Own You

Chapter 14

"I'm going to miss this. The next time I come to see Andre, I promise I'll do something special for you."

"Ok." It's all I can muster up to say.

I still don't know how to feel about all of his sudden affection.

"One day you'll see I'm not that bad. I am an asshole, but you're mine... and if I wanna keep you, I know I have to change. And I will, Mya. I'm gonna make you happy one day, make you a proper wife. Not just on paper, I'll give you a wedding most women only dream of," Jamal says as his lips hover against mine.

"I'll believe it when I see it."

Jamal chuckles then kisses me, with tongue, one last time.

"I have to get down there. But before I'm gone for good, I need you to take this."

Jamal hands me the cell phone he gave me when he left me for the first time.

"Where'd you find this? Antonio found it and hid it from me months ago."

"This is a different phone, same model. I need you to keep this one very close and secret. Right now, things are heating up and now that the Russian President is involved, it'll only get worse. I'm getting you out of here and when the time comes, this phone must stay with you. You and the kids are my responsibility, and I won't let you get hurt because of our shit. So, keep the phone with you at all times."

"You know I can't always do that. Look how easily Antonio found it last time."

"Trust me, baby, you can do this one thing. Besides, Borya is more of a softie than he looks. He's a sucker for beautiful women and a bit of a romantic. He likes you more than you think, use that to your advantage. You can do it, Mya. Do what you have to, to survive this."

With no further words, Jamal kisses me for the last time. He then kisses both Andre and Giovanni on their foreheads and heads out of the room. Everything about this situation gives me pause. I don't want to keep being used like this. I have to figure out a way to not be a pawn in this game, but a major player instead.

If I'm going to survive this, I need to be the Queen on this chessboard.

2 months later

"Moya lyubov (my love), join me on the balcony. There's something I want you to see," Borya insists with a gentle smile.

When he asked me to come over to him, I was sitting on the bed tending to the little ones. I get up reluctantly and lay the babies down on the bed. I have swaddled Giovanni in his blanket and laid against his nursing pillow. Andre is sitting up watching Paw Patrol on his tablet. They both look so beautiful and happy; I hope I can get them away from this hell and before they end up like their fathers.

Walking over to the balcony, I admire Borya in all his glory. In all this time, he has never forced himself on me. All he ever wants to do is take care of me. Whether he's drunk or sober, his attitude towards me never falters. He stands with his elbows leaned against the banister of the balcony. The weather has become colder, and the groundskeepers have reported signs of snow.

Yet, Borya stands in only a tank top and some sweatpants. He has no slippers or socks on, his bare feet touching the cold cement of the balcony floor. The tattoos that adorn his body are numerous and intricate. Some are mob related and others are parts of his quirky personality. He has an entire sleeve dedicated to cartoon and anime characters. Borya also has some scars in the middle of his back and a long one across his chest.

As scary as they look, they don't take away from his attractiveness. He doesn't talk about what happened to him, but he told me a family member did it. I clutch my mink robe closer to my body as I get closer to him. The wind sends a chill up my spine and Borya hears me whimper. Without hesitation, Borya comes to wrap his long arms around me and warm me up.

"Are you okay, love? We can go back inside if you want," he says, looking down at me with those bright blue orbs.

"I'm ok. What's up?"

Borya smirks before he takes my chin between his fingers and lifts it higher. Soft lips find mine and his tongue gently prods my opening. Enthusiastically, I follow suit and add some tongue here and there.

"I wanted to ask you how you feel about taking a trip with me to Prague?" Borya inquires with a sweet voice.

I look at him with suspicion, and he laughs.

"I'm being serious, Mya. I need your help with something," he says in all seriousness.

A hint of worry lingers behind his eyes.

"What about the kids? Or Antonio and the others, for that matter?"

"The kids will be ok. I called Sylvia, and she's agreed to fly over to watch them for a week. She's been dying to see them. And she knows how to keep her mouth shut. She and Jamal are the only ones who know about us taking this trip," he says as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

Sylvia and Jamal in league with Borya? What is it that Borya plans on making me do in Prague that they'd all agree to this behind the rest of the group's back? I don't even know how I feel about Sylvia being around my kids. Then again, they technically belong to their fathers. I'm only an incubator in this situation.

Eventually, I'll have to be around Emilio and Sylvia as their little pet breeder and I will have to balance two personalities. My best course of action is to let her have what she wants, for now. Besides, this is an opportunity to keep working on ways to get Borya to be my ultimate pawn. I like him a lot, but at the end of the day, I need my freedom. I won't belong to any man unless I love him. None of them deserve to have me; even Borya isn't without fault. He was there the night the others hurt me and it still turned him on.

"If you say you need me, I'll do what I can to help. I'm happy you think so highly of me," I say shyly, turning my head away from his gaze.

Borya likes when I act shy and vulnerable. It's an easy way to get him to buy me shit. But there are times he actually makes me feel vulnerable and takes me by surprise. Like now, he's always trying to find new ways to make me happy. Unlike Antonio, his generosity is sincere. He's done nothing to betray my trust. That doesn't mean I can ever fully trust him. I'm just waiting on the other shoe to drop and for him to show his true colors.

"I'm glad to hear you say that. As modest as you act, I can see the leader in you. Even now, you're making plans in your head to escape us." He chuckles before kissing me deeply.

Borya lifts me up by my waist and I wrap my legs around him.

"How would you know what I'm planning?" I ask him candidly.

"Oh please, Moya lyubov. What woman wouldn't try to leave a situation like this? Im not dumb Mya, neither are you. That's why I need you; I need a woman's touch," Borya states in a whisper against my waiting lips.

Our noses touch gently, as he rubs his against mine. His eyes are closed, and he breathes deeply before he kisses me tenderly.

"I need you to understand that this trip is mainly about handling business. When we get there, you will act as my mouthpiece. You're good at making people pay attention to you. You also have a way with words; the way you convinced the others to let me continue in this operation was smart. Now, I wanna see what else you can do."

"What do you mean? I'm...just a breeder for you all. My words will hold no weight with the caliber of men you're used to dealing with."

"Bullshit. I think if they see a woman like you, it'll force them to pay attention. This trip will be good for you, regardless."

Borya puts me down and runs his hand through my curly afro and kisses my forehead. I won't lie, it is beyond surprising to hear someone speak of me in such high regard. But Borya makes me believe everything he says. His eyes are full of depth and a past I want to discover, even though I shouldn't get close to him. If he's willing to give me a bit of freedom, I won't turn it down.

"So, when do we leave?" I ask with a warm smile.

"When do you want to leave?"