Not Easy

Whatever was going through his mind when he declared his possession of Laskin's daughter, he refused to think about it deeply at the moment. It was not part of his plans and even he was surprised.

However, a punny girl like Kamilla Laskin should not be left alone in the world. She will be an easy prey for predators.

"I do not want to burden you any further, Mr. Petrov. "I know the way to my apartment." After a long silence, Kamilla's voice drew him away from his deep thoughts.

After they left the restaurant, she has been insisting on leaving. She refused to enter the vehicle, but his cold stare rendered all of her efforts futile.

"Believe me, Kamilla, you will never be a burden" Across from him, he met her panicked gaze and watched her restlessness.

Despite his efforts not to intimidate her, he could sense her discomfort. She has been relentlessly watching the road, seemingly waiting to be rescued.

"Don't you dare fear me, Kamilla" with clenched words, he warns. It irritates him seeing her cower from him.

His words caught on Kamilla, earning her attention. Her round puppy eyes reflect both fear and charm as she stares back at him. He watched her closely and was quite bemused by two disparate aspects of her.

Her frailty awakens his protector instincts, but her fear irritates him. He did nothing to make her fear him other than the fact that he was Petrov.

"You are a Petrov."Worst of all, you are Samuel Petrov," she mumbles softly to defend herself.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He heard her soft murmur and he was aghast by her defense.

Despite his desire to make her feel at ease around him, he could not help but be irritated, as evidenced by his grim voice.

"You have the darkest disposition among all of the Petrovs." Despite her obvious fear, she is refreshingly honest.

Her candor is putting him in a disparity. The girl has the ability to simultaneously annoy and amuse him.

"It runs through the family." Not knowing how to respond, he indulged her with a dismissal.

"You are the worst" she boldly insisted while he did nothing but calmly stare at her.

"You haven't met everyone in the family. How did you come to know? He coaxes her into a conversation. She appears to be forgetting her fear as she argues with him.

"Everyone in the country knows your reputation, Mr. Petrov" she continues to persist while looking almost vexed.

"You have time to listen to gossip" he casually shrugged and his nonchalance made her more irked.

"It is not gossip," she quickly countered, glaring at him.

He has no counter. How can he tell her all Petrovs share the same disposition as him? They just have different levels of temperament in certain circumstances.

"We're here" he muttered after the vehicle came to a halt.

Her attention is averted outside, and she realizes they are already parked somewhere. She noticed men dash towards their vehicle before the door opened.

"Where's here?" Suspiciously, she narrowed her eyes on him as she refused to move.

"My place," he replied as he casually stepped out and extended his hand to her.

"Your place?" Her brow furrowed, revealing her confusion and internal panic.

He watches her ashen face as she battles with the torment inside her head. He can do nothing but heave a sigh, seeing the fear in her eyes

"Come out now, Kamilla" he tried to be gentle but the girl vehemently shook her head at him.

"Look, I won't do anything but to get you settled. "I have a meeting in an hour, so I need to leave soon." Trying to be patient, he massaged his temple as he explained. He was not accustomed to explaining himself to others, but here he is.

"Just drop me off at my place so you can attend to whatever business you have, Mr. Petrov. I do not want to bother you any longer," she begged, hoping he would see her point.

"But that is not the case, Kamilla Laskin" Undaunted, he declared, "From now on, your place will be with me."

He watched as her perplexity deepened. Despite his dwindling patience, he allowed her to take her time.

"What exactly do you mean by that, Mr. Petrov?" Despite her shock, she managed to speak, albeit weakly.

"Am I not clear enough earlier, Kamilla?" He smirked, enjoying her quandary.

"You now belong to the Petrovs and you will not be anywhere else but in Petrov territory" He seriously added while holding her troubled eyes.

"I am not something to be owned," she says in fearful defiance.

"I am fully aware of that, Kamilla. You're a defiant soul in flesh and blood" he snickers his agreement.

"No, I am not..." she protests, pursed lips and almost sulking.

"Then, save us both from further trouble. We are wasting time, so let us go inside," his icy tone was unmistakable, and she recognized the command.

Despite her reservations, she nearly jumped out of the car in fear of his foul mood. She will never forget that she is dealing with Petrov. They are the Gods of this country, and they have the most formidable disposition.

Seeing her acquiescence, he gestured for her to follow, which she readily obeyed. There was silence as they crossed the distance between the vehicle and the private elevator. His brown formal leather shoes make a sound against the floor, whereas she tries not to make one with her sneakers.

Being inside an elevator with one of the world's most feared men is like slowly draining her life force. There was an awkward silence until they arrived at the heavily guarded floor. She hesitated for a moment before stepping out, but when she saw Samuel Petrov leave quickly, she followed suit.

Despite the intense yet subtle attention, she passed by grim-faced men who slightly bowed at Samuel Petrov and cast her curious glances.

"Why so many guards? Who will dare climb this high? That will be suicide" She whispers to herself while looking out of the glass wall and realizing how high they are. She could only see the tops of several skyscrapers in the city.

"I will not be a prisoner here, right? Will I be able to leave once I get inside? Am I being kidnapped?" She came to an abrupt halt, clutching her chest. Her eyes widen with terror as the realization dawns on her. She could feel her heart violently pounding beneath her palm.

"There will be no such thing, Kamilla. You are not being kidnapped. Of course, you can leave. But make sure to come back or I swear I will turn the country upside down to find you" Samuel's incredulous voice reached her ears, and she realized she had blurted out her thoughts louder than she meant to.

She was embarrassed not only towards Samuel Petrov, but also by all of the other men who had undoubtedly heard her ridiculousness.

Secretly, she compared herself to him. In contrast to his business attire, she is dressed in a unicorn-design t-shirt and tight, tattered jeans, paired with worn-out white sneakers. She looked like a lost teen in the middle of fine gentlemen. His security is better dressed than she is. How audacious she is for having such thoughts.

For a long moment, he just stares at her, seeming to be waiting for her response, which she doesn't have. She is too embarrassed to speak.

Despite it being disconcerting, she endures his silence. She was only relieved when he turned away and continued walking toward the massive door.

With downcasted eyes and bowed head, she hurriedly followed to escape everyone's attention.

As expected, inside the heavy door is an exceptionally elegant place. Fit for a Petrov.

Everywhere she turns screams luxury and it's intimidating for someone like her who is not used to such grandeur. Everything is speck clean. Almost gives the vibe that no one is living there.

Despite the elegance around and unquestionably expensive stuff, the place felt empty. Depressing.

She turns to Samuel to find him staring at her.

"Who lives here?" Not able to contain her curiosity, she softly asks.

"Me, if I'm in the City" he casually replies before turning to the two figures standing afar.

"This is Miss Kamilla Laskin. Attend to her needs" his voice is filled with unbending command.

"Yes, Sir Samuel" The two older women bowed with their submission while she gave them a shy smile.

"The stuff from your apartment will arrive before nightfall. If you need anything, just tell Beca and Cel. You can go shopping if you want. A vehicle will be on standby for you" he turns to her, to which she responds with a reluctant nod. She was surprised and overwhelmed to speak.

As much as she wanted to ask how they could enter her apartment, that would be pointless. The Petrov family and their men can do even the impossible. She can even bet her landlord would be so delighted to assist them in rummaging her place.

"I need to go. Make sure Kamilla gets settled in her room" he ordered while checking his wristwatch.

"Yes, Sir Samuel. I will make sure Miss Kamilla is comfortable" Beca politely responded with a bow.

Samuel turned to Kamilla but said nothing. He just stared at her for she didn't know how long. Despite it being overly intimidating, she boldly meets his gaze.

There was a moment of silence while their gazes were locked. He appears to have something to say so she waited. But after a while, she heard him heave a sigh and, without another word, turned towards the door and left.

"Wew, he is seriously scary" she softly murmurs after heaving a relieved sigh.

"All Petrovs are" a reply reached her ears, making her mentally groan. She was aghast at herself for being heard again.

"But they are respectable people, Miss Kamilla" the woman named Beca continued with a soft smile for her.

She has no come back to what the woman said so she remained quiet. Though the Petrov family is outrageously famous in the country and most parts of the world, nobody truly knows them.

"Though this is the first time Sir Samuel showed such concern to someone. Even if you are Damian Laskin's daughter, Sir Samuel is strangely attentive towards you" Beca added while giving her a peculiar look.

"Sir Samuel never brought someone here, even his cousins are prohibited to visit without prior notice. He strictly values his privacy" Cel spoke after her silence.

"Why do you think Sir Samuel brought you to his place instead of just giving you the death benefits of Damian?" Cel added while narrowing her eyes to her.

Two pairs of curious orbs were directed at her but there's no way she could answer their query. How in the world would she know what motive Samuel Petrov has?

"Damian, with his selfless dedication and unwavering loyalty, is unquestionably worth several million dollars. With his death benefits, you can live comfortably without needing to work. That is how the Petrov family values loyalty and hard work. Surely, they have also prepared a place for you to live" Beca muttered, keeping her gaze fixed on her.

The two women appear to be assessing the situation through her, which is absurd. Even she had no idea what was going on.

"But no matter how much the Petrovs value their people, no one in the family had become this...'personal'. Especially Sir Samuel who is the oldest and the most serious among the cousins" Beca trailed off her words, boring her with an intent gaze.

Since they started their assessment, Kamilla kept her silence. She is completely clueless of what was happening and what the two women were doing is starting to overwhelm her.

"How old are you, Miss Kamilla?" Beca did not hide her curiosity as she ask.

"Ahm...twenty-three" though puzzled, she softly replied.

"Well..." Beca and Cel exchanged strange looks, which she did not miss.

"Sir Samuel is thirty-six" Cel whispered which reached her ears.

"Thirteen years difference" Beca whispered back to Cel. They are talking in hushed voice like she was not standing in front of them. Are they not aware she could hear everything?

She is trying to ignore what the women are implying but she can't help but be incredulous of their thoughts. She also has a lot of questions, but she is at a loss for words.

Though they are quite straightforward, she cannot deny their genuine concern as they fixed their worried gaze on her.

"I pray you're a strong one, Miss Kamilla. Being with a Petrov is not easy" After heaving an anxious sigh, Beca mumbled sympathetically.

****tbc****

Hard

Beca's words remained in Kamilla's mind for the entire week following their conversation. The two women's assumption about Samuel Petrov's motive in helping her is quite absurd.

Mr. Samuel Petrov is one of the heirs to the world's most powerful conglomerate. A man of high caliber and far from being ordinary to notice someone like her. Furthermore, he is too old to care about trivial matters.

With these thoughts in mind, she was convinced that he had a logical reason for bringing her to his home rather than simply providing her with the benefits of her father's death. She will know once she asks him.

For various reasons, she also hasn't left his place since she arrived. She is afraid to go outside without knowing what awaits her. Somehow, the emptiness of the place became her sanctuary. It gave her time to mourn her loss and heal her broken heart. Also, to gather her shattered pride.

Furthermore, she discovered that Cel and Beca are only there during the day to do chores and will leave once night falls. Once they had left, she would explore the luxury around.

Like the rest of the world, she is curious about how the Petrovs live their lives. She even dared enter Samuel Petrov's bedroom and inspect the massive walk-in closet that house all of his expensive wardrobe. The opulence of his residence has clearly proven how wealthy a Petrov is.

Despite the luxury that surrounds her, she is becoming agitated and bored. Beca and Cel are not helping either. The two women are causing her more confusion than providing answers to her perplexing questions.

To distract herself from boredom, she tries to enjoy her stay. Not until she realized it had been a week and Samuel Petrov had not returned after leaving without explanation.

"What now, Kamilla?" she whispered while blankly staring at the clear blue water. The chilly air did not bother her as she sat on the edge of the swimming pool.

As she had on other nights, she went for a swim when she could not sleep. The two-piece swimsuit she owns comes in handy. She bought it on a whim since it was on sale. However, due to its provocative design, she has not used it since. It is too skimpy for her personal taste to wear in public.

But since she was alone, she had the confidence to wear them.

She turns to the magnificent night view of the entire city, and she can't help but be amazed again. The view has never failed to distract her from her melancholy.

"Well, let's enjoy this while it lasts," she heaved a sigh while giving the magnificent scenery one last look before taking another lap in the pool.

She swam back and forth until she got tired. Afloat, she watches the night sky while relishing the silence. The water covering her ears blocks the noise of the traffic around.

"Perfect," she contentedly smiles before closing her eyes. The steady motion of the water around her soothes her nerves and quiets her racing heart from the strenuous swim.

She let calmness drift her to slumberland. She felt blissful until she caught a whiff of something that made her eyes pop open.

"Shit," she blurted out, having lost her balance. Water splashed everywhere while she tried to survive drowning and a huge chunk of humiliation.

"Need a hand, Kamilla?"

A voice reached her ears, but due to his embarrassing situation, she had no way to respond. She is nearly regaining her balance, but not her dignity.

"Shit," she kept on cursing under her breath after she successfully swam to the side.

She takes her time composing herself in order to avoid the towering figure standing not far from her spot. While doing so, she prayed that the man would leave. Since, her plans for tonight do not include looking like a fool while plastered at the side of the pool.

Her hopes were dashed, however, when he remained unmoving.

"Are you not cold, Kamilla? It's late and you're still in the water" his deep voice broke the silence between them.

"Um... I am fine, Mr. Petrov," she softly mumbled after clearing her throat and avoiding looking at him.

There was another moment of silence, and she could not help but look in his direction. She assumed he had already left because he had been so quiet for so long.

However, to her dismay, he is still on his spot with his two hands inside his pockets. He is looking at her with incomprehensible yet intense eyes.

After a week of not seeing him, she was surprised by her joy at his return. She hasn't realized she is waiting for him.

"Welcome back, Mr. Petrov" she tried to sound casual despite her excitement.

She is attempting to contain her emotions and the foolishness she felt while hiding her nakedness from his piercing gaze. The way he looks at her causes her heart to race.

"It's getting late, Kamilla. Get out of the water" ignoring her homage, his soft command reached her flustered self.

"I'm fine, Mr. Petrov. Don't mind me. I'm used to the cold" with a forced smile, she politely refused.

She swears she was not lying about being accustomed to the cold, but her limbs are proving otherwise. She was surprised to feel herself shivering.

Mentally, she was aghast by the realization. It's still summer. She should not be this cold right now.

"You are getting cold, Kamilla. Get out of the water" he insisted, narrowing his eyes on her as warning.

"You are starting to shake, Kamilla. Get out of the water now" looming above her, he bent down and effortlessly yanked her from the water as if she weighed nothing.

Startled, she hasn't made a sound while she was hauled in the air. She is too stunned to speak as she gape at the man who is now holding her inside his strong arms.

With one arm rounding her petite figure, she remained stiff as he casually removed his business jacket.

Except for Ivan, she is unaccustomed to being close to a man. More so, it's Mr. Samuel Petrov, a far from ordinary man she was used to interact.

His proximity had already comforted her in her frozen state. The heat radiated by his body keeps her warm, and the subtle yet intoxicating manly scent that fills her senses makes her languid.

She never imagined herself being so close to a Petrov. Despite her confusion, she likes the way his presence makes her feel.

"What are you thinking, Kamilla Laskin, swimming so late?" he muttered, wrapping her in his jacket.

"I can not sleep," she quickly explained after snapping out of her trance.

She just realized she was already wearing his jacket, which reached her knees.

"Am I that small?" she mentally asks herself as she carefully moves away to look at herself in his jacket.

However, before her gaze could travel down her body, her eyes were drawn to the large wet spot on his shirt. Her eyes widened in horror as she stared at the wetness of his white shirt, revealing the fine hair covering his chest.

"Oh my... I got you wet!" she exclaimed in horrified surprise.

Her heart is pounding hard from fear as she mentally chastises herself for bothering a Petrov.

"No, Kamilla, you made me hard," Samuel grimly countered, holding her agitated gaze with his dark one.

****Tbc****

Tiny

She gaped at him, looking lost and silly. She is not innocent, but since she began living in Petrov territory, she has realized that a Petrov word must be taken seriously or suffer the consequences.

However, Samuel Petrov's words put her in an awkward situation. Will she simply take it as a joke?

"See?" Seeing her confusion, he drew her closer by the waist and watched her eyes widen in disbelief.

It was then that she realized what he meant. Heat turns her cheeks red, and she gulps hard at the lump that has miraculously appeared in her throat.

Nestled between them is a hard thing she is completely aware of what it was. Taunting her further, a forbidden image entered her mind.

She inhaled sharply, mortified by her own thoughts. She mentally chastises herself, but it is insufficient to clear her indecent thoughts. The deeper she got into her predicament, the more her face flushed bright red.

Her body's bizarre reaction to being plastered against Samuel Petrov's rock hard treasure only adds to her predicament.

Her heart is pounding so hard that it is drowning out her senses. The violent beat was all she could hear while her gaze was fixed on him. Even the way he stares at her makes her uneasy.

She is well aware of the look in his eyes. It is devouring her.

His intense dark gaze is dragging her into the pit of the unknown, making breathing difficult. She needs to force air into her leaden lungs to relieve her constricted breathing.

She is succumbing to his dominance and can no longer resist it. His proximity elicits excitement unlike anything she has experienced before.

A kind of excitement that only a man could kindle. However, she doubts it would be the same with any man. It takes someone like Samuel Petrov to make her feel a strange ache inside. It is not even comparable when she is with Ivan.

"Mr. Petrov" her voice sounded raw as she huffed her words.

"Yes, Kamilla?" Even though he appeared calm, she knows he is far from it. His sporadic deep breaths prove it. The strong arm wrapped around her waist tightened even more, giving her no room to move away.

She had a lot to say, but the words were suspended in the air when she realized the rock hard treasure between them had grown even larger than it already was.

She does not know if it is possible. But he is ridiculously big. He is a monster.

"You are huge," she murmured, breathlessly. However, her eyes widened in surprise as she realized what she had said.

"I know, Kamilla" his thick voice trailed off as he bore her with his dark gaze. He sounded gravely serious, while she was distraught with embarrassment.

She felt flushed, and the way her cheeks heated up, she must have looked toasted. How on earth did she say it aloud?

"Does my size worry you, Kamilla?" His intimidating voice drew her away from her awkward lamentation.

Her breath came in a ragged gasp as she stared at him with wide eyes. She has no idea what he is implying, but his words are making her even more disconcerted. On top of that, the striking discomfort between her legs is exacerbating her distress.

She gulped hard to alleviate the lump in her throat, eager to speak. However, it proved ineffective. As a result, she stares at him, her mind blank.

"I'm an ordinary man, Kamilla. These skimpy clothes you are wearing did not even cover your nakedness. You displayed yourself in my very eyes," his intense gaze bore on her, and despite her desire to respond, she could not find her voice.

"Your body could bring the dead back to life. Every man's kryptonite" his thick voice and raspy breath fanned her face with his minty hot breath.

For a reason she was uncapable to discern at the moment, her body deliciously responded as she hinted a whiff of cigarette despite it's minty smell.

"You bloomed beautifully, Kamilla. "You are a delicious and free commodity that I could easily grab," he rasps as he squeezes her hips.

An action she hadn't missed it's implication. But she did nothing but enjoy the delicious torture it caused her body and mind.

"However, a forbidden one" he heaved a sigh while gritting his teeth. His voice reveals his weary resignation to whatever he is fighting.

For a long time, their gazes locked as he tried to control his raging emotions. She could clearly see him struggling with it.

"Damian is more than just an employee for me. He is a friend. A close one" after he was calmer, he spoke again.

Her interest was piqued by the mention of her father. She looked at him, trying to figure out where his words were leading him.

"You were just a little girl when Damian found you. Well, you grew up a little, but you are still tiny," he shrugged, looking at the top of her head.

She was becoming increasingly skeptical, but she had no defense against him. Indeed, she barely reached his shoulder.

"I am turning twenty-three soon," she said, surprised by the sharpness of her tone. She just hoped he would not notice.

"I know, Kamilla. But you're still too young" he muttered while he bore her with his dark gaze. The kind of gaze that makes her body tingle.

"Too young for your kind of game, Mr. Petrov?" She continues to astound herself with her boldness.

"What do you know about my game, Kamilla?" It was a perilous challenge and a dire warning she should heed. However, she chose not to.

She met his piercing eyes with her head held high, despite the thundering beat of her heart.

"The kind of game that involves this hard monster poking my stomach, Mr. Petrov. I may be tiny in you eyes, but I am not ignorant of a man's needs. "Nor am I innocent," she responded without hesitation.

If she is aiming to provoke him, the way his eyes narrowed and his breath became heavy indicates that she is succeeding. If a dark look could kill, she would drop to the floor, lifeless. However, his rage did not deter her.

"I know how to play your game as well, Mr. Petrov." She has no idea where she got her confidence, but she challenged him without batting an eye.

"Such a fiesty girl" he cupped her rump and pressed her tight against his hardness. He moved even closer to close the gap between them.

She gasped and quickly closed her eyes, bracing herself for what was to come. But he came to a sudden halt, only an inch from touching their faces.

His hot breath fanned her flushed face as they breathe each other's breaths.

"Don't dare tempt me, Kamilla. I might forget you're my friend's daughter. You're too young for my taste" teasing her, he provocatively brush his nose against her slightly parted lips.

It was meant to be a warning, but she took it as an affront - one that triggered the wild spirit within her.

"And if I dare?" A haughty smirk appeared her face, disregarding her deafening heartbeat.

His countenance hardened, and he regarded her with an intense, penetrating gaze that made her heart race uncontrollably.

Utter silence fell upon them as she waited for the unknown. It was quite disconcerting. How she wished she knew what he was thinking.

"Fiesty" after a long while, an ominous smile carved his lips. The kind of smile that is both terrifying and exhilarating, she felt weakened by it.

****tbc****