Chapter Four – Malachi
The morning rush was in full swing at Jitter Beans. Rurik and I stood in line, my gaze drifting toward the counter where Nika moved with practiced efficiency, her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail today that swayed with each step.
A man ahead of us shifted impatiently, his fingers drumming against the countertop as Nika prepared his order. She handed him the cup, a polite smile gracing her lips. The man’s brow furrowed as he took a sip, his expression souring. “What is this?” he snapped, slamming down the cup with enough force to slosh the contents. “Where’s the caramel?”
Nika’s eyes widened, her cheeks flushing. “Oh, I’m so sorry, sir. I must have missed that.”
The man’s face reddened, his lips curling into a sneer. “Typical dumb broad can’t even get a simple coffee order right.”
My jaw clenched at the disrespect he hurled at Nika over such a trivial mistake. Before I could intervene, Rurik stepped forward, his voice low and dangerous.
“Watch your mouth.”
The man whirled around, puffing out his chest as he glared at Rurik. “Or what? You gonna teach me some manners?”
Rurik’s eyes narrowed, but he remained still, his muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike. I moved closer, positioning myself between the man and Nika.
“Apologize to the lady,” I said in a growl.
The man’s gaze flickered toward me, sizing me up. Apparently, his common sense was as scant as his instinct for self-preservation. A sneer twisted his features. “For what? She’s just a dumb broad, who can’t do her job right.”
Rage simmered beneath my skin at his blatant disrespect. In a blur of motion, I grabbed the man by the collar and slammed him against the counter, my face inches from his. “I said apologize.” When he resisted, I tightened my grip.
The man’s eyes widened, his bravado faltering as he struggled against my iron grip. “Get off me, you psycho.”
With a sharp shove, I sent him crashing to the floor, his limbs flailing. He scrambled to his feet, shooting a venomous glare at Nika before storming out of the cafe, muttering curses under his breath.
The other customers had fallen silent, all gazes fixed on us. Nika looked at me with a mixture of gratitude and concern swirling in her blue depths. “I can’t thank you enough for stepping in like that.” Her voice was laced with a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment. “Customers like him are the worst part of this job.”
Before I could respond, the door to the back office swung open, and a middle-aged woman emerged, her brow furrowed in concern. Nika’s manager, if I recalled correctly. She hurried toward the counter, her gaze sweeping over the scene.
“Is everything all right out here?” Her eyes settled on Nika, taking in the barista’s flustered appearance. “I heard raised voices.”
Nika opened her mouth to explain, but I beat her to it, not wanting her to relive the unpleasant encounter. “Just a disgruntled customer causing a scene.” I kept my tone even, not wanting to alarm the manager unnecessarily. “Nothing to worry about.”
The woman’s eyes widened slightly as she took in my imposing stature, her gaze flickering toward Rurik. A flicker of understanding crossed her features, no doubt recognizing us as bratva and chalking up our interference to the service for which she paid us.
Clearing her throat, she offered a tight smile. “Thank you for handling the situation.” Her gaze settled on Nika once more, her expression softening. “Why don’t you take a break, dear? You look like you could use a moment to collect yourself.”
She nodded, her shoulders sagging with relief. “Thank you, Mrs. Petrova.” She turned toward us, her blue eyes shining with sincerity. “And thank you again, both of you. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been here.”
“Don’t mention it,” said Rurik, his tone gruff yet tinged with an uncharacteristic softness. “That asshole had it coming.”
Mrs. Petrova shot him a disapproving look, no doubt taken aback by his blunt language. Rurik merely shrugged, unfazed by her disapproval.
Nika’s lips curved into a tentative smile, her gaze lingering on us for a moment longer before she slipped behind the counter and disappeared into the back room.
In moments, the other patrons returned to their conversations and beverages, the incident already fading from their minds. We ambled to a table and sat down.
Rurik leaned back in his chair, his expression pensive as he nursed his coffee. “Seeing you deal with customers like that gives me a new appreciation for how we deal with someone so disrespectful in our world.”
“Let’s just be grateful we don’t have to handle that kind of nonsense often,” I said, taking a sip of my macchiato. “I”ll take smashing Armenian heads any day over that.”
With a laugh, Rurik’s gaze drifted toward the back room where Nika had disappeared, a contemplative frown creasing his brow. “I wonder what she sees when she looks at us.”
I followed his line of sight, my thoughts mirroring his own. Did Nika sense the darkness that lurked beneath our carefully crafted facades? Or did she see beyond all that? It was clear she was attracted to us, but would a good girl like that ever act on it?
Shaking my head, I pushed aside those musings. It was better for her to remain oblivious. It was certainly safer that way. Our world was no place for someone as pure and untainted as Nika.
“Best not to dwell on it,” I send, draining the last of my coffee. “Some things are better left unknown.”
Rurik’s gaze met mine, a silent understanding passing between us. In our line of work, ignorance was often a blessing, a shield against harsh realities.
As we rose to leave, I cast one last glance toward the back room, hoping to see Nika, but she was still out of sight. It felt like she was a million miles away.
***
I had no business waiting outside her place of employment, but I couldn”t get her out of my thoughts. I was concerned about her walking home alone, and truthfully, I just wanted an excuse to see her again. The evening rush had subsided, leaving Jitter Beans in a tranquil lull as the last few customers trickled out. I lingered near the entrance, my gaze fixed on Nika as she wiped down the counters, her movements fluid and practiced.
A stray lock of hair fell across her face, and she tucked it behind her ear, her brow furrowed in concentration. The soft glow of the overhead lights cast a warm halo around her, accentuating the delicate curves of her features.
As if sensing my presence, she glanced up, her eyes widening slightly before a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She waved for me to come in, and my feet obeyed.
“Malachi,” she said when I stepped through the door, her voice a gentle melody. “I didn’t expect to see you again so soon. We”re closed.”
I stepped forward, my footfalls muffled by the plush carpet. “I wanted to make sure you got home safely after that unpleasant incident earlier.”
She averted her gaze, busying herself with straightening the already immaculate counter. “You really didn”t have to do that. I’ll be fine.”
Undeterred, I closed the distance between us. “Humor me,” I said, my voice low and insistent.
As she looked at me, a flicker of uncertainty flickered across her delicate features. For a moment, I thought she might protest further, but then her shoulders sagged in acquiescence.
“All right. I appreciate the concern.”
With a nod, I stepped back, allowing her to gather her belongings and lock up the cafe. The evening air carried a crisp chill, and she hugged her jacket tighter around her slender frame as we made our way toward the sidewalk.
Silence stretched between us, comfortable yet charged with an undercurrent of tension. I was acutely aware of her presence beside me, the subtle sway of her hips, the faint floral scent that clung to her hair.
She was the first to speak. “What brings a man like you to a place like this?”
I arched an eyebrow, my gaze sliding toward her. “A man like me?”
A hint of mischief danced in her eyes as she met my stare. “You know, the strong, silent type. The kind of guy who looks like he could bench press a truck.”
A low chuckle rumbled in my chest at her playful assessment. “Thank you, I think. To answer your question, I enjoy coffee. What about you? Why do you work here?”
She flushed but didn’t shy away from my scrutiny. “It’s just a job to help pay the bills while I’m in school. Interior design is my real passion.”
I nodded, filing away the tidbit of information. “Anything that brings more beauty to this world is a noble pursuit.”
We lapsed back into silence, our footsteps echoing in the deserted parking lot. Nika’s apartment building came into sight. As we approached, I scanned our surroundings, my senses attuned to any potential threats. Satisfied that we were alone, I turned to face her, my expression inscrutable.
“This is me,” she said, gesturing toward the locked entryway.
I inclined my head, my gaze holding hers. “Stay safe, Nika.”
A flicker of curiosity danced across her features, as if she sensed the weight behind my words, but instead of probing further, she merely offered a warm smile. “Thank you, Malachi. For everything.”
With a final nod, I stepped back, allowing her to unlock the main door and disappear inside the building. I remained rooted in place another moment, though I couldn”t see her. A strange sense of unease settled over me, a nagging feeling that I had just set something in motion that could potentially upend the delicate balance I had fought so hard to maintain.
Pushing aside those thoughts, I turned on my heel and walked back to the coffee shop to retrieve my vehicle. I forced my thoughts from Mika back to my responsibilities to the bratva and tried to banish her image from my mind.
***
Over the next few days, I was drawn back to Jitter Beans time and again, my visits becoming more frequent than strictly necessary. Each time, I would linger longer than intended, engaging Nika in idle conversation while basking in the warmth of her presence.
She seemed to sense the undercurrent of danger that clung to me, yet rather than recoiling, she leaned into it, her curiosity piqued by the mystery that shrouded my life. One afternoon, as she prepared my usual macchiato, she said, “I can’t quite put my finger on what it is you do for a living.”
I arched an eyebrow, feigning nonchalance. “What makes you think I’m not simply a man who enjoys a good cup of coffee?”
A playful smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. “Call it a hunch,” she said, her gaze holding mine. “There’s just something about you that suggests you’re not an average joe.”
I laughed at her astute observation. “Perhaps I’m simply a man of many layers,” I said in a husky voice.
She didn’t back down, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of intrigue and challenge. “In that case, I look forward to peeling back those layers, one by one.”
A frisson of heat coursed through me at her bold words, igniting a smoldering ember deep within as I imagined her peeling off my clothing one layer at a time. I leaned closer, our faces mere inches apart, and close enough for me to inhale the intoxicating floral scent that clung to her skin.
“Be careful what you wish for, Nika,” I said, my voice a low rumble. “Some secrets are better left undisturbed.”
For a heartbeat, time seemed to suspend, the air crackling with an electric tension that threatened to consume us both. Then, with a slight tilt of her head, she broke the spell, her lips curving into a coy smile. “I’ll take my chances,” she whispered, her gaze holding mine with a brazen intensity that caused a shiver of anticipation.
It was clear I was treading dangerous waters that could potentially sweep me away if I wasn’t careful. Yet, even as the voice of reason urged me to retreat, to maintain the boundaries that had kept me safe for so long, another part of me yearned to give in to these unaccustomed feelings.
Nika represented a tantalizing glimpse into a world I had long since forsaken. I was powerless to resist the siren call of her allure, even though I doubted there could be a happy ending.