Page 45 of Mercenary Princess

Jen didn’t ask any more questions, a fact Sophia was grateful for. The world buzzed by in a hazy flash of lights in the dark. The route was in constant flux as they rounded slick streets. She noticed the windshield wipers were silent as they fought the wash of the sudden downpour, barely offering a second of view before the deluge obscured it once again.

Sophia closed her eyes, and before she knew it, they’d arrived. Lost in thought, she had walked through a different part of the mansion by the time Sophia registered they’d arrived at a new door.

She didn’t attempt to stop Jen as the woman slipped into the room first. The room wasn’t familiar, so she wasn’t going to be difficult, plus she’d heard about her impatience the trip before. She swore Jen shot Ivan a cocky smirk on her way past. Jen seemed to enjoy taunting the big Russian guard and taking his money. It sounded like her trips to Viktor’s were pretty profitable.

Sophia tilted her head and looked at the broody man, feeling a bit of pity that he’d been so severely outmatched where her friend was concerned. “Ivan, right?”

His eyes shot to her at the question, but he didn’t speak, merely grunted his assent.

Had she ever spoken to him? That she couldn’t remember made her uncomfortable. Had she been the princess who ignored human beings?

“Will you be playing cards again tonight?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“If you want my advice, Ivan, don’t go with poker. Suggest blackjack.”

He grunted again. This time, it held what she thought was curiosity. Odd that a single noise could have different meanings. Sophia winked at him. Her advice to Ivan wouldn’t give him all that much of an edge, but it would at least give him a sporting chance. Jen was fairly adept at cheating at cards in any game, but her poker game was known to be lethal. Sophia justified her bit of disloyalty with the thought that changing up the game would just make it more fun for them all.

A moment later, Jen returned. There was a soft wave of humidity in the air around her. “The room is clear, Your Royal Highness.”

Sophia nodded before striding inside. Her body was nearly vibrating with the need for skin-on-skin contact, and she tried to ignore the pang in her stomach that reminded her this could be the last time. That notion, and the adrenaline still coursing through her veins, made her particularly reckless and greedy, enough so that she was intrigued by what they could do in the giant indoor swimming pool she found herself faced with. The depths were a deep blue that contrasted with the gray stone surrounding it.

The ceiling was easily two stories high, with rock walls arched to the domed glass above. From the corner of her eye, she noted that the windows along one side had their shades securely drawn. Sconces dotted the walls, adding soft muted light, as any moonlight from above would be shrouded by storm clouds. What interested her more was the man stalking toward her, with a towel slung low around his waist and nothing else. His hair was wet, and water droplets slid down the sexy contours of his chest.

“You’re early.” This fact seemed to please him, and the sexy curve of his lips did things to her stomach.

“Do you wish to swim, Sophia?” She liked her name on his lips. She liked herself on his lips more.

His gaze burned over her as he came closer.

“Is the water warm?”

“Some. If you want it warmer, I’ll turn it up.” His tone was sexy and low, wreaking havoc on her senses.

She slipped out of her black high heels and gripped the hem of her knee-length cocktail dress. It was black as well, with flecks of silver to make it glitter. She’d taken off the stockings at some point during the car ride because she’d never been a fan.

He’d stilled a few feet away, watching every move she made as she stripped. It was a bold move for her, but she loved the way he admired her body.

“Let’s see,” she said when she was finally naked. Without a thought, she dove in, her body cutting through the water. She heaved a mental sigh. The water was the perfect temperature, and there was nothing so restful as the silence beneath the surface and the fluid way it caressed her skin. She heard a muffled splash and smiled with the knowledge that he’d followed her in. She kicked to break the surface, tilting her head back so her long hair wouldn’t be in her face.

Strong hands gripped her hips, turning her to face him before dragging her against his body. She melted into the hold with an audible sigh before saying, “It feels perfect.” The water. Him.

“Yes. It does.” There was no mistaking what he meant. They’d had only two nights—this would be the third night in a week—yet her body responded to him as if he’d ruled it for years.

His cock was hard and ready against her stomach. His eyes bored into hers as her breathing escalated. He was sexy to begin with, but he was even sexier with his hair wet and rivulets gliding down his neck and chest. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. He groaned against her lips, and she reveled in the shifting flow of water as he strode with her toward an edge.

Her fingers dug in his hair as she melted in his hold. Their kiss wasn’t frenzied. It was devastatingly slow. He was tormenting her.

She used his shoulders as leverage to brazenly wrap her legs around his waist. He made a harsh, sexy noise in the back of his throat while his cock twitched against her aching clit. Bare skin against skin felt far too good. She was definitely becoming reckless.

He broke the kiss, his heated gaze piercing. “You play with fire, Princess.” It was a warning.

“I know,” she admitted, sure she shouldn’t be sliding her pussy against his cock with nothing between them, but she didn’t want to stop. His fingers dug into her hips as if he wanted to force her to stop but couldn’t do it.

“You want me to fuck you like this, don’t you?” he ground out as she moved against him, striving for more.

“I want a lot of things, Viktor.” Her eyes slid shut as she relaxed in his hold. The water lapped lovingly at her skin as she slowly rocked her hips. This was what she’d needed. Pleasure.

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