Piotr’s expression immediately turns to one of concern. “Are you okay? We need to get you to a doctor.”
“No. What I need is to go home and get into a nice, warm bath.”
Piotr nods. “And then you’re going to bed for a week.”
“Uh, no, I don’t think so.” I roll my eyes when he gives me a questioning look. “We’re choosing my puppy on Sunday, remember?”
He shakes his head. “That can wait.”
I stick my bottom lip out. “The cute ones will all be gone if we wait.”
Piotr pulls me onto his lap, and I cuddle close. He kisses the top of my head. “I despair of you, Olivia Rezanova.”
“No, you don’t.”
“No, I don’t.” He strokes my shoulder. “I love you more than I ever thought possible.”
Tiredness overwhelms me, and I yawn. At some point, it will hit me just how much danger I was in tonight and I’ll crumble. But I know Piotr will be there to catch me when I fall. Safe in my husband’s arms, I close my eyes and let sleep claim me.
EPILOGUE
Five months later…
Olivia
Ashiver runs down my spine as I hear the familiar snapping of leather behind me. I stand up from the dressing table where I’ve been getting ready for dinner and turn to Piotr as he stalks into the room. He has his belt in one hand and a muddied shoe in the other. Oh, no. Not again.
“Your dog buried one of my favorite shoes,” he says.
“Favorite shoes?” I arch an eyebrow. Piotr doesn’t give a shit about footwear. I doubt he knows one pair from another. “Which designer are they?”
Piotr shrugs. “I don’t know.”
“Exactly.” I jab a finger at him. “You couldn’t pick those out of a line-up.”
A smile touches Piotr’s lips. He’s not really angry, just looking for an excuse to dish out punishment. He’s been restless all day, so I knew this was coming. I’m looking forward to it.
“That’s not the point,” he says. “You said you’d stop her burying my things, and she’s still doing it.”
I grimace. The puppy is more of a handful than I expected her to be. She loves to dig holes in the garden of our Westport home and bury things. Well, Piotr’s shoes mainly. She seems to appreciate fine Italian leather.
“I can’t control everything Mila does.”
Piotr rolls his eyes. “You know she’ll be pissed if she ever finds out you named your dog after her.”
“Why? It’s a compliment. Terriers are tenacious, feisty. Who wouldn’t want to be a terrier?”
Piotr drops the shoe and slaps his palm with the leather belt. It’s equally menacing and arousing.
“You need to be punished.”
“But my family will be here in thirty minutes.”
We’re hosting a family dinner tonight to celebrate my brother Gio coming home. Everyone will be there, including Leo and Vinnie with their newborn daughter, Grace Olivia Volante. My brother was so impressed by the way I held it together when we were held captive, he wanted to give the baby my name.
“So we’ll need to be quick.” Piotr isn’t letting me off the hook. “Now, bend over the dressing table, ass out and legs spread.”
Holding onto the edge of the table, I lower my torso and push my ass out. Piotr pulls my hips back and kicks my legs farther apart,getting me into the exact position he wants. I glance up to meet his smoldering gaze in the mirror. He grabs my panties and rips them from my body. Excitement fires through me.