The Mafia and His Obsession: Part 1 (Tainted Hearts 4)

Valerie smiled, and my heart stuttered—like it always did whenever she would look my way.

We stayed like this for what felt like hours. In our own bubble where nobody could hurt us.

She eventually got up to take her shower. I watched her go, my eyes on the slick warmth that dripped between her legs. Shaking my head, I held back my laugh. She would just get dirty again.

While listening to the shower run, I went through her drawer. Valerie had spoken enough for the day. I had noticed her slurring her speeches more in the end. The wince every now and then couldn’t be mistaken either.

But instead of finding her pen and paper…I found a box.

Confused, I took it out of the drawer. Valerie’s room only had the bare necessities. Her closet with filled with some clothes, but that was it.

There was nothing for herself in her room. No personal touches that made the room truly hers.

It was just a cage. Hiding her. Trapping her like a prisoner.

Sitting against the headboard, I opened the box.

What the—

Inside, I found something I never expected.

Holding the shoes in my hands, I inspected them. They were flat, very light, and made with what seemed like expensive beige satin. There were white pearls scattered on the surface, with long ribbons that would probably tie at the ankles. A very feminine touch. It was actually pretty.

The soles were almost worn out. But these weren’t just normal shoes.

They were fucking ballet shoes.

Chapter 34

Valerie

My hands drifted between my legs, washing off the remains of Viktor. His seeds coated my inner thighs, where our mixed scent had dripped from my sex.

I ached between my legs, where he had taken me both ruthlessly and slowly. Clenching at the thought of him inside me, I could still feel him. His rough thrust. His lips against my skin. His groan vibrating off his chest.

Walking out of the shower, I toweled myself off with a smile. What was the use? Viktor would just get me dirty again. Maybe I cleaned just for him to get me dirty. It was apparently his mission.

My gaze caught my naked body in the mirror. I smiled at the sight of my bare neck. When I was with Viktor, I didn’t wear my collar. With him, I was free. It was just us, hiding from the rest of the world.

My room, what used to be my cage, my hell on earth, was now my—our—sanctuary. This was where we met, first touched, where our lips first kissed, and where he first made love to my soul.

After putting on my dress, I opened the drawer and took out the small white bottle. The one hidden at the back, behind my accessories. Emptying the bottle in my hand, I counted the small capsules.

Only twenty-three left. I would need more. But since Igor wasn’t here to bring me any, I was going to have to ask Viktor. He knew about the pills, but I had told him there was more left. I didn’t realize so many days had passed already.

I placed all the pills back into the bottle and hid it in the drawer again, away from all eyes. This was my secret. A secret I had kept for many years. Igor wasn’t perfect. He was my captor along with Valentin, but he was good enough to give me something nobody else would.

Walking out of the bathroom, I saw the bed was empty. My eyes tracked for Viktor and found him next to the window. He was staring outside, while leaning against the wall with only his boxers on.

He must have heard my approach because he turned around. Viktor’s eyes met mine, and I felt myself smiling under his intense penetrating gaze. My body tingled and my stomach flipped at the way he watched me.

My eyes traveled down, tracing every part of his wide, muscled chest. The intricate design covering his exposed skin fascinated me. They were beautiful, and it took me hours tracing every line. I wanted to memorize every part of Viktor.

But my gaze froze at his hands, finally seeing what he was holding.

My world stilled.

It felt like everything had darkened and disappeared around me. The light only shone on Viktor. All I could see was him and what was in his hands.

I stopped in the middle of the room, my feet refusing to take another step forward. My vision blurred, and my blood roared through me. I could feel my throbbing veins in my neck, and I desperately tried to breathe.

How?

Viktor being Viktor, he read my unspoken question. I stayed in the same spot, my body shaking slightly with shock as he walked toward me. He met me in the middle of the room in three long steps until our bodies were so close together.

His breath feathered over my cheek as he leaned down. His lips kissed mine softly. He held the back of my neck firmly in his hold, keeping me anchored to him as he devoured my lips.