BAD APPLE: The Complete Series (Parts 1-5) (3 page)

Irina

He’s back.

There he is standing at the counter, again just before the lunch rush, and again when I look my absolute worst. This time I’m covered in more than just flour after Nik manned the mixer and started the Batter Crisis of ’16.

“Hello, angel.”

Oh God. I peek over at the opposite end of the counter to see my girls nodding vigorously, their smiles so wide that I can’t do a thing but swallow and smile sickly at the gorgeous man in front of me.

“Er, hi…”

“Misha. Misha Novac,” he purrs, smiling knowingly when I try and fail to make sense of my batter-splattered hair while studiously ignoring the jackals unabashedly eavesdropping while the men who’d accompanied him yesterday join the group.

God, all the man needs is a martini—shaken, not stirred—and one of my fantasies will be fulfilled and checked off the bucket list. Number seventy-five: meet first Russian James Bond. Check!

“Er, hi, Misha, uh…”

Do not offer pie again, you brainless twit!

“What can I get you?”

Those blue eyes go all dreamy, his smile never faltering.

“Dinner, angel.”

“Dinner? We don’t serve dinner, although if you want I can maybe—”

He grins and holds up a hand to stop my babbling.

“With you. Tonight,” he interjects, giving me another long, slow smile as he looks me up and down, his eyes flirting with indecency as they land on my breasts before his head tilts.

“Dinner?”

I look over at the girls and get narrowed eyes before taking a deep breath and turning back to Misha.

“Okay.”

My answer seems to surprise him, but he grins and I flinch when the sounds of cheering and high fives reach my ears.

I swear it’s hard not to snarl at my girls when I turn to see them and Misha’s posse practically doing the happy jig just feet away. Savages.

“Six, angel.”

“No, I uh, I only get done by half past six, and then I need to go home and change and—”

“I will be here at six to get you and not a minute later. Nikita, you will close tonight along with Vadim, yes?”

And just like that I have a date.

“Excellent. Now, then, you enjoy baking that pie and I will see you at six sharp. Perhaps you could have something ready for dessert?” he drawls, making me blush even hotter when he winks and waves the other men out with him.

The three men saunter out, their smiling faces just barely out of view before I am mortified beyond all bearing when The Three Stooges start screaming at the top of their lungs.

“Yougotadate!” Tat screeches, jumping up and down like a jackrabbit as the other two start dancing and doing what I can only assume is the electric slide.

My eyes stay wide on them all as it all hits me again.

“You got a date and you’re gonna lose your virginity finally!’ Tat yells again, making me cringe.

The door pops open suddenly and that blond head pokes in. He heard every word Tat yelled at the top of her lungs, I can see it in the way he’s fighting laughter and the sparkle in his eyes as they land on me with a hot grin.

Take me now.

“I forgot to ask if you’ve got any food allergies or if you’re okay with a lot of meat so I can call Mama and tell her. The meat is non-negotiable, but if you’re not partial to nuts we’ll have to talk,” he drawls, my mouth now officially gaping as the girls giggle.

“No, I like a lot of nuts…I mean, they’re good. I mean—”

“She’s okay with it all, hotness,” Liza drawls.

“Good. See you at six.” His eyes meet mine again before he bites his lip and nods.

He’s gone before I can gather my scattered wits about me and my friends start yelling and hopping again just as I see the three guys cross the street to the tall building opposite the shop.

I wait a good sixty seconds before I allow my legs to dump my ass into a chair at the counter and turn to the others, my eyes so wide that I’m afraid they may fall out. I mouth one terrifying word, feeling my pits drench my shirt.

Mama?

Irina

“Ri, heads up, little lady!” Liza yells from her place at the register and I almost break my fool neck rushing from the back to see Misha running out of the building, his face a mask of desperation just before a little dynamo of a woman comes bustling in, takes one look at me, and rushes over to plant a wet kiss right on my mouth.

A frazzled Misha comes barreling in and physically lifts her and sets her away from me before going off in a spate of Russian that I couldn’t follow if I had a translator beside me.

“But, Misha…”

They keep it up, babbling at a furious pace before she knocks him aside and comes at me again like a heat-seeking missile, her fingers pinching my cheeks in a way that totally reminds me of my
mamen’ka
.

“You such a pretty girl. You tell Mama what you like and I make,” she coos, though “make” comes out more like “mek.”

Misha tries once again to waylay his mama, earning himself a slap upside the head before she starts in on me again.

“I see you good Russian girl with meaty bones. I like. Now you tell Mama what you like so I make good food,” she says, taking my arm and pulling me toward a table.

All I can do is look back at her son with an open mouth, totally shocked as the little woman keeps pulling me along.

His shoulders shrug and that grin breaks free again, letting me know I’m on my own as he saunters over to Nik and starts talking softly, his eyes never leaving mine.

The fool’s eating a croissant as his mother seats me at a table and pinches my chin to bring my wide eyes to hers.

“Mish good boy, Irina. He no bring home bad girls for Mama. Just you. His papa will be happy to meet good wife.”

“Er no, really this is all a mis—”

But she just keeps talking, letting me know about her sick husband and how excited he is to meet me, all the while throwing around words that make my bones freeze.

By the time she’s gone I’m horrified as I turn my gaze to the girls.

“You gonna get railed, girl,” Tat gasps, running over with a cup of coffee and a cupcake that my ass really does not need. “He’s taking you to his mother’s. You know what this means?”

Oh God, my life.

I groan, internally laughing at the irony as I drop my head to the table and wheeze. I must be the only idiot in this city who wants a fling and gets the guy who introduces me to his mama on the first date.

“There, there, little one, we’re here for you.” Nik grins, giving a new customer the gimlet eye that has the poor woman freezing and apologizing for even daring to ring the bell.

“Stop teasing me and help. I must be the only woman alive who’s not looking for a commitment and gets one right out the gate!” I groan into the tabletop, everything else forgotten but tonight’s date.

And here I was thinking I’d go somewhere swanky, eat something outrageously expensive that tastes like shoe leather, and then segue into a casual “so you want that cherry pie now or what?”

“Look, you can still salvage this, Ri. Go, have dinner with the family, be your usual self, and then let Mr. Tall Blond and Gorgeous know that you’re not in it for the rock,” Liza says softly, flipping her blond hair over her shoulder with attitude.

“But wouldn’t that be hurtful?”

I don’t like hurting people, but I also can’t go to dinner with a man’s family when his mom’s already got me fitted for a dress and the rock. I just can’t!

I’m panicked and showing it a few minutes later when inspiration strikes and I shove to my feet to do something I have never done in the years I’ve been open for business.

I flip the closed sign, ignoring the frantic, teary-eyed pleading of the two customers who just walked up, and turn to my coven with the finger of doom pointed their way.

“You guys are coming with me.”

***

Misha

I’m laughing so hard by the time I get off the phone with Mama that I can barely see my brothers as we watch the store below. Irina comes barreling out, arms waving as she yells at the three women laughing at her before they all pile into an old shocking pink Mini that takes so long to fire up, I actually feel for the thing when it finally roars to life and lets off a black cloud of smoke in protest.

Leo and Vadi both laugh their asses off when the pink bullet shoots out into traffic, bringing cars and people alike to a standstill, obviously trying to avoid the very illegal U-turn Irina makes before her little box splutters and putters off at a snail’s pace.

I will buy my woman a new car. Preferably one that comes with a driver or full-body armor, or both.

“She called Mama and finagled an invite for the rest of her friends. Looks like you’ll be getting into the green-eyed Nikita sooner than you thought, Vadi.”

That has him laughing again and beating me on the shoulder before we all turn back to my desk and fall into our usual seats with a sigh.

“Mama must have scared the shit out of her then.” Leo chuckles, shaking his head.

That makes me laugh anew and I shake my own head as I glance down at the folder on my desk with a sigh.

“She looked ready to run for the hills when Mama started talking family vacations and Sunday dinners. I almost rescued her until I realized she had no intentions of being with me long term,” I mutter, irritated beyond bearing at the notion that for once in my miserable life, I want something permanent and a woman is looking only for sex.

It may be ironic, but I refuse to feel anything right now but pure annoyance and offense that Irina would want to use me so blatantly.

Where is the woman who sees a rich, handsome man and begins making wedding plans from the outset? Why does it happen to me with every other woman but not the one I actually intend to shackle to me?

“You’re in for it now. I heard that Tatiana girl telling the others that Irina is gun-shy because some schmuck played it loose while they were in a committed relationship. I also heard what the man got when her brothers found out.” Leo laughs, eyeing my face with a dark grin.

“So what do I do? She’s a softy, but the woman looked ready to run by the time Mama was done. And now she’s battening her hatches with those friends of hers.”

“Leave the friends to us, big brother. We’ll have them plotting her downfall once they understand how serious you are about their girl.”

“You think it will work?” I ask Vadi, my mind already racing with possibilities.

I have exactly a month to make her see reason before the deal of a lifetime slips through my fingers. I need Irina to want to sell me her building or my family will lose everything to a man who’s out for revenge.

“We have a week to get her on board or we’re moving to plan B.”

Leo’s eyes stretch at my words and I see Vadi swallow.

“Let’s hope we can do it or I am very afraid your little kitten will become a lion.”

Irina

The house is a marvel. It’s huge, baby pink, and so…
cute.

I love living in the city, and I’d hat waking up here every morning without the smell of exhaust fumes and the sound of people arguing, but it’s perfect in that way that the rich can only pull off.

“This place looks like a pink elephant,” Nik says delightedly as I pull Delilah into the drive and pray that she doesn’t announce our arrival before I come to a stop.

I should have taken Misha up on his offer to pick us all up, but I need an escape plan in place, and as mortifying as Delilah can be at times—most of the time, actually—she’s my only backup since the three crones at my back seem to be going over to the enemy camp.

“Good God…Ri, do not freak out now, but the whole clan’s coming out.” Nik giggles, making me pray all the harder that my car can wind herself down without killing the Novacs in a cloud of angry fumes.

When I turn the key and slowly pull it out so as not to upset her with any quick movements, I almost cry when she comes to a gentle stop.

We all let out huge sighs of relief before the laughter starts and uppity Miss Nik gives the Lord a fist bump.

“Thank you, God. I knew going to church with Mama last Sunday would score me at least a few points,” she mutters as we all tumble out of the car and pause at the hood.

Mama, the men, a surly looking brunette, and a man who looks to be about sixty stand looking at us.

And, of course, that makes the giggling worse, so by the time we’re at the steps I’m freaking red as a tomato and the girls are wheezing.

“Ah, she’s a beauty, no, Svetlana?” the man croons, taking me by surprise when he grabs me in a bear hug and plants kisses on my cheeks before laying a wet one on me.

Seriously, if I didn’t know better, these people could be French with the tongue they put into every kiss.

“Papa…” Misha groans, prattling off in Russian before grabbing me to his chest and rolling his eyes.

The young brunette starts huffing and shoves her way forward.

“I’m Lena, the sister. Nice to meet you or whatever,” she says before turning on her heel and stalking away.

“Well howdy-fucking-do to you too,” Tat mutters under her breath, making us all choke before Misha places a hand way too close to my butt and steers us all inside the house.

“Don’t mind her. She’s been that way too long to know better.”

“Misha—”

He interrupts in Russian, sounding pissed as he drags me into the dining room.

The table is filled with food, dishes that my
mamen’ka
only cooks when we’re celebrating. It that smells so good that I feel my mouth water.

“Sit, angel, and I will serve you.”

We sit and eat, talking so loudly at one point that I feel my ears ring as I take a minute to stop and look around the table. Everyone’s enjoying themselves, laughing and yelling over everyone else just to be heard. I love it.

“You bake. I like blini and anything with nuts,” Kosta says at one point, making Misha choke beside me.

“I’ll, uh,” I stutter, pinching Misha’s thigh when he chuckles at my blush. “I’ll be sure to send something over tomorrow, Mr. Novac.”

“Papa! Call me Papa, dear one. Misha….” I tune out and lean back with a groan, my hands on my burgeoning stomach as they start babbling again, throwing me looks that make my spine go weak.

***

Misha

I want her. The litany keeps pumping in my mind, through my blood, and in my groin as I watch Irina move around the kitchen with Mama, loading the dishwasher and laughing softly at whatever is being said as the other girls clean counters and try to restore order.

I want her so much that I’ve been hard all night as she sat and teased Papa and spoke as if she’s been here all along. Lena hasn’t made an appearance again, thank fuck, and little Maks is in bed already so I’m relatively relaxed about how things have gone tonight.

If only I could do something about the need sweeping through me.

Irina’s not classically beautiful or anything. She’s voluptuous where modern women seem to want to die of starvation, and her hair is a flyaway mess of mahogany curls that seem to spring up at every minute.

But she’s stunning to me and I know why. I see her in my bed, her thighs spread and waiting to cradle me as I take her. I see her breasts as she holds herself up for my mouth, and God help us all I see them heavy and ripe as she feeds my children.

“Stop. You’ll scare the shit out of her if she turns and sees you,” Leo mutters, coming up beside me to watch Tatiana.

“I need her to want me.”

“Brother, I saw her shifting around in her seat all night every time you so much as breathed on her skin. Trust me, the woman wants you.”

“For sex,” I spit irately, lowering my voice when five women, one of them my mama, turn to eye us askance.

“Dude, that should make you happy. Just think of all those stick figures you screwed who wanted you for your money. At least Irina’s wants are honest.”

Yeah, honestly sexual.

“Think of this as a challenge then. If you do her right, she’ll be so into you that she won’t want to give you up the morning after.”

“I am not taking advantage of the woman before I have my ring on her finger, you pig.”

I want to, though. I have never been this hard for a woman in my life, and just the thought of opening her up and testing my theory about what she’ll taste like is making me sweat.

“So don’t. Foreplay is a good start to any sexual relationship, and I’d wager my Diablo that little Ri won’t know what hit her if you use some of that Novac skill on her,” he muses, his eyes going molten when Tatiana bends at the waist to store a clean pot.

His words give me hope because he’s right. I know how to do all forms of great sex—hot, sweet, slow, and even dirty. And I know how to get what I want. I just have to play it right.

If I can keep myself in check till I have what I want.

It takes another half hour before the ladies are satisfied that Mama won’t be in the kitchen cleaning all night. I’m on the verge of yelling my dissatisfaction when they’re all flitting to the front door, calling out cheery good-byes. Looks like I’ve been outmaneuvered by little Ri.

House call it is, then.