“I’m going to see what they’re good at, and then have them do it a lot until they make money for themselves.”
“Good plan.” His hands left my body. “What do you need from me?”
I thought about the bank accounts he’d opened in my name three days ago. Both held more money than I’d seen in my lifetime. “You’ve given me enough. I can figure it out from here.”
“No,” he whispered on my other side as if he’d slowly been circling me.
“No, what?”
“No. Never say that I’ve given you enough. I want to spoil you.”
“You already have.”
“What do you need, mysh?”
I thought about it for a few seconds. “Guns.”
“Guns?” His chuckle came from behind. “Most girlfriends just want flowers and puppies.”
Hearing the word girlfriend was still hard to swallow, but I did as my smile widened.
I heard him on my other side. “What else do you need?”
“Your cock. Right...now.”
“Patience, mysh.”
I didn’t know why I’d agreed to being tied and blindfolded. It was already too hard to know his moves with my eyes open and hands free. Here I was, completely vulnerable to him, and I felt so safe. So protected. Completely loved. Absolutely unable to lie or strategically word my answers.
Kazimir’s lips brushed mine. Warmth settled low in my belly. I itched to run my fingers through his hair.
“I want you more and more each day.” His voice bound me tightly to him, more than the ribbons ever could. “And this need is driving me insane.”
Those words reduced me to a trembling pool of longing. Drowning, I reached out with my senses, seeking balance as a horde of emotions rioted. My head spun out of control. This was all new to me. I didn’t know how much of my struggles with our relationship dealt with fear of love or us possibly moving too fast.
“And this need is driving me insane.”
“I’m yours.” My words went low, exposing my vulnerability. “Do whatever you want.”
“Hmmm.”
Silence reigned. His footsteps echoed, telling me he’d walked away. Panic raged in me.
Blindly, I turned my head from side to side. “Kaz?” I tried to move my bound arms. “Come back.”
“Promise me something.” Kaz’s slow, deliberate footsteps echoed against the marble floor. “Let me teach you how to navigate in my world. Who else could?”
I loved the idea. I just didn’t enjoy being a charity case. I knew Kazimir had more important things to do than hold my hand and show me around.
Could I learn from him?
Kazimir ruled the world because he was Kazimir. Some things couldn’t be taught. The characteristics that made him the boss of all bosses were imbedded deep within his muscular frame.
Unsure of what to say, I parted my lips.
He responded, “Whatever you were planning, I want you to stop. Let me take you under my wing for this year, and then you go out confidently on your own.”
A year under your wing? I’m sure I’ll be under your cock too.
An offer to mentor might’ve upset me long ago. I’d wanted Kazimir to respect my mind over my body. I needed him to see me as useful, but that had been a learning lesson and a bag of insecurities I would no longer unzip.
Kazimir would show me the ropes, but he would also be watching my every move and making sure I was safe. It had nothing to do with the fact that he didn’t think I was capable of handling myself. He knew who I was.
He just loved me too much to let me get hurt.
And I loved him too much to fight that.
“Mysh?”
“I think you would be a great teacher. I wasn’t doing much with my men anyway. It was on a very low level. Hobby-gangstering, at best.”
“Hobby-gangstering?” He chuckled. “But to the world, you are me. When you speak, it will be as if they are my words. That’s how people here will see it. That’s what you can never forget. So, you should know what I would say first, before you get to the point of talking.”
“Okay. And, I’ll be careful with my words and what I do.”
“Good.”
Okay. Now fuck me.
But my lion had more to say. “I was told that you’ve been fighting with your men.”
I held in my groan.
You’ve been told? Or you have people watching me? Naughty lion.
“Mysh?”
“I’m not fighting my men. I’m training with them.”
“For what?”
“Because it’s fun.”
“Good.”
“Good?” I asked.
“So, the fighting will stop,” he declared.
“It won’t. I like learning how to fight.”
“You already know.”
“But I could learn much more.”
“Then, I’ll teach you that too.”
“You can’t do it all, Kaz.”
“Watch me.”
I let out a long sigh.
“It appears we came to an agreement.”
I grinned. “Have we?”
“We have.” He gave me a soft kiss.
I tried to suck on his lip. He moved that lovely face away.
“Come here,” I whispered. “Stop teasing me.”
“There’s more to discuss.”
I shook my head. “What else does my stubborn lion have to say?”
“You’re smart.” He touched my leg. “But do you know why I’ve tied you up?”
I didn’t say anything.
“You do, don’t you?” His hands caressed my thighs. “Tell me.”
The obvious answer would’ve been he probably liked to tie women up. It was why most men did it. I had no problem with the bondage thing, if it was only him tying me. With Kazimir, I knew he would never hurt me. I believed it deep down in my soul.
But Kazimir didn’t tie me up for an obvious reason. He was a man of complications. The red ribbons weren’t all about sex. In some ways, they represented blood. In other ways, love. But, most important, the binding served as the true symbol.
“Mysh.”
“You tied me up because you want me to know I’m trapped to you.” I felt a ribbon slide against my ankles as he began to bind my legs. My muscles tightened in response.
Kaz won’t hurt me. Relax.
My bottom lip quivered as I swallowed my fear. “This is a metaphor for us.”
I stood perfectly still while he tied my ankles as he had my wrists. Each satin loop bound me tighter and tighter. I would be forced to stand there until Kaz saw fit to lift me down and cut the ribbons. There would be no hopping off the pedestal. No running away.
When he finished, he whispered from behind, “I don’t want to share you, not with the world, not with your men. Not with anyone.”
“You’ll never have to share me.”
“Good. It’ll be safer that way.” Kazimir pulled me closer to him. Tangled up in the satin ribbons, I could only move his way.
His breath warmed my neck as he flicked his tongue beneath my ear. I couldn’t control my arching back. Hot sensations hit my pleasure spots. My knees buckled, but Kazimir caught me with one arm.