Dimitri's Forbidden Submissive (Submissive's Wish) (36 page)

Laughing, Gia tucked her feet beneath her and turned to face Rya more fully. The elegant woman had changed from her green silk dress into a pair of worn jeans that fit her curvy butt perfectly along with a brown sweater that hung off of one shoulder. Right now she wore a thick cream shawl that set off the pearl and diamond studded gold choker wrapped around her graceful throat. A tiny gold medallion hung from the choker and Rya was pretty sure the piece of expensive jewelry was Gia’s collar.

Tucking a stray strand of her honey brown hair behind her ear, Gia gestured out to the moonlit with her wine glass. “Trust me, this is all Ivan. I could never have afforded this on my own.”

Rya tugged the blue shawl Gia loaned her around her shoulders. “It’s still beautiful.”

With a soft sigh Gia sat back. “It is. Ivan bought it so I could visit my family. I’ve been doing renovations on it for a little over a month now.”

“Are you a local?”

“Kind of. I grew up in Atlanta but moved to Myrtle Beach after I graduated.”

“What is it exactly that you do? I mean I know you’re an architect, but your job sounds different from any architect I’ve known.”

A smile of real pleasure curved Gia’s full lips and Rya tried to reel in her libido. Just because she was attracted to the other woman didn’t mean the feeling was reciprocated despite Gia’s flirting. She could just be trying to be friendly. Plus neither Ivan nor Dimitri had given them permission to play and Rya really didn’t want to start things off with Dimitri by going behind his back. That said, she really, really wanted to kiss Gia.

Setting her wine glass down, Gia pulled the shawl closer around her shoulders and turned to face Rya with a happy smile. “I restore old homes.”

“Wow, really? That’s so cool.”

Excitement filled Gia’s face. “Thank you. Right now I’m in the middle of restoring two town homes in Moscow for my future uncle…or would that be uncle-in-law? Either way, the town homes were built in the 1890s and they are amazingly beautiful, if totally neglected.”

“So you have a job in Russia?”

“Oh yeah. Ivan would be thrilled if I would just stay home and laze around all day like a pampered house pet, but I’d go nuts.”

“I hear you.” She let out a soft sigh. “I have no idea what I’ll do while I’m over there. I’d really like to continue my work as a hospice nurse, but I have no idea about what kind of license I would need, or if I’d have to learn Russian, or bunch of other shit.”

“Have you talked to Dimitri about it?”

“Not yet. We’ve kind of had other stuff going on.”

Gia was silent for a few moments, her unfocused gaze on the ocean. “Did you know I had no idea Ivan’s uncle, Petrov, is some kind of super Russian mob boss?”

“He is?”

“Oh yeah. I thought he was just Uncle Petrov, a nice older man who seemed to view me as some kind of surrogate daughter. It’s his town homes that I’m renovating.”

“How did you find out?”

Gia laughed. “Well, I was having a disagreement with a local lumber supply company about some custom work I was having done. I needed to replace the bannister on the main staircase and wanted the original type of wood used. The company I contracted tried to give me inferior wood and they were such utter bastards about it. See, some people in Russia don’t like foreigners, at all, and they get pissed when they think we’re taking away jobs, and some guys don’t like a woman doing what is traditionally considered a man’s job, in this case, construction.”

“Doesn’t sound much different than the US.”

“True. Well once I received my order from them and saw the shitty workmanship I decided to pay them a visit and those motherfuckers totally blew me off. They treated me like I was an idiot, pretended not to understand what I was saying, and kept telling me to make myself useful and go home and bake cookies. Cookies! I had a new translator with me that day, my usual girl was on vacation, and the poor guy had to carry me out of there before I tried to jump the counter and choke the asshole giving me such a hard time.”

“Seriously?”

“Oh, yeah. I was pissed. The dick that owned the lumber company threatened to have me deported after I said some choice things about his mother.” She grinned. “When I got home Ivan was there with his Uncle and I…uh, kind of flipped out and went on an epic rant. I think I scared them. Anyway, the next afternoon I got a very, very apologetic visit from the owner of the lumber company at the construction site along with a huge discount on my materials. The poor guy was terrified and asked me to please let him know if I needed anything else and to extend his most humble apologies to Petrov and Ivan. I couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on so I asked Ivan.”

“What did he say?”

“He hemmed and hawed, but I think he realized that he couldn’t hide it from me anymore. I’d been in Russia for over a month by this point and little things were starting to add up. I know this sounds dumb, but I honestly had no idea that Petrov ran the Dubini Bratva. I mean it’s so far outside my reality that it never occurred to me that Petrov was anything other than a successful businessman, but once I thought about it, everything clicked into place.” She pulled her shawl tighter as a brisk breeze rolled in off the ocean. “I think there’s a lot of stuff I don’t understand, but I do know that Ivan’s more of a legitimate business man than a mobster. At least for now.”

Trying to lighten the mood, Rya smiled at Gia. “Well, if it makes you feel better there is nothing legitimate about Dimitri.”

Gia snickered. “I still can’t be believe that Dimitri has fallen in love.”

“What?”

“Oh, I don’t mean that in a bad way. He’s just never, ever had a serious girlfriend, at least from what I can tell. I thought he was just one of those guys that didn’t do relationships.”

Unease panged through Rya. “Does he have lots of girlfriends?”

Looking uncomfortable, Gia fiddled with her shawl. “You’d have to ask him that.”

“So I take that as a yes.”

“Please don’t be upset. If it makes you feel any better I heard that Dimitri has publically declared that you are his woman.”

“He did?”

“Yep. Ivan said Dimitri’s been working hard these past few months to move heaven and earth to get you to Russia with him. I know I haven’t seen Dimitri at the club since he came back from the States.”

“Was he usually there a lot? It’s okay, Gia. I know he’s seen other women while we’ve been apart.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything, but I don’t think he’s been with anyone. I mean he’s been with Ilyena, but she just broke up with Alex and it was more of a friendship hanging out type thing.”

At the mention of the woman that Dimitri was supposed to have been with at the lodge that night, Rya’s hands clenched into fists, but she took a deep breath and tried to let her anger go. “No, seriously, it’s okay. Things are complicated between us. Do you know about Dimitri’s family?”

“Kind of. Alex, Dimitri’s older brother, is a good friend and cousin of Ivan’s as well, but he’s scary so I haven’t really talked with him much.”

“What? You think Alex is scary? Really?” She had a guilty flash of arousal at the memory of the kinky scene she’d done with the handsome man. “I thought he was nice.”

“You’ve met him?”

“Yeah, back at the lodge. He was really kind to me.”

“He must like you because while he’s been nothing but polite with me, he’s a scary dude. He’s got this cold serial killer stare thing going on when he’s mad. And much like Dimitri, I’ve never heard of Alex having anything other than a casual girlfriend.”

Rya bit her lip, wondering how much she could disclose to Gia. “Do you know about the Novikov Curse?”

“No, what is it?”

She told Gia about the long, sordid history of the Novikov family and by the time she was done tears streamed down Gia’s cheeks.

“Rya, that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.” Before Rya knew it, Gia had come over to her oversized chair and grabbed her into a hug, making Rya wince. Gia released her and crouched before Rya’s chair while patting her leg. “So that’s why Dimitri was pretending you didn’t exist. I mean I thought it was so crazy that he never said anything about you, then the next thing we know he’s flown halfway around the world to rescue the woman he loves.”

“He said he loves me?”

“Well, he didn’t say it, but come on. Guys don’t do this for girls they don’t love. Why do you think you’re going back to Russia with him if you think he doesn’t love you?”

“Because someone found out about me and now I’m in danger. That’s why I’m going back to Russia with him.” She gestured to her neck. “A guy that was some kind of freelance killer for the Russian mafia tried to kidnap me.”

“No shit. What happened?”

Rya’s stomach clenched. “He…I killed him.”

“Oh honey.” Gia grabbed her hands and gave them a hard squeeze. “Good.”

“What?”

“I’m glad you killed him. My mother was murdered, but I wish she’d had a gun so she could have killed the motherfucking drug addict before he took her life.”

Gia’s voice trembled on the last words and Rya scooted over, then pulled Gia over onto the oversized chair with her before giving the other woman a gentle hug. “I’m so sorry for your loss. My dad was killed by a drunk driver before I was born. But I have a great step-dad who’s been just about the best dad I could ever want.”

Returning her hug, Gia stroked her hair. “My dad died when I was a kid and my mom never remarried.”

Leaning back enough so she could see Gia in the lights coming through the windows she smiled and brushed back a tear. “Damn, we’re a hot mess, aren’t we?”

Gia smiled back and wiped the tears from Rya’s cheeks. “I’m glad you’re coming to Russia. It will be really nice having someone there that I can talk to.”

“You have no idea how relieved I am that you’re not some über bitch. I’m terrified of going there, not knowing anyone. Knowing you really helps.”

“Well, you haven’t seen me when I’m PMSing,” Gia said in a teasing voice, but Rya could tell Gia was happy about the compliment. “And don’t be scared. Dimitri will take care of you, believe me. While our guys may be domineering, overbearing, über macho, controlling assholes, they’re also amazingly sweet and protective. Just don’t let him get away with too much, or next thing you know, he’ll be deciding what kind of underwear you’re allowed to wear and what you can eat for dinner.”

Both women jumped as Ivan’s deep voice came from behind them. “Controlling asshole?”

Gia swallowed hard then said, “I’m putting a damn bell on you so you can’t sneak up on us.”

Giggling, Rya turned in the chair so her back was to Gia’s front and smiled. Dimitri was standing behind a very stern Ivan with a definite smirk. She fluttered her lashes at her man and gave him a beaming smile. “Hi, Masters.”

Ivan snorted at Rya then looked over his shoulder at Dimitri. “You’re in trouble.”

“Best kind of trouble,” Dimitri said and gave Rya a smile filled with such warmth that she sighed.

Gia whispered in her ear, “Oh yeah, he’s got it bad for you.”

“The feeling is entirely mutual,” Rya whispered back and they laughed softly while the men watched them with dual suspicious looks.

Dimitri and Ivan said something in Russia before Ivan turned back to them with a wicked grin that made Rya’s stomach clench while Gia whispered, “Oh fuck. We’re in trouble.”

“We?” Rya whispered back without taking her eyes off of the two Doms now watching them like a hungry bear and a wolf watching two tasty rabbits.

Ivan strode over to them and the aura of power and control rolling off of him made Rya’s heart beat a little faster. He reached down and wrapped Gia’s hair around his fist before looking at Rya. “Would you like to help me punish my mouthy little girl, Rya?”

Gia made a soft moan that sent a tingle of desire through Rya’s body. She licked her lips and looked over at Dimitri. “Master? Would you like for me to help Master Ivan punish his girl?”

The pleased smile Dimitri gave her made everything inside Rya’s heart go all warm and glowy. “It would please me very much to watch you help punish her.”

Ivan pulled Gia up by her hair and Rya had to admit the contrast of Ivan’s big body and Gia’s slender frame was arousing. She wondered if she looked like that with Dimitri and her heart raced while she watched her Master slowly approach. Dimitri was in full-on predator mode now and she couldn’t help a shiver of desire as he stopped right before her. With her face at the height of his cock she let out a little moaning purr of approval at the sight of his thick erection pressing against his pants. She wanted to lean forward, to nuzzle her lips against his dick, but she knew better than to move without his permission.

Ivan dragged Gia past them. “When you are ready, come down to the main floor. It’s the second door to the left of the stairs with a keypad. The code is 7293.”

“Understood,” Dimitri said in that low, rumbling growl that he got when he was aroused.

He stroked his fingers through her hair, gently pulling out the tangles. “Are you okay with this,
zaika moya
? I will not be disappointed if you are not attracted to Gia.”

Blushing, she leaned into his soft caress. “She is beautiful, Dimitri, and I like her a lot. Are you sure she wants to play with me?”

“Yes. Ivan said she finds you very attractive. Gia is pure submissive, but she was trained by both a Master and a Mistress.”

“So I would be Topping her?”

“For my pleasure and Ivan’s, yes, but you are submissive to me, always.”

He pulled her head forward the slightest bit by her hair and she took a deep inhalation, scenting a faint hint of his musk mixing with the salty air. “And it would turn you on, Master?”

“Very much.”

She hesitated, pulling back enough so she could look up at him. “Will you play with her?”

While she tried to keep her expression carefully neutral, she must not have done very well because the faint lines around his eyes crinkled as he gave her a small smile. “No, I will not touch her. You are the only woman I want to touch, little Rya. The things I feel with you, there is nothing like it.”

“Thank you,” she whispered and took his hand when he offered it to her. “I’m so glad I’m with you, Dimitri. I’ve been so lost without you.”