Ferme ta geule." Silas drawled, telling Cin to shut the fuck up in French. "I will be along shortly. Leave."

  Cin stood for a few moments, his breathing harsh as he just stared at
Silas with a look of pure rage. He turned on his heel suddenly and was gone from the room in a few short steps, leaving behind tension so thick, I could taste it on my tongue. I bowed again, backing out of the room.

  "Apologies, Kapitan. I will see you in the morning for hand-to-hand combat training."

  I bowed again like an idiot, letting my eyes linger on Emilia's curves. Still not turning around, she nodded once, and I shut the doors softly.

  The hallway was quiet as I stood there, breathing slowly, in and out.

  My fists clenched into hard balls at my sides, my breathing quickening as a slow, acid-like jealous rage filled my entire being. I made my way swiftly down the hall, putting as much distance between myself and her door as possible. I rounded the corner, and spotted Camila coming up the stairs. She nodded to me, and I stopped, waiting for her to come to me.

  As she passed, I violently grabbed her arm, tugging her into my embrace. Gripping her hair, I smashed our mouths together in a punishing kiss that went on for long moments. I finally let her go to catch her breath, and stared down at her, my face stoic.

  "Come with me now."

  Her breathing ragged, her eyes alight with excitement, she nodded, following me down the hall to my rooms. With the vision of Emilia draped in another man's arms replaying itself in my mind, I opened the doors to my room swiftly and pushed Camila inside. I looked up, my eyes colliding with Camila’s dark gaze, and I felt a shiver of frustration at the fact that gaze wasn’t the icy grey one that I craved. Camila shivered, beginning to strip instantly at the intense look.

  The need to dominate built inside me, and I stepped into the room, turning back to the hallway in one swift movement. I leaned forward, and then slowly and purposefully shut the bedroom doors with a final thought.

  Emilia.

  • • •

  Emilia

  "Well, that could have gone a little better, I think."

  I looked to Silas as I emerged from the shower, his beautiful body sprawled across my bed. He looked at me with an expectant look, and I sighed heavily as I sank down beside him.

  "You don’t say." I said, every word dripping with sarcasm. "They definitely got the wrong idea, didn't they?"

  "Oh, I would say so." Silas laughed, wrapping his arms around me, spooning me from behind. I sighed, cuddling into him without any preamble of embarrassment.

  After our torture-training we were both usually starved for affection and held no qualms about giving it to each other.

  "They'll know soon enough, I guess. You know, about why I've been giving you strip teases for the past few months." I teased, giving Silas an overly lascivious leer. He snorted.

  "I am quite sure D'yavol will be even less pleased to find out you've been training yourself in torture-endurance without his knowledge, la bien-aimée.” Silas said quietly, rubbing his face against my hair.

  "It makes sense. I’m the one they’re after, Si, and if I get caught, I need to know that I won’t give them any information on any of you. I need to be held to the same standards as anybody else in Downswing.” I argued hotly, my patience thin at the argument we had more often than not after Silas got done torturing me.

  "Non, you are our commander, Emilia. You need to stop thinking like a martyr and more like the ruthless leader you know you need to be." Silas insisted for what seemed like the millionth time.

  "That makes me no better than the other assholes you’ve all worked for, Silas. These guys we’re going up against are sick. You of all people know that. If there's a situation where one of us has to be bartered, it’s going to be me and I’m going to be able to withstand their… ministrations now. And then I'll let you guys kill them. Plus, I'm worth a lot of money if captured alive. They wouldn’t dare kill me. They’d only toy with me." I sighed, sitting up. I leaned over Silas, staring down into his face.

  "Are you staying here tonight? Cin was pissed."

  Silas rolled his eyes at the obvious subject change, stretching his gorgeous body. He gave a heavy sigh, sitting up and shaking his head.

  "Non, I will go back to my own room. I am sure he is already in my bedroom, just stewing in his rage and jealousy, chat stupide. " Silas said, calling Cin a stupid cat in French. That seemed to be one of his favorite insults for the man, but I had never figured out exactly why.

  "Why do you guys keep it so hush-hush that you're lovers? I know you've explained this to me numerous times, but this is getting ridiculous." I questioned, playing with his hair gently.

  "Hm. It’s ingrained in him not to talk about it, I suppose. He grew up in an environment where it would have gotten him beaten, if not worse. But he’s had years to adjust to our arrangement so why he still insists on the secrecy…" Silas trailed off, giving an irritated sigh. If I hadn’t been so observant I would have missed the flash of hurt that passed over the usually infallible Frenchman’s face.

  "Well," I said, anger curling in my gut for my close friend. "That makes me even less sorry that he saw us in a compromising situation. Maybe you should stay here tonight to fuck with him. He needs a good scare."

  Silas laughed softly. "He is already a spoiled child. If I do not go to him, he will be impossible to work with tomorrow. We need him to help you with your combat training. As it stands now, he may just 'accidently' kill you."

  My face froze, and I turned a slow, icy grin to Silas, causing a shiver to race along his spine.

  "He can try." I said silkily, tilting my head.

  "Mmm. You are truly terrifying, Emilia." Silas responded, and I knew that he truly meant it.

  Silas leaned down, kissing my cheek, his shirt riding up and exposing his pale, lean hips. I gripped his hand, preventing him from leaving.

  “Si, you still haven’t told me what that tattoo means. I haven’t told anyone like you asked, but it really is making me super curious. Like a stupid cat.” I teased, hoping to lighten the moment enough that he would finally answer my question that I had asked a jillion and three times to the stubborn Frenchman.

  It didn’t work.

  Damn it.

  Silas’s guard went up immediately, and he stood back from me, tugging his shirt down to cover the tattoo on his hip.

  “That is because it is from a past life. And that is where it will stay. In the past.”

  “But… why the lily?” I asked, bursting with curiosity as always about the delicate flower that was inked into his skin. Silas stared down at me, silent on the subject. As always.

  “Fine,” I sighed, waving my hand to the door. “But someday I will find out that tragic back-story you’re trying so hard to hide, Batman.”

  Silas looked down, murmuring so softly I had to strain to hear his parting words.

  “I pray that day will never come, mon capitaine.”

  Watching as Silas strode from my room as gracefully as ever, I heaved a long, tired sigh and stood up. Opening the drawer to my dresser, I retrieved my cigarettes and my lighter and stepped out onto the terrace of my bedroom. Clad in nothing save panties and a bra, I leaned against the railing, staring out over the sea, listening to the sounds of revelry from a distance, and inhaling the beautiful Mediterranean breeze.

  Looking down at my lighter, the pink lettering beginning to wear on the sides, I remembered all that the lighter and I had experienced together. Memories of the past with Korol still tortured me on a nightly basis, and what no one in the house knew was that I had difficulty falling asleep without my lighter close to me. The small, tacky lighter with the pink lettering that spelled Gangsta on the side looked unimportant and trivial, but it represented how far I had come. It stood for how I had managed to escape Korol's grasp and come to power within the criminal underworld so that I could finally taste victory and topple that dickhead’s empire.

  The small, tacky, worn lighter was my comfort, and on the eve of my plan of revenge finally being set into motion, I clutched it close to my chest, squeezing tightly. After a few moments, I lifted the lighter to the cigarette in my mouth, flicking the flame
to life and watching it dance merrily in the breeze. Inhaling deeply, I pushed my irritation to the bottom of my heart- as I did all unnecessary feelings- and let the anticipation and icy cold intent seep into the core of my being and spread like a slow poison.

  Zakhar's face arose unbidden in my mind, and I felt a shiver of awareness slide down to my female parts at the memory of his smile. A long moment went by, my body completely still, my mind going in a million different directions, all I could do is stand and weather the storm. After that disbelieving, and very telling, moment, my body finally caught up to the sane part of my brain.

  My face contorted into an insane mask and I launched my fist against the wall, suppressing a wild scream. Panting heavily, my hands shaking, I turned again to the sea, letting the sound of the waves calm me. Inhaling deeply of my cigarette, I stopped breathing after a moment, holding the smoke inside of me for a long moment. Releasing the toxic smoke into the air, I clutched the railing of my terrace so tightly, I felt the cold metal pierce my skin.

  I finished my cigarette and shoved all unwanted emotion deep down inside me once again. Fuck, I had been doing that too much lately. On a sane level, I realized that my coping mechanism was going to slowly kill me one day. Suppressing emotion was never a good thing, and I was beginning to feel all of the unwanted, tightly leashed and too-often-ignored emotions clawing for freedom inside of me. One day it was going to break free, and I didn’t have a single fucking answer as to what I was going to do to stop it.

  Or if I even want to.

  Looking up, I smiled my signature smile filled with nothing but ice, entered my rooms, and softly closed the terrace doors behind me.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Slow Play

  Two weeks later

  Moscow, Russia

  Emilia

  "Wow, they spare no expense for comfort, huh?"

  I looked up at the large mansion that was situated on the outskirts of Moscow, set on three acres of land, and nodded in appreciation. MI6 certainly knew how to live it up, if the modern, towering behemoth of a house standing so tall and regal before us was anything to go by. I looked over to Viktor, who was speaking orders into his Bluetooth to station men all around the property and smiled to myself. The Russian man truly was invaluable to my entire operation and I appreciated his swift efficiency.