Then I crushed my lips over hers, grinning inwardly from her moan of intense desire.

  CHAPTER 9

  Fallon

  Never been kissed.

  That’s what it felt like the moment Vissarian’s lips had captured mine. His fingers held me tightly, but at this moment, even if he hadn’t been holding me in place, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere.

  Certainly not until the moment of extreme passion had played itself out. It wasn’t every day that a woman could be kissed by a man who reeked of danger while using masterful skills to create a wave of desire so intense you couldn’t breathe.

  He swept his tongue inside, exploring every inch of my mouth while he dug his fingertips into my skin.

  I was locked in his control, another moment where all time stood still. I sensed he knew what he was doing to me, determined to reduce me to a blubbering mess so he could have his way with me.

  That wasn’t going to happen.

  That didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy the hell out of the moment while also tormenting him as he was doing to me. Being the naughty girl I was, I slipped my hand under the small table, crawling my fingers up from his knee to his groin. The moment I wrapped my fingers around the huge bulge, he stiffened as expected. I’d caught him, in a sense, with his pants down.

  After I’d caught him literally that way. The memory and image burned fresh in my mind. He was built for all things sinful and for a few seconds, I allowed my mind to drift to all the filthy things he could do with his big, thick cock.

  I stroked him, much like his tongue was doing to mine, enjoying every growl that slipped past our locked lips. He shifted in his seat, opening his legs wider and I sensed he was losing control. Too bad I had mine intact. There was no way I would lose myself around him.

  But toying with him was a great pleasure.

  When he sucked on my tongue, a series of electric prods tickled all the way down my spine. He was pressing every button, but I was stronger in my resolve than he knew. Yet I had to admit the taste of the lime and vodka was spectacular.

  The kiss lingered for longer than it should have and when he finally pulled away, he shifted his hand, so he was cupping the side of my face. Our lips were now only a few centimeters apart. We were both struggling to breathe. Both panting. Both uncertain we wanted the moment to end.

  I came to my senses first, pulling away even as his fingers lingered, brushing my skin with such tenderness I was trembling.

  His prowess was incredible.

  What I did in the next several seconds was something I could question later, but not until I’d enjoyed the moment for another few seconds.

  I kissed him.

  Really kissed him.

  Using my lips, I forced his open, this time taking full control by thrusting my tongue inside. We did a little dance of control, but in the end, he was no match for me. I was the one who grabbed the back of his neck, my longer nails keeping him exactly where I wanted him. I was relentless, ensuring he would remember the kiss for days if not weeks to come.

  I hadn’t realized he’d reversed the role, sliding his hand under the table until I felt his hand firmly planted on my thigh. He squeezed his fingers and my body reacted involuntarily, my legs opening wider.

  He took my movement as a blatant invitation, crawling his fingers to the lace panties I’d chosen to wear. There was no stopping him, not that I wanted to. The shameful reminder that I was attracted to him would haunt me, but right now, so what?

  As he slipped his fingers under the elastic, I cinched my eyes closed. He took his time finding my clit, rolling his finger around the tender nub while I continued exploring his mouth.

  We were playing a game, but for a few seconds, I could allow myself to enjoy it. Why not? I was a big girl and would never see him again. I wasn’t really breaking my rules. Was I?

  His touch was incredible, my core on fire and he knew it. His growls increased as he pinched my tender tissue. The flash of pain was fabulous, too much so for him to ignore.

  He pretended to allow me a moment of control, my tongue dominating his, but he was masterful in providing the type of pleasure I hadn’t experienced in a long time.

  Breathless, I moaned into the kiss, which he captured while thrusting three fingers deep into my tight channel. If anyone was paying any attention to us, I couldn’t tell, but any concept of humiliation or shame was far from my mind.

  He rolled his thumb around my clit while stroking me. Soon, the moment gave way to the sweet rapture as an orgasm rushed into my system, the tidal wave leaving me breathless and aching.

  I continued with the heated kiss to keep from making an inappropriate noise. The last thing I wanted was to create a scene. Not with a few other guests on the deck. What we were doing was bad enough.

  He refused to stop, crooking his fingers as my pussy muscles clamped and released with fury. The roar of ecstasy was incredible. I gripped the edge of the table as he jammed the tips of his fingers against my G-spot. How was it possible he’d found my sweet spot while out in the open for all the guests to see?

  My body trembled from his touch, the tiny pinpricks of light caught in my periphery of vision an incredible display. Being lost in the moment was as powerful as what he was doing.

  When I finally pulled my lips away, his growl was low and husky, as thrilling if not more so than before. Very slowly, he removed his hand. His eyes were sparkling from amusement.

  Exhaling, I sat back, crossing one leg over the other. As if nothing had occurred, I reached for my wine, marveling that my hand wasn’t shaking in the least.

  Vissarian studied me before lifting his arm from under the table, bringing his fingers just under his nose. Everything with him was provocative, including the way he took a deep inhale, holding the breath in his lungs for several seconds. His salacious actions allowed me a few seconds to study him more diligently than I’d done before.

  Not knowing anything about him as a man created a sense of mystery. Yet what I’d read on the internet and what my instincts said was that the man was dangerous. I’d googled, going through several pages after seeing him naked.

  Just the thought alone was enough embarrassment for me.

  But I’d refused to look away, reenacting the way I’d been after he’d caught me gawking.

  Most articles had been full of praise, including the Dmitriyevs’ acts of charity. Then there’d been the wedding of his cousin to a high-ranking member of a Cosa Nostra family.

  Discovering that tidbit hadn’t left me with the warm and fuzzies.

  However, my encounter with Ludolf Hoffman had set the thought in stone that I should not only be leery of Vissarian and his reasons for being here, but afraid of the man and his power. It was far too coincidental that my life had suddenly been pushed into two different criminal organizations. You could call either what you wanted, but both the Bruni Syndicate and the Dmitriyev Bratva had been created for one intention.

  Ruling as much of the world as possible with force, intimidation, blackmail, extortion, and murder when necessary. I’d seen and heard enough to write my own mafia romance.

  Except I wasn’t going to allow myself to become either physically or emotionally attached.

  Vissarian grinned when he saw me staring at him while bringing his fingers to his lips, where he rolled the tips across the seam of his mouth.

  As a piranha would do when faced with a tasty snack, he engulfed them, pushing several inches into his mouth. My eyes were hazy from lust, but after blinking a few times, I remained focused on the lewd act as he licked and sucked his fingers clean. Even the lurid gesture was beautiful given his long fingers and lush lips.

  Sadly, my mind remained disjointed, concerned that Vissarian wasn’t a good guy in any way.

  Was it possible my stepbrother had asked him to check on me? Was there any chance Jeffrey’s illness had been the result of sabotage to his body?

  Maybe I’d been reading too many mafia books. I didn’t see how it was plausible. Plus, it seemed Jeffrey considered this man a friend.

  When Vissarian was finished with his dramatic presentation, he pulled his drink into his hand, lifting the glass while cocking his head. As before, his smile had returned. Another wave of heat drifted between my legs.

  “Extremely sweet.”

  Without saying anything, I allowed our glasses to clink together. With his casual attitude, he was almost allowing me to feel at ease.

  “If you’re talking about my personality, sadly you are very wrong.” I enjoyed the look of surprise on his face.

  “An honest woman. I do adore that.”

  “The way I look at it, men have a solid disadvantage if not told what to expect.”

  “You have me curious. Why?”

  I took a sip of wine before answering. “Because most men refuse to look beyond what they see with their eyes. Even then it’s as if they have x-ray vision that allows them to bypass clothes, eye color. They see what they want to see when the truth could be staring them in the face. We have several other senses, you know. Smell. Taste. Hearing. Touch. Both men and women were gifted such attributes.”

  “That is true. But you were the one who incorrectly determined I was a stuffed suit.”

  I had to laugh. “Maybe so, but this isn’t about me.”

  “Ah,” he said with the twinkle in his eyes remaining. “You’re testing me. You’re trying to crawl under my skin.”

  “Am I?”

  “I believe you are, although I will admit that I don’t mind. Why don’t I close my eyes and tell you what I know about you? Fair enough?”

  Toying with him was becoming a sport and one I was enjoying a tiny bit too much, but he did have a captive audience. “Alright, but no peeking and I get to ask you questions.”

  He was obviously comfortable in his skin, so much so I was surprised I was letting myself go. After shifting his shoulders as if settling in, he closed his eyes. I waited, my instinct telling me exactly what he had planned. With a quick snap of my wrist, I donned my sunglasses, laughing when realizing I was right.

  He’d opened one eye.

  “I said no peeking.”

  “You play hardball.”

  “Yes, I do.” I waited, tormenting him as long as I thought I could get away with. “Now, do you hear?”

  He took a deep breath and tipped his head toward the other guests for a few seconds, then toward the ocean. “The couple at the far end of the bar. They are arguing about why they came to Saba Island instead of St. Martin because the shopping is better in the French side of St. Martin.”

  I peeked over my shoulder. The couple was in an animated conversation, although I certainly couldn’t hear what they were talking about.

  “There’s a man on the phone. He’s discussing business and… Wait a minute… Nope. He ended the call.”

  This time, I couldn’t see who he was talking about, but what he’d said sounded feasible. “Go on.”

  “Mmm… There’s a boat out in the water. They’re playing music. Just off to the right, something is being tossed against the rocks. I can’t tell what it is. I could swear I hear a strange sound.”

  This time, I could confirm he was right. If I listened just enough, I could hear some strains of the music. Heavy metal from what I could tell. “Very good.” As far as the object, I could see something in the surf, a higher tide coming in. I concentrated for a few seconds but couldn’t tell what. Still, I was very impressed. “You’re right about the boat and something is in the water, but I don’t hear another sound.”

  “Perhaps my senses are playing tricks on me. What next?”

  I checked to see if his eyes were still closed, surprised that they were. “Tell me about what you smell.”

  “Mmm… That’s easy. Gardenias are just off the deck.”

  They were.

  “And one of my favorites. Arabian jasmine. The flower is used in creating perfumes and is also used in religious ceremonies.”

  “You’re a walking encyclopedia.” I was still smiling. Just drawing attention to the incredible fragrances was an intoxicating moment.

  He leaned forward until I gathered another dazzling whiff of his aftershave. Why did powerful men always wear the most incredible evocative scents?

  “Like you, I am a voracious reader. Although I must admit I don’t remember the last time I read a romance novel.”

  “You’re missing out. Doing so might teach you a thing or two.”

  “Well, then. I’ll add it to my agenda for the weekend. You wouldn’t happen to have a book you could lend.” His smile was far too beguiling.

  “Maybe.”

  “Or better yet. Why don’t you read me a few pages of what you’re reading?”

  I burst into laughter. “As I said before, I don’t know if you can handle the heat.”

  “Oh, you might be surprised, Captain Zimmerman. Go on with your tests.”

  “Alright. What color are my eyes?”

  His brow furrowed and he blew out of the side of his mouth. “Dark brown.”

  “Nope.” I popped the p.

  It was his turn to laugh. “I know your eyes aren’t brown, Fallon. They are without a doubt the most incredible shade of light green I’ve ever seen. They remind me of young, freshly cut grass just after a spring rain and with the gold flecks encircling your irises, it’s as if the sun splashed a hint of magic in both eyes. Truly unsettling and mesmerizing.”

  I shrank back, forced to blink a couple of times. There was no reason to keep the sunglasses on.

  When I said nothing, he dared open one eye again. “How did I do?”

  “Surprisingly well. I’m never had anyone describe my eyes with such verve.”

  “Everything about you should be described that way, Fallon. As I said, you are a beautiful woman.”

  As Hendrik approached the table, I narrowed my eyes. “Did you order champagne?”

  “No, although that’s not a bad idea.”

  “This was sent to your table, Mr. Dmitriyev, as an apology to Ms. Zimmerman,” Hendrik said and immediately placed two flutes in front of us. Almost immediately, a look of annoyance crossed Vissarian’s face.

  “Sent by Hoffman?” His tone had turned demanding. Possessive.

  Just like I’d heard the moment he’d walked to the table, interrupting Mr. Hoffman’s proposition. I was no fool. I’d gathered almost instantly he’d been attempting to gain information about Vissarian. His forcefulness had pissed me off, but I’d been willing to play along for a few minutes in a public place to learn more about the powerful Russian myself.

  Then Vissarian had made it clear that for the moment I belonged to him. Maybe that’s the reason I’d allowed myself to indulge in playing a dangerous and very sensual game. He’d acted out of jealousy.

  And he didn’t even know me.

  “Yes, sir. Mr. Hoffman, the hotel’s owner. He wanted me to convey his apologies.”

  Vissarian drummed his fingers on the table while scanning the bar. He was clearly pissed but said nothing as Hendrik opened the bottle. “I know who he is.”

  Way more aggressive.

  “Is there something else you would prefer? I’m certain Mr. Hoffman wouldn’t mind if I exchanged it for something else,” Hendrik continued as if concerned that Vissarian thought he’d need to pay for the very expensive bubbly.

  “Thank you, Hendrik. If the lady accepts, then that’s all that matters.” Vissarian remained unhappy, enough so there was clear venom in his eyes. He allowed me to make the decision and I hesitated, scanning the deck for any sign of the German.

  Meanwhile, the electricity between Vissarian and me was becoming explosive. “This is fine, Hendrik. Please tell Mr. Hoffman I accept his apology.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Hendrik backed away quietly, but I could tell he remained unnerved.

  “You don’t seem pleased we were presented with a four-hundred-dollar bottle of champagne. Would you prefer Hoffman grovel?” he asked.

  “Perhaps. He was very… pushy.”

  Vissarian took a deep breath.

  “It’s obvious you don’t like the man very much. Why consider doing business with him?”

  He finally glanced at me, rubbing his jaw as if buying time to try to determine how to answer. “Expansion into other markets. However, have you ever loathed someone when having just met them?”

  I laughed more bitterly than I should have. “You have no idea. You can tell almost everything you need to know by first impressions.”

  “Why do I have a feeling I just walked into that one?”

  “You’re an easy mark,” I laughed and touched my face. He noticed. The bruising had mostly disappeared, although there was still some yellowing in certain light. The horror of what had occurred, the realization I was nothing but a possession to my stepbrother would remain. Another reason not to allow Vissarian to enter my life in any way but as an employer.

  “What’s wrong?” His snarl caught me off guard.

  “Nothing. Just memories.” When he cupped my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes, there was a level of concern I hadn’t seen in a very long time.

  “If someone hurt you, tell me. I will take care of the situation.”

  Wow. He was also a practicing he-man.

  As insane as it seemed, at that moment I wanted nothing more than to have a protector. That wasn’t possible. I gently pulled his hand away. “I’m fine. I was only thinking about the number of jerks I’ve met as a pilot. Some men don’t know how to take no for an answer.”

  His eyes remained mere slits. “I will not deny some men use power as a weapon. I’ve done so many times myself, but never with a woman. You are precious and to be cared for, not controlled.”

  “Don’t worry. I can take care of myself. My father taught me the importance of doing so.” Or that’s what I’d always envisioned he would do. My father had seemed larger than life to me. What was strange as well as disturbing was that Vissarian gave off the same impression.

  “Then he is an honorable man. Just remember there is nothing wrong with asking for help. I’m equipped to handle assholes much better than you are.”