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  My vision was cut off as Viktor walked me through the doors to the private VIP room, and the door clicked shut behind him. Plush purple cushions met my vision, seats built into the wall and covered in the comfortable looking purple material. A stripper pole was right in the middle of the room, and I laughed at the site of the highly tacky addition to the otherwise posh room. I stretched, my muscles bunching in happiness at the couple hours of dancing and drinking I had just done. I sidled over to the bar that was to the right, happily making myself one more drink to send me into oblivion when Viktor’s deep, rough voice brushed down my spine.

  “That was quite a sight, Kapitan. Is that what you and Silas have been doing when you slink away to your room together?”

  I stopped my movement, turning around slowly.

  Viktor was sitting on the plush purple cushions of the far wall, his arms resting on the top of the seats surrounding him, his right leg crossed over his left. His seemingly relaxed stance was almost convincing if not for the intense, breathtaking black stare he was giving me.

  I tilted my head. “You know Silas and Cin are fucking. We all do. It’s very obvious.”

  “And the way you just had your body twined around Silas’ suggests that you and he are fucking, too.” Viktor replied calmly, his eyes never blinking.

  I felt my rage slowly coming back, and with it came the bone-deep hunger and desperation for this man. I was so mad to be yanked back into all the horrible emotions my second-in-command brought forth in me, I almost screamed. I had let go for a few blissful hours, and now, when faced with my sexy Viktor, I was once again close to losing control.

  “And that’s your business how, D’yavol?” I snarled, tossing back the whiskey that I had made for myself.

  “I am your personal guard and second-in-command-”

  “No.”

  Viktor raised an amused brow. “Oh, you’re firing me?”

  “Oh, fuck you, you know that’s not what I meant.”

  “Elaborate.” The whip of command in his voice had my thighs trembling and my pussy nearly weeping with need.

  I held off a moment, letting him know by my silence that I would respond in my own damn time. Even if every atom inside my needy body was telling me to obey.

  “What I meant was that that’s not the reason you want to know. It doesn’t matter to my employee who I fuck. I don’t care if you are my personal bodyguard. None of your fucking business.” I sneered, walking slowly over to stand over him.

  “Ah, but that is where you are wrong, Kapitan.” Viktor replied in that same infuriatingly calm voice.

  I stepped into his space, my thighs brushing his open knees. Staring down into the black gaze of my subordinate, I lifted my chin in a challenging jerk.

  “You’re just cool as a cucumber, aren’t you?” I drawled slowly, the alcohol catching up with me. I trembled with drunken rage, my pent-up desire and frustration getting the better of me. I slowly put a knee on the outside of his leg, then raised the other leg over, straddling his lap. Aside from a brief flaring of his nostrils, Viktor’s cool mask didn’t budge. I lowered my pelvis to his, grinding a slow circle against his cock.

  I leaned in close, my breath tickling his face as my lips grazed the shell of his ear.

  “Since you’re fucking half of the maid staff, who are you to give me any kind of lecture?” I breathed into his ear, and I felt a satisfying shiver coarse through Viktor’s big, heavily muscled body. I felt my lips curl into a snarl as I breathed my last words into his ear. The words that were a challenge, a plea, a fucking prayer.

  “You’re not my fucking daddy.”

  Stunned silence met my words. The world came to a slow crawl as I pulled back, staring down into the wide eyes of my head of security. We both sat completely still as my words seemed to hang in the air between us. Suddenly, I felt the drunkenness that had bolstered my hostile courage drain out of me at the look that suddenly wiped the calm mask from Viktor’s face.

  Raw, dark, vengeful need contorted Viktor’s face into a beautiful vision of pure, masculine desire.

  His hands shot up, gripping my hips with bruising force. I let out a sound of unadulterated need, my eyes slamming shut as he forced my panties-clad pussy down onto the hard denim covering his thick cock. Rubbing my body against his, Viktor’s lips were suddenly at my neck, his teeth nipping the choker covering my scar that had been with me for three years. My hands came to his shoulders of their own merit, holding on as my back arched and I dry-humped him with the twirling of my hips Silas had shown me from our sessions.

  “I think you need someone to take you in hand, Kapitan.” Viktor growled against my throat, nipping me again sharply. I felt heat flush my cheeks at the growled threat in his words, but my lips still curled back in a challenging sneer as my hand came up to grip the back of his hair. Tugging him away from me, I glared down at him almost pleadingly, breathing heavy, my body filling with an anticipation I hadn’t felt in years.

  “And are you that someone, D’yavol?”

  Viktor’s calm mask was back in a flash, and he lifted a slight brow at me.

  “Why would you think that? You are my Kapitan.”

  My entire being went completely still. I gripped his hair harder, tilting my head slowly to the side.

  “And yet you’ll fuck the maids on staff.” I paused, waiting for him to deny it.

  He didn’t.

  “But you won’t… consider it with me.” I breathed out, my statement becoming a quavering question.

  Viktor’s silent, unyieldingly calm stare was all the answer I needed.

  No.

  White-hot rage zapped through me, igniting every single nerve ending in my body. I felt my eyes go round, and suddenly my hand was snapping across his cheek in an open-palmed slap hard enough to jerk his head to the side. I felt my breathing grow ragged, fury and jealousy riding me so hard, I had to force air into my lungs at the heavy emotions pounding through my heart and soul.

  “Fuck you, D’yavol.” I snarled, leaping to my feet. My breasts threatened to spill from the skimpy dress Silas had chosen for me, and I couldn’t bring myself to care as I stared down at Viktor. Viktor, the one man I had hoped would be able to calm the storm of frustration ruling my entire being. Viktor, who had always been my protector and staunch supporter, who had never faulted in his role as my head of security. Viktor, who I had just accosted, not caring about his wants or needs.

  I trembled at the sudden realization at what I had just done and felt my features pinch in a pained grimace.

  I lifted a hand to my hair, running a shaking hand through the already tousled curls. Turning away from the sight of my head of security sitting there, still looking away from me, his cheek already turning a bright red, I paced over to the liquor cart yet again. I stood there, bracing my hands on the corners of it, panting as I tried to push the fury down. Tears pricked my eyes, and I was nearly hyperventilating as panic overtook my brain. I was losing my fucking mind, insanity and jealousy making me lose all rational thought.

  Suddenly, a singular, slithering thought crawled its way through my alcohol and rage-addled brain. A moment of clarity that calmed the storm raging inside of me just as quickly as it had almost swallowed me.

  Viktor will never have me.

  Viktor didn’t want me. That was now as clear as day. He was loyal, to be sure, and there was something simmering below the surface that was constantly between us, but he was never going to act on it. Maybe he didn’t even feel it as strongly as I did. This constant want, the never-ending attraction and hope that Viktor would satisfy me was futile, and I was driving myself further into the darkness by hoping Viktor would take me in hand. Viktor, my Viktor- who was clearly absolutely fine with fucking and disciplining every other eligible female but me- was never going to take me and that wasn’t going to change.

  Not now. Not ever.

  I turned slowly back to Viktor, who was now staring at me with his familiar calm, cold black stare. I felt my answering c
old mask slip over my face, and I noticed a small chink of uncertainty in his armor. Pretending to not have seen it, I sighed loudly and gave a single humorless chuckle.

  “I’m sorry, Viktor.” I said softly, meaning it. I had just put him into a very difficult position and I did feel remorse… even if inside I was still simmering with jealousy and resentment. I pushed the emotions down deep, adding yet another layer to my frustration and pain that wasn’t going to be assuaged any time soon.

  I’m a fucking monster.

  “Forgive my conduct. I’ve had a fuck ton of whiskey.” I laughed hollowly, and once again a small look of uncertainty crossed Viktor’s face.

  “I’m going to grab one more drink and a dance and then we can head home. Feel free to rest in here while I do that. I’ll have Meiling come up to get you shortly. No need to worry, I’ll be a good girl.” I said the last part a little bitterly, but I forced a small, cool smile to my face, already striding to the door.

  “Kapitan-”

  “Viktor.” I said, my hand on the doorknob, my back rigid as I stared straight at the wood of the door intently. “Do not come after me. As you keep reminding me, I am your captain. And that is a direct order.”

  With that, I threw the door open, stepping out into the dimly lit hallway of the landing once again. I looked down at the people still writhing on the dance floor, catching sight of my team all standing together at the table by the bar where I had last spotted Masamune and Fritz. They were all laughing together, toasting with fresh drinks and the group clearly exhibited a clear camaraderie. I smiled softly, the sight making me feel grateful for my team. Even Viktor, who had just hollowed out my heart, was part of this crazy group of psychos that were my best friends. I could honestly say I couldn’t have picked a better group of people to go to hell with than these crazy fuckers.

  I walked silently to the stairs, letting out a long breath. I looked back to the now-shut door of the private rooms where I knew Viktor sat, and I shook my head.

  I had fucked up royally. I had never considered how Viktor would only want to see me as his boss and nothing more, and I had put a strain on our close friendship. Knowing Viktor as I did, I knew he wouldn’t let this little show of horny conduct disrupt his impressive professionalism. Almost wishing it would somehow disrupt our working relationship was just another example of how far gone I was. I was going to have to throw myself into training and working out for the next few days to patch up the shame, hurt, and pain I felt clouding my vision.

  Add all of that to the pent-up desire, frustration and insanity that I struggled with every day, and I was… a fucking disaster.

  But I’m a highly functioning disaster!

  I snorted at my sad attempt at a positive thought, shaking my head again and turning to go back down the stairs. A purring voice inside my head sobered me quickly.

  For how long will you stay functioning?

  Well, if that wasn’t the million-dollar fucking question, I didn’t know what was.

  “Fuck me.” I breathed out, looking to the ceiling.

  “I’ve waited three long years to hear those words from you, angel moy.”

  My blood curdled.

  Air hardened inside my lungs.

  And my eyes widened painfully.

  My entire body froze, the silken words sliding over every cell inside of me, coating my insides and ripping me apart from the inside out.

  Slowly lowering my head and turning it to the side, I felt my lips make a pop as my jaw fell open.

  There, standing half in shadow inside the private room by the staircase leading to the main floor was Zakhar Vasilek, known throughout the world as the one and only Korol, king of the Russian mafia.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Muck

  Emilia

  “You look stunning, angel moy. I cannot say I love your hair chopped like that, but it suits you now, I think.”

  I kept perfectly still, not letting a single emotion flicker across my face. I merely stared and looked Zak over slowly, like I had all the time in the world- which seemed to amuse him to no end.

  He looked tired, was my first thought. And thinner than what he had been. His lean, muscled frame looked more on the wiry side, with dark circles under his glittering amber eyes. His shoulder length hair was still gorgeous with his wire-rimmed glasses framing his perfect, angular face. He was dressed more casually than I had ever seen him, in dark jeans that were ripped in some areas and a tight, black t-shirt that showed off his masculine chest and wide shoulders to perfection.

  I stood in shock as I felt my mouth water at the sight, but merely lifted a brow at him.

  “You look like shit, Zak. Haven’t been sleeping well?”

  The corners of Zak’s eyes crinkled in amusement before he chuckled softly, the sound wrapping its way around my still-intoxicated female organs, making them twitch in cautious excitement.

  I’m so fucking sick. Fucking monster.

  Self-loathing later, surviving the next ten seconds now.

  I opened my mouth to speak, but Zak cut me off quietly.

  “I come in peace, Emilia. Will you accept my olive branch with honor, or would you prefer to explain to the many septs of the Russian mafia I still control why you killed their leader in cold blood?”

  Snapping my jaw closed, I glared at Zak suspiciously. He chuckled again.

  “I swear on the piece of paper in my safe that I treasure above all others that I am telling you the truth, angel moy. My personal bodyguard team is outside, waiting very impatiently for exactly one hour while I… speak with you. If I do not return in exactly fifty-three minutes, they will burn this place to the ground with everyone locked inside.” Zak said calmly, as if he was telling me that we were expecting rain later that night.

  As much as I fucking hated this man, I snorted in amusement at the calm way he told me his bodyguards would commit mass murder if he wasn’t outside on time. Zakhar was many things, but a fool he was not.

  Except with me. I thought snidely, smirking at him.

  “Fine.” I said, raising a brow. “I suppose we’ll pretend I give a flying fuck what happens to these people and go along with your little plan. What do you want?”

  Zak blinked once in surprise, quickly recovering with a delighted laugh. He stepped back, propping the door open more fully.

  “Please come inside, angel.”

  I heaved a sigh for show, glancing over the railing to the dance floor and bar down below. My crew was still having a good time, though there was no sign of Cin, Silas, or Viktor. Viktor wouldn’t follow me for at least another forty-five minutes, and Cin and Silas were more than likely… otherwise occupied. They wouldn’t hear anything if Zak was packing and suddenly decided to shoot me. And Viktor couldn’t hear much of anything behind the sound-proof walls of the private room down the hall.

  I’m alone. Unarmed. And my worst nightmare is inviting me into a dimly lit room.

  Well, guess tonight could get worse. Thanks, karma, you fucking whore.

  “Are you unarmed?” I asked suddenly, locking my eyes on the familiar amber gaze of my former best friend. I was addressing Zakhar, not Korol, at that moment and something inside of me - something fucking crazy- was telling me that he was speaking the truth to me.

  “Yes and no. I have two guns in this room, but they’re tucked beneath the cushion on the farthest right seat. I have no weapons on my person.” Zak said calmly, still standing with the door open, waiting for me to enter.

  Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and walked into the room.

  The door slammed shut behind me, the sound echoing with all the weight of a judge’s gavel.

  And for one long, tense moment we both stood there, staring at each other.

  Finally, Zakhar broke the silence, inhaling deeply.

  “You’ve been drinking tonight, angel. I can smell the whiskey on you.” That said, Zak strode to the identical liquor cart that had been in my room. I walked over to the purple seat along the
wall, pleased to see the layout of the room was identical to the one I had just left. Blowing a raspberry at Zak as I plopped down, I crossed my legs slowly and leaned back with my arm resting along the back of the seat along the wall.

  I looked calm and casual, though I was sitting right on the furthest right cushion. As I shifted, I felt the outline of the guns under my ass. Zak knew exactly what I was doing, and he chuckled, shaking his head as he poured two drinks. Bringing one over to me, he snorted quietly in amusement as he took a long pull from his glass, standing right in front of me.

  “You’re being bold, angel. You have to know I have a safety button on me to push if I get shot before I make it back outside.”

  “Of course, I know that. Which is why I haven’t unloaded one of these pistols into your fucking skull.” I said calmly, taking a sip of the drink I had watched him make.

  I wasn’t going to be drugged and blindsided.

  Again.

  Zak merely smiled. He took a seat beside me, sitting close enough to where I rolled my eyes and shifted my arm from the back of the sofa so I wasn’t touching him. We sat like that for a few long moments, both just taking sips of our drinks and calmly staring straight ahead.

  “You’re a very hard woman to find, Emilia.” Zak finally broke the silence.

  I chuckled. “That was kind of the point, Korol.”

  Zak gave me a censuring look before he continued. As if I were a child being scolded.

  This prick.

  “This night out was your first mistake in over three years. Do you know how maddening that is?” He asked softly, shaking his head.

  “Ah. So, someone on the bar staff ratted me out, eh?” I chuckled without humor, my eyes going flat and cold.

  Someone is a dead man.

  “Money talks. You know that.”

  Again, an almost companionable silence fell between us. He was Zakhar at that moment, a man I had once called friend. And in the quiet darkness, I felt a small prickle of awareness slide through me at his closeness. I tamped it down immediately, but couldn’t suppress all of the memories of laughter and companionship that bubbled too close to the surface.