Page 17 of Surprise Bratva Daddy
The sexual tension between us in undeniable, but it’s nothing more than a power play for Zane. He doesn’t want the same things as I want. He doesn’t feel the same way, and he’s using that to his advantage.
Surely, he knows what he’s doing is working to some extent, but I don’t want him to discover just how intoxicating his power is to me. It’s not about the money at all, though I am impressed by his library. It’s more about the power imbalance, the feeling that he’s using me, making me feel small and yet somehow aroused by the fact that I’m helpless.
It’s opened a door in my mind that I didn’t realize existed. A dangerous door that could lead to all sorts of wicked conclusions.
I’ve always been pretty vanilla. It’s not that I didn’t want to explore other avenues, it’s just that nobody ever presented anything out of the ordinary for me to explore. I have to be pushed a little to try something. I’m certainly not going to suggest it myself.
That’s why Zane’s little games are so intriguing to me. I’m falling for them so quickly because they’ve broken up the staleness in my life and lit a spark inside of me.
The bedroom is massive. I've never seen a bed quite as big as the one in Zane's room, and the view out the window is even more amazing. The sun is starting to go down now, and it's casting long shadows across a field of fresh green grass peppered with marble statues, high bushes, and flowers.
I didn't realize how long it's been since I was enjoying a cup of coffee on my couch until now. I haven't even eaten anything, but I don't feel terrible hungry. It's difficult to have an appetite under this much stress.
I'm sure swimming will help.
Zane steps behind me, wrapping his large arms around my shoulders and squeezing me tightly against him. His grip is like steel, and his breath is hot against my neck. I can feel his muscles tensing, his body pressing into mine. He's so big, like a human wall, and he feels impenetrable.
He's also dangerously attractive, and I can't deny that. Even though I hate him and everything he's doing to me, I can't stop thinking about the way his lips would feel against mine. It's been so long since someone has kissed me.
"I'm sorry, Monroe," he says softly.
"For what?" I ask, turning around and looking up at his strong face. It's like he's been carved from stone.
"For taking your life away from you. For putting you in this position," he replies. "I don't have a choice, though. There's a lot at stake here. If I don't get that information, everything I've worked for will be destroyed. I know you're not ready to trust me, but I hope that eventually, you can find it in yourself to work with someone who probably doesn't deserve it."
"I understand," I reply softly. "Just give me time, okay?"
He nods. "Whatever you need from me is yours."
I laugh a little. "Well, I would like to go back to my house and get my stuff."
"We'll go tomorrow," he replies, his voice quiet but firm. "Kiro is working with a team of my best men to pin down Maksim and figure out what his deal is. I need to know how long he's been out of prison and what kind of forces he has before we go anywhere."
"Tell me about Maksim," I say, met with a sudden surge of curiosity. "You really hate him, don't you?"
He laughs through his nose. "Yes, I do hate him, but it seems as though you do too. You stabbed him."
"I had to. He tried to..." I shudder as I remember the way that evil man touched me. "I don't want to talk about it, actually. I just want to know more about what he means to you. I feel like I'm in the dark about too much."
Zane's expression softens, and he touches my arm lightly. "Listen, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, especially not Maksim. He won't lay a finger on you ever again. That's a promise."
"Okay," I reply, smiling a little. "I suppose I can trust you on that."
"That's a start," he says, smiling back. "Now, let's get you into that swimsuit. We'll talk about Maksim when we get to the pool. I guess I do owe you an explanation."
“You owe me a lot more than that, but that’s a start,” I tease, twirling around a few times as I float away from him. “Where’s this bikini, anyway? Something with full coverage, I hope.”
“Have you been to the dentist lately?” he asks, rubbing his chin.
I look at the mirror on top of the dresser, checking my teeth. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“They’re always talking about flossing. Now is your opportunity to make that happen,” he says with a cheeky grin. He walks over to the dresser, opening the top drawer and pulling out bikini bottoms that might as well be two strings stitched together. “Dental floss.”
12
Monroe
Zane is already in the pool when I finally work up the courage to come outside and join him. It’s too cold in the house to wander around in this frightfully tiny swimsuit any longer. I just hope the water is warm, because if it isn’t I might actually freeze to death in this ridiculous thing.
