8
ADRIK
There's a knock at my office door before Gavril peeks his head around the frame. "She'll be here in three minutes. And…”
“And what?”
“… She's pissed." The man looks like he’s about to shit himself with fear. I’ve seen him look braver with a gun in his face.
I smirk. The mama bear must be angry indeed.
“I can handle her.”
Gavril shrugs and closes the door.
A few minutes later, I hear yelling in the hallway. As it grows closer, it becomes harder to hide my smile.
I love when a good plan comes together.
There’s another knock on the door—Gavril, I suspect; Emery doesn’t seem to be in a knocking mood—but before I can say anything, the door flies open and Emery storms inside.
“What in the fuck is wrong with you, you conniving, manipulative, kidnapping sick fuck?”
Emery is steaming angry. She is red from head to toe, making her green eyes stand out even more vividly. She’s in the same clothes she had on last night, but there are dark circles pressed under her eyes and worry lines bracketing her mouth.
“Long night?” I ask innocently.
Her top lip curls in a scowl. “Where is my daughter?”
“I’ll take that as a yes. Exhaustion doesn’t look good on you, I’m afraid. You look a little splotchy.”
“Where is she?” she hisses. “What have you done with her?”
“Testy, testy.” I stand up and walk around the desk, then lean casually on the edge, my ankles crossed. “She’s fine.”
“You took her!” She steps forward and jabs a finger into my chest. “You took my daughter, you barbaric, psychopathic—”
That’s enough of that.
I snare her wrist and spin her around, bringing her back against my chest. I pin her tightly, press my lips against her ear, and snarl, “I told you what would happen if you touched me again. And I always keep my promises.”
She inhales deeply, her breasts pressing against my forearm. When she squirms, her ass grinds into my dick.
I hum a slow, deep sound of satisfaction in her ear. It’s enough to make Emery realize what she's doing. She goes perfectly still.
“That’s better,” I murmur.
When I release her, she darts away from me like she just got shot out of a cannon.
“Where is—”
“Isabella is safe,” I tell her. “Like I said, I keep my promises. I told you I would take care of Isabella. So I did.”
Her eyes widen. She thinks I’m the monster, but she looks deranged like this. Hardly human. “That is not what I meant!”
“Then I suggest you be more specific next time.”
In an instant, she launches herself across the office and hauls an arm back. She’s going to hit me.
Correction: she’s going to try.
I let her get close enough to think she’s gotten the jump on me before I make my move. But as her hand whistles through the air, I step out of range, grab her wrist once again, and whip her around so she’s pinned between me and the desk.
"I've been nice so far, Emery,” I snarl in her face. “Do not test me."
"This is nice? This is you being nice?" She barks out a humorless laugh. "You kidnapped my daughter and left me to stand screaming outside the gates of your house all night. How was that nice?"
"You said you didn't want to be surveilled," I explain. "But I see everything that happens on the grounds of my estate. So really, I was keeping my promise. Just like you requested.”
"You actually think you're in the right here, don't you?" she snaps.
"I make the rules. I’m always right.”
"You're standing there, acting like I'm the crazy one. But you kidnapped my daughter. Do you realize how insane that is?"
"Your daughter is down the hall in a handicap-accessible go-kart having the time of her life after spending the night in a king-sized bed, and you're complaining about it," I snap. "If one of us is insane, I don't think it's me."
Emery blinks. "A go-kart?"
I nod. "You'd be surprised what I can get done in only a few hours."
"That's why you were texting. In the car."
"I had plans to make."
"You mean children to kidnap," she spits. "Women to manipulate. Take me to her. Now."
The smile vanishes from my face. "I don't take orders from anyone. Especially not you."
"Isabella has to be careful about physical activity," she says. "She never should have gone into a go-kart without me there to approve it. I need to see her."
I'm growing tired of repeating myself. Really, I'm growing tired of this entire situation.
The little girl is fine.
But Emery is becoming an issue.
I should have given up this facade and taken control last night when she refused my protection. But I was trying to be nice.
I won’t make that mistake again.
"I warned you not to test me," I growl. "Believe it or not, I was being gentle with you before. I let you scream and throw a hissy fit, but no one lays a hand on me. And no one disrespects me."
"And who the fuck are you that you're so important?"
"I'm your fiancé," I rasp. "I'm the man with the power to protect you. To get your daughter the medical assistance she needs. I'm Adrik fucking Tasarov, and you will show me some respect."
"I hate you," she spits.
I smile. "If you're trying to hurt my feelings, don't bother—I don't have any. You said that you don't understand my world, so let me clue you in: here, I am God."
"You're delusional, is what you are."
"And you're pinned against a desk, helpless, while your daughter is under my control." I nip at her ear with my teeth. She twists away from me, but there's nowhere for her to go. Nothing for her to do. "Maybe you ought to play nice. Show me you can be a good girl."
She thrashes in response, doing her best to break free, but she's no match for me.
I sigh. "I told my father that women were more trouble than they're worth. You're proving my point a thousand times over."
"What did you expect?" she snaps.
"I expected you to do the smart thing. I expected you to gleefully leave the piece of shit apartment I found you in to enjoy a few weeks in a mansion. Paid vacation. But you couldn't even do that."
"I'm not your slave," she hisses.
There it is again—the image of Emery in chains. Of her spread before me, helpless and wanting and bare.
My cock stiffens. As if she can sense that, she thrashes again, and her hips rise to meet mine. Unintentionally, she rolls her body against me. And I know she feels every bit of my hard length through her leggings.
Her eyes widen.
Mine narrow.
"Beg."