Page 16 of His Grip

Without another word, he turned and walked away, the weight of his retreat leaving her breathless and frustrated.

Sofia stood there, staring after him, her chest rising and falling as the adrenaline ebbed. She wasn’t sure if she’d won or lost.

Later that evening, Sofia’s wandering brought her to a part of the penthouse that felt different, almost foreboding. The opulence seemed muted here—fewer decorative touches, more shadows pooling in the corners. At the end of a quiet hallway stood a door unlike any she had seen in the rest of the penthouse.

It was plain, unremarkable in its design, but the heavy-duty lock and the keypad affixed to the wall beside it drew her in like a magnet. Her fingers hovered over the handle, curiosity burning brighter than caution. What could Viktor be hiding here?

The suddenness of it made her jump, and she spun around to find Viktor standing just a few feet away. His face was shadowed, but the intensity in his eyes was unmistakable. He moved toward her with slow, deliberate steps, his body radiating authority and a simmering edge of menace.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“Nothing,” she said, but a tremor crept into her speech, and she hated how small she felt when he regarded her intently.

“Nothing,” he repeated, his tone mocking as he closed the distance between them. The faint scent of his cologne—spice and something darker—sent a spark through her. He stopped mereinches from her, and she found herself pinned by the force of his scrutiny.

“That door isn’t for you,” Viktor said, sounding deceptively calm, though his eyes betrayed a storm brewing just beneath the surface.

Her defiance flared, emboldened by the raw energy crackling between them. “Why not? What are you hiding?”

His expression darkened, and in a flash, his hand shot out, capturing her wrist in an iron grasp. Before she could react, he pulled her against him, her chest colliding with his. The hard lines of his body pressed against her softness, and the sheer heat of him seemed to seep into her skin.

“You don’t know when to stop, do you?” he growled, low and rough.

Sofia tilted her chin up, refusing to back down even as her pulse hammered in her throat. “Maybe I don’t like being kept in the dark.”

His lips twisted into a smirk, one that sent both fury and an unwelcome thrill coursing through her. “This isn’t about what you like, Sofia.”

With a swift, fluid motion, Viktor pressed her against the wall, his muscular body caging her in. One hand braced against the wall near her head, while the other slid down, fingers trailing along the edge of her robe, threatening to expose her. The silk shifted, revealing her bare breast, her nipple taut and begging for attention.

She gasped, a mix of anger and unspoken lust swirling within her. "Let me go," she demanded, her voice wavering. Viktor's gaze locked onto her exposed breast, her nipple hardening further with each breath.

Leaning in, his lips brushed her jawline, sending shivers down her spine. "Here, my rules prevail," he whispered, hisbreath hot on her skin. His hand hovered above her hip, fingers stroking the sensitive skin, teasing her.

"I'll uncover your secrets," she challenged, defiance flashing in her eyes. "You just wait."

Viktor chuckled, a deep, seductive sound that sent a wave of frustration and desire crashing over her. "Do you truly believe you can outmaneuver me, my little vixen?"

As he leaned closer, his lips hovered tantalizingly close to hers. The proximity made her head spin, thoughts scattering as desire flared. He teased her, his breath mingling with hers, the tension coiling tighter.

His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "You will learn, Sofia. This is my domain, and you will submit to my every desire."

The moment stretched, his lips hovering, a tantalizing torment. Her body ached with anger and unspoken need, her hands clenching into fists, torn between pushing him away and surrendering to the pleasure he offered.

Suddenly, he withdrew, the loss of his touch leaving her reeling and trembling. Viktor's expression remained unreadable, but the triumph in his eyes was clear, a silent promise of more to come. “Stay out of that room, Sofia. Don’t make me teach you the hard way.”

And then he was gone, his footsteps echoing down the hallway, leaving her alone with her ragged breaths and the pounding of her heart.

Sofia pressed a hand to her chest, trying to steady herself. Her defiance burned hotter than ever, but so did something else—something she couldn’t name, something that made her knees weak and her resolve feel dangerously fragile.

As she stared at the door, she swore to herself that she’d find out what he was hiding, no matter the cost. And if Viktor thought he could keep her caged, he was wrong. Very, very wrong.

CHAPTER 7

Viktor

There was too much at stake. How could there not be? He’d gambled for Sofia’s hand at a time when he couldn’t afford to indulge in his desires, and now he was feeling the consequences. As Viktor poured himself another glass of wine, he studied the grainy photo before him. He recognized that face, scarred and familiar, from a thousand miles away. Alexei Markov was a painful reminder of his past, and Viktor had allowed him to linger far too long. It was time to put an end to this.

Viktor pushed away from his desk and moved to the window. He could hear the faint hum of New York traffic, but across the horizon, there was only light. It was a beautiful night—one that could have remained so if not for the picture that had arrived.

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