Chapter Six Maksim
As I sat in the backseat of a blacked-out Escalade, I surveyed the employee exit of Speech Pathways–the office where Dr. Sarah Whitfield practiced along with five other Speech Pathologists. The practice itself was housed in an impressive brownstone in Society Hill.
Instead of making an appointment myself, privacy had dictated that I send a representative. That’s why thirty minutes ago, Aleks disappeared into the employee entrance after Lev, who currently sat across from me with his iPad, hacked into the security cameras and the pin for the door.
Before Aleks had gone inside, I’d watched the other doctors leave one by one, including the pompous ass whom I’d refused to see. When he’d taken a moment to circle Sarah’s car and linger at it while staring back at the building, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled.
Apparently Mr. Pompous had the hots for my therapist. Who could blame him working so close to something so beautiful and sexy and smart? At the same time, my fists clenched, and I fought the urge to lunge out of the SUV and take him down for even thinking about Sarah in that way.
“Dude, what the fuck?” Lev questioned from the seat across from me.
I realized then I’d been growling. “Sorry,” I muttered.
Lev had come along because he was the tech guru in the family.
All of us played a part in the Bratva including Mila who managed the gallery that was a front for money laundering.
Kira’s place was yet to be assigned since she was just nineteen and still in college.
But most likely, she would be expected to do something on the financial side.
“Is everything still g-good with the cameras?” I asked.
He shot me an exasperated look. “I know how to do my fucking job.”
Since Lev was only twenty-one, I sometimes still saw him as my kid brother. After Irina’s death and he’d moved into the mansion, I’d taken him and Kira to raise just like Dima and Mila had.
But I had to give him credit where it was due. He’d worked his magic on the scheduling system, so we knew when Sarah would be alone. He’d also done a hell of a deep dive into her digital footprint for me.
As the time continued ticking, I shifted in my seat. “Easy, man. I’m sure Aleks is handling things,” Lev remarked, his eyes still focused on his iPad.
I snorted. “Are you sure we’re t-talking about t-the same guy?”
With a grin, Lev glanced up at me. “He’s good at what he does.”
Grimacing, I replied, “I’m still not sure why it was a good idea to send in our enforcer.”
“Because we had to involve as few people as possible, and you had to stay secret and I had to man the security,” he answered diplomatically.
“I suppose.”
“Unless he comes out with her knocked out and draped over his shoulder, I think we’re good,” Lev mused.
“Fucking hell.”
At the sight of Aleks exiting the building, I shot up in my seat. With Lev’s picture of an unconscious Sarah fresh in my mind, I exhaled a relieved breath that Aleks remained empty-handed.
Since we didn’t want to call attention to ourselves, Aleks got into a separate car that he would be abandoning down the road. It was probably a lot of unnecessary subterfuge, but I wasn’t going to take any chances.
When my phone rang, I jerked it to my ear. Before I could say hello, Aleks said, “I’m sorry, bro.”
“What happened?”
“She refused.”
I exhaled the stupid fucking breath I’d been holding. “What d-do you mean?”
“She claimed that since she focused on children, she wasn’t qualified to work with you. She was nice and offered to find someone else.”
“Bylat! D-Did you offer her money?”
Huffing into the phone, Aleks replied, “I’m not an idiot.”
“And she wouldn't t-take it?”
“I’ve got to give her props for being ethical when I said I’d make it worth her while.”
“Yes, she’s such a good doctor,” I snapped.
“Look, she didn’t budge even when I threatened her—
“You what?” I blared.
Aleks chuckled. “I just said that you didn’t like to be disappointed.”
With a roll of my eyes, I said, “Could you have sounded more like a g-gangster?”
“Hey, I was just playing the part I was given.”
“If that’s t-the way you sound as an enforcer, I’m not sure how we haven’t b-been overtaken.”
“Fuck you. Of course, I don’t sound like that with the men I’m interrogating. Since this was a woman, I had to pivot with my usual methods.”
“Jesus. I should’ve sent in Lev,” I muttered.
“I have my own job to do,” Lev protested as Aleks said, “Fuck you.”
Rubbing my hand over my face, I asked, “D-Did you at least p-out the tracer and listening d-device on her phone?”
“Of course I did.”
“Good.” I jerked my chin at Lev. “Pull up her d-details.”
He rolled his eyes at me. “I’m already on it.”
“So what now? Do we find another therapist for me to lean on?” Aleks asked.
I snorted. “No. I d-don’t want you leaning on anyone.”
“Good. Call me a pussy, but I don’t like playing the heavy against beautiful women. I only like them screaming in bed,” he joked.
“You made her scream?” I gritted out.
“No, jackass, I didn’t.”
“You sure as hell b-better not have.”
“Ooh, you’ve got it bad for the sexy therapist.”
“Fuck off.”
“I gotta say, she’s even hotter in person. Tight-as-hell short skirt, luscious tits straining against a silky, black blouse, and stilettos that I’d love resting on my shoulders as I pounded into her.”
“Oh fuck,” Lev muttered as a growl rumbled from deep within my chest.
“YA ub'yu tebya?” I snarled.
Aleks’s laughter caused my blood to boil. “No, I don’t particularly want to die.”
“Then shut your d-disgusting mouth.”
“All right, all right,” Aleks chuckled. “For the record, she wasn’t wearing stilettos or a black silk blouse. She works with kids, so she was dressed comfortably.”
“T-that d-doesn’t make your sick fantasy b-better, asshole.”
“Look. Just hurry up and come pick me up. I just pulled in the parking lot to ditch the car.”
“Fine.”
“You might want to tell him to wait,” Lev said.
“What do you mean?”
“Apparently, Aleks’s visit shook the therapist up, and she’s got some guy coming to pick her up.”
The mention of a man sent a deluge of heat blasting through me. At what must’ve been my maniacal expression, Lev glanced at the driver. “Hit the locks, bro.”
Since Vitaly was used to taking orders from me, his gaze flicked to mine in the rearview mirror. As I turned to Lev, a humorless laugh tumbled from my lips. “D-Do you actually t-think I’m g-going t-to hurt some random man?”
Inwardly, I groaned at how out-of-control my stuttering was.
What the fuck was happening to me? I’d never been this unhinged over a woman before.
Without even speaking a word to Dr. Sarah Whitfield, I would’ve maimed a man for merely talking to her.
For having one claim on her that I didn’t have myself.
Lev bobbed his dark head. “Yeah, as sumasshedshiy as you look at the moment.”
I wanted to tell him not only did I fucking look crazy. I fucking felt it. Totally psychopathically crazy. “I can handle it.”
Lev gave me a look before burying his head back in his iPad. As I remained sitting calm and collected, I fought the urge to say, “See. I’m fine. I’m not injuring anyone.”
Inwardly, I was a fucking mess. A hundred scenarios flickered through my mind. Most of them were of some undeserving jackass doing unspeakable things to Sarah.
“Thank fuck,” Lev muttered.
I snapped my gaze to him. “What?”
“The man coming to get her is gay.”
“How the fuck do you know that?”
“Just did a deep dive on him after pulling his name from her contacts. Shares a mortgage with a man and has a rainbow flag on his profile on the gram.”
I slowly shook my head. “You’re incredible.”
Lev puffed out his chest and grinned. “I know.”
Exhaling a ragged breath, I nodded at Vitaly. “Let’s go get my idiot brother.”
He chuckled. “Yes, sir.”
As we pulled out of the parking lot, Lev mused, “I’m impressed that you aren’t forcing yourself to wait.”
“I can imagine what sort of man he is since he’s coming t-to meet her. He cares for her very much, so I’ll allow his p-presence since he’ll comfort her.”
“Jesus, Maks. Don’t go soft on me now.”
I grunted. “You’re starting t-to sound t-too much like Aleks.”
“Speak of the devil,” Lev mused as we pulled into a parking spot next to Aleks.
After he hopped into the front next to Vitaly, Aleks shed his suit jacket before starting to work on his tie. As we started back to the house, he turned in his seat and cocked his brows. “So, what’s the plan now?”
Since he’d grown up in Bratva and was thoroughly vetted, I didn’t worry about speaking freely in front of Vitaly. Of course, he didn’t know the full story about why I was now seeking out aid for my stutter.
“She’s the one I want.”
Aleks rolled his eyes. “No shit. But what part of her unequivocally refusing isn’t clear?”
With a shrug, I countered, “To ensure she helps me, I’ll have to resort to some unethical means.”
As Aleks’s eyes bulged wide, Lev jerked his head up from his iPad. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“I’m going to detain her."
“Oh fuck,” Lev muttered.
Aleks nodded. “Yup. He’s officially lost it.”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Seriously, Maks? You’re talking about kidnapping a well-respected speech pathologist and forcing her to treat you.”
“It’s a necessary evil.”
“It’s batshit crazy!” Lev argued.
“Maybe to you.”
With a hard shake of his head, Aleks countered, “Come on, brat. Besides her renowned skills, you don’t know shit about her to be this obsessed.”
When I merely blinked at him, he threw up his hands. “You didn’t know if she was in a relationship until Lev dug it up. You don’t know shit!”
“And you apparently d-don’t know me.” Leaning forward in my chair, I jabbed my finger at him.
“D-Do you know the hours I’ve spent reading the research journals she’s p-published?
Or pouring over the reviews left b-by the parents of her clients.
It’s not just adoration or respect they t-talk about.
It’s her humor and her nurturing side. She’s as b-beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Maybe even more.”
As Lev’s mouth dropped open in shock, Aleks blinked at me. “Holy shit,” he muttered.
“There’s more.” My gaze flicked from my brothers to Vitaly. “P-Pull over and g-get out.”
His jet black brows shot into his forehead. “Excuse me, Sir?”
“You heard me.”
“Yes, sir.”
After whipping into a parking lot, Vitaly threw the car in park and hopped out. When we were alone, I turned back to my brothers. “There’s another p-part of her life t-that calls t-to me. An interest we b-both share.” I swallowed hard. “One I haven’t admitted to anyone in our family.”
After exchanging a look, Aleks and Lev leaned forward in their seats, their brows creased in curiosity. I then began relating to them my secret life as the Beast. When I finished, I waited with bated breath for their reaction.
“Fuck, Maks,” Lev murmured.
“I suppose my revelation earned t-that response.”
With a shake of his head, Lev countered, “Look, I’m not kink shaming you, man. I’d be lying if there wasn’t a part of me who thought chasing a hot woman through the woods to fuck her senseless was hot as hell.”
Aleks nodded. “I mean, I’m at half mast at just the thought.”
The corners of my lips quirked. “Am I supposed t-to find that comforting?”
Chuckling, Aleks shifted in his chair. “More like a fucked-up acceptance. “
I cocked my brows at Lev. “Totally accepting of the chase,” he replied.
“Why d-do I feel there's a b-but coming that involves me being a closeted freak?”
Lev shook his head as Aleks grew serious. “No, man. It’s more about the fact I feel fucking awful that you felt you had to escape into masked play because of your stutter.”
“I d-didn’t have to. I chose it. In some ways…” I swallowed hard. “It healed me.”
“Good for you, brat,” Lev said as Aleks furrowed his brows.
“What?” I asked him.
“I was just wondering what this had to do with kidnapping the speech pathologist.”
With a chuckle, I replied, “T-This is where it g-gets interesting…if not ironic.”
When I was pouring over Sarah’s digital footprint, I came across something that shocked the hell out of me.
Over the last year, there had been location shares on her phone for weekends at expensive manor homes throughout Pennsylvania.
Those same manor homes had been listed in the invitations I’d received for hunts, but I’d turned them down since I never hunted close to home.
Miss Prim and Proper had a taste for hunts. Upon further research into the past events, I realized she had a very specific mask kink.
At that moment of discovery, Sarah became more than just an interest.
She became an obsession.
And that obsession bred a plan that would enable me to act out my depraved fantasies while also gaining help for my stutter.
All I had to do now was put my plan into motion.