Chapter Sixteen
Alora
Shadows danced around me in the dimly lit darkroom. Music played in the background as I tried to clear my head after all the madness. Bela had dropped off some old rolls of film and asked me to develop them. Apparently, she’d taken them from their family archive right before Kreos had brought her to the States.
When she’d become a widow two hours after saying “I do.”
She was pretty tight-lipped about the whole thing, but I had a feeling that in time, she would tell me. Our friendship had really blossomed over the last few weeks, and she was quickly turning into someone I knew I could count on, like “help me hide the body” count on.
The possibility of seeing photos of a young Kreos made me giddy. His childhood hadn’t been good. He’d told me as much. But I was hoping to find some candid moments between him and his siblings. Times where his mother hadn’t sunk her claws into them and tried to turn them into monsters.
This whole thing with Jameson and the cop was a lot to process. Kreos and Gavriil had given me the bare minimum of information, but I knew they were keeping a lot back .
The cop was dirty and worked for the Cruel.
The Cruel had been exiled from the Bratva by Kreos’ father over seventeen years ago.
That was right around the time Jameson had died.
It didn’t make sense. How could Jameson be involved with the Bratva? He hadn’t been. I knew that, deep in my heart.
So what had happened to my brother?
My phone flashed a message from Dove asking if I wanted to meet her by the pool. That was probably a better distraction than being locked down here in my darkroom. I sent a reply, telling her I would be there soon. Maybe that was all I needed—some sun and a drink with my sister.
I paused at the developer as a picture of young Kreos emerged. He was young, maybe twelve, holding hands with who I assumed was Constantine, and definitely a cute little Bela.
My heart clenched at his face. Stoic, even at a young age. Another image started to appear. That one was definitely a young Kreos, maybe around six, but this time, he had a huge grin on his face like he’d been laughing.
I couldn’t help but wonder what our children would look like. Did I even want to get pregnant with him?
Yes. The answer was yes.
I’d realized last night when he came home covered in blood that I loved him.
Truly, madly loved him.
I didn’t know how or when that had happened, but it had .
And that terrified me.
Because everyone I had ever loved had left me.
Now here I was, married to the Pakhan of the Russian mafia in New York, who had a constant target on his own back. And I knew that one day, he was going to leave me, too. How could I have let myself fall in love with someone in this lifestyle? It was insanity and went against everything I had believed in all these years.
Stupid, traitorous heart.
I hung up the photos on the drying line. Some of the other pictures included people I’d assumed were family, a few dogs, some scenic views, and other random things.
My gaze drifted to the locked cabinet where I’d hidden the SD card and film roll, the ones that contained the evidence—pictures of the documents in the safe, the men moving guns, serial and license plate numbers. Was it enough to destroy him? I didn’t want to find out the answer.
I unlocked the drawer and pulled out the card and film, then dropped them into the chemicals. I watched as the film dissolved and knew the chemicals would ruin anything on the card.
I guessed I’d made my choice, choosing to stay when I knew I should run.
The weight in my chest lightened, although the moment was short-lived. My eyes widened at one photo hanging on the line, and I snatched it down.
How could this be?
In the photo was a group of men, and hanging above them was some sort of flag. The image was crystal clear.
Two double-headed eagles holding a shield, which had a snake wrapping around a sword. The outside of the banner had a mazelike vine pattern with tiny stars.
It matched my coin exactly. Even down to the bold words “Loyalty, Honor, Victory.”
My heart raced as I tried to process what this all meant. The Zokrov Bratva symbol was a wolf with a letter “Z” going through it. Was this double-headed eagle a symbol for another Bratva in Russia?
These unknown men were connected to Kreos’ family, and somehow, one of their coins had ended up in the hands of a dead man. A man who had tried to warn me before the entire house exploded. Kreos thought he had some type of mole in his organization—did this have anything to do with it? Fuck, there were too many unanswered questions. I’d known I should have told him about the coin sooner.
I needed to talk to him. Confess that I’d been keeping something from him and hope it didn’t mean anything important. The only problem was he’d been in meetings with his Vors all afternoon and supposedly wasn’t to be disturbed. Was this important enough to interrupt him for? I didn’t know.
I jumped at the sound of a light knocking on the door. Three knocks, then two, then three more.
Dove.
“Coming!” I called out as I hung the picture back up.
Maybe I was just being paranoid, and there was a really simple explanation for all of this.
I made sure the inner light-trapping door was secure before I opened the outer door. Dove was waiting for me in the hall, dressed for the pool with a bottle of wine in her hand. I chuckled as she did a little dance, instantly making me smile.
She’d improved so much since we’d been here. It was like she wasn’t the same person. She didn’t even wear her hat anymore. I would forever be grateful to Kreos for changing her life for the better, as well as mine. But something told me Gavriil might have had a little to do with Dove’s good mood. I was pretty sure something was going on between them, which was insanely hilarious. Satan and an angel. Maybe I’d get her to confess after a few drinks.
Dove and I lounged around the pool, dipping in and out of the water. The mood around the property seemed tense, like everyone was on guard. That made sense, considering someone had tried to kill their boss last night.
God, seeing Kreos with that blood on him had freaked me out. I’d thought my heart had stopped beating. I’d never been so grateful when I realized it wasn’t his blood. I hoped the people who had tried to hurt him suffered. I knew that sounded crazy, but I couldn’t help it. I tried explaining my feelings to Dove.
She listened attentively, as she always did. Typing into her iPad, she pressed the “speak out loud” button.
“It’s obvious he loves you too, Alora. I mean, anyone can tell just by how he looks at you.”
“I’m scared, Dove. I’m terrified he’s going to die before we even have a life together. Or even worse, what if I get pregnant, and then he dies?” I leaned on the edge of the pool, splashing my legs in the water. “Oh, my God, it’s like the movie we were watching. I’m going to end up like Lydia.” My eyes widened as I recalled the stupid love story she’d made me watch, the one where the man had lied and tricked the woman, and then ended up leaving her after she had their baby. Was that going to be me? Pregnant and alone?
“OK, don’t do that. I see that crazy look in your eyes. Chill. Everything’s going to be fine.”
Too late, my mind was already thinking worst-case scenarios again.
“Let’s change the subject to stop whatever destructive path you’re about to go down. Did you see it’s a lunar eclipse tonight?”
I stopped splashing, narrowing my eyes at her. “Are you lying?”
She grinned, shaking her head. “Promise. Remember that idea you had for your finale photo for the competition? The church? Well, imagine it under the blood moon. It would be mind-blowingly beautiful.” Her cheeks puffed out as she blew out air, her hands popping open like an explosion.
I bit my bottom lip, thinking for a moment. I’d been thinking of my last photo for the competition. All the pieces seemed to click into place for me then. A nude woman who embodied the beauty and vulnerability of life, set against a decaying church—a symbol of eternal promises, now taken over by decay.
Now add in a blood moon? A known omen for death and transformation? It was perfect.
The only reason I hadn’t done it was because I hadn’t found a subject. But what better subject than me? I had all the equipment, and could set up a timer that would capture all the photos for me.
“You’re a freaking genius.” I lifted myself out of the pool and grabbed a towel. Tash and Grig would have to come with me, but I would just make them wait in the car so they didn’t see me naked. Kreos would definitely flip out about that.
I called out to Grig, who had stood off to the side, doing his best not to look at me in my bathing suit. He rushed over, nodding hello to Dove. “I need you to take me somewhere tonight. Kreos is in meetings all day, so he can’t take me.”
Grig visibly swallowed as he shook his head no. “No can do, Mrs. Zokrova. You and Dove are to stay on the estate until further notice.”
I scoffed, putting my hands on my hips. “Says who?”
“The Pakhan,” Gavriil said, coming up from behind Grig like the damn shadow devil he was. “It’s for your own protection and will only be for a day or two.”
“Well, I need to go out tonight. It’s a blood moon. This won’t happen again for months.” Were they really going to keep us locked up here? Solene’s taunt about being locked in a beautiful prison rang in my ears.
“We don’t always get what we want, Mrs. Zokrova.” His eyes narrowed at Dove, who was lying on her stomach on the lounge chair. “Dove, the sun is quite harsh this afternoon. Cover up before you get burned.”
I turned to look at Dove, who had on an oversized T-shirt that had ridden up, showing off her bikini-clad butt. A “ding, ding, ding” went off in my head, knowing that Gavriil didn’t want the guards to look at her ass. I chuckled as Dove scrunched up her nose, tilting her head to the side as if pondering. After a second, she shook her head no.
Gavriil’s eyes blazed with fire, his jaw clenching as he stared down at her. “I would suggest rethinking that, little bird.” He turned to look at me, then at Grig. “Make sure they stay put.” A second later he stalked off, not before giving Dove one more warning look.
I whistled and plopped down next to her on the lounge chair. “I knew something was going on with you guys.”
Her cheeks flushed, and she rolled her eyes. “Nope. Not a damn thing.”
“Liar.” I chuckled, tapping my fingers on my thigh.
“What are you going to do now? I guess the picture would look cool without the blood moon.”
“Oh, no, I’m getting that picture tonight. Looks like I’ll just have to sneak out.” I smirked, a plan forming in my head.
I sat with Dove for a while until the sun set. Kreos had left with a convoy, only briefly stopping by to give me a kiss. When I asked him about going out, he’d given me the same answer as Gavriil. Only he ended it with, “Be a good girl or I’ll punish you.”
Pfft, like the thought of punishment had ever stopped me.
I understood something serious was going on, but it wasn’t like anyone would follow me tonight. If anything, I should be more worried that he was going out right after someone had just tried to kill him less than twenty-four hours ago.
Besides, I’d have my knife with me. Dove offered to come with me, but I didn’t want Kreos to get more angry with me knowing I’d broken her out too. God knew what Gavriil would do, either.
My plan was simple. Get the keys from Grig, get past the security gate, and head to the church. That was less than an hour away. The blood moon should be visible at eleven p.m., so that should be just enough time to snap my photos before Kreos sent someone to come get me.
Oh, I knew he would send someone. What I didn’t know was whether the tracker in my neck alerted him when I left the property, or whether he only knew because he checked his little app. I would find out soon enough.
I packed up my equipment into a bag—my best camera, my LED lights, and my stand—and also threw in the red silk robe I’d planned on wearing. The image was crystal clear in my mind. I just hoped I could capture it exactly as planned.
The key to sneaking around was to just blend in and act like you belonged. So I carried my bag to the garage and hid it behind some bushes. I didn’t want to do the next part, but I had no choice. I slipped off my engagement ring and shoved it into my pants. I pulled up Grig’s name and sent him a text to meet me by the pool for an emergency.
“Mrs. Zokrova, what’s the matter?” His face was so serious as he looked around the pool area.
“I think I lost my wedding ring. You have to help me find it. Kreos will kill me.” I bit my bottom lip and clasped my hands together. In reality, guilt ran through me for lying.
“Of course.” He turned on the flashlight on his phone, searching all around the pool.
I knew he kept the keys in his right jacket pocket, because he unconsciously patted the area every time we got ready to leave somewhere.
“Over here, Grig. I think I see it down behind these bushes.”
I turned as he ran up, colliding with his chest with a fake gasp. My fingers slipped into his pocket, pulling out his keys before he could realize. Some skills never left you, and picking pockets was that skill for me.
I slipped the keys into my pocket, dropping my ring on the ground at the same time. “Oh, look, you found it!”
“Oh, good, I wouldn’t want to upset the Pakhan.” He grinned.
OK, well, I could guarantee Kreos was going to be upset about this. But I couldn’t let myself feel guilty. Not when there was an award-winning photo out there just screaming for me to come take it.
Ten minutes later, I was pulling up to the main gate in one of Kreos’ armored SUVs. Jacob, the night guard, straightened as I pulled up.
“Mrs. Zokrova? I wasn’t aware you were leaving tonight?” His face twisted in confusion as he looked down at his clipboard.
I smiled, nodding toward the bag in the passenger seat. “I’m surprising the Pakhan with a date night. You know he’s been under a lot of stress lately.”
He hesitated, searching my face. “You should have an escort. I should call—”
“Jacob, we’re still technically on our honeymoon and it’s going to get very—romantic, if you know what I mean. The Pakhan wants his privacy. Trust me on this one.” I chuckled, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
He nodded slowly, marking something on his clipboard. “Understood, Mrs. Zokrova. But please, be careful on the road this late.”
“Of course, Jacob.” I waved as he opened the gate, speeding down the winding road a moment later.
The butterflies in my stomach only seemed to multiply the further I drove away from the estate. Kreos was going to be furious when he found out I’d left. But it was for a good reason.
Only ten minutes after I’d left the vicinity of the property, my phone rang. I glanced over at the passenger seat, Kreos’ name flashing across the screen. Well, that was a lot quicker than I’d expected. I guessed I knew the answer to how my tracker worked.
I half expected him to pull up next to me on the side of the road, but that didn’t happen. In fact, he’d only called twice. For some reason, that unnerved me even more than him calling one hundred times. Maybe Dove had thrown me under the bus. Hell, I wouldn’t hold it against her even if she did.
When I pulled up to the abandoned church, I parked the car and checked my phone. There was a new message I hadn’t heard come through.
“Come home now, or else,” was all it said.
I responded, even though I wanted to ignore him out of spite.
“Just getting a few photos. Be back soon.”
The old abandoned church looked super creepy, especially surrounded by nothing but thick forest. The blood moon was high in the sky, casting a crimson glow. This could be it. The winning shot. Tonight, right here.
You could tell the church used to be beautiful. The building was just a shell now, its stone walls crumbling and its stained-glass windows shattered. The heavy wooden doors sagged open, their hinges groaning in the breeze. I needed some interior shots, but first, my masterpiece was calling .
I set up my tripod, my hands moving on autopilot as I adjusted the aperture to capture the perfect photos. After a few test shots, I slipped off my clothes, leaving only my red silk robe on. My phone had gone completely silent, apprehension building inside of me at the thought of Kreos being angry.
He’ll just have to deal with it.
I programmed the timer, the camera set to take pictures every fifteen seconds until I stopped it. Excitement coursed through me as I stood in different poses, some with my robe on and some completely nude. I’d also brought my dagger with me, and I took a few photos of me holding it above my head, pointing at the moon as the church towered over me.
Before I knew it, half an hour had passed. I reviewed the photos, my bare feet sinking into the cool dirt. My spine tensed, and I glanced over my shoulder. Being out here in the dark was a lot creepier than I’d thought.
My mouth hung open as I skimmed through the pictures. They were breathtaking, dark and moody. The blood moon glow practically painted me red, and the dagger was the perfect addition.
A twig snapped somewhere behind me, and I startled, my hand flying to my chest. Just because I couldn’t see anyone didn’t mean no one was out there. Or, just as bad, a wild animal like a coyote could be watching me, thinking it had found dinner.
My phone rang right at that moment, and I picked up because I was freaked out, not because I was obeying Kreos.
“Alora.” Kreos’ voice was low and smooth. “Perhaps I wasn’t clear when I said come home now, or else.”
I scoffed, my hand on my hip. “Oh, you were perfectly clear. Maybe you weren’t listening when I told you not to keep me locked up like a prisoner. Hm?”
He chuckled, goosebumps running up my arms. “Just one question. How did you get the car keys?”
“You married a former thief, Pakhan,” I taunted. “Did you forget what my fingers were capable of?”
“Speaking of capabilities…” His voice lowered to something darker, more sinister. “I’m going to enjoy showing you what punishment those greedy little hands have earned.”
“Well, you’ll have to wait an hour. I’m not finished.”
My phone chimed with an incoming message. Irritation coursed through me as I saw it was from him. “Why are you texting when we’re—”
The words died on my lips. On the screen was a photo of me taken just a moment ago when I was checking my camera. The realization hit me in an instant.
He wasn’t just on the phone. He was here in the woods with me. Watching. Waiting. How stupid had I been to believe he’d let me get away?
“Kreos?” Every muscle in my body tightened as the sound of something rustling came from a few feet away. I turned with a gasp, not seeing him.
He chuckled, my head snapping in the other direction. “Run, kotic . You better pray to God or the Devil that I don’t catch you.”
The phone slipped from my hands as I took off in the opposite direction. He was insane, that was obvious. What the hell was he going to do to me? My mind raced with scenarios as I ducked behind a large tree. He wouldn’t hurt me, though. I knew that.
I held my breath for a moment, hoping that I’d lost him behind the church. But I knew he was out there. Watching. Waiting. Hunting.
Fuck, my red robe was like a beacon of light, shimmering against the moon. I stripped it off, tossing it to the ground. A noise came from my left, and I ran to the right. My breath came out in quiet gasps as I pressed against the back of the church, crouching down behind the cellar entrance. If I could get back to the car before he caught me, maybe I could beg for mercy from whatever punishment he had planned.
But did I even want to? A part of me loved the chase, knowing that there would be a delicious reward at the end. OK, and maybe a sore ass from all the spanking I was surely going to get.
A twig snapped, then what sounded like a rock was thrown a few feet away from me. He was fucking with me. My heart was beating so loud, I was sure he could hear it.
“Run, little kitten.” His voice carried over from somewhere in the darkness. “I can smell your fear… and your excitement.”
The sound sent a shiver down my spine, and I bolted, running as fast as I could. I just hoped I wasn’t going to run right into him. We continued like this for a while. Each time I thought I found the perfect hiding spot, and then seconds later, he would be nearby. Taunting me. Teasing.
I ran even faster, my eyes widening when I ended up right in front of my camera tripod. The automatic trigger was still on, bright flashes of white giving me away. My foot caught on a root, and I stumbled into a tree. I hissed as I scraped my hand against the bark, but before I could run again, strong arms caged me in from behind.
“Caught you.” Kreos’ voice was rough and laced with something dark. His lips found my neck, biting down. “My beautiful little demon.”
I gasped at his touch, melting into him. He gripped my wrists, pinning them over my head with one hand, the other weaving into my hair, tugging my head back.
“Tell me, kotic . Are you afraid?” His teeth dragged down my neck to my shoulder, biting and kissing as he went.
“No,” I panted, pushing my ass back into him.
“You should be,” he growled, his hold on my hair tightening, making me cry out. Not in pain, but in pure, wild lust. I wanted him to claim me, ruin me, make me his. “Do you have any idea how terrified I was?”
“I didn’t think,” I whimpered, my heart racing. He turned my head, his lips crashing into mine. I could feel his desire, the anger, his need for me with every stroke of his tongue, with every caress of his lips. He tasted of Scotch and lust, and damnation had never tasted so sweet on his lips.
He pulled back, the sound of his zipper coming down making me push back into him. “You will never try to leave me, understand?” The edge in his voice sent a shiver down my spine, and I nodded my head quickly. “I will never let you go, Alora. From my lips to the Devil’s ears—you’re fucking mine.”
“Yes,” I panted. “I’m sorry.”
He made a tisking sound, his head shaking. “ You’ll have plenty of time to apologize later. Right now, the only two words I want to hear coming out of your beautiful mouth are ‘more,’ and ‘harder.’”
I moaned at the rough edge in his voice. He needed this as much as I did. I spread my legs, giving him better access. I was so wet for him as he stroked his cock up and down my slit. The sensation had me standing on my tiptoes, the need to be filled up with him making me rabid.
“Please,” I moaned as the head of his cock teased my clit. He reached up, tugging on my nipple, making my body heat rise even further.
“I should have you bent over my knee right now, your ass bright red for disobeying me.” He pushed the tip of his cock inside me, and I moaned, which turned into a whimper when he pulled out just as quickly. Over and over, he would push just the tip in, pull out, teasing my clit, then push the tip back in. It was a torturous rhythm that had my legs trembling.
“More,” I demanded. The feeling of him was intoxicating, like I couldn’t get enough.
“You want me to fuck you, kotic ? Use you? Show you how you belong to me?” He didn’t wait for my answer as he entered me fully in one stroke, filling me up to the hilt.
I cried out, my head falling back as he thrust his hips, fucking me with powerful strokes. My nails dug into his arm wrapped around my waist, holding on as he used me like I was his fuck toy. Why did I love it so much? When had he snuck into my heart and wrapped himself around it to the point I wouldn’t be able to breathe without him?
Without warning, he flipped me around, his fingers digging into my thighs as he lifted me up. My legs instinctually wrapped around his waist. In one powerful stroke, he filled me up again, my head falling back with a moan.
“No, look at me. I want to see you,” he growled as I clung on to him for dear life. His eyes blazed with fire and held a raw power that both intimidated me and scared me.
“Harder,” I whimpered, biting down on my bottom lip.
His eyes turned predatory as he wrapped his hand around my throat. Oh, God, he knew that was my kryptonite. Tree bark dug into my back as he thrust into me, pushing me up higher. The sweet sensation of my core tightening had me trying to buck my hips. He applied gentle pressure to my throat, telling me to stop.
“Your cunt is gripping me so tight, kotic .” He thrust his hips, his back muscles tense under my palms. “So fucking greedy for me, aren’t you? You want me to fill up this greedy cunt with my come?”
Blood rushed to my ears as he applied more pressure, little black dots dancing in my vision. With one more powerful stroke, I cried out his name, my climax rushing through me as I clung to him. An overwhelming feeling of absolute love consumed me then. He owned every piece of me now. Heart and soul.
He growled deep in his throat, picking up speed as he fucked me into the tree. My fingers weaved through his hair, tugging as he stared deep into my eyes, like he was looking into my soul and knew exactly what I’d been thinking. A heartbeat later, he groaned as he came, pushing me against the tree as he filled me up with his release .
We stayed there, locked in each other’s arms without moving. He was worth the madness, every single minute of it.
It wasn’t until he helped me pack up my belongings and we were driving back in his car that the tension came back. And not in a good way.
“What were you thinking?” His voice was deadly quiet as he gripped the steering wheel. “Do you know what could have happened to you?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, staring down at my hands in my lap. “I just wanted to take photos. And I felt trapped, like a prisoner. You said you wouldn’t lock me up again…” My voice trailed off. My reasoning sounded like a lousy excuse, even to my ears.
His head snapped in my direction, his eyes blazing with anger. “There are people out there who want to destroy me, and they would use you to do that. Every time you leave those gates without protection, you’re giving them an opportunity to hurt you.”
I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “I can protect myself. I’ve been doing it my whole life—”
“This isn’t about picking pockets and running from the police, Alora,” he snapped. “These are men who would torture you to send me a message. Men who would… do horrible fucking things to get their point across.”
“You think I don’t know that?” I snapped, throwing my hands in the air. “You think I don’t lie awake at night terrified that you’re not going to come home? That just like Jameson, just like my mom, just like everyone else I’ve ever loved, you’ll be taken from me too?”
The silence that followed my outburst was deafening. He swerved to the side of the road, pulled over. His expression softened as he gazed at me.
“ Kotic ,” he said, reaching for my hands.
I jerked away, anger coursing through me. “You don’t understand. Everyone I love dies. Everyone. They all leave me. And you, you thrive on violence and death. It’s just bound to—”
“Stop.” His voice cut through my spiraling thoughts, commanding yet tender. In one fluid motion, he pulled me into his lap. “Look at me, kotic .”
I shook my head no, and his fingers grasped my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “I am not some fragile flower. I’ve spent my entire life learning how to survive and how to win. I’m not going to die.” His voice was firm, as if I was crazy to even think it.
“But—” My vision became blurred as tears welled in my eyes.
“No.” He kissed my tears, holding me tight against him. “Death is inevitable, but it’s not the end for us. You’re mine in this life, the next, and all the ones after. God, the Devil, Heaven and Hell couldn’t keep us apart.”
I gripped his shirt, pressing my forehead against his. Was he right? Was I overreacting like a lunatic?
“But that’s a concern for another lifetime, because I’m not going anywhere,” he continued. “We’re going to grow old together, see our children flourish, and then spoil our grandchildren rotten. Death should fear us, kotic . Not the other way around.”
His voice held such conviction that it took my breath away. I knew death was inevitable, but maybe it was time to stop being afraid and let go of this fear.
“If you die on me, I’ll kill you,” I murmured, which made him chuckle.
I pressed my lips to his. Was love supposed to feel like this? So dark, consuming… terrifying? I wasn’t sure. All I knew was I was here, offering my heart to the Devil himself, begging him to never let me go.
“And Alora.” He weaved his hands into my hair, tugging my head back. “I love you too.”