Page 88 of Cruel Russian King
The ghost enemy had gone completely silent. None of the pictures of the men killed at the warehouse matched the two bastards who’d trailed Ninel to the art gallery. Those two bastards were the ones who got away.
Still, neither the Rykovs nor the Safins let their guard down. Intel trickled in, fragmented and disjointed, but enough to keep us alert.
Then Jaroslav remembered the gun he’d confiscated from one of the Bratva mercenaries hired by the ghost enemy, the ones who’d attacked their faction. He’d tossed it in his safe, andwith everything else happening, it had slipped his mind. There were no hits on it yet, but we were still hopeful.
Over the next few months, I worked on building a relationship with my sisters, taking each of them on dinners to get to know them better. With Katya, one of the Safin men usually sat a few tables away, silent and watchful.
With my brothers, I gave them more responsibilities and invited more input into the faction’s affairs. Without Vera at home, Kira spent her days helping Mariya at the Hearth, which she genuinely enjoyed.
I spent time with Alexi and Evie too, but only under the watchful eyes of their fathers. Annoying? Absofuckinglotely. But understandable.
With every passing month, as Ninel’s stomach rounded and her breasts grew fuller, my grip on her and our unborn child tightened. I caught myself glaring at anyone who got too close or watched her for a few seconds longer than necessary.
Our sex life had shifted with her pregnancy. At eight months pregnant, it was too painful for her to take my cock, but she rode my fingers like it was the only thing keeping her sane. Ninel was a blessing with no gag reflex, she took me down her throat until I came undone, and I spilled onto her breasts and belly marking my territory. And she fucking loved it always choosing to sleep with me on her skin.
Her nipples had become so sensitive I only needed to brush them a few times before she was trembling, and crying out as she toppled over the edge.
Today we were in Lev’s backyard. Lev and Pyotr took turns at the grill, smoke curling into the warm air. Mariya, Kira, and Vera watched Alexi and Evie, two and one years old, splashing in the kiddie pool.
Lawn chairs sat under umbrellas, the women talking while the kids squealed. At the card table, Avit and Katya had teamed up, winning every Spades game. We were convinced they were cheating, but no one knew how. Jaroslav and Marten were their new prey, while Zahkar and Yegor went to hang out with Lev and Pyotr at the grill.
The tension between me and the Safin men still hadn’t eased, although I saw a positive change with how they treated Kira and my brothers. For that I was fucking grateful. But, every time I took Ninel inside to use the bathroom, which was often now, one of her brothers shadowed us.
I wasn’t sure if Ninel noticed, and I didn’t plan to tell her. I didn't want to spoil her mood. Besides our bedroom, she was happiest when everyone was together, and I’d protect that.
The women kept her company in shifts while I grabbed a seat at the card table, then slipped away to spend time with Alexi and Evie.
After my last turn at the card table, when Yegor and I finally ended Avit’s and Katya’s winning streak, I went to check on Ninel.
“She’s fast asleep,” Mariya chuckled as she rose from the chair beside her.
I crouched next to Ninel and stroked the side of her face with my hand.
Her nipples tightened beneath the sundress she wore, and I had to bite back the low growl threatening to escape.
Instead of Ninel’s eyes fluttering open, her lips parted on a soft moan that went straight to my cock. Her hand slid from her belly, crawling lower, until I caught it and pressed it flat against my chest.
“Open your eyes, printsessa!” I commanded softly.
Her eyes shot open. They were glazed and unfocused at first.
“Hi,” I whispered.
“Hi.” A lazy smile curved her mouth as her gaze sharpened on me.
“It’s time to leave. You’re sleeping. You need to go home and rest.”
Ninel licked her lips, watching me through hooded eyes. “Are we really going home to rest?”
I smirked. “Eventually.”
Her cheeks flushed, and fuck if that wasn’t hotter than anything else. After everything, every filthy thing I’ve done to her, every crude word I’ve used that makes her fly over the edge, Ninel still blushes. And it drives me insane. I pray she never loses it.
“Come on, printsessa. Let’s get you up so you can say your goodbyes.”
After twenty minutes of saying goodbye, and one bathroom break later, Ninel was comfortably seated next to me as I drove out of Lev’s compound. It wasn’t long before she drifted off to sleep.
I didn’t head home. Once we crossed into Rykov territory, I steered us toward the docks. My men were already stationed and undercover, ready if anything went south.
