“Fucking asshole!” I yell, before speed-walking my ass out of there, feeling very much like a repeat of Miniskirt.
Keeping my head down, I push my way through the crowd, and when I finally make it outside, the same burly bouncer from before is waiting for me. He grabs onto my arm and tries to lead me down the steps.
“Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
He keeps a tight hold on me and points to a waiting taxi. “Relax, Moira, I am just following orders and making sure you get in cab safely.”
“Nikolai’s orders?”
When the man doesn’t confirm or deny, I let out an angry groan and allow myself to be led to the waiting car, because there’s no way in hell I can drive, and I was planning on calling one anyway.
I get into the taxi and say, “Fine, but you can tell Nik I said to kiss my ass!”
The man laughs and shuts the door on my angry face. I give the driver directions and sink into the backseat, wanting nothing more than to crawl into my lousy airbed and forget this night ever happened.
Chapter4
Nikolai
It’s been over a week since I pinned Moira to the wall, and I swear I can still feel her toned body pressed against mine, and every time I close my eyes, I see the hurt look on her face and taste the salty tear on my tongue. Every time it’s like a fresh punch to the gut. I try to tell myself it’s for the best, that nothing could ever work between us and that it’s stupid to get involved with someone so young who’s also a business competitor, but I know it’s all bullshit.
The truth is I’m scared.
I’ve never felt anything like this before, and it scares the living hell out of me. It doesn’t matter anyway because she’s too good for me. I’ve no right to even put my hands on her. I did her a favor that night, whether she realizes it or not. I give the bag another hard punch, trying to rid myself of my past—everything that I don’t want to think about and that I wish would quit haunting me.
By the time I manage to clear my head, I’m dripping sweat and the last one in the club. I don’t even remember the others clearing out, but considering how long I’ve been standing here throwing punches like a wild man, it’s not all that surprising. Some people actually have better things to do on a Tuesday night.
My phone dings from where it’s sitting on top of my discarded shirt. Pulling off my gloves, I walk over, noticing I’ve had three more missed calls, all from that same unfamiliar number. I ignore them and scan my messages. As soon as I see the Cyrillic writing, I feel a pang of disappointment, even though I know it’s stupid. Moira doesn’t even have my number, and even if she did, I’m the last person she’d ever text.
I quickly read the text from Dima. It’s short and sweet.Don’t forget you promised Gina you’d have supper over here tonight. Hurry your ass up!
I groan and lock the doors before hurrying to the locker room. I’d completely forgotten about my promise to Gina. She’d cornered me the other day and said I looked like hell and that she was going to cook me a big meal. She may be petite, but the woman can be pretty damn formidable when she wants to be. Even though I’m more than twice her age, she’s taken to mothering me a bit which Dima finds hilarious.
Walking to my locker, I grab everything I’ll need and strip out of the workout shorts I’d changed into earlier. Nudity’s never bothered me, the orphanage made it impossible to be hung up on something like that, so I walk naked to the showers and turn the hot water on full blast. Stepping under the stream of water, I let out a deep sigh as my sore, tense muscles are pummeled into submission. The gym’s locker room is the best in the city, and if I had the time, I’d sit in one of the hot tubs and also take time for the sauna.
The clock is ticking, though, so I quickly wash my short hair and scrub my body. Ever since meeting Moira, I’ve been in a constant battle with my cock. I try to clear my mind, but the second I start to remember the perfect curve of her ass in those skinny jeans she’d been wearing, I’m rock hard and so frustrated I want to scream and punch the damn wall.
“God, I don’t fucking have time for this,” I mutter to myself, but I’m already fisting my cock and moving my hand, knowing I’ll never get any peace until I do.
Resting my free hand against the tiled wall, I keep my head down so the water isn’t hitting me square in the face and let it fall over me as I work myself harder. My mind is filled with images of Moira—the way she’d looked the first time I’d seen her in her bibs that gave me sexy glimpses of her sides and the line of her hips, the way her jeans had molded to her long legs and ass the last time I’d seen her, and the way her eyes went dark when I had her pinned against the damn wall.
I remember everything, every small detail of that moment, except in this fantasy, I don’t let her leave. I slide her jeans off and pick her up, sinking my thick cock into her as she writhes and bucks against me, screaming my name when I start to fuck her hard and fast. I swear I can feel her around me and against me, and when my body starts to tense, it’s her name I groan with my release.
Fisting my hand against the wall, I pump myself harder, lost in the pleasure but at the same time wishing I was buried deep inside Moira’s sweet pussy instead of jerking off in a damn shower stall. When I’m finally empty, I clean myself off, irritated that I feel even more frustrated than when I started. My cock is at least resting for the moment. Small victory, but I’ll take it.
Knowing I’m really going to be late now, I turn off the water and grab a towel, drying myself off on the way back to my locker. I dress quickly and send a text to Dima that I’m on my way. The drive to their house only takes about fifteen minutes, but I make it in ten. Dima bought the craftsman-style house for Gina as a wedding present, and when I pull into the driveway behind Aleksei’s red car, a stab of jealousy hits me. The windows are all lit up, there are baskets of hanging flowers all over the porch, and it just screamshappy, loving family. I can’t help but think about how nice it would be to drive into my own driveway and have it lit up like this, knowing my wife and child are inside waiting for me.
I think about just leaving and making up an excuse about not feeling well, but Dima steps out onto the porch and waves me in. With a groan, I get out and tell myself to get a grip.
“Took you long enough,” Dima moans, patting his stomach. “I’m fucking starving, and Gina wouldn’t let me eat until you got here.”
“Poor fucking baby,” I say with a laugh.
I follow him inside and wave hello to Aleksei and Jamie and walk over to give Gina a quick hug. Her dark hair is pulled into a ponytail, and she gives me a big grin and pats my cheek when I let her go.
“I’m so glad you came, and I hope you’re hungry because I made a ton.”
“I’m starving.” I look over at the packed counter of food, noticing the huge bowl of spaghetti and tray of garlic, cheesy bread. “It smells delicious, Gina.”