Sweet Ferocity: A Dark Mafia Romance (Ruthless Obsession Book 5) Page 3

  At Carinna’s shocked gasp, I recalled Maxim’s other piercing. “Oh, God! No! Not that piercing, the other ones. Although I thought that piercing was just a rumor.”

  “No, it’s very real. So you and Maxim were… friends?”

  I laughed. “Hell, no. He’s a little too laid-back for my taste. Besides, he’s Russian. I promised myself I would never date a Russian. We hung out together when he was working with the Ivanovs a few years ago. I had wanted to get my nipples pierced, but was worried it would be painful, so Maxim offered to do it first as a kind of a joke. The moment I saw that piercing gun, I practically passed out and never went through with it.”

  Carinna gingerly took a sip of my water. “Well, I’m sure by now he knows I’m missing. It won’t be long before he finds us.”

  “That’s what I thought a week ago. I could have sworn my father would have sent someone to find me. I even thought I overheard them talking about a man tracking them down, but I have to be honest, I was starting to lose hope.”

  She lifted her arm over my shoulders to comfort me. “Don’t lose hope. Maxim is going to save us both. I promise. We just have to stick together and stay alive until they do. Any idea why these yakadoodles took us?”

  “The yakuza, and from what I’ve overheard, Kiyoshi is in charge. He’s here to establish a guns trade business, but first they have to get rid of the Russians who already have a lock on the market both here and on the East Coast.”

  “So what does kidnapping us solve?”

  “Their plan is to distract the men so they are more focused on finding us than on protecting their business interests. They had planned on grabbing Samara and Yelena. They’re the wives of Gregor and Damien Ivanov, but they were too well protected, so they targeted me instead. No one gave a damn about my protection, I guess. Then they came here to grab Emma. She’s Dimitri’s wife, but she’s pregnant right now and they were worried she’d slow them down.”

  Carinna nodded in understanding. “So they grabbed me instead.”

  “Bingo.”

  “Well, that’s where they fucked up, because we’re going to get out of here.”

  My eyebrows rose in surprise. “We are? Look, I’ve tried countless times, but—”

  “You were alone then. You have me now.”

  “You’re right. We can’t let the men have all the glory in rescuing us. These Russian men are far too arrogant as it is. What’s your plan?”

  “When they dumped me in here, did you happen to see them bring in my purse or backpack?”

  I frowned and gestured across the vacant space to a lone chair several feet away. “It was pitch black, but I heard them put something over there just as they were leaving.”

  She pointed to the chair. “That’s my purse.”

  I shook my head. “The first thing they would have done was look for your cell phone and tossed it out.”

  Carinna smiled. “Yes, but they probably missed the gun hidden in my makeup bag.”

  I returned her smile. I liked her already.

  CHAPTER 5

  Luka

  Chicago, Illinois

  We were close. In the last few days, with the help of Maxim and Vaska, we had methodically eliminated most of the yakuza in Chicago. One by one we were taking them out. Now I was just waiting on some final intel from Vaska’s sources on Kiyoshi and his right-hand man. There was a good chance he was holed up in a safehouse on the Southside. If that was true, we were going to pay him a visit tonight and hopefully, finally learn where they were keeping the girls. And the moment we did, hellfire would rain down on them. This was no longer about guns or territory. This was about honor. You didn’t hurt our women and get away with it. Ever.

  At least we knew they were alive. All the reports from our sources told us they were keeping the women alive as leverage.

  After pacing my hotel room like a caged animal, I opened my laptop and clicked on the only folder I kept on the desktop. It was the downloaded images from another memory disk I found in Katia’s purse as well as the one from the camera found in the bushes. I flipped through the images taken the moment she was kidnapped. Once again, I couldn’t help but admire her fiery determination and strength of will. It took a great deal of courage to think clearly enough in the middle of getting snatched to take photos of your captor.

  I flipped past the last few images to look at her work.

  There was no denying she was an extremely talented photographer. These weren’t photos. They were art. She seemed to favor photographs of other artists at work. There was an entire series of ballet dancers. Katia photographed the fluid beauty of their movements so perfectly they looked as if they would leap through the computer screen. There was another series of photographs taken of student painters. They were close-up photos of the artists’ faces as they observed their own creations. In each photograph, Katia managed to capture an image of the painting reflected in the artist’s eye. They were stunning.

  I clicked through the images to get to new ones I hadn’t reviewed yet. There was yet another artist series. This time they were close-ups of hands working the clay on a pottery wheel. The details in each image were visceral.

  I continued to click through the images. Then stopped and stared.

  It was a black-and-white image of Katia, naked from the waist up.

  It was taken in front of a bathroom mirror. The digital camera obscured half her face, but her gaze was still direct and unashamed. She stared at her own naked body with a frankness that was as startling as the nudity itself. Her full breasts hung heavy on her slight frame. Her nipples were puckered and erect. I could just imagine the cold tile floor her bare feet were probably standing on.

  Her waist tucked in before her hips flared out just before the bathroom counter cut off the rest of the view.

  My breath quickened as I flipped to the next photo. In this one she had turned around. Holding the camera high over her shoulder, she had taken a picture of her naked back. As if to torment the viewer, the bathroom counter cut off the view of her body at the top swell of her pert ass. Although if you looked closely, you could see two tiny dimples on either side of her spine.

  My tongue flicked out over my lower lip, wanting to taste those dimples.

  I flipped to the next photo.

  “Fuck.”

  I reached for my belt buckle and unzipped my jeans as I stared at her image. It was without a doubt the most innocently erotic thing I had ever seen. Katia was stretched out on some pillows. Her long hair flowed around her head and over her shoulders to gently cover her breasts. You could see a hint of the inner curve of her left breast and nipple. Her right breast was completely exposed with a long lock of hair curling underneath the curve. Her slim arm was stretched out as if beckoning a lover.

  A surge of jealous wrath ripped through my body.

  The urge to find the man and rip his throat out ran strong.

  I wanted to be the lover she was beckoning.

  I will be the lover.

  This wasn’t about finding her for her father anymore.

  This was about finding her for me.

  I needed to know the sound of her voice. I craved to know the feel of her skin. I wanted to watch her eat and see her smile. In none of the photos I had seen so far had she been smiling. Not one. I wanted to be the man who made her smile. Over these last few days, I had gotten to know her through her photography work and had built this image up in my mind, and now I was only a few hours away from learning if it was real.

  I stared at her eyes. Even though the image was black-and-white, my mind filled in the details of her bright crystal blue gaze. I wanted to see those eyes stare up at me as I thrust inside her tight body.

  I pulled my cock free and fisted the length.

  I stared at her mouth. Her full lips were partially open. I imagined biting the lower lip and then licking the wound with my tongue. Would she taste as sweet as she looked?

  My fantasy took hold.

  In a few hours, Katia would become a reality; for now I wanted the fantasy.

  I stroked my cock as I imagined her standing naked before me. My large hands would span her waist as I lifted her high and threw her onto the bed. Her eyes would cloud with fear as I pressed my weight down on her, forcing her legs open. The darkness inside of me called to the fear, feasted on it. I wanted to feel her tremble under my hand. I wanted her to beg me to be gentle, only to endure the ferocity of my caress.

  My tongue would lick and lave her breasts before sinking my teeth in deep, wanting to taste the salty tang of her blood on my tongue.

  I stroked my cock harder as I envisioned her writhing underneath me, her small hands holding onto my shoulders as I kissed and licked her neck. I’d whisper all the dirty, nasty things I wanted to do to her innocent body into her ear as my cock sought entrance into her tight pussy.

  I was a big man and she was so small. There was no way I would fit without tearing her. I thrust in deep anyway, swallowing her scream as I baptized our lovemaking with almost virginal blood. Yes, virginal. She may have had a man before me, but none my equal. With every thrust I would erase her body’s memory of any other man’s touch.

  I stroked my cock harder as my hips lifted off the bed.

  My fantasy shifted.

  Now she is bent over the bed, her ass in the air. I’m standing over her with my belt in my hands. Her beautiful face is streaked with tears as she begs me not to punish her. I lift my arm and bring the belt down across both her ass cheeks. Her body rocks from the impact as her small hands fist the covers. She buries her face in the blankets as I swipe the belt across her delicate skin again and again. I revel in the deep pink flush blooming on her bottom, knowing how her hot skin will feel against my hips as I thrust in deep. I need this release as much as she does. She’ll have to learn to love the kiss of a leather belt if she is to be with me. I’ll teach her to love it.

  My balls tightened as the pressure increased to an almost painful degree.

  I let out a low growl as I stroked harder.

  I imagined my hands spreading open her cheeks, baring her cute, puckered hole. In my fantasy I could feel her shame and fear, almost taste it as I ran my thumb over her dark hole, all while telling her in graphic detail how I was going to pound into her ass till she screamed for mercy. In my mind’s eye, I lined my cock head up to her entrance. I had a hard grip on her hips as she struggled to crawl away from me. I pushed, watching the hole slowly open from the pressure of my cock.

  Just then, I came.

  I leaned over to my side, spilling my seed on the blanket as wave after pulsing wave hit me.

  Jesus Christ.

  Never in my life had I had such an intense experience from just jerking myself off.

  Damn, this woman was the best sex I’d ever had, and I hadn’t even touched her yet.

  Breathing heavily, with my free hand I flipped to the next photo. It was a close-up of her lying on the bed, her eyes half closed. I stroked the screen where her cheek was. Soon, I’d have her in my arms and my fantasy would become flesh.

  And if she resisted?

  Well, I had plenty of intriguing ways to persuade her to submit.

  CHAPTER 6

  Katie

  I leaned over Carinna from behind. “Wait. Wait till he gets closer. We can’t risk you missing.”

  Carinna held the gun in her hand. Kiyoshi and his men had just come barreling through the door. It was obvious from his appearance and agitated state that something was wrong. Hopefully it meant that Maxim, Dimitri, and Vaska were hot on his trail.

  Kiyoshi came closer. They were halfway across the lengthy warehouse floor. In another few moments they would be on top of the bare mattress where Carinna and I both kneeled.

  “Almost there,” I whispered over her shoulder. “Steady. Steady. Aim for Kiyoshi… now!”

  Carinna raised her gun high and fired.

  Fuck.

  She missed, like really missed. The shot went wide by a mile. Passing Kiyoshi and his men, the bullet lodged in the doorjamb across the warehouse, splintering the wood just as Maxim and another beast of a man I didn’t recognize came storming through.

  Oh, my God. We were saved.

  Despite the fight that ensued, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind the Russian men would prevail over the yakuza.

  As Maxim took on one of the men, the man he was with tackled the second guy, impressively knocking him unconscious with one heavy punch to the jaw.

  I grabbed Carinna to get her attention and held up the gun she had dropped after firing it. “Take it. We have to try again. “

  Carinna looked at me with wide eyes. “Are you crazy? I almost killed Maxim with that last shot.”

  I stretched out the chain that was attached to her ankle. “Not them. This. Fire at the chain.”

  “What if I miss?”

  I looked at her calmly and shrugged. “Don’t miss.”

  Carinna stood and pointed the gun at the floor close to the chain several feet away from her foot.

  After inhaling deeply and releasing the breath slowly, she fired.

  She had hit the chain! She was free. “Now run!” I yelled.

  Just as she turned to do as I commanded, one of the yakuza grabbed her from behind, wrapping his forearm around her throat. Without hesitating, I grabbed the slack chain still attached to my own ankle between my fists and launched at the man. Using the chain around his neck as leverage, I leapt onto his back, squeezing his sides between my knees.

  I pulled with all my might, but I was weakened after days of no sleep or food. The yakuza henchman easily flung me off his back. I sailed through the air, slamming into the wall before slowly sliding to the floor. Dazed, I shook my head as I tried to rise to my knees. Through blurry eyes, I watched Maxim charge at the yakuza who just attacked us.

  The moment Carinna was set free she ran across the floor to attack Kiyoshi who was curled up on the floor after the fist pounding he received from Maxim. She kicked him in the ribs several times.

  I smiled as I held up my hand to inspect the bump on my head caused by the wall when I crashed into it. I knew I liked her.

  Maxim ran over to Carinna and enclosed her in his arms, holding her close. He caressed her face and kissed her mouth. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but it was clear the two of them were deeply in love. My heart gave a small leap of jealousy. I had never had that. Probably never would. I wondered what it felt like to have a man be so completely devoted to you.

  Carinna’s body went limp. In alarm I sat up and tried again to rise to my feet. I shouldn’t have worried. Maxim swept her up into his arms.

  “Careful of her arm,” I called out.

  “What’s wrong with her arm?” he asked as he inspected her for injuries.

  “She dislocated her left shoulder trying to fight them off,” I responded.

  Maxim kissed Carinna’s forehead as he whispered something to her unconscious form. My attention was diverted from them by the approach of the other man.

  I didn’t recognize him, although from his arrogant demeanor and visible tattoos it was obvious he was Russian. The man was huge. Like The Rock huge. The fabric of the T-shirt he had on was clinging for dear life around his enormous biceps. The shaved head and insane number of tattoos certainly didn’t help in allaying my concern.

  The mountain of a man approached me as he reached behind him to pull out a gun.

  What the fuck?

  Before I could react, he pulled the chain around my ankle taut. “Turn your head.” Without even questioning the authority in his voice, I obeyed. He fired the gun into the floor, breaking my chain.

  He then went down on his haunches and attempted to lift me into his arms. “My name is Luka. Your father sent me to find you, Katia.”

  I batted his arms away. “It’s Katie and I don’t need your help.”

  Now that I was no longer chained to the wall, I could rescue my own damn self. I certainly didn’t need anyone’s help who was sent by my bastard of a father. I scrambled to my knees and braced a palm against the wall as I struggled to rise. The moment I did, my knees buckled. The beast was there to catch me. Against my protests, he lifted me into his arms and made his way over to Maxim and Carinna.

  Through clenched teeth, I ordered, “Put me down!”

  Luka responded with a grin, “Izvini. Ya ne govoryu po-angliyski.”

  I fumed as I crossed my arms and tried to keep my body from pressing against his. “You do too speak English, you big gorilla. A teper’ opusti menya!” I rarely if ever spoke the Russian from my childhood, preferring American English. In fact, I barely remembered the language, but I did remember a few phrases. “Put me down now” was one of them. I had to use that a lot as a young girl being tortured and teased by my two sadistic older brothers.

  His eyebrow rose. “So the little Russian princess remembers her mother tongue.”

  My lips thinned at being called a Russian princess. I turned my head and refused to speak to him any further, but not without first muttering under my breath in French, “Gorille stupide.”

  He tightened his grasp on my legs and waist. “Je parle français aussi, princesse.”

  So he was an educated beast. Great.

  CHAPTER 7

  Katie

  My body trembled as we exited the warehouse and were met by the cold winter night air. Luka tightened his grasp on me.

  He leaned down and gently kissed the top of my head. “Don’t worry, princess. I’ll have you at the hospital soon.”

  Red and blue lights illuminated the abandoned parking lot as an ambulance pulled up, sirens blaring. The paramedics opened the back doors and ran up to Maxim and Carinna first. Maxim refused to let go of Carinna. Instead, he climbed into the back of the ambulance, settling her on his lap.

  Luka was carrying me in the same direction.

  I turned and grasped his shirt. “No! Please, no hospitals.”

  He frowned. “You’ve been through an ordeal. You need to see a doctor.”