Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 36428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
It has no reason to.
Bras have always been a maybe at best in her life, and no panties provides easier access for a quickie, a fact that plays an even more major role now that Vlad is mobile.
And rather fast to have legs like tiny, uncooked potatoes.
After gently tossing her dress off to the side, I drop my gaze back to the ground instead of letting it linger on the bare area between her thighs that I’m anxious to touch. The willpower to not do so requires every ounce of strength in me as does not releasing the hungry grumble clawing at the back of my vocal cords.
“Hand,” Remy politely instructs, instantly receiving an open palm. Her fingers use the appendage for assistance during her transition into the freestanding, whirlpool tub, and once she’s securely underneath the warm water, she purrs, “Thank you, Pet.”
“Vsegda.”
Silence starts an unsympathetic stretch from wall to wall, sticking to every marble surface in the wide space, and settling into each crevice it can find. The noiselessness is oddly painful. Almost as though a million freshly sharpened needles are simultaneously piercing my skin from the inside and out.
“Kneel.”
Lowering myself to my knees beside the edge of the large tub is executed without reluctance.
“You may begin.”
I nod, inch over the direction of her feet, and reach into the nearby basket to retrieve the liquid soap. Light from the candles illuminates the otherwise dim area igniting flickers of hope that I cannot only scrub away the shame staining my soul but rinse off the distrust that’s clouding hers.
Remy rests her heel on the edge of the tub at the same time she expresses, “You may speak.”
My stare swings to her.
“Freely.”
“As Pet or as husband?” I inquire while carefully squeezing the end of the bottle into my open hand.
“Both.”
“You may not think it, but I know place.” Putting the item on the ground is followed by gently rubbing my palms together. “Truly.” Capturing her foot with both sets of fingers, I begin to knead the portion that’s now in my possession. “I know place as Pet and husband. I…just…make…oshibka.”
“A huge fucking mistake.”
My bare shoulders bounce. “Ya ne idealen.”
“No one is perfect, Yavok.”
“I not try to be.” Deeper pressure is applied. “I just try to help. Thought I was helping. Never meant to upset you. Intent never to hurt you, vaimoni.”
Her unchanging expression pushes me to continue to plead my case.
“Had in mind that I not Puppet. That I better than him. That I do everything better than him. That I benefit to Minun Herrani, not burden. Felt need to prove that.”
A quirked eyebrow is presented in tandem with a toe wiggle caused by my fingers hitting a sensitive spot. “Prove that shit to who?”
“Itse.”
The Finnish spoken confession pulls her brow tightly together.
“Moya gordost' vzyala verkh nado mnoy,” I huff out, switching to Russian, “i ya znayu, ya znayu, gordost' predshestvuyet gibeli. Papa vsegda preduprezhdal menya, kogda byl na vode.” Realizing I might’ve said too much, too fast for her to accurately translate, I rush to reword in English. “Pride got…better of me.”
Remy’s frame slinks into the water a bit further in a silent understanding.
“Pride…Pride always come before ruin. I know this. Da. I…I very know this. Father warn about while we fish. Yavok just…bit…forgetful.”
“You mean stubborn?”
The playfulness in my tone is unmistakable, “Is same, no?”
“Net,” my wife warmly snickers on a light splash of water.
“Da,” I good-naturedly disagree while continuing the soapy massage, “just lost in translation.”
More laughter escapes, and I briefly shut my eyes to let it wash over me.
Momentarily alleviate the ache in my chest.
The second it dies back down, I swiftly resume my explanation, “By try not to be Puppet…became Puppet.” Pangs that had previously vanished return tenfold. “Make more work for vaimoni. Cost vaimoni money to…fix Yavok…mistake. Create ongelma between vaimoni and long having time employee that like perhe hänelle.”
And I know Rowan is like family.
I’ve heard it with my own ears.
Witnessed it with my own eyes when she didn’t kill him where he sat in her office.
“Almost got…innocent…man…killed-”
“No one’s ever completely innocent,” argues my better half, eyes focused on where my fingers are firmly working the flesh of her heel.
“I leave no choice for vaimoni to turn me to new Puppet. Not trust Yavok to do what best for whole instead of self.” In spite of how bitter the words taste being spewed, I loudly state them. Stop what I’m doing to meet her stare. “I understand must stay…new Puppet…’til trust me again, Remy.” Keeping her eyes locked on mine is a must. “Doveriye — eto vse dlya vas.”
“Trust is everything to me, Yavok,” she quietly echoes on a slow headshake. “And I don’t like the idea that I can’t trust you anymore.”
“Can.”
“You say that and then you turn around you do dumb shit like you did because you needed an ego boost.”