The Arrangement (20 page)

“Bo, you didn’t have—”

“I absolutely did, Boss. Besides, after last month, I kind of owe you, okay? Happy fucking birthday and all that stupid crap. This piece cost me a fortune and took some serious wrangling to get. I might have heard you were looking for something with a specific set of specs, so take a look and tell me what you think. If you like it, I can get a good order in for more—
lots
more. This one is all on me.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. Stop your bitching and open it up.”

With both men standing again, Viviana watched as the case was set down carefully on the table. Locks were unlatched, the top of the case popping open with ease. Anton ran his hands over the inside, whistling a quiet, appreciative sound under his breath as a cuss left his smirking lips.

“Goddamn, Bo. This is something else.”

The weapon that was plucked up from the case had Viviana’s heart racing.

Under the lights, it shined with brushed, blue metal from the very tip of the barrel all the way to the wood grain of the butt. Clearly the rifle wasn’t meant to be just any ordinary gun, considering the level of scopes it sported. It was a custom gun, even she could see that from her hiding spot, and one Anton seemed to thoroughly enjoy as he shook his head again.

“We’ve never gotten them like these,” Anton said.

The gun was raised a little more, the butt coming to rest at Anton’s shoulder as he took an aim to the wall and glanced through the scopes. Viviana couldn’t deny the strange sensations that passed through her at the sight. It made her hotter than it should have considering her fear of guns, but who was she to deny his pleasures, or hers?

“No, this one is just for you. The blue is specially manufactured, and that snake skin design costs one hell of a dime to get done, but it looks fucking sweet under the sunlight.”

“I bet. All Russian, too. Shit, we’re looking at a sniper here, yeah?”

“Like I said, I heard you needed something particular. This is very
particular
with a bit of pretty to liken it up. Can’t have our Bratva prince handling something unworthy of his attention, now could I?”

Anton cleared his throat, placing the gun safely back into the case. Viviana stayed hidden at the top of the stairs as he turned and gave the younger man a one-armed hug, whispering words into his ear.

He raised a hand, patting Bo on the back of his neck before their eyes met and a nod was exchanged between both men. Then Anton released him just as quickly, his stance straightening.

“You’re forgiven, Bo. Don’t let last month happen again.”

“Not a chance, Boss.”

As the young man disappeared from the club, Viviana heard Anton’s heavy sigh from down below.

“I know you’re up there, Viviana.”

Shit
.

She couldn’t even have tried to move fast enough if she wanted to. Anton was suddenly at the bottom of the metal stairs with that gun case tight in his grasp.

“I’m—”

“What, baby, sorry for eavesdropping? You know better, Vine.”

A dreadful feeling settled in her stomach as he climbed the stairs with a painstaking slowness. It almost looked predatory as one hand slid over the metal banister and a grim line drew his lips tight into a frown. Her fingers tightened around the remote. Viviana hadn’t meant to walk in on his business, but he was correct when he said she knew better.

“I know. I shouldn’t have—”

“You’re goddamn right,” he interrupted, words coming out like a dark growl. “Where is Jen?”

“Um …”

Words failed to form as he finally came to stand toe to toe with her at the top of the staircase. Viviana practically felt three inches tall under his angry gaze. There was no way to excuse what she had done by continuing to listen in on his conversation after she knew what was happening.

“Jen?” Anton called out loudly.

The woman in question poked her head out of the office doorway, a dress stuck halfway inside a garment bag. “Yeah?”

“I’ll get the rest. Finish up that order and begin getting the bar set up for later, please.”

“You sure? I thought you said Richard—”

“Right the fuck now, Jen,” he snapped sharply.

The tone in his voice seemed to do the trick. Jen quickly dropped the bag inside the room before pushing between Anton and Viviana to get down the stairs.

“You didn’t need to kick her out, Anton.”

“In my office, Viviana.”

“But—”

Her wrist was suddenly in his grasp as he led her down the short hallway to the opened doorway. She was damned lucky she didn’t stumble or fall in those four inch heels. When the door was slammed shut, Viviana turned in his grasp, ready to give him a verbal lashing for the rough handling, but the piercing gaze that met her own stopped the words up short.

“Tell me what you should have done.”

“Pardon me?”

“When you walk in on something like that—what should you do, Viviana?”

That godforsaken lump in her throat had returned. Suddenly, she was hyperaware of that anal plug in her ass again, the jostle of his body pressing closer to hers sending sparks of pleasure licking through her ass as arousal dampened the white lace thong she’d changed into.

“And I like this dress. It was a good choice,” he added, a finger skimming over the V-neck to move the fabric off to the side. At the sight of the lingerie underneath, he hummed appreciatively. The slight bite of fear that had nipped at her heels from the thought of him being angry was all but gone. “Come on, tell me.”

Viviana forced herself to swallow. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t doubt that, but it’s not what I asked.”

“You’re giving me whiplash.”

“You scared the fuck out of me,” Anton bit back, blue eyes darkening. “Thought you were going to walk in on that.”

“I wouldn’t—”

“I know. Still, you shouldn’t have stayed there and listened, either.”

Viviana breathed a shuddering breath, handling the silky fabric of his shirt where he’d rolled the sleeves up to his elbows. Anton’s stance softened at her motions, but she knew she still had a hell of a lot of explaining to do.

“Jen figured all your guests were gone, so I wanted to see what you thought of my dress.”

“It was a last minute call and he was already outside when I received it. I couldn’t very well send him away.”

“I didn’t mean to come in on it like that, and I should have turned around as soon as I knew what was happening.”

“And what was happening?”

A beat of silence passed before she answered with a solid, “Nothing.”

The gun case dropped to the floor, Anton’s foot kicking out to move it aside. “You sure, baby?”

“Yeah, nothing. It was dark, so I didn’t see very much.”

“Good to know.”

Viviana couldn’t help but enjoy the change in his demeanor. In fact, it had shifted like a switch going off when they left the safe house. It might have been his birthday and his party, but it was clearly just another work day for Anton. Very rarely did she get to see him acting like the mob boss he really was, and it hadn’t been something that turned her on like it was now.

“It won’t happen again,” she promised quietly, looking up to meet his gaze again.

“Actually, I’m sure it will, and the next time, I can expect you to turn around and ignore what you’re seeing, yes?”

She wet her lips with her tongue, letting her fingers dance along the black licks of his vine tattoo that barely peaked out from under his rolled up shirt. The defined, rock hard muscles of his forearm twitched under her touch.

“Yes …”

Anton raised a brow. “Are you playing coy with me right now? This isn’t a joke, Vine.”

“I know—”

“No, I don’t believe you do. This is Brighton Beach, Viviana. The men that walk in and out of here aren’t going to be like Ivan digging through our fridge or Erik drinking us out of vodka. They are not my spies, they are my soldiers. This is my territory. I run these fucking streets and more so here than anywhere else, my last name draws attention. Here, I’m not Anton, a friend, or anything like that. I am just
Boss
.”

“Okay.”

“I need to know you understand me. That you’re hearing this.”

Fuck, it would be so much better if she weren’t so goddamn turned on just by the dominant sound his voice had taken on, not to mention the tantalizing toy in her rear that was keeping her body awake and ready with every slight movement. No, there was no forgetting that, either. Maybe his birthday hadn’t been the best time for the toy, considering everything. Even so, Viviana couldn’t deny the lust that raged through her veins like an inferno intent on destroying what little control she had left.

“I’m … I hear you. I
do
,” she insisted when he grunted a disbelieving noise above her. “You know how much I hate to use the term
behave
, but this is one of those situations, right? I mean, you can’t come in here and be just Anton, so why should I expect to come in here acting like I’m just Vine. It’s not … we can’t. I understand that.”

The slightest tilt of her head under his urging had his lips meeting hers softly. She could taste the remnants of bourbon so thick on his tongue when it probed gently inside her mouth. She let her fingers twist into his shirt, wanting him just a little bit closer.

“Thank you.” Without another word, the remote that had been tucked into her hand was back in his, a wicked gleam playing in his eyes. “Had to send it up, but I think I’ll take it back for a little while now. Couldn’t chance it, you know?”

Viviana swallowed, letting her forehead rest on his cheek. “You have pockets in your pants.”

“It might get turned on accidentally. I am being discreet, Vine, or trying to be …” For that, she was grateful. “For now.”

Oh, God
. “You wouldn’t.”

“I might, if I catch my future wife spying on me again. Seriously, it’s not so much that it pisses me off as it’s terribly unsafe for you to be in positions like that.” Again, he lifted her face, his thumbs rolling over her jaw tenderly. “And what would I do if something happened to you, huh? Locked up in my office while you’re aware there are people here is a different story.
They
don’t know you’re here and I prefer it that way. Some of these men … you don’t even know, baby.”

“
You’re
one of those men, Anton.”

Instantaneously, his spine turned ramrod straight, but she didn’t even have the chance to apologize. Catching her off guard, a hand slipped under that short dress of hers, the heat of his palm cupping her sex as his fingers slid against the crack of her ass. The toy jerked to life inside her rear on the second speed, nearly sending Viviana to her knees from the shock, pleasure, and vague hum of pain that burst through every nerve ending she had.

“Oh—”

His voice was a dark sound in her ear, growled through clenched teeth and enough to make her shake. “So, I can go on assuming you’re so fucking wet because of that young man who just left, instead of believing it might have been because the sight of me with a gun on my shoulder got you so damned hot you couldn’t think straight, right?”

Jesus, Viviana couldn’t even speak. His fingers moved her thong aside with a skilful movement, finding where the vibrating plug was driving her absolutely insane inside her ass and pushing the toy a little further in.

Once more, he thrust the toy inside her ass a little harder, giving her the best burn and the sweetest pleasure at the same time. The harsh rhythm of his fingers and the plug fucking her ass had her legs trembling and an orgasm ready to crash onto her like a tidal wave. The heady cry was muffled into his neck as Anton drove her close enough into his hips that she could feel the growing erection pressed to her middle.

“It’s … it-it’s …”

She wanted to say too much, to tell him he needed to slow it down, but Viviana realized it wasn’t true. In fact, her ass backed into his hand, wanting it harder still. The sound of her voice turned high as she begged him for more, only getting low chuckles in response.

“Tell me, Viviana … is that what got you so hot, baby? I quite like that young man, but it wouldn’t be too much of a drop in my bucket if he needed to go.” When his teeth bit her neck, he muttered, “I’m a jealous motherfucker when it comes to what’s mine, or haven’t I told you that yet?”

“No-no … not him,” she stuttered, so fucking close to falling off that peak he held her on.

“The gun, then?”

“No, yes … Oh, fuck, Anton,
please
.”

“No, or yes. Which one is it?”

“Both,” she somehow managed to breathe.

Before she could speak again, he impaled her with the toy even deeper, opening the clenching ring of muscles that held the toy tight. Immediately, it sent her spinning into an orgasm so intense tears slipped through her clamped-shut eyes, spilling against his neck. As her knees gave out, every muscle in her body relaxed at the rush of relief and euphoria that soaked her like a bucket of ice water.

Slowly, her panting breaths decreased as Viviana whined brokenly from the aftershocks.

Never had something hit her so strongly.

“There, hmm?” he hummed darkly, kissing along the raging pulse in her neck. “I think you needed that. Bend over my desk.”

That sobered her instantly. “What?”

“I believe it can come out, given how well you opened for me just then. If you can handle that, well…” He trailed off with another one of those throaty hums of his that sent her sex clenching. “I know you brought the kit for it, so pack it away in that purse of yours and we’ll keep it under my desk until we leave tonight. Clean it at home, whatever. Besides, I think you need to show me what else you bought when we get back. Sound good?”

Her throat was so tight that she could only nod in response. On shaky legs, she moved from his embrace, letting his hand find the small of her back. Anton grabbed her purse off the back of the chair, quickly finding the plastic box inside for the toy. With her palms lying flat on the edge of his desk, she sighed a heavy breath as he bunched the dress around her waist before laying a kiss to the rounded cheek of her ass. Her thong was hooked to his thumb and moved to the side.