The Hermit (Mafia Empire Book 1)

It takes a long while before I feel calm again, but with the headache pulsing behind my eyes, all I want to do is sleep.

“I shouldn’t have lost my temper and punched Ilias,” I say. “I’m surprised he hasn’t barged in here to start a war with me.”

“He deserved it,” Grace replies.

“If it weren’t for the alliance and Cassia saving my life, I would’ve strangled the fucking life out of him,” I admit.

“I know.”

I let out a sigh and mutter, “We should head back and get this day over with so we can go home.”

“Are you sure? We can stay in here for another hour or so,” Grace says, her tone tense with worry.

I force a smile to my face to set her at ease. “Yeah, I’m sure. Let’s go.”

As I climb to my feet, I pull her up, and keeping hold of her hand, we leave the guest room.

I’m surprised when I don’t hear Ilias ranting and raving, but only the murmur of voices.

When we step out onto the veranda, it’s to see Evinka and the others relaxing as if they’re all on fucking vacation.

Santiago notices us first, and a broad smile spreads over his face. “Do you feel better?”

“Yes. Thanks.” I gesture for Grace to take a seat on a sofa before I sit down beside her.

Santiago gets up and heads into the house while Evinka brings two glasses of fresh juice for Grace and me.

When we take the glasses, she signs, “There’s food over on the table. Eat something.”

I nod, then take a couple of sips of the juice before glancing at everyone.

When my eyes land on Ilias, who’s staring at me with a shiner forming on his face, I say, “Have you calmed down?”

He nods but still grumbles something unintelligible beneath his breath.

“While you got some rest, we had a talk. Ilias is aware of where he stands in the alliance,” Leo mutters.

Good.

Santiago comes back and tosses a shirt at me before handing Grace a small bottle of pills. “Antonio said Dominik needs to take two every six hours. It will help with the headaches.”

“Thanks.” I pull the fabric on and relax back against the sofa again. My body is starting to ache from the toll the explosions took on it, and I suppress a groan.

“Thank you,” Grace replies and immediately shakes two into her palm.

I take them from her and swallow them down with some juice.

“With Pavlov taken care of, we’ll hopefully have peace for a while,” Leo mentions.

“Do we ever really have peace?” Enzo asks while shaking his head. “There’s always an enemy just waiting for their chance to attack.”

Cassia looks at me. “How long before the island is up and running?”

“Three months at the very least,” I reply. “They’re working around the clock.” I drink some more of the juice, then add, “I’ll arrange for an inspection when they’re at the halfway mark so we can all make sure everything is proceeding as planned.”

Leo lets out a sigh, then rises to his feet. “I need to get home. I have a meeting early tomorrow.”

It’s only then I remember my private jet was blown up.

“Jebat,” I grumble.

Grace’s eyes snap to my face. “What’s wrong?”

“I have to organize a way for us to get back to Slovakia.”

Evinka shakes her head, then signs, “I already organized with Santiago to borrow one of his private jets.”

My gaze flicks to the man who’s quickly becoming one hell of an asset in my life. “Thanks for the loan. I owe you.”

“You owe me nothing but your undying loyalty,” he says as if we’re fucking declaring our love for each other.

I let out a chuckle while shaking my head. “You’re something else, Santiago.”

“One of a kind.”

The fourteen-hour flight home almost killed me. By the time I bring the Hummer to a stop, I’m so fucking dead on my feet my head is spinning.

“Come, let’s get you to bed,” Grace orders as she shoves her door open.

With my body aching as if I ran a fucking marathon, I groan when I climb out of the vehicle.

Grace comes to wrap her arm around my lower back. I love that she’s trying to take some of my weight, but she’s too small in comparison to me.

The walk up the hill drains the last of my energy, and entering the house, I head straight for the living room. I drop down on a couch with a sigh of relief.

“You should go to bed,” Grace insists.

I stare at her beautiful face as she leans over me, worry tightening her features.

“I’ll go up once I have energy,” I say.

She places her hand on my forehead. “You don’t feel feverish.”

“That’s because I’m not. I’m just tired.”

“I’ll make you some green tea.” She darts away and jogs in her hurry to get to the kitchen.

Previously, whenever I’ve been sick or injured, there was no one to fuss about me.

I’m not going to lie. I like it.

A lot.

When she comes back, I drag myself into a sitting position. Taking the cup from her, I grin and murmur, “Thanks, miláčik.”

She hurries away again, heading up the stairs.

I suck in a deep breath then drink some of the tea before placing the cup on the coffee table.

Grace comes back down with an armful of clothes.

Even though I showered during the flight home, I had to put on the same clothes because our luggage got blown up with the private jet.

My wife sets it all down on the couch beside me, then reaching for my shirt, she gingerly removes it from my body.

My eyes remain locked on her face as she undoes the belt, and when she takes hold of my cargo pants, I lift my hips so she can drag the fabric down my legs.

With a serious expression etched on her face, she removes my boots and socks, and once she has me naked, I grin at her.

“Don’t even try, mister. You’re in no condition to have sex,” she says, her tone strict.

I let out a chuckle, and feeling like a king, I let her dress me in the clean sweatpants and shirt.

“Now lie down and sleep,” she orders.

I grab her wrist before she rushes off to do something else, and giving my best pout, I say, “I want more attention.”

She sits down by my thigh, making sure to avoid my side, and reaching for my head, she brushes her fingers through my hair.

Grace stills and stares at me for the longest time, then her face crumbles, and she lets out a sob. “I could’ve lost you.”

“Never. It will take more than an army of Russians and missiles to get rid of me.” I lift my hand and use the pad of my thumb to brush a tear from her cheek.

She gives me a cynical look. “As much as you’d like to believe you’re Superman, you’re not. You could’ve died, Dominik.”

My tone is filled with tenderness as I say, “But I didn’t. You’re stuck with me for a little while longer.”

Her face crumbles again, and she whimpers, “I want to be stuck with you forever.”

Wrapping my fingers around the side of her neck, I pull her toward me, but she shakes her head. “You’re injured.”

“Woman, just let me hold you,” I chuckle, yanking her down on me.

I force her to lie half on top of me, then mutter, “Relax.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she complains.

“I’m fine.” I brush some of her blond strands away from her face and over her shoulder. “Relax for me.”

I feel how the tension slowly leaves her and press a kiss to the top of her head. “Dobré dievča.”

We lie in silence for a while, then she whispers, “There was a moment when the guys lifted you off the truck. Seeing you lifeless…” she chokes up and takes a few seconds to suck in a trembling breath. “You’ve become my entire world, Dominik. I love you in a way that would completely destroy me if I lost you.”

Her words soak deep into my soul. Being loved so much by the woman who owns me is a dream come true.

A dream I didn’t know I had.

Yes, Evinka and I love each other, but we’d survive if one of us died.

Now I have someone who would die if she lost me. I’m the most important thing to her.

“Dominik?” she whispers as she lifts her head to look at me.

“I never knew it would feel this incredible to be loved,” I murmur.

She leans down and presses a kiss to my mouth, then says, “I love you, Dominik.” She gives me another kiss. “I love you.” And another kiss. “I love you so much it hurts to be a second away from you.”

Lifting my hand to the side of her head, I take her mouth with mine. My tongue strokes hers hard as I pull her completely on top of me.

I grab her shirt, and we only separate so the fabric can pass between us, then our mouths fuse together again.

This is heaven.

I have a beautiful wife and peace and quiet in the mountains.

What more can a man ask for?

I pull Grace’s bra out of my way, and my hands find her breasts. I groan from how perfect they feel while I get lost in the taste of her addictive mouth.

Our movements gradually grow more urgent, and when I can’t wait a second longer, I push her off me. She quickly stands up and shimmies out of her jeans and panties.

I shove my sweatpants and boxers down, and Grace takes over, dragging them off.

I reach for her hips as she climbs back on top of me, and when I have her straddled over my cock, I position myself at her soaked entrance.

She pushes down on me when I thrust up, and we both groan as her pussy takes all of me.

“Christ, yes.” I keep a firm grip on her hips and pull her down every time I thrust up.

Her hands slap down on my shoulders, and her breasts bounce, the sight fucking hot.

For a man who felt like he was dying an hour ago, energy pulses through my body as I fuck my wife.

She’s all I needed to recharge. No amount of sleep can do for me what she can.

“Jebat,” I curse as I increase my pace, my hips pumping as if my fucking life depended on it. “I need you to come.”

“So close,” she moans as she moves up and down, riding the fuck out of me.

Unable to stop my orgasm, it tears through me with a force that can rival the blast that almost killed me.

The moment I come, Grace’s body tenses and she lets out a cry as her own pleasure hits.

She loses all her strength and slumps down on my chest, her breaths rushing over my neck.

Ecstasy courses through my veins, and I thrust into her a few more times before I still beneath her.

“So much,” I suck in a desperate breath, “better. You’re the instant cure for any illness or injury.”

She lets out a chuckle as she pushes herself up, and when she climbs off, I see my release coating the inside of her thighs.

“That sight never gets old,” I groan.

“What? Me naked?” Grace asks as she grabs our clothes.

When she walks to the stairs, I say, “My cum, dripping from your pussy.”

“Jesus, Dominik,” she chuckles.

When she goes up the stairs, I call out, “Where are you going with my clothes.”

“You won’t need them for the rest of the night. Get your ass up here so I can cure you some more.”

I’m up in a flash, and ignoring the pain in my side, I take the stairs two at a time to get to my wife.