My arms slide around her and pull her against me. Her body’s stiff, staging a silent resistance. I hold her until her muscles finally fatigue, and she leans into me. I rub her back.
“Do you want to lie down for a few minutes? You can rest, and I’ll put some lotion on your ass.”
She shakes her head.
I kiss her temple and then release her. Retrieving my belt from the end of the bed, I watch her. Natalia’s gaze moves to the wall behind me and doesn’t shift.
“We don’t have to go back to the party. You can watch television or soak in the tub instead.”
Her expression turns determined, and she licks her lips. “I will go back down, since I promise this.”
“All right.” I slide my belt back on and fasten it, then go to the closet and get out the clean shirt. “After our thirty days are up, I’ll help you figure out where to live. You don’t need another man’s help.”
“We will see,” she says noncommittally. She’s not interested in my promise of help right now, which is understandable. She’s just gotten her first taste of real punishment.
My teeth grind together until I force myself to stop. The fierce possessive lust I’m battling is almost impossible to suppress, but I do. There will be plenty of time to take what I want later.
She walks to the door and waits. Going back to the reception is the last thing I feel like doing. I’d rather throw her on the bed, strip her naked, and force her to submit to things other than punishment.
Tearing down the wall she’s trying to erect would be time well spent, but I promised her we could go back to the reception, so that’s what we’ll do first.
* * *
Natalia
My ass stings.
It was foolish and rude to chat with Aiden Callahan after kissing Alexei in the hotel room and then sitting with his arm around me in the little church. I knew it was wrong to be so friendly with another man, but I’ve been kept isolated since arriving in America, so I always feel pressure to try to make American friends quickly when I get the chance.
Instead of a handsome man, I should have been friendly to some women, but those opportunities don’t arise as easily. And now Alexei has proven his threats to truly punish me are not empty. One part of me feels Alexei’s reaction was too much, both the fighting with Callahan and the nature of my punishment. But another part feels he was justified and was just forceful enough. No doubt we’ll have to deal with this more thoroughly later, but for now I’ll focus on his new family’s happy event.
Alexei guides me into the ballroom, and his fingers grip my arm tighter as we enter. Couples are dancing and a large group of men, including Aiden Callahan, are gathered around a table drinking. Several of them look over at us. I’m glad that the fight and our temporary disappearance don’t seem to have disrupted the reception.
Alexei collects a tray of vodka shots from the bar and brings it with us to the round table his brother has moved to. The groom sits next to his wife and the other pregnant woman. The little daughter is asleep against her father’s chest with her little head on his shoulder. This is a sweet family. If Alexei doesn’t try to be close to this brother, he’s a fool.
“We came to toast to your health and happiness,” Alexei says, setting the tray on the table.
“Sit,” Sasha says, nodding to the empty chairs.
It’s uncomfortable to sit, but I’m careful to not let it show on my face. Alexei hands a shot to his brother, one to me, and takes one for himself. The pregnant women don’t take one, but instead hold up their glasses full of sparkling juice with raspberries.
After we drink, I toast to the health and prosperity of their children. Then slices of cake are passed around, and I meet the pregnant friend whose name is Laurelyn. This reminds me of the German mermaid name, Lorelei.
She asks me where I’m from and if I’m in school. I tell her about one of the villages I lived in in Russia. It was a nicer place than where I lived last, and I don’t think these people will understand about living in a building with broken pipes and ceilings made of icicles.
The handsome man whose nickname is Trick comes over and sets new glasses of sparkling drinks in front of Rachel and Laurelyn, then he rests his hands on Laurelyn’s shoulders, rubbing them.
“Natalia is telling us about her plans,” Laurelyn says. “How long do you plan to stay in this country?” she asks me.
“Forever. I would like to. I will move away from New York soon and hope to go to university in America. I do not have all the paperworks I need yet. As soon as I have my phone, I will make calls.”
“What happened to your phone?” Trick asks.
“Mmm, a little problem. It will be all right soon,” I say.
“Someone took your phone away?” His eyes are cunning, and that makes me wary of him.
I shift in my seat, causing a sharp wave of aching. “Just a mix-up.”
