Chapter 21
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
GEORGIA
I’ve really done it this time.
My heart races like crazy as I throw myself onto the bed. Holy shit! What just happened? The gun, the sex, the deal with the devil, all of it. It’s a miracle I’m alive right now.
Turning a gun on Andrei has to be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. I cringe at the thought. Way to nearly get myself killed.
But that’s not what happened. I know Andrei could have overpowered me, taken and turned the gun on me. Even as I ran away and refused to admit defeat, I knew I was as vulnerable as a butterfly dancing around a snake, but I would not go down without trying.
That’s not me, or at least that’s not the woman I was when I was brought here over three weeks ago. I’ve changed and today was the proof. Not just my daring escape attempt, but what came after.
The sex.
Oh my god, the sex.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I turn my face into the pillow, still flushed from the pleasure he gave me. It might just be the shock, but I feel euphoric, still high on everything we just shared.
Andrei broke down my defenses with every kiss, with his fingers, his tongue, his cock and with his declaration that he can no longer fight this pull between us.
Arousal tugs at my core, as visions of Andrei’s head thrown back in ecstasy flood my brain.
I’m far from sexually experienced, but I know what Andrei and I shared is rare.
My first time was with a guy I dated briefly in high school.
Our fumbling in his dark bedroom was pleasant at best, but nothing like the feel of Andrei deep inside me, stretching me, making my toes curl and my eyes roll up inside my head.
Our connection is all-consuming. I don’t have the strength to turn away from him, even knowing at the end of all this he’ll still send me to Oleg. I made a deal with the devil, and I intend to honor it.
Even though it’s insane, I feel a misplaced sense of loyalty to Andrei. He’s protecting my dad, and weirdly, me too. Once he kills Oleg, I can go back to my life, my father, and start again not indebted to anyone.
A soft knock on the door has me sitting up in bed. Is it Andrei?
“Come in,” I say softly, hugging my knees to my chest.
The door inches open and Piper's head peeks around the corner. When she sees me in bed, she steps into the room, gingerly closing the door behind her.
“You okay?” Her eyebrows pull together, and concern pours from her as she makes her way towards me.
My blood freezes. What does she mean?
I tilt my head to the side, trying to get a handle on what she knows. We were well-protected in the trees, but could she have seen something?
When I don’t respond, she hurriedly continues. “It’s just that I overheard something. Not that I was eavesdropping purposefully!”
“What did you hear?” I say, my insides wound tightly.
“Andrei and Yulian talking. Did you shoot Andrei?”
“I did.” I lower my head to my knees. “It was an accident.” Sort of.
“Whoa, and he didn’t… get angry? Hurt you?”
Good question. I suppose the stunning pleasure that I took on his leg was his form of twisted retaliation. Punishment in the very best form.
“Nah.” I shrug like it’s all no big deal, hoping I’m not sweating through my t-shirt. “It was an accident while he was teaching me how to shoot a gun.”
She nods slowly, still hovering around the bed. She obviously wants to know more. I guess it couldn’t hurt to be a little friendly.
“You can sit down,” I say, gesturing to a spot beside me on the bed.
She props herself on the edge as if prepared to jump up at any given moment.
The way her eyes keep on dancing towards the door, I know she’s worried about someone coming in here and seeing us talking.
Not that anyone specifically banned us from hanging, but I’d say spending time with the captive is probably an unwritten do-not-cross rule.
Then again, am I still a captive anymore?
I have to admit, it’s nice getting to talk with someone my age who isn’t completely entrenched in the Kozlov world, so I offer her an olive branch.
“How about this,” I suggest. “Do my hair, and we can talk while you’re technically working. If someone comes into the room, they won’t think anything of it.” I stand and move towards the vanity on the far side of the room.
She smiles. “Good idea.” Piper comes up behind me and releases my dark strands from the messy bun it’s been in all day. She divides my hair into sections, meticulously brushing through each segment until it’s shiny and soft.
“I know this is not my business,” she says, eyes trained on the curling iron twisting a strand of hair, “but why are you here? In this home, I mean. Natalia calls you the Kozlovs’ guest, but it doesn’t feel that way.”
I consider how to answer her question without revealing too much. “Sort of. I don’t exactly want to be here, but it’s best if I stay for now. I’m safe here.”
The truth of my words hits me in the solar plexus—it’s ridiculous, but I’m safer here than anywhere else.
“Safe?” She laughs. “In the home of a mafia kingpin. I won’t ask who your enemies are.”
“It’s complicated,” I agree, not wanting to divulge anymore.
Her eyebrows shoot up to her dark bangs. “Weird. These guys do not act like normal Russian gangsters.”
I giggle at that. “And what do you know about Russian gangsters?” I tease, because there is nothing dark about Piper. She used to work for royalty for chrissake.
“Nothing!” Piper nearly jumps out of her skin, and the curling iron in her hand swings precariously close to my ear. “Sorry,” she says, wincing. “I’m all done, anyway. What do you think?”
My hair hangs in soft waves around my shoulders. Princess hair is what I would have called it at one time in my life, but I’ll admit it’s a huge improvement from my usual messy top knots. I grin at her in the mirror. “I could get used to having you around.”
Piper flashes me a warm smile in return. “Anyway, I just came to check on you.” She shrugs and lays the curling iron down on the desk in front of me.
“Thanks. That’s kind of you, but I’m really okay.
” And I am, strangely. It doesn’t quite make sense.
I’ve literally agreed to work for the Kozlov Bratva and to put myself in a situation which I know will be dangerous.
Hell, maybe even life threatening, but if it’s that important to Andrei, and it leads to Oleg’s demise, I’m in.
Although I do wonder about Andrei’s connection to Oleg’s daughter, Kira. What part does she play in all of this? Now that I’m committed to this mission, he owes me some answers.
“I’m glad.” Piper’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “I didn’t mean to cross any lines, I just wanted to make sure you were all right. I’m still finding my footing here, too.”
“It’s nice to know you have my back.” I turn in my seat to face her. “Also, I didn’t know you speak Russian. When did you learn it?”
Piper freezes. Her body remains rigid as she shakes her head. “I don’t speak Russian.”
“Oh. But how did you understand the conversation between Andrei and Yulian? I’ve never heard them speak anything but Russian together?” Amongst themselves and their closest staff, the brothers often speak their native tongue, perhaps to deter nosy Nellies like Piper.
“They were speaking English.”
I shrug. Weird. “Well, thanks for coming by. It’s nice to have someone to talk to.”
She nods. “For me, too. Oh, and Georgia. Maybe you could not mention the eavesdropping to anyone. It was very unprofessional of me.”
“Yeah sure,” I say. But as she walks out of the room, I definitely get the feeling something is not as it seems.