Read The Dark Duet Online

Authors: KaSonndra Leigh

Tags: #Organized Crime, #Romantic Suspense, #Thrillers & Suspense, #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Crime, #Romance, #Teen & Young Adult, #KaSonndra Leigh, #Mystery & Suspense, #Thrillers, #Suspense, #New Adult, #Contemporary Romance, #Literature & Fiction

The Dark Duet (25 page)

BOOK: The Dark Duet
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“You’re speaking my language now, baby.” Nikolai takes me aside and kisses me deeply, my body responding to his touch almost instantly.

We share another night together, on the run, under the stars in the country where we first met months ago.

Life can be so damn ironic.

The next morning, I find Nikolai sitting on the hillside located across the field from our little cottage. He’s playing a guitar, yet another of his artsy talents. I’d seen it sitting in his penthouse several times and wanted to ask him to play for me, but I was too afraid.

I linger beside the tree behind him and listen to him strum the tune, “The Morning Song” by Jewel, one of my favorites, while a gentle breeze blows my hair and rustles my white dress. I find his attention to my musical tastes flattering, and it’s truly amazing to watch him evolve from the man I met several months ago—a guarded, jilted soul who believed his only purpose in life was to cause pain to those who have done the same thing to him—into a man who trusts me enough to open up and finally say the three words I never thought he’d ever say.

In Nikolai, I can finally accept my need for love and prosper in his willingness to give it. We need this, my light inside his darkness. The bond between us and everything we’ve experienced feels right.

“Did you like the song?” he asks without turning my way. Sometimes I believe he’s truly a phantom the way he can sense my presence without me saying a word. He’s an enigma and I love everything about him. Taking advantage of my lack of stealth, I walk over to him, move his guitar aside and plop down in his lap.

“I did love it. A lot. How about I show you just how much I enjoyed it,” I say coyly. The dark look clouding his gaze tells me he’s ready to find out. I lift my dress over my head and bask in the feel of the wind flowing over my naked body, while savoring the raw desire swimming in Nikolai’s eyes.

“My God, you are a beautiful woman,” he breathes just before he buries his face between my breasts. He removes his clothing and lowers his body down over mine, the heat radiating from his skin making me feel warmer than I truly am. Grinding his erection between my thighs a few seconds, he slides his cock into me with one well-timed movement, pushing all the way into me and driving me wild with ecstasy.

“Tell me you love me, Nikolai.”

He lifts his head without breaking his rhythmic stroking. Gazing deep into my eyes, he says, “I love you, Alestasia. With all I have in me.” And when we both orgasm together, I don’t even try and stop the tears rolling down my cheeks.

Tears of joy and no pain.

Afterwards, I roll over and snuggle into Nikolai’s strong embrace, inhaling his scent mixing with the fresh air of Geneva’s countryside as a floral aroma drifts through the air around us. I’m finally able to accept love into my life ... true love and not some travesty created by the CIA.

“What are you thinking?” Nikolai asks.

“That I’ll never view classical music quite the same way ever again,” I answer, thinking of the way we both adjusted our fighting patterns to a Mozart tune.

Nikolai laughs. It’s a beautiful sound, and the way his face lights up when he’s smiling fills me with an immense feeling of satisfaction. I don’t ever want this moment to end.

“What’s next on our dance card?” I ask.

“It’s time to deal with Vladimir,” he answers. I snuggle up against him and allow myself to experience freedom in the arms of the man I love, a peace of mind I’m pretty sure won’t last for long. Until then, I plan to steal as much joy as I can out of this moment between Nikolai and me.

However, time has a way of slipping out of my hands whenever I find myself enjoying moments like this one, and today doesn’t seem to be about to prove itself any different.

Nikolai’s cell phone chimes through the air. Grumbling, he says, “Thought I left explicit instructions for Crow when I told him we weren’t to be interrupted.” He glances at his phone and his whole body goes on alert. I lift my head.

“What’s wrong?” I ask. Nikolai lifts his finger, the look on his eyes silencing me. His face goes through several emotions as he listens to the person, whom I assume is Crow, speaking on the other line.

“I understand and am here for you,” Nikolai says, his voice darkening. “We’ll find her. No worries.” Chest heaving, Nikolai clenches his fists, stands, and gently sets his phone down on the ground beside us. His every move is calculated, the man I’ve hidden away inside a foreign country with over the past week disappearing inside a storm of reality. This sudden change in his mood startles me, and I sense the Phantom rising in him again.

“What happened?” I ask.

“That was Aleksandr,” he answers, working his jaw muscles. “He says the Master Phoenix has Katerina.”

~Nikolai~

This makes the first time Alek has called me since I made my wishes about needing some space clear to my family by putting distance between us months ago. Right away, I could sense that something had gone wrong by the tone of his voice.

Apparently, Katerina has decided to take matters of dealing with the guilt I have indirectly caused her into her own hands. Now, with no thanks to the Phoenix, one madman has been put down and another has the most valuable bargaining chip in this game ... Sergey Dostovsky’s ex-wife.

“It’s time to return to Russia, to handle things left undone for too long,” I say, thinking of the way my family; the way they turned their back on me and threatened to have me arrested if I ever returned.

“I’m going with you. Don’t even try stopping me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing,” I say truthfully.

With Alese by my side, I have a calming presence inside the storm that has been my life. Yet, I don’t know whether I should be relieved or worried.

“The tracking device lost Vladimir’s trail earlier this morning,” Alese explains as she closes the computer for the sixth time since we arrived at our terminal.

Our flight to Moscow is late, but our determination to succeed in this mission remains untarnished and ready to exact revenge for both our respective pasts.

“We have all the information we need for now,” I assure her, still wondering what I have done in this life to deserve such an incredible woman. I guess maybe Laima, the Russian Goddess of Luck, has finally decided to send a bit of good fortune my way.

“Will Paolo be able to handle things while you and Crow are gone?” Alese asks, stuffing her computer into its bag. She still feels guilty for asking me to abandon the company for her, which after learning from the last time I chose my selfish ambitions over love would probably never have happened anyway.

“I’m positive,” I assure her, but she doesn’t look convinced.

“Seriously, though, I want you to check on Inamorata while we’re gone,” she urges. I lean over and kiss the part of her scar that crosses the bridge of her nose, yet another one of Vladimir’s tokens he’ll be paying for one day soon. Thank goodness the wound didn’t damage the nerve endings in her skin. I would never have forgiven myself.

“Stop worrying. I’m not abandoning our group. I will return to Inamorata as soon as we’re done in Mother Russia. Trust me, all right?”

“I do trust you. With my life,” she answers, holding my gaze and saying so much with the gleam in her gorgeous hazel eyes. Standing and gathering our things, we head through the airport, hand-in-hand, a dark couple turning heads as the Phantom and his Ghost walk by.

God help the man who has betrayed us.

The End of Book Three

About the Author

KaSonndra Leigh lives in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. She lives in an L-shaped house with her two sons (nicknamed the X-men), a yorkiepoo, a cat named Hercules, and a guinea pig called Achilles. She has created a secret library that comes complete with fairies, Venetian plastered walls, a desk made out of clear blue glass, and a garden dedicated to her grandmother, Nezzetta Tomlinson Wall. Rest in peace lovely lady.

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BOOK: The Dark Duet
2.88Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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