Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
C aroline
“Come on. Don’t stop running!” Sofiya said as she yanked me through a mall access doorway. We’d dodged the men as best we could, hiding in stores until they passed. But I was fearful they’d seen where we’d gone.
We were speeding down the wide corridor, passing by back entrances to several of the shops. When we heard the clatter as the door leading into the mall was pitched open, we both shoved our bodies against the cold wall.
I glanced out, and Sofiya immediately pulled me back. She pressed her finger across her lips then pointed about twenty feet away to what appeared to be an exit door. I only hoped her plan was really set in motion or the moment we raced outside, we could be facing whoever was trying to capture us.
We both took a deep breath at the same time and lunged for the door. Voices sounded off behind us just before we bolted into the sunshine. There was no time to look back or second guess what the hell we were doing. We needed to get to safety.
The screech of tires greeted us, the black SUV we’d been brought in rolling to a sudden stop. Doors flew open, the three soldiers jumping out.
“Get in!” the man named Francois barked, immediately pointing his weapon toward the outer door of the mall.
We didn’t hesitate although I was halfway in, halfway out and looked back.
“No. No!” Sofiya jerked me all the way in, one of the other men slamming the doors. The glass on the vehicle was dark but didn’t prevent me from seeing the assholes rushing from the door.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
The barrage of gunfire was horrific, my ears ringing… Still, I managed to lift my head, already feeling suffocated.
“Roll. Roll. Roll!” Francois yelled even as he climbed inside the SUV.
The vehicle started to move and additional shots were fired from the bad guys. I could hear pinging noises as the bullets hit the side panels, yelping from fear.
Sofiya somehow found my hand, squeezing it in reassurance.
The driver sped down the back alleyway, Francois managing to fire another round of shots as he was hanging out the window. As soon as he finally slipped inside, rolling up the window, he slammed his hand on the dashboard. “Damn it. Damn it all to hell. How the fuck did this happen?”
I was still shaking, my heart thudding to the point blood was rushing to my ears.
“Are you okay?” Sofiya asked as we both sat up.
Nodding, I glanced out one window and the other. “Yeah. What about you?”
“Fine. Who the fuck were those guys?”
If she was asking me, I had no idea what she wanted me to say. “I don’t know.”
“Bullshit, girlfriend. Who are they? They wanted something.”
“They’re looking for a jump drive. I think they were Italians.” As soon as I made the statement, Francois turned his head in my direction, narrowing his eyes. Maybe I shouldn’t have said a damn thing in front of the soldiers.
“Shit. You stole something. Didn’t you? And not just information.”
“I did what I was hired to do,” I told her. Now I was feeling like some terrible criminal.
“What else? I can tell by that face of yours there is something else.”
I was shrinking back against the seat, even resting my head. I closed my eyes, trying to will all this away. From somewhere, I heard a rattle. Maybe the SUV wasn’t all powerful after all.
“Talk,” she hissed.
“I know who tried to kill your father.” I opened a single eye, noticing hers were wide open.
“Does my father know?”
“Yes, I told him.”
She shook her head, no longer looking at me.
“But there’s more,” I whispered.
“What more could there possibly be?”
I leaned closer, not wanting the men to hear what I was about to say. “Someone betrayed Vadim. Someone who knows him well.”
Vadim
It had been a long fucking day. Too long.
I’d nearly lost my mind when I’d heard the two women were in danger. I’d almost gone after them myself until Francois had called a second time, letting me know they were secure.
After praising the two girls for taking action so quickly, and my daughter for remembering the plan I’d trained her on, I’d berated them for a few minutes. It was my job. At least that’s what it had felt like at the time.
Now I felt like a shit.
The moment I’d given Caroline a hug, desire had roared through me like I was some predatory lion instead of the man who’d promised to protect her. Fuck. This shit was getting messy and I loathed a mess of any kind.
It was late and I was ready to knock back a few drinks so I wouldn’t go off the deep end and kill someone just because I felt the need to release tension.
Francois suddenly appeared in my doorway, looking more sheepish than I was used to. “What is it?” I’d asked my men what had occurred, realizing that part of the shit had gone down because one soldier had left his post. Yeah, my daughter had insisted but he knew better. He was paid to be a hard ass, not a lackey.
I’d sent Francois to retrieve the man, bringing him to me.
“There’s something you need to know.” He walked closer, rubbing his hands on his trousers.
“Something else?”
“Something I overheard. Your guest, a lovely girl by the way, seems to think someone is betraying you.”
Caught off guard, I narrowed my eyes, curious as to what he had to say. “What did she say?”
“It was whispered to your daughter and there wasn’t much except she’s certain someone close to you betrayed you. That’s all I got but I knew you needed to know.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” I’d been right about Caroline holding something back but that didn’t make it easier in my mind. She was a tough girl, fearful of more than just the situation. That much was easy to tell.
“Where’s Ivan?”
“Waiting outside. Do you want me to bring him in?”
“Yes,” I told him. “Then you can go. Just double check the estate is secure.”
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry about today.”
“How many did you gun down?”
“Six, maybe seven. But a few got away.”
I’d been forced to send a cleanup crew to keep the heat off, but I had a bad feeling that wouldn’t last for long. “Well, you did good. I appreciate you keeping the precious cargo safe.”
“Of course, Pakhan. I’ll get Ivan.”
While I knew Ivan hadn’t intended on anything happening, only trying to be helpful, his actions had nearly cost lives. I couldn’t tolerate that without some form of punishment. Although I wondered if I was in the best frame of mind to dole it out at this point. I needed to have a discussion with Caroline.
Then I needed to go far away from her. She’d appeared so vulnerable, so frightened that my protective instinct had shifted into something else entirely.
My need to possess her.
That wasn’t acceptable. It couldn’t happen.
Maybe the more I told myself that, the more I’d believe it.
Ivan walked in on his own, the usually smug man looking anything but. I wasn’t certain what to say so I launched in. “What the fuck is wrong with you? You left your post. You knew better. You almost got those women killed and hell, yourself and the men you work with daily.” My voice had already risen a couple of decibels.
“Yes, sir. I didn’t think anything of it.”
I walked closer, breathing in and out. “That’s the point. You didn’t fucking think at all. You are now on suspension for two weeks. A single thing and you are gone. Do you hear me?” When he didn’t answer me right away, I let the anger get the best of me, issuing not one but two brutal punches.
He was pitched to the floor, rattling the end table.
“What the fuck are you doing? You’re a horrible man.” As Caroline rushed into the room, immediately crouching down to Ivan, she kept her glare pointed directly at me.
“It’s okay, miss. I deserved that. I didn’t do my job,” Ivan told her as he struggled to stand.
“It’s okay? In what country? The last time I checked that kind of shit wasn’t allowed in here in any workplace. But your boss already knows that.”
As she helped him stand, I was forced to face a couple of facts that would likely come back to haunt me.
Or worse, bite me in the ass.
She was a formidable woman who would likely continue to do risky things, which I’d need to curtail right now.
More importantly, I wanted her. Bad.
Not just to taste and touch or tease and fuck but as my possession.
And not just for the time she was under my protection but for the long haul.
God help me but no other woman had turned me on or infuriated me as much as the lovely, vivacious, and mischievous Caroline Randall.
Caroline
Another storm.
More anxiety.
My mind reeling from the ugly events of the last few days.
I couldn’t keep my eyes from glancing toward the wide-open window, wondering how Vadim could tolerate never pulling down his blinds.
As I struggled with what had just occurred, I shifted my anxiousness toward the ruthless man standing like a beacon of sin.
Insufferable bastard.
I wasn’t entirely certain I hadn’t said the words out loud, but I did know I was glaring at Vadim even as I finally managed to help the abused soldier to his feet.
“You can go now, Ivan,” Vadim said, also locking his piercing eyes onto mine. I’d expected anger in them, maybe frustration but there was amusement instead. Did the asshole think this was funny?
Ivan walked out, even closing the doors behind him and it was lucky I resisted jumping. I certainly didn’t want the damn Russian to realize he bothered me in the least.
Vadim walked closer, allowing what appeared to be a heated gaze to fall to my feet.
“ Dlya takoy krasivoy ty—gorstka .”
“What the hell does that mean?” Yes, I was being demanding but I didn’t care at this point. I’d never seen this side of Vadim. To take out his anger on a man who’d just been trying to help was atrocious in my mind.
“I said,” he started as he dared to walk closer. If he thought he was going to intimidate me, he needed to think again. “For one so beautiful, you are a handful.”
“Well, you better get used to it, buddy. I know I agreed to work with you and all, but I will not allow you to treat your employees that way.”
“Oh, you won’t?”
“Nope.”
“Do tell me what you’ll do if I continue.” He placed his hand on his chest. Why did he need to look that sexy. I wanted to stay furious with him and had every intention of doing so.
I’d seen the look of worry on his face when we’d been rushed in, had heard him barking off orders to his men in Russian as if we were under direct attack, but it was over. We were fine.
Terrified but fine.
A flash of lightning momentarily caught my attention, my heart racing for so many reasons.
“Nothing is going to hurt you,” he dared say.
“Not even you? I’ll… I’ll call the cops if you mistreat your employees again. I’ll find a government agency to serve you with infractions. I will do something. You can’t treat people that way.”
He remained just as amused with my ridiculous statement. Of course I knew the man owned just about everyone in town. No one would go against the great Vadim Chernoff except for his enemies.
I had to admit the horrible shooting had left me in shock and exhausted, the fear it was going to happen again remaining.
“Mmm… And I am certain you’ll get somewhere with that given your caustic mouth and how pushy you are.”
“Pushy. Me? Well, you’re an incorrigible, gruff asshole who has no respect for anyone.” I could somehow tell by the change in his eyes that he’d had enough of my vitriolic tantrum.
I found out immediately I was right when he snapped his hand around my jaw, pulling me closer with ease.
“Listen to me, little one. And I need you to understand me clearly. The men who came after you today wanted blood. Your blood. And they were prepared to kill my daughter in the process. No one will ever hurt the two of you and live. Anyone who gets in the way, or allows a door to open for that possibility, will be punished. My way.”
“Anything else?” I huffed.
“Yes, there is. You will never talk to me that way in front of my men or I’ll return the favor, punishing you in front of them. However, in private you can say anything you want to me and we can discuss it. Is that clear?”
“Why certainly, asshole sir.”
He shook his head. “I’m not playing here. And you weren’t straight with me. Were you?”
A cold shiver trickled down my spine. I’d been a fool to tell Sofiya anything, but I’d blurted out what had occurred, maybe needing to clear my conscience. It wasn’t like when we were kids, determined to keep our little stupid secrets forever.
Pinky swear.
“What do you mean?”
He absently rubbed my face with his thumb and I sensed the man was completely uncertain how to deal with me.
That made two of us.
He lowered his head until I was able to gather an even better whiff of his amazing aftershave. Only this time, it seemed mixed with something like the scent of gravel dust. Horrible images popped into my mind. “ Zavetnyy , do you really think me a fool? Do you not know my daughter had been programmed to tell me things that could be damning to our family? You heard an audio tape, something I didn’t find on the jump drive. Are you hiding a copy somewhere?”
Oh, shit. What had I been thinking?
“No. I couldn’t download it in time. I knew the men were outside.”
“But you heard it.”
Nodding my head felt strange.
“And what was said?”
I closed my eyes briefly until he shook me gently. His fingers were digging into my skin but oddly enough, his possessive hold comforted me as well. It was as if the man truly cared about me.
“Do you remember?” he pressed.
I nodded. “I always remember these things word by word.”
“Yeah, I know what you want, Italian prick. But it’s going to cost you.”
“The second guy laughed and it was so evil, as if he was having a good ole time. Then he asked, ‘ How much?’ ”
“Two million. I am betraying someone.”
“You are a bastard, but I’ll agree. However, the job better be done, or I’ll come after you and your family.”
I sucked in my breath, trying to remember what else. Maybe I had been more terrified than I’d originally believed.
“No names?” he asked, his eyes darting back and forth.
“No. But I knew one was Stefano because of the information Joshua had sent me before. He wanted me to easily recognize the brutal leader.”
“Have you heard the voice since?”
A rumble of thunder.
The sky lighting up in shades of neon blue.
My blood alternating between being chilled and heated to the point of perspiring.
I shook my head. “No, but I might be able to recognize it. Maybe.”
“Damn it, woman. You are a menace to yourself. You risked your life and even mine because of what, money? Clout? I’m going to keep you locked down until we can figure this all out. Get used to your fancy prison.”
His voice dripped of danger, his Russian accent more pronounced than usual. And the fire in his eyes was unlike anything I’d seen before.
The man was pissed.
Well, guess what? So was I.
Something crazy popped inside of my mind. Maybe it was the fear and danger. Maybe it was the fact I was far too attracted to a man who should remain forbidden.
Whatever the case, I overreacted in trying to prove my point, if there really was one in the first place.
I attempted to slap him across the face.
In turn, what did he do?
He shoved me against the closest wall and I was certain he was going to spank me. But his eyes were suddenly imploring, his chest rising and falling like mine was.
And in a surreal moment that I hoped to remember for the rest of my life, the man I’d fantasized about, the one I shouldn’t have thought about as anything more than he was ignited a fire deep within me. Then he did something crazy and unexpected.
He crushed his mouth over mine.