Chapter 4
Nikolai
“There’s a special place in hell for bastard children like you.”
I wiped sweat and grit from my face with my arm before staring down at the broken man, his words holding little meaning. I’d heard the statement before, moments after the treacherous asshole had begged for his life.
And moments before I’d taken it away.
“Pust’ budet tak,” I muttered, the phrase of ‘so be it’ appropriate for the moment. The asshole had swindled over a hundred thousand dollars from the Federov account, using his expertise as our bookkeeper to hide it for almost two years.
Now it was time for him to pay the price of betraying us.
As I fisted his hair at the scalp, twisting his neck and dragging him several feet into the air, the bastard actually gave me a smile.
The single slice of the blade, a present from my surrogate father, had wiped his smug look away, replacing it with the same haunted eyes of a dead man.
I took a deep breath as I backed away, unable to take my eyes off Chloe.
I was a bastard child, the one nobody had wanted after my real father’s murder.
I’d learned to live on the street, fighting for scraps of food or a night of sleep away from the rodents and thugs.
Then I’d entered the world of the Bratva mafia, becoming the second son to the man who brought fear into the hearts of everyone in Russia.
Rich and powerful, he’d provided the kind of life fairytales were made of. Only indoctrination into the Bratva regime meant giving up your soul.
My fall from grace had never been far from my mind even after leaving and finding a new way of life. It was even more evident by the act I’d just performed as well as the continuing desire for the shaken woman standing in front of me.
Chloe remained against the sink, staring at me with hatred in her eyes.
I grabbed my weapon, securing it once again behind my back. All the while she studied me, realizing she’d just been taken by a brutal man. Maybe now she understood just how dangerous I truly was.
Not one of my students had any idea of my real identity.
I’d never had a student or another faculty member at my house.
I rarely provided any personal details to anyone.
That had been ingrained into me since day one.
If captured by anyone, never tell them a damn thing.
I’d gotten very good at doing so, even during times of torture.
Reaching down, I pulled her panties from the floor, holding them in my palm. At first, she was tentative then snatched them away. Chuckling, I walked closer, crowding her space.
“Did you kill those men?”
Her question seemed out of the blue. “No, not this time.”
“Not this time,” she repeated. “You’re not a real professor. Are you?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then I don’t…” Her words trailing off, she looked away. It was easy to see she was fighting her emotions. By all rights, she should get the hell away from me and call the police.
Somehow, I knew that wasn’t going to happen.
I’d brought the girl alive, fueling the fire in her belly.
While there was nothing I wanted more than to keep her, it wasn’t possible.
However, I had to find a way to make her understand that she needed to get the hell away from me.
Hopefully, the fact the semester had just ended would solve the problem.
Then I’d follow through with hunting down the fuckers who’d entered my world.
“They were not the kind of men you want to fuck with, Chloe. I’ll leave it at that.”
“I would say you’re the same kind of man.”
“And you would be right. Are you leaving for the summer?”
She gazed into my eyes again, shaking her head. “I live here. Well, at least until after I graduate.”
“What about family? Is there someone you can go spend time with?”
“I have no family and I need to work. There is no other choice for a girl like me.”
While her words were laced with defiance, I could tell it haunted her to be forced to say them. There was no time to ask why.
Not that I cared.
“Then you’re going to follow my directions. There are no other options. If you don’t, you could die. Do I make myself clear enough for you to understand?” I could smell a hint of fear but to my surprise, she held her resolve, refusing to fall apart.
“Yes, I understand that in some crazy way you think you’re protecting me.”
“I’m the only one who can do that. The only hope you have.”
“Why would these men hurt me? What do they want? I have nothing. No money, no connections to anyone important. I’m just a hopeless girl with a limited future.”
Whether or not she was trying to play to my sympathies, I wasn’t certain. I would hate for her to realize that I had no empathy for another human being. “Because they want to get to me.”
“And who are you really? What are you hiding?”
“Enough that you would have nightmares for the rest of your life.”
Her mouth twisted but she gave me a single nod.
“Is your car in the parking lot?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Then I’m going to walk you outside and make certain you’re safe. You will do what I told you last night. Do you have a weapon?”
Now she was flustered. “Do I look like the kind of girl who owns a gun?”
“As long as you have a sharp knife, you will be surprised at what you can do. Sleep with it by your side.”
“I… Okay.”
I took her by the arm, pulling her close to the door then pushing her aside, placing my finger over my mouth to keep her quiet.
When I opened the door, only then did I realize just how long I’d kept her behind closed doors.
There was no sign of anyone in the joint.
While I’d closed on more than one occasion for Travis, even owning a set of keys to the place, I was surprised he’d left while I was still inside with the girl.
When I got to the locked front door, I cocked my head. “You’re not going to fight me. Do you understand?”
“Yes. I get it. Okay?”
I opened the door, scanning the parking lot.
At least the cheap strip mall was well lit even if every one of the businesses was closed for the night.
I noticed a car parked near mine and pulled her toward it.
I knew there were words that needed to be said, at least in order to help her sleep, but I wasn’t that kind of man.
There was no romance in my world.
No need for anything other than brutal passion.
Even though the taste of her had been sweet, I would forbid myself from indulging any further. I couldn’t risk it on any level.
“Where are your keys?” I asked, still scanning the area. Given it was well after two in the morning, there was very little traffic. An eerie feeling came from out of nowhere. My grip on her tightened. “Where are your damn keys, Chloe?”
“Here. I only take one with me. Okay? Jesus.” She jerked away from me, her hands shaking as she tried to unlock her door, the battered car little more than a clunker.
When she opened her door, I was relieved, waiting until she climbed inside, holding it open for a few seconds while she peered up at me with her big, emerald green pools of electric draw.
Damn, what I wanted to do to her.
“Go home.” I slammed the door and backed away. When I heard the sound of her engine turning over, only then did I turn and head toward my Camaro.
Maxim had called me uncanny for my ability to know seconds before an enemy presented themselves. He’d been certain I could smell their stench from miles away. Maybe that was the case for at that second, a putrid odor flowed into my nostrils.
Then I heard her screech.
“Nikolai!”
I reacted instantly, yanking the weapon from my jeans as I raced toward her.
The asshole had made a huge mistake in touching her, dragging her from the car.
He’d also been taunting me, no doubt hoping I would take the bait.
If I had to guess, I’d say there were at least four more of the assholes waiting for the right moment. If not, he’d been a fool to take me on.
“Get away from her,” I growled, holding the gun in both hands.
“Blya Bratva podonok,” he exclaimed.
His second mistake was speaking Russian, his use of the statement ‘fucking Bratva scum’ divulging the reason for the two attacks. The rage that surfaced mixed with a high octane level of adrenaline, my quick reflexes allowing me to wrap my hand around his neck, yanking him away from Chloe.
I didn’t need to tell her to run. She backed away, gasping for air.
“Tell me why you’re here,” I hissed into his ear, tightening my stranglehold.
“Ubit’ tebya.”
To kill me. The fucker actually thought he’d be able to do that? I turned slightly then snapped his neck, stuffing him inside Chloe’s car as quickly as possible. Things had changed. She’d never be safe remaining on her own.
The fight between desire to own her and the need to protect her had suddenly become one.
A wave of heat built from deep within, the persona I’d adopted no longer existing, at least for now. I’d been a fool for long enough. I needed to avenge the murder of my father.
I was no longer Nikolai Lenkov, the decorated professor at a prominent American university.
I was now Sacha Federov, son of Maxim Federov, Bratva ruler.
A ruthless man with no heart or soul.
A king capable of savagery.
And a man who always took what he wanted.
Chloe had now become mine.
My possession.
My toy.
My pet.
As I stormed toward her, Chloe remained rigid, covering her mouth with both hands. When I grabbed her arm, only then did she respond.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking you with me.” I knew she’d fight me as I dragged her to my car. The fact there wasn’t another asshole in the darkness shocked the hell out of me.
“You can’t do that. No. No. No!”
“I don’t have time to argue, Chloe.” I shoved her inside and after closing the door, wasted no time jumping into the driver’s seat. She’d already attempted to get out of my vehicle. When I yanked her back, she managed to slap my face.
“Let me out of here.”