Protected by a Mobster 2: A Russian Mafia Romance (Volsky Mafia) (7 page)

“Again, who fucking sent you here?” I grabbed his throat and squeezed, cutting off his oxygen. His face reddened as I gripped his trachea tighter, digging my fingers into his throat.

“Duskin,” he forced out, gasping for breath as I released my death-grip. “He only wants girl back.”

“Not fucking happening.”

With a snap of my fingers, Vlad and Gabriel moved forward, snatching the weapons from our visitors and forcing them to their knees in the blink of an eye.

I glared at them. “One of you is going to tell me what that cocksucker is up to. Which one of you is it going to be?”

Neither man spoke. Figures.

“Boss, the police will be coming soon. We don’t have time for this shit.”

As much as I wanted answers right now, I needed to get Liliya out of here. I could deal with these fools later. “Get these bastards out of here, and the dead ones, too. Vlad, take them someplace nice and quiet. We’ll deal with them soon. I’ll get Liliya the hell out of here. She does not need this shit.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

“I’ll help Vlad handle these pricks and meet up with you soon,” Gabriel said. “We have much to discuss, brother.”

“Yeah, we do.” I watched as Vlad withdrew zip-ties from his pocket and secured the men before making my way to Liliya.

Kneeling down behind my desk, I took in the most heartbreaking sight. Liliya was curled up in the fetal position, eyes red and swollen from crying, lips trembling from fright. I’d only ever seen her strength, and seeing this woman broken and filled with fear was enough to shatter what little goodness was left in me. Fucking Duskin. Reaching out, I brushed her tears away and snaked my arms around her as I eased her body out of the tight space beneath the desk.

“I was so scared. My God, that was awful. I thought...”

She whispered so low I could barely hear her. Tucking her head into my shoulder, I lifted her into my arms and carried her out of the office. “It’s going to be okay. You’re fine, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

Taking the back stairs as fast as I could with Liliya curled against my body, her warm breath tickling my neck, we slipped out the backdoor into the night.

I awoke to angry voices echoing through the house. My head ached and my eyes burned something awful. My mouth was as dry as the Sahara desert. Tossing back the covers, I glanced around the room, immediately realizing that it wasn’t familiar, but I wasn’t afraid. I could make out Ruslan’s voice booming from downstairs and relief washed over me.

Slipping from the bed, I grabbed a white dress shirt draped over the back of a chair and pulled it on. My red dress from the night before lay beside it. Moving into the connected bathroom, I freshened up and used the facilities before deciding to make my way back to my room. As I stepped into the hallway, I came face to face with Vlad who was leaning against the wall, facing the bedroom door.

“Morning, princess. Sleep well?”

“Um… I suppose,” I responded quietly as I slipped past him and down the hallway.

Padding down the hallway in nothing but Ruslan’s shirt with Vlad on my heels, I felt an overwhelming embarrassment. My face grew warm just considering all the horrible things Vlad must be thinking.

“You know he likes you a great deal.”

“What?” I gasped.

“The Boss. He likes you. Never seen him so worked up over a woman before. He was so worried about you last night that he brought you to his room. He refused to leave you alone. He’s not as bad as many think.”

“I… You’re right. He’s not. All bad that is. I see it in his eyes. Are you going to follow me all day, V? I really don’t like Gabriel. He’s a jackass.”

“No. That’s Gabriel’s job, I’m afraid. I don’t envy you that. He’s a right prick on the best days. But I think you can handle his shit. Give him hell, princess. After all, you will be family soon, yes?”

“Yeah. I’ll just… um… just let me change clothes and we’ll head downstairs. Okay?”

“Sure. Take your time.”

Twenty minutes.

That’s how long I let Vlad’s words bounce around in my head as I prepared for the day. During that time, every single thing that happened last night assaulted me in full force, stealing my breath.

The screams.

The shattered glass.

The spray of bullets.

The men who came for me.

Flickers of moments came to me, one right after another. Ruslan charging across the room, grabbing me and tossing me to the floor. The way I clung to his large muscular body as he attempted to soothe the fear away. And then the sickening feeling of how I cowered beneath his desk, listening to the scene unfold. The thump of bodies as they hit the floor.

Thump. Thump.

And then silence.

The calm before the storm as many would say. Then Ruslan’s voice, so calm and commanding, as he forced information from the men that came for me. Jesus. I was so scared.

Four men came for me and it only took three men to keep me safe. Now because of me, Ruslan’s club was shot to hell. I don’t know how bad it was destroyed, but I know one thing to be true.

It’s all my fault.

I brought this mess to his doorstep. I brought Dane and his craziness here. And there was still the matter of my insanely volatile father and what he would do to add to the mix surrounding us. Part of me wanted to run and hide, to save the shit-storm from continuing, but I knew, deep down, it wouldn’t change a single thing.

It wasn’t about me. Not really.

Slipping on a clean pair of jeans and a comfortable fitted shirt, I to the door. On my way out, I pulled my hair up in a messy bun. As I pulled open the bedroom door, Vlad glanced up and smiled. The loud thunderous voices had quieted. Whatever happened while I slept must be big. Ruslan was usually calm and reserved. Controlled in every way. To hear him shouting like a madman was new. I could feel his anger and rage in every single word he spoke. Even the Russian words he spat out sounded cold and harsh.

“It’s quiet down there. Should we worry?” I asked, barely glimpsing in Vlad’s direction.

A deep and hearty laugh sounded from Vlad as he pushed off the wall and straightened to his full height.

“Nah. It’s their way, princess. No need to worry. Gabriel is difficult and prefers to work alone. Keeping someone alive is not his normal routine. But don’t worry. They’re opposites in every way, the brothers, but there is one thing they have in common, and that makes all the difference.”

I perked up at his final words. Snapping around to face him, I stopped at the staircase, my curiosity peeked. “Oh yeah. What’s that?”

“Trust. The kind that will never waver, no matter what happens.”

“Well then. I guess we should join them then.”

Of all of Ruslan’s soldiers, I found Vlad to be the most intriguing of all. His easy-going attitude was what I enjoyed most of all. He didn’t mind joking around, even in the most serious of times. But it was his straightforward honesty that always eased my tension. He might not share everything he knows with me, but his words do offer some insight into the things I don’t know. That in no way meant he wasn’t a very serious and deadly man, though.

To be honest, I pictured him as the type of man most men would underestimate, and pay the ultimate price for doing so. Hell, he had been keeping an eye on me for days and I never once noticed him. Which is crazy, because I thought I was being very cautious of my surroundings. The man was as quiet as a damn mouse, regardless of his enormous size. Go figure. I still don’t understand how he can sneak up on a person without making a sound. Thankfully, he’s one of Ruslan’s men and I don’t have to worry about that.

Gabriel and Ruslan’s calm voices met my ears as we reached the bottom of the staircase. Hearing them speak in Russian reminded me just how much I wanted to learn the language myself. I’d have to remember to ask Ruslan to give me more details about the person coming to teach me. I would like to begin as soon as possible. Regardless of how the upcoming fight panned out in a few days, I wanted to understand what was being said around me so I wouldn’t feel so foreign in whatever home I ended up in. Gosh, how I hoped I remained here with him.

Two days have passed since the attack at Seduction. The men we took captive were harder to crack than we originally expected. From what we gathered, Dane had hired a small group of Armenians to do his bidding and retrieve Liliya for him. Vlad and Gabriel tortured the men for hours, only to learn that, as far as the Armenians knew, Lyosha was not a part of the attack. They could have been lying their asses off but there was no point.

I found that bit of information to be a relief. Gabriel, on the other hand, was pissed off. He figured we should take the head off of the snake before it decided to bite us. I didn’t think that now was the time for that nonsense. Soon though, I’d have no choice but to make the call for the hit on Lyosha because Gabriel was right about one thing. Lyosha was a snake in the grass and he would eventually make a move.

“How’s the princess?” Gabriel asked.

“She was pretty shaken up after last night’s attack, but she did rest through the night comfortably.”

“Well, there’s that.” Gabriel dropped his large frame onto the couch. Leaning forward, he propped his elbows on his knees with an audible sigh. “Are you certain marrying this girl is a good idea, brother? I mean, she’s pure and innocent. She’s not even part of the lifestyle you enjoy. She reeks of a normal life. I can’t see her allowing you to tie her up and have your way with her. Are you ready to give that life up?”

No.

Maybe.

Fuck, I have no clue.

“I...”

The phone rang before I had a chance to respond to Gabriel’s concerns. I know he meant well, but I had no real answer for him on the subject. The truth was, I didn’t know Liliya well enough to provide an answer. Could I live without going to Dolce Vita? I want to say yes. And I probably could, given I had the right woman to fill my needs. Was Liliya capable of doing that? After our morning together a few days ago, I’m sure she can if she’s open to experimenting. One thing was certain. We needed to sit down and talk. We needed to get to know one another better. Gabriel had a point. We didn’t know enough about each other, and soon we were going to be married if all went according to plan.

Snatching my cell phone from the desk, I answered the incoming call on the third ring. “Volsky here.”

“Ah, Ruslan. It’s Abram. The fight has been moved up. Tomorrow. We’ll be meeting at the usual place and time.”

“Why the change? Anything I should be worried about?”

“Nyet. Dane made the request early this morning. I didn’t ask why. However, I did explain to the little shit that The Commission, as well as their top guys, would be present to witness the match. I made it clear that under no circumstances would we tolerate any bullshit.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Gabriel gave me one of his ‘what the hell looks,’ which I waved off. “Good. I’m ready to get this finished and move on.”

“One more thing. He demanded the girl be present.”

“What the hell for? The Commission meetings are business only. Women do not belong in such a place.”

“Yeah, man, I know, but his request has been approved due to the nature of the match between you guys. Liliya
is
business as far as that goes. Personally, I’d prefer her not be there. I don’t think she’d be all that broken up about watching Dane bite the big one, but if the role was reversed, that might be different.”

“Maybe. I’ll prepare her for what’s to come. See you at the meeting, friend.”

“Yeah. Best of luck to you, Ruslan. We’re all rooting for you.”

The call ended without any further words. It wasn’t necessary. Quickly, I tossed the phone back onto the desk to keep from pitching it across the room. Dane was up to something, but I had no damn idea what. Was he still working with Lyosha? Or was he on his own with this?

Shit.

“What?” Gabriel asked, his brow arched.

“Fight has been moved up. Tomorrow,” I growled.

“Shit. Are you ready for this?”

I nodded, not bothering to respond further.

A knock at the door draws our attention. It’s midmorning and already the day is going to shit. Seduction is shut down until further notice. Repairs can’t begin until the police remove the damned crime scene tape and finish their on-site investigation. Vlad and Gabriel thankfully were able to get rid of the Armenian assholes before the police arrived on the scene. Oddly enough, not a single person was harmed during the attack. My lawyers are taking care of the legal crap, allowing me to take care of everything else.

Now the clock is ticking down to the fight. In roughly twenty four hours, another problem will be taken care of and Liliya will be free of Dane Duskin and his shit. Then there’s the matter of Lyosha and whatever he has cooking. If we’re lucky enough, he might show his hand at The Commission meeting and all of this will come to an end.

Vlad and Liliya slink into the office, each taking a seat. I watch a smirk form on Liliya’s face as she glances in Gabriel’s direction. I don’t have to ask her how she feels about him. It’s written all over her face. She hates the hell out of him. He can be an ass, but she has to work with him until this is over.

“Vlad, I need you to make calls to our guys and have them meet here this afternoon. Now that we know Duskin is working with the Armenians, we need to be prepared for anything. Those guys fight dirty.”

Vlad nods and stands up, heading for the door as he pulls his phone from his jacket pocket. “Anything else, Boss?”

“The fight has been moved up. The usual place and time… tomorrow.”

Liliya flinches, her eyes immediately shifting down to the floor at this last bit of news. The smile she offers me is forced, which is unlike her. Gabriel notices her unease too and quickly leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

For the first time in my life, I find that I am not sure how to approach a woman. Rising from my chair, I slowly make my way across the room and kneel down in front of her. Slowly, I reach a hand out, my thumb and forefinger lightly grasping her chin as I urge her to look at me. She doesn’t resist. Instead, her eyes meet mine.