The remnants of Grace Brennan

11| Distractions

New York City, 27 August 2017

"You could have fucking told me she wasn't sleeping!" Victor snapped at Sergio as they sat drinking coffee.

"How was I supposed to know boss?" Sergio asked in his thick Russian accent "It's not like I sit in her room and watch her sleep."

Victor growled softly, the man was right. How was he supposed to know?

"There's something else," Sergio said hesitantly causing Victor's head to snap up, his green eyes were cold making Sergio gulp.

"What?" Victor asked in a low dangerous tone.

"She's been hallucinating, I've seen her many times talking to someone as if there were someone else in the room besides her and I" Sergio admitted.

This wasn't good. It just added to the suspicion that Grace was having a harder time with Frank's death than she was letting on. Before Victor could reply, Grace came out of the room wearing Victor's shirt from the night before. She looked slightly better like she had actually rested. Victor couldn't help the twitch in his dick as he watched her walk up to him, she looked too good wearing his clothes, and the hickey that marked her neck letting the world know she was his, had made him hard instantly.

"Good morning" She smiled before grabbing a cup of coffee.

"Good morning Koroleva" Sergio greeted before Victor wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head. A knock at the door made the three of them all look towards it.

"I'll get it," Sergio said getting up and walking over to the door.

Victor moved so that Grace was standing in front of him against the kitchen counter. "I like your choice of sleepwear" He smirked as his green eyes hungrily looked her up and down causing Grace to blush. He moved his hands so they were rubbing up her thighs, his touch causing her skin to heat and wetness to pool between her legs. She looked up at him through hooded eyes, his lips inches from her own.

"Koroleva, it's for you," Sergio said coming back into the kitchen. Grace's cheeks turned red thinking about him seeing her and Victor like this. She smiled at him and gave Victor a peck on the cheek before making her way to the door where Chris stood with his hands in his pockets. He smiled at her as she arrived

"Chris, what are you doing here?" She asked surprised

"I thought we could get breakfast before we go down to the library" He smiled

"Oh," Grace said taken aback "how do you know where I live?" She asked quickly

"You told me remember?" He asked tilting his head to the side. Grace in fact didn't remember but with her lack of sleep, her memory wasn't all that good so it's quite possible that she could have told him.

"Right," She said softly "I'm sorry Chris, I won't be able to join you today. My husband got into town last night"

"Your husband doesn't let you have friends?" He asked raising a brow

"No, it's just that it's been a while since I've seen him. We'll be spending the day together"

"Oh," Chris said, disappointment lacing his voice "Yeah I get it. Have fun Grace." He smiled "Maybe we can catch up tomorrow?"

Before Grace could answer she felt Victor's arm wrap around her waist, Chris looked up at the man next to her, her husband he assumed. Fear flashed briefly in his almond eyes before it was replaced with something entirely different. Something Victor noted as envy, which sent his ego into an ecstatic upward spiral. Grace bit her lip nervously as she watched Victor and Chris introduce themselves. Her heart beat rapidly, she knew Victor wouldn't take well to her having a male friend.

"Another time perhaps Chris," She said giving him a kind smile, hoping he'd get the message and leave before he ended up with a bullet between his eyes.

"Yeah" Chris nodded eagerly "It was nice to meet you," he said to Victor even though it was not, before turning to leave. Grace closed the door as he walked away and in a matter of seconds, she was pinned against the wall with Victor's hand wrapped around her throat.

"Who's your boyfriend tesoro?" He asked, his emerald eyes turning dark with possessiveness.

"He's not my boyfriend," Grace said softly as fear coated her insides. Victor's hand squeezed around her throat, he could feel her heart rate rapidly increase under his fingers. "Just someone I met at the library."

Victor hummed running his nose up the side of her face until his mouth was at her ear, his hot breath against her skin causing moisture to pool between her legs.

'What the fuck is wrong with me?' She asked herself, as much as she knew she shouldn't be turned on right now, she was.

"Go get dressed, we're going to the gym" He whispered in her ear before letting go of her and walking away. Grace shuddered at the lack of warmth before composing herself and going into the bedroom.

"You know his just going to end up killing that boy and you'll be left with another death on your hands" Frank's ghost stated as she began changing.

"He won't kill him. He has no reason to." Grace snapped back

"Clearly you know nothing about the monster that is your husband." Frank tsked

"And what you do?" She snapped "You're not even real"

"You'd be surprised at what I know about the infamous Victor Bernardi."

"Oh shut up" Grace rolled her eyes "You're really starting to work on my nerves."

A knock at the door sounded making Frank disappear "Grace are you okay in there?" Victor asked

"Yes, I'm almost done" She called back as she finished changing and going out to meet Victor.

The drive was mostly silent as Grace looked out of the window at the city and Victor did some work on his phone.

"Why are we going to the gym?" Grace asked as they arrived 

"It'll distract you," Victor said casually taking her hand as they entered. The gym was mostly empty, Grace couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by all the equipment, she had never really been to a gym before. Victor led her over to a punching bag.

"Hit it," He said watching her before she hit the bag meekly causing him to chuckle "You hit like a girl"

"I am a girl," Grace said grumpily

"Sì" Victor smiled before standing behind her, his hands traveled down her arms to her wrists, while he moved his foot between her feet parting her legs with his knee, his hands moved to her hips straightening them, as he moved her body into a fighting stance. His Featherlite touches causing her skin to heat up and blush to settle on her cheeks. Taking her hand in his, he closed his fingers around hers making a fist, before moving both their arms back. He ran kisses from her shoulder to her neck and up until his lips were at her ear.

"Now hit it" He whispered as his hands held her hips firmly in place.

Grace swallowed, her mouth instantly dry. She pulled her arm back and thrust it forward hitting the punching bag hard causing it to swing slightly.

"Good girl" Victor murmured in her ear causing heat and moisture to travel between her legs.

"Again" He commanded

She hit the bag again and again every time he asked and each time she was rewarded with a soft kiss on her cheek or neck and a 'good girl' whispered into her ear.

Victor was right, it was the perfect distraction, although she wasn't sure if it was the gym itself or him who was the actual distraction. Either way, she didn't mind. For the first time since she arrived in New York, her mind was quiet.