Vicious Protector by Maggie Cole

2

Skylar

Aspen,Kora, and Hailee are at my place. We're going to watch Boris fight and are having drinks first. Aspen just said Adrian's outside my front door.

Heat rises to my face. I pace the room. "Why didn't you tell me he's here?"

"What part of my bodyguard memo did you miss?" Aspen asks.

"So anytime we're with you, he's going to be by your side?"

"Unless Maksim is with me, then he might or might not be. Why does it matter?"

I walk to the door then come back. "It doesn't."

"You're such a bullshitter," Kora says.

"Why are you freaking out right now?" Hailee asks.

"I'm not." I totally am.

My friends all give me confused looks.

"I'll be right back." I panic and go into the bedroom. I don't know why I didn't expect to see Adrian. I cringe, thinking of the last time I saw him and how drunk I was.

He kept telling me to stop touching his cock.

I unbuttoned his shirt.

You lost your chance. I'll never be second to a Petrov. His voice and the loathing in his eyes have been on replay over the last week since I saw him. It's all I think about, and I can't seem to get past it. I didn't even want to be in the VIP room and definitely not on the lap of the thug who stuck his hand up my shirt when I tried to get off his lap.

I put my hands over my face. I'm not prepared to see Adrian yet. Will I ever be?

I ruined everything.

Why did I have to drink all those shots?

Aspen puts her hand on my shoulder. "Hey, you okay? I heard what happened."

"This is so embarrassing," I admit into my hands.

"Did you think you wouldn't see him again?" Kora asks.

I spin. "No. But I didn't expect to see him tonight. And I didn't want to go into the VIP room. You three convinced me and pulled me away from my conversation with him." I point to them, remembering how Adrian had me wrapped up in his body, trying to warn me about the dangers of the Cat's Meow. I thought he was going to kiss me.

"The night's still really fuzzy for me. I'm sorry," Aspen offers.

I shake my head. Nervous butterflies flutter quickly inside me. "It doesn't matter. I'm going to have to deal with it." I go to the mirror, smooth down my hair, then turn. "Do I look okay?"

"Yes. You look smoking hot, like you always do."

"Agreed," Kora says.

"Eat your heart out, Adrian!" Hailee chirps.

Aspen's phone rings. "It's Maksim." She hits the button. "Hi!"

She has a quick conversation with him and hangs up. "Maksim is in the lobby."

I attempt my bravest face. "I might as well face the music."

Aspen hugs me. "We were all drinking. I'm sure it wasn't as bad as you think."

"Mmmm...no, it was," Hailee says.

I groan, walking out of the bedroom. No doubt Hailee wasn't as intoxicated as the rest of us. She has a bigger brain, apparently, and can think while she drinks. I make a mental note to add "just say no" to my drinking phrases.

I take a deep breath, smile, and open the door. "Hi, Adrian."

There's a slight pause, and his eyes drift down my body and back to my eyes. My body buzzes, and heat flies to my face, but then his expression hardens. His icy-blue eyes get colder. In a deadpan voice, he says, "Skylar."

He hates me. My gut drops, but I raise my chin and step past him.

"Ladies. Are you going to behave tonight?" Adrian says.

"Yes, Dad," Kora jokes.

"Sorry about the other night," Hailee starts.

Adrian puts up his hand. "Let's not. Are you ready?"

"Jeez, Adrian. Way to forgive and forget," Aspen mutters.

He scowls. "You don't forget incidents with Petrovs. You should know that if you're going to be involved with someone in my family."

What does that mean exactly? What do the Ivanovs have to do with the Petrovs?I researched the Petrovs, and they are mob. It's not the first time I wondered this past week why there is bad blood between the two families.

Aspen straightens. "Point taken. Let's go."

He escorts us down the hall, staying by Aspen's side. We get in the elevator, and he gets in last and stands in front of the door.

I stare at the sleeve of tattoos on his arm until Kora drags her finger in the air from the top of his shoulders down to his ass. "Solid," she mouths.

My mind can only imagine what Adrian's ass looks like naked. I may have been drunk, but I was in awe of his ridiculously ripped torso when I tried to remove his shirt in the car. I cringe again, thinking about my drunk actions. My face heats with embarrassment.

Aspen slaps Kora's upper arm.

"Ouch," she blurts.

Adrian turns and raises his eyebrows.

"Sorry, neck cramp," Kora says.

He gives them a piercing glare, avoids me, then faces the door again as it opens.

He hates me.

I try to slow my rapidly beating heart, but every time I breathe deep, I inhale his sexy smell of peach blossom, Turkish rose, and amber. By the time we get to Maksim's car, my body is throbbing, and I can't think straight. I'm relieved when Adrian sits in the front and the divider window is up.

I barely hear the conversation on the way to the gym. When we get there, Maksim gives us strict instructions not to step out of the vehicle or building at any time without him or one of his guys. I glance out the window and, for the first time, notice the boarded-up windows and doors. It's rougher than the neighborhood where the Cat's Meow is located.

Adrian, Bogden, and Maksim form a wall around us and escort us quickly inside. The gym is an open space full of different kinds of punching and kicking bags. A ring sits in the middle with a black-and-white rope surrounding it. The dark mat in the ring has something written in Russian on it. Foreign words echo throughout the gym. I assume it's Russian and Polish since Boris's opponent tonight is from Poland.

"What does that say?" I point to the ring.

"No past, no future," Adrian replies.

I look at him and quietly ask, "What does it mean?"

His eyes roam over my body again, as if I'm his prey and he hasn't eaten in days. When he pins his gaze on mine, his face hardens again.

He hates me.

Dmitri answers my question, and Adrian leaves. The conversation evolves when Anna and Nora join us, but I barely hear it. I see Adrian giving me a look of death through the office window.

He's never going to forgive me for going into a room I didn't want to go into. Never mind the fact I got fondled by a thug whose lap I didn't even want to sit on. I may have drank too much, but I remember trying to resist it all.

My embarrassment turns to anger.

Anna's voice cuts me out of my trance. "Was this the night of my rehearsal dinner? At the Cat's Meow?"

Aspen's face heats up. "Yes."

"We didn't know who they were," Hailee blurts out.

I can only imagine how scared Hailee was. She wasn't as drunk as the rest of us. I remember her trying to leave the room, but the thug picked her up and sat her on his lap.

"I didn't want to go into the room. They made me." My statement comes out as a joke, but I'm pissed about being looked down upon when I got manhandled.

Anna and Nora exchange a glance. I can't tell if they feel sorry for us or are upset.

Nora studies Aspen. "Why were you in a VIP room with a Petrov, or any man, if you're with Maksim?"

"Nora—"

"It's a fair question, Anna."

Anna sighs then gives Aspen a sympathetic look.

Oh no! These two bitches aren't going to guilt-trip Aspen or any of us.

I put my hand on my hip. "Before you judge Aspen, you should get your facts straight. Maksim dumped her."

"Skylar!" Aspen reprimands, and her face turns red.

Screw this. Someone needs to set the record straight. Maksim is the reason the entire night happened.

"No. They don't have a right to judge you. He broke up with you and went to the rehearsal dinner without you. We took Aspen out. And yes, we went to the Cat's Meow. Aspen didn't ask to go, but we weren't going to let her sit home and sulk. And we drank a lot. Way too much, okay? We all did stupid shit we regret. But we didn't know they were Petrovs or even what that meant. And none of us did anything with those men besides get manhandled on their laps, which wasn't fun, by the way," I seethe.

"Shh. Keep your voice down," Nora orders and gazes over her shoulder.

"Why? Is the Petrov name a secret around here?" I practically yell, pissed off about this entire conversation.

"She said to keep your voice down," Adrian growls.

I freeze then angrily spin. I point in Adrian's face. "You don't get to tell me what to do."

His arrogant scowl only makes me more upset. He orders, "Don't make a scene."

"Leave me alone, Adrian. You've made it clear what you think of me, so keep your opinion to yourself." I turn back to the women.

Adrian grabs my arm, spins me back to him, and in a low voice, says, "I need to talk to you."

My heart hammers harder.

"Let her go, Adrian," Aspen demands.

He snorts. "I'm off the clock. Stay out of it, Aspen." He maneuvers me several feet away into one of the offices and shuts the door. He pulls the shade down and spins on me. Blue fire burns in his eyes. "Let's get something straight since you don't seem to understand."

I glare and snottily reply, "What's that?"

"The Petrovs are dirt. Scum of the earth, and not to be mentioned in any Ivanov facility or around any of us."

I don't disagree with his theory on the Petrovs, but I yell out, "Why? What's the deal between your families?"

He steps closer. His scent overpowers me. "None of your business."

"Really? Since you're the one bringing it up, it seems like you want to talk about it."

His eyes widen. "I wasn't the one shouting their name in an Ivanov building."

"I'm tired of defending myself against a bunch of goons who held me against my will and shoved their hands up my shirt. I'm over this conversation." I step toward the door, and Adrian slams both his palms over my head.

I jump and spin. "Adrian, what the—"

"We're not done."

"Why? So you can run your mouth and make all your claims about the Petrovs?"

His face comes within an inch from mine. "Run my mouth?"

My eyes dart between his lush lips and steel-blue eyes swirling with fire and ice. He's a beautiful mix of anger and something I can't put my finger on. It becomes harder to breathe.

"Is there something you want to do with my mouth, printsessa?" He comes closer, tempting me, arching an eyebrow, as if in a challenge. "Hmm?"

Now I'm his printsessa again?

No. He didn't say my printsessa, only printsessa.

I attempt to speak, but nothing comes out. Blood pounds between my ears, and my insides quiver. I make the mistake of glancing at his mouth again.

He licks my lips, tasting them, before sliding his tongue against mine, moving it in and out with skilled speed and pressure. Then he stops and pins his sexy, emotion-filled eyes on me.

I'm still catching my breath when he flicks his tongue back in my mouth. He presses his hard flesh against mine. I reach for his neck, and he retreats, assesses me again, then resumes owning my mouth until my knees buckle and the only things holding me up are the door and his body.

Something about the way he keeps pushing his tongue in and out of my mouth then looking at me is dirty hot. It's as if he knows what he's doing to me. I'm not sure what to make of his expression. There's determination along with the disgust I saw earlier, but I don't have time to decipher any of it.

He spins me and splays his hand on my neck, forcing me over the desk. His hard body covers mine, and he says in my ear, "I think you need to learn the difference between a Petrov and Ivanov."

My voice cracks. "You don't listen."

Hot breath penetrates my skin.

His hands unfasten my pants as he speaks. "You wanted to be bent over. I'll show you what it's like when an Ivanov bends you over." He moves my hair to the side then presses his lips to the back of my neck.

Yes, please!

What the hell is wrong with me? He’s being a dick.

Why does he feel so good?

Taking advantage of my backless shirt, he takes the flat part of the backside of his tongue and licks the length of my spine. Zings trail everywhere his tongue touches.

"Holy shit," I pant.

There's a loud clang on the floor. His palm splays on my back, and his mouth consumes my sex, just like how he did when he kissed me.

I squirm, pushing my lower body closer to him. Heat floods me, and he shoves his entire tongue in me, then sucks while continuing to flick. I grip the sides of the desk. "Adrian!"

Right before I come, he slides his tongue back up my spine. A condom wrapper lands on the floor to the right of the desk. He thrusts his cock in me.

"Oh God!" I cry out.

"You're coming with an Ivanov in you." His hand strums my marbled clit, he spouts off some Russian, then growls in English, "Look at me."

I turn my head.

Vicious words mix with savage kisses. "When you fuck a Petrov, remember what an Ivanov dick feels like."

"Wh—"

His mouth resumes diligently merging and unmerging with me at the same pace he's thrusting into my body. The circling of his hand matches, and every part of my body is in sync with his.

"I think you like Ivanov cock, don't you?" He refocuses on me.

Abhorrence fills me from his nasty comments. I can barely keep my eyes open. I've never felt so full of any man. Maybe he'll split me in two, but he’s got my body sitting on the edge of a cliff, waiting to fall.

"Answer me," he barks.

"Yes," I pant.

He assaults my mouth again and thrusts harder and faster while increasing the speed of his fingers. Aggressive Russian gets added to his penetrating stare.

Sweat breaks out on my skin. My face burns, and I wish I could stop this. I wish I could tell him to get off me and shut up.

But I can't. Every part of me is putty in his hands. If it weren't for his cruel words and disgusted expressions, he would be perfect.

He's a sex god on steroids.

He's a dick.

At least he knows how to use it.

He—

"Oh God!" I scream as the most intense orgasm I've ever had rips through me.

He releases in me, growling out more Russian and the word printsessa, and dropping his head into the curve of my neck.

We don't move, breathing hard. For a split second, I forget about all the mean things he said. Then it all comes flooding back with his next statement.

He keeps his hand splayed on my back, reaches down, and pulls his pants up. When he removes his hand, I slowly turn over and drag my pants up. He holds my chin and leans down into my face. I think he's going to kiss me, but a new sense of loathing fills his eyes. "When you see a Petrov next, remember I was first."

Too shocked to respond, I watch him as he storms out of the office.