My hands shook as I kicked off my pants like they were on fire. Standing in the room naked, I scrambled on to the bed. Excitement and nerves made me feel like I'd downed an entire bottle of champagne. My dick was a steel spike as it rose up from my lap as I sat in the commanded cross legged position. I wanted to cover up with a pillow, but she hadn't said anything about a pillow. Or covering up. And I wasn't going to take the chance that it would get me in trouble. Not this close to heaven. A soft knock on my door had my chest squeezing and my belly jolting. I opened my mouth to tell her to come in when the door swung open. She stood there. One dark brow raised on her pretty brown face. She was dressed in the same clothes. I was a little sad she wasn't naked or at least in her club clothes, but I figured I'd get to see those again some other time. She was here. And she wanted to dominate me. I shivered as anticipation raced over my skin. It stole my breath for a moment. Wat

I rose through the layers of unconsciousness like I was on an escalator going up through the clouds. The bright piercing light of morning burned against my closed lids, but for once I didn't feel like something scraped off the bottom of someone's shoe. No. I was almost...happy. Which was weird. I couldn't actively recall the last time I was truly happy. "Stop thinking so loud," Nia mumbled next to me. Her arm was across my stomach, her face smashed into my shoulder. "It's too early to be thinking that hard."Since I still hadn't gotten permission to touch her, I just relished the feel of her body against mine. Last night hadn't gone at all how I thought it would. For one, there was zero sex whatsoever. For two, I'm pretty sure I'd been on the edge of crying like a little kid at least a couple of times. "Last chance, Raphael," she muttered. My dick jumped at the threat in her voice. Even as my bladder twinged, I felt my belly jolt. Last night rushed over me again. I'd neve

I watched her drive away in Mas' car. And got punched in the belly-again-for the distraction. "Son of a bitch, Ivan." I yelled as I bent at the waist, struggling to find some damn air. He snorted. Bounced on his toes. "Stop googling for her."I laughed. "Googling?"He nodded. "Yes. Stop. Fight." He smashed his fists together. "Fight."Having learned what I needed from Nia, I asked him, "What's my goal?"He stopped dancing, gave me an odd look. "Goal?"I nodded. "What do I need to do?"His face screwed up into an expression that had me doubting my sanity, but I persevered. "Put you on the ground? Knock you out? Chop your neck? What's my goal?"A lightbulb went off in his eyes. "Knock me out." He nodded, started dancing again. He curled his fingers at me. "Come knock me out, little boy."In my mind, I ran through all the medical training that would most easily lead to making someone else lose consciousness. Hard blows to the neck. The temple-Nik's roundhouse kick to

I stood at the corner of the wall. Eased my head around so I could see down the hall. It was clear. But that didn't mean they weren't hiding up here. With my softest walk, I moved into the hall. Stayed up close against the wall. My ears perked for any noise that shouldn't be there. A scuffle of a foot on the floor. A sigh of breath. A thump of a throat as someone swallowed. Coming up to the first door, I stopped. Listened for any sounds on the other side. Playing Cat and Mouse with Ivan had been a bloody nightmare. But playing it with Mas and Ivan? This was what horror fests were made of. I settled my hand against the doorknob. Prayed it didn't squeak as I turned it. SQUEEEEEEAK.I hung my head as I punched the door open hard enough to swing back and hit the door. Or it should have hit the door. Rather, it hit Ivan. His low grunt made me chuckle as I smashed against the door again. Lifting my gun, I angled it behind the door. Shot him over and over again until he whine

With my heart as full as I ever remember it being, I looked at my brother. "I still don't want to tell Nik though. Not anyone back home. Not until we finish this." There was a possibility that I didn't come out of this. Didn't actually make it home. Mas stared at me for a long, quiet moment, but then he nodded. Ivan cleared his throat. "I know I not involved, but this much better than dying with Petters. They scum. You not." My mouth dropped open. I closed it. "How the hell did you know what I planned to do?"Ivan snorted. Rolled his eyes. "I not stupid. You try to die a lot." He widened his eyes. "A lot, a lot."My cheeks heated as I remembered my first month with Ivan. I'd done everything I could to make him kill me. Then, when that hadn't worked, trying to get myself killed by other assholes where I could find them. "Oh really?" Nia asked, her voice a particular texture of silk that boded poorly for my release tonight. Ivan laughed. "He not dead. But close." He he