Chapter 7 Chapter 7

Maksim

“What gives with you tonight?” My best friend Norden asks as we sit in the upscale Manhattan bar. People are everywhere; usually this doesn’t bother me. Tonight everything is bothering me. I want to find Valentina; I want to smell that intoxicating fruity shower smell again. Since when have I ever been fixated on a woman like I am now? Honestly, I feel like my mind is on some kind of wild streak.

“That woman over there in silver is trying to catch your eye,” he says. I glance at the mirror underneath the optics behind the bar, and can see a striking woman watching me. Her auburn hair hangs over her plump breasts. The silver dress leaves nothing to the imagination as it clings to every curve, with a V that shows off some of her cleavage. The bottom rests mid-thigh. This is exactly the kind of easy woman that ordinarily satisfies my high sex drive.

Tonight, however, nothing. My dick isn’t even interested. Fuck maybe I am broken? What if Valentina Santangelo has broken me for all the other women out there? Or maybe I’m tired, or it could be the fact that a woman had a sniper pointed right to my head to blow my fucking brains out. I take a long drink of the Macallan. It slides easily down my throat, that familiar burn that I enjoy so much.

Norden nudges my elbow. “Hey, Man. What’s going on in that head of yours? You never give up a free fuck. She’s gagging for it, Man.” I look at him. He is a good-looking guy. Eyes the color of the ocean, dark long lashes, skin that is tan from his regular jaunts to sunny climates, and his outdoor surfing passion. He lives a few months of the year in California, then a couple of months back in Russia to be with family; the rest he bums around. He can afford it; he’s a billionaire. Big inheritance from his Russian grandparents, all legitimate business. The rest he owns through his shipping business. Our paths often cross in business.

Our back story started in private school. I was the one with the name that everyone was wary of. Being a Silov was not easy growing up. When I went to private school, the children stayed away from me. Nobody wanted to cross me for fear of my father torturing one of their own family members. Yeah, like I said, it wasn’t great.

Norden was the first to ignore the others and come and sit with me during lunch break once. He introduced himself and showed me around. He told me where you could get away with smoking when we were twelve. I soon gave that up when my grandfather died of lung cancer. He introduced me at fifteen to the girls that would put out. And boy, did I fuck like a rabbit and then some.

“Not interested tonight, that’s all. I’m tired. Being in Croatia was draining as fuck. The heat was worse than hell,” I tell him, then knock back my drink and tap the crystal tumbler on the bar to get the attention of the staff.

It doesn’t take long for the brunette girl to come my way, batting her eyelashes, pulling her black top down slightly to show me the curve of her breast. I manage to refrain from rolling my eyes.

“You tired?” he says, laughter in his voice. “Dude, they are drooling for you. Take one home already and get laid. It will destress you. It looks like you need it.”

I mean, he could be right, but I don’t think I will perform since all I can think of is Valentina on her knees, her large eyes looking at mine, sucking me off, then exploding my hot cum over those full lips of hers. That image makes my dick wake up. Not enough to embarrass me, but it has some life. Thank fuck. For a hot minute there, I thought I was sick or something.

“What can I get you?” the brunette asks, licking her bottom lip.

“Another Macallan and one for him, please,” I reply.

“You got it,” she says. She turns and reaches for the half-full bottle, turns back to us and pours the amber liquid into the glasses.

“Anything else you might like?” she asks in a flirty tone. Norden chuckles. Fucking hell.

“I’m good, thanks,” I tell her. “He is looking for a hook up though, right?” I say, looking at Norden to take it from here.

Instead, the asshole raises his hands in the air. “Nope, not me. I have a date lined up for later.”

What? He didn’t tell me that. I give him a puzzled look.

“Shame,” the brunette says. “I was kind of hoping for a threesome.” She looks between us suggestively. She can only be around twenty. Since when did they get this brazen? Fuck my life, the world is changing.

Norden wiggles his eyebrows. “Now, that sounds more interesting,” he says and nudges my knee.

I glare at him, ice in my eyes to warn him to shut the fuck up.

“No can do, I’m busy,” I tell her and knock the drink back in one. Norden raises his eyebrows at me.

“Are you sure, handsome? Only, I’m good with my mouth.”

I almost choke on the last of the liquid.

“I’m sure you are, but I have somewhere to be,” I tell her as Norden furrows his brows.

I place the tumbler back on the bar, tap Norden on the shoulder and say, “Catch up with you soon. I have somewhere to be.”

The brunette huffs and stomps off, deflated, back to the other end of the bar to serve an asshole with slicked-back hair who gives her a salacious grin.

“Where have you got to me, my friend?” Norden asks.

“Anywhere but here. Sorry to cut out on you like this. I’m just not in the right frame of mind, Norden. Sorry, Man.”

He shrugs his shoulders. “No problem. I do have a woman to see later. Michaela is meeting me at the hotel.”

That is his on-off female friend; it’s one of those sex with no ties arrangements. It suits Norden down to the ground, since he travels a lot, and she is a defense lawyer, too busy focusing on her career to be a regular man in her life.

I slap a couple of hundred-dollar bills on the bar to cover the drinks and a hefty tab for being an asshole to the girl. Then head out, making my way through the throng of well-dressed people laughing and having fun.

Then I feel it as I go through the open door. Something slams into my chest.

“Fucking asshole, dick. Watch where you are going.” That voice, I might have only heard a handful of times in my life, but I would recognize it anywhere.

I glance down and see the fire blazing in her eyes. Those long black lashes frame the most stunning eyes I have ever seen.

“Котёнок, how nice to see you,” I say as I give her a cocky grin.

“Fuck you, Maksim. It is not reciprocated. Next time, watch where the hell you’re going.”

I notice her harsh tone; I love a woman with a fire burning in her belly.

My hands are still on her naked upper arms; the heat from her soft skin is burning into my palms. Her lips part. Yeah, she wants me; there is no denying it.

“Get out of my way, you’re blocking the entrance.”

“I’ve changed my mind, let me buy you and your friend a drink,” I say as she tries to wriggle out of my grasp. I don’t ease off the pressure; I know I’m not hurting her. I just want to feel the softness of her skin for a few seconds more. She smells of expensive perfume, Chanel at a guess. It’s then that I notice her friend narrowing her eyes at me.

“Let her go, asshole,” she snaps at me.

“Not until you let me buy you both a drink,” I reply.

Valentina looks like she could murder me. Hell, the woman almost did. I was unaware until I saw the sun glinting off the end of her rifle.

Her friend twitches her lips. “Sure, let’s do it. And you are?” she asks.

“Maksim Silov,” I tell her in a deep voice.

“The pain in my fucking ass,” Valentina retorts.

“Fine,” she gives in.

“Good girl, I knew you’d give in,” I tell her then try my panty-melting smile on her that exposes my dimples.

She rolls her eyes. “Save it for the girls, Maksim. I’m one woman you will never be able to flatter.”

Then she leans forward into me. Oh, I like this. Until she opens her mouth.

“You better start running soon, Maksim. I’ve not finished yet. You are still my target.”

And holy fuck, my dick is hard and aching in my pants.