I was so wet, so hot that I had difficulty breathing. The pain because intense, washing down the length of my legs.
"Oh..."
"Doesn't that feel good, sweet Willow? To let go of your sins? To know you've been absolved of all your bad deeds?" Aleksei asked, his voice as breathless as mine.
"Yes, sir," I answered immediately, biting my lower lip once again from the realization that he'd peeled away the last layer, exposing the vulnerable girl inside. The embarrassment finally rushed into me, guilt and shame for everything hitting me hard.
And for some insane reason, I allowed tears to fall, salty beads slipping past my lashes even as I bit back every cry. I didn't want him to see me this way, to think he'd broken me in any manner. I was far too strong for this.
But the tears continued to fall.
I have no idea how long the spanking lasted but when he gathered me into his arms, still holding me on his lap, I was absolutely mortified. One bad little girl treated like such.
"You can trust me, Willow."
I was finally able to look at him, to really see him as if for the first time. The man was being sincere.
And that scared me to death.
He kissed my lips, allowing his tongue to dart inside before easing me back onto my feet. There was no question about the fact he would be the one pulling up my jeans, fastening the button and zipper. When he nodded toward the seat, I obeyed without hesitation, whimpering only once as I sat down.
The pain would at least be a reminder.
But of what?
"So beautiful," he mumbled then reached for his champagne once again. "Soon you will be mine and no one will ever dare trying to take you away."
I closed my eyes again to hide from the embarrassment, rubbing both arms as I attempted to shift back into reality. I'd allowed my guard to fall.
Again.
"There will be much more where that came from," he added.
He was forever teasing me.
The ruthless Russian.
The consummate lover.
The man I was falling in love with.
What. The. Fuck?
Shockwaves tore through me at the rare and ridiculous admission. I'd never been in love with any man, let alone one out to have me killed. My eyes popped open, immediately gazing into his, his pupils shimmering in iridescent colors.
Or maybe my mind was playing tricks on me.
I jerked back, breaking the connection, my fingers immediately pressing against my lips. I'd never been so embarrassed or emotionally exposed. He knew exactly how to get to me. No, he knew everything I craved as a woman.
He took a deep breath, holding it before easing back.
I didn't want to look at him, to be drawn back into his web. I wanted the next couple of days finished. Gone. I wanted to run away.
Hell, I wanted to move to a different country.
"What concert are we attending?" I asked absently, trying hard to nurse the champagne instead of gulping in order to quiet my nerves.
He chuckled, the velveteen sound floating into my ears. So smooth. So perfect. "I will leave that as a surprise. Don't you enjoy having a man shower you with treats, Willow?"
"I prefer truths to treats. Or maybe I should say versus tricks."
"I assure you, this is no trick. Getting out of town was in our best interest and I knew the perfect way to accomplish my mission. Now, relax. We will arrive shortly." He drained the rest of his glass, easing it onto the table in front of us then closing his eyes. For the first time, he seemed almost serene.
The plane took off just as a bolt of lightning shot directly down in close proximity. I'd always adored thunderstorms, the power of nature exciting. Today was different, the eeriness that Mother Nature had created weighing heavily on my mind.
"You are safer in this plane than anywhere else," he stated in a husky voice.
"I doubt there will ever be a time I feel safe, Aleksei. I've lived a lie."
He slowly opened his eyes, remaining unblinking, leaving me more uncomfortable than ever. I gripped the glass, swirling the remaining liquid, unable to continue looking outside.
"What did Maksim tell you?" The words left my mouth without me thinking.
Sighing, he motioned for Marlene, who once again seemed to appear out of nowhere, refilling my glass. "Nothing for you to be concerned about."
"Why don't you talk to me? You have more information on my brother than you're sharing. That much I know. Maybe if I knew all the details then I-"
"You would learn to trust me?" he interrupted.