Page 17 of Twisted Vows

The hacker’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, his gaze flickering toward his comrades. Rurik stepped forward, the muzzle of his weapon inches from one of their faces.

“Answer him.” His glare dared the man to argue.

The hacker in my grasp licked his lips, his voice a trembling whisper. “Th-there’s a control room deeper inside. That’s where the main operations are.”

“Lead the way,” I said, hauling the hacker to his feet, and propelling him forward.

He stumbled, his steps unsteady, but a sharp jab from the muzzle of my weapon urged him onward. Rurik fell in behind us, his captives trailing in his wake and followed by the rest of our team.

We delved deeper into the warehouse. I wrinkled my nose at the thick scent of dust and stale sweat permeating the air. Our footsteps echoed off the concrete floor, a hollow, ominous sound that seemed to amplify the tension coiling within me.

At last, we reached a heavy steel door. The hacker halted, his hands trembling as he reached for the access panel.

“Open it.” I pressed the barrel of my weapon against the back of his skull to encourage cooperation.

With shaking fingers, he punched in a code, and the door slid open with a hiss of hydraulics. Beyond, lay a dimly lit room with banks of monitors and computer terminals lining the walls. Seated before the main console was a figure I recognized all too well—Narek Petrosian, the mastermind behind the Armenian hackers’ operations and son of Armen Petrosian, the head of the Armenian mob.

His head snapped up at our entrance, eyes widening in surprise and fear. For a heartbeat, time seemed to freeze, the air charged with the promise of violence.

Then, with a snarl of defiance, Narek’s fingers flew across the keyboard, initiating some unseen protocol. Alarms began to blare, the room bathed in strobing crimson light.

“Stop him,” I roared, surging forward with Rurik on my heels. The rest of my men were right behind us, but it was too late. Narek slammed his fist down on a final key, and the screens flickered, lines of code cascading across them in a dizzying array.

A cruel smile twisted his features as he rose to face us, his hands raised in mock surrender. “Too late, dogs of the bratva. I’ve already initiated the purge. In moments, every byte of data will be erased and every system wiped clean.”

Rage boiled within me, white-hot and all-consuming. We were so close, only to have victory snatched away at the last moment.

Narek’s laughter rang out, mocking and triumphant, even as Rurik slammed him against the console, his forearm pressed against the hacker’s throat. “You’ll pay for this.” His face was a mask of fury.

Narek only grinned, his eyes alight with a fanatic’s zeal. “It doesn’t matter. You’ve already lost.”

As the alarms continued to blare, the screens flickering with the unstoppable march of the data purge, I knew he was right. We had been so close, only to have our prize slip through our fingers once more. It was infuriating, but perhaps having Armen’s son might give us an advantage in some way.

***

The weight of the day’s events pressed down on me as I returned to Nika’s apartment, wanting to assure myself she’d made it home safely. The conflict with the Armenians had left me tense. I needed her. I knocked on her door, my heart pounding in anticipation. When she opened it, her eyes widened in surprise, then softened with a smile that made my chest tighten.

“Malachi,” she said, stepping aside to let me in. “I wasn't expecting to see you again tonight.”

The scent of her perfume filled my nostrils as I brushed past her, a heady mix of vanilla and jasmine that made my mouth water. I closed the door behind me, my gaze locked on hers as I advanced, backing her against the wall. “I needed to see you,” I said, tracing my fingers along the curve of her jaw.

Her breath hitched, and she leaned into my touch, eyes darkening with desire. “I’m glad you came.”

I captured her lips in a searing kiss, slipping my tongue into her mouth to taste her sweetness. She moaned while wrapping her arms around my neck to pull me closer.

My hands roamed her body, exploring the soft curves of her hips, and the swell of her breasts. She arched into my touch, her nipples hardening beneath the thin fabric of her shirt. I groaned, my cock straining against my jeans as I ground my hips against hers.

Breaking the kiss, I trailed my lips down her neck, nipping and sucking at the sensitive skin. She gasped, her fingers tangling in my hair as she urged me on.

I reached for the hem of her shirt, tugging it up and over her head. She raised her arms, allowing me to remove it and reveal a lacy black bra that barely contained her ample breasts. I growled, my fingers deftly unhooking the clasp and freeing her from the confining fabric.

Her breasts spilled out, full and round, with pink, erect nipples. I lowered my head, taking one into my mouth as I flicked my tongue over the sensitive peak. She cried out, arching her back as she pressed herself against me.

I moved to the other breast, lavishing it with the same attention as I teased her nipple with my teeth. She writhed beneath me, her hips grinding against my cock as she sought relief.

I slid my hand down her stomach, slipping beneath the waistband of her jeans. She gasped as I brushed against her damp panties, her hips bucking as I teased her clit through the thin fabric.

She groaned. “Please.”

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