Page 61 of Stalk Me

“Don’t hide from me,” he whispers, his voice raw. “Let me see.”

I can’t speak, words failing me as my longing for this man overwhelms me. His expression softens, the hard edges of his face somehow weakening as he searches my eyes.

“Nikolai—” My voice breaks, and his thumb brushes my lip again.

“Shh,malishka. I’ve got you.” He kisses me then, not with the fevered desperation of our usual encounters but with a tenderness that makes my heart ache. He gently traces my mouth with reverent kisses, his beard scratching my skin.

I tangle my hands in his perfectly styled hair, clinging to his solid presence while my composed facade finally shatters. His kiss deepens, his hands moving over my back with a feather-light touch that sets my nerve endings alight.

He pulls back, his eyes searching my face, his thumb wiping away the tear that escapes. “You’re not the only one falling,moya lyubov.”

My breath hitches at the Russian endearment, the depth of emotion in his eyes stealing the last of my resistance. “Nikolai?—”

“Say it.” He presses his forehead to mine, his breath warm on my lips. “Tell me how I make you feel.”

I swallow, my heart in my throat. “You make me feel...” Beautiful. Desired. Loved. “Too much.”

He smiles, a soft, heartbreaking curve of his lips. “Then feel it with me.”

His hands slide to cup my backside, lifting me more firmly against him as he changes the angle of his thrusts. I grasp his shoulders as he finds that spot deep within me. He knows exactly how to move to drive me wild, his years of control and precision translating to this, the most intimate of dances.

He sets a ruthless pace, his eyes boring into mine as my gasps echo. I’m utterly exposed, my body his to command, and yet, I feel safe. Cherished.

His mouth finds mine, stealing my breath as he pushes me higher. I tangle my hands in his hair. He knows my body so well, knows how to drive me to the very edge before pulling back, drawing out the pleasure until I’m sobbing with need.

“Nikolai, please.” I don’t know what I’m begging for; I need more.

“I have you,malishka.” He thrusts harder, driving me closer to the precipice. “Come for me,moya krasavitsa.”

His command sends me spiraling over the edge. I cry out, my body arching off the countertop as euphoria washes over me. He covers my mouth with his to muffle my screams, his thrusts becoming more frantic as he chases his own release.

“Sofia,” he growls, his body tensing as he spills into me.

I gaze up into Nikolai’s steel-gray eyes as our breathing steadies, my heart still racing. His weight pins me to the counter, grounding me in this moment even as my thoughts spiral.

My fingers trace the sharp line of his jaw, feeling the contrast between his smooth skin and the rough stubble. How can this feel so right when everything about our situation is wrong?

He kidnapped me. Drugged me. Kept me under surveillance. The logical part of my brain screams to fight, run, and protect myself. Yet here I am, wrapped around him, craving his touch like I need it to breathe.

I close my eyes, trying to sort through the tangle of emotions. The anger is still there, simmering beneath the surface. But it’s mixed with something deeper that terrifies me more than his darkness ever could.

His forehead rests against mine, and I feel his breath ghost across my lips. The intimacy of the gesture makes my heart stutter. How did we get here? How did I let myself fall so deep?

My fingers curl against his chest, feeling his heartbeat match my erratic rhythm. The truth burns in my throat—I’m not just his captive anymore. I’m his willing prisoner, which scares me more than any cage he could build.

23

NIKOLAI

The soft whir of security shutters snaps my attention away from Sofia’s peaceful form on my bed. Red warning lights flash across my security panel as alarms blare. My muscles tense, battle-ready instincts taking over.

“Stay here,” I command, moving to the bedroom door. The reinforced steel has already sealed automatically, locking us safely inside.

“What’s happening?” Sofia sits up, alert despite having dozed off moments ago.

My phone buzzes, and I see Erik’s name.

Perimeter breach. Three vehicles, heavily armed. Security measures activated.

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