Page 54 of Diamond Don

“Milaya,” he says with a sigh. “You don’t ever have to beg me for what I’d kill to give you.”

Nik’s hands drop to my hips. He holds me so tightly I’ll have a bruise tomorrow. His arm snakes around my waist, and his right hand slides down my stomach until it reaches my sex.

I try to pull my hand away, but he stops me, keeping my wet fingers right there. “No, Kat,” he says against my ear, wrapping his big hand around mine. “We’ll do this together. I’ll make you come for me, but we’re doing it my way, on my terms.”

Frustrated, I groan. This isn’t how it is supposed to go. We’re supposed to do it my way, which involves him losing control and giving in to the erotic pull between us. Instead, the infuriating man has turned the moment into another display of his power over me.

Nik is truly the most maddening man I’ve ever met. But it doesn’t matter. I always play through the whistle. The game isn’t over until I say it’s over. So, I reach behind me and fumble around the front of his pants, trying to unbutton them.

He lets go of my hips to grab my roaming hand. Easily restraining my wrist, he holds my arm flush against my back. “It’s my way or no way, Kat,” he says. “So, what’s it going to be?”

As I consider my options, his hand, wrapped around mine between my legs, lazily runs our fingers over my wet sex. I can’t help panting and squirming a little. I’m so close to the edge he could make me come with the slightest bit of pressure on my clitoris. Nik’s undoubtedly fully aware of it, judging by how carefully he avoids the spot.

He runs his mouth down the column of my neck. “What’s it going to be, Kat?” he asks again, lips vibrating against my skin.

I resist answering for as long as possible, but he’s got me and he knows it. “Your way,” I concede at last.

Nik showers my shoulders with kisses. “Good girl,” he says, nipping at my ear. “Now, ask me again. Nicely.”

I don’t even need to inquire. I know exactly what he means. “Please, Nik,” I ask, panting and shamelessly rubbing myself against his hard body. He waits. “Please, make me come.”

With a barely restrained groan, he does.

20

NIK

Victory has never tasted so bitter.

During my thirty-four years on this planet, I’ve learned a thing or two about bittersweet wins. I have had more than my fair share of triumphs that have come at a hefty price.

I’m happy I’ve beaten Kat in her manipulative game, but I can’t say I feel any sense of satisfaction. There’s no joy in this achievement—just a deep, unshakable feeling of foreboding. Even though I’ve won this battle, the war between us is far from over. She will keep trying to control me through my foolish, irresponsible attraction to her. And I’m not so sure I have it in me to win the next round.

To make matters even worse, I can now add sexual frustration to the emotional cocktail brewing inside of me. After all, Kat was the only one who found release. She came so hard she is now as soft as a kitten in my arms, every muscle in her body blissfully relaxed. Deep, content sighs have replaced her erratic panting from earlier, and she’s the picture of satisfaction and satiety.

While I can’t deny I’m very proud of myself for pleasing her, Kat’s obvious sexual contentment is a poignant reminder of my almost painful state of non-fulfillment.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a problem I am likely to fix soon. In the last twenty-four hours, Kat has made it abundantly clear—she fully intends to have me eating out of the palm of her hand by seducing me. And God damn her, she just might succeed.

If our brief history is any indication, resisting her isn’t something that comes to me naturally.

If our circumstances were any different, I’d love nothing more than to let her try—her secretive, untrustworthy ways be damned. But as things stand, it would be a development I can’t afford right now. So resist her I must. Somehow.

I don’t know how to accomplish this still unprecedented feat, but at least I have the common sense to realize that giving in to my insatiable desire for her isn’t the answer, which brings me to my current unfortunate—and physically painful—situation.

It’s all well and good to turn the tables on her and give her a little taste of her own medicine, as I did a moment ago. Kat wanted me to submit to her, to beg her to satiate the desperate craving her merciless teasing brought on. But I managed to get the upper hand. In the end, the little thief surrendered to me.

For now.

That’s why I can’t let Kat return the favor even if she were to offer. The woman isn’t giving up on this reckless scheme of hers. I have no doubts she’ll continue to try to bend me to her will, and I can’t afford the risk that she might succeed. I need to keep my wits about me if my plans are to work out.

To obliterate McGuire, I need to be fully in charge of myself and those I have enlisted to help me. That includes Kat. I can’t very well control her or myself if she manages to wrap me around her little finger.

Of course, I’d love to sink deep inside her again or feel her clever little hands—and her maddening mouth—on me, but it just can’t happen. I’m not confident about my odds of resisting her. On the contrary, Kat is perfectly capable of succeeding in her devious plan. Unfortunately, I’m not convinced I can get her to stop trying. Threats haven’t worked, and retribution hasn’t either.

I’m toeing a dangerous line. Kat is only helping me with my plans for McGuire because I have leverage over her. If she realizes how unlikely it is that I would ever cause her pain, my leverage is gone. I may be a fool as far as she’s concerned, but I’m not stupid enough to believe she’ll stick around and help me unless I have something to hold over her head.

The conclusion is simple, although unfortunate. I have to keep myself in check. I have to deny myself the pleasures I know are to be found in her arms because I’m not strong enough to resist her attempts to control me.

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