Page 17 of The Siren's Call
I direct the question at Henry but it’s Annabelle’s reactions I’m focused on. My heart races in my chest in anticipation and my Little Vixen falls right into my trap and reacts instantly to confirm that she understands Russian. My biggest question yet is, is my Little Vixen Russian?
A weird sensation encompasses me, it doesn’t matter in the slightest to me but what are the chances a little Russian red headed vixen has managed to infiltrate my heart? I thought I didn’t have one, but Annabelle proves that my assumptions were wrong. That cold organ in my chest has come back to life with a vengeance and it’s because of the woman in my arms.
Nobody answers my question and I’m growing impatient with the need to discover the truth she is trying so hard to hide from me. If she thinks she can keep anything from me, she is sorely mistaken. I will know everything about her before the day is out because I will have no secrets between us. Ever.
I lean down again and bite her neck over my bite mark from yesterday. She whimpers then groans when I soothe it with my tongue. I whisper in her ear.
“Tell me, my Little Vixen, are you Russian? A truly glorious gift presented to me by the fates, to make sure our paths crossed when they did. They believe as do I that we are destined for each other. What is your real name, my ?????????”
She shudders in my arms, and I nuzzle her neck taking a deep breath of her scent which drives me crazy. That hint of chamomile that I’ve detected before now comes to the forefront and reminds me of home. The subtle signs were there for the taking but I never followed them through.
“Don’t tell him anything, Annabelle, Trust…”
Lev cuts off Henry’s response by covering his mouth with his hand. He kidney punches him which makes him bend over coughing. He doesn’t show any pain which is surprising and a little impressive because I often spar with Lev, and he has a mean punch.
There is so much more to this situation, and the fact that they are trying to keep it from me only pisses me off more.
“I will tell you nothing, you fucking asshole, and if you hurt Henry again, Lev, believe me, a knee in the balls is the least of your fucking worries. Kai, you better let me the fuck go now before I show you how truly fucking crazy I am!”
I sigh as I know my Little Vixen’s willpower is strong, but if she thinks I’m giving up on finding the truth she is wrong.
“You will tell me right now or I will have Lev kill your precious Henry.”
On reflection this likely wasn’t the wisest thing to say to her because she reacts with such voracity, I’m shocked and in awe at the same time. She fights my hold, she kicks her legs, throws punches and elbows and thrusts her head wildly to connect with any weaknesses that can be found in my grasp, trying everything to escape.
She seems well trained in combat, appears to know which vulnerable areas to aim her blows. She lands some well timed hits before I finally snap, grappling her over to the windows and ensnaring her hands above her head by her dainty wrists with one of my large unforgiving ones. My other curls around her slender throat to secure her. Both of us are breathing heavily with the exertion and I lean my weight against her, crushing her glorious legs with my own more muscular ones, incapacitating her with my large frame.
I can feel my lip swelling where she caught me with an elbow, and my ribs are also sore. None of it matters though because it only adds to the carnal lust I have for this woman, which I know she can feel pressing against her stomach. At this moment I just want to take her back to my bed and let us both take out our frustrations with each other in the best way possible, because I know it would be the best sex either of us have ever known.
“Calm down my Little Vixen, no harm will come to your friend if you just tell me the truth!”
Annabelle closes her eyes and then opens them, and I’m stunned to see unshed tears in her eyes. My body is overcome with a feeling that I’ve never experienced before. Guilt. I’ve clearly distressed her. I need to put this right, but I can only do that if she lets me in.
“I can’t tell you, Kai. I wish I could, but I can’t drag anybody else into my fucked-up life. Please just let me and Henry go. I swear we will disappear, and you will never see us again. I’m begging you Kai, please.”
I stare into her beseeching eyes, ones that are driving a knife into my heart because she’s asking me to let her go. She will learn though that I will do anything to protect her; she is yet to find out the power I possess but she will soon. Therefore, I need her to tell me what is going on because I need to eliminate any possible dangers that are posing a threat to my Queen.
“We need to get one thing clear, Annabelle. You are not going anywhere. You are mine now and I protect what is mine. I will explain to you the power I possess soon enough but I just need you to tell me the truth. Trust me, I will burn the world for you and fuck you in the ashes. Believe me when I say you are safe here with me and I will let nothing and no one hurt you, ever. Do you hear me?”
Annabelle closes her eyes again and whimpers as the tears she was holding back escape the hold she had on them. She’s trying to be strong, but she needs to understand that she doesn’t need to be anymore. That’s what I’m for. I will be her strength, her defender, and her King all in one. Don’t get me wrong I love her strength and courage, but she’s not on her own anymore.
“Kai, you don’t understand that the people I’m running from are extremely powerful and deadly. I know you think you’re powerful, but you don’t understand the world I come from.”
What kind of trouble has my Little Vixen gotten herself into? Fucking hell, she’s scared shitless, and I need to put a stop to this right now. I will not have my woman constantly running and looking over her shoulder.
“You’re starting to piss me off with your lack of faith in me, my Queen. Just tell me your name and I’ll find the rest out for myself!”
Now, if you could have told me I would be stunned to silence with the next words out of my Little Vixen’s mouth, I would have told you to fuck off, but they did.
You may think a name means nothing as it’s easily changed or erased. That may be true in a normal life but in our life, our world, your name means everything. Especially the name I was about to hear, for Annabelle wasn’t just some sexy dancer who entranced me. No, she was fucking Bratva royalty. A princess who was very much on the run from some immensely powerful people and, most surprising of all, my family’s most hated enemy.
“My name is Valentina Ivanov!”
Chapter 6
Kai
Hearing that name gracing my Queen’s lips shook me to my core, causing me to break my hold on her and stagger back a few steps. That look of hurt she gave me at my knee-jerk reaction was heart-breaking and gut-wrenching. I couldn’t help it though because his name was like a bullet to my newly found heart. How could my Little Vixen be the spawn of such evil? Mikhail Ivanov is her father. Fuck!
