Tortured Soul (25 page)

“Actually, he worked for me for long time. Now, we are no more than father and son, even if he does not carry the Toporov name any longer,” Mr. Grekov said in a low husky voice, thick with a Russian accent.

I gasped at the revelation. Mr. Grekov was Alexander Toporov, the boogieman himself, Braiden’s stepfather.

“And you fuck with my family, you fuck with me.”

Jonas’ face paled, and I smiled. Braiden took my arms and raised them over my head, then a shirt was quickly pulled over my nude body. All the while I tried to keep my eyes on Jonas’.

“Son?” asked Alexander as he forced Jonas to his knees.

“He is Emily’s,” Braiden said, stepping forward between Jonas and me. “If she still wants him.”

It took everything I had to remove my manic gaze from Jonas. Braiden was watching me, and I knew he wanted to do this. He wanted to carry this burden, and I knew he wouldn’t lose a single night’s sleep over it. He wanted to kill Jonas just as badly as I did.

“There isn’t a chance in hell she has the stomach to kill me,” growled Jonas. “She is nothing but a useless, broken fucking whore who has been defiled in every possible way.” Jonas looked to Braiden. “I personally made sure of it. I am her master. I control her.”

I stepped forward and slid my hand down Braiden’s arm, my hand finding the gun in his. It took a strong tug to get him to release the weapon—he wanted Jonas’ death so bad. Eventually though, he allowed me to take the warm metal into my hand. I took the few steps towards Jonas.

“Go ahead and kill me, Pet, I’ll still be with you though. I bet you still dream about me. Remembering all those times I fucked you—when I took your virginity, when I shared you for the first time and had my men fuck your cunt, your ass and your mouth. What about that time I whipped your beautiful skin until you bled a river? Do you dream about that, Pet? Or maybe you dream about the times you screamed with pleasure for my guests? You are just as depraved as me and my clients, Pet.”

“No, I’m not. I don’t get off on forcing people, and I don’t need to be forced to have orgasms anymore either. When I’m with him,” I pointed at Braiden, “I don’t think of you, ever, and I give myself to him freely.”

Jonas sneered at me. “You will always be a slave.”

I tilted my head much in the same way Braiden did when he was deep in thought. “No, not anymore because now I give myself willingly. My body, my heart and my soul are mine, but I share them with him.”

“You are one fucked up crazy, Pet.” Jonas laughed with evil malice.

“I am no one’s pet and the only thing I am crazy of is not doing this years ago.” I put the gun to his head, everything inside of me eerily calm as I did so. The look of disbelief on Jonas’ face filled me with a peace I never knew existed. He knew I was going to do it—he must have seen something in my eyes that scared him—and that knowledge caused me to smile. I pulled the trigger. Blood and brain matter splattered over me and all over the floor. Jonas slumped to nothingness at my feet. Just as I had intended, I watched the life drain from Jonas with a smile on my lips. Unable to move, Braiden carefully took the gun from my hand and pulled me into his arms.

“It’s done, Em. He’s gone now,” he whispered.

“Braiden!” screamed Gabbie from behind us. Braiden automatically spun around, forcing me behind him as another gun shot rang out. Braiden fell backwards into my arms, and I fell under his weight. Holding him to my body, I looked across the room to Bomber, who had fired point blank at Nate’s head, but not before he got a round off. Even with a gaping wound in his neck, face pale and death looming, Nate had managed to shoot Braiden.

“No, no, no, no,” I chanted as my hands clutched at the red spot spreading on Braiden’s chest.

The room exploded into action.

“Press down on the wound,” said Alexander, handing me a shirt.

Braiden’s eyes blinked open as I pushed the fabric down against his chest.

“Malen’kaya,” he whispered.

“Don’t you dare leave me. You promised you wouldn’t leave me,” I whimpered, sobbing in his ear.

“I love you, Emily Donovan,” Braiden murmured.

“Don’t say that to me now.” I cried harder in anger.

“I love you so much.” His eyes fluttered shut just as he was pulled away from me.

“Noooooo!” I screamed, scrambling to get back to him.

“Em, he needs a hospital. Come on, we’ll follow. We’ll be right there with him.”

Bomber’s arms practically held me up, as my legs refused to co-operate. He scooped me up into his arms and carried me from the building. I was placed into a car and Braiden was laid down beside me. I held his head in my lap as my tears fell on his face, and my hands brushed through his hair. I began to do something I hadn’t done in a long time. I prayed. I prayed for Braiden. I prayed for his life, I even offered mine in its place. I had lost so much, I refused to lose Braiden. Once we reached the hospital, Braiden was wheeled away from me, and I wasn’t allowed to follow. I nearly collapsed into sobbing hysterics. Bomber and Gabbie pulled me away and finally calmed me enough to have a nurse look me over. I was given a pair of hospital scrubs to wear and eventually collapsed into a chair in the waiting room. Rebecca, Charlie and Larz arrived at some point, and I cried into Rebecca’s shoulder as Gabbie rubbed my back soothingly. Eventually I fell asleep on Larz’s chest. When I was gently nudged awake, a tired looking doctor stood in front of me and Larz. Dillon and Bomber jumped to attention, moving forward to hover over the doctor.

“He’s going to be fine. Bullet missed his heart by five millimeters. He should probably buy a lottery ticket when he gets out of here.”

Bomber snorted. “Rich bastard is ass-y enough he would probably win it.”

A tear slipped free as I stood and took a tentative step forward. “He’s okay?” I whispered.

The doctor’s kind eyes found mine and nodded. “If you are Emily, he’s been asking for you in recovery.”

I found myself following the doctor down a hall and into a small room full of beeping machines, smelling strongly of disinfectant. Braiden was lying on a hospital bed in the middle of the room. His skin was pale, and his eyes were shut. The nurse at his side smiled at me as I approached. She moved away a little, offering us what privacy she could. I leaned over Braiden and kissed his cheek, my tears falling at the sight of my strong warrior hurt and weak. Braiden’s eyes opened and peace descended on me. I stayed close and held his face in my hands, feeling him beneath my touch, reassuring myself that he was here and alive.

“Are you okay?” he asked in a low husky voice.

The sound that came out of my mouth was caught somewhere between a sob and laughter. “You didn’t leave me,” I whispered, my lips so close to his I could feel his breath tangle with mine.

Braiden grinned that lopsided cocky grin I adored. “I promised you, didn’t I?” His gaze suddenly turned serious. “I’m going to spank your ass ten shades of red when I get you home. If you ever run off like that again, I’m going to chain you to my bed. No safe silk ties either, Em, I swear it. It’ll be chains and handcuffs for you.”

I smiled as I pressed my lips to his. There was a time the thought of chains and handcuffs would have sent me into hysterics. Knowing Braiden was alive and the threat of being chained to his bed was pretty much a turn on right now.

“Yes, Shakhta,” I whispered. “My ass is yours for the spanking.”

“Damn straight,” Braiden murmured.

BRAIDEN

I woke in a dark unfamiliar room and almost jumped from the bed, my hand instinctively searching for my gun. The only thing stopping me was the uncomfortable ache in my chest and the head of hair under my hand. Glancing down I noticed Em. She was sitting in a chair by my side, her head on the bed, fast asleep. I ran my hands through her hair, reveling in the feeling of her safe and sound at my side. I hope she was mentally prepared for the idea of an arrogant, dominant, overbearing male who wasn’t prepared to let her out of his sight, because that’s what she was getting. The door to my room quietly opened and a familiar figure stepped through.

“Privet moy syn.”

“Hello, Alexander.”

He moved to stand next to me, watching Em through eyes filled with humor.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I wondered out loud.

I had no idea exactly what had happened between Alexander and Jonas, or how he came to be here, in Claymont. I had gotten lucky finding Emily. Mercy remembered she had her cell phone on her when Jonas’ men snatched her off the street in the back of the shelter. We took a gamble and followed the GPS signal on the device, which led us to the large property for sale on the outskirts of Claymont. The RFID tracker under Emily’s skin had confirmed she was in that house. Bursting through those doors and finding my stepfather in that room had come as a complete shock.

Alexander shrugged. “It happened last minute. I made inquiries, told people I wanted woman. Levier was desperate for den'gi.”
Money
. “If he research properly, he would know who I am.” Alexander tore his gaze from Emily to me. “She has suffered,” he whispered.

“More than anyone should ever,” I admitted.

Alexander nodded and gave me his best impression of a smile. It was stiff and awkward, but it was a gesture saved only for family. “You good boy, you be good for her. Be well, son.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned for the door.

“Father?” I rarely called him father, not since I had all but abandoned him and my family. “Thank you.”

Alexander nodded once more. “Vy dolzhny mne.”
You owe me.
A small grin tugged at my lips. I expected no less. What Alexander did for me this time was big, and he wouldn’t let me forget it. “Come for dinner. Mama needs to meet her, and I would like to meet her under different circumstances.”

I was shocked speechless. Alexander was handing me a peace offering. He was allowing me back into the family.

“I can’t come back to work for you.”

Alexander sighed and nodded. “You call and tell me when you both come, da?”

“Da,” I agreed. And with that he left. Emily moved under my hand at the sound of the door closing. She turned her face towards mine and seemed surprised to find me awake.

“Are you okay? Do you need more pain medication?”

I shook my head, drawn into her beautiful worried eyes.

“No, Malen’kaya, I’m fine.”

“Who was that?” She nodded to the door as she reached for my hand.

“Alexander. He invited us to have dinner with the family.” Emily’s eyes widened. “No strings attached. He doesn’t expect me to come back to work for him; he just wants the family to meet you.” I rubbed a thumb over the blush that stained her cheeks. “What’s that for?”

“He saw me...like that...”

I lifted her chin. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Alexander moved himself into a position to help you. What he saw, what he heard, it will never go beyond him.”

She nodded, leaning her cheek into my palm. “Why didn’t you tell me what he was doing?” she asked.

I shook my head. “Because I had no idea. That’s how Alexander works sometimes. He is a powerful man with endless connections. He saw an opportunity to get at Jonas, and he took it.”

Emily’s eyes lingered on the window across the room. “He’s really gone isn’t he?”

She knew he was. She had been the one to put the bullet in his head, yet after fearing one man for such a long time made it hard to believe it was truly over.

“Yes, Malen’kaya, he’s really gone, and your life is truly yours again.”

She pressed a kiss to my palm and nuzzled in closer to me, her face right by mine. “And I have you to thank for that. My warrior.” She ran a hand down my cheek. “You own my heart.” I shook my head.

“No, Em, your heart is yours, but for some absurd reason you allow me to live in it, and for that I am grateful.”

“I love you, Braiden.”

I breathed her words in, allowing them to settle into my heart where I would keep them forever.

“I love you, too, Em.”

EMILY

SIX WEEKS LATER

Braiden was in his office, again. He had been in there a lot this past week. Montgomery Securities had been busy before he was shot, and now it was ridiculously busy. I pushed the door open, not bothering to knock. This was our house now. I had officially moved in two days after Braiden had been discharged from the hospital. Rebecca and Charlie had just dropped me home after a visit to Mercy’s Shelter. As of next Monday, I would start working at the shelter again. It would only be two days a week to begin with, as I would need time to study. I was going to graduate high school and I planned to go to college. I wanted to become a social worker. I wanted to help other girls like me. Braiden supported my plans one-hundred percent, though insisted I do as many classes as possible via correspondence from home. He said his heart couldn’t handle being away from me right now, and, to be honest, I wasn’t ready to be away from him either. I had been filled with incredible guilt over Mercy’s abduction, but today she shushed my tears and told me if I really felt the need to make it up to her, I would join her at her belly dancing lessons. Although not entirely sold on the idea of belly dancing, I would be joining her one evening a week.

Braiden was sitting at his desk, his fingers dancing over the keyboard of his computer. The house was blessedly quiet. Dillon was on another date with his real estate lady friend, Bomber had moved into his bachelor pad with Parker a week ago, Gabbie was working with Drew on a missing persons job in Philadelphia, and Larz was at the shelter helping Dave unload a truck of furniture and donations. It was nice to have the house to ourselves. Feeling daring, I had put on one of Braiden’s button down silk shirts and around the neck was draped one very particular red silk tie. We hadn’t pushed the boundaries of sex since the night Braiden had loosely restrained me with this tie. We had indulged in sex every spare moment we got, but it had been “safe”. Braiden was worried I wasn’t ready for anything more just yet, but I was quickly becoming restless and in need of something a little more dominant and aggressive. I went into our room looking for something enticing to wear and spotted the tie; the powerful desire to reach for it was all-consuming. When Braiden glanced up, he did a double take, slowly sitting back to take note of my attire, or lack thereof.

“Three laps and winner gets to wear this.” I ran my fingers down the length of the tie. Braiden raised a brow.

“Feeling confident are we, Malen’kaya? You haven’t beaten me yet.”

I shrugged. I’d been practicing with Eli.
Forza Motorsport 5
was our new favorite Xbox game, but Braiden didn’t need to know that. He pushed himself up from his desk and followed me to the living room. I handed him a remote, and when I went to sit down beside him, he pulled me into his lap instead.

“You going to try and distract me?” I asked with mock annoyance.

He kissed my neck. “House rules, last person to win gets a beautiful blue eyed girl in his lap for the next race.”

I smiled a little, something I was doing more and more these days. The game started and was touch and go for a while. But then Braiden blew a breath of air in my ear and distracted me, causing my beautiful red Ferrari to spin out of control. Once the game was over, and I had officially lost, even if Braiden had cheated, the tie was carefully slipped from my neck. Braiden tied it around my wrists and used it to tug me forwards. We didn’t head for the bedroom though. Instead, Braiden guided me out of the house, around the pool, which I eyed nervously, and to the small guest house in the back of the property.

Braiden took a key from his pocket and glanced at me. “If this makes you uncomfortable, you are to tell me immediately, Em. Say no and we stop.”

I instantly became wary. Braiden had an uncanny ability of forcing me to face my fears, and while I loved that about him, I wasn’t sure if facing fears was what I wanted right now. The door swung open and I peered around Braiden’s shoulders. Not liking surprises, I needed to see what he had hidden in there. My heart skipped a beat, and my breathing hitched. Not out of fear though, but burning desire. The room beyond was different from others I had been in. I strolled through the doorway. Braiden began flicking on lamps, illuminating the room in a soft glow. The carpet was a rich red, and the walls were white. A large canopied bed sat to one side, a sturdy wooden chest at the foot of it. A mahogany padded bench equipped with a spreader bar was in plain sight. A couple of hooks hung from one wall and also from the ceiling beside the bed. A padded Versa Horse was on the other side of the room beside a wall adorned with paddles and floggers. The room seemed so light and innocuous in comparison to other bondage rooms I had been witness to.

Braiden ran a hand nervously through his hair. “I haven’t used this space before. I didn’t think I would ever find someone who might want to use it with me, and I understand if you don’t want to.” He watched me carefully, his dark eyes sincere. “I meant it when I said I could be whatever you need me to be, Em. This will all be gone tomorrow if you want. I’ll take you anyway I can get you.”

I ran my still tethered hands over the flowing red chiffon curtain that fell around the bed. It looked dreamy and wistful, not at all like the dungeons Jonas and his clients preferred. Some of the things in this room made me nervous, but some made me horny as hell.

“What would you do to me in here?” I found myself asking as I continued to explore the room.

“Anything you wished me to do, Malen’kaya. But pleasure only, no pain.”

I turned to face him, knowing that I wouldn’t find comfort in exposing this side of myself to anyone other than him. I trusted Braiden with everything—with my heart, my soul and my body.

“I want you here like this. I trust you,” I murmured.

Braiden’s eyes closed for a moment as if savoring my words. When they opened, the hard, arrogant determination of one very dominant male was in place. He shut and locked the door and strolled towards me.

“Say no if you need to,” he murmured, running a finger down my cheek.

“We’ll go slow. One day at a time, Malen’kaya.”

He reached for the length of tie that hung from my wrists and tugged my hands up. Kissing me hard he pressed me backwards, and I moved with him until my back was against the cool wall. Breaking the kiss, Braiden took my wrists and secured the tie to a sturdy hook on wall above me. I wiggled my hands and realized I was caught now, unable to move my arms, but my feet were firmly planted on the ground. And even though my heart jumped a little at the thought of being restrained, I trusted Braiden.

He slowly unbuttoned the dress shirt I was wearing, his eyes never leaving mine, letting me know I was safe. Finally, he pushed the shirt open and exposed my breasts. With slightly calloused hands, Braiden rubbed his fingers over my nipples before leaning forward to suck one deep in his mouth. I groaned at the feeling of his tongue flicking over my nipple and arched my back, giving him more of me, demanding he take more of me. Dropping to his knees Braiden wasted no time in pressing his mouth against my pussy. He licked my core, sucking my clit into his mouth while pulling my hips to his face. He ate me with his warm wet lips, sending me right to the brink of orgasm. Before I could topple over though, he pulled away, and I growled with frustration. He slapped my thigh as he stood and began peeling away his clothes, far too slowly for my liking. Once naked, Braiden began to stroke himself. I couldn’t look away. I didn’t want to look away. The sight of him pleasuring himself in front of me was erotic as hell.

“You like this?” he murmured. I nodded, my eyes glued to his hand as he stroked himself. “Maybe next time I will jerk off while I watch you fuck yourself with those clever little fingers, and I’ll come on your beautiful breasts.” His words were making my pussy throb. Finally, Braiden gripped my legs and encouraged me to wrap them around his waist. Suspended by the hook, my legs wrapped around him. Braiden positioned his dick at my entrance and thrust deeply. One hand slammed down on the wall beside me and his head fell to my shoulder.

“So perfect every fucking time,” he growled.

Drawing his hips away, he thrust into me again, hard and fast just the way I liked it. He moved his head away so we could both watch our bodies join. Braiden’s cock glistened as it drew away and then quickly disappeared back inside of me. He moved slightly, positioning himself at an angle, which reached deeper in my body. My head lolled back against the wall as he pumped me into. His hands cupped my breasts, squeezing them, rolling them until his mouth replaced his fingers. My orgasm wasn’t creeping up on me, it was rolling towards me with the speed and power of a freight train. Braiden suckled on my breasts, the globes of my ass caught in his hands as he pushed my ass cheeks closed with every withdrawal from my body. My hips rocked towards him, needing his raw powerful body deeper, harder.