I was stunned but behind me, Aleksei burst out laughing. His laugh reverberated through the warehouse and I could see my guys all looking away or covering their mouths. Boris was trying very hard not to smile and I looked back up at Ria. She was smirking, her arms resting on her legs.“Who the fuck is this?” Paulo looked from his own guys to ours.Head falling, I let the smile spread to my face. If anything that seemed to scare Paulo even more. I shook my head before I ran my hands through my hair.“That’s my wife.”His mouth opened and stayed open as he looked back at Ria. Suddenly, he motioned to his guys and guns were pulled. Most of them trained on her but a few were on our group as well. Ria didn’t even move. My guys pulled their own weapons, pointing them back at the Columbians.“Muzh, do we get to keep the drugs too? Since they are in our crates?”Looking up at Ria, I couldn&rsq
We stepped into the penthouse and it was well past twelve. I threw my jacket onto the counter and sighed as I undid my cuffs. Ria kicked off her shoes before collapsing into the couch. Grabbing the book she had been reading for the past few days, she curled up. I knew she was reading some young adult books in full Russian to help her with the language. Apparently it was a good one. Looking at the center of the living room, it always blew me away.Ria had finished her painting on the floor. It was a pond with fish in them. The fish themselves were not based off any real fish. However, they looked so realistic that you had to question whether or not they were. There were ripples and lilies that I had to remind myself weren’t actually there.Around the edges, where the floor stepped up, she’d painted it to look like a wood box was holding the pond in. Her ability to capture the grain within the wood pieces, the nails and how they sunk into the wood and even sm
I expected Ria to climb into bed after a little while. I’d tossed and turned until four in the morning. She still hadn’t come to bed. My alarm went off at five-thirty and I didn’t even know when I feel asleep. Groaning, I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Looking behind me, the blankets weren’t even moved. Opening the door and heading downstairs, it was quiet.I thought maybe she was asleep in her room but the door was swung wide open. It was empty and I pursed my lips. Looking at the kitchen, it seemed like she had already made a morning shake before leaving. Pulling out my phone, I dialed Aleksei. He answered but not only did he sound like he was breathing heavy but there was wind.“Where are you?”“Good morning to you too, sunshine.”I rolled my eyes. “Aleksei.”“Don’t you Aleksei me! Not now! I’m dying, Marek. Dying. You get Keenan back here. Becau
We both were breathing heavy and as Ria looked up at me, she started to shake her head. I stopped her from being able to move. That same look in her eye that I had seen before. The conflict of wanting to tell me something but being worried how I might react. I wanted her to trust me; needed her to trust me.“Stop. I am not going anywhere. No matter what.”I watched her swallow and then slowly she nodded. “I…when I did work for my father…I worked under a different name.” Her body was so rigid and I could feel the slight shake in her arms.My brow furrowed. “A name? Like a code name?”Ria nodded slowly, still conflicted until she let out a strained breath. “Marek…I’m Kharon. I’m…I’m the one everyone is afraid of. I’m the one who they tell their kids at night that will come get them if they misbehave. I’m…I’m our boogie man.”
*** Rosaria’s POV ***Someone was knocking on the vault door and I looked around from the painting I had on the easel in the corner of the room. Aleksei, who had been lounging on the couch, looked back confused as well. The fact that someone was knocking meant that they made it up the elevators. Sitting up, I set my paints aside and put my brush in the cup of water I had next to me.“Stay here.”He took gun from the counter and tucked it into the back of his pants. Walking over to the door, he pulled up the tablet before he huffed. Opening the door, I looked around to see Lev, Marek’s brother, standing in the entryway with two baby carriers on the floor next to him.“Hey Aleksei, is Marek home?”Aleksei shook his head. “Why would he be home? It’s the middle of the day, Lev. He’s at work. Like you should be. What the hell are you doing here?”Lev looked frazzled. Dark c
Aleksei started to pace like I was and he seemed to be doing it more for his sake than the baby’s. I did watch him out of the corner of my eye just in case he needed to be saved. It was hard not chuckle as probably the two most unqualified people now had two babies lives in their hands.After a while, the one in my arms woke up but they were content just sitting on my chest as I laid back on the couch. Aleksei had sleepy head who slept through another phone call and him slamming his phone down on the kitchen counter. The door opened and Marek walked in with Lec. The two of them froze, looking at us and I gave a quick wave.“Who in gods name thought it was a good idea for Aleksei to hold a baby?” Marek pulled off his jacket while Lec brought in the four or five bags of supplies they bought.“He’s been doing really good. Sleepy head has been very comfy. This one wants to explore but I haven’t been able to grab a blanket or anyth
I stretched and fell back against the headboard. The sheets were pulled up to my chest since I didn’t have anything on underneath. Marek didn’t even say anything to his family as he stormed up the stairs. He didn’t even let me walk into the house, picking me up and mumbling that I was too slow.We were undressed before either of us hit the bed and Marek made sure I matched his orgasms. The last one he used his tongue, but it was nearly as earth shattering as the others. His brothers pulled him downstairs a few minutes go because apparently someone had seen him just outside the city but it was the same day that he went missing. Sighing, I closed my eyes and started to fall asleep.My phone buzzed and I sat up, reaching for it on the nightstand. Wizard had messed me about twenty minutes ago.Unknown: I’m having some issues locating him. His signature is scrambled.
Pulling up to the casino entrance, I lifted the door before the valet could get to me. I was ready with my purse and I shoved the keys in his hands. He stepped aside as I walked around the car. Looking up, I could see the multiple cameras facing the entrance. I guessed I would be able to get maybe seven steps into the main lobby before the manager got in my way.The doors slid open and I strode into the main area. Wizard had texted me as I pulled up at that Lev was currently at the poker tables, completely drunk, as he threw money away like there was an infinite amount of it.They were behind as I made it fifteen steps before I caught the manager rushing over to me with two associates and one security officer. He was rubbing his hands together as he got to me, stopping my side.“Miss…Miss Bernardi…we didn’t realize you would be gracing us with your presence.”“No. That would defeat the purpose of me being here, now wo
*** Five Years Later *** I rubbed my shoulders before lifting my glasses up and rubbing my eyes. There was a knock on the door and Ria pushed the door open with her back. She was holding a tray and stepped into my office. Setting it down on the edge, she put her hand on her hip. “You didn’t break for lunch. Again.” “I know. I’m sorry. Your brother sent a few more things for me to look at and I got engrossed in it.” Shaking her head, I reached out for her and pulled her into my lap. “How did the appointment go?” “Fine.” My eyebrow rose. “Just fine?” “Well, we figured out the issue. If that’s what you want to know.” “And?” I looked at her over my glasses. Ria had been struggling with her equilibrium lately. It started with when she was carrying something heavy, usually Alek. He was somehow in the ninety-nine percentile for his height but fairly middle of the road for his weight. Still, he would jump at Ria like he was two instead of five. Then, it started to get bad e
We pulled up to the airport in record time. Keenan dodged more than one cop and ran every red light on the way. Throwing open the doors, Lec and I made sure to do a quick sweep before letting Keenan and Ria out just in case he needed to take off with her.“Well, well. It took you long enough.”Lorenzo rolled up on us, smiling as he leaned forward in his wheelchair. There was a guy next to him and he stepped forward, grabbing our luggage as we took it out. Reaching in, I helped Ria step out of the car. She smiled and hugged Lorenzo, kissing him on the cheek.“I’m surprised you agreed. Having to leave all your women behind.” Ria chuckled but it sounded far more malicious than happy.“Yeah, yeah. I had to sell Terrance too. But I plan on getting one just like her. Terrance 2.0 wherever we end up.”I shook my head. “We are supposed to not stand out, Lorenzo.”“See here, cognato, I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart. For my little sister.”Lorenzo handed me a folder and I opened
The speed limit wasn’t even a suggestion at this point. We didn’t have time to wait. I’d managed to get First Class tickets out of the country that would be just under the three hours but we needed to leave as soon as we could. Pulling up to the penthouse, I double parked next to the elevators. Ria was already unbuckling but she’d been quiet the entire ride from the house.Getting out, I slammed the car door shut. I’d speak to her when we got onto the plane. When I felt like we were safer than walking into a building filled with my brother’s men. Stepping into the elevator, I pulled Ria to me. Holding onto her tightly, I tightened my hand on the gun I’d grabbed from the glove box.The elevator dinged and I raised the gun, only to see Keenan in regular clothes. His eyes widened and he put his hands up immediately. I took a breath and nodded to him, dropping the gun.“Keenan? What…?”Keenan flashed Ria a smile. “I’m coming with you.”Ria looked from him to me. “But…you have family…and…”
Juri threw his head back and laughed. “You can’t leave the bratva. This is your family, Marek.”“I can. The contract we signed when you became head of the bratva allows for me to request leave once in my lifetime.”Ria looked at me, shaking her head. “Marek, it’s…it’s okay. You don’t…”I smiled down at her and brushed her cheek. “The both of us have done our time, zhena. I’ve been thinking, what it would be like for us to live normally. The two of us, raising a family, without the darkness looming over us.”“Request denied. Now, moving on.” Juri waved his hand but Kaz caught his wrist.“That’s now it works, Vor.”Juri yanked his hand out of Kaz’s grip. “Why the hell not? I’m Vor. I decide who comes and who goes. Who can leave and who can’t.”“Right. But there are consequences to saying no when one of us asks. Marek’s contract being the severest one of all of us.”Kam nodded from her lean against the bookshelf. “Da knew that if Marek was forced to leave, forced to invoke the contract,
I stared at the papers in my hand. Ria, somehow, had finagled an early release from the hospital. With the condition that she would come by every week to make sure she was healing properly. Now though, we were facing the black SUV that would take us to my brother. Her hand slipped into mine and she squeezed it. Really, it should have been her that was afraid. Instead, I was the one hesitating.Kam came up behind us. “Come on. I have to go too.”I helped Ria into the back seat with Kam before I walked around and got in the front with Wren. He was one of Juri’s men who did a lot of his driving. Keenan had been the only one to come to the hospital. Lec or Boris hadn’t shown up, which disappointed me a bit. Still, their oath was to the bratva, not to me directly.The ride was quiet and I kept glancing back at Ria. Her elbow was on the windowsill and her chin resting in her hand, looking at the city. I never really thought I would get here. Where I would put someone above the bratva, above
*** Marek’s POV ***I ran my hands through Ria’s hair. She was sleeping soundly next to me in my hospital bed. Kam had warned her multiple times that she was not to walk anywhere. Ria still snuck into my room after the night shift and crawled into bed with me. I’d never kick her out though. I don’t know why they didn’t just put us in the same room.In the past, I never really worried about things. If something bad happened, I just fixed it. End of story. The lack of light in Ria’s eyes made me add her emotional wellbeing, not just physical, to the list. She was still trying to force herself to not feel. Part of it I knew was because she was waiting to hear what Juri had to say. I wish I could tell her she didn’t need to go that far but I knew better. Even I didn’t know what was going happen next.The door opened and I heard an exaggerated groan. “YA klyanus'. Yesli ona budet prodolzhat' v tom zhe dukhe, ona naneset nepopravimyy vred svoim nogam.” [I swear. If she continues like this,
Three of us stepped over the debris of the hole we made of the entrance. After a quick debate, Lorenzo told us he could cover himself and not to worry about him. He deployed the drone he had left and it was hovering above us. Keenan and I were leading while Marek was just behind us.A few shots came from the second floor and I adjusted, looking up and taking quick shots as I moved. If anything, I knew this place like the back of my hand. I knew every squeaky board. Every blind corner, every room and every loud hinge. It was easy to know where the guys were coming from but there were only a few.“They are holed up in the study. Only a few guards left. Most are injured or confused. They aren’t organized and aren’t poised to attack.”I motioned for the guys to follow me as I raced up the stairs. Turning to the left, I walked down the open walkway before I turned down the very last hallway. At the end of this hallway was my father’s study. It was where he brought men after they had done b
I unbuckled the seatbelt and stood up, looking out the windshield. Sure enough, Lorenzo had pulled up against a brick wall that was part of the closest neighbors boundary. Tapping him on the shoulder, I walked to the back between Keenan and Marek. With a flick of a button, the top of the van started to retract back. I pulled down the metal ladder and climbed up.I had a perfect view of the guards house and the gate . My lips pursed and I stepped back down a couple stairs.“This will be fine. Their numbers went up though.”“Cause he’s back.” Lorenzo pulled out a laptop from the door and opened in. “Yeah, it’s nearly empty inside the house.”I nodded and looked over the top of the van again. “Confirmed location?”“In the study. Ferrari is also in there.”Smirking, I shrugged. “Two for one I guess.”“You need to ensure that he doesn’t run.” Marek added and I looked down at him.Frowning, I dropped down and took hold of the bulletproof vest he was putting on. I shook my head.“You’re not
I couldn’t tell if he was angry or if he was just pouting. Either way, Marek refused to look at me the rest of the drive. He did end up falling asleep and I worried we would need to drop him off with Kamilia but he waved us off when I told him the plan. We were quiet as we drove through the city and back up the way to the hell I literally had just escaped.It sent of jolt of nerves through me but I knew if there was a time to do it, now would be that time. Enzo was gone, we confirmed that. With Juri blowing up locations and knocking in doors, the security wasn’t what it normally was. If we waited even a day, Enzo could regroup and come back to bolster Father’s forces. That and with Marek in hand, Juri would probably stop his assault. He wouldn’t have the excuse of trying to find Marek anymore.“Set up where you can be covered and I can see the entrance from the top of the van.”“I know!” Lorenzo snapped at me.“If you don’t want to do this…” I turned my head to him. “It’s okay.”He gr