Page 45 of Tarnished Tyrant (Zhukova Bratva 1)

“I thought about it last night,” I admit, speaking so softly I can barely hear myself.

Nikolai slides a second finger into me. “You did? Good girl.”

I nod, still keeping my eyes clamped close. “I touched myself after I left. I… I needed this. Release.”

“Did you find it?” he asks as his thumb reaches up to circle over my clit.

“Oh God,” I groan. I feel too good to be embarrassed. To be ashamed. To feel anything other than pleasure and sweet, sweet relief.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” he asks again.

I shake my head. “I couldn’t turn my brain off.”

“The way you did in the airplane bathroom,” he whispers. “Remember that? How I made you forget? It didn’t matter that it was against the rules or that people could hear us. You just enjoyed yourself. What a concept.”

I grind shamelessly against his hand. With every brush of his fingers, he’s driving me closer and closer to the edge, and I’m ready toThelma & Louiseright off the side. I might combust before it’s over, but at least the ache inside of me will be gone.

“That’s all life is,” he continues. “It’s about what makes you feel good. What benefits you. Fuck everything and everyone else.”

Somewhere in the back of my head, I feel a tickle of unease. A small alarm bell struggling to be heard over the thrum of blood in my veins, most of which is rushing straight between my legs.

Nikolai is working his fingers in what feels like an impossible rhythm, pumping into me while working my clit. I’m putty in his hands, limp and needy.

And then I feel the orgasm coming. My body is tightening, preparing for the release.

Maybe Nikolai is right. Life is just about what makes you feel good. What else is there? You could offer me a billion dollars right now and I couldn’t for the life of me give you any other answer.

“I’m going to come,” I grit out, rocking my hips on his hand. I’m seconds away. Just a few more pulses and—

“Come for me,” he hisses against my neck. “Be bad with me, beautiful Belle. Submit and I’ll give you what you can’t give yourself.”

I feel that tickle again, and all at once, it hits me: it’s my conscience. My body tenses, but not with an orgasm.

With panic.

Somehow, I manage to break through the spell he wove around me. I grab Nikolai’s wrist and yank him out of my pants. Then I spin around, desperate to get much needed space from him. “Don’t touch me.”

“It’s a little late for that.” He holds up his hand, still glistening with my juices. Then he slowly slides his fingers in his mouth.

How fucked up am I that it turns me on like nothing before? The shameless whore between my legs clenches, a pitiful cry for me to get off my moral high horse and let this gorgeous man finger me to ecstasy.

“No,” I say, jabbing a finger in his direction. “I’m not doing that again. It doesn’t matter that you’re attractive and good at slipping past all of my defenses—”

“Well, thank you.”

I narrow my eyes. “It’s not a compliment. None of that matters because you’re still a criminal. And I’m not going to let you turn me into you.”

Nikolai shrugs. “I wouldn’t be so sure. I think, given what I’m holding over you, I can get you to do or be whatever I like.”

“You aren’t a murderer,” I say, repeating what I told him last night. “You won’t hurt Elise.”

"Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong.” He shrugs. “With this video, it doesn't matter. I won’t have to kill anyone.”

“What? What video?”

My chest tightens, my heart skipping beat after beat until I have to press a hand to my chest to be sure I’m not going into cardiac arrest.

He points to the upper corner of the room and then waggles his still-wet fingers. “Wave to the camera, Belle. You’re a star.”

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