Page 42 of Kidnapped By the Bratva

Maxim breaks the kiss just long enough to spin me around, pushing me back against a tree. His weight presses down on me, his lips trailing down my neck, his breath hot against my skin. I arch into him, my body responding to him with an urgency I can’t control. His hands slide down my sides, gripping my hips roughly as he settles between my legs.

“I want you, Sophia,” he growls against my neck, his voice thick with desire. “I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you, and I’m done waiting.”

His words send a rush of heat through me, and I can’t help but moan softly as he tugs at my clothes, his hands working quickly to strip me down. There’s nothing gentle about this moment. It’s raw, intense, and I can feel the fire between us burning hotter with every passing second.

Maxim’s eyes darken with hunger as he looks at me, his hands roaming over my body, touching me everywhere, claiming me in ways I never imagined. I don’t feel like I’m in control anymore, and for the first time, I don’t care.

I want him too.

“Say it,” he demands, his voice low and rough. “Tell me you want this. Tell me you want me.”

I meet his gaze, my breath coming out in ragged gasps. “I want you,” I whisper, my voice barely audible, but it’s enough.

That’s all he needs. He moves quickly, positioning himself as he pushes into me with a force that makes my back arch. The sensation is overwhelming, sending waves of pleasure coursing through me as he moves, each thrust rougher than the last. His grip on me is tight, almost possessive, like he’s afraid to let go.

I don’t fight it. I can’t.

“Fuck, Sophia,” he groans, his movements becoming more erratic as he leans down, capturing my lips in another searing kiss. I kiss him back just as fiercely, matching his intensity as our bodies move together in a rhythm that feels both foreign and perfect at the same time.

Every hot touch feels like it’s fueling the fire between us, pushing us closer to the edge. When we finally fall over that edge, it’s explosive. My body trembles beneath him as I come undone, my hands gripping his shoulders as he rides out thestorm with me. The orgasm hits me so hard, my vision goes white.

Maxim’s grip on me tightens, his pace faltering as he finds his own release, his head dropping to my shoulder as he groans deeply against my skin.

For a long moment, neither of us says anything. We just hover there, our breaths mingling as we come down from the high of what just happened.

He leans down, brushing a soft kiss against my lips, and for a second, I almost feel… content. Like maybe, despite everything, this could work.

As I lie against him, propped against the tree, the reality of our situation starts to creep back in. This isn’t love. This is something else entirely—something dangerous.

Yet, I can’t stop wanting him.

Chapter Twenty-One - Maxim

I sit at my desk, the phone cradled between my shoulder and ear as I instruct the maid to send some important documents through the driver. There’s a stack of contracts that need to be handled today, but my mind keeps drifting away from business. As soon as I hang up, I lean back in my chair, staring at the ceiling for a moment.

Sophia.

I’ve tried to keep her out of my thoughts, to focus on the task at hand, but it’s impossible. At first, she was just Kace’s daughter, a pawn in my plan for revenge. I wanted nothing more than to use her to get back at the man who had been at the center of my hatred for years. But things changed.

Now, after everything—our marriage, the nights spent together, the moments where I’ve seen the real her—I feel something else. Something deeper.

I hate admitting it, even to myself, but I find myself wondering what she’s doing right now. Is she still sad, mourning her father? Is she feeling better, more settled? I catch myself thinking about the way her eyes light up when she talks about things she loves, like that damn garden. For some reason, the thought of her being unhappy gnaws at me in ways I can’t quite understand.

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt anything for anyone. The walls I’ve built around myself are thick, and for good reason. I wonder if those walls are starting to crack.

The knock on my office door pulls me from my thoughts, and I straighten up, clearing my head.

“Come in,” I say, my voice sharper than I intended.

The door opens, and Hailey Lawrence steps in, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she saunters toward me. She’s dressed to kill, as always, her bright red lips curving into a sly grin as she takes in the sight of me behind my desk.

“Maxim,” she purrs, her voice dripping with that familiar seductive tone. “It’s been a while.”

I narrow my eyes, sitting up straighter. I haven’t seen Hailey in months—since well before I married Sophia. She’s not quite an ex, but we shared a lot of… passion in the past. Still, I’m not in the mood for whatever she’s about to pull.

“Why are you here, Hailey?” My tone is cold, cutting. I have no time for her games.

She walks closer, her hips swaying with each step, clearly enjoying the tension she’s creating. “I heard you got married,” she says, her voice dripping with amusement. “Thought I’d come by and congratulate you.”

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