Blood & Torment (Pins and Needles: Moscow Book 2) by Elizabeth Knox (best short books to read TXT) 📕

Since the first night we had sex, and every night since, Michail has claimed my body on every surface of my apartment. Each time even more phenomenal than the first. It only makes me wonder if sex, like the kind we have, is normal. I was so used to Jacob before and he was far from pleasurable. Michail even woke me up with his cock deep inside me. It might’ve been around four in the morning, but I didn’t mind it one bit. I find myself craving him more than I’ve wanted anyone else.

Now I’m sitting at work after he went into the back. I’m wishing I had grabbed a coffee before coming in. Sascha works at the café across the street and their location is perfect. I could really see myself getting a hot vanilla latte to warm me up this morning. It’s snowing again, which is something I’m becoming accustomed to.

I figure Michail is headed straight to the back to talk to Kronid about something important. I’m not sure what, but he seemed a bit antsy this morning and I didn’t want to waste time. Glancing across the street, I lift my head to the cameras then look back to the café. God, it’s cold and I haven’t had a sip of any caffeine. If I don’t get something, it’s going to be a long day.

If I just step out for a split second, everything should be okay. The first tattoo client doesn’t come in for an hour and Dema’s off today, so I’m sure Kronid and Michail’s meeting won’t last long. Since she’s pregnant, Kronid doesn’t like for her to overdo it. I don’t blame him one bit. In fact, I’m loving the fact she’s been taking her spare time to work on her art. I’ve seen some of the pieces she’s worked on lately and they’re wonderful.

Getting up from behind my desk, I pull on my parka and beanie. Stepping out the door, I quickly make my way across the street over to the café. Once I’m inside, I walk over to the counter. Several people are already in line waiting for coffee, and I simply go to stand next to the one at the very front.

“I was wondering when you would be in,” Sascha snickers.

“I need my fix, Sascha. Pretty please,” I say sweetly. He knows my order like the back of his hand.

“Hey, how about you wait your turn and go to the back of the line,” the customer next to me mutters in an aggravated and yet somewhat sassy voice. She’s blonde, is wearing designer clothes from head to toe, and has her sunglasses on inside the shop. It’s snowing, for fuck’s sake. God, she’s one of those who love to throw her money around. I can tell.

“Honey, I don’t have to stand in line.” I’m only screwing with her, but the look on her face as my words flooded out. Priceless!

“My sister here doesn’t wait for anyone, you understand, da?” Sascha deepens his voice and gets a bit frustrated with her. Sascha looks her up and down for a few seconds before he goes back to fixing my coffee, but he hands me a bag that holds a container of syrniki. God, these Russian cheese pancakes have become my favorite thing ever. Especially when they’re topped with blueberries. They make American pancakes seem like crap.

I take a sip of the coffee and snag the bag from him. I roll my eyes at the taste of liquid euphoria as I pull the cup from my lips. “God knows you make the best latte in the world. I could seriously have caffeine-induced orgasms from it.”

The customer next to me makes a snarky noise, and I shrug as Sascha smiles. “Get back to work. I’ll see you at dinner.”

Giving him a salute, I turn on my heels and head for the door. At the door, I stop. Fear starts to take hold of me when I notice the person across the street. It’s like a wave of darkness looms over him. Standing in the alley near Pins and Needles is none other than Jacob. The same Jacob that haunts my dreams and plagues my mind on most days. I catch him smirking in my direction, realizing I’ve spotted him.

Freaking out, I switch the bag with the syrniki to the same hand that I’m holding my coffee in and feel for my cell with my free one. Panic deepens when I realize my phone is on my desk.

Turning back from the door, I move to the counter and wait for Sascha to finish with his customers.

When the last of his customers’ orders have been filled, he comes to me. “What’s wrong?” he demands.

“Jacob, he’s out there,” I whisper as panic rushes through me, unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.

Sascha immediately gets on the phone with Ruslan and relays what I told him. As my heart races, I wait for him to get off the phone so I can call Michail.

Why do I feel like such a wimp right now when I should be able to pull on my big girl pants and walk out of here? Thoughts like this run through my mind on a daily basis, but nothing is wrong. There isn’t anything wrong with me not wanting to end up in the hands of such an evil man. Not when I’ve finally found happiness, and for fuck’s sake, I deserve to be happy.

For far too long, Jacob made me feel inferior, and I’ll never feel it at the hands of another man ever again.

Chapter Fifteen

Michail

“Katya ordered a lot,” Vova speaks up as we each grab crowbars and start to open the crates that were just delivered. When they’re shipped into Russia, the shipments are classified under artwork, and while it is, in fact, artwork, what’s inside the art is the real deal.

“Da, seems like she’s preparing for something,” Andrei comments,