Page 23 of His Grip

“I’m not keeping you here for my pleasure,” he muttered. “I’m trying to keep you alive.”

Her lips parted at the rawness in his tone, but she wasn’t ready to relent. Not yet. “Then let me decide if I’m willing to take that risk. I’m not some delicate thing you need to hide away.”

Before she could take another step, Viktor was on her, his hands clutching her arms, his body pressing hers against the wall with shocking force. “You think I don’t know what it feels like to lose someone I care about?” His pitch was low, strained as if the words were tearing him apart. “I can’t protect you from everything, but I’ll be damned if I let you walk into a fucking trap.”

She gasped, her pulse racing at the suddenness of his touch, the rawness of his anger. His hands were firm around her, but there was a subtle tremble in his touch. For a moment, she thought he might snap, might take what he wanted with no regard for her boundaries. But he didn’t. Instead, his mouth descended on hers in a kiss that was nothing like the others they’d shared. This was desperation—wild, untamed, fueled by the unspoken threat that hung between them.

Her body responded instinctively, the fire igniting in her veins. She had always been drawn to him, to his strength, to the way he seemed to own the space around him. But now, as his lips moved against hers with a bruising intensity, she felt the push and pull of her own desire. She wanted to give in, wanted to let him take charge and drown in the storm he was creating.

Viktor's mouth claimed hers with a hunger that matched the unspoken tension simmering between them. This kiss wasdifferent, fueled by desperation and raw desire. It was a kiss that bordered on possession, a wild and untamed storm of passion.

Sofia's body ignited in response, a fire spreading through her veins. She had always been drawn to his strength, to the commanding presence that seemed to fill every room he entered. Now, as his lips crushed against hers with bruising intensity, she felt the battle between her desire to surrender and her need to maintain control.

His kiss was demanding, his tongue invading her mouth, exploring, possessing. She tasted the heat of him, the wildness that mirrored her own growing hunger. Her body arched into his, her hands clutching at his shoulders, fingers digging into his hard muscles.

He pulled her closer, his hard cock straining against her, leaving no doubt about his desire. She could feel his length, thick and rigid, pressing into her softness, seeking entry, demanding surrender.

Moans escaped their lips, a chorus of pleasure and need. His hands roamed her body, cupping her breasts, thumbs brushing over her hardened nipples, making her gasp and arch into him.

"You like that, don't you?" he growled against her mouth, his voice hoarse with desire. "You want me to take control, to make you beg."

She whimpered, her body trembling on the edge of surrender. "Yes," she breathed, her hands gripping his hair, pulling him closer, urging him on.

His mouth trailed kisses down her neck, nipping and sucking, leaving marks of possession. His hands slid down her body, fingers delving beneath her skirt, finding the wet heat between her thighs.

"So wet," he murmured, his fingers stroking her sensitive bud. "You want me to fuck you, don't you, my baby girl?"

She could only nod, her body burning, her pussy throbbing with need. He teased her, his fingers stroking her, bringing her to the brink of release, only to pull back, denying her the climax she craved.

"Please," she begged, her voice hoarse. "Please, Viktor." She had no clue what she was begging for.

He chuckled darkly, the sound sending shivers down her spine. "Not yet, Sofia. Not until you're begging for it."

His mouth claimed hers again, kissing her deeply, his tongue dueling with hers as his fingers worked her body, bringing her closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy.

But she couldn’t. Not like this.

With all her strength, she pulled away, her heart pounding. “No, Viktor. Not like this.”

He paused, his forehead resting against hers, both of them panting, the heat between them undeniable. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Then, Viktor sighed deeply, his hands slowly releasing their grasp on her arms.

“You think I want this?” he murmured, more to himself than to her. “I don’t... but I can’t just stand by and watch you throw yourself into danger.”

Sofia’s heart twisted at the vulnerability in his tone, something she’d never expected to hear from him. Viktor Ivanov, the man who had built an empire on his ruthlessness, was standing here, confessing his fears to her.

But he quickly masked it again, the wall going back up. “Sofia, you’ll do what I say, whether you like it or not.”

The words were still full of that possessive, commanding tone, but there was something else there, too—something softer, buried deep beneath his anger. Something that made her wonder just how much he cared despite the walls he built around himself.

CHAPTER 9

Viktor

Something was definitely wrong.

Viktor could feel it as easily as he breathed. He’d been in the game long enough to recognize when things were amiss, and right now, they were. He held a file filled with intel reports, letting out a sound that reverberated in the quiet space. He couldn’t pinpoint the source of his unease, but the burning sensation in his gut wouldn’t go away.

There were subtle signs—or maybe they weren’t so subtle. As his fingers traced the documents riddled with faulty statements and fabricated details, he realized the reason he felt as though the world was crashing down around him was because of Andrei. He trusted the man, but there were limits to loyalty. He’d seen that firsthand.

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