Page 80 of Pay the Piper

I smile softly as I nod.

“Good.” Smiling, he reaches out his hand. “Then come here, my beautiful girl.”

I waste no time following his command. My time with him is limited, and I plan to spend it all wrapped in his embrace.

I stop just short of the bed, taking notice of how he’s already as solid as a rock. That is magnificent as well.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, “I know you’re not feeling well, but I can’t help it.”

I chuckle, crawling slowly onto the bed between his legs.

“Abby, what are you—”

With my eyes locked on his, I take the head of his cock into my mouth. I certainly know how to suck a dick, but Misha’s is the first one I’ve actually enjoyed. And God, do I enjoy it. The thought alone has me salivating. I crave it even though he rarely gives me the chance to taste him. He’s usually so adamant about my pleasure, but not tonight. Tonight, I’m worshipping this man.

“Oh fuck, baby,” he groans, throwing his head back, only momentarily breaking our eye contact before bringing his attention back to me.

I work him the way I know he loves, taking him deep in my throat and using my tongue to play with his piercing as I suck. It doesn’t take long before he’s shaking with restraint. He never wants to finish in my mouth even though I wish he would. I’ve asked why before, but all I got was a vague mumble about only filling up my pussy for a while.

As much as I would love to have a mouthful of his cum, I slow my pursuit. His good girl until the end. His best girl. The one he’ll always remember…

Reaching down, he takes a strand of my hair in his hand and combs it gently behind my ear. He rests his hand there as I take him in shallowly, playing with his piercing. His calluses are rough against my skin as he ever so delicately rubs my cheek with his thumb. It’s easier to maintain his gaze when I’m not working him so hard, and I can’t look away. His eyes are glazed over, but it’s not lust, it’s awe. It’s love. The love I’ve become so accustomed to. The love I’ll hold on to for eternity.

The ache between my legs becomes unbearable as I remember that this is my last night with Misha. I give him one last deep suck before repositioning myself to straddle him. He doesn’t normally like to give me control, but tonight, he doesn’t seem to mind. Tonight, he watches in awe as I sink down on him.

“Fuck, you’re so goddamn tight, baby.” His hands go instinctively to my hips, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Like they belong there. Because they do. Because I’m his.

Regardless of what happens tomorrow, I know that I will always belong to Misha Mavrin. I can’t help but wonder why the universe would put him in my life only to take him away. I could be angry. I could curse the stars who dangled heaven in front of my face. But I choose to look at this from a different narrative.

Perhaps in another existence, we lived a happy life together…madly in love until our dying breath. And when our time was up, we begged the heavens for more time. Maybe this is the answer to our prayer, that we would find each other in every life, if even for a moment.

I smile at that thought. That no matter how dark things get, I’ll never be empty like I was again.

Because I’ve finally been made whole. And no matter what happens to me, as long as the other half of my soul carries on, so will I.

Leaning down, I press my lips to his, kissing him gently before pulling back just enough to search his eyes. “I love you.”

Chapter 31

As sunlight streams into the bedroom, I blink blearily into the morning and wish I could go back to sleep. My dreams were astonishing, an unbelievable future full of love, warmth, safety, and family.

Mila and I had survived the hell of our existence in Russia and escaped to America, and she was the Pakhan, as she deserved to be. Wherever we lived, it wasn’t cold, and life was good, with a huge extended family and a Bratva operating as a well-oiled machine.

The best part, by far, was having a family. A beautiful woman who loved me, not for my money, and despite the terrible things I’ve done and will continue to do. A gorgeous redhead, and in my dream she had just told me we were going to have our first baby.

Abby!

I’m wide awake now, realizing that parts of my dream are my reality. My reality, a murderous street kid from the streets of Moscow. I do have a goddess of my own, although to my knowledge she’s not pregnant. After yesterday, though, a man can hope.

My cock twitches, its half-hard status threatening to rise to the occasion and point its way toward its favorite place to start the day. Thinking of the way we made love, the raw emotion and power of her soul as she surrendered it to me…it was different from any other time we’ve been intimate, and it shifted something within me.

Maybe today’s the day to do something wild. We could take the bike out on a proper road trip since I don’t have to be back for practice until tomorrow morning. Or try the new cheese conveyor belt place down the street.

Or you could go down to the courthouse and then try to convince her to take her IUD out.

If my dick was showing moderate interest in starting the day a moment ago, he’s fully at attention now. The idea of Abby agreeing to lock herself to me legally, to share a last name and be a family, even if it’s just the two of us for a while…It’s the hottest thing I’ve ever imagined, and I turn to her side of the bed to try to convince her to make my dreams come true.

Within the next second, I realize that the other side of the bed isn’t just empty, it’s cold. Abby usually doesn’t wake that much earlier than me. Sitting up, I listen for the shower, but the condo is silent. Perhaps she’s soaking in the tub.