Chapter 3
Chapter Three
AINSLEY
F or the last couple of days, I’ve woken up in the middle of the night to find Mikhail’s arm wrapped around me. It’s the best sleep I’ve had since I was a teenager, before my life changed. But when I wake up in the mornings, he’s gone, leaving me to wonder where I stand with him.
I know he saw the textbooks I was trying to hide that first night after I fell asleep studying. I have class tonight, and I need to figure out how to get out of here. It’s a secret only Selene knows about… and now, I guess, Mikhail. Neither of my sisters have any idea.
It’s what I used the money I got from Lennon for until she was cut off. I was relieved when the finance office called to tell me an anonymous donor had stepped in to cover my tuition. I don’t know who it is. I’ve wondered, but I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Mikhail left a note saying he’d be working from his office above the Russian Cardroom and Yelena’s. Now I’m pacing the house, trying to figure out how I’m going to get to campus. I already missed classes on Monday because Selene wouldn’t let me leave the motel. I was able to join via Skype, but that won’t work tonight. I have finals, then we break for the Christmas holiday.
I know Mikhail has alarms and cameras all over the house. I’ve found most of them, so I’m aware he’ll be alerted the moment I leave. Glancing outside, I see two men stationed, waiting and watching. I step onto the front patio and walk toward them to see how much space I can get before they stop me. As soon as I hit the driveway, one of their phones rings, and the guard answers. I smile when I hear Mikhail’s muffled voice. He knew the second I stepped outside.
“Ms. Duncan, how can we help you?” the other guard asks. He doesn’t have much of an accent, which tells me he’s a naturalized Bratva member.
“Just wanted some fresh air.” I turn and head back into the house, my mind racing as I plan my next move.
With two of them out there, I’ll need something that can keep them both distracted. I know from personal experience that when a smoke or fire alarm goes off, the gate automatically opens so the fire crews can enter. That’s how I’m going to make my escape.
I use the burner phone and arrange for a car to pick me up in an hour, then I get to work. I move around the kitchen, pretending to cook dinner on the stovetop and in the oven. But what I’m really doing is setting up small smoke fires that will trigger the alarms.
I grab my book bag and hide it near the front door. The gated community we live in is open to the public, so Ubers and Lyft transportation can enter without being searched. Only the gates on each of the Bratva driveways keeps others out.
Now I wait. It doesn’t take long for the stovetop to set off the first alarm, causing a guard to come check it out. While I stand back, acting upset, I wait for the next smoke bomb to go off. As soon as it does, the guard fighting the stove fire asks for help from the other guard. When the second guard has his head in the oven, I take off running.
I’m wearing tennis shoes today instead of my heels, which are in my bag. I run out the door with my bag over my shoulder as the driveway gate opens. I rush through the crack and make it to the car as it pulls up. I tell the driver to go, and he takes off.
I let out a deep sigh of relief. I’m free. I’ll have to get in touch with Selene later. Hopefully, she can contact her friend and get me into hiding… if Mikhail hasn’t found me by then.
* * *
Mikhail
I jump up from my desk as I watch the alarms go off. I knew she was up to something, and now I regret leaving for the day. Not only does she have no clue what she’s risking by taking off, but I’m not letting her go.
I’ve struggled for the last several days with her being around me and not doing what I crave with her body again. But I also struggle with the fact that part of me still worries that if I give in to my cravings, I’m cursing her. Everyone I’ve ever cared about has been killed or taken from me. Only my brats are still around. I worry about them daily. I worry that I won’t be able to save them.
I rush out of the building and head straight for my car. Andrei stayed home with his fiancée, and Dmitri is home with his wife. I thought coming in today would help me avoid the temptation that is my fiancée. My Audi R8 revs as I peel out of the alley and onto the road.
I head toward the house, hoping to cut Ainsley off, when a thought hits me. I pull into a parking lot and grab my laptop from the passenger seat. I open the most recent background check I ran on her and quickly scroll to her course schedule.
She has school tonight. If she had only shared that information, I would have had her guards take her. Now I need to get to her before she puts herself in even more danger.
The Irish have requested payment in the form of free admission to several high-stakes poker nights. We’re still working on appeasing the Italians. Someone has been searching online for both Ansley and Lyric, but I haven’t figured out who yet. I’m digging and might need to contact Dmitri’s hacker. Andrei and I agreed not to tell Alek or Lyric what’s going on until I have concrete proof.
I turn the car around and head to Ainsley’s college campus. Following the directory, I park in the small lot across from the law building and wait. It doesn’t take long before a car pulls up and she jumps out. She glances around, as if expecting me to be watching, but I’m far enough back that she won’t see me.
She sits on a bench to swap her tennis shoes for the high heels she usually wears. She’s dressed in a pair of jeans rolled to capri length that hug her ass and hips. Hips I remember gripping as I fucked her. I’m sure she wore my fingerprint marks on her body for days.
She pulls off the sweatshirt she’d used to make me think she was staying home for the day, revealing an olive-green halter blouse. Her sexy shoulders are exposed, adorned with tattoos. She’s heavily tattooed, but not as much as I am.
As soon as she heads inside, I slip out of my car and head toward the entrance. The hair on the back of my neck rises, and I stop to look around. We aren’t alone. I send a quick text to her security team, telling them to head this way.
I enter the building. A few women pause and stare as I pass. The attention isn’t unfamiliar, but it bothers me. I have no way to show them I’m spoken for. Until I marry Ainsley and she puts a ring on my finger, I’ll have to deal with it.
I’ve dealt with women coming on to me my whole life. Andrei warned me early on it’s not just about my looks, it’s about status. Being who I am in the organization comes with this kind of attention. But Ainsley has never looked at me either way.
The night I approached her at the club, she was finally looking for companionship. I wasn’t going to allow her to be with any man but me. I’d watched her for weeks. I’m known more for observing than participating at the club… until her.
I took her to my private room and had my way with her, again and again, until she dropped into sub space. When I walked out of that room, I was determined to never have her again.
Now, that’s not possible.
She’s too close. Having her body pressed against mine night after night without taking her is fraying my nerves.
As I walk down the hall, I glance into each classroom until I find her. Ainsley is seated at the front, which makes it easy for me to stay by the door and watch her without being noticed. She doesn’t take the longest on the exam, but as other students begin filing out, I look at my watch. She’s been in there for a couple of hours when she finally stands and hands in her paper.
Ainsley turns and sees me standing in the doorway. She drops her head, giving a small shake, then walks back to her desk to grab her stuff.
My phone buzzes, and I check it. Her team is waiting outside. She approaches me slowly.
“Come on,” I say, not giving her the chance to lie or apologize. “Next time, just tell your team you have class, and they will bring you.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch her beautiful brown eyes focused on me. She’s shocked that I’m giving her this. But I know if I take away her schooling, she’ll fight me. And I don’t want that.
“Mikhail.” She places her delicate hand on my arm, stopping me. I look down at her. “You would’ve let me come?” she asks, surprise flickering in her eyes.
“I don’t want to cage you, zayka . I just need to protect you.”
“What does that mean?” She bites her lip, and I slide my hand against the side of her face.
“Darling,” I lie to her. I move my hand to the small of her back and guide her out to my car.
We exit into the cool night air. She shivers as we weave through the parked cars. I take her hand in mine to hurry our steps.
“What?” She looks up at me.
I glance down at her in the glow of the parking lot lights, my eyes focusing on hers. I’m about to respond when I notice a red dot moving across her skin. I don’t think. I react. Wrapping my body around hers, I take her to the ground just as a bullet shatters the car window beside us. She screams, clinging to me as I reach for my gun with one hand and my phone with the other.
“ Shots fired,” I tell the team in Russian. Another bullet hits lower on the door. We have to move. “Hold on tight, zayka,” I order her as I pocket my phone.
Keeping low, I crawl us toward the next vehicle. When the next shot hits exactly where we just were, I know I made the right decision.
“Is it the Italians or the Irish?” she whispers, her lips brushing the skin of my neck.
“Neither. The penance was already paid to the Irish, and we’re still in negotiations with the Italians. Pakhan is taken care of too. Whoever this is, they’re not on the list. Anyone else you’ve pissed off, little one?”
She huffs. “No.”
I hear her team moving around us, so I crawl toward another car. I need them to distract the shooter long enough for me to make a break for my car. It’s not bulletproof, but at least I can get us out of here.
Damir, the head of her security, calls out that they have him. He starts counting, and I know the plan. Before he hits three, I jump up and start running. A bullet slams into my shoulder, and I grunt in pain but keep going. Ainsley screams as I stagger. The sound of her team’s gunfire rings out behind me. Another shout echoes, and then there’s silence.
I open the passenger door and quickly get her inside.
“Buckle up,” I grit out through clenched teeth. I need to get her home before the pain overtakes me. I’ve been shot before, so this is nothing new.
Climbing into the driver’s seat, I start the car and take off before dialing Andrei.
“ Need the doctor at my house. Just a graze ,” I say as way of greeting, speaking in Russian.
“On it. The team notified me. I’ll see you there.” He disconnects the call, and I focus on the road, trying to block out the pain.
“What did you mean when you said penance was paid? What about the Pakhan?” Ainsley’s voice breaks through my focus. I turn to look at her, and she has her arms crossed over her chest. “I’m waiting, Mikhail. I’m not some bumblehead. Explain.”
“ Zayka , we all have to pay penance to the Pakhan for your transgressions. Why do you think Dmitri had to get back in the ring?” The pain has my tongue spilling the truth instead of keeping the secrets it should.
My vision blurs for a second, and I know it’s more than a graze. I have to get her to safety.
The car swerves, and she grabs onto the steering wheel.
“I don’t understand. What about the families? Them too?”
“Da.” My Russian slips out as we approach the outskirts of Summerlin.
“You did this too? For me? After what I did?”
“Had to, bunny. To save you.” My words slur, and she grips the wheel tighter.
“Were you shot?”
“Da.”
My head lolls back, and Ainsley helps me pull the car over. The guards are right behind us and pull over as well. I feel my body being lifted, but I don’t focus on anything but Ainsley’s voice until I’m lying in the back of the SUV.
“Bunny?” she says softly. Then she leans over me. “Mikhail, why did you call me that?”
My eyes roll back, and the pain pulls me under.