Rya leaned back and ran her fingers through his hair, studying his face. “Are you okay?”
Such a compassionate woman. “I am okay.”
She sighed and continued to pet him. “I’m sorry I’m such a downer. I didn’t mean to kill the mood like that. My past is the ultimate cock block.”
“No, it is good that I know.” He placed a soft kiss on the tip of her little nose, then brushed away a few tears that wet her cheek. Laughter rumbled through him. “I am honored that you shared with me, and I do not think is a cock block.”
Her bright smile lit up his world. “Thanks for believing me. Most people think I’m crazy, even if they’re too polite to say it. You, Mr. Dimitri, are much nicer than you appear at first.”
“Only for you, zaika moya.”
He wanted to ask her more about it, but part of him was afraid of her answer to the question if there was a Hell. Then again, maybe Hell was that darkness she spoke of. An eternity spent in nothing. The thought made his gut churn and he wondered if God would forgive him for the men he killed. They had been bad people, all of them, yet he’d taken their lives.
“Dimitri?”
He returned his attention to her. “Da?”
“Don’t worry, you’ll go to the light.”
The shock made him jerk away from her. “How do you know?”
“I’m going to assume you’re asking how did I know what you were thinking. Don’t worry, I’m not psychic or anything like that. I’m just used to people considering their own mortality after they hear my story. Well, at least the ones that believe me. The others I know they’re thinking about how quickly they can get away from me,” She shrugged. “People in our society, or at least in the States, don’t like to think about death. It’s kind of like if we don’t think about it, then it won’t happen. So far ignoring it hasn’t worked out for anyone I know.”
She grinned at him and he shook his head, a slow smile curving his lips. “Good point.”
“Dimitri?”
The way she said his name, he enjoyed it. “What is it, zaika moya?”
“Would you kiss me please? I need…I need to feel alive.”
“No.”
“No?” She tried to hide her hurt look behind a brittle smile. “That’s okay, you don’t have to, I mean…”
He wrapped his fist in her hair and tugged hard enough to give her a little pain. “Shhh. I will not kiss you out here because once we start I will not stop and I do not want splinters in my knees or mosquito bites on my ass.”
The hurt fled from her expression and she giggled before saying in a teasing voice, “I’m yours to do with as you wish, Master.”
His world narrowed down to the woman in his arms and he made sure she was paying attention. “For two days, Rya, you are mine. But only for those two days.”
A flash of hurt went through her gaze, but then she nodded and gave him a small, understanding smile. “I know. For two days you are my Master, my volk.”
“Da, zaika moya.”
She traced her finger over the lapel of his tux jacket that she still wore. “Soooo…what do you plan to do with me, Master?”
“Do you like role play?”
“When it’s done right, yes.”
He glanced at his watch. It would take a little bit for the helicopter to refuel and return. It might be enough time for what he had in mind. And if it wasn’t he would just continue their play in the helicopter then on the plane. This beautiful, vibrant woman was his and only his. All of her smiles, all of her passion, all of her joy was for him only and he could not wait to begin to explore what it would be like to be able to care for someone like her.
Chapter Seven
Rya watched as the carpeted hallway of the lodge passed beneath her face with her long hair trailing down almost enough to drag across the floor. She gave a futile kick, but Dimitri had her firmly in a fireman’s carry and she wasn’t going anywhere. He’d carried her all the way from the lake, refusing to put her down. When she really started to bitch about it, worried he’d hurt his back, he simply flipped her over his shoulder, gave her a spank that made her ass burn, and continued on his way with her.
A couple times she heard people greet Dimitri as they moved through the lodge, but they didn’t stop. If she didn’t know he was being honest about fearing for her safety, she would think he was embarrassed to be seen with her. And she had to admit, the evil claws of jealousy had come out a few times when women greeted him in a way that left no doubt they were inviting him to their bed, even if Rya couldn’t understand what they said.