Bought By The Ruthless Don

Episode4

ALESSIA.

I didn't expect this.

The visceral response my body had towards him. The fact that my heart rate refused to slow down even when our lips parted.

Silas Dravetti was dangerous, but not in the way I’d prepared for. His touch made me unsteady. His kiss had left me tingly and breathless, my entire body humming as if I’d been set on fire.

We stood there, lips swollen, panting softly. His pupils were blown, his grip on my waist still firm, like he wasn’t quite ready to let go.

Then his lips curled up a little.

"Say goodbye to your cousin," he murmured, voice thick. "He's going to be wondering where you are."

I blinked wildly, trying to regain my bearings. "Huh?"

Amusement played around his hard features.

"Cousin. Party. Goodbye. Miss Volkov."

My face burned as I finally caught up to his words. "Oh. Oh, yeah."

Silas backed away, his gaze still on me. "I'll be waiting outside. If you change your mind…" His voice lowered, his tone serious now. "Don't come back out."

I hesitated for half a second, locking eyes with him, then turned and fled the room.

There was a guard standing outside. He only nodded and began to lead me back through the villa's winding corridors.

By the time I returned to the party, the atmosphere was still the same. I saw Usuv talking to a suited man, his expression as blank as usual. But as soon as he saw me, he excused himself and walked over to me, his eyes scanning my face.

"Where in the world have you been?" he growled softly, just for me to hear. "I thought you'd already died."

I laughed. "No." I looked over a little towards the door, though I knew I wouldn't be seeing Silas yet. I spun back to Usuv and leaned in close, "I'm leaving. With Silas."

His face didn't even shift, but I could see the way his eyes widened ever so slightly before he was able to control his face back into one of indifference. "Where's he taking you?"

I lifted a shoulder in a casual shrug. “I don’t know.”

Usuv’s brow twitched. “And you think that’s a good idea?”

“I propositioned him,” I admitted. Then winced. “With sex.”

Silence. Then Usuv snorted. “Might as well get laid while you’re at it.”

I shot him a glare. “f**k you.”

His lips twitched. “Not my type, sweetheart.”

I arched an eyebrow, about to lay into him when he told me, "I'm going to hug you now."

I didn't get a word in edgewise before he pulled me close, his arms tight but brief around me. And before I knew it, he let me go, but I knew he’d planted a minuscule tracker on me.

I stepped back, meeting his gaze. He said, “Don’t die.”

I exhaled. "I'll try not to."

And then I turned and let my humble mask drop back into place, my expression serene and composed as I left the party.

The same guard was at the door and, he simply led me through a side entrance where a black car was already parked.

The door opened and I got in.

Silas was in the car, leaning back in his seat, his legs apart slightly. His suit jacket was open, one arm on the car door, his expression lazy but sharp as it came to rest on me.

The smirk came back. "You didn’t change your mind."

I didn't respond.I just leaned forward and kissed him.

The ride was a blur after that.We didn't talk. We didn't need to.

His hands were everywhere, squeezing, teasing, tracing my body as I sat on his lap, lips clashing. By the time we reached our destination, I was out of breath, my body aching in ways I had not expected.

Silas opened the door and stepped out first. He smoothed his suit for a moment, then held out a hand to me. I took it.

He invited me in, past a private door and into an elevator, eventually coming out to a luxurious suite. When we were through the door, he shrugged his jacket off and allowed it to slide to the ground as he unwound his tie.

I was standing there, my fingers poised on the zipper of my dress.

Silas watched me.

His eyes were heavy, dark with something unreadable as I eased the dress off slowly, letting the fabric pool on the ground, making sure the tracker and weapons were hidden.

His eyes swept across my naked frame, lingering. And then he stepped in closer. "You," he murmured, his voice wisps of smoke,"will be the death of me, Miss Volkov."

As we fell onto the bed and he glided inside me, his hot breath against my skin, I thought,

Not your death, Mr. Dravetti.

But something very, very close.

—-

I woke up sore between my legs and with the memories of last night.

The covers were tangled around me, and the bedroom was half-lit by the sunlight filtering from behind the heavy drapes.

For a moment, I just lay there, rubbing sleep out of my eyes, my mind foggy until I turned my head and saw him.

Silas Dravetti. I was partly surprised. He didn't seem the kind of guy who stayed after a one-night stand. He was the kind of guy who would get up, put on his suit, and leave without a glance.

I glanced at his face. In sleep, the lines of his features softened slightly. His breathing even, his chest rising and falling under the covers, bare.

Good. I moved carefully, rolling out of bed. My legs wobbled unsteadily, but I steadied myself, spotting the closest piece of clothing. His shorts. They sat low on my hips as I padded into the bathroom.

I entered and gazed at myself in the mirror. My lips were swollen, my hair messy. I had hickelyd on my body.

I exhaled. Focus, Alessia.

I ripped the hem off my dress, which made it easier to walk around, and then found an extra pair of flip-flops stuffed in a hotel bag. As quietly as possible, I crept back into the suite. Silas remained asleep.

Good. I hurried past the sitting area, my eyes scanning around the room for anything useful. I began to search until I came upon a locked drawer.

My heart beat a notch faster. I pulled out a small knife and pushed it into the lock. It clicked open easily. My fingers searched through the contents until I found a folder. I flipped through the pages, and a slow smile spread my lips.

This was exactly what I needed.

Rustling was heard from the bedroom.

I froze, shutting the folder. My eyes flicked to the window.

We were a couple of stories high. s**t.

I bunched the files up inside my dress and ran. Pulling the window open, I felt beneath the ledge, fingers searching until they wrapped around a hidden rope.

The bedroom door burst open.

I spun about just in time to find Silas there, his silver eyes widening then darkening with rage in an instant as they narrowed to slits of fury.

He launched at me with speed, but I was faster.

Quicker than a whip, I flicked out my hand, launching three throwing knives in his direction.

He ducked the first one. The second grazed his arm. The third was stabbed deep in his side.

He stepped back, his eyes staring down to where the knife in his skin remained.

And he frowned.

I smiled. "I like my throwing knives with a bit of poison, Mr. Dravetti."

His head reared back, his grey eyes blazing with fury and betrayal.

It was the last thing I remembered seeing before I flung myself out of the window and fled.