Ekaterina

18 years old

Three months earlier.

I was late.

Again.

I ran down the sidewalk, clutching my bag against my body while the freezing wind cut across my face. The clock on my phone seemed to judge me with every passing second.

But I couldn't leave any earlier.

Not when Lis had finally fallen asleep without crying from the pain.

Sleeping at the hospital every night had become my routine. My sister spent the entire day alone in that white room while I worked, so the nights were ours. Uncomfortable, exhausted—it didn't matter. I stayed with her.

I'd always stay.

I slipped through the back door of the law office, trying not to draw attention. If I could just make it to the supply closet, maybe—

"Well, well. The cleaning queen finally decided to show up."

I closed my eyes for a second.

Ivan.

The owner's son.

And the man who couldn't accept that I'd never gone out with him.

I lifted my chin and forced politeness.

"Good morning. Sorry I'm late."

He smirked, looking me up and down.

"Easy there, Cinderella."

Before I could pull away, he grabbed my arm.

My whole body went rigid.

"I've got a job for you."

I tugged my arm free as subtly as I could.

"I can pick up extra shifts."

His smile changed.

Predatory.

"Actually... it'd just be one night."

My stomach turned instantly.

I understood exactly what he was implying.

I took a step back.

"Then I'm not interested."

I turned to leave.

But Ivan yanked me back too hard.

My shoulders hit the wall.

The shock sent my heart racing.

"Relax," he said, low. "It's not with me."

I stared at him, suspicious.

"You'd just keep a friend of mine company at a bar. Talk to him. Keep him distracted for a few hours."

I frowned.

"Distracted for what?"

He released my hand slowly.

"I just need to get some compromising photos. Nothing major."

My chest tightened.

It felt wrong.

Very wrong.

"You don't have to do anything with the guy if you don't want to," Ivan continued. "Just make sure nobody comes looking for him while it happens."

I should've walked away.

I should've.

But then I thought about Lis.

The expensive medications.

The piling bills.

The surgery.

My heart sank.

"How much?" I asked quietly.

Ivan smiled slowly.

As if he'd already known I would ask.

"Three hundred thousand rubles."

The air seemed to vanish from my lungs.

Three hundred thousand.

Enough to pay for Lis's surgery.

Enough to give my sister a chance to keep living.

Ivan stepped back.

"If you're interested... come find me."

And then he left.

Leaving me alone in that hallway.

Alone—

with desperation squeezing my throat.

And the worst decision of my life already taking root.

But Lisbela was my priority.

I worked the entire day thinking about Ivan's offer.

Every room I cleaned.

Every desk I organized.

Every trash can I emptied.

Everything felt heavier.

Because I couldn't get it out of my head.

Three hundred thousand rubles.

Enough to save Lis.

I'd already tried everything.

Loans.

Asking for help.

Payment plans.

But nobody lends money to an eighteen-year-old girl drowning in debt.

The house where we lived had been mortgaged years ago—by the drunk I was forced to call my father. Alfredo could be called many things, but "Dad" wasn't one of them. He'd surrendered to the bottle after my mother died and never came back from it.

And I was still making payments on the mortgage he'd taken out, just so we wouldn't lose the only roof over our heads.

I had no way out.

None.

At the end of my shift, I took a few deep breaths before I worked up the nerve to go find Ivan.

He was in the hallway, leaning against the wall, chatting with an intern. Or rather—shamelessly hitting on her while his father was out of the office.

The second he saw me, he grinned.

As if he already knew the answer.

"So... thought about it?"

My stomach knotted.

But I nodded.

"I'll do it."

His eyes lit up with satisfaction.

"Good girl."

I ignored the comment.

"But you have to pay me first."

Ivan let out a quiet laugh.

"Suspicious."

"Desperate," I corrected.

He studied me for a few seconds before agreeing.

"I'll pay."

My chest loosened slightly.

Until he added:

"But if you don't show up at that bar tomorrow... I'll kill you."

The threat came with a smile.

As if it were a joke.

But I knew it wasn't.

I stayed silent.

Ivan looked me up and down.

Slowly.

Making me want to disappear.

"And I'm definitely going to need to get you something decent to wear."

I crossed my arms immediately.

"That's not necessary."

"Yes, it is. Tomorrow, Ekaterina. Don't forget."

I nodded just to end the conversation.

He pulled out a check and began filling it in slowly.

When he placed the paper in my hand, my fingers trembled.

Three hundred thousand rubles.

Enough for Lis's surgery.

My eyes burned immediately.

"Tomorrow," Ivan repeated. "If you bail on me, you're done."

"I'll be there."

My voice came out quiet.

Tired.

I tucked the check into my bag and walked out of the office on legs that felt like they might buckle.

As if I'd just sold a piece of my dignity.

The bus ride to the hospital felt longer than ever.

And during the entire ride, I tried to convince myself I was doing this for the right reason.

For Lis.

Always for Lis.

The moment I arrived at the hospital, I went straight to the billing office before I even went to see her.

The woman behind the desk looked surprised when I handed over the check.

And for the first time in months—

I could breathe a little easier.

The surgery was paid for.

Part of the debt from the previous hospital stays remained, but the surgery was secured.

My sister was going to get a chance.

And that made everything feel bearable.

Or almost.

When I walked into the room, Lis smiled the second she saw me.

That small, fragile smile that always destroyed me.

"Kathy!"

She stretched her thin little arms toward me.

And in that moment—

all the weight in the world disappeared for a few seconds.

Because she was still here.

And as long as she was—

I would do anything to see her well.

I took a quick shower in the hospital bathroom and came back to the room, trying to keep every ounce of that day's weight off my face.

She was awake.

Waiting for me.

The moment she saw me walk in, she smiled right away.

"Tell me the Cinderella story?"

I laughed softly.

Always the same one.

Her favorite.

Lis was five years old and still believed in fairy tales, pretty dresses, and charming princes.

She had no idea—

that in real life, there were almost always only frogs.

Still, I sat beside her on the bed and told the story one more time while she listened with wide eyes, clutching the stuffed bunny that was falling apart with age.

Halfway through the story, one of the nurses came in with my dinner.

The nurses on that floor helped me however they could.

Sometimes with food.

Sometimes staying a few minutes with Lis so I could shower.

Sometimes just smiling when they saw I was about to fall apart.

And I was grateful for every small kindness.

So grateful.

After I finished eating, I watched Lis for a few seconds, trying to hold the emotion inside my chest.

But I couldn't.

So I took her tiny hand.

"Lis..."

She looked at me curiously.

"I got the money for your surgery."

For a second she just stared.

As if she hadn't understood.

Then those little blue eyes lit up.

"Really?"

I nodded, already smiling, already feeling my eyes fill.

And Lis simply exploded with happiness.

"Am I gonna get better?"

The question shattered my heart in silence.

But I smiled anyway.

"Yes, sweetheart."

She started laughing and clapping her tiny hands, completely euphoric.

"So I'll be able to run?"

"Yes."

"And play?"

My throat tightened.

"Yes."

"Like the other real kids?"

I held her face gently.

"You're already a real kid, Lis."

She hugged me right then.

As hard as her small body could manage.

And I hugged her back immediately.

Without letting go.

Because in that moment—

even carrying guilt, fear, and desperation inside me—

I felt like maybe it had been worth it.

Because my sister was going to live.

And for her—

I would face any hell.

Ekaterina

The next day, Ivan met me at a mall downtown.

The second he saw me, he looked me up and down like he was appraising merchandise.

"You're kind of cute," he said dismissively. "But tonight I need a femme fatale."

I rolled my eyes internally but kept quiet.

We walked into a store far too expensive for anything in my life.

Ivan picked out everything without bothering to ask my opinion.

The red dress clung to my skin like a second layer. The neckline made me uncomfortable immediately.

It definitely didn't feel like me.

Then he bought heels that probably cost more than everything I owned at home. Perfume, makeup, and lingerie—if you could even call it that.

"I want you at the bar by ten tonight," he said while paying. "I'll send you the address."

I just nodded.

And, thank God, he left shortly after.

For the first time all day, I could breathe without Ivan breathing down my neck.

I went straight back to the hospital.

The moment I walked into the room, I got the news about Lis's surgery.

Two days.

Two days.

My heart soared instantly.

I hugged my sister so tight she started laughing.

"Kathy... you're squishing me."

I laughed too.

Because for the first time in a long time—

it felt like something good was actually happening.

Later, while I gently fixed her hair on the hospital bed, I gathered the courage to tell her.

"Tonight I need to work a late shift."

Lis looked at me right away.

And I saw it.

The fear.

She tried to hide it, but I knew every expression my sister had.

She hated sleeping alone in that hospital.

Hated the silence at dawn.

The beeping machines.

The cold hallways.

But still—

she just nodded.

Too small to carry so much understanding.

"Okay."

My throat tightened.

"You sure?"

She forced a small smile.

"We need the money."

My heart broke in silence.

Because Lis never complained.

Never asked for anything.

Never blamed anyone for the unfair life she'd been given.

She just accepted.

And that hurt more than it should have.

I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to distract her.

We watched cartoons.

I told stories.

I let her comb my hair her crooked little way just to hear that sweet giggle filling the room.

But behind every smile of mine... there was guilt.

Because I knew that tonight I was going to leave her alone in that hospital.

When night fell, I kissed her forehead for a long time.

"I'll be back early, okay? You won't even notice."

Lis held my hand between her small ones.

"Promise?"

My heart ached.

"Promise."

She smiled, trying to be brave.

But I could see the fear in her eyes anyway.

And I almost gave up on everything.

Almost.

I left the hospital with a heavy chest and headed home.

Our small row house felt even smaller that night.

Silent.

Worn out.

I took a long shower, trying to wash away the anxiety that clung to my skin.

Then I started getting ready slowly.

Taking my time.

As if being late could keep that night from happening.

When I finished—

I barely recognized myself.

The red dress was too tight.

The fabric hugged my entire body, tracing curves I normally hid.

The neckline was bold.

Indecent.

For the first time in my life, I looked exactly like the kind of woman men stare at in expensive bars.

And that made me uncomfortable immediately.

My phone buzzed.

Ivan.

I opened the message with nervous hands.

The bar's address.

And another message right after:

"I'll communicate with you through here. When he arrives, I'll tell you who he is."

My stomach twisted.

A few minutes later, another message appeared on the screen.

"The mission is to charm Viktor Morozov."

I stared at the name for a few seconds.

Morozov.

Even without knowing the man—

the surname already sounded dangerous.

Heavy.

As if it carried trouble with it.

I took a deep breath and called a cab.

Because now—

it was too late to turn back.

I arrived at the bar a few minutes later.

The second I walked in, I regretted it immediately.

The place was too sophisticated.

Dark.

Luxurious.

Full of beautiful people wearing expensive clothes and looking like they belonged to that world.

I didn't belong.

The stares landed on me almost immediately because of the red dress.

It made me uncomfortable right away.

I hugged my bag against my body and headed to the counter, trying to fake confidence.

But my hands were ice cold.

The bartender approached politely.

"What can I get you, miss?"

I shook my head quickly.

"Nothing."

Because I was too nervous.

And because I'd never had a drink in my life.

My phone buzzed inside my bag.

Ivan.

I answered immediately.

His voice came through cold and blunt from the other end:

"He's here."

My heart took off.

"Tall guy, blond, black shirt. Heading your way... don't look now."

My entire body went taut.

"Pay attention, Ekaterina. Do whatever you have to. You only leave that bar with him."

I shut my eyes for a second.

"And he needs to stay off the grid."

My throat went dry.

Then Ivan added, cruel:

"Use that pussy for something useful. I'm watching you."

And hung up in my face.

I stood there for several seconds, gripping the phone hard.

Humiliated.

Wanting to walk out of there.

But then I thought about Lis.

The scheduled surgery.

Her smile when she said she could finally run like the other kids.

And I swallowed every last bit of shame.

All of it.

Then—

I felt a presence stop beside me at the bar.

Tall.

Imposing.

Heavy.

My heart sped up instantly.

Without needing to look—

I knew. It was him.

"Can I join you, or are you waiting for someone?"

His voice sent a shiver through my entire body.

I turned my head slowly.

And saw him for the first time.

Blond.

Tall.

Far too handsome.

The kind of man who knew exactly the effect he had on people.

And he definitely had a player's face.

Still... my heart raced.

I gave a slight smile.

"I'm alone."

His light eyes scanned me quickly before he sat down beside me.

"Viktor."

The deep voice suited him perfectly.

The bartender returned right away.

Viktor ordered something strong without even glancing at the menu. Then he turned his attention back to me.

"And what are you drinking?"

"Something nonalcoholic."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Nonalcoholic?"

I felt a flush of embarrassment.

"I've never had a drink."

An amused smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

And, strangely—

it made me less nervous.

Our drinks arrived a few minutes later.

My phone vibrated discreetly inside my bag.

I glanced at the message.

"Good girl. Now spread your legs and the job's done."

My stomach lurched.

I locked the screen before Viktor could notice.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Ekaterina."

He repeated my name slowly.

As if he were tasting the sound.

And I hated that my body reacted to it.

Because I had absolutely no experience with men like Viktor Morozov.

Actually—

I had no experience with any man.

He talked more than I did for most of the time. He asked a few things about me, cracked low jokes, made comments about people in the bar.

And gradually—

I started to relax.

Until a friend of his showed up.

The man approached with a smile and greeted Viktor warmly.

I practically thanked God for the interruption.

Because Viktor's presence was too intense.

But the friend didn't stay long.

The moment he left, Viktor leaned in toward me.

Too close.

His cologne wrapped around me instantly.

"Would you like to go somewhere more private?"

My heart pounded.

Right away I remembered Ivan.

The messages.

The money.

Lis's surgery.

So I nodded.

"Yes."

Viktor smiled, satisfied, and stood.

He guided me toward the exit with his hand resting lightly on my lower back.

And I tried to ignore how much that simple touch affected me.

Outside, his car was absurdly expensive.

Luxurious.

Intimidating.

Everything in Viktor's world felt too big for me.

As soon as we got in the car, the silence hung for a few seconds.

Then Viktor leaned toward me without warning.

And kissed me.

My whole body shivered.

Because the kiss fit perfectly.

As if he knew exactly what he was doing.

And for the first time that night—

I completely forgot why I was there.

Viktor pulled back just enough to start the car.

I was still trying to catch my breath while he drove through the lit streets as if nothing had happened.

But my whole body still felt that kiss.

My heart was beating too fast.

And that scared me.

A short while later, the car pulled into the garage of a luxury hotel.

My nervousness slammed back instantly.

Everything felt too fast.

Too intense.

The elevator rose in silence.

And before I knew it—

we were walking into an enormous room.

The second the door closed behind us, Viktor looked at me in a way that made my stomach flip.

As if in that moment, only the two of us existed.

He approached slowly.

Without rushing.

Then he held my face and kissed me again.

The taste of alcohol filled my mouth while his hands traced my body slowly, awakening sensations I'd never felt before.

My whole body trembled.

With practiced ease, Viktor found the zipper of my dress and pulled it down with one hand.

The fabric slid along my skin.

And I should've stopped it.

Should've remembered why I was there.

But my body wanted him too.

Maybe more than it should have.

The dress fell to the floor at my feet.

Viktor pulled back just slightly.

Just enough to look at me.

His gaze traveled down my body slowly—intense, burning.

And my cheeks flushed immediately.

Because no one had ever looked at me like that before.

Viktor Morozov — 20 years old

The red dress fell to Ekaterina's feet slowly.

And she immediately tried to cover herself with her arms.

That caught me off guard.

Because the women in my world normally used their own bodies as weapons.

But not her.

Ekaterina seemed... shy.

Almost innocent.

And there was a purity in her that disarmed me more than it should have.

I kept looking.

Studying every detail.

The blond hair falling over her shoulders.

The fair skin already flushed with embarrassment.

The red lace panties.

The blue eyes avoiding mine for a few seconds.

She was nervous.

Very.

And for the first time that night, something inside me slowed down.

Because Ekaterina didn't seem to belong in that place.

Or in the provocative dress.

Or in the seduction game she'd clearly been trying to keep up at the bar.

She looked like a lost girl pretending she knew what she was doing.

I moved closer slowly.

Without taking my eyes off her.

And held her face gently, making her look at me again.

"Relax."

My voice came out lower now.

Calmer.

Her eyes found mine again.

And for a few seconds...

the entire room disappeared.

Because there was something about that girl that held me.

Something dangerous.

Something that made me want to keep looking even though I knew I should stop.

And this time—

she was the one who kissed me.

Ekaterina grabbed my shirt with her small hands and pulled me back to her as if she'd lost her shyness for a few seconds.

The kiss clicked immediately.

Hot.

Intense.

My tongue found hers slowly, unhurried, while I felt her body tremble against mine.

That got to me more than it should have.

Because she still seemed nervous.

But she wanted me too.

I held her waist firmly while she kissed me like she was trying to forget the rest of the world.

And, fuck—

I started forgetting too.

Without breaking the kiss, I reached for my shirt and opened it quickly, stripping completely.

Her blue eyes traveled down my body for a moment.

And that reaction—shy... enchanted... almost innocent—

hit me dead center.

I held her face again.

Pressing my forehead against hers for a second.

Trying to understand why a girl I'd met less than two hours ago already felt dangerously hard to ignore.

Maybe it was the alcohol.

I'd been drinking since early.

Or maybe it was just her.

Ekaterina looked at me like she was still trying to decide whether to run or stay.

And I didn't want her to go.

I held her waist and guided her slowly toward the bed.

She let herself be led without resistance, her blue eyes locked on mine as if she also felt that strange tension building between us.

When she sat on the mattress, her blond hair fell across her bare shoulders.

Beautiful.

Fuck... too beautiful.

I leaned over her slowly, bracing my body above hers.

I felt her small hands grip my arms.

My face hovered close to hers.

Close enough to feel her racing breath mixing with mine.

And then I stopped for a moment.

Because something inside me said she wasn't like the other women I took to bed.

Ekaterina seemed too delicate for this world.

And even drunk—

I could see that clearly.

I kissed her again with urgency.

As if I'd completely lost control.

Ekaterina trembled in my arms while my hands traveled her body slowly, feeling every reaction, every quickened breath, every shiver.

And that drove me insane.

I kissed her neck slowly, hearing the soft sound that escaped her lips. I squeezed her breast, slid my tongue to one and sucked hard, then sucked the other.

The blonde gripped my hair tight when I turned my full attention to her, completely surrendered to the moment.

Everything in her responded to me.

I trailed my mouth down her body, past her stomach, went a little lower until I was face-to-face with her pussy. I spread her open with my fingers and she was soaking wet. I slid my tongue over her clit. She moaned loud—that sound was my fuel. I pushed my tongue deeper, devouring her pussy, sucking, giving long licks then short ones just to torture her. My cock ached hard—I needed to fuck her. I grabbed the condom, ripped it open with my teeth, rolled it onto my cock, slid against her entrance and pushed in. She was too tight. Ekaterina wrapped her arms around me, burying her face in my neck. I pushed again, harder. Now I was inside her, her pussy clenching around my cock... Her body was tense beneath mine. She searched for my mouth and I kissed her slowly while I moved in and out. She moaned louder and louder. I started pounding hard, wanting to fuse myself inside her.

I gripped the back of her neck, forcing her to look at me. Her eyes were slightly watery. I didn't slow down—kept pounding hard. Until I finally came... I collapsed beside her, pulled the condom off without looking, and tossed it on the floor.

Ekaterina pulled the sheet over her body. Her lips were red from my kisses. On her neck and chest there were marks I'd left. She was so beautiful.

And I realized far too quickly how much I wanted to keep going.

The room felt small now.

Hot.

Heavy with the tension between us.

I stared at her again for a few seconds.

The flushed cheeks.

The blue eyes shining.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah." She answered without looking away from me.

Her lips slightly parted from her uneven breathing.

Beautiful.

Dangerously beautiful.

And when Ekaterina pulled me back for another kiss—

I simply forgot about the world.

But this time the kiss changed.

It got slower.

Calmer.

More... tender.

As if Ekaterina needed comfort as much as she needed desire.

And I was never that kind of man.

Never patient.

Never gentle.

But with her—

I gave in.

I held her body closer to mine, stroking her hair while the kisses gradually lost their intensity.

Her breathing started to slow.

Soft.

Warm against my chest.

Until I noticed.

She'd fallen asleep.

I almost laughed to myself, incredulous.

Because I was far from satisfied.

I could've spent the entire night with that girl in my arms.

Still... I kept watching her for a few minutes in the silence of the room.

So small next to me.

So peaceful now.

Beautiful as fuck.

I ran my thumb slowly across her face before whispering to myself:

"I'll wake you up soon."

Then I reached over to the nightstand lamp and turned off the light.

The room sank into a comfortable half-darkness.

And for the first time in a long time—

I closed my eyes without thinking about problems.

Just about her.

I didn't know how much time passed before I woke up again.

But I woke to Ekaterina nestling even closer against my body in her sleep.

And just her scent was enough to make my cock rise.

I slid my hand slowly along her waist and started kissing her gently.

Her mouth.

Her neck.

Taking my time.

As if I wanted to feel every reaction of hers as she woke in my arms.

Ekaterina stirred slowly, opening her eyes little by little while I kept kissing her skin.

And when those blue eyes found mine again—

I realized I was dangerously fucked.

I sat up, took her hand, and positioned her on all fours. She rested her head on the pillow. I entered her, burying myself deep in her hot pussy. I groaned as I gripped her hair in my fist. The thrusts pushed her body forward. I steadied her waist while I kept fucking her hard... I was about to come when I remembered the condom. Her pussy pulsed around me. Ekaterina moaned my name... That was my undoing. I came hard inside her...