Dimitri (27 page)

"It's Diego's phone. He was making a video of
some hot girls right before that SUV pulled up next to us. He
caught all of it." He grimaced. "Don't watch it, Benny. Just give
it to Santos. He'll know what to do with it."

I licked my lips and considered what I knew of
police procedures from TV shows and books. "I don't think they can
use it as evidence, Johnny. I'm pretty sure they require someone
who was there to validate it."

"It's the best he's going to get. Ain't nobody
gonna talk, Benny. At least this way, the cops will know who did
it. They'll be able to watch them and maybe catch them before they
hurt someone else."

Movement near the door caught my attention. I
nodded at Johnny, letting him know I'd do as he'd asked. Dimitri
entered the room with a couple of men I didn't recognize a few
steps behind him. Dimitri stood next to my chair and put his hand
on my shoulder. He gently rubbed my back and smiled down at
me.

Yuri came into the room and shut the door
firmly behind him. He clapped his hands together and grinned.
"Let's get down to business. Peter, I'd like to introduce you to
Benny and Johnny Burkhart. Benny, Johnny, Peter is a lawyer I trust
a great deal. This is his associate, Hank. He's a notary. They've
agreed to help us out with this sticky little
situation."

I caught Yuri's use of the
word
us
. "And who
exactly is us?"

"You, me and Johnny," Yuri said while gesturing
between the three of us. "You are going to sell me that
building."

"What?" I looked at Johnny who seemed just as
surprised.

A glance to Dimitri revealed the same shock on
his face. He frowned and addressed Yuri in Russian. I caught
Jonah's name but nothing else. It occurred to me that I might need
to seek out Vivi's services in the same way Erin had.

Yuri just shrugged and said, "I'm bored. The
idea of rattling his cage amuses me."

I didn't know whether to laugh or scold him.
"Yuri, you don't want to get involved with this guy. He's a jerk.
Anyway our building isn't worth that much now. That whole area has
been zoned for this retail development. You wouldn't be able to
sell it to anyone but him."

"I know. That's what makes this whole thing so
entertaining. Can you imagine the look on his face when he realizes
he has to negotiate with me?" He grinned evilly and laughed harder.
"But it's not about the money to me. It's about reminding someone
who has been very lucky in business that he should remember where
he started." Yuri pointed to the floor. "At the very
bottom."

"How much?" Johnny asked rather
indelicately.

I gawked at him. "Johnny!"

"What?" He shot me a look like he thought I was
crazy. "It's bound to be more than Jonah Krause offered. You need
that money, Benny. If you're going to start over, you need cash. If
he's going to sue you because I drove into his building, you'll
need money so you can settle out of court. I'm just asking how much
Yuri's putting on the table."

The lawyer, Peter, cleared his throat and
turned a notepad toward us. The number written on it was a fair
price. It was only a few thousand less than I would have asked as a
starting point in negotiations with anyone else.

Before I could even consider it, Johnny stated,
"We'll take it."

I snapped my gaze to him. "No, we won't. We
have to discuss this."

"Benny, for once in your damn life, will you
just take the money and run? You don't have to think everything to
death. Say yes and let's be done with this. Let's cut Jonah Krause
out of our lives for good."

I swallowed hard. Maybe Johnny was right. Was
there anything to consider here? Yuri was offering me a decent
price for the building. It was enough to clear all of the debt and
get us set up in a new place. A better, more vibrant neighborhood
where our bakery and the deliciously authentic food we created
would be appreciated.

Finally, I nodded. "All right. We'll take
it."

I felt Dimitri's sigh of relief. His hand
relaxed on my shoulder. He bent down and kissed my cheek. I could
tell he was just as happy as Johnny to see this chapter
closed.

"You can stay in the building until you get a
new location ready." With a teasing smile aimed at Dimitri, he
added, "But your rent just went up."

As Yuri and Dimitri joked with one another,
Johnny and I read through the contract and the legal papers giving
me control of Johnny's shares of the building, the business and the
house. Even though I trusted Yuri not to cheat me, I read the pages
of legalese twice. It was straight-forward and I understood
everything clearly.

We signed our names, and in twenty minutes, it
was all done. The lawyer and his notary left. Yuri's crew brought
in a nice dinner. The kind gesture let me spend more time with
Johnny—but it wasn't enough.

Soon, it was time to go. The yacht was leaving
Texas waters that night for the Caribbean. As much as I didn't want
to leave Johnny behind, I wanted him safe and happy
more.

"I love you, Johnny."

He squeezed me so hard I couldn't breathe. "I
love you, Benny."

"Be safe."

"I will."

"And call me."

He laughed. "I will."

Reluctantly, I pulled away from him. Dimitri
shook his hand and gave him a clap on the back before sliding an
arm around my waist. Our tearful parting tore at my gut and left my
heart aching and empty. Only Dimitri's strong arms wrapped around
and supporting me kept me from collapsing onto the pier and
sobbing.

Safe inside the private car, Dimitri tugged my
seatbelt into place and dragged me as close to him as possible. I
buried my face in the warm crook of his neck and cried softly as he
stroked my hair. He whispered sweetly and assured me that this was
the best thing for Johnny. It was his chance to start over, to see
the world, to grow up and become a man. I prayed that was
true.

By the time we reached his apartment, it was
nearly two in the morning. All cried out, I experienced such
sadness now. For nineteen years, Johnny and I had been joined at
the hip. Lately, things had been tense between us but there had
still been good times. The idea of never seeing him over the
breakfast table or playing video games until we passed out on the
living room floor left me nearly breathless with grief.

Dimitri sat down on the bed and pulled me
between his thighs. His hands caressed my back as he peppered
tender kisses along my cheek and neck. "Tell me what you need,
Benny. Tell me how to help you."

I cupped his face and ran my fingertips over
the hard angles of his cheeks. He'd already helped me so much. "I
feel like I'm the one who should be thinking of ways to help you
and to repay you for everything you've done for me."

He dragged his lips along the edge of my throat
and nibbled a sensitive spot there. "Helping you makes me happy."
He ran his hands down my back and gripped my bottom through my
jeans. His mouth teased against mine. "Let me put a smile on your
face, Benny."

"Dimitri…" I moaned as his masterful hands
stoked the flames of my desire. His palms glided along my hips and
down my legs. A moment too late, I remembered exactly what I'd
stuck in my pocket.

He went still as his hand moved over the bump
there. "What is this?"

"Um…"

His long fingers dipped into my pocket. He
retrieved the phone and stared at it. "Where did you get
this?"

"Johnny gave it to me."

"This isn't his phone. I destroyed that
one."

"No, it belongs to a friend of his. Wait." I
frowned with confusion. "Why did you destroy Johnny's
phone?"

"It's a temptation and way to track him. I got
him a new, clean phone so he can contact you." Dimitri didn't look
happy about the phone he'd taken from me. "Why did Johnny give you
this?"

"It has video on it of that night. He wants me
to give it to Santos."

An irritated expression crossed his face. "I
thought we agreed you weren't going to get involved."

Now it was my turn to be irritated. "Did we?
Because I feel like you're the one making all the decisions and I'm
the one standing here, nodding my head and saying, 'Yes,
Dimitri.'"

His eyes widened. Clearly taken aback, he
hurriedly said, "Benny, I never meant to make you feel like I was
running roughshod over you."

"I know you're trying to protect me but
dropping that bomb about the lawyer tonight at Yuri's yacht? You
should have told me on the drive over, Dimitri. I felt totally
blindsided."

He flinched. "I'm sorry. You're right. I should
have mentioned it. I swear I didn't know Yuri was going to offer to
buy the building from you."

"I know you didn't. I could see it on your
face."

Dimitri tossed the phone aside and slid his
hands up and down my arms. "Listen, Benny, when it comes to you, I
can be a bit overzealous. If I'm crossing the line, tell me. I'll
try to be more self-aware but don't hesitate to tell me if I'm
making you feel this way. I never want you to feel like I'm trying
to be controlling." He looked sick at the very idea of it. "That's
not the kind of man I am and that's not the kind of relationship I
want us to have."

"It's not the sort of relationship I want
either." I brushed some of the soft, stray strands of blond hair
behind his ear. "I realize you're better at navigating messes like
these than me and I appreciate your guidance, Dimitri. Please don’t
think I'm being ungrateful."

"I don't."

"Good because I want us to be partners, like
you said. I get that when it's something big and scary like this
I'm better off letting you take the reins but maybe you could slow
down a bit and clue me in so I'm not wandering around in the
dark?"

"Definitely," he agreed. He traced my lower lip
and I playfully nipped at his thumb. Smiling so sexily, he asked,
"Are we okay now?"

"Yes."

"Then come here and let me make love to you."
He wrapped his arms around me and dragged me on top of him as he
fell back onto the bed. He sifted his fingers through my hair and
tugged me down for a kiss. Straddling him, I melted into his
commanding kiss. The slight hint of lemon from dessert still clung
to his lips. I swiped my tongue against his because he just tasted
so damn good.

With one swift, easy move, Dimitri flipped us.
Crawling over me, he captured my mouth in a punishing kiss. I
gripped his shoulders and rocked my hips, arching into his steely,
hot body. Pinned beneath him, I let go of all the worry and
emotional pain plaguing me. I surrendered to the feel of his
skilled hands and that wickedly erotic mouth.

My shirt was shoved out of the way and his lips
pressed searing kisses to the swell of each breast and then my
belly. Dimitri unbuttoned and unzipped my jeans and jerked them
down my legs. Lifting my hips, I helped him rid me of my jeans,
panties and shoes.

Naked from the waist down, I shuddered with
anticipation. He slid off the bed onto his knees and dragged me
right to the very edge. Pushing my thighs open, he gripped the
backs of my knees and held me right where he wanted me. His tongue
probed my pussy and I cried out his name. He chuckled lightly, the
slight vibrations rattling my throbbing clit.

With a low groan, he swirled his tongue around
the little nub. I clutched at his shoulders, my nails digging into
the soft flesh of his back as he drove me crazy. Flicking and
suckling, Dimitri pushed me closer and closer to the edge. The
things this man could do with his tongue!

"Dimitri!' I moaned and thrashed
atop his bed. "Oh!
Oh
!"

He growled hungrily and lapped at me. The
merciless speed of his tongue fluttering over the swollen kernel of
my clit sent me skyrocketing into a stratosphere of ecstasy that
left me trembling and panting.

When the last few jolts of climax rippled
through me, Dimitri pried his mouth away and sat back on his heels.
Boneless and floating on air, I watched him strip out of his
clothing. I still couldn't believe this big, delicious man was all
mine.

Pushing up onto my knees, I peeled out of my
shirt and threw my bra on to the floor. I motioned for Dimitri to
come closer. He grinned wolfishly at the realization of what I
wanted to do.

Down on all fours, I reached for that
magnificent cock. I stroked his hard length with just my fingertips
and then curled my fingers around him. Dimitri inhaled a shaky
breath and pulled his lower lip between his teeth. I leaned down
and licked the fat crown of his cock. He groaned loudly and
threaded his fingers through my hair.

Loving the ways I could make him react, I
sucked the tip of him. The wide girth stretched my lips. I hummed
quietly as I worked my mouth up and down his shaft, slicking his
hot skin. I didn't have enough experience in this department to
deep throat him—and he was way too long for me to even give it that
old college try. He didn't seem to mind one bit.