Page 25 of Devotion

“Yes, Mama,” he quips dodging out the door before I can throw something at him.

Wrapping up as much of the paperwork as I am going to get done for now, I dress, heading downstairs. A few hours out of the house will clear my head. Besides, I need to check in with my informants, see that some of the men are behaving. There is a contingent of pigheaded outliers that tend to avoid checking in with me unless they are trying to impress Pyotr.

Fortunately, most of our members respect me. I’ve earned my reputation. Still, a time is coming soon when I must step out from under Pyotr’s shadow and clean house. Another day, though.

For now, I drive to a few spots, pay for tips, give orders of who to watch.

It’s boring. Just like the paperwork.

But I get to haul ass around in my car. It kills time before I must head back for meetings with the captains.

Stopping in the back coat closet on my way into the house, I am shrugging off my thicker coat when the door creaks open behind me. Immediately my body goes tense, the hairs on my neck standing on end.

“There you are, been looking all over for you.”

“I’ve been in my room all morning. Then errands.”

“Ha, lounging away like princess? Shopping?” Fyodor chuckles condescendingly.

“Doing work. You should try it sometime. Assuming you can read.”

“Cute. Speaking of books and pages…I have been wanting to make sure we are on the same. Page, I mean.”

“We’ve never been on the same page, Fyodor,” I say casually, making to push past him.

“Come on, Vanya, don’t fucking avoid this.” He leans into me, blocking my path and pressing in too close.

“Fyo. I need to go.”

“You need to remember. How good we are together. Remember Barcelona…”

“That one night in Barcelona was a mistake. And a long time ago.”

“The only mistake was not doing it again. Your body is even better than it was back then, baby.”

“And a lot stronger than it was then too. Back. Up.”

“See? You are strong. Powerful. We will make the perfect power couple to rule this place when Pyotr’s time is up.”

“Watch your mouth.” I glare up into his eyes finally, baring my teeth. He’s always toed that line, bordering on mutiny. Obviously, he wants the throne someday.

“Relax. I just mean you and I are right and left hand of Sokolov empire. It’s only right for us to join.”

“And it could be viewed as us teaming up for a coup. Running your mouth is going to get you killed someday, Fyodor.”

“I would die for another taste of you. Or you let me run my mouth another way and I’ll shut up,” he rumbles, pulling me toward him with a huge hand on my ass. “Run my tongue, I mean.”

Rage boils up in my gut, rippling through my body.

“Stop this. Now.”

“Or what? Come on, let’s get physical. I know you like it rough, and I can take it.”

“The only thing you can take, is your hands off me.”

Elbowing him hard, I try to slip past, but he’s too big, too strong. I shouldn’t have let him corner me. Or maybe it never occurred to me that he would be so bold, so aggressive. His hands lock around my waste, pinning me to the wall.

No matter how hard I struggle, I know I cannot overpower him. And I cannot let him dominate me. That will be the end of everything.

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