I slap my hand against the headboard, holding myself steady so I don’t fall forward as his powerful thrusts rock me. Over and over again, he plows into me. His fingertips dig into my hips. His cock fills me as his balls slap against me.
“Artem! Oh, god, Artem!” I fist the bedding, feeling as though the world is about to slip out from beneath us and swallow us whole. I would welcome it, so long as Artem falls with me.
He grabs hold of the end of the belt, pulling it until the leather tightens around my throat.
“Elana.” He grinds my name out as though it’s taken every ounce of patience he has to mutter it.
It’s a command. A permission granted.
My body, much like my mind and heart, obeys him, unleashing an orgasm so intense, my voice dies as I scream out from the pleasure. The belt is released, and he grabs hold of my hips again, pulling me to him as he drives forward, riding me through my orgasm until I’m a breathless mess beneath him.
Only then does he plow hard into me and still, spilling himself inside of me with a low growl of pleasure.
Long moments later, when we’re beneath the bedsheets and I’m tucked against his chest, he kisses the top of my head.
“Elana.” This time my name sounds pained. “We should talk soon.”
“We’re talking now,” I say lazily, my eyelids dropping closed. The warmth of his body against mine and the even beating of his heart beneath my ear has me half-asleep.
“Soon,” he says, again kissing my head.
In the darkness, somewhere between consciousness and dreaming, I say the words burning my tongue.
“I love you, Artem.”
In the morning, the bed and the house are empty.
I’m alone.
Sienna sits in Kaz’s office, curled up in the corner of his couch with a book splayed open on the rolled leather arm when I peek through the doorway.
“Sienna?” I say her name softly, not wanting to disturb her. Kaz mentioned she’s been studying for the Illinois teaching certification test so she can start teaching next school year.
She looks up from her book, relief washing across her face.
“Elana.” She flashes a genuine smile.
“I don’t want to disturb you,” I say, stepping into the office. Kaz has gone to meet Alexander and city council members trying to finalize plans for a casino resort they’re building.
“No. Please do.” She laughs, shutting the book. “I don’t know why I’m so worried about this test.”
“You really like teaching?”
“I do.” She nods, dropping her feet to the floor. “It gives me purpose, and kids are so eager to learn. When they finally understand something that had been confusing to them only moments before, it’s exciting.”
She swishes her hand through the air. “I know, it sounds weird.”
“No. I get it. I would imagine it’s rewarding to be the one to help them learn the world around them.”
She nods. “It is.”
“Kaz isn’t giving you trouble about it, is he? Sometimes my brothers can be a little…overbearing.”
She snorts. “That’s an understatement.”
I sigh. “Yeah.”
“But no, he’s supportive. So long as I teach in a good school district that’s not too far away, and there’s security at the school…and if there isn’t, he’ll send his own.” She lowers her voice in one of the best impersonations of my brother I’ve seen.