22. Nik
It’s been several long weeks since the night we had dinner with Luna’s parents. A few days ago, a new shipment of AKs got hung up in transit to another warehouse, and Luka decided to send Igor and me to help facilitate transport. Half the containers are set to go to the Cosa Nostra—the other half to a new buyer from a small town in Mississippi.
I didn’t want to leave Luna. Every day, she occupies a little bit more real estate in my mind. It’s distracting. So much so that yesterday I miscounted our containers and got my ass handed to me by Luka.
I keep almost texting her—only to type nothing. I wonder what she’s doing. I’m wanting to talk to her. To hear her voice.
I always miss my bed when I travel, but I’ve been missing it extra hard this trip. Luna’s presence at night has become an addiction. Knowing she’s there when I slide into bed, her sweet jasmine scent tickling my nose every time she shifts in her sleep, her legs brushing against mine—like I said, addiction.
It’s the final night away, and I’m alone in my hotel. It’s an average room—large king bed with crisp sheets and a lumpy pillow, and my desire to check on her finally overwhelms me. I have to text her.
Nik: Burn any food?
Luna: That’s not very nice. Also, didn’t know you had my number.
Nik: Who gave you the phone?
Luna: Glad to know you’re still alive :)
Nik: Are you, though? Thought maybe you’d be planning my demise.
Luna: Not yet ;) Do you have life insurance?
Nik: Ah, she jokes :)
I tap out another message, drowning in a sensation I’ve never experienced before, but my typing gets cut off by a phone call from Luka.
“Da,” I answer.
“I need you to put together paperwork for the new Cosa Nostra shipments coming into the country. Natallia is busy with the art imports we’ve contracted.”
I groan. I hate paperwork, and all I want to do is talk to Luna.
“Nikolai.”
“Yes, Boss. I’ll get it done,” I say. After hanging up, I delete what I’d been about to send to Luna.
I can’t die yet … I haven’t heard you laugh ;)
The roads outside of New York City have arguably less traffic, but it still feels like this drive is taking forever. Slowly, the tall buildings fade away, more trees and smaller shops coming into view. There’s a main road that twists through the little town located near the warehouse. It’s where the pizza shop and local grocery store are. No one comes through this town since it isn’t on the way to anything important. You need to be hunting for it to find it, which makes it the perfect spot for storing weapons.
I turn onto the private gravel road that leads to the warehouse, gray and beige rocks crunching beneath my tires. The road weaves through the trees, winding and curving several times; if you’d never driven it before, you wouldn’t know which direction you are going. Halfway up the drive is the security gate. We keep it unmanned, with simple keycard access. Mostly because the warehouse is heavily secure, and anyone wanting to break in would probably be going around the back anyway.
Noticing the spring buds on the trees and the wildflowers that line the drive, I roll my window down. They aren’t something I typically get to appreciate, always coming home after dark. But not today. Today I want to spend some time with Luna. When I left the office, I told Igor not to call me unless there’s an emergency.
My car comes to a stop, but I pause before getting out. Was that a shriek? My heart rate rises. I jam my finger into the vehicle’s stop button and fly toward the warehouse. Another scream belts out from the lower level. What the hell is she doing down there? I fumble with the gun holster at my waist as I run.
“Please, don’t!”
My mind short-circuits.
My throat constricts and my mouth goes dry. The tension in my chest is almost painful. Where are her guards? I yank open the door, lifting my gun as I take the first corner with caution. Moving methodically, I grapple with the urge to barrel through the building, but my training prevents me.
“Ah! There he is!”
Several other shouts echo across the deep warehouse. Voices I recognize as a few of my men. Shuffling boots and grunts reach my ears. Frank comes running by, and I grab his arm. He pauses, gaze flicking cautiously to my gun. Sweat is pouring down his face.
“Tell me what’s going! Where is my—where’s Luna?” I can’t ask the question fast enough, and I don’t stop to wait for an answer. I move farther into the warehouse. Sunlight filters in and bounces off the concrete walls. Five of my men are running around, their attention on the floor.
“Don’t kill him!” Luna shouts, rounding a shipping crate and trailing behind them. I shake my head, feeling like I’m in the twilight zone—I didn’t even know that Luna talked to these guys.
Frank catches up to me. He is panting in my ear, the old man leaning down, hands on his knees.
“Spit it out, Frank,” I bark.
“Raccoon,” he heaves. “There’s an abnormally large raccoon in the warehouse, Boss.”
What the?—?
The men are running around after a raccoon? Lev swears as his suit jacket gets caught on a crate and rips. Another man hops up onto a different crate, trying to track the thing from above. They’re all acting like animals.
I keep my gun out and start toward where Luna is chasing the thing. I’m three steps from her when a massive raccoon, the size of a bear cub comes barreling at me.
The hell? That is … disturbing.
Racing after the thing, Luna smacks right into me. I grab her shoulders.
“Luna, let them take care of it.”
She shoves my hands off. Her chin rises in defiance—I can tell she’s getting ready to tell me off. A fact that shouldn’t cause my skin to heat. But it does.
“No! You can’t kill it. I accidentally left the door propped open on my walk today and it got in.” Her eyes are shiny, like she’s on the verge of tears. I reach for her, but she darts under my arm. “There he is!”
I grab her hand before she gets too far. Instantly, a spark of electricity thrums through my palm, carrying up my arm. She must feel it, too, because her heads whips back in my direction and her eyes widen at where our skin connects. Tense, she blows out a shaky breath.
“Please, Nik. Don’t shoot him. I’ll get him out.” Big brown eyes stare up at me, and my chest tightens all over again. A shudder racks my body, my grip tightening on her wrist—I can’t tell her no. Keeping my eyes on her, I raise my voice?—
“No one kill the raccoon!”
Damn, that hurt.My elbow whacks against a nearby crate as I dive after the raccoon. It’s become personal now. The nimble, cunning little shit has managed to escape every time we have him cornered near the back door. We even opened the large shop doors, but he keeps running into dark corners. Luna has since entrusted me with making sure he doesn’t get hurt—even though I’d like to just shoot the thing and be done with this chase.
My shoes slip on the floor as I take a sharp corner around a large shipment of Makarovs. I go down right as my phone starts ringing, my knees plowing into the concrete.
I dig around in my suit pocket and pull out my phone while getting to my feet and continuing the chase. The raccoon leaps onto a stack of pallets and then jumps back the way he came.
“Hello,” I pant. Frankly, it’s embarrassing how much energy I’m exerting over this.
One of my men has the thing cornered. A half scream, half growl emanates from it, making my skin crawl.
“Nikolai,” Luka’s voice barks through the phone. “What are you doing?”
“Chasing a raccoon, Boss.” I slip on the slick floor again and my phone falls, sliding across the concrete before it hits a wooden crate. I stumble after it. “Boss?”
“Nikolai, I need you in the office as soon as possible.” Luka hangs up, and I glance up to find Luna watching me.
She winks before turning to the open back door. One of my men is shooing the raccoon outside—while another blocks its path back in. Once it’s out, silence settles over the warehouse—and promptly turns into an uproar of cheering and laughter.
Seven strong Bratva men, brought to a sweat by a raccoon of all things. Luna stands a few feet from me, and among all the laughter, hers is the only I hear—finally.
It’s beautiful.
Her laugh is magic—lyrical and captivating. I hold her eyes; they’re welling with tears, but for good reason this time. She looks happy. Her arms wrap around her middle as she buckles over, chuckling. A lightness fills my chest, and I go to her, wishing we were alone.
I want to claim her mouth. Instead, when her laughter slows down and quiets, I tilt her chin up. My thumb presses into the soft spot just below her lower lip. Her mouth parts slightly.
A buzz in my pocket ruins it all. Probably Luka.
“I have to go back to the office. Don’t let any more creatures in here while I’m gone.”
Luna smiles wide. “Okay. I’m sorry for the chaos.”
“I’ll see you later tonight.” I back away slowly, a small fissure cracking open inside me—on one side, Luna. On the other, the Bratva.
I turn on my heel, not bothering to speak with anyone else.