Page 25 of Nikolai (Kansas City Reapers)

Instead, I got a face full of water as she dunked me.

Slipping into the water, I flailed, gasping for air and sputtering up droplets that had gone where they didn’t belong. I had barely enough time to brush the dripping hair out of my eyes when I caught sight of her. Hands on her hips, she stared down at me with more fire and confidence than any Domme I had ever met — and I’d met a few. She was a vision.

“Thatis for being a dick earlier.” With that, she carefully exited the hot tub, wrapping her delicious little body in a towel and sashaying her way back to the house. But of course, things were never that simple with Maddy, as I was quickly learning.

Just before she was out of earshot, she hollered back to me.

“And don’t you forget it!”

Fucking hell.

Chapter 7

Maddy

As quietly as I could,I slipped back through the back door of the house, mindful to wipe the grass and such from my feet before making my way back upstairs to my room. I’d done what I had set out to do. Break Nikolai. He was arrogant and far too rigid. Plus, the way he continued to demand that I sit here andwhat?Just sit in boredom for days on end?

No way. Not for me.

If I wasn’t going to be allowed entertainment, then I’d make my own.

I threw my towel into the hamper by the closet. I would need to ask the guys where the laundry room was tomorrow if I had any hope of wearing clean clothes during my stay.

Pulling the tie from my wet hair, I shook my head, releasing the tresses that were now beginning to curl just a little. Wavy hair was the absolute worst. Never quite curly, never quite straight. Such was my plight. Now,where did I leave my hairbrush? I couldn’t remember if I had left my toiletry bag in the bathroom or not, but it was most likely—

My bedroom door crashed open, causing me to jump damn near a foot in the air. I turned to see an angry-looking Nikolai standing in the doorway, fists clenched at his sides.

“Niko, what are you—”

“We…” he began, his chest heaving with heavy breaths, his eyes focused like lasers straight at me. “We are not done.”

“What the fuck are you on about? I’m pretty sure I made my point quite clear. If you’re going to be an—”

“I said, we aren’t done here,” he repeated, slamming the door behind him as he all but stomped his way over to me.

“I don’t see how there’s anything more to say.” I was being petulant, and I didn’t care one bit. Arms crossed over my chest, I feigned disinterest at his caveman-like behavior, when deep down, it sent a thrill through me.

“You and I?” he began, pointing between the two of us. “We have a problem.”

“Oh yeah? And what might that be?” I was putting on a display of bratting the likes of which had not been attempted since I was the ripe old age of seven. He stood so close, his tall frame making me feel small, even though I stood at a perfectly acceptable height of five-foot-six. Though he was likely only just over six feet tall, his presence, the very aura surrounding him, exuded confidence and command in a way I had never encountered. At least, not like this.

Heleaned in closer, our breath mingling together, but eyes still locked on one another. Heated and fierce, his dark blue eyes bore into my own.

“Well, what’s the problem we both have,buddy?” Bad idea though it might be, I could not help myself.

“This,” he growled, his hand finding that same point on the back of my head, twisting his fingers in my hair as he had done before. My head tilted back as his lips crashed into mine.

His hands roved over my body, finding my waist and tugging me closer. The firm hand that gripped my hair never loosened.

I barely noticed as he began walking me backward, step by step, our lips never leaving the heated kiss. Not for a single second.

My back hit the wall with a thud; his body pressed into mine as he tilted my head up, twisting me just enough to change the angle of his kiss. Tongue met tongue, lips pressed against lips. It was intoxicating.

“Do you have any idea how difficult it’s been?” he groaned against my mouth, the fingers of his left hand playing at the strings of my bikini bottoms. The tip of his nose nudged mine, trailing down my cheek towards my neck. The same place he’d kissed just earlier this very day.

“How difficult what’s been?” I breathed. For the moment, my bratty attitude had been banished, making way for the pleasure his lips, tongue, and touch provided. I was touch starved, and I wasn’t too proud to admit it — at least to myself.

“Getting the thought of you out of my head. Thethought of you pressed against that wall this afternoon… just as you are now. It has plagued me. The memory of you beneath my hands has tortured me.” The guttural growl of his voice vibrated over my skin, making every nerve ending come alive with desperation for more.

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