Submit (The Underground Book 4) Page 10

  Giving up the fight, she pressed the vibrator into the base of her clit and let the pulsing need tip her over the edge. Her mouth fell open. She tried to keep from moaning too loud, resorting to a sort of whimper as her clit pulsed against the device almost a dozen times.

  When it was over, she slumped to the bed, turning off the vibrator and lying there with her legs still spread wide as she caught her breath. It took several minutes for her to regain the ability to lift her limbs, and then she slid from the bed and padded to the attached bathroom to clean up and wash the vibrator.

  Five minutes later, she was back in bed, pulling the sheet up to her chin, and curling onto her side.

  And she wasn’t one bit more satisfied than she had been before masturbating.

  Damn Nikolav. That man was under her skin and showed no signs he intended to leave her alone in the near future.

  Chapter Eleven

  Nikolav closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against Belinda’s bedroom door.

  The shower had been unnecessary. He’d had one a few hours earlier. But he’d needed someplace to escape and a distraction so he could ease the pressure in his cock without getting caught. It had taken an embarrassing few strokes to bring himself to climax, and when he was done, he found his cock still hard and his mind still wandering to the sexy brunette in the other room.

  The one wearing nothing but a tank top and panties. It was the first time he’d seen her with so few clothes on. And his knees had nearly buckled when she turned away from him to climb onto the bed. That one glimpse of her fine ass under those fucking sexy white silk panties had stopped him in his tracks. It took him awhile before he’d been able to approach her, shaking the vision of her tanned skin in contrast to the white lace and silk.

  What he’d wanted to do was tug that sheet off her, roll her onto her stomach, and slide his hands up her thighs until he could press his thumbs against the warmth between her legs.

  But that hadn’t been an option. He’d teased her enough. They’d only known each other three days. Not long enough for him to be so damn forward. And he’d meant what he’d said. She knew nothing about him. There were plenty of people who knew him for months or years who never got inside enough to know who he really was and how his tastes ran.

  Again, he told himself Belinda seemed like the perfect submissive. She responded to his touch exactly as he would like. In bed, at least. But she had no idea what he needed from her.

  And they were in the middle of an extremely dangerous game. Now was not the time to add dominance and submission to her plate. She wouldn’t be able to handle it. It was rude of him to consider such a thing.

  Three days, Andropov.

  He inhaled slowly, his forehead still resting on her door.

  What he wanted to do was pull it back open and spill all his secrets. He hated making her think he wasn’t interested. It was so far from the truth.

  But what if he laid down his cards and she couldn’t handle his reality? Then what? She would probably kick him out, which would leave her vulnerable.

  Or worse, the FBI might decide Sergei should come stay with her. And no way in hell was Nikolav willing to let that happen.

  No. The best course of action was to keep his hands to himself and his thoughts pure. Any other option sucked much worse than taming his cock and keeping his pants on.

  A noise behind the door drew his attention. He didn’t move a muscle, worrying at first she might whip the door open and find him standing there looking like he was spying on her. When really, he was at war with himself over walking away versus entering her room.

  His eyebrows shot up when he heard her moan.

  Surely not.

  And then she did it again. She wasn’t loud, but she wasn’t discreetly quiet, either. Jesus. Was she masturbating?

  His heart beat faster at the thought of her fucking her sweet pussy with her fingers. Please, God. No. He couldn’t take the image, and he couldn’t shake it, either.

  It was so not fair.

  But who was he to judge? Hadn’t he just five minutes ago gotten the exact same relief for himself in the shower? Belinda was every bit as entitled to bring herself to climax as he was.

  Still, he didn’t like it. The thought of her masturbating alone made him stiffen. He wanted to watch. No way in hell would he let her do that if she were his. Never. It was one of his top ten rules. His women did not masturbate without permission and certainly not when he wasn’t watching.

  She’s not your submissive.

  Jesus. If she was…

  He wanted to yank the door open, barge in, and take over. His hands shook at his sides. And then her voice deepened to a short burst of whimpers that had his cock so hard he almost came inside his shorts.

  It was all he could do to keep from jerking the length out and stroking himself to a second completion right in the hall. And there was no doubt he could. Easily. In a heartbeat.

  That’s how tied up he was over this woman.

  He heard water running a few minutes later and then imagined her slipping back between the covers and falling asleep.

  Except if that woman could sleep so quickly after an orgasm under his hand, then he wasn’t doing his job right. But his hand wasn’t involved in this one, and who knew what sort of timeframe Belinda normally needed to control her heart rate after release?

  »»•««

  Anton picked up his phone and dialed the secure number he’d been using for almost a year.

  Dayton picked up on the first ring. “Sir.” His voice was leery. And it should be after the stunt he pulled last night.

  “If you’re done shooting my men in the head, do you think you could actually work for me for a change?” Anton was still fucking angry that one of his best men had been shot dead by his own double agent.

  “How many times do I have to tell you that operation was doomed from the get-go? It was too soon. Too damn many agents are tailing your fucking fighters, and now more women than I can count. When I’m at work for the FBI, I have no choice but to do my job. That’s how this works.”

  “I see you’re still in a snit.” Anton was hoping Dayton would have calmed down by now.

  “Just stating the facts. Last night was not a good day to blow up a rail station and attempt to snatch four people off the streets. There were eyes everywhere, including mine. Next time listen to me.”

  “And let me remind you that I don’t take orders from you. It’s the other way around.” He tapped the desk, trying to control his growing aggravation.

  “That’s all well and good, but some of your men will get killed in the process if you choose not to heed my advice. Leave this alone for a few days. Let it die down before you attempt to kidnap anyone again.”

  “For your information, the only person I need immediately is Haley Sullivan. Make that happen. Soon. It’s imperative.”

  “Look, word is spreading. Everyone’s aware you’re cooking up some sort of super-human drug. The grumblings are getting louder. Is it true? Is that what you’re working on?”

  “None of your business. And don’t trust anything you hear. Half of what I let trickle down the pipeline is a diversion. I’m a businessman. Pure and simple.” Dayton was spot on. Though it did make Anton smile to think the FBI thought he was developing some sort of fountain-of-youth serum. If he had that formula, he’d be fucking rich.

  His drug was a bit more specific. And he needed it finalized yesterday. If not sooner. Tomorrow could be too late. Which reminded him why he’d called. “Listen, I need to go out of town for a few days. So you’re in luck. Lie low. Perfect timing. But I need that woman.

  “Watch her movements. Figure out what time she does things. Everything from eating to taking a shit. I want a full report when I get back. And that other bitch hanging around with her?”

  “Belinda Gallo. Reporter.”

  “I know who she is. And I want her mouth taped shut. You got it? Find a way.”

  “That’s going to be difficult
. The FBI is doing everything in their power to negotiate with Belinda and her boss at Chicago Multimedia. But reporters can be squirrelly. They don’t follow the rules, especially when there’s a story to tell.”

  “At least the FBI has enough good sense to gag them for now.”

  “They’re only doing so to keep you from thinking they’re getting too close. Though I’m beginning to wonder what they’re getting too close to. All this talk of a youth drug has me intrigued.”

  “You want to volunteer to test it out?”

  Dayton chuckled. “Fuck no. Not if it’s going to land me in the morgue. Keep it to yourself.”

  “And you keep your theories to yourself. Got it?”

  “Always.”

  “I saw a picture of Gallo taken by one of my men last night before the explosion. She’s a looker, isn’t she?” Anton knew she was. He’d stared at the pictures of her thick dark hair and gorgeous facial features for a while last night. Italian beauty. Made his cock hard. So much better than Haley Sullivan, a pale redhead.

  “If you like that sort of woman, I suppose.”

  “What are you, blind? Who doesn’t like that sort of woman?” Anton rubbed his palm on his thigh as he remembered her.

  Dayton laughed again. “Trust me, I see fine, but I like mine blonde and blue-eyed.”

  “Whatever. Bet her pussy is just as tight as any of them. Get a bead on them and find a way to snatch them. Sullivan at the least, but if you add Gallo to the capture, there’ll be a bonus in it for you. Find out where she hangs out. Who she sees. Every move.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Anton ended the call and set the phone in his lap. He needed to pull his shit together and get to New York. He would meet with Jorge in the morning and get a sample of the drug in its latest form. Giving his father a dose of the experimental drug was the longest long shot in the history of long shots.

  But if Grigory insisted, Anton wasn’t going to stop him. The man still had his mind, even though his body was failing him rapidly. If the old bastard’s dying wish was to try the drug, Anton would do it for him.

  He didn’t relish the idea of watching his father die a painful death from an unproven drug that had only been successfully administered in two subjects so far, but the alternative was watching him die of suffocation as a result of his rapid deterioration.

  Sure, the man was an asshole. Just like Anton. In fact, Anton had learned everything he knew from his father. They’d had no one else in the world for over twenty years. Perhaps they were both dicks, but they could count on each other. And Grigory was the single person alive Anton knew would never let him down. It would be hard to see him go.

  Anton hauled himself to his feet and made his way to the bedroom of his downtown Chicago apartment. He tugged his small suitcase from the closet and filled it with several days’ worth of clothes. He hoped to keep his trip short and simple, but there was every chance in the world he would have to stay for a funeral when all was said and done.

  Chapter Twelve

  Belinda bolted upright as her alarm clock went off the next morning. She’d slept like the dead. And she’d needed it.

  It was six o’clock.

  She flipped the covers back and made her way to the bathroom. Seconds later, the shower was running and she was standing at the sink brushing her teeth while the water heated up.

  She wasn’t looking forward to another face to face with Nikolav, but there was no doubt the brooding man was still in her apartment waiting to torment her with his good looks and his cryptic comments about taking advantage of her and how he shouldn’t have kissed her.

  As if that was all that happened. That man could kiss. She’d never forget it in her lifetime. But it was so much more. And she’d be kidding herself to deny it.

  Half an hour later, she stepped out of her bedroom and made her way toward the kitchen wearing another skirt and blouse.

  Nikolav was already standing at the counter—leaning, really. He wore nothing but low-hanging jeans, and he held out a mug of coffee. “Cream and sugar. Light.” He smiled.

  She took it from him. “Thanks.” Since when did a man remember how she liked her coffee and provided her with a cup of it before the sun was fully up?

  Never.

  Damn infuriating man. She couldn’t keep from scowling.

  “What’s on the agenda for today?” he asked as if they were in a long-term relationship and had this conversation every morning over breakfast.

  “Work. Same as every day.” She intended to sit down at her computer and spend hours digging around in every available site that might give her insight into the dealings in Russia in the late eighties.

  “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

  “Let what go?” she asked as she headed for the kitchen table to gather a few papers scattered on one end. She needed to get her computer bag organized. Anything to avoid looking Nikolav in the eye.

  She had no idea where this line of questioning was going, but she shuddered to ponder the possibilities. Was he talking about her job investigating the Russian Mafia? Or was he referring to the strange sexual tension between them?

  Either way, she didn’t want to discuss it with him. If he thought his little chat last night made things less awkward between them, he was sadly mistaken. If anything, she felt more foolish.

  “This need to dig into the dealings of a member of the Bratva who obviously has no conscience when it comes to extinguishing human lives.”

  Okay. So this morning’s discussion would center around her job. Probably better than her sexual attraction. Though she still didn’t want to turn around and face him. Every time she looked at him, he got sexier—if that were possible. Even when he was frowning, he looked fucking hot. Probably more so.

  He sighed loudly at her back. “Okay. Look. If you aren’t going to listen to reason, at least let me help you.”

  She straightened her back, still holding several papers and staring at the wall. “What do you have in mind?”

  “You’re not going to get far on your own. You need to speak to Mikhail, for one. And Leo and Katie too. They’ve been in Chicago longer than me. And they know stuff. Lots of stuff.”

  She spun around. “What’s the catch?”

  He’d inched closer. Now he stood just feet away from her. And he smiled. “I’ll help you gather information if you promise not to go anywhere or do anything without checking with me first.”

  She tipped her head to one side and glared at him. “What are you? My keeper?”

  He lifted one eyebrow. “Seems you need one. You’re in over your head on this one, Belinda. I know how badly you want this story, but it’s not worth getting yourself killed. And contrary to whatever weird notion you have in your mind that I’m not attracted to you, I am. Very much so.

  “I don’t want Yenin’s men to get their hands on you. It will not end well. I’m sure Yenin already knows you’re the reporter on this case. He’ll do anything and everything he can to stop you. And your innocence on this matter stresses me out.”

  Belinda cocked one hip out and set her hands on both of them. “I’m super clear on the danger involved, Nikolav. There are plenty of dead people to confirm that, but I’m a journalist. And I won’t be bullied into dropping this story. It could be career changing.”

  “Fine. Then we do this my way.”

  She stared at him. On the one hand, he had contacts she needed access to. On the other hand, what would the price be? And more importantly, how would she survive even more hours a day in his presence?

  He continued speaking, taking her silence for compliance. “I need to go to the gym this morning first. You’ll have to go with me. I’m sure Mikhail will be there. And probably Leo. You can speak to both of them. Later, we’ll go to the clinic Katie owns, and you can pump her brain for more information.”

  “Who’s Katie?” Nikolav hadn’t mentioned her before.

  “Leo’s girlfriend. They met six months ago when Dmi
try got injured at a fight. She’s a doctor. Owns a clinic. She’s the one who first realized something was wonky about all of our blood.”

  Jackpot. No way could Belinda turn that offer down. “You drive a hard bargain.”

  He nodded, stepping closer. And then let his gaze roam up and down her frame slowly. He lifted one hand and fingered the corner of her blouse. His knuckles brushed her collarbone, sending a shiver down her body. “You’re way overdressed for today, however.”

  ∙•∙

  Nikolav’s cock stiffened when Belinda licked her lips. He could practically feel the nervous energy flowing off her. She shivered, but she also leaned toward him a fraction. This standoff between them had to end.

  Now.

  It broke every rule in his book to approach her like this, but he couldn’t take another minute of dancing around her kitchen as if he didn’t want to fuck her brains out.

  Belinda swallowed. “I’ll change.” Her voice came out as a squeak.

  “Yeah. You will.” He stepped closer, tugging the front of her white blouse toward him so she had to lean in his direction. “But first, I’m going to do my best to erase this notion you have that I’m not attracted to you.”

  Her eyes widened. “Don’t need you to do that.”

  He smiled. “I know you don’t, but it will make the rest of the day much less stressful if I do.”

  Just a taste. He would give her a nibble of what sex was like with him. He wouldn’t take her all the way to the finish line, but he would make her wish he had. It would put her off balance and give her something to think about other than his lack of interest.

  In about half an hour, she would no longer have that doubt warring in her mind.

  Was this his greatest idea to-date? Not a chance in hell. It went against everything he believed to lure a woman into his life without explaining the details of how he was wired first.

  But Belinda Gallo wasn’t like other women, and he suspected a demonstration would go much further than a chat.