I process that for a minute. “Ok, is someone threatening you, D? What were the pictures of?”
“They were of you baby.”
I go cold. What the fuck? “But…what the? Dima, I don’t understand. No.” Tugging at my hair, I don’t know where to rest my gaze. My heart’s beating damn near out of my chest. I knew that getting involved with him was dangerous, but fuck me, we have hardly been together a minute.
“Look at me, beautiful,” he says. He holds the back of my head and brings his face down close to mine as I continue to kneel in between his legs. “Lev and the guys are on it. Trust me, we will find this fucker and sort it, but in the meantime, you have to have a guard with you. I can’t leave you unprotected. Don't fight me on this, otherwise I will have to lock you in the house. I refuse to let you get hurt, even if it damages your pride.”
Pushing him away, I stand up and pace the room. “Fuck my pride, D. Of course I’ll take the guard but why the hell would someone want to do this? I've only been around a couple of months. I don't have any dealings with your other ‘businesses,’ I'm just a barman. Why the hell would I be the target?”
He stands and grabs me by the waist. “Because they know you’re mine and that you are important to me, that's why.”
We stare at each other. I know there are feelings, things we want to say to one another. I felt it last night but now isn't the right time to acknowledge those feelings. I'm pretty sure this hate and need I have for this bastard is love, and it scares me. Love only hurts and I'm not sure how I'd survive losing what I have finally found. Even if it is unconventional.
“I don’t think you should work for now, not until we have secured the threat,” he says.
“Oh fuck that, D. I am not sitting around here waiting like some pussy. I am just as safe at the club as I am here. Even if you have to send the entire team of guards with me, I am working and not hiding away. It's not who I am. We can’t let this fucker intimidate us.”
“Did I ever tell you how sexy you are when you get angry and violent, baby?” He smiles and I'm relieved to have a break from the dark mood.
I grab his face and give him a kiss that hopefully conveys everything I feel right now. That I want him. That I need him. That I won’t leave him. But most of all, I want him to know that I trust him.
His hands move down and gently cup my naked ass, he exhales, relieved. “Ok, baby. We will make the security tighter at the club. I'll be there too. I promise I will make him pay.”
“No,wewill make him pay. Whoever this cunt is has involved me and we’re a team, baby,” I say.
The smile he gives me, makes his eyes so bright and it gives me butterflies. “I love it when you call me that. I noticed last night but didn't want to ruin the moment by mentioning it,” he says.
“Don’t leave me out of this.”
“Not a chance I’ll leave you on the sidelines, beautiful. In fact, I'm excited to see what you’ll do. I have a feeling you’ll immerse yourself in the family business, and even better, I think you’ll get off on it, you little slut.”
I bark a laugh. “Yeah, but I’m your crazy little slut. Now fucking kiss me and make me some coffee.”
We smile into the kiss and I feel reassured.We’ve got this. Together.
How things have altered around here in a few weeks. I am happily sitting in Dima’s lap at the kitchen table, eating my breakfast while he drinks his coffee, and I haven't bitched once. We must look ridiculous. I am hardly small, but I must admit, I like feeling coddled by him. Not that I’ll give him the satisfaction of telling him that.
Lev, Jules, and Simon walk into the kitchen and sit across from us, ignoring how I am being held by Dima. At least it isn't awkward.
“Well, any news?” D directs his question to Lev.
“We still don’t know who it could be, but more pictures of Seb have turned up.”
Dima’s hands form tight fists. “Mother fucker.”
“Yeah, you’re not going to like this,” Lev says and it’s clear he didn’t want to be the one to tell his brother. I’m not sure that Dima doesn’t believe in not shooting messengers.
“Tell me,” Dima says, relaxing his hands long enough to interlace one with mine and squeeze it tightly.
“They were in an envelope taped to the entrance of the club. Inside were pictures with Seb’s face crossed out in red marker. There was a note that said, ‘tick tock, tick tock’.”
Dima’s head looks like it might explode. His free arm locks around my waist like a band of metal, trapping me there. “When I get my hands on whoever this is, they will wish for death long before I give it to them.”
Fuck, I like my man making death threats for me, maybe more than I should. I’m officially under his spell, a spell that has made me crave his dick and his control.
“We’re about to head over to the club now,” Lev says. “We’ll look through security footage and see what they left.”
“Look, Seb,” Dima starts.
