Shaun rolled her eyes and, standing, wrapped an arm around Jozef’s. “I asked him to sit with me. I was bored and wanted to know what’s been going on. Or am I supposed to stay inside the apartment and not talk to anyone? If there are rules, I need to know them.”
Jozef growled, letting his displeasure be known. He opened the apartment door and pushed her inside, then turned back to Karl, signing, you don’t need to get friendly with my wife to do your job.
Shaun didn’t hear a reply and Jozef slammed the door shut.
She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Your wife?”
He walked slowly toward her, stalking like a predator eyeing its favourite prey. Though she was no longer afraid of Jozef, he still made heart beat faster. His fierce looks, the tattoos, the sharp cheekbones and hard eyes. When she was with him it was too easy to forget that he was a mobster, born and bred. She craved the life he was offering; she craved his heart. But it was wrong and they both knew it.
You will become my wife. It’s as good as done.
“I won’t be bullied into marriage, Jozef,” she said crisply, backing away from him. “Not this time.”
He backed her against the wall of windows and reached for her, but he only caressed her cheek, before letting his hands fall.
There will be a marriage.
“Not without my permission.” Her voice was more breathless than she’d intended. His nearness was driving a heated awareness through her. “Not like this.”
He nodded. I can wait.
“What if you have to wait forever?” she asked. “What if I never settle down?”
His eyes pierced hers and he allowed his guard to drop, for just a moment. She saw the longing there, the pain, the loss. I live for you. I will wait.
“If you live for me, then why won’t you let me live the life of my choosing?” she whispered. “Why do you keep taking me away from everything that I love?”
She could tell that she’d scored a hint and nearly called her words back.
His eyes became hard once more, and he stepped away from her. You will grow used to this life and you will learn to love me again.
He turned and walked away.
She wanted to call out to him. To tell him that loving him was never the problem, but she didn’t. There was no point in having the same conversation over and over. Nothing would change until Jozef was ready to make a change.
Chapter Eleven
When Jozef still hadn’t come back by 10:00 PM, Shaun went to bed without him. It felt strange being with him in Prague once more. It was the same as it had been a year before, but also not. Something was different this time; something besides the apartment and their year apart.
As she lay in bed, staring out the floor-to-ceiling window at the sprawling cityscape, it hit her. The balance of power had shifted in their relationship. While she was still Jozef’s captive, she wasn’t afraid of him. Not like she’d been when he’d kidnapped her from Ukraine and held her at the Koba estate. She’d been terrified of him back then. She’s seen him kill two men and she couldn’t have said with certainty that Jozef wouldn’t kill her.
Now, things were different. He’d gone straight from prison to an airplane, which took him straight to Shaun. He didn’t stop to visit his family and he didn’t inspect his new apartment. He flew straight to her because he didn’t think he could live without her. It was the only explanation.
She was no longer a witness; he’d served time for the crime of kidnapping her and killing two others. Not much time. One day she’d have to ask him how he got out of prison so early. She suspected someone had pulled strings on his behalf; perhaps a state official or someone with equal power.
The shifting balance of power in their relationship meant Shaun would be able to fight back this time. She could let Jozef know how much he was hurting her without fear of retaliation.
She drifted to sleep, her thoughts on the different ways she could leverage her newly discovered power.
Shaun had no idea how long she’d been asleep when something cool slipping across her skin woke her up. She moaned, rolled over and reached for the blanket but it was gone. She decided she’d rather have sleep than the blanket and started to drift again. She vaguely registered something happening around the waistband of her sleep pants but was pretty much asleep by the time they started to slide down her legs.
Again, she wasn’t sure how much time passed, but a persistent pressure in her vaginal region started to register. She gasped and woke up, a moan of pleasure on her lips. It took her several more seconds to realize what was happening. She blinked down at the dark head settled between her thighs but was unable to form a coherent thought as a rush of heat scorched a path from her clitoris to her nipples, zapping every brain cell in her head.
“Oh god,” she groaned. “Oh fuck, oh fuck!”
She reached down to anchor herself by taking his head in her hands, her fingers sliding through the silky strands of his short hair. She widened her legs, helpless against Jozef’s onslaught. His tongue was everywhere, swirling around her clitoris, exploring her labia, thrusting inside her.
She couldn’t catch her breath. The world dimmed as her entire focus was on the orgasm building within her. He played her like an expert with his instrument, building the intensity by slipping a finger inside her and pressing it against her g-spot and then pulling back when she was nearly there. By the time she finally exploded, she nearly came off the bed, her body levitating, a scream bursting from her lips.
The heat of Jozef’s naked body covered hers as he climbed over
