Cruel Enforcer by Maggie Cole

21

Kora

My alarm rings,and I quickly swipe the screen on my phone. I turn toward Sergey to see he's still sleeping. The faint hint of morning sun is shining through the window. I'm not sure what time we fell asleep. He didn't take me to his dungeon last night. We stayed the entire time in his bedroom. He kissed all my tears. All night, he repeated how beautiful and special I was, and all the things he thought made me different from other women that turned him on.

I trace the bite mark on his neck that's purple and wince. He restrained my wrists. I came so hard, I bit down on him.

Jesus. I'm turning into a vampire.

I lie still for a few minutes, trying to push the thoughts of what my sister did and my mother's reaction out of my head.

My mother told me I was selfish.

Neicy hustled sixty thousand dollars out of me.

How could I have been so stupid?

I spent too many nights to count not sleeping and worrying about my sister. Nothing is wrong with her. She just scammed me.

And she's smoking crack.

My mother's final words hurt more than anything she's ever said to me before.

Take your uppity ass out of here, and don't come back, you selfish snob.

I replay the confrontation over and over in my head, trying to see if I was in the wrong, but I can't find anything. It's the last straw, but it still hurts.

I didn't talk much to Sergey when we got back. He tried, but I couldn't. Everything turned physical. The ache I had for him all month had grown to the point I couldn't stand it anymore. When he showed up outside my mother's building, I had no more energy to stay away or even think about why I shouldn't be with him.

Sergey lies on his stomach. His back tattoo is even more stunning and beautiful in the morning light. I have to remind myself it's only there to cover up his scars.

I shouldn't touch him when he's sleeping. He has insomnia issues, and I'm unsure how that affects his normal sleep. He seems to be in a deep slumber, so I reach out and trace over the stars. Before I know it, my lips are pressing against them.

"Why do you kiss it?" he mumbles so quietly, I freeze. His eyes are still closed.

Did he ask that, or did I imagine it?

"Do you like grotesque things?"

I kiss the last star and keep my hand on his back, caressing it. I slide down on my side and throw my leg over his. "There's nothing about your body that isn't perfection."

He grunts but doesn't open his eyes.

"What happened?"

"We aren't discussing this, Kora."

And we're back to this.

"You just learned ugly, horrible things about my life, yet I don't get to know your secrets?"

"It's not the same."

"How is it not?"

"It's not." His voice is sharp with finality.

My second alarm reminder blares out. I quickly pick it up and silence it.

He's never going to let me in. No matter what he knows about me, he's never going to trust me.

I roll away from him, but he pulls me back. "Where are you going?" His eyes fly open, and his gaze drills into mine.

"I have to go to work."

He pins his body over me. My heartbeat quickens. He strokes the side of my head. "Are you doing better?"

Why does he have to be so sweet yet such a hypocrite?

"I'm fine. If I don't go, I'm going to be late."

He gives me a chaste kiss, then stares at me, kisses me again, then returns to scanning my face.

"I have to go," I quietly state.

"Are you going to cut me off again?"

"Cut you off?" I ask, amused at his choice of words.

"Yeah."

"You walked away from me," I remind him.

He raises his eyebrows. Hurt appears. "Your exact words were you couldn't be with me."

"Why can't you tell me what you plan on doing or stop following Jack?"

"He's a piece of shit."

"Yeah, I know."

"Why can't you trust me, Kora? I would never do anything to hurt you."

"It's not me I'm worried about." Jack has gotten worse over the last month with his threats. There's always something coming up where the judge extends our court date. Jack has called my cell and office, threatening me to tell him where Selena is. I can't say I'm not disturbed by it, and knowing Sergey has someone following Jack does give me comfort. Part of me wonders if I'm more concerned about what Sergey will do to Jack or if it's stubborn pride. Then I remind myself Sergey is a killer. It's too big of a wild card for Selena's case. If Sergey would let me in, I could possibly understand his thought process and not be so opposed to whatever he's planning. But all this morning has done is show me he's still an arm's length away.

He's always going to be. He hasn't lied.

I should stay away from him, but this past month was torture. I felt off without him. Too many times to count, I started to text him or almost called him and stopped myself. A few times, I got into a taxi and stopped in front of his building. I chickened out and didn't come inside.

"Can we go back to the night you promised to know us and accept that?" Sergey asks.

"It didn't include you interfering with my client cases," I softly say.

"Your safety and protection aren't negotiable, my lapa. Can we get past this?"

My heart skips a beat when he says things that make me believe I'm his. I want to be. I've never had a man want to protect me. I'm the one to always take care of me and everyone around me. For that reason alone, I should tell him yes and stick my head in the sand. He didn't have to make the effort to find out what was going on with Neicy. Shame about how my family sees me and what she did stabbed me in the heart, so I lashed out at him. But I'm grateful he discovered the truth even though it's left me drowning in an ocean of hurt. It was so much better staying here with him than going back to my condo by myself. I know Sergey is trying to take care of me. When I'm with him, a hole in my heart fills. I can't explain it and don't understand it. I want to figure out how to accept this part of him he won't let me know.

"I'm trying. You're asking a lot. I want to trust you and feel like I can't."

"Anything I do is to protect you, my lapa."

"I believe you. It doesn't make it easier for me."

He swallows hard. "You'll try though?"

I take a deep breath. "Okay. But you have to get off of me, or I'm going to be late."

His mouth twitches. He moves his hips so his erection presses against my wet heat, and I automatically open my legs wider. "Igor can drive fast."

I mentally go over my morning schedule and decide arriving a few minutes late won't screw up my day then lift my hips.

Forty minutes later, several orgasms in bed and in the shower, and we leave.

"You don't have to escort me home every time I stay at your house."

He snorts. "You should keep some stuff at my place."

He won't tell me about his past or other things I want to know, but he wants me to keep my personal items at his house?

I quickly throw on work clothes, and he escorts me back to the car. It's another thing no man has ever done for me. Sergey may be a dirty bad boy, but being a gentleman seems ingrained in him. When we get to my work, he steps out and reaches in for me.

I put my arms over his shoulders, and he circles his around my waist. Flutters fill my belly. "I'm going to admit something."

He cocks an eyebrow, and my panties twist. His expression is a mix of cocky and amused. Flecks of gold speckle in his warm-brown orbs, and I could get lost in them.

"I secretly love your alpha-gentleman-protection-escort service."

He laughs. "My what?"

Heat creeps into my face. "You know what I'm saying."

His face turns serious. "What's the but, Kora?"

I wince and say, "I think if you drop me off in my office, my employees are all going to know I was up all night in cougar town."

"I see. And is it the fact I'm younger, or that I kept you up all night that's bothering you?"

"I never think about our ages, but I can do without the office gossip today, that's all." It's true. Sergey's more of a man than anyone I've ever dated. He may be younger, but I don't feel like I'm with a younger guy, except for his endless hard-ons, which I have no complaints over.

His lips twitch. "Okay."

I touch the bite mark I left on him. "Sorry about this."

He grunts. "I'm not." His hand slides up, and he fists my hair. "I think we're better together than apart."

My heart skips a beat. I nod.

He kisses me, deep and hungry, turning my insides to Jell-O and holding me firmly to his growing erection.

"This is illegal," I mutter as he flicks his tongue back in my mouth.

"What? Getting you wet before you walk into the office?"

He's such a dirty cub.

It's so hot.

I slightly move my hips, and a groan rumbles in his chest. In his ear, I whisper, "I'm not the only one with a problem."

He grunts and squeezes my ass. "Go to work."

I kiss him one last time and am about to go in when I freeze. "Hey, umm..."

He strokes my cheekbone with his thumb. "What is it, my lapa?"

"Thank you."

He raises his eyebrows.

My heart races. "For finding out about my sister and being there for me."

He winks and gives me a chaste kiss. "Go to work."

My day goes by fast. I've got several client meetings and paperwork. It's near four when I get a text.

Aspen: Don't forget about the pub reopening tonight.

Hailee: What should I wear?

Skylar: I'm ready!

Aspen: Casual. It's a pub.

Hailee: Is Nora going to try and push Killian on me?

Me: I forgot but glad you reminded me.

Skylar: You don't like Killian? He's pure-grade Irish butter, ready to be slathered all over you.

I laugh out loud.

Me: Irish butter?

Skylar: Yeah, top-notch dairy, not the fake stuff made from plastic.

Aspen: Do we need to have the butter vs. margarine conversation again? You really shouldn't be a hater.

Me: Let's get back to Hailee. What's wrong with Killian?

Hailee: Nothing. He's a nice guy.

Skylar: And hot with a boxer's body.

Hailee: Yes, but I don't think he's interested, and honestly, I get the friend vibe only with him. Nora keeps pushing him on me, and it's embarrassing.

Me: Operation Save Hailee from the Irish butter will be in full effect tonight.

Hailee: Thank you.

Skylar: Is there anyone else going to be at this shindig we can push on Hailee?

Hailee: Me? What about you?

Skylar: I don't have a problem getting laid. You do.

Hailee: No, I don't.

Skylar: Yeah, you overthink everything and miss all the super dirty, hot opportunities.

Hailee: I do not!

Skylar: What's the dirtiest thing a man has done to you lately?

The text chain goes quiet. I can only imagine Hailee racking her brain, trying to come up with something.

Aspen: I'll see all of you tonight. I need to finish and get out of here.

We all text our goodbyes.

I wonder if Sergey will be there.

I finish my project and pack up to leave. When I get in my taxi, I text him.

Me: Are you going to be at Nora's reopening?

Sergey: I forgot all about it. My brother just reminded me. Are you?

Me: Yes.

Sergey: Want me to pick you up?

Me: I already made plans to ride with Skylar and Hailee.

A few minutes pass.

Sergey: Wear a loose skirt and crotchless panties.