“Oh, that stings,” I say, grabbing his forearm.
“Just soap and water,” he says, not troubled by my hand, which continues to try to stop him. In that moment, more than any other, I do feel like his pet.
His forearm flexes, and he finishes washing me. Then he squeezes some medicine jelly onto his fingertip and smears it over the stinging spots. That’s a little more soothing, but I start to feel self-conscious about him staring down at me while my legs are spread.
“Ok, ok. This is done.” I move my legs, trying to close them.
“Keep your legs spread until I say you can move them.”
“Why?”
“You’re my pet. I’m taking care of you.”
My eyes widen, and I cluck my tongue, pretending I didn’t just have the same thought a few moments ago.
For a flash, he has a wicked smile. Then he kisses me lightly on the mouth and tosses the washcloth across the room so it lands on the tiles in front of the fireplace. He sets the ointment on the nightstand and lies on his back.
I roll onto my side, watching him.
He yawns and closes his eyes, then forces them back open. He turns toward me. “Except for being sore, how do you feel?”
“Okay.”
He rubs his eyes and draws in a deep breath. “You didn’t cry.” He brushes a thumb over my jaw. “But you never cry like other girls, do you?”
“They usually cry when you…?”
“Not all of them. A couple. I’m big and sometimes rough. With me, a girl doesn’t have to be a virgin for it to feel like her first time.”
“This, I believe.”
He chuckles. “You seemed to like it.”
“Hmm.”
“Come here,kiska.” He pulls me into his arms, and I curl up against him. “Let me pet you,” he says sleepily as he strokes my hair and back.
I did like it, I think.And I like this, too.
But as we settle in and my buzz from the vodka begins to fade, my mood shifts. My hasty words about living with him after the month is over may come back to haunt me. Alexei’s involved with criminals. He told me he wasn’t part of the Russian Mafia himself, but maybe that was a lie or only technically true. Maybe he just considers himself an American criminal, not a Russian one. If so, there can be no long-term relationship between us. I knew criminals in Russia. They took money and exploited innocent people. Only a heartless person can do such things without it bothering them, and that’s why I loathe them.
I must find out whether Alexei’s businesses are honest ones or not. And then I must be clear with myself about how long I can stay with him. I worry that when the contract ends, so must my time with him.
CHAPTER12
Natalia
The next morning the reckless vodka-enhanced feelings have worn off completely. After untangling my limbs from Alexei’s, I rise from the bed and look outside. I try not to let too much light in because I don’t want to wake him. Outside, I see Zoe, the woman who loaned me shoes, doing yoga exercise on the lawn.
I stretch my arms over my head, mimicking what she does. It feels good. But the next thing she does is some sort of twisty lunge. Even before I try I know it will be uncomfortable, and it is.
The alarm rings on Alexei’s phone, and I hear him stir behind me. The room is mostly dark because there are heavy, dark purple curtains over the windows, and I guess his eyes haven’t adjusted because he says, “Kitten, where are you?”
“Here,” I reply.
“Come back to bed.”
I draw the curtains open to let the light flood in.
