His hips moved faster, driving hard into me. My stomach clenched as my legs tightened around his middle. Throwing my head back, I clawed at his bare shoulders with my nails as I came for a second time that evening. He wrapped his hands around my waist and lowered me to my knees.
“Keep that mouth open,” he commanded.
He stroked his hard shaft several times before thick streams of come hit my tongue, mixing with the melted cream. I let it slide down my throat before licking my lips.
Vaska groaned as he lifted me to my feet. “Jesus Christ, you’re going to be the death of me.”
We both glanced at the knife on the floor a few feet away. Taking me by the chin, he turned my face back to him. He winked as he pulled my dress back up into place. He then reached for his shirt and buttoned it as I smoothed down my skirt, grateful to feel my phone still lodged in the deep pocket. It could have fallen out and smashed on the floor for all I would have noticed.
“Where are the rest of your things?”
Not trusting myself to speak just yet, I nodded toward the front of the store. We left the kitchen, and I led him to the corner where I’d been sitting. I picked up my cherry-shaped purse and retrieved the book I had been reading from where I had placed it on the shelf. “I just need to put this back.”
He took it from my hands and read the title. He then smiled. Walking down the aisle, he stopped before the vampire section and selected two more books--an anthology of classic Victorian vampire stories called Dracula’s Guest and The Lost Journal of Bram Stoker. “You’ll like these as well.”
He read vampire stories?
Could this man get any sexier?
Reluctantly, I tried to hand them back to him. “I can’t afford all of them. I’ll just get the one.”
He took all three books from me, wrapped an arm around my waist and marched me to the front of the store. “I have it on pretty good authority you just scored eleven grand of free money today. Besides, I’m buying.”
I blushed. “Why do you not even seem mad about that?”
He shrugged. “You’re not the first woman to steal from me. In all honesty, you’re not even the first woman to pull a knife on me.”
I certainly could believe that. Still, I fired back, “And here I thought I was special.”
He ran the back of his knuckles down my cheek. “Oh, believe me, krasotka, you are definitely special. For starters, while you may not be the first woman to steal from me, you are the first to steal a half a million dollars from me.”
My brow furrowed. “What are you talking about? I swear I only pawned the cufflinks you left behind.”
He tapped me on the nose. “I know.”
A half million dollars? For a pair of freaking cufflinks?
My chest tightened. “So you did come after me because of the money.”
He shook his head. “No. I didn’t lie. This has nothing to do with the money and, not to sound like an asshole, but it’s a fairly inconsequential amount for me.”
I huffed. “Must be nice. How did you find me, anyway?”
Turning away, he tossed a few twenties on the bookstore counter and gathered up my books. “Come on, I’m taking you home.”
I let him change the subject—for now. “You can’t come in. Emma might be there.”
Leading me outside, he opened the passenger door to his car, which was parked right out front. “I’m not taking you back to your apartment. I’m taking you home.” He shut the door.
I had to wait as he circled around the back of the car and then got in on the driver’s side. “Vaska, I’m not going home with you. This can’t keep happening. Seriously. We have to stop. Plus, I have class tomorrow and a paper due.”
As I rambled, he pulled away from the curb and went in the opposite direction of my apartment.
At the first stoplight, I let my hand drift toward the door handle.
The locks clicked loudly into place.
I swiveled my head to the left to see Vaska giving me a knowing look. Crossing my arms over my chest, I sighed. “Anyone ever tell you, you’re an arrogant bastard?”
Vaska laughed. “All the time, but never from lips as sweet as yours.”
My cheeks flamed. “We’ve already had sex. I don’t know why you’re dragging me back to your home.”
“Because you owe me.”
“I owe you? What?” He had already said repeatedly he didn’t care about the money and he had his super insanely expensive cufflinks back.
“A punishment.”
My eyes widened. I licked my lips. “What do you mean, a… punishment?”
We stopped at another traffic light. He reached over and hooked his hand around my neck, drawing me close. “Just because I forgive you for pawning my cufflinks, doesn’t mean I will not punish you for it.” He kissed me hard on the lips before returning his attention to the road.
Just in case I was mistaken, I pulled on the door handle.
Locked.
The car roared forward into the dark night.
Chapter 8
Vaska
Turning off Michigan Avenue, I pulled onto Huron Street and after only two blocks, I steered the car into the underground garage of my building. After parking, I hurried around the car to Mary’s side, not entirely certain she wouldn’t make a run for it. It’s not like we were in the middle of nowhere and I was her only option. My home was in the center of downtown Chicago. If she wanted to make a run for it, she could be out of the garage and into a taxi in seconds flat.
I opened the door, but Mary stayed seated.
“Mary.”
She didn’t respond.
“Mary, get out of the car.”
Without turning her head, she said in a prim tone, “I would once more like to renew my objection and to request formally that you take me home.”
Suppressing a smile, I responded, “Your formal request has been taken under consideration and is denied. Now get out of the car before I drag you out, flip up your skirts, and fuck you on the hood of this car.”
She gasped and turned to me. “You wouldn’t dare.”
I gave her a stone-faced stare. She got the message and got out of the car. Placing a hand on her lower back, I guided her to the private elevators reserved for those tenants who had homes on the upper floors.
As the polished brass elevator doors closed, she cast a sidelong glance in my direction. “You wouldn’t have really done that, would you?”
I shrugged. “There are several video cameras throughout the garage, which means I would have had to track down any security guard who had seen you naked and kill them, but yes.”
She shook her head. “I can’t tell if you’re kidding or not.”
I looked down at her. Damn, she looked adorable. Her red lipstick was smudged, giving her a thoroughly kissed appearance, especially with her still pink cheeks. But it was her eyes that especially drew me in. They were the most fascinating color. Mostly a deep blue, but if you caught her in the right light, or the right mood, they turned a startling indigo. They were so expressive, giving away her every emotion. In this moment, they glowed with an exciting mix of fear and desire.
I winked at her but said nothing.
As we entered my home, I was strangely nervous. This wasn’t the first time I’d had a woman here, but this was the first time I gave a damn whether they liked it. I tossed my keys and wallet into the marble bowl on the entranceway table and strolled further inside, expecting Mary to follow.