Blood & Torment (Pins and Needles: Moscow Book 2) Read online

  When Michail comes back, he sets the kit next to me, then proceeds to silently clean up the wound and bandages it.

  “Thank you,” I whisper when he finishes.

  “You’re welcome. Want to tell me what happened here?” he rasps just as softly. His body is so close to mine. He’s standing so close to me I can feel his hot breath hitting my forehead and peer up at him through my thick lashes.

  “I don’t know what happened. I think someone was here, but I don’t know who or why,” I utter words I didn’t think I’d tell him. For some reason, I just do. I find I trust him in a way I didn’t think I would. It doesn’t hurt his cologne is strong, a mixture of sandalwood and vanilla, which only makes me spellbound by him. I don’t have to tell him anything, but I find myself wanting to.

  “Anything missing? This the only room messed up?” he asks, slowly lifting a hand to brush a strand of hair behind my ear.

  At Michail’s tenderness, I close my eyes, barely breathing. In all my life, I’ve never felt a gentleness like he’s showing me right now. Sure, the guys from the Devil’s Riot MC have been nice to me, but they aren’t Michail.

  “Um, my room. All of my clothes were scattered throughout the room,” I admit.

  Nodding, Michail steps back and helps me off the counter. He washes his hands in the sink next while I stand next to him. Turning the water off, he dries his hands, grabs the food, and guides me to my table situated off my living room. I sit in one of the chairs closest to the end of the six-seater table and he takes the one on the end beside me.

  He pulls out the containers, not saying a word. The two of us stay silent for a few moments while he sets us up with our dinner. My mouth waters at the potent scents that fill the air and I smile.

  “You have a pretty smile,” Michail says, surprising me.

  A blush creeps up my cheeks and I shyly look away from him. “Thank you.”

  “Trista, you don’t have to thank me for telling you that you have a pretty smile. I’d like for you to be comfortable around me. I need you to learn you can call for help when someone has been in your apartment. But for now, let’s eat. We can take this time to learn more about each other, yes?”

  “You want to get to know me?” I ask, eyes widening at his announcement.

  “I do,” he confirms for me with a grin that causes my stomach to do somersaults.

  Oh wow.

  Talk about swoon worthy. He’s handsome as it is, but grinning, he’s god-like handsome. Words don’t even come close to what I’m thinking right now.

  I just hope by sitting here with Michail, I’m not setting myself up for more heartache. Because I have a feeling when it comes to him, he could easily destroy me rather than torment me.

  Chapter Eleven

  Michail

  “You seem surprised.” I don’t know why she seems shocked, but she does. Trista’s a beautiful woman, from her lavender hair to those ocean blue eyes of hers. Even her body is delectable. She’s not overly thin and she has an ass I could take a few bites out of. In fact, I might tonight if I get the chance.

  Fuck, my cock grows hard thinking about it.

  Trista smirks and looks at her plate of Chinese food before her eyes meet mine again. “Not many people are as forward as you, Michail,” she says with an adorable laugh. The kind that makes me want to pinch her cheeks, but fuck if I don’t wanna stick my thumb past those lips of hers and watch her suck on it.

  I know I’m far too corrupt for a woman like this, even with knowing as little as I do. I’m not a good man, and I’m one with many issues and sexual desires. The only way I’m ever going to figure out if we mesh well is if we get to know one another better. Though deep in my gut, I know she’s been through some shit, and I know the likelihood she wants to deal with someone like me is slim.

  “You don’t know many Russians, do you?” I quip, watching as she busts out into laughter and the biggest smile I’ve seen from her spreads across her face.

  In the midst of her laughter, my phone begins to ring, and in my job, you never silence it or ignore a call. I pull it from the back of my pants and see Mila’s name. Immediately, I answer. “You okay?”

  Silence fills the line at first. “Michail, I need you. I need you to get here as soon as you can. Okay? I’m sorry . . . I just need you to get here.” Mila’s crying and it’s obvious from the way she’s hiccupping.

  “What happened? Are you okay?” I rise to my feet as I ask these questions, knowing I need to get going immediately.

  “Please don’t make me explain right now. Please, just get here. I’m so fucking scared. I’m hiding behind a dumpster,” Mila’s sobs tell me how terrified she is.

  “Okay, send me your location. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “Okay.” Mila hangs up the phone, and I look directly at Trista.

  “I need to get going. I’m terribly sorry, but my little sister is in trouble. Something’s happened.”

  Trista rises to her feet as well. “Okay, let’s go. I’ll help.”

  I blink at her in disbelief. “You don’t have to, Trista. You can stay here a—”

  “I said I’m coming to help you, so get over it,” Trista grumbles, heading for the entrance of her apartment. I follow closely behind and before I know it, we’re in her parking garage and in my car. I’m behind the wheel, glancing at my phone every couple of minutes to make sure my sister’s location isn’t changing.

  It takes ten minutes before we can get to Mila, and I whip the car into the alley she’s hiding in, throw it into park, and get out of the vehicle. “Mila!” I shout her name, searching desperately for my little sister. She’s the only family I have and I can’t lose her. She’s everything important to me in this life.

  “Mila!” I shout her name again, my heartbeat growing more intense, pounding in my chest.

  “Michail,” she cries from behind the dumpster as I round the corner. I kneel and slide an arm around her, helping her rise. The second she’s standing and groans, I know something else must be wrong. Scanning over her, I can’t tell what it is at first. I help her walk more into the alley, and Trista rushes over, wrapping an arm around her.

  “Who’s this?” Mila questions, obviously taken aback by Trista being here.

  “Trista, I’m seeing her,” I answer without even thinking and for a split second, my sister isn’t scared anymore. She’s smiling. I’m glad my personal relationships can distract her for a moment.

  “Ah, fuck!” Mila curses, biting on her bottom lip.

  “What? What’s the matter?” I halt, looking over her now that we’re in better lighting. Her pants are ripped down the center and blood has covered her right leg. “Fuck, what happened to you!?”

  “Why does that matter right now?” Mila snaps.

  Mila looks between Trista and me. “I was in the club and this guy, he came up to me. I thought he wanted to dance, you know? So we danced and then he got all crazy and cornered me near the bathroom. I got away, ran three blocks, and stayed put here.”

  Fucking idiots. “You’ll tell me the name of the club later. For now, I’ll get you to someone who can help.” I begin walking again and so does Trista. We open the door behind the driver’s seat and Trista goes in first, and then I slide Mila onto the seat. Trista has her keep her leg elevated and looks around my car desperately.

  “Do you have any cloth, towels, anything?” Trista questions.

  I shake my head and rip my shirt off, tossing it to her. “It’ll have to do. You keep the bleeding down until we can get to Antonina’s.”

  “Who?” Trista questions, but I shut the door and get behind the driver’s seat. Before I respond to her, I make sure to take off in the direction of Antonina’s house.

  I glance back once we hit the street, only for a split second. “She works with Kronid. My boss is a good friend to her, invested in her doctor’s offices. She’s good people.”

  “And we’re going to her house instead of the emergency room?” Trista’s from Am
erica. They do things differently there.

  I nod and look at her in the rearview mirror. “It’s better this way. Antonina will keep things quiet. Others won’t.”

  “He’s right. It’s better this way,” Mila speaks up, and I imagine she’s probably looking at Trista. “But, I’m gonna jump right in and say I had no idea you had a girlfriend, and she’s so fucking pretty. I thought you’d fall for an ugly Russian woman, but this American? She’s edgy. I like it!”

  Trista cracks up laughing and Mila joins in. I won’t join in as well, but I do crack a smile and press on the gas. The sooner Mila’s to Antonina’s house, the sooner she’ll get better, and the only thing I want for my sister is for her to get better and rest up as soon as possible.

  Chapter Twelve

  Trista

  We got to Antonina’s and while things were a bit odd, Michail passed over a good chunk of change before she’d even treat Mila. We were lucky enough to be told her cut wasn’t too bad and while she’d have a scar, she was lucky. Before we got settled back at my place, we stopped at a 24-hour store to get Michail a new shirt. I figured he’d appreciate it, but I’m not complaining about seeing his shirtless body.

  Seeing the way Michail acted around his sister earlier tonight changed something for me. For once, I felt like maybe I wouldn’t be making a bad choice in letting him in. So, in a split-second decision, I push my fears aside and stand up to press my lips to Michail’s. We’re in the living room of my apartment and everything is so . . . peaceful.

  When I left Pins and Needles today, I never expected the night to turn out like this. It’s anything but a normal night for me. In fact, it’s so different I almost think it’s fake. I end up coming home to find someone broke in, then cut my foot on a piece of glass while trying to clean everything up, and now I’m standing in my living room, which was a pure mess a couple hours ago. But I’m not just standing here. No, I’m kissing the man I’ve thought about kissing for so long.

  Michail deepens the kiss pulling me toward him. One hand goes to cup the back of my head, while the other wraps around my waist, pulling me even closer to him. I wrap my arms over his shoulders, needing to be closer. With swift movements, Michail moves us until I have my back pressed against the wall. He breaks his mouth from mine, and I whimper in protest.

  “Kukakla, I want you, but I won’t rush you,” Michail rasps heavily, his lips brushing mine with each word. The walls I’ve kept around myself begin to fall even more, almost like a domino effect.

  I want him too. I’m nervous, but I know without a doubt I can trust him with my body now after seeing the way he reacted to his sister. He gives me a sense of safety I don’t think I’ve ever felt when someone’s touched me.

  In fact, the way he makes me feel safe is so much more intense than the safety I feel with Ruslan and Sascha. Then again, Michail isn’t my adoptive-older brother, and I sure as fuck don’t want him to be either.

  Michail starts to pull away, but I hold on tight.

  “No, don’t stop. I don’t want you to stop, Michail,” I utter, lifting my gaze to meet his. “I don’t know why, but for whatever reason, with you, I feel safer than I’ve ever felt. I don’t want to lose that feeling yet. Even if you only want me for one night.”

  Michail slides both his hands down to palm my rear and lifts me until I have to wrap my legs around his waist. “This isn’t going to be a one-nighter, kukakla. It never was and it never will,” he declares with a masculine growl, only causing my center to practically burst into flames. With easy strides, he carries me through the apartment and into my room.

  I can’t believe I almost forgot about the condition it was in when I got home. I don’t want to think about anything else but what this man makes me feel. Michail lays me on the bed and lifts himself off me to remove both my shirt and hoodie together in one sweep over my head. They clear my arms in time for him to swoop back down and reclaim my mouth. He thrusts his tongue in to dance and swirl with mine and I hold onto him tighter.

  I grip the back of his shirt under the jacket he’s still in and push it up. Michail lifts up, breaking his mouth from mine once more, though hopefully, it’s not for long. He gives me a grin as I make a frustrated groan; however, the feeling quickly changes as I get a look at his chest.

  Oh my.

  Everything seems to move at the speed of light from there. The two of us rapidly working to remove the rest of the clothes from our bodies, only to slow when he cups my center with the palm of his hand.

  “You’re so wet for me, Trista,” he growls, licking his lips, slipping a few fingers inside me.

  I gasp, arching my back at the way he’s stretching me with his hand. While it’s sudden, it feels so good.

  Michail moves between my legs, forcing my legs to open wider with his own, then he’s sliding down the bed, his hot breath hitting my inner thigh. All while continuing to delve his fingers deep inside me. Settling my knees on his shoulders, he removes his fingers from me and swipes his tongue through my slit.

  “Michail,” I moan, encouraging him to keep going.

  Taking his time, he licks and swirls his tongue along my pussy and nips at my clit. I’m near panting for more when he finally latches on. It’s like he’s imagining my clit is a straw, sucking and flicking his tongue against my hardened nub. It sends sparks of sensation throughout my body until I’m thrashing against him, unable to hold back from the strong sensations shooting through me, and sends sparks of sensation throughout my entire being as I come. He doesn’t relent until he wrings the last drop from me.

  Pulling away, he snags a condom I didn’t even realize he put next to us. Ripping the wrapper open between his teeth, he pulls it out and rolls it over his hard cock, careful not to rip it open with his magic cross piercing. Once in place, he lines himself up and slides in slowly until he’s fully seated inside me.

  Michail gives me a brief moment to get accustomed to his size. He eases in and out of me a few times before he thrusts into me, taking me so savagely I cry out his name, begging him for more. He gives it to me and I love it. My orgasm hits me with so much force my back comes off the bed as I scream Michail’s name over and over again. My hands white-knuckle the sheets as my orgasm continues to roll through me in intense waves. His orgasm soon follows, roaring my name as he stills deep inside me. Cock twitching, he comes filling the condom.

  Leaning down, Michail kisses me with so much passion I swear more of the walls around me shatter, leaving me vulnerable to all that’s him.

  I’m taking a major chance right now, but by doing it, I think it’s the right one to take. Michail is nothing like anyone else I’ve been with.

  With a kiss on my lips, Michail pulls out and climbs off the bed. “Don’t move,” he orders and heads for the bathroom to dispose of the condom.

  I lean up on my elbows, watching him go. I bite my bottom lip and glance around my room and remember I didn’t get to clean up in here after I got home. I haven’t even looked in my bedroom to see if anything was missing yet.

  My heart begins to race again when Michail comes back out of the bathroom. I focus on him and notice the way his jaw is set. And in one moment, my heart falls into my stomach and I glance at his balled-up fist and the piece of paper in it.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask apprehensively.

  “You ready to tell me who Jacob is?” he grinds out through clenched teeth.

  “What?” I ask, baffled by his question.

  Holding the note out to me, I sit up, pulling the sheet with me to cover my naked body. I take the paper from him and read it.

  You thought you could run and hide from me. Think again, Trista. You’re my whore and I won’t share you. You won’t get away with this. Take this as the only warning you get. You have one month to get back home to me, or we take out those you love most. Told you already you’re nothing and you’ll stay that way, bitch.

  My hands shake violently by the time I finish reading the harsh words Jacob wrote. Tears spill down m
y cheeks as I lift my head to meet Michail’s heated eyes. I take a deep breath and explain everything to him. From the first time I met Jacob to the night Kronid called about Dema. I don’t leave anything out. By the time I stand to show him the most horrific thing Jacob did to me, Michail’s taken a seat next to me on the bed.

  “This is what he’d done to me the night I left to come here, other than beat me near to death. He marked me with his knife, cut his initials into my skin,” I murmur and show him my inner thigh where the scar sat still puckered as it heals. I make sure to lift my thigh into the light so he can vividly see the scar. Thankfully, my room isn’t well lit and I’m sure he missed it a bit ago.

  I let everything out and tell Michail the depths about why I pushed him away, and I hope that now that he knows, he won’t look at me with pity because after what we just shared, I don’t think I could ever take it from him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Michail

  As a boy, I witnessed far too much abuse, mostly at my father’s hand. I watched him bloody and bruise my mother, if the man was even my real father to begin with. She would tell me to run and hide, and I’d always listen. I’d do as my mother said and hide. When I was young, I didn’t understand it, but as I grew up, I thought I knew what was wrong. In my head, it made sense, but now I know better.

  I blamed my mother.

  I pinned all the fault on her, but I didn’t have a clue what was really going on. I didn’t know about narcissists or how they’ll make their partners feel like absolute shit. I didn’t know about the mental games they’d play with other people or how eventually they’d want more than to only hurt you in an emotional manner. How their hunger for pain would mean they’d want to harm you physically.