Her Russian Mafia Protector (11 page)

“Are you afraid of me, Veronika?” Fedor asked softly. “I don’t want you to be afraid of me.”

“You killed Pavel, Da. Of course I’m scared of you.”

And just like that, his shoulders dropped. Veronika relaxed, but Kaz still gripped her hand tightly. Fedor gazed at them sadly. “I’m sorry, baby. I never wanted you to find out. Your brother haunts me every single day. I’ve tried to do better for you. I’ve tried to do better with you, because I’m nothing. I have nothing. I have no beloved. I have no son. I just have you, Veronika.”

He raised the gun again, and her eyes widened. “Da!”

“And I can’t do this without you, baby. I’m sorry.”

She screamed as he put the pistol in his mouth and pulled the trigger. As his body fell lifeless to the floor, Kaz pulled her into his arms.

Chapter Nine

Veronika, don’t look at him. Look at me.

Veronika trembled when they laid the casket to rest. A week had passed since her father had put a bullet in his head, and she still couldn’t get the vision out of her mind. She couldn’t cry. She couldn’t sleep. She was just numb.

Hey, we need to get our stories straight, Princess. Look at me.

Her father had killed Pavel. How could she have been so blind to his cruelty? She thought everything he did for her was out of love, but now she saw that it was out of guilt. Guilt for what he had done to their family.

I was never here. Dmitri and I were never here. You met your father here to discuss school, and he killed himself. Look at me. You don’t have to tell them about Pavel. You don’t have to tell them about Nikolas. Do you understand? Princess?

The service was over, and people were coming by to tell her how sorry they were. She couldn’t even look them in the eye. No one was sorry that Fedor Saiko was dead. People either feared him or grew rich from him. Some did both. But no one mourned his death because they loved him.

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I should have never gotten you involved. You’re better off without me. Don’t try to find me, Princess. You have to let me go.

Kaz and Dmitri were nowhere to be seen. Kaz had given her one last look and disappeared before the police arrived. And she hadn’t heard a word from him since then. Part of her didn’t want to. He was nothing but an extension to her father’s violence. He may have wanted justice for Pavel and Nikolas, but he acted just as her father would have acted.

“Except that he didn’t,” she whispered.

The man in front of her was talking to her, and he arched his eyebrows. “Excuse me?”

She focused on him and frowned. “I’m sorry. I need some air,” she whispered as she pushed through the crowd. Free of their fake sympathies, she took a deep breath. Kaz hadn’t gone through with killing her father. In fact, he’d nearly died trying to save her.

Maybe he was different. So why wasn’t he here?

She pulled out her phone and called him. A fist was tightening over her heart, and no one could relieve the pressure but him. But an automated message came over the line. It was disconnected. She had no way of getting in touch with him.

Finally, tears sprang to her eyes as she slowly walked over to her car.

“Hey!” An arm hooked through hers, and she looked over to see Charley standing next to her.

“You’re here,” she whispered gratefully.

“Sort of. I’ve been in the back. Apparently being your roommate didn’t give me enough clearance to actually be in the same room as you. Your bodyguard detail is tight.”

“Not mine,” she muttered. “A friend of father’s is taking over the business. He pulls the strings now.” She leaned heavily against her friend. “Can you take me somewhere?”

“Of course. Where do you want to go?”

Veronika thought about it. “Home.”

“Home as in your dad’s place? Or home as in…” Her voice trailed off.

“Your place is my home. If you’ll still have me. And I understand if you don’t.”

“Stop talking like that. Veronika. None of this is your fault. You can’t help the world that you were born into. You are not responsible for the actions of your father, and you are not responsible for the actions of Kaz. So of course I will take you home. And it can be your home for as long as you need it to be.”

So Charley was still by her side. That was good. Sometimes, when everything else is falling apart, it only takes one friend to keep a person standing.

***

Kaz watched Veronika go from a safe distance. He didn’t dare show his face at the funeral, but he wanted to make sure she was okay. The wind whipped around his face, and he turned with a sigh.

“I think this is stalking.”

He froze and turned his head to the familiar voice. Dmitri leaned against a car and watched him. “I saw your body,” Kaz said with a frown. “It was riddled with bullets.”

“Yes. Yes, it was. And I still have a few holes to prove it. But it was more for show than anything else. I prefer to be a ghost. Death is the easiest way to make sure that my alias isn’t attached to my real name. Sorry about that. Did you grieve for me?”

“Ghosts shouldn’t be standing out in broad daylight,” Kaz muttered as he pushed past him. Part of him was glad that Dmitri was alive. Although he was a pain in the ass, the man had proven loyal until the very end. Even if he did fake his own death.

“I’m not all that concerned,” Dmitri said with a shrug. “Fedor took his own life. You don’t have to grieve for him. So why are you stalking his funeral?” Kaz didn’t say anything, and Dmitri chuckled. “Never mind. You’re here for the girl. Why don’t you just go and say hello?”

Kaz tensed. “Why would she want to speak to me? I nearly killed her father. I told her the truth about her brother. I shattered her whole world.”

“Not everyone shoots the messenger,” Dmitri said easily. “You won’t know how she feels until you talk to her.”

“And what do you care?” Kaz asked as he whirled around. “How is that any business of yours?”

“I still owe a debt to you. Perhaps that debt doesn’t need to be repaid in blood,” Dmitri said with a smile. As people began to pour out of the church, Kaz and Dmitri both began to look for a quick exit. When he turned back, Dmitri was gone. “Fool,” he muttered as he slipped back in the tree line. The man was wrong. Veronika was better off without him.

And he certainly didn’t need any more favors from Dmitri.

***

Veronika stripped the black dress off and put on a red sweater and a pair of jeans. She still had plenty of mourning to do, but she didn’t have to do it in black. Her brother had always told her that she looked like a vampire when she wore black. Her father had told her that she looked depressed. So she would wear red.

Let the world talk about that for a change.

As she picked up the dress and her jacket, a piece of paper fell out of the pocket. Frowning, she leaned over and picked it up.

He will stay away for your safety. It is probably best if you do the same.

Below it was an address. Veronika cocked her head and stared at it. It wasn’t Kaz’s handwriting. She’d never seen it before, but she had a feeling that she knew who it was from.

Dmitri.

But he had died. She saw him die. Still, no one else would have had the audacity to slip something into her pocket today. And no one else would have given her such a mixed message.

“Veronika!”

Startled, she looked up and saw Charley standing in the doorway. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you. What did you say?” she murmured.

“I asked if you wanted me to make you some soup. What is that?”

“I think it’s from Dmitri.”

Charley’s mouth dropped open. “As in before he died?”

“It was slipped into my pocket today. I don’t think he’s dead.”

“Okay. So he’s sexy, smart, dangerous, and a Houdini.” Charley came over and sat on the bed. “So what does it say?”

With shaking fingers, Veronika handed her the piece of paper. Charley looked it over and widened her eyes. “Well, whoever wrote it has a point. Kaz is dangerous. If he’s not causing trouble, he’s inviting it. You moved in with me to get away from all of that. Do you think he’s going to change?”

Veronika closed her eyes. She didn’t know what she thought. She only knew that there was an ache inside her that called out for Kaz. She missed his touch. She missed his presence. She missed his smile and his annoying charm.

“Veronika, talk to him.”

Her eyes flew open, and she stared at Charley. “You just finished telling me how dangerous he was,” she muttered. “Now you want me to talk to him?”

“Yes, I did. And now I’m going to point out that you love him. You love him despite everything that has happened, and you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t at least talk to him.”

Charley pushed the paper back into her hands, and Veronika fingered it nervously. “What if he doesn’t want to see me?”

“Then you’ll know,” she said simply.

And it would be one more thing shattered in her world. With a sigh, she put on her coat. She wasn’t going to get anything productive done today anyway. If he was going to destroy her, she might as well face it all today.

The house was in the best part of the city. For a moment, she thought she’d gotten the address wrong. It was a beautiful home just on the outskirts of downtown, and it sat on what looked like several sprawling acres. As she pulled up the drive, she peered out the windshield. Cameras watched her every move.

“This has got to be a joke,” she muttered. Her father no doubt paid his employees well, but she doubted he paid them this well. Besides, Kaz would never fit into this neighborhood. These people were rich and polished. Kaz was…well…Kaz.

She pulled up to the house and studied the windows. No one seemed to be watching her, but with all the cameras, there was no reason to come to the window. Nervous, she almost turned back. But this was Kaz. She had to see him.

As she got out and knocked on the door, her hands began to sweat. She already knew that he didn’t have feelings for her. He’d already admitted it. So what the hell was she doing here?

“What are you doing here?” His growl mimicked her thoughts, and she gasped. He spoke through the intercom.

“Open the door,” she said as she pushed her fear away. She would not let him bully her.

“Damn it, Veronika, you shouldn’t be here.”

“And I’m going to make a scene if you don’t open the door,” she hissed. She was not going to have this conversation with a door between them. After a moment, the door swung open, and he leaned against it.

“How did you get this address?” he asked hoarsely as he stared at her. She couldn’t help but do the same. Kaz looked like he hadn’t slept for days. Dark circles hung under his eyes, and his skin was paler than usual. She reached out to touch the gash that was still open at his temple.

“I found it in my coat pocket,” she whispered when he didn’t pull away.

“I didn’t put it there. You should leave,” he said as he finally stepped back. He didn’t shut the door, and she walked in. “Veronika.”

“You weren’t at the funeral,” she said tonelessly as she took in the elegant surroundings. Slate floor. Granite countertops. A fucking chandelier. What was he doing here?

“I wanted your father dead. Why would I go to his funeral?” he asked darkly.

“For me.” She whirled around. “I thought you’d be there for me.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “Why would you want me there? I did all of this to you.”

“My father did it. You just dragged me into the middle of it,” she said bitterly. “But if you hadn’t, I would be grieving for a man who doesn’t deserve it.”

“He’s still your father,” Kaz said. He hadn’t moved from the doorway, but she could feel his eyes following her around.

She stared at the paintings that hung on the wall. Gustav Klimt. One of her favorites. Kaz knew that.

“It’s not the original,” he said. “I’m still trying to get my hands on that.”

“So this is your house?” She turned and stared at him. “How long have you owned it?”

His gaze never left hers. “Several months.”

“And where did you get the money?”

“Inheritance.” Her mouth dropped open, and he shrugged. “My family was not what you call rich, but they knew how to take advantage of certain situations. They died when I was a teenager, and I inherited a small fortune. When Pavel died…” Kaz hesitated. “When Pavel died, he willed his trust fund to me, and Fedor didn’t contest it. That always surprised me.”

“You’ve been rich this whole time,” she said dryly. “And you’ve been sleeping on my couch.”

“I don’t really know how to be rich,” he muttered. “Anyway, none of that is the point. Veronika…”

“You knew that Klimt was one of my favorites,” she whispered as she ignored him. “Why did you hang it? You hate art.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Answer the question,” she said sternly.

“I asked first.”

“For once in your life, Kazimir, tell me truth,” she shouted. Her own passion surprised even her, and he was in front of her in two steps.

“I hung them because you like them,” he growled. “Everything about this house is for you. There. I’ve told what you wanted to know. Now tell me what you’re doing here.”

She stared into his eyes. There was a mixture of fury and passion, but she wasn’t scared of him. “I love you, Kaz,” she said finally. “Not the kind of love I harbored as a teenager, but the kind of love that has me reaching for you at night. The kind of love that still lingers after I watched my father put a bullet in his brain. The kind of love that has me chasing notes from a dead man.”

Kaz pulled away. “Dmitri sent you the note?”

“Really?” Tears filled her eyes. “I just told you that I loved you, and you’re concerned about the damn note?”

“I bought a house for you. What more do you need?”

“I need to hear you say it.”

“I’m leaving, Veronika. Leaving Russia. I don’t know where I’m going, but I can’t stay here. There’s too much blood. Too much violence. This wasn’t what I set out to do.” He gazed at her mournfully. “Too many people die around me. I won’t let that happen to you.”

“You’re not leaving,” she said as she reached out to grab his hand. “You didn’t buy this house for me. You bought it for us. And nothing is going to happen to me as long as you’re here with me.”