Dominik crouched down in front of me, the heat of his body becoming oppressive. When he dared to lift my chin with a single finger, my normal fighting instincts took over. Lashing out, I pummeled my fists against him, doing everything in my power to shove him away.

  “Stop fighting me,” he commanded, as if I could give a shit what he was ordering me to do.

  “No. No!” Even though somewhere in the back of my mind I knew my struggle was useless, I refused to give in, jerking away then slamming my fists against his chest.

  He jerked me to my feet, holding my arms, his breathing just as ragged as mine. For a few seconds, he stared at me, the dark cold look in his eyes keeping me trembling. There was no doubt what the man was thinking.

  The bastard wanted to fuck me.

  I twisted and kicked out, managing to shove my knee into him. Rearing back, he growled then stumbled. I jumped across the bed, once again heading for the weapon. This time, he fisted my hair, dragging me several feet. When he forced me to face him, the electric current between us shot to an entirely new level.

  I’d never been so attracted to another man in my life. While my brain continued to try to warn me, my body did something else entirely. The betrayal was gut wrenching, but almost impossible to ignore.

  “Such a bad girl,” he whispered as he gazed down the length of me, his chest heaving. He yanked me onto my tiptoes, his hot breath cascading across my nose and cheeks.

  “I’m just a girl,” I rebutted, almost laughing at myself for issuing the words. When he crushed his mouth over mine once again, I palmed his chest, but it was no use. The kiss was even more powerful than before, his tongue sweeping across mine, growls erupting from his throat.

  This time there was no way to get away from him.

  He rubbed his hand down my spine, cupping and squeezing my aching bottom. As he dug his fingers into my skin, I clawed at his shirt, gasping for air. Every part of me wanted to fight him off, to drive the insatiable feelings away, but the connection we shared was off the charts, exploding deep within me until every nerve ending was seared from his touch alone.

  As he ground his hips back and forth, the heat continuing to build, stars floated in front of my eyes, their vibrant colors dancing in swirls. He was so damn hard, the sensations as his jeans pushed against me unlike anything I’d ever felt before.

  After breaking the kiss, he yanked back my head, issuing another series of guttural sounds as he dragged his tongue around my mouth. The dazzling vibrations were almost too much to bear, the adrenaline rush crushing my system. Growling, he nipped my chin then licked down the side of my neck. As he pulled us apart by several inches, he cupped my breast, squeezing until another flash of pain washed into my system.

  He was so rough, his callused fingers creating another set of tingles. When he pinched my nipple between his thumb and forefinger, I couldn’t hold back a series of moans.

  “Oh. Oh…”

  “Are you wet for me, Hope? Do you long to have my cock shoved deep inside of you?”

  His questions seemed blasphemous, yet I realized I was trying to nod. What the hell was wrong with me? Even though I pushed against him again, fighting the darkness inside of me, it was no use. He had utter control.

  Very slowly he lowered his hand, tickling my side as he kicked my legs apart. When he slipped his hand between them, I was thrown into a frenzy, unable to stop the whimpers escaping from my mouth. Everything remained a blur until he slipped a single finger around my clit, rolling the tip in slow and even circles.

  “God. I…” I licked my lips, forced to stare up at the ceiling. It had been so long since I’d been touched intimately by a man that my pussy clenched and released several times. He knew exactly what he was doing to me, his animalistic sounds reflecting his blissful joy from teasing me.

  “You are wet and so very hot.” He pressed a single finger between my swollen folds, darting it just inside.

  My muscles immediately clamped down on the foreign invasion, trying to draw him in even deeper. But the bastard continued toying with me, barely pumping his finger in and out. As I bucked against him, I heard a dark chuckle resonating from his lips.

  “No,” I said weakly. “You can’t do this.”

  “I can and I will. Do you know why, Hope?”

  “No. No!”

  “Because at this moment in time, I own you.”

  The words were strangely erotic, the darkness within him surging to the surface. The second he pumped two fingers inside, thrusting hard and fast, I realized I was matching his rhythm, gyrating my hips in order to drive his fingers all the way inside.

  Dominik took his time, adding a third finger then plunging with wild abandon. I had no idea how long he finger-fucked me, but within seconds, I was shoved toward a massive orgasm. There was no way of stopping my body’s reaction, the excitement and longing continuing to build. I had to be losing my mind, but the pleasure was so amazing I allowed myself to become lost in the moment.

  “Oh. Oh. Oh!” There was no holding back, no method of stopping my body from losing all control. I pitched and squirmed, every part of me aching. “I’m going to…”

  “That’s it. Come for me. Come on my fingers.”

  His command was even darker than before, his thrusts becoming more savage. As the orgasm erupted, sweeping through me like a tidal wave, I opened my mouth to scream, but there was little more than a strangled series of moans.

  He refused to stop, driving into me with wild abandon. I was thrown into the most amazing aura of ecstasy, my body tingling all over. As he slowed down, I started to breathe again, yet my heart continued to race. I was wobbly but he continued to hold my hair, locking me in place.

  When he removed his fingers, I suddenly felt a chill skating down my spine. Panting, I knew I was clinging to him like a lifeline, but for the life of me I couldn’t feel any sensations in my fingertips.

  “Look at me, Hope.”

  His words were just as demanding, his whispered voice almost like a lion’s. I barely managed to open my eyes, watching in fascination as he slipped his fingers inside his mouth, making suckling noises as he licked every long digit clean. There was no mistaking the scent of my desire, the wafting fragrance titillating. When he was finished, a sly smile crossed his face, his eyes devoid of light.

  Seconds later, he pushed me down onto the bed, the shock of his actions shoving me into a frozen state of mind. I was stunned that I couldn’t seem to move a muscle, my mind reeling as I watched him undress. While I knew what he was going to do to me, the brutal bastard staking his claim, I was no longer horrified at what was about to happen. In fact, I was excited, enough so a few purrs left my mouth. There was no way to justify his actions or to forgive him, but as the glory of his muscular body came into view, I was hypnotized.

  Dominik yanked his shirt over his head, exposing his massive chest. The tattoos continued, covering almost every inch of his skin. They only added to his persona, but in a way that was entirely personal. Whatever his story from the past, I had the distinct feeling that every work of art had a story all its own.

  He wasted no time removing his boots and trousers, tossing them away as if they meant nothing. The sight of his massive cock made my mouth water. The long, thick shaft was a marvel of beauty. A warm flush crept up my neck, shifting to my cheeks. Just being around him this way was embarrassing as hell.

  But oh-so decadent.

  Then he advanced like the predator he was, every action becoming deliberate. “Move onto all fours.”

  I opened my mouth to object, but I obeyed him without saying a single word. I even tossed the pillow aside, preparing for the horrific moment that was about to begin. My mind remained muddled but with every passing second, every thought going through my mind was lurid.

  Hunger.

  Surrender.

  Obedience.

  I’d never been this way before, my life always revolving around fighting for everything in my small world. The thought of surrendering to anyone, let alone a man had always seemed disgusting. Why him? Why allow myself to fall into such a perilous action? There were no decent answers, nothing that would soothe the inner girl inside.

  I felt his presence behind me but dared not look over my shoulder. Still shaking, I clamped my fists around the comforter, trying to keep from panicking all over again.

  Without hesitation, he yanked me back by my hair, forcing my legs over the edge of the bed. Then he kicked them apart before rubbing the tips of his fingers all the way down my spine. With the exception of his heavy breathing, he remained quiet, taking his time to brush the tips of his fingers across my hips them down to my left thigh, tickling my skin from the lightness of his touch.

  I bit back a cry, clamping my eyes shut as he continued his exploration, shifting his hand to my right leg. When he crawled his fingers up slowly, caressing my bruised and aching bottom, I couldn’t stop a moan from escaping. A clipped scream erupted from my mouth when he slid a single finger down the crack of my ass, easing it to my swollen pussy lips. Every part of my body clenched from anticipation, my blood pressure rising. His cock was so huge, I wasn’t certain I could handle him fucking me.

  “Tak mokro,” he whispered. “So wet.”

  Swallowing, I jumped when he smacked his cock against my bottom. I did everything I could to stop reacting, refusing to allow him to know just how unnerved I was. But when the bastard chuckled darkly, it was all I could do not to kick him in the nuts. Maybe that was all he deserved. Not my obedience. Not my compliance.

  And certainly not my acceptance.

  He released his hold on my hair, moving his hand to my hip and digging his fingers in. Then he guided his shaft to my pussy, slowly brushing it up and down.

  Gritting my teeth, I realized only seconds later that I was rocking backward and forward unintentionally, my actions doing nothing more than encouraging him to fuck me. Oh, God. I couldn’t believe the man sent to kill me was fucking me. And I was allowing him to without fighting to the death.

  Think of Grady. Breathe.

  A single tear slipped down my face from worry and fear, but the second he pushed his cockhead inside, easing past my swollen folds, a rush of excitement and pleasure replaced the sadness. There was also an explicit feeling of guilt.

  “A beautiful woman,” Dominik muttered then thrust the entire length of his shaft inside.

  There was no possibility in hell that I could hold back the scream that burst from the depth of my being. The sensations and boosted electricity immediately sent me into the kind of bliss maybe felt once in a lifetime. My muscles struggled to accept his wide girth, aching as they clamped around him.

  “You are tight, little Hope.”

  There was still a part of me that wanted to scratch out his eyes for his callousness, acting as if I belonged to him. Yet as the ache continued to morph into extreme pleasure, I was falling deeper and deeper into the abyss of emotion.

  Growling like some wild animal, he pulled out, leaving just the tip inside then slamming into me again. The force was enough to push me down until my face was only inches away from the bed. When he repeated the move, my natural instincts kicked in and I pushed up, arching my back.

  He gripped my other hip, his long fingers keeping me exactly where he wanted me. Every sound he made was primal, guttural, and the tone alone was enough to add fuel to the already raging fire. I gasped for air as he fucked me, driving hard and fast to the deepness portions of my pussy.

  “Oh. Oh…” I hung my head, licking my dry lips as the bliss continued to build, every blood cell dancing with excitement, my muscles completely stiff. But as the seconds turned into minutes, the sound of his skin slapping against mine floating into the air, I was pushed closer and closer to another orgasm.

  I didn’t want this.

  I couldn’t allow this.

  But the rapture was as perfect as it was intense.

  “Come for me again, solnechnyy luch,” he commanded with such passion in his statement, as if the man actually cared whether or not he brought me any satisfaction. He shifted the angle, slowing down his actions for just a few seconds, the tip of his cock hitting my G-spot over and over again.

  While I’d had lovers in my life, there’d been none with such expertise on pushing me to the very edge of nirvana then pulling back, able to manipulate my pussy like a master puppeteer.

  I bit my lip until I could tell I’d drawn blood, the coppery taste almost pleasant. There was no struggling to hold back the inevitable. The man pushed me into a dazzling stratosphere, my body exploding from a fusion of current and ecstasy. As I met every savage thrust with one of my own, I couldn’t stop shaking violently. “Oh, God. This is… Yes. Yes!”

  He’d already sensed my reaction, whispering softer words entirely in Russian. The sultry sounds managed to infiltrate my brain, only adding to the incredible joy. As another orgasm erupted inside, I clawed the bed, ripping at the covering.

  I wasn’t certain how many times I climaxed, but every one of them stole a portion of my ability to breathe. I could no longer feel my legs, my arms like dead weights. But he refused to stop, powering into me even more brutally.

  He was taking exactly what he wanted.

  And I had no doubt he would do it as often and as roughly as he desired.

  When I finally realized that he was prepared to come, the incredible rush of ecstasy returned to the realization of what was really happening.

  He was nothing but a killer and I had been his intended victim.

  At some point I wouldn’t be worth the trouble.

  Then I would be dead.

  There would be no pleading that mattered, no offers given because I had nothing else. I would simply lose all I had because of the bad choices I’d made in my life. This was my reality now, one I needed to accept. Maybe, just maybe, if I could remain obedient, I’d be able to negotiate for my son’s life.

  As he issued a series of growls, I suddenly wanted this horrible mess to be over with. I clamped my muscles, a sigh of relief escaping when he exploded deep inside. What I wasn’t expecting were the few words he whispered at the end.

  “Now, you belong to me.”

  Chapter 6

  Dominik

  Anger.

  I was furious with myself for letting my guard down. I turned away from Hope purposely as I grabbed my trousers, cursing under my breath. I’d never gotten close to another mark in my life, let alone personal. My choice in touching her on any level had been ridiculous, as well as deadly. With the clock ticking, I’d made a critical error in judgment. The fury continued to build to rage.

  I threw on my shirt, glancing toward my weapon before daring to turn around to face her.

  Hope had pulled the pillow used in her discipline over her naked body. There was something so strong about the woman, as if nothing would stop her from protecting her child. She stared at me with hard, cold eyes, her mouth twisting. There was no doubt she would make another attempt at grabbing my weapon at some point. I couldn’t trust her, but I needed to get some sleep.

  It was almost impossible to get my mind free of the desire that continued to roar through me. I’d had plenty of women in my life, one I’d even considered caring about, but everything about Hope pulled on both the darkness within me as well as the insane need to keep her safe. Even now, as I gazed down at her long legs and painted toes, my cock hardened again.

  What the fuck was I going to do with her? The entire situation had just gone from stupid to insane. And she’d yet to come clean about what the hell had really happened. Why did I have the distinct feeling the kind of pressure she’d been put under by law enforcement was completely personal?

  Hissing, I stormed toward my bag, pulling out a set of handcuffs. Fortunately, I could shackle her to the bed. When I turned around once again, she sat up straight, glaring at the steel piece.

  “You need to shackle me? Then what?” she snarled the question. “More games? Are you some sick, sadistic kind of man? My guess is you have a dungeon at your home, wherever a man like you can call home.”

  Her return to anger and rebellion was almost inspiring. It also aroused the hell out of me. “You are exactly right, Hope. I am a sadistic man. I’m also attempting to save your life. That goes against everything in me as well as the code I’ve established with my clients. I suggest you try and remember that.” There was an awkward tension that shifted between us, but it sparked with continued electricity. The fire in her eyes drew me in, pulling me into the sadness of her soul. She was a damaged butterfly. “Now, do you have anything to sleep in? We are going to get some rest.”

  I could tell by the way she opened her mouth that she was ready to spew something nasty. Then she clenched her jaw, giving me a single nod before getting off the bed. She kept the pillow with her. Maybe as comfort. Maybe to keep the monster’s prying eyes off her luscious body. I forced myself to look away as she grabbed her bag, shaking my head.

  “If you have a weapon, Hope. I suggest you reconsider using it. I would need to provide another form of punishment.”

  “A weapon. Maybe I should have purchased a gun or some big knife.” She laughed bitterly. “I never thought I’d be forced to do something like that. I didn’t want Grady to… hah, never mind. You don’t care.”

  A moment of sadness rolled into me, but I shoved it aside. She had no way of knowing how much I understood. I shifted in order to make certain she wasn’t reaching for a gun, sucking in my breath from another look at her voluptuous body. I had the feeling she had no idea just how beautiful she truly was. Her long dark hair accentuated her stunning blue eyes. While her actions were brave and protective, she still seemed far too delicate.

  And the world was one giant ugly place.