VEN Read online

  Her other hand comes down to join the fun, and two fingers push inside her tight little hole. She calls out, and the sounds vibrate through me, causing my dick to jerk. I open my zipper and pull my pulsing cock into the palm of my hand, giving it a tight squeeze. The smear of her essence as she plunders her pussy makes me almost come. If her pussy didn’t have me so engrossed, I’d stand up and come all over her beautiful face. She bites her lip, and I don’t know whether to eat her pussy, fuck her face, or wrap my hands around her neck and squeeze until she brings on her own orgasm. I hold off and just watch her until she’s ready for something with my girth.

  “Oh God,” she cries out, rubbing her clit harder, but she’s not getting what she needs.

  “Let me show you how it’s done,” I growl. I pull her hand away and lower my mouth to her flesh, sucking and swirling my tongue. She grabs my hair and forces my face harder against her, her hips bucking. She’s going to fall off the fucking chair in a minute, and I love how needy she is. Her body tenses when I suck hard on her little bundle of nerves, and she screams out in pleasure, finding her release. I drag her from the chair and lower her over my protruding cock, pushing past her tight walls until she’s impaled on me. Her arms wrap around my neck, and her lips taste her flavor from mine. Our hips rock in sync. She’s hot and perfect wrapped around me.

  “I’m going away for a few days,” I tell her between kissing her lips, chin, neck.

  “Oh God, okay, I’ll come too,” she murmurs, lifting her ass and dropping it back down. She squeezes and milks me, and it takes concentration not to blow inside her right now.

  “You can’t this time, but I’m going to ask Vas to stay here while I’m away.” I dig my fingers into her hips and guide her movements.

  “How long?” she pants, her hands worshipping me everywhere.

  “Four days.” It should take longer, but I’m going to forgo overnight stops on the way home to get back to her sooner. I’ll also buy her ring while I’m away and make us official when I return.

  “We can survive four days,” she breathes against my neck, then sucks my flesh between her teeth.

  Her body contracts and shudders against mine, drawing my own release. Damn, she feels like home. We stay silent, catching our breath and coming down from the high as my dick softens inside her.

  “Ven?” she mumbles, still burrowed in my neck.

  “Hmmm?” Her perfect body pressed against mine is something I’ll never grow tired of.

  “I’ll miss you.”

  A laugh shakes my chest. It’s only four days, but goddammit, I’ll miss her too.

  “I’ll miss you, moya roza.”

  After a minute, she pulls back and lifts her body from mine. A chill races over my dick at the loss of her heat. I stuff myself away and help her to her feet, pulling her skirt into place.

  Once we’re both decent, she pulls up a property search on her computer and turns the monitor to show me. “I’m thinking of viewing this place for the company.” She’s glowing, and I’m not sure if it’s the sex, what I hope is a pregnancy, or the fact she’s eager to get this new business venture underway.

  “It has everything we’ll need to start up, and it’s cheap. A great location too. When you return from your business, will you come view it with me?”

  Leaning over, I cup her cheek and drop a whispered kiss to her lips. “Of course.”

  She leans into my touch and moves into me so her body is flush with mine. “Thank you, Ven.”

  “For what?” I chuckle.

  Her eyes hold no amusement as she bores her orbs into mine. “For everything. For being you and for caring about me.”

  I hold a finger over her lips to stop her. “I more than care about you.” I look between us to her stomach and lay a hand there. Her eyes expand, and she pales. “You know?”

  “It’s okay. We were careless with contraception, but this, Diana,” I say, pointing between us, “this was always fated. And my baby growing inside you would make me so goddamn happy.”

  “Ven…wait…I…the baby.” She shakes her head, but I can’t fucking bear to see tears in her eyes. She’s scared. I hate that she’s been through so much, but no more.

  I swipe the stray tear that’s slipped from her eye, grasp her face between my hands, and kiss her. Our lips crash painfully together, and it’s perfection. Brutal perfection. It’s us.

  Shame is already eating away at me. I feel sick, and it has nothing to do with being pregnant. My hands shake, so I sit on them, trying to hide it, but there’s no one in the room, so it’s pointless.

  How can I go through with this?

  It’s so cruel.

  Ven deserves so much more than this. Than me. I became so caught up in him, I lost sight of just how selfish and evil this would be to him.

  When he returns, I will tell him. I need to trust that he loves me and will do right by me.

  “You look like someone shit in your food,” Vika mocks, coming into the dining room and taking a seat opposite me. A maid follows shortly after and places a plate down in front of her. It’s not Allina. Once again, she’s nowhere to be found. I think Yegor got rid of her because he knew I liked her. He’s so petty.

  “What is your problem anyway? You can’t be missing Ven already. It’s only been a few hours, and they’ve just boarded the plane. Ruslan insists on informing me of every second of their adventure.” Vika rolls her eyes. “Did I hear your brother is here for the duration of their business trip?” she asks, feeding a forkful of meat into her mouth on the last word.

  “Yes, Ven asked him to stay just for my own peace of mind,” I tell her, releasing my trapped hands. I pick up my fork and poke at the food on my plate, still not interested in eating.

  “Are you worried about Yegor?” She frowns. “Has he touched you?”

  “What?” I shake my head. “No.”

  Her body is rigid. I skim over her appearance and notice a new bruise on her neck. It looks like a thumbprint.

  “Is he touching you?” I ask, not knowing what I’ll do if she tells me yes.

  The man is an animal. Vlad should be ashamed of himself for leaving her here with the big bad wolf.

  “I can handle him,” she hisses. “Don’t you worry.” She drops her fork to the plate, making a clattering sound, and then folds her arms across her big chest as studies me. “So, are you going to tell me what’s eating your ass?”

  I’m tempted to reply with “Ven” just to get a rise out of her, but I’m not in the mood to fight with her right now. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

  She huffs, her lip curled up, and throws her hands in the air. “Well, I tried. Where is Vas?”

  I frown. “Training, I believe. Don’t do anything stupid, Vika,” I warn. “This is Yegor’s house.”

  “Okay, Diana,” she says sweetly as she stands. She smirks before scurrying off.

  God, Vas staying here is a bad idea.

  Pushing my own plate away, I rise to my feet, but freeze when Yegor enters the room.

  “Leaving so soon?” he asks, his voice low and menacing.

  My heart rate skitters in my chest. “I’m not hungry.”

  As I go to push past him, he blocks my path and gives my shoulders a tiny shove. “Sit. I’ve been looking for you.”

  I swallow down the bile rising in my throat. The last thing I want to do is hang out with Yegor Vetrov. Alone. The last time we were alone, he scared the hell out of me. “My brother is actually waiting for me.”

  He smirks. “Vas is preoccupied with Hiss. I checked the video monitors. Now, sit down,” he barks out, authority drenching his command.

  Crap.

  I sit and clutch my knife still laid out on the table. He takes a seat next to me and places a folder on the table. A server enters and places two glasses out in front of us. The woman pours Yegor a drink from a champagne bottle and me a white liquid from a jug. He waves her off with a flick of his wrist and lifts his glass, gesturing to mine.

  I lift mine to
my nose, then sip it.

  It’s milk.

  “To family,” he says, and I just want to leave. This isn’t going to go well. I can feel it in the very essence of my being.

  He tips his glass to his lips and gulps it down, using his hand to force mine to my lips to mimic him. I swallow the drink and wipe across my mouth. He knows about the pregnancy. That’s why he’s feeding me milk and not champagne. It has to be. Did Ven tell him?

  Double crap.

  “Ven has always been fond of you, Diana. And, hell, we all know why.” He drags a finger over my cheek, and I push the vomit down at his touch. “You’re quite the woman.”

  “I’m fond of him also.” I try to steady my voice, but it comes out shaky, and I hate myself for it. Men like him feed on fear—on hate and disgust.

  “He informs me he intends to marry you upon his return,” he says causally.

  My heart skitters in my chest. What? Oh God.

  It’s because of the baby. The baby that’s not even his.

  I want to curl up in a ball and cry. Why is life so cruel? Why couldn’t I be pregnant with Ven’s child, marry him, and live happily ever after? I almost snort at my own charade.

  Girls like me don’t get a happily ever after.

  “The baby you’re carrying inside your infested womb,” Yegor snarls, hate seething from his words, “is not my son’s. He may be foolish, drunk on your beauty and your golden pussy, but I’ve dealt with serpents my entire life.”

  My chest is going to crack from the intensity of my heartbeat. Sickness is burning a hole into my stomach, and my legs have become jelly. I need to get out of here. I need Vas. Dammit. I dug this grave with my own lies and stupidity. My heart becomes a war drum, and I swallow the fear and grip the knife tighter in my fist. The sweat beading down my face becomes my war paint. I welcome his attack. I won’t go down willingly. This was always his intent. He never wanted me here. He would never have allowed me to marry Ven.

  Vlad’s castoff isn’t good enough for his son.

  The shunned daughter.

  The hussy.

  Well, fuck him.

  “Dr. Oksana Sokolov is on my fucking payroll. Do you think she could keep these records from me?” He laughs, opening the folder and spilling the contents out toward me. It’s all my notes. The dates of the pregnancy tests.

  “It took me one call and she sent me everything. You have no power within these walls, and even less beyond them.” He reaches toward me and grips my throat in one of his meaty fists. He’s going to slaughter me, but not before I set the place ablaze. I can’t go down without a fight. It’s not who I am anymore. Ven has shown me my worth.

  “You thought you could pass this bastard child off as my kin?” he thunders, his voice rattling my bones.

  “I love Ven,” I confide, my voice raspy in his clutches.

  Not that it matters to him, but I just feel like it should be out there, spoken.

  He laughs, deep and brutal. “You’re a whore and you think you can play us like you did the Vasilievs?” He stands with me still in his grip, forcing me to my feet.

  “I’ll leave,” I tell him, but it’s a gasp as his fist tightens, cutting of my air.

  “There’s just one of you who needs to leave.” He smirks, and my brain struggles to form a conclusion to his words, but then my world dims as his other fist collides with my stomach.

  Pain explodes through me, darkening my sight for a moment.

  I come to, gulping for air.

  No, not like this.

  I won’t allow him to destroy me.

  My hand with the knife comes up to stab at him. I burrow it in his outstretched forearm keeping me pinned. He releases me with a curse, and I suck in air, bending to ease the pain in my abdomen.

  The fucking evil bastard.

  More pain slices through me, and I become dizzy.

  Focus, Diana.

  I stumble on shaky legs, searching for the exit, but he’s already recovered. Pulling the knife from his arm, blood blazes a trail down to his cuff, and he’s already advancing.

  “Help me,” I scream, searching for anything to aid me.

  I pick up a plate and launch it at him, but it’s like throwing bubbles at a wall. His eyes are on fire, and his frame crowds my much smaller one. I swing out with an uppercut, landing a perfect punch and knocking his head backwards briefly, but my mind becomes fuzzy and my eyes begin to fade the room from view.

  What the hell?

  Focus, Diana.

  “I know what a fighter you are, sweet Diana,” he growls, grabbing me by the hair.

  My hands twitch to raise and punch at him, but they’re like lead weights by my side. My legs begin to weaken, and my vision blurs. The table focuses in and out, and the glasses upon it appear and then fade.

  Oh God, the milk.

  He drugged me.

  I collapse to the floor, and his laugh haunts my sanity.

  “You were clumsy and took a nasty fall down the stairs,” he mocks cruelly, his boot whooshing out, connecting with my abdomen. No.

  I cough and heave, a scream tearing from me. I can’t move my limbs. I can’t even shelter my stomach from this deliverer of death.

  “Please,” I cry.

  He gets down on his knee and rips my head up using my hair as leverage. “You’re lucky I don’t reach inside you and pull that bastard from your fucking womb. You will leave my fucking house. You will leave my son. I would rather kill him than watch him make a mockery of my name by marrying you.” He releases my hair, and my head hits the floor with a thud before I black out.

  Nothing.

  Everything is stiff. Pain explodes all over me with consciousness. A cold, hard surface is beneath me as I pry my eyes open. I gag when the memories of what happened assault me all at once.

  No.

  No.

  No!

  I tilt my head to look down at myself. I’m on the floor at the bottom of the stairs. Blood coats my thighs, and pain, not physical, skates over my soul at what that means. He moved me to the stairs and let my baby bleed from my womb right here on the cold floor.

  “Diana?!?” Vika screeches, her heels clacking across the floor. “Vas! Vas!” she screams, and I’ve never heard her sound so…human before. “What the hell happened? Oh God, you’re bleeding.”

  “The baby,” I croak, reaching down between my legs, shock causing my mind to jumble and my hands to shake. Her eyes expand, and she takes my hand to stop me from grabbing at myself.

  “What the fuck!” I hear bellowed, and then Vas is in my vision.

  “Call an ambulance!” Vika screeches.

  “Fuck that, I’ll take her. Open the fucking door,” he orders, scooping me up from the floor. I cry out in pain, and tears blind my eyes.

  “She said ‘the baby,’” Vika tells him, and he just grunts as he carries me out into the cold.

  Relief of leaving that place is so overwhelming, I sob.

  “It’s okay, Diana. It’s okay,” Vas assures me, placing me into the back of a car. Vika slips in on the other side, taking my head in her lap and stroking through my hair.

  “Ven,” I choke out before the light fades and I succumb to the pain once more.

  The plane has barely touched down when I power up my cell phone, eager to text Diana to check in. Leaving her unnerved me. It’s not that she can’t handle her own, but I just had a bad feeling. My intuition has always been something I prided myself on and not something I often ignore.

  Yet I did.

  It’s going to drive me fucking crazy until I’m back home and have her back in my arms.

  Ruslan stretches from beside me and yawns loudly. He spent the entire flight flirting with the stewardess. When she cut him off the vodka and stayed to the back of the plane, he gave up and passed out.

  My phone finally comes back to life.

  As soon as it starts buzzing with missed phone calls and texts, dread begins to root itself inside me. Fuck. Something’s up—and I knew
it. I scroll past all the missed calls from Vika and Vas and land on the last text Vas sent me.

  Vas: Diana is in the hospital. Call me.

  What the fuck?

  I jerk to my feet and run my fingers through my hair. Ruslan is staring at his own phone, so he must be getting the same information. The stewardesses on our private plane are assisting us with our luggage. I rudely push past them and bring my phone to my ear to dial Vas back.

  “What happened?” I growl the moment he answers. “Is she okay?”

  He lets out a ragged huff. Stress. He sounds fucking stressed, which makes me fucking stressed. “She’s alive, but…” he trails off, pain in his voice.

  “But what?” I demand.

  Behind me, I can hear Ruslan speaking to Vika, and he’s telling her to calm down.

  Fuck!

  “She took a nasty fall down the stairs, man,” Vas says. “There was…there was so much blood.”

  The world around me spins. “Is she okay?”

  “She’s fine. Sleeping.”

  “Our baby?”

  His silence is my answer. My fist curls around my phone, and the urge to heave it to the floor is overwhelming. But it’s my lifeline back to Diana. I can’t destroy it.

  “I’m on my way back,” I bark at him before hanging up.

  Ruslan is already making arrangements for us to fly back.

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

  Hang in there, babe. I’m coming home.

  Everything is going to be okay. I won’t fucking leave you again.

  By the time I arrive at the hospital, almost eight hours later, it’s well into the middle of the night. I’m fucking tired as shit, but I need to see her. When I locate a nurse near her room, the woman smiles sadly at me.

  “Vas said you were coming. We don’t normally allow such late visiting hours, but we make exceptions sometimes.” Money makes people bend the rules all the time.

  “Thank you,” I grunt.

  She guides me to a room, and I slip inside. Vas and Vika are sitting side by side on the sofa. As soon as I walk in, they both stand. Vika’s eyes are red, and Vas’s usually smug grin is gone. They both look haggard and depressed.