Page 26 of Bound by Blood

“How long do they last?”

“You mean how long until you will get your sex slave back?” she grumbled.

“Laney,” he growled warningly.

She sighed. “Sometimes several hours and sometimes up to two days. I never know until they're done.”

He nodded and stood, towering over the bed. “You stay here and relax. I’m going to find pills and water bottle for you. Do not try to leave this cabin, you will not like consequences.”

Laney nodded weakly. “I’d like to take a shower.”

“Wait until I come back. Do not want to risk you falling and hurting yourself.”

She sighed, but acquiesced. She was in so much pain she wasn’t sure she could manage on her own anyway. He left the cabin, locking the door behind him. If she'd been at full capacity she had no doubt she could find her way out, but in her current state she was weak as a kitten.

She hunched in on herself as another wave of agony hit her. Tears gathered in her eyes and she had to force them back before they could fall. She learned long ago that no amount of pain was an excuse. It amused her that she’d experienced many types of pain, but these menstrual cramps were some of the worst. It was her secret laugh, when she sparred with other Yakuza and they moaned over injuries she was easily able to ignore. Women’s pain was often so much worse.

She could have kissed Boris when he showed up with a bottle of painkillers and a water bottle already filled with hot water. He helped her sit up and take an extra strength Advil with some cold water. Then he lifted her from the bed and carried her to the shower where he helped her stand and washed her as though she were as delicate as a newborn. He even washed her hair, careful not to tug too hard on the wet strands with his thick fingers.

Laney watched him through long lashes, wondering how he managed to hold her so delicately with such large hands. She wondered how he would be with a child. He dried her off and then left her alone for a few minutes so she could have some privacy. She took care of a few personal needs and then pulled on a pair of comfortable cotton panties and a white T-shirt.

Another wave of pain hit her and she bent over the sink with her arms wrapped around her stomach. She bit her lip, but a moan escaped her. Boris came crashing into the bathroom behind her, startling her. She straightened and then swayed. He scooped her up easily into his arms, despite the tight quarters. He was wearing a pair of jeans, but his torso was still bare.

He placed her gently on the bed and set the hot water bottle against her belly. Laney wrapped her arms gratefully around it. She squeaked in surprise as Boris climbed in next to her, causing the bed to dip low. He curved himself against her back, tucking her ass firmly against his denim clad hips. Laney stiffened, but gradually relaxed when she realized he was doing nothing more than trying to make her comfortable. He flipped the quilt over both of them, tucking it around her as though she were a child.

Laney smiled and dipped her face into the mattress. They barely fit on the bed together, with absolutely no extra space. She could feel the press of Boris’ thick cock against her backside. He very clearly wanted her again. But she knew he wouldn’t do anything about it, despite his threats. He wouldn’t hurt her. The care and concern he’d shown her touched something deep inside Laney. It made her feel safer than she’d felt in a long time. Perhaps safer than she’d ever felt in her life.

***

Laney narrowed her eyes at Boris. She had drastically underestimated the man. He had maneuvered her into a corner and now he was going to attack. There was nowhere for her to run this time. She’d tried all of her wiles on him, but he wasn't falling for anything. Granted, her idea of flirting was calf-length leggings and a white sleeveless T-shirt with no bra (because the asshole had cut her only bra to pieces). But it seemed to work. Russian couldn’t take his eyes off her dark nipples beneath the light shirt.

Except to slaughter her at checkers.

“You distracted me,” she mumbled as he took her last, lonely white checker piece.

He flashed her a white-toothed grin through his beard and handed her another bottle of water before leaning back against the wall with his arms stretched behind his head. She glared at him and leaned back against the pillows with a huff. She eyed the tattoos along his bare arms, which snaked out from where his grey T-shirt strained against his swarthy flesh, and sighed. If only he knew exactly how badly he distracted her, she would be flat on her back instead of playing another safe game with him.

It had been four days since he had solicitously tucked her into their shared bed and taken care of her. He hadn’t touched her sexually since their first encounter, believing that she was still in too much pain. The pain had passed two days ago and her period had pretty much stopped the night before, but there was no way Laney was giving up her only source of keeping Boris at bay. As the hours passed, she saw his speculative gaze pass over her, but his tone was nothing more than kind and concerned.

Laney knew he would soon suspect she was pretending to still be menstruating and start pushing her for sex again. She would have to get out of the cabin and disappear on the massive ship before that could happen. Boris confused her. He was too intense. She loved the way he could make her feel, but she couldn’t handle the chaos that he stirred up in her head and her heart. It was best to put some distance between them while she figured out what to do about the man she was supposed to kill in a few days.

If only she could get out of the cabin. He hadn’t allowed her to step foot out the door since he hauled her back through it and made crazy, intense love to her. He said he didn't want any of the other men to see her. Which was insane. They had to know there was a woman on board by now. The captain had seen her after all. She tried arguing with him, just to get a little relief from the four walls of their shared cabin, but he flat out refused to relent. She also suspected he was taking no chances on losing her and missing out on their last days together before they reached Hong Kong and went their separate ways.

“I want my answers,” he rumbled, his dark eyes piercing her.

She growled and lifted her chin slightly in acknowledgment. During their enforced time together, they had played many games together including checkers, chess, gin rummy, poker, cribbage and many others. It didn’t take them long to start wagering on their games. At first Laney flat out refused to wager when Boris’ suggestions were anything but innocent. Eventually he agreed to let her set the rules, though it quickly became apparent that he could win virtually every game they played. Including the checker game that gave him the right to ask her three personal questions.

He sighed heavily at the pointed glare she sent his way. “I won fair and square,kotenok. You know this. Will you promise to stop staring death at me if I give you what you wanted after I get my three questions?”

An eager smile spread across her lips and she sat up straight and nodded her head, sending her braids flying. “Yes, please, Boris! I want to go outside more than anything. I need fresh air so badly!”

He growled and seemed to think it over before finally nodding. “Fine, agreed. I will take you up after shift change. You are to look at no one and speak to no one. Say that you understand me?” he demanded.

She laughed lightly and rolled her eyes, borrowing a popular Claudia King mannerism. “I understand.”

“Now I get my questions,” he demanded.

Looking happier than she had in days, Laney settled back on the pillows and nodded her head. Her eyes were soft and happy. She twisted the top off the bottle of water he’d given her and took a long drink. It was hard to resist Boris when he showed her such flashes of caring.

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