Possess Me (Dmitriyev Bratva #3)

Chapter 1

Vissarian

“I miss Ladybug.”

Hearing Megan’s weak voice drove a stake through my heart. “You’re here in a fabulous tropical location with the greatest hunk of a man of all time and you’re missing your dog?”

“First of all, Ladybug isn’t just a dog. She’s a perfect being sent here by heaven above. Second, don’t flatter yourself.” Even as she laughed, I could see how anxious she was. Since meeting her months before, she’d been a picture of health.

Maybe we’d simply fucked too much.

Even the filthy thought didn’t bring my usual smile.

“You’re right,” I told her. “Three days and you can have your fur baby back in your arms.” Her term for the cute dog she’d rescued. Not mine.

“Yeah. I know and I am having a good time.” Still flustered, she brushed her shaking hand through her hair.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be okay.” I said the words, but seeing the look of terror in Megan’s eyes kept the sharp blade digging into my heart. I’d do anything to protect her, something that had been tested in our relationship more than once. But this was something even I couldn’t fix.

Not with power or money. Or with soldiers.

Who I’d left in Vegas. Fuck. What had been wrong with me? To think I could get away from who and what I was for even a few days was dangerous.

She gripped my hand, offering a slight smile. Her skin was pasty white and her body was rocking forward while her foot thrummed against the cold tile of the doctor’s office. She’d been fine a few days ago, but either she’d gotten food poisoning or someone had purposely spiked her drink.

If it was the latter, I would find the motherfucker and kill him.

She appeared frailer than I’d seen before, the light gone from her eyes. Even her golden locks were dull. Maybe because she’d barely eaten for a few days.

I checked my watch, glaring at the door as I’d been doing for the last twenty minutes of waiting for the results of blood tests. What the fuck was taking them so long? Yeah, I knew we were in Jamaica, and I was lucky to have found the country’s version of a Doc in a Box. But that didn’t matter.

Didn’t they know who I was?

Didn’t they understand what I could do?

“You’ve looked at your watch ten times. That’s not going to make the doctor move any faster,” Megan said in the same voice she used when trying to calm me down from some business situation that had me hot under the collar.

Which was often.

Taking a deep breath, I rubbed my jaw. She’d chastised me more than once for having such little patience. I couldn’t blame her. My mother had told me several times when growing up that when I returned to this earth, it would be all about learning patience. As if I believed in reincarnation.

“I know. I just can’t stand this for you.” I glanced at her beautiful face. The poor girl was sweating, licking beads off her upper lip every few seconds. “If he’s not in this office in two minutes, I will hunt him down.”

The harsh look she threw me brought a laugh. “No, you will not, Vissarian Dmitriyev. You will be a good boy.”

“I’m never a good boy.”

“That’s the problem.”

Before I had a chance to retort, the door opened, the doctor who’d barely taken the time to ask her any questions waltzing in as if he didn’t have a care in the world. The fact he had a smirk on his face kept my anger at the surface.

“What is going on? What is wrong?” My demand was met with a roll of Megan’s eyes.

“What my darling boyfriend means to say is did the blood tests give you any idea why I feel so sick?”

The doctor didn’t answer immediately, instead grabbing a stool and pulling it closer, sitting down directly across from her. Meanwhile, I leaned against the wall with my hand on her shoulder. She was trembling.

I was furious.

The doctor was about to get a piece of my mind.

In his hand was a file, which he opened. “I have the test results.”

She clasped her hand on mine. I sensed she was holding her breath.

“What’s wrong with me, Doctor?” Her voice was full of fear, soft and shaky. Goddamn, I hated this shit.

“Nothing is wrong, Ms. Dayton. You’re going to be a mother.”

He was mostly expressionless until neither one of us said anything. A slow grin tugged at his upper lip.

“That’s impossible,” Megan stated with conviction. “I was told I can never have a child by two experts, and trust me, all I’ve really ever wanted to be is a mother.”

“Well, if you believe in miracles, then I believe you have one. Now, you should make an appointment with your gynecologist when you get home for an ultrasound, but I believe you’re about two and a half months along. You’ve been experiencing morning sickness.”

“All damn day long,” I snapped. Why in the fuck would he get her hopes up? She’d tearfully told me she was unable to have a child when our relationship had gotten more serious. As if that would matter. I didn’t need a fucking heir. I wasn’t father material, for God’s sake.

Besides, even more so than being involved in a relationship, having a family was too dangerous.

He laughed. “Yes, that’s entirely possible during both the first and second trimester.

I ran two tests just to make certain. You are definitely pregnant.

Congratulations. Now, I can give you something for nausea, but I hesitate to do anything else.

You really need to make an appointment with your regular doctor. ”

The doctor looked directly at me, obviously sensing my disbelief.

“Really?” she asked. So damn hopeful. So excited.

What the hell would I do if he was wrong?

The doctor stood and so did Megan. “You’re going to be just fine, Ms. Dayton.”

The next few minutes I stood in a complete fog as she dressed, her breathing completely labored. She also said nothing, which scared me. And in truth, I had no idea what to say to her. This was so far out of my realm it was crazy.

Was it possible I was going to be a father?

Fuck. Me.

Once outside the building, she took a few steps then clasped her hands together, spinning around and throwing her arms over my shoulders. “We’re pregnant. I’m going to be a mother. I’m going to be a mother!”

Tears streamed down her cheeks, her face now highlighting her utter happiness.

When I said nothing, her beautiful eyes opened wide. “You’re okay with that. Right? I mean… Oh, no. You don’t want this baby.”

I swept her off her feet, spinning her around several times. “Of course I’m okay. I’m more than okay. I’m going to be a father!” My voice boomed in the early afternoon sun, several of the strangers on the street applauding.

A strange feeling of happiness rushed through me. I’d never had the desire to be a father. Until now.

“Baby. We’re going to be parents.” Easing her down, I cupped both sides of her face, pressing kisses against her soft lips.

“I can’t believe it. I wanted this with you. You’re going to make such an amazing father.”

Exhaling, I shook my head. “I’m going to do everything in my power to be the best husband and father possible.”

She pressed her hand against my chest. “Wait a minute. Does that mean you’re asking me to marry you?”

With my smile widening, I took a step away. “I am. What do you think?”

“Only if you get down on one knee. That’s traditional.”

She’d never looked more beautiful than she did right now. I knew I was the luckiest man in the world.

A strange sound caught my attention. I’d learned from extensive training that enemies came in many forms and usually never offered advance warning.

Which meant I was always on edge.

Even vacationing in Jamaica, a location Megan had long fantasized about visiting, I was completely aware of my surroundings. I’d been forced to be since I’d been a small child living in Moscow.

There were men in uniforms and expensive tailored suits who longed to crush the spirit and lives of anyone who didn’t follow the rules.

That was something I’d never done thanks to my father and uncle, their mastery of weapons and covert actions helping our family create a new life in the United States.

My training kicked in and I pushed Megan against the wall of the clinic, giving her a stern look. “Listen to me. Go back inside and stay there until I return.”

“What’s going on?” Her face was pinched from fear, her voice barely audible over several loud and shrill shouts.

“I don’t know, baby. Just do what I say. Okay?”

She nodded, her entire body shaking.

My father had advised me to take several soldiers with me. I’d refused, ignoring the rules of the Bratva. I’d believed there was no need.

As I grabbed my weapon, turning toward the sound, I noticed a man holding a gun. A single pull of the trigger and the front glass of a shop exploded into shards. Several people on the sidewalk and street screamed, a melee ensuing.

I rushed toward the asshole holding the weapon. I was no hero. That wasn’t something I’d ever wanted to be, yet seeing so many innocent people fearing for their lives created an intense vacuum, a need to stop the madness.

“Get away!” I shouted as I shoved my way through the crowd. People scattered everywhere, terror increasing.

I raised my weapon, pointing it at the gunman who was standing staring at the destruction he’d created. Not moving. Not attempting to rush inside to steal whatever merchandise he was after.

Wearing a mask, when he turned his head in my direction, every muscle tensed.

That’s the moment I knew the scene had been set for one reason.

An assassination.

“Drop your weapon,” the bastard said as he shifted his arm, pointing the barrel of his gun toward my forehead. There was no discernable accent, no identifying markers of any kind.

Just like a professional.

Echoes pounded in my ears, a single scream capturing my attention.

Megan.

With the entire world in slow motion, I spun around, facing where Megan remained. She’d been prevented from going inside where it was safe.

Now a monster had his gun pressed against her beautiful face.

I calculated the distance, taking several long strides toward him.

“Let her go,” I gritted out, darting my eyes toward Megan. Hers were open wide, but I could tell she trusted me to keep her safe.

The bastard laughed. “Vissarian Dmitriyev.”

The assassin knew my name.

This was personal. The fucker would die for touching the woman I loved.

“I said. Let. Her. Go. Or I will put a bullet in your brain.”

“Ora perderai tutto ciò a cui tieni. Giustizia è fatta.”

As his words rang out, I reacted without hesitation. Yet his statement would forever linger in my mind, haunting and furrowing into the deepest part of my brain.

Now you will lose everything you care about. Justice served.

Pop! Pop!