Seducing the Badman (Russian Bratva #2) (34 page)

I watch as she nods once and then scurries off with her hair streaking like sunshine behind her.

“You talked to that prick in public after I forbade you? You
defied
me? I am your fucking
husband
,” Radimir roars, his face twisted in fury.

“I -” I begin, but he holds his hand up.

“Get into our apartment,
now
.” His words are barely above a whisper, but I don’t mistake that for him being calm, rational, or not angry.

He is
livid
.

I hurry past the men trying not to limp. I am in pain, but I am more concerned with Radimir’s extreme anger than myself. Once I am inside of our apartment I let my tears of panic fall. I’m not crying because I am still hurting. No, I’m crying because I have angered my husband so deeply, and I am embarrassed. I am Mrs. Zaleskya. I am the former Miss. Chekova. I do not cry in public.

Once I am safely inside of my apartment, I sit on the couch and wait for Radimir to join me. I changed into leggings and a comfortable oversized shirt after our beach trip, and I am glad for the comforting feeling of the fabrics surrounding me. I know that soon, Radimir will be here and I will feel bare.

“Tell me,” Radimir says as the door opens and he gently closes and locks it behind him. I don’t answer him, knowing that there is more to what he is about to say.

“Please, tell me, Emiliya, what your father would do if he warned you to stay away from someone, yet you conversed with them anyway?” he asks, leaning against the closed door.

Radimir appears to be aloof in stature, loose and calm, but I know that he is anything but. I gulp before I open my mouth to speak.

“He would beat me. He would lock me away for months until I learned my lesson; and he would keep a guard on me twenty-four seven, listening to my phone calls, and monitoring anything I did on the computer,” I admit freely. Radimir nods once before cupping his chin.

“So,
wife
, what is it do you think that I should do?” he asks as his eyes narrow on mine.

“I do not know,” I mutter, looking down at my hands which are twisting in my lap.

“I could tell you what I
want
to do,” he offers. I only shrug as my response.

“Inside, I am raging. I want to release that anger. If you were one of my men, I would torture and kill you for your defiance,” he says.

My eyes snap to his in shock. I have known Radimir is not a law abiding citizen, but he has never been so frank with me before.

“I told him to leave me alone,” I confess. But it as if he doesn’t hear me.

Radimir storms up to me and drops to his knees, his hand going around my throat. I widen my eyes in shock, but I don’t feel him tighten his grip. He just holds my neck while his eyes search mine and his breathing becomes ragged.

“I am on my knees for you, Emiliya. You know what that means; you understand the significance of it. What you don’t understand is what it felt like to hear that—
that
motherfucker was
talking
to you. I don’t give a flying fuck if you told him to go away or not. You opened your mouth and he heard your voice. That is more than he deserves.

“You are not to talk to FBI, Emiliya, you are not to talk to
him
—especially not to him. I saw the way he looked at you; and today, the things he said confirmed that he would love nothing more than to take you away from me and have you to himself. To have you help him bring me down.

“I will not allow that shit to happen. You are my weakness, Em. I love you so much that if you were taken from me again, I would not fucking survive. Do you realize I have never had a weakness before you came into my life? Klavdia was not a true weakness. She tried to play me, I allowed it, I indulged it, but I got rid of her and I have not thought about her, missed her, or craved her since. You, Emiliya—
I would die without you
.”

I cannot keep the tears at bay. His words, though I have heard some of them before, are my undoing. I sink to my knees and wrap my arms around his neck. I love him. I love him and I hurt him. I never want to hurt him, ever. I sob into his neck as he clutches my loose fitting shirt at my back.

“I am sorry, Radimir. I didn’t know it would hurt you so much,” I hiccup into his neck.

“Losing you, even the
threat
of losing you, hurts so fucking bad, Emiliya,” he murmurs.

I now completely understand him. I would be lost without him, as well. Lost without his body next to mine in bed, without his smirks and his grins. What would I do without his warm embrace? I would die a slow, agonizing death.

“Never again, Emiliya. Never defy me on something of this importance again,” he warns. I nod.

Radimir lifts my body and carries me to the bedroom. He gently lies me down on the bed before he strips his body of his clothes and slides next to me between the sheets. I stiffen at the thought of him being inside of my sore body. I want him, but I do not think my body can handle another round with this badman.

“Shh,
kotik
. We sleep only. I have had a shit day; I just need to hold you.”

I
T IS FINALLY THE
weekend, and we are to go house hunting all day with Haleigh and Maxim. I haven’t been outside of the apartment since the run in with Agent Green, and I am a bit nervous as I dress in a pair of short teal shorts and a white tank top. I slide bangles on my wrists and step into a pair of tan platform sandals.

“
Kotik
, we leave now,” Radimir calls out from the living room, where I know he and Anton are busy on their phones and computers.

They have been working all morning long, and I wonder what it is they are doing exactly. I know well enough not to even attempt to ask.

“Is the realtor we are to see one of your co-workers?” I ask as I step into the living area. Radimir looks up and smiles at me.

Since our last breakdown together, Radimir has been softer toward me. We haven’t made love yet, though, and it is starting to concern me. I asked him last night and he silenced my concerns by telling me that he was giving my body time to heal. He admitted he was rougher than he intended and wanted to make sure I was feeling all right before he came after me again.

Tonight, he will take me. I will demand it of him. I miss his heavy body wrapping around mine while his thick cock surges inside of me. I miss the way he manipulates me to his will. I miss the way he
owns
me.

“Yes, I know of her. Though, I deal mostly in commercial real estate, Em. She is not a co-worker, but a colleague of sorts,” he says as he stands.

I watch as he fills his pockets with essentials—his phone and his keys—before he slides his guns into each of his shoulder holsters. I watch as Anton does much of the same.

“Are we going to be looking at homes on the same street as Maxim and Haleigh?” I ask as we walk toward our black SUV.

“Would that make
moy chernovolosyy koroleva
happy?” he asks, tugging on a strand of my hair as I slide into the backseat of the car.

“Yes,
moy korol,
it would make your queen very happy, indeed,” I confess.

“I think maybe I’ll have,
moy korol
, marked on my body somewhere,” he mutters, wrapping his arm around my shoulders as we take off onto the freeway. He surprises me with his words.

“Really?” I ask, lifting my brows.

“Yeah. And you have
chernovolosyy koroleva
on yours, somewhere. We do this together,” he grins, making me shake my head.

“I don’t think so, Rad,” I mutter, looking out the window. I am surprised when Radimir’s other hand wraps around my thigh and squeezes. I turn around to face him in confusion.

“What is wrong, Emiliya? Why would this be unacceptable for you?”

I look into his confused features and I see hurt etched in his eyes. He was serious. He truly does want me to have
chernovolosyy koroleva
permanently etched on my body.
Raven Haired Queen.

“I didn’t know you were serious, Rad. I – I have never had a tattoo. Where would I put it?” He grins before his arm around my shoulders slides down to wrap around my waist. Then I feel his finger placing pressure on my side, where my ribs are.

“Would be gorgeous written right here,” he murmurs as his lips graze my neck.

“Radimir,” I hiss. My body is already so needy, and his advances are doing nothing to help me.

“I want this, Emiliya. I want to run my tongue over these words permanently marked on your skin. My ring on your finger for the world to see, and my
chernovolosyy koroleva
inked on your skin for only my eyes to see,” he breathes against my neck. I find that I cannot deny him. I nod once as I let out a ragged breath, simultaneously pinching my eyes and legs closed.

“Yes, okay, Radimir,” I whisper. He chuckles, his hot breath washing over my skin.

“I will take care of you tonight. You have been such a good
kotik
while your body has been healing. You deserve a reward for your behavior,” he groans as his fingers tighten on my thigh and my side. The few days of no sex are bothering him as well. Good to know.

“We are here, boss,” Anton calls out from the front seat as the SUV stops.

Radimir gets out and offers his hand to help me step down. The house we are standing in front of is adorable. It looks like it is an older house that has been remodeled. There is also a swimming pool, and I am already in love without even looking inside.

The agent is a woman in her mid-forties with a bright smile and a file folder in her hand. I look across the street to see Maxim and Haleigh pulling up to the curb. They get out and greet an older gentleman who is waiting for them in the front yard.

“Radimir?” I ask, looking at them.

“What my
kotik
wants, my
kotik
gets,” he says with a shrug before wrapping his hand around mine. He pulls me across the driveway to the front door of the house.

The home is gorgeous. Dark, rich, hardwood floors, white granite countertops, beautiful lighting. It is a home, not an apartment or a place to lay low for a while—it is a true home. It is filled with the most beautiful furniture, and the agent tells us the family has left everything, so it will be included. We can keep whatever it is that we wish to keep and give the rest away.

I love everything about it; then she takes us into a basement. It is outfitted as an in-home gym with an office. Radimir has kept fairly quiet throughout the tour, but I watch as he perks up at the equipment and the separate office. There is even an extra bedroom and bathroom.

The home was built in the mid 1920’s, which is why there is a basement. The agent tells us that they aren’t common anymore, unless someone customizes and builds one, in which case they are typically used as wine cellars.

“
Kotik
?” Radimir asks.

“Yes, if it is what you wish, Radimir. I adore it.” He nods, looking around the basement one more time. What he sees must satisfy him, because he tells the agent to draw up the paperwork.

“Maxim is purchasing the house across the street,” he announces before we step outside.

“How did you know?” I ask.

“He text me while you were drooling over the claw-foot bathtub,” he mumbles with a smile.

“Neighbors,” I breathe. “My best friend—my only friend and I are to be neighbors,” I mutter as tears well in my eyes.

“I only wish for your happiness, Em, and I will do whatever it takes to make that happen. A house in the West Hollywood Hills, across from your best friend, makes my
kotik
happy? Then that is what she will have,” he mutters before his lips gently brush mine. I smile widely as I run across the street to Maxim and Haleigh’s house to look around at what they have decided to purchase.

“Neighbors,” I giggle as I wrap my arms around Haleigh.

“Let us get a late lunch to celebrate?” Haleigh suggests. I watch as Maxim lifts his chin in agreement.

Radimir, Anton, and I follow them in their SUV to a restaurant and we dine. We drink and laugh together, as friends should. A relaxing afternoon to combat all of the drama we have had lately.

Haleigh and I spend the entire time going over plans of how we wish to decorate our new homes. It is such an exciting adventure, and I cannot wait to embark on it.