THE GATEKEEPER

It was the right move because she reaches for my chest, sliding her hands over the planes of my muscles like she was dying to touch me. She grips my arms and scores me with her nails. Wraps her legs behind my back and urges me deeper.

Harder.

The bed knocks against the floor. Bangs the wall.

"Come for me, Kira." I pinch one of her nipples, probably too hard.

She cries out, her internal walls squeezing and closing around my cock.

I don't release the nipple, and her eyes fly wide to my face like she's trying to figure out what I'm doing. My own orgasm rushes me forward like a wave of heat pouring down the back of my head to the base of my spine. Cum surges down my shaft.

"Come harder," I growl and release her nipple at the same moment I climax.

She comes again, clinging to me, no doubt to reduce the roughness of my erratic, ecstasy-laden thrusts.

Fireworks go off behind my eyes, and then I lose all track of what's happening until I find myself covering her body. Crushing her, probably. My sweat mingled with hers. My heart beating against her soft breasts.

I nuzzle into her neck and nip her skin before lifting away. "Are you okay?"

She blinks glassy eyes at me. She appears dazed.

"Did I hurt you, little warrior?"

She shakes her head, a stunned expression still giving her a startled look. Like she didn't know sex could be like that.

Like she's never had it that way or even knew it was possible.

"More than you bargained for?"

"A little." She lets out a soft laugh, almost like she didn't mean to admit it.

I kiss the fairy blotch again and crawl off to dispose of the condom and wash up. I bring her a cool washcloth, which she holds between her legs as if to soothe the area.

I move it aside and kiss her softly there. Light kisses. An apology for being so rough. For leaving her sore.

"I can sleep on the couch," she murmurs softly but doesn't move.

I slide into the bed beside her. "You're not going anywhere." I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her back against my front.

I don't mean to fall asleep so quickly, especially not with a woman I don't trust in my bed, but the orgasm was too strong. Too satisfying.

It's all right, though, because I have this little vixen where I need her. She's not going anywhere without me knowing it.

Kira

My body trembles from Maykl's rough but expert handling.

My initial assessment of him was correct-he's an experienced and nuanced lover. Dominant and demanding yet still attentive. Gives as much as he takes. I didn't like being tied up, at least not while it was happening, but I now recognize what it did to my body. How it freed me. Let me surrender to the pleasure instead of trying to control it. Or perform. Or whatever it is I usually do with a partner.

I don't even know anymore.

What just happened in this bed is so far removed from everything I've done before. It was so base. Animalistic. Natural. Frightening but also immensely satisfying. One hundred times more satisfying than any other sexual encounter I've had. But now I'm in a pickle.

Maykl's heavy arm holds me pinned against his body.

I need to get out of this bed and let Stepanov know I'm in. Find out if he's made contact with the FBI.

Part of me-the sexually satisfied part-says I should stay in the warm bed. Fall asleep with this big, burly man. Play a long game with him. Win his trust. Enlist his help. Pump him for information I can use.

But then I remember how suspicious he was of me. How I didn't fool him for a second. From the moment I walked in those front doors, he knew I was up to something. Sensed me as a threat. I'm glad I hid my police identification in the lining of my purse before I came here.

Because he's right.

I am a threat.

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I came here to find my nephew, and I don't mind if I tear down their entire organization while I'm at it.

If I'm completely honest with myself, I'd admit that finding Mika feels difficult.

The fact that Anya didn't have Mika with her is deeply troubling. She turned out to be as terrible a parent as our father, which makes me sick to my stomach. And maybe because I need someone to blame, fuels a fierce determination to bring down the organization responsible for ruining her life.

I don't know if I'll find Mika here, but if I can do some damage before I leave, give the FBI something to take them down, I intend to do it.

I have to do something. The bratva killed my father and destroyed my sister's and nephew's lives. In this country, there is supposedly a better justice system than in mine. I intend to use it.

I wait until Maykl's breath has slowed and then pretend I'm just changing position. I roll to face him, moving away from his grip on me and tucking my knees up between us to make space. He stirs when I do, shifting to place his heavy hand on my elbow.

I was right.

He wasn't cuddling. He was keeping me captive in his bed.

Once more, I wait until his breathing slows, then I wait a little longer.

When I move again, he doesn't stir. I'm able to slip out from under his grip.

My clothes are still in the bathroom, and I don't want to get them, so I grab his t-shirt from the floor and pull it on then carefully extract my phone from my purse and creep into the living room.

I start by surveying the security feed. The rows of monitors split into multiple screens showing views from cameras all over the building. I pull out the chair to sit and study them all. It appears he can view the feed from cameras in the hallways on every floor of the building. There's a parking garage beneath the building that's being monitored.