Page 13 of Nikoli

Then I feel it. Her breath is ragged as she trembles beneath me, on the verge of a powerful climax. Our bodies move together in a rhythm that feels like fate, and I know I never want this moment to end. Willow's moans only increase my desire. I grab her bottom and hold her tight as I pound into her, "Little cunt," I whisper into her ear.

That's all I need.

Willow presses her mouth to my neck and let’s go. Her orgasm sends me into orbit. Pleasure rushes through me as I catch my breath. Her cunt pulsates and grips my cock so hard I see stars. When we both come down from the intense high, I hold Willow close, feeling a deep connection that goes beyond physical pleasure.

"We need to clean up," she whispers.

"Hmm."

She giggles. "Now." The pinch on my naked ass makes me want to start another round. My cock certainly agrees. Willow wiggles seductively.

"You've made me hard again."

"I feel you." Her hoarse voice makes my blood boil. "Martha will be awake soon."

"Shit!" I drop my forehead onto Willow's. "I forgot where we are." I smile at her. "This isn't a one-time thing, Willow." I slowly pull my body free and pull up my jeans. I quickly close my eyes as they land on Willow in all her naked glory. She's gorgeous. I swallow hard and grab a towel from the rack. I wet a corner and when I've wrung it out, I clean between Willow's legs. When she's clean and dry, I help her back into her clothes. I cradle her face. "I meant it. I want so much more than just a night with you. Will you let me take you out to dinner? A real date?"

She murmurs, "I'd like that," as my lips cover hers in a soft kiss of longing.

9

WILLOW

My stomach has been filled with butterflies since the amazing sex with Nikoli. I hadn't expected it. I've never been the kind of girl to have a one-night stand. According to Nikoli, he hadn't been one, much to my relief. Now that I'm alone in my room, though, I'm not sure what to think or feel. I still can't believe how unprofessional I was while Martha was in my care. I feel guilty about that. She slept through it, for which I'm grateful.

I throw myself onto the bed and stare up at the white ceiling. My room is small, with its own bathroom. It doesn't distract me from my problems. They follow me everywhere I go. I've kept them to myself as long as I've been running and hiding. With Nikoli, I want to tell him everything. Maybe he can help me. I don't want to run anymore. I thought it would be safer to keep him away from me, and maybe it would be. But Nikoli has gotten under my skin, so I have no problem with what we did today, except maybe the timing. I wince. Yes, the timing could have been better.

I roll over on to my side and try to get comfortable so that sleep will take me. I am tired. I smile as I think back to earlier—to Nikoli talking dirty to me. It had turned me on even more. No one had ever called my sex the word Nikoli had used. I can't even think about it. Coming out of Nikoli's mouth it had sounded hot and sexy. In my mind it makes me cringe. I kick the covers off and fan myself. The man is deadly. His penis was long and thick, pulsing with a need that matched my own. Just thinking about it makes me hot and uncomfortable. There is a pain between my legs that grows when I think of his fingers touching me there. I think about how it felt to have his whole hard length inside of me, touching all the right places. I shiver, my nipples taut buds against my nightgown.

I stiffen.

Someone is standing outside my bedroom door. My eyes fly to the latch, which I remembered to lock. I strain to listen. It sounds like female voices whispering to each other. I feel a shiver run down my spine. Has the man I'm running from found me? No, that can't be right. My heart races as I try to make sense of the situation, wondering who could be outside my door. The voices are female. There is no mistake. What are they doing?

No longer able to stay in bed, I slip my feet into my royal blue Crocs and move toward the door. I press my ear to the wood, straining to hear more clearly. Their whispers grow louder with each passing moment. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever is waiting on the other side of the door, and say, "What are you doing out there?" as I peer through the peephole. Laura and Isabel.

I frown. Isabel slaps a hand over her mouth as Laura grabs her arm, and they turn and run down the hall.

I'm tempted to open my door and see what they're doing, but I'm too nervous. I feel hot and sweaty, and unfortunately it has nothing to do with Nikoli.

They were outside my room; there was no doubt about it. But why? I'll only know the answer when I ask them. I decide to wait until tomorrow to confront them. Maybe I can get some answers with witnesses present, or at least I will feel safer with others around.

* * *

I'm tired today after tossing and turning most of the night. Everything that happened with Nikoli and then the whispering outside my room late last night is swirling around in my head. I tie my hair back and look at my tired face in the mirror. I reach for the door when I notice an envelope on the floor. It's been slipped under my bedroom door.

With trembling fingers, I pick up the manila envelope. It's about the size of a letter, folded in half. I hesitate for a moment before opening it, my heart pounding in my chest. Inside I find a photograph and a single sheet of paper:

HE is alive, Wilhelmina. Come home NOW to keep him that way. He's crazy though, so who knows how he'll react to all the drugs being forced into him.

My head spins with what this means. The photograph is grainy, but I see who is in the picture. My brother. I swallow hard. This is a cruel joke. It must be. I thought he was dead. I figured my uncle had killed him right after he'd killed our father.

Think Willow!

This is why Laura and Isobel were outside my room last night. Who gave it to them? Fear runs down my spine. There is only one person who would do this. The one person with money and contacts. The one person who is hunting me down to keep me quiet.

My uncle.

* * *

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