My breath stutters. “Yes.”
“And will you be my good lover?”
His strokes deepen. Spitting again, he spreads the slick over both our crowns. I moan, overwhelmed by him and by the weight of the choice I’m making. My body already knows the answer. Viktor watches my face as he moves, eyes dark, grip firm. He’s drawing it out on purpose, the pressure building slowly. Every movement is controlled. He eases just enough to keep me right there with him, his thumb firm at the base, holding me on the very edge.
“I’m close.”
His jaw tightens. “Just looking at you does this to me. And when you sound like that… do it again, krasavchik.”
I do. He leans in, kissing me hard as his tongue slips between my lips. He tugs my bottom lip and then nips down my chin, my throat, and my Adam’s apple. My back bows. Our cocks slide together, slick with spit and precum.
“Come on, Jonah. Come for me.”
Everything blurs. Heat burns out thought. My arm locks around his waist. A shattered sound tears out of me as I come in his palm. Viktor shudders, his body tensing as he comes hard between us. We breathe together, our lips brushing as we cling to each other.
I’m hollowed out. Shattered. I’ve just agreed to a life I don't understand with a man who could destroy me, and for the first time, I feel grounded.
“We have a deal.” His mouth lingers at my ear, his breath hot. “That makes you mine.”
The words land with the heavy finality of a gavel, sealing a deal I can no longer break. I’ve traded the gray safety of my old life for a throne in a house made of blood and sandalwood, and as I sink into the mattress, I realize I’d rather be his good lover in this fortress than a free man anywhere else.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX
VIKTOR
“Where are we?”Jonah asks as the car slows.
As I unbuckle his seatbelt for him, I meet his eyes. “Vesper. My bar.”
“You have a bar? I—” He cuts himself off, shaking his head. “Of course you do.”
I grin. “It’s not just the bar.”
He looks at me, curious now.
“That whole block belongs to me,” I add easily. “Vesper’s just the part people are allowed to see.”
“Is there anything you don’t have?” he asks.
“It depends who you ask.” Nudging the back of Nikolai's seat with my boot, I wait for the reaction. “If you ask Nikolai, he’ll tell you he doesn't have a moment of peace. He'll complain about the constant ache in his right arm like it’s a personal betrayal.”
“Shut up, motherfucker,” Nikolai grumbles from the passenger seat.
Jonah laughs. The warm flush on his face makes his freckles stand out, golden spots scattered over his nose and cheeks. They are gorgeous. I catch myself counting them. Most men in my position look for flaws, but I’m looking for every inch of sensitiveskin I haven't marked yet. They’re just more territory for me to claim.
“But if you ask me,” I continue, “I’d say I have pretty much everything I could wish for. Except for one final thing. My family’s throne. I intend to take it back very soon.” My hand settles on Jonah’s shoulder while Sasha turns into the private lot behind the building. “We’re going to stay for one drink only.”
“Sure.”
Outside, Lev scans the alley as the biting cold rushes in. The bass from the club thumps through the brick. “Remind me why we are here?”
“To seal a deal.” Straightening my coat, I look at the entrance. “To make some money.” I wink at Jonah.
“That one-drink policy sounds like a good idea.” Nikolai shakes his head, leading the way for the back entrance. “I still hate being here since the shooting.”
“For once I agree with you, brother.”
