Page 72 of Vendetta Vows

"Tell me that you want this,zarechka."

"I do," I whisper back. "I want this. I want you."

His fingers find the zipper at the back of my dress, and I arch slightly to give him access. Each inch of exposed skin tingles in the cool air.

"Beautiful," he murmurs as my dress loosens. "So beautiful."

I close my eyes, overwhelmed by his words.

"You deserve this," Ruslan says, as if reading my thoughts. "You deserve to feel everything."

The dress slips from my shoulders, and I shiver.

Not from cold, but from the revelation washing over me.

This is why I feel safe with him. Not just because of his power or his protection, but because he gives me space to be who I want to be. To reclaim parts of myself I thought were lost forever.

With the dress gone, I feel my body slowly falling backward. Guided by Ruslan's strong hands until I'm lying flat on the table in just my bra and panties. The smooth surface is cool against my heated skin.

Ruslan leans over me, his broad frame enveloping mine completely. I should feel trapped, but instead, I feel sheltered. Like nothing can touch me here.

"You are everything," he whispers against my lips before kissing me deeply, draining the breath from my lungs.

I pull him closer, my fingers digging into the firm muscles of his back. For the first time in years, I'm not running away. I'm running towards something.

Towards him. Towards pleasure. Towards life.

Ruslan breaks the kiss, his lips moving away from mine. I nearly protest until I feel those same lips pressing against my neck. The sensation is entirely different.

Softer and more deliberate.

"One," he murmurs against my skin, his breath warm.

My eyes flutter closed as he moves lower, pressing another kiss just a little lower.

"Two," he counts, his voice a rumble that vibrates through me.

I tilt my head back instinctively, giving him better access. His fingers trace my collarbone as he places a third kiss at the crook where my neck meets my shoulder.

"Three," he whispers. "Your neck is three kisses long,zarechka."

I laugh softly, the sound catching in my throat as his fingers find my bra strap. He rolls it down slowly, watching my face the entire time. There's something reverent in his gaze that makes me feel cherished rather than exposed.

With a practiced flick I barely register, my bra comes undone. I gasp as the cool air meets my skin, but Ruslan doesn't give me time to feel self-conscious.

His mouth finds my right nipple, and everything in my world narrows to that single point of contact. This isn't the rough handling I remember from my past. The painful bruising squeezes that I can't forget.

This is something entirely different.

"Oh," I breathe, unprepared for the gentle suction, the careful attention.

Ruslan hums against my skin, the vibration sending new waves of sensation through me. His tongue circles my nipple before he takes it between his lips again, and I arch toward him instinctively.

It feels like worship, like every part of me is worthy of this careful devotion. I whimper, my fingers threading through his hair to hold him closer.

Each small sound I make only seems to encourage him. He alternates between gentle suction and feather-light kisses that leave me squirming on the table.

While his mouth continues its sweet torture, his hand begins to stroke the inside of my thigh. The dual sensations make my head spin. His fingers trace maddening patterns on sensitive skin, moving higher with each pass.

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