Ivan(23)

All it took was one subtle shift of his hips and I shrieked with pleasure. Ivan groaned as my pussy clenched him in time with the rhythmic bursts of delight coursing through me. His jerky thrusts and grunting sigh of my name heralded his release. As we clutched and shuddered together, his forehead touched mine.

When he finally pulled away from me, I was sad to feel the loss of his heat and his weight. Ivan brushed his lips over mine before sliding out of bed and walking to the bathroom. I rolled onto my side and enjoyed the view of his taut ass and tattooed back before he disappeared.

The necessities dealt with, he climbed back into bed with me. "Come here, angel moy."

I let him tug me close to his soothing warmth and settled my cheek to his chest. "What does that mean?"

His fingertips moved up and down my cheek. "My angel."

I glanced up at him and smiled. "That's sweet."

Ivan tipped my chin and kissed me tenderly. "You are my little angel."

"Oh, I don't know about that." I drew my initials on his chest and traced the outline of a scar there. "I'm pretty sure what we just did was less than angelic."

He laughed, the rich baritone sound rolling through me. He started to reply but a loud snap echoed in the house. Everything running on electricity stopped working. Ivan stiffened and carefully shifted me out of his arms. I sat up and let my eyes adjust to the faintest sliver of moonlight streaming through the window where Ivan had gone.

"Maybe it's a blackout," I suggested. "You know how hard the grids get hit in the summer. Everyone runs their air conditioners at full blast."

"It's not a blackout." Ivan's tight voice scared me. "Get your shirt on and get in the closet."

"Wh-what?"

"Now, Erin!" He lowered his voice to a hiss. I didn't dare refuse his order. I scrambled to find my discarded shirt on the floor. Ivan found his way back to me and hopped into his pants. Before I could ask, he explained, "My neighbors have power. We're the only dark house. Someone's here."

"For me?" The awful reality struck me. "Oh god."

"No." Ivan grasped my shoulders. "You will not panic. Grab your phone. Get in the closet. Call 9-1-1."

"Okay." I snatched up my phone and let him push me into the closet. My hands trembled as I started to dial for help.

The glow from my phone lit up his face. "After you've made that phone call, you stay quiet. Not one noise from this closet, do you understand? Whatever you hear, you stay quiet and hide until the police arrive."

"Yes, Ivan."

He kissed me, his lips lingering for a second, before he stepped out of the closet and shut the door. I heard the low scrape of furniture moving and realized he was putting something heavy in front of the door. It dawned on me that maybe Kostya hadn't stayed like last night. Terrified by the thought of him alone out there, I hit dial and brought the phone to my ear.

As I waited for someone to answer, I tried to slow my frantic breathing. After the nightmare of the last 48 hours, I would have thought that I'd grown immune to such fear but apparently not. I squeezed myself into a tiny ball in the far corner of the closet and brought my knees to my chest.

"9-1-1, what is your emergency?"

"Someone just broke into my boyfriend's house. They cut the power." I forced my voice to remain calm even though I was freaking the fuck out inside.

"What is your address, ma'am?"

I blanked for a second before finally remembering the street name and the numbers adoring the curb. I rattled them off and waited for the dispatcher's instructions. She promised me that help was on its way—but then a gunshot tore through the silence of the house.

"Someone is shooting!"

"I heard that, ma'am." The dispatcher's concern came through loud and clear. "Are you in a safe spot?"

"Yes, I'm in a closet upstairs." My heart beat wildly in my chest. "Please, hurry! My boyfriend—"

"Ma'am, we'll have units on scene in just a minute or two."

A minute or two? Oh god! What if Ivan had been hit? What if he was bleeding and needed me?

Another gunshot ripped through the night. I clapped a hand over my mouth and scurried to the door. There was no way I could get it open but I pressed my ear to the wood and listened. The sounds of a scuffle met my ears. There were loud grunts and the sound of skin impacting skin. A loud crash and shattering glass made me gasp.

"Ma'am? Are you all right? Is something else happening?"

"They're fighting." I whispered into my phone. "Please, you have to hurry."

"We are. Stay as quiet as possible."

She continued to talk but I tuned her out. I focused only on the sound of fighting in the bedroom. The brutal noises made my stomach lurch. If Ivan was fighting hand-to-hand, I had no doubt that he could hold his own but I'd heard gunshots. If there were weapons involved or if he was already hurt…