No Way Out

The candlelight flickered across Jake's face, his green eyes sparkling with mirth as he regaled Alessia with tales of his latest rock climbing adventure. Bella Notte hummed with the soft murmur of conversation and the gentle clink of cutlery against fine china.

"So there I was, dangling by my fingertips, and I swear this mountain goat just stares at me like, 'What are you doing up here, buddy?'" Jake's infectious laughter drew a genuine smile from Alessia.

She found herself relaxing for the first time in months. Jake was charming, funny, and refreshingly normal. No hidden agendas, no veiled threats. Just a man who'd been trying to ask her out for the better part of a year.

"I'm glad I finally said yes to this," Alessia admitted, surprising herself with her candor.

Jake's smile softened. "Me too. I was starting to think you were immune to my rugged paramedic charm."

As Alessia opened her mouth to respond, a flash of movement caught her eye. Her heart plummeted as she recognized the figure sliding into a nearby booth.

Sergei.

He'd changed since she'd last seen him. A new scar ran along his jawline, a stark reminder of the night she'd saved his life. Their eyes met, and Sergei nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Alessia? You okay?" Jake's voice snapped her attention back to the table. His brow was furrowed with concern.

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed. The message was brief: Mr. Zhukov requires your services. Immediately.

Panic clawed at her throat. "I... I'm so sorry, Jake. There's an emergency at the hospital. I have to go."

Jake's concern deepened. "A big emergency? Shouldn't I have gotten a call too?"

Alessia's mind raced. "It's... it's not that kind of emergency. It's a situation with a long-term patient. Very delicate. I'm so sorry, I really have to go."

She stood abruptly, nearly knocking over her wine glass. Jake caught it, his reflexes quick. "Alessia, wait. What's really going on? You look terrified."

"I'm fine," she insisted, gathering her purse. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay? I promise I'll explain everything."

Jake's eyes narrowed, scanning the restaurant. His gaze lingered on Sergei for a moment before snapping back to Alessia. "You're in some kind of trouble, aren't you?"

"Jake, please," Alessia pleaded. "I need you to trust me. I'm okay. I just need to go."

She hurried towards the exit, feeling Sergei fall into step behind her. The cool night air hit her face as she burst out onto the sidewalk.

"Alessia!" Jake's voice rang out behind them. He'd followed them outside. "Hey, buddy, get your hands off her!"

Alessia turned to see Jake advancing on Sergei, who had placed a guiding hand on her elbow. Sergei's expression darkened, his body tensing for a fight.

"Jake, stop!" Alessia stepped between them. "This is... this is my cousin, Sergei. He's here to take me to the hospital."

Jake's eyes darted between them, disbelief etched across his features. "Your cousin? Alessia, what the hell is going on?"

She placed a hand on Jake's chest, gently pushing him back. "I promise I'll explain everything tomorrow. But right now, I need you to go home. Please, Jake. For me."

The hurt in Jake's eyes was palpable, but after a long moment, he nodded. "You'd better call me first thing tomorrow," he said, his voice low. "And Alessia? Be careful."

As Jake retreated, Alessia let out a shaky breath. Sergei guided her towards a waiting black SUV.

"You're looking well, Sergei," Alessia said as they slid into the backseat. "That new scar suits you."

Sergei's lip quirked in what might have been a smile. "All thanks to you, Dr. Russo. You do good work."

The lack of sincerity in his tone made Alessia's skin crawl. As the city lights blurred past the tinted windows, she steeled herself for what was to come.

The car pulled up to a sleek high-rise, a far cry from the warehouse of their last encounter. Sergei led her to a private elevator, keying in a code that took them to the penthouse.

Nikolai Zhukov stood framed against floor-to-ceiling windows, the city sprawled out beneath him like a glittering carpet. He turned as they entered, a tumbler of amber liquid in his hand.

"Ah, Alessia," he said, his voice rich and warmth. "So good of you to join us. Drink?"

Alessia declined with a sharp shake of her head. "Why am I here, Nikolai?"

Nikolai's smile never wavered. "Straight to business, I see. I admire that about you, Alessia. Your... focus."

He gestured to a closed door across the room. "I have a guest who requires your expertise. He's had a…rather unfortunate accident."

"An accident." Alessia crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "Is that what we're calling it now?"

Nikolai's eyes hardened, though his smile remained fixed. "Careful, doctor. You're here to heal, not to judge."

Alessia felt her temper flare. "And what if I refuse? What if I walk out that door right now and go to the police?"

In an instant, Nikolai was before her, so close she could smell the whiskey on his breath. His tattooed fingers tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear then trailed down her neck to the pulse that beat like a bass drum. "Then your charming paramedic friend might have his own 'unfortunate accident'," he said softly. "Or perhaps your brother? I hear prison can be so... unpredictable."

Fear and rage warred within Alessia. She wanted to scream, to lash out, to run. Instead, she swallowed hard and forced herself to meet the Bratva boss' searing gaze. "One day," she said, her voice low and intense, "you're going to need me to save your life. And on that day, Nikolai, I'm going to remember this moment."

For a beat, surprise flickered across Nikolai's face. Then he threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, Alessia," he said, reaching out to cup her face, his thumb brushing over the suddenly heated curve of her cheek. "I do believe I underestimated you. This partnership might be more interesting than I thought."

Alessia jerked away from his touch. "Where's the patient?"

As Nikolai led her to the closed door, Alessia's mind raced. She'd crossed a line tonight, threatening Nikolai, however obliquely. There was no going back now.

The door swung open, revealing a young man tied to a chair, his face a mess of blood and bruises. As Alessia moved to assess him, she realized with growing horror that she recognized him. Her breath caught in her throat.

The man raised his head, his one unswollen eye meeting hers. Recognition flickered in its depths, followed quickly by confusion and fear.

"Alessia?" he croaked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Alessia's world tilted on its axis. She knew this man. Not from the hospital, but from countless evenings spent in Marco's apartment, playing video games and sharing beers.

"Tony?" she breathed, disbelief coloring her voice. "What... how..."

Tony was Marco's best friend, the one person who'd stuck by her brother through all his troubles. The one she'd always encouraged Marco to hang out with rather than the ones who tempted him onto the streets. What was he doing here, beaten and bound in Nikolai Zhukov's penthouse?

Nikolai's hand came to rest on her shoulder, his touch deceptively gentle. "It seems introductions are unnecessary," he murmured, his breath hot against her ear. "How fascinating. Do treat our guest well, Dr. Russo. I'm sure you have much to discuss."

As Nikolai retreated, closing the door behind him, Alessia stared at Tony's battered form. The implications of his presence here were staggering. How was he involved with the Bratva? Had Marco been pulled into this world too, despite her sacrifices? She'd not seen any evidence that he had been but now she wasn't so sure.

Or was this a test? A way for Nikolai to gauge her loyalties, to see how she'd react when the lines between her old life and new became hopelessly blurred?

As she knelt beside Tony, reaching for her medical bag with trembling hands, Alessia realized that the game had changed. The stakes were higher than ever, and she was playing blind.

"Hold still," she murmured to Tony, her doctor's instincts kicking in despite her turmoil. "I'm going to help you. But then you're going to tell me everything."

As she cleaned Tony up as best she could, she wondered again what she had gotten herself into. And more importantly, how was she ever going to get out?