He cried out with a groan so deep, it shattered my nervous system.

“Yes, yes, yes!” I urged, finding comfort in the expression etched on his face. “Give it to me. Give it to me, Daddy—I want it.” The words tumbled out of my mouth in a rush, my tone dripping with desperation.

“Shit, I’m cumming!” he announced, knees quaking as I stroked his cock relentlessly. “Here it comes.” He threw his head back, muscles contrasting, his cock positioned in front of me. “Tell me where you want it,” he strained, face turning red with a lone vein lining his forehead.

Feeling nasty as fuck, I replied, “In my mouth.”

I angled my head backward, mouth open with my tongue stuck out, waiting, anticipating the full dose of his load.

With a primal growl and a hand supporting my head from behind, he positioned his member over my tongue. Seconds later, my waiting was over as he exploded in my mouth, stroking his cock himself. He groaned, releasing his essence—all of him—right where I wanted it.

As the last drop landed on my tongue, I locked my lips around his cap, sucking the remnants lingering on his tiny opening. I felt so alive, fulfilled, and fucking satisfied. He maynot have penetrated me tonight, but the fact that I was able to suck him to climax was more than enough for me.

This should keep him occupied until the next time. My mission was accomplished. I’d left him with something to think about, something to fall back on each time he was alone. There was no way he was going to forget tonight in a hurry—not even by a long shot. It was his turn to have me living rent-free in his head, occupying his thoughts every second of the day. He may not have known what that was like, but now, he would.

He looked down at me, shock and surprise flickering in his gaze as I swallowed his cum and wiped the remnants off my lips. His body and neck region were dampened with sweat, and his breath was clearly hard to catch as he stared at me, amused and confused at the same time. He must be wondering what the hell had just happened, whether he’d been to heaven and back.

The way he looked at me, it was almost like he had no idea whom he was staring at—like he couldn’t recognize me.

Nik helped me back to my feet, slow and gentle, his chest heaving with exhaustion. All he could do was watch me in amazement, his eyes wide and brows raised. His shock was evident—so palpable, in fact, that it left him numb.

Good. Very good.

My lips curved into a faint grin as I tugged down the hem of my dress. I adjusted my loose straps and beamed at him before stepping out of the kitchen without a word.

While leaving, I felt his gaze lingering, the quiet hum of his labored breaths filling the air. Tonight, I successfully blew his mind and left him in awe of me. My heart was filled with joy and satisfaction, a kind that I hadn’t felt in a while.

Pride swelled within me, and my lips curled into a self-satisfied grin.

At least now I could sleep fine, knowing that I’d given Nik something to think about.

Chapter 26 – Nik

“Vlad Draco’s moving cargo through the east dock again,” Yuri said, his voice deep and gruff, eyes darting across the men seated at the long table. “If we don’t mount pressure on that route, we could lose another slice of the coastline.”

Desmond adjusted his tie and leaned in, his voice sharper. “Yuri’s right, and it gets worse. I got word this morning that Demyan’s men were spotted near the old power plant—our territory.” He paused, shifting his gaze across our faces. “These bastards are messing with us. They’re testing us.”

“Then, I say we test back. We fuckin’ shove harder and show them who’s boss,” another chipped in from the far end, his voice dripping with venom. “No one’s stepping over our coastline unless they want their boats sunk.”

Silence fell for a brief moment, glasses raised in grim concurrence as men muttered under their breaths.

Viktor, the most reasonable of the men here, chimed in, his voice calm and collected. His blue eyes held a glint of composure that reminded me of myself, and his facial hair was styled to perfection. Aside fromPakhanArtem and me, Viktor was the only other man here who actually thought before he spoke.

“I don’t think that's such a good idea,” he said, his tone low and even. “We can’t afford a full-scale retaliation right now.”

“Oh, come on, Viktor, enough with the self-righteousness,” Yuri grumbled, slapping a hand on his forehead. “Can’t you see what they’re doing? They’re messing with us, overstepping their boundaries. For now, it’s Vlad and Demyan testing us. The longer we wait, the more they think we’re weak—the more others start to step onourterritory. Is that what you want, Mr. Righteous Man?”

Again, silence fell, and as glances were exchanged, I metPakhanArtem’s gaze—steady and unreadable. He just sat at the head of the long mahogany table, leaned back in his chair, watching everyone with his sharp eyes.

Viktor responded to Yuri. “Everyone in this room knows the Tarasov Bratva is everything but weak.” He looked right at Yuri, his fingers drumming on the surface of the table. “Strategic thinking and planning were how Nik ruined the Romanos and burned their empire to the ground. I’m merely tearing a page out of his book.” He paused for a moment, eyes flickering in my direction before continuing, “We cannot afford a full-scale retaliation right now, not with trade talks coming up next week.”

A glint of pride flickered inPakhanArtem’s gaze as he listened to Viktor, impressed by the man’s way of thinking.

“We need to move smart. Quiet. Send a message without bloodshed,” he concluded.

“In case you’ve forgotten, Viktor, the only message that works in this world comes written in blood,” Yuri insisted.

Someone else started speaking, taking Viktor’s side, supporting the motion. And while these men were busy discussing territorial disputes, my mind traveled far. My thoughts were occupied by Alessia Romano, the woman who’d slithered her way into my heart without warning.