The Mysterious Stranger

Katya Petrov 

It's my eighteenth birthday, and I'm spending it in a casino, hoping that I wouldn't be caught by my father's men, and drinking for the first time.

Tonight, I was going to pretend to be someone else.

Not the conservative daughter of the Mafia Boss of the Petrov clan who was going to be given away in an arranged marriage to an ally of the organization three times my age. My fate had been sealed since my Mom failed to birth a son. 

As my father said, at least he would be compensated for putting up with us since I would fetch a grand prize in marriage.

Months to my eighteenth birthday, he had started screening potential suitors like it was an auction, and ended up choosing the wealthiest of the men who had come for my hand.

Tomorrow, I was going to be bound to the fifty four year old Don Boris who had been known to be a pedophile and a woman beater. 

The thought of being subjected to the same fate as my mom had chills running down my spine.

Dad beat her up in front of the members of the organization to teach her a lesson, and this evening before I had snuck out of the heavily guarded mansion, he had slapped her for questioning him because he had just killed the Don of the Castello mafia organization. 

Loud music blared through the speakers, and bodies ground against each other all around me, the scent of alcohol and sweaty bodies seeming so forbidden.

I was a bit tipsy, but I hadn't drunk enough to twirl my body the way I wanted, and so I walked over to the bartender with a silver ring stuck to her nose and ordered,

"Te...tequilla?" 

I said as loud as I could, watching as she poured another of the drink, but as I reached for the few dollars notes my Mom had secretly given to me, an intoxicating raw masculine fragrance infiltrated through my nostrils, and did strange things to my body.

Unable to stop myself, my head moved on its own, my eyes blinking twice in awe of the sight before me.

He was all male, with the appearance of a fallen angel. There was something dangerous about the intensity of his diamond green eyes and wet erotic lips. His nose stood arrogantly firm and those shoulders were exceptionally wide. 

Large masculine fingers reached out and motioned to the bartender, long dark lashes fluttering as he spoke with those...temptation of a pair of lips. 

I was enraptured, instantly aware of the wetness pooling in my panties and the tingling sensations which were described in the romance novels my I had read secretly. My nipples were suddenly tight, and I felt sucked into this man's commanding aura. 

Just when I thought I couldn't be any more of a goner, he parted those lips and spoke, bridging the gap between heaven and hell, pleasure, and need.

"The lady's drinks are on me." His voice was a deep baritone, and those green eyes swept towards my direction, taking a thorough look at me as he brought a glass of dark golden liquid to his lips.

Almost as golden as his skin.

My heart halted, and my fingers clasped together, my entire body shivering as I stared at him with my lips parted. My first crush, an embodiment of sin and everything forbidden. 

Those lips that looked like sex lifted slowly in a knowing manner, his gaze filled with so much intensity and confidence it was both scary and thrilling.

"Tha...thank you." I stuttered, twirling a lock of my ginger hair. 

He didn't say anything at first, but downed the alcohol in one gulp, his eyes trained on me. I had never felt this hot and bothered before as I watched the movement of his Adam's apple and those tempting eyes sucking me into an enthralling web of sin.

His long legs were spread out in front of him, disciplined biceps filling out in his denim jacket. He regarded me impassively, and I forced my gaze away, wrapping my palm around the glass and drinking the burning liquid.

"Feel good?" His powerful voice was doing things to me that would scandalize anyone that heard it. 

I nodded, getting courage from the alcohol in my system, although it wasn't enough to make me act on the filthy fantasies I was having about him. 

"So, what is your name, beautiful?" 

I swallowed a lump of nervousness and parted my lips, "Katya." I held off on including my surname which was well known here in America.

"Katya... Dance with me." My name had never sounded as sensual as it as on his tongue, nor had I felt so much butterflies in my stomach as I did the moment he took my hand.

It felt right. Like a good fit. His palm was callused and masculine, his height intimidating when he rose on his feet. Gosh, how could someone be this perfect? The lights cast shadows on his chiseled jaw and arresting beautiful lips, drawing my gaze to them. 

I wanted him to kiss me, to be the first to make me experience what it felt like to have two bodies merge as one. 

"Do you usually stare at hot strangers like this without saying anything?" His thick voice broke into my thoughts, and I licked my lips which  suddenly felt too dry.

"I never said you were...hot." I muttered, aware of the smirk forming in his lips. My cheeks felt hot, and I could imagine how my porcelain skin would betray me with a blush.

He chuckled lightly, making my insides vibrate, then he pulled me into his sturdy arms as the music changed to a slower rhythm, his cologne delicious as the feeling of being in his arms.

"Cara, you don't need to say it. I see it, in your beautiful eyes." 

My heart skipped again, and I held on to him, my head buried in his muscular chest. I could feel the beats of his heart, just as I was aware of his caressing fingers on my waist, making me stifle a moan at the delicious feeling.

I was high on the emotions he was effortlessly eliciting in me. I clung to him, feeling safe and wanted and very much desirable.

Everything I had never felt before.

When the music stopped, I didn't want to let go, my heart sinking in disappointment when he broke the embrace. 

But then those intense eyes were fixated on me, focused and giving me undivided attention. His palm cupped my face, and I leaned closer to him, my lips parting of their own will. 

"Cara..." He started, but suddenly stopped, my heart beating in anticipation and excitement as he started to lean into me.

It was going to happen now, my first kiss. I bit into my lips and closed my eyes, feeling his hot minty breath with a dangerous blend of alcohol fall on mine. 

But when I felt him so close that his breath was fanning my neck, it was his voice that spoke instead, 

"Come with me upstairs, Katya."