6. Tatiana
TATIANA
I stepped outside, my eyes flickering to where I’d seen Konstantin last. He was no longer there. Not that I expected him to stand there all that time.
Shaking my head at my idiocy, I took a step forward and noticed a black Land Rover driving by and from the corner of my eyes I spotted the window lowering. The barrel of a gun was aimed at me. My heart stopped. The world ceased to turn for a fraction of a moment.
Bang.
The nearby glass window to my left exploded, blasting shards of glass everywhere. I froze, so stunned that I didn’t even feel the glass digging into my bare arm. The screams reached my ears first. Adrenaline flooded my veins as my brain finally started to function again.
They are shooting at me.
Then I saw him. The head of Yakuza. Jesus Christ! This chip must have some serious shit on it if he was coming for me personally. Another black car, an Expedition, stepped on the brakes behind it. I watched in horror as its window lowered, but much to my relief the bullets were aimed at Yakuza.
My feet reacted and I started to run just as another bang sounded behind me. It had missed me by the width of a hair. Terror flooded me. It tasted like blood and copper. Did I get shot?
My heartbeat drummed in my ears, like the roar of a loud engine. Screams, shouts, and the screech of tires all sound like a distant noise. But I was alive. I could feel the burn in my muscles as I continued to run. It was harder to run in my five inch heels, but I’d be damned if I’d slow down.
I was finally pregnant, and there was no chance in hell I’d let anything happen to my baby.
My fingers gripped my dress, uncaring how much leg I was showing. My life was worth more than a glimpse of my bare legs. I had to stay alive.
Making a sharp right turn, I sprinted down a narrow side street where I knew Vasili kept his spare vehicle for emergencies.
Well, this was a bloody emergency. Over my shoulder, I caught a glimpse of two men running after me at full speed. They had the advantage over me, not wearing heels. My lungs screamed for air, the muscles in my legs trembled, threatening to give out, but I ignored it all.
Pushing myself harder, I sped up down the street and dashed into a side alley.
At the end of it, a six-foot-tall-chain-link fence separated me from Vasili’s getaway car.
Uncaring of my Chanel dress, nor shoes, I quickly kicked them off, picked them up - it’d be a blasphemy to ditch Christian Louboutin heels - and climbed up and over the fence.
Adrenaline rushing through my veins was making me fast, strong, and agile.
Once over it, I had to choke down a sigh of relief, a sob suffocating me. Run, Tatiana. Run. You can do it.
Each step echoed those same words over and over again. Desperately sucking in air, I sprinted down the street and towards the inconspicuous car. A simple black Honda Pilot. Every normal family’s kind of car.
My fingers frantically punched in the code on the door handle. It was Nikola’s birthday. But my fingers shook so badly, I kept pressing the wrong digits. And just as I got the right numbers, a hand wrapped around my mouth.
“Let me go.” My voice was muffled. I didn’t even know if it came out clear enough to be understood. I struggled against the grip, but my strength slowly waned. Then I bit into his palm. Hard.
A grunt. Vibration against my chest. “No more playing games, moya luna.”
I stilled. Konstantin? That sounded like Konstantin’s voice. My body relaxed, I fell back into a hard, male chest, and his arms folded around me like a steel band. A chained rope. His scent slowly seeped into my lungs - citrus, sandalwood, and spice.
With the last feeble attempt to show him my defiance, I attempted to jab my elbow into his stomach and bucked against him.
His warm breath tickled my earlobe as he chuckled.
“Are you coming willingly or would you prefer I force you?” His lips met the edge of my ear. “Either works for me,” he purred, nipping at the edge of my earlobe.
God, something had to be wrong with my body because it went up in flames. My nipples tightened and my thighs quivered knowing exactly how good his mouth was when it wanted to be. Something deprived in my brain screamed ‘I’m coming willingly,’ but I opted for something more reserved.
“You dicktwat,” I hissed, pissed off more at my reaction than anything else. The guy was threatening me and I was getting turned on. Bad move.
I attempted to push away against him again but failed. Two of his men stood behind him. One bulky and blond and the other dark, something about him off. I’d seen him before.
When I didn’t make a move, he gave another soft chuckle. “Or I can throw you over my shoulder.”
“Caveman,” I muttered. “At least let me put my shoes on,” I added begrudgingly.
As I did, a black G-Benz Mercedes pulled up, stopping in front of us.
Illias ushered me inside, then slid right next to me and the car left the alley.
I stared out the window, trying to see if the Yakuza were still out there.
Or if my brothers learned of the attack outside The Den of Sin.
But there were only frantic tourists, broken glass, and damaged stores.
A relieved breath left me. There were no wounded or dead on the street. Maybe I should have ran back into my brother’s club when the shooting started. Except, I wasn’t thinking. My first instinct was to run so I ran.
“Have you found the chip?” Illias’ calmly spoken words pulled me out of my observation, and I turned my head to meet his gaze. He watched me with curiosity and interest.
“No, I haven’t. You know my life doesn’t revolved around that fucking chip,” I snapped at him.
“Besides, I didn’t start this. I don’t usually get involved in mafia affairs and now I feel like I’m neck deep in this shit.
And I don’t even know what shit it is. Not all of it anyhow!
” It was the truth. Aside from my brothers, I had no part in the underworld.
“Anyhow, you can drop me off at Vasili’s compound. I’ll be safe there.”
I knew the answer before he uttered it. “I don’t think so. You’re coming with me.”
I gasped at his response and my eyes widened. “Are you… Are you kidnapping me?”
He faced me with an exasperated look. “Think of it as our little vacation. We’re overdue.”
“Are you out of your fucking mind?” I hissed. “If you don’t want the full wrath of my brothers, you’ll take me to Vasili’s place and I’ll tell him you saved me. That might get you some brownie points.”
He took my chin between his fingers and brought my face close to his. “Your brothers need brownie points if they want to live. Not the other way around. Don’t forget. I’m the Pakhan here, not them.”
He might have had a point, but the stubbornness in me refused to cave in. So I just let out a ‘pfft’ sound and shrugged my shoulders, our faces still closed to each other.
Then he smiled, something dark and menacing about it. “Consider this a payment for all your family’s mistakes. To the Pakhan and guess who that is?”
“A dicktwat?” I asked innocently, blinking my eyes.
He didn’t react, but the touch of his stare made me want to squirm.
I held my ground, although my tongue decided to taunt.
“The Pakhan sounds like such a boring title, if you ask me. It equates to an anal-retentive asshole,” I deadpanned.
The corner of his lips tipped up. “I mean, what the fuck does it even mean?”
“It means I can crumble your brothers’ empire within days,” he drawled lazily, but the undertone of threat didn’t escape me.
“What’s stopping you?” I breathed, my heart beating hard against my chest. “Maybe the fact that my sister-in-law works for the FBI and she’ll come after you.”
I sounded like a brat and my threat fell on deaf ears. Konstantin didn’t seem concerned at all. If anything, a challenge flashed in his gaze.
“No, Tatiana,” he answered. “You’re the only one stopping me.”
* * *
Sure enough the Pakhan was kidnapping me. We weren’t even staying in the city.
I watched the city disappear behind us and a small private airport appeared out of nowhere. A plane already sat there, ready for take-off. I studied the area, the small building where I’d probably find security guards.
The car came to a stop and the door opened. “After you,” Illias drawled, signaling for me to exit the car.
“You realize I haven’t packed,” I remarked wryly. “I won’t wear this for the duration of my imprisonment. I have a reputation to keep.”
A half-smile pulled on his kissable lips. There was nothing more I wanted to do than to lean over and trace my tongue over them. Or feel his tongue on my skin. A shudder rolled down my spine.
I’d have to keep my wits about me. I’d have to keep reminding myself that Konstantin wasn’t like my brothers who kept a certain code of honor. Never hurt women. Never hurt children. No human trafficking. Oh my gosh, did he participate in human trafficking?
“Whatever you want and need, we’ll get on the way.”
I narrowed my eyes on him, while the question lingered on my mind. “I’ll be sure to give you a long list of the most expensive items I can think of.”
Illias grinned. “I’m counting on it.”
I shook my head and was about to exit the car, when I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Do you have whorehouses?” I blurted out. Surprise washed over Illias’ expression. “Do you participate in human trafficking? Force women into your whorehouses?”
“Yes and no.” I narrowed my eyes on him, demanding elaboration. “No, I don’t have a whorehouse. No, I don’t force women into anything nor participate in human trafficking. I have an associate or two that owns whorehouses and we’re working on getting rid of them.”
“Let’s give him a medal,” I muttered under my breath. Immature behavior on my part for sure. Although it was a small relief in that aspect. While I fought him, I knew that this baby would eventually change the dynamic between Illias and me. Assuming he didn’t kill me and kidnap my baby.