Dmitri Volkov was handsome, and not the boy-next-door type either. It shouldn't have come as a surprise; Nikolai had stared at his picture for hours, memorizing every little pore and mole from all angles.

But here, in the flesh, it hit him that the man was very real and, apparently, devastatingly attractive. He was all sharp angles and captivating shadows—a sharp jawline, as if carved from stone, leading up to high, prominent cheekbones that caught the light. His nose was straight, with a little bump in the middle, a perfect complement to the firm set of full lips. Dark, heavy brows framed his eyes, which were still staring him down. Dark, tousled curls framed his face, one rebellious lock clinging to his forehead.

He was darkness, sin, and everything bad. An ache tightened in Nikolai's gut. God, he desperately needed to know how he looked bound and gagged on his knees. Fuck!

“You look at me like you know me?”

Nikolai froze from his perusal and met Volkov’s eyes. Shit. He'd forgotten that only the personal brigada knew the man facially. His knowledge of him was going to raise red flags. Volkov cocked his head, an amused, predatory glint in his gaze.

“Well, do you?” He asked, jolting Nikolai from his thoughts.

Nikolai's eyes gardened and he met Volkov’s gaze. “I don't.” He then cocked his head mirroring Volkov’s movement, and stared him down. “I'm actually surprised what a pretty boy like you is doing down here?”

The air in the hallway was thick with tension, the statement was meant to incite a reaction, they both knew that Volkov was anything but a pretty face but it was fun to challenge a man who thought he was the biggest dog in the room. An ordinary man would have easily submitted, especially since Nikolai was clearly the bigger man, but Dmitri wasn't an ordinary man.

“Down here?” Dmitri repeated, his voice so low that it seemed to vibrate through the marble floor. He took a single, deliberate step closer, closing the space between them. The scent of expensive cologne and something subtly predatory filled the air. Volkov stared up at him, eyes dark. “And where, exactly, do you think I belong?”

Nikolai’s jaw tightened. He could not, would not, show even a flicker of the primal thrill that rippled through him at the challenge. It'd been so long since he'd broken in a man. He smiled, more teeth than anything. “Why don't you come closer and I'll tell you.” Did Volkov think Nikolai would back down? Fat chance.

But if he had thought Volkov wouldn't want to be in close proximity with a man, he was wrong, because he took a step closer until they were toe to toe, until Nikolai could feel the subtle heat radiating from his body. Nikolai sucked in a breath at the realization that if he were to tilt his head and press down, they would be kissing. His heart felt like it would burst out his chest with the way it was beating.

“I find that I'm better at listening when I'm at a vantage point,” Volkov murmured, the low rumble of his voice sending shivers up Nikolai's spine. His head still tilted up, his gaze swept over Nikolai's face, lingered for a moment on his lips, and then dropped to his chest. “But tell me, since you are eager to speak. What is your name?”

Nikolai's lips curled, “I don't have to tell you shit! You're not my boss and I don't answer to you.”

Dmitri smirked, “I could have sworn you knew who I was earlier.” Nikolai paused, so he hadn't believed him, but it didn't matter. Not right now anyway.The amusement drained from Volkov's face, replaced by fury and his hand shot out like lightning to grab Nikolai's throat.

Pushing him back until Nikolai's back hit the wall, he snarled in his face, “You may claim to not know me but let me assure you, lying to me will get you nothing but the grave.”

He squeezed his hand tighter against Nikolai's throat, not enough to cut off air circulation but just enough so he could sound it his warning. “ I didn't get down here by believing a lie every Tom, Dick and Harry told me.” He hissed in his face.

It shouldn't have been possible, yet Nikolai was turned on, he hadn't flinched when Volkov had grabbed his throat so fast he didn't even see it coming, hadn't pushed back when his back had hit the wall, but now his blood was heated, desperate to unspeakable things to the man in front of him.

He flexed his fingers to curb the urge of dragging it in Volkov’s hair and using all his willpower, channeled disdain into his eyes.

“Release me” Nikolai said, his voice, a low even command. He felt it before he saw it, Volkov froze at the sudden command and when he stared into his eyes something he couldn't identify flashed in his eyes.

Volkov’s grip tightened, his eyes darkened and he looked ready to kill. He probably hadn't been commanded to do something before. Such a shame.

Nikolai didn't even blink. He leaned down, until his mouth was directly opposite his ear, and whispered.

“Now.”

He felt the shiver go through Volkov and leaned back. Slowly Dmitri let go and took two steps back, his chest heaving like he had just run a marathon. For the second time, a flicker of something raw and exposed passed over Dmitri’s face. But it was gone in an instant, his face back to that of arrogance.

Nikolai, now free, took a step forward, his gaze fixed on Dmitri. His eyes locked on the unmistakable erection tenting Volkov’s suit trousers and froze. Dmitri Volkov was big.

Just as the silence was about to stretch too thin, raucous laughter coming from the cell below was heard. They were playing with Ivan. The spell was broken. He gave Dmitri a discreet nod, his eyes scanning the hallway. The spell was broken.

“We’ll continue this another time,” Dmitri murmured, his voice now a mere whisper. He straightened and, without another word, walked past him.

Nikolai's legs felt like stone. He forced himself to walk in the opposite direction, his back a rigid line of defiance. He told himself not to look back. He wouldn't give this man the satisfaction. He was going to walk away as if whatever had happened meant nothing. But the urge was more than physical, it was a need to see if the man was truly done with him. Just a quick glance.

He stole a look over his shoulder, and there he was. Dmitri stood there facing him, like he had stopped moving when he saw Nikolai move. His head was cocked to the side, a smug look in his eyes. As if he knew Nikolai could not resist him.

He'd been right.