"Let's find out." Eric dragged the black ski mask from the man's head—and Bianca gasped.
"Kevan! What in the hell are you doing here?"
Sergei wanted to know the same thing. Eric, however, didn't seem nearly as surprised. Staring at the detective, he asked, "Did you know?"
"I suspected," Eric admitted reluctantly. "I've been keeping tabs on Bianca so I have her file and her brother's file flagged in the system. Kevan has been doing a lot of digging in cases he has no business seeing. I had a bad feeling and followed him one evening. He came here, a block down, and just sat there all night."
"Why, Kevan?" Bianca stepped closer to her ex-boyfriend and tugged her robe tighter around her body. "Why would you do this to me?"
"I think I know," Sergei said through gritted teeth. "He's obsessed with you, and he knew the only way to get you back was to make you scared. He knew that if you had a prowler, you would call him for help. He kept coming back to scare you because he wanted you to invite him back into your life."
"But you didn't," Kevan spat angrily. "You called him. You let him help you." The disgraced police officer shook his head. "You're so stupid, Bibi. Don't you have any idea how dangerous he is? He's going to get you killed."
"How dangerous he is? You're the one who nearly gave me a heart attack! You're the one who made me think the Night Wolves were creeping around my house to take me out in a revenge killing."
"I'm trying to save your life."
"Yeah, well, you better start thinking about how you're going to save your career," Eric interjected. Sirens wailed as they neared the house, and the detective sighed. "You really fucked yourself on this one, Kevan."
Holding Bianca against his side, Sergei stood with her while they answered questions and gave their reports. He still couldn't quite believe that it had been Kevan all along. In a way, he was relieved that it was something so ridiculous and not the Night Wolves, after all. It was one less threat to Bianca's life.
But, as they slid into bed together a few hours later and Bianca worked her way down his body, kissing and licking and then finally sucking his cock deep into her mouth, he couldn't stop thinking about something Kevan had said.
He's going to get you killed.
What if Kevan was right? The thought of Bianca being hurt because of him deflated his erection. His chest ached, and he found it hard to breathe.
"Baby?" Bianca abandoned the amazing blow job she had been giving him and nibbled her way back to his chest. "Are you with me?"
"Yes." He was glad for the darkness that hid his taut, worried expression. "Come her, milaya moya."
She straddled his hips and let him drag her mouth down for a sensual kiss. Their tongues danced as he drank from her lips to quench his thirst for her. Palming her breast, he brushed his thumb across her nipple and enjoyed the mewling, kittenish sounds she made.
"I love you so much, Bianca."
She sifted her fingers through his short hair as he suckled her breast. "I know you do."
"I don't ever want the bad things in my life to touch you." He kissed the spot just above her heart.
"They won't."
She sounded so sure. Her unshakable belief in his ability to protect her and keep her safe filled him with such conflicted emotions. On one hand, he loved that she trusted him so completely. On the other, he was terrified that her life was in his hands. One wrong move, and he would lose everything.
Grasping her hips, Sergei rocked his body until his cock nudged between her slick folds. The fat head of his dick slipped inside her, and they both groaned. Sucking in a sharp breath, Bianca lifted her bottom and pulled off his unsheathed erection. "Sergei, you forgot to put on a condom."
"I didn't forget." He wanted to be inside her without anything between them. "Let me make love to you, Bianca. Let me come inside you."
Even as he begged for the chance to mark her with his seed, to share something with her that he had never shared with any other woman, he fully expected her to say no. When Bianca pressed down on his shaft, allowing his naked cock to slide deeper inside that sweet, snug pussy, he lost the ability to breathe. Mouth agape, he curled his toes against the mattress and marveled at the slick, wet heat enveloping him. "Bianca!"
She whimpered at the sound of him groaning her name and put both hands on his chest for support. Rocking slowly, she swirled her hips and rubbed her clitoris against his body. "Oh, Sergei." She exhaled with such pleasure in her voice. "I love you so much."
Gliding his worshiping hands along her breasts and then cupping her backside, he thrust up into her. He bit his lip and prayed this experience would go on forever. He wanted to draw it out and savor every single second of this coupling. The bed creaked beneath them as Bianca's pace hastened, and she chased her climax.
Wanting to help her find release, he licked his thumb and placed it against her clit. She gasped and pressed against his thumb, urging him to stimulate her. "Make me come, Sergei."
Wanting to give her so much more than that, he swirled his thumb over the little pearl there and delighted in the rhythmic clenching of her pussy around his cock. At the first fluttering spasm, he grinned triumphantly and listened to her coming apart atop him. "Sergei! Sergei!"
There wasn't a sweeter sound in the world than Bianca coming on his cock. When she fell forward against him, he flipped their positions, shoved her thighs even wider apart and thrust deep and hard into her cunt. She cried out and clawed at his biceps. "Oh! Oh! Oh!"
She came again, her pussy squeezing him and driving him fucking wild. Lowering his body, he planted his hands on either side of her head and plundered her mouth. He took her with long, unhurried thrusts, plunging into her again and again, and holding his orgasm at bay as long as possible. He felt that familiar buzz in his lower stomach and knew it was time.
Burying his face in her neck, he slammed as deep as possible, pressing the head of his cock right up against the entrance of her womb, and allowed the waves of ecstasy to crash over him and drag him down in their pleasurable depths. Shuddering and petting each other, they clung together in the stillness of the night and traded gentle, tender kisses.
Sergei finally found the strength to roll off her. He curled up to her back and wrapped his arms around her. She wiggled her bottom until she found a comfortable position and sighed contentedly. He kissed her cheek and wondered if she was thinking the same thoughts he was.
They had just played with fire—and there were only two possible results, one that would change things between them forever.
Chapter Sixteen
"Are you staying late tonight?"
I glanced up from my sketch pad to smile at Gladys. "Yes. I'm a little behind on this design, and I need to sort through some fabrics. I've also got to get into the stockroom and start culling floor samples for the clearance sale."
"You want me to stay?" Though Gladys headed up the business side of the shop, she had started out as a consultant when Mama first opened the doors. She was always willing to pitch in and help wherever she was needed.
"No. Go home. I've got it."
"Okay, honey. If you're sure."
"I'm sure. Would you mind locking the employee entrance behind you?"
"Not at all," she said with a smile. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Good night."
Alone in the store, I got comfortable at my desk and sketched out some bodice details. Designing would always be my first love, but running the shop while Mama recovered had grown on me. She had been hinting at the idea of selling me the business so she could retire completely. I had been wholly against it, but lately I found myself wondering if it wasn't time.
Done with my sketches, I decided to get a head start on sorting through the floor samples in the back. I had been putting off the task for a few weeks, but we would be getting new shipments for the recently debuted spring collections. I would need the space on the racks. Besides, our bi-annual clearance sales were huge draws and brought in lots of business.
I had only picked four dresses off the racks when my cell phone started ringing. Sergei's handsome face filled my screen and I swiped my finger across his forehead to answer. "Hello?"
"Hey, baby." His rumbling voice made my knees weak.
"Hey, what are you up to?"
"I'm waiting for the boss to come out of a meeting. After I drop him off, I thought I would pick up something for dinner and meet you at the shop. If you're still staying late?"
"I'm in the back right now, picking out floor samples."
"Okay. So I'll pick something up and then maybe I can help you."
"You? Help me sort wedding dresses?"
"Sure. Why not?"
"Um…well. Okay."
He laughed. Then, more seriously, he said, "Bianca, about last night…"
We hadn't yet discussed the way we had made love without protection. I sensed he was guilt-ridden over it now that the lust-filled moment had passed.
"I don’t regret it, Sergei."
"No?" He sounded surprised.
"No." Running my fingers along the protective plastic covering the dresses, I asked, "Do you?"
"No. I feel guilty about pressuring you, but I'm glad that I shared that experience only with you."
"You shouldn't feel guilty. I—"
The crunch and squeal of metal interrupted me.
"Bianca, what was that?"
"I don't know." I had lowered my voice to a whisper on instinct. "It sounds like it's coming from the loading docks in the next room."
"Hide." He gave the order immediately. "Be very quiet. Don't say a word. Not even to me. Just hide. We're not far away."
Glad that I had left my high heels in my office, I padded softly to the farthest corner of the backroom and squeezed my body behind three overlapping racks of dresses. I had never been more thankful for our abundant stock than in that moment.
"If you're hiding, press a button."
I tapped a key on my screen.
Sergei exhaled with relief. "Nikolai is with me. He's calling Kostya. He's closer than us. Just stay hidden."
Clutching my phone to my chest, I curled my body into the tiniest ball possible and waited. My ears perked to every strange noise. A loud, screeching yawn ricocheted through the building. I pinpointed it to the loading dock for sure and held my breath. It was hard to hear over the blood pounding in my head, but I picked out three distinct sets of running footsteps.
Oh, God.
Trying not to freak out, I convinced myself I was safe here in my hiding place. Sergei would get here quickly. He would save me.
Because the shop was so big, and I had left lights on in most of the back offices, it seemed like the men who had broken in were concentrating their search there. Were they looking for money? For merchandise to sell? Or was it something far more sinister? Were they looking for me?
Dread gripped my stomach. A sixth sense told me the boogeymen of my nightmares had finally caught up with me. Those white power freaks were here. They'd come to get their revenge—and I was all alone.
Footsteps echoed in the cavernous back room. The space was huge, running three-quarters of the length of the building, so they had a big area to search before they found me. I squeezed my fingers into tight fists and bit my lower lip so hard I could taste blood.
"That bitch is in here. Toss this place. Find her."
The male growl made my blood run cold. I closed my eyes and prayed. Please. Please hurry, Sergei.
There were three men in the room now, all of them flicking through the racks and dumping boxes. It was only a matter of time now. I had nowhere to run. I was cornered and screwed beyond belief.
"Gotcha!"
The dresses and racks shielding me were thrown aside. Heart racing and mouth dry, I leaped to my feet and held up my hands. My phone fell to the floor and bounced. "No. Please! Please! Don't!"
The skinhead who had discovered me stepped aside and let another man, one who bore a scary resemblance to Adam Blake, grab me. I screamed bloody murder, but it was no use. The brother of the man who had killed Perry had me in his hands, and he wasn't about to let me go.
With his fingers snarled in my hair, he dragged me kicking and screaming into the room next door. One of his cronies produced zip-ties, those plastic cuffs riot cops carried, and used them to bind my ankles together. They forced my wrists high overhead and bound those together. A dress rack was brought over, and my trapped wrists were strapped to the long horizontal bar. The painful position made my shoulders burn so badly.
Sobbing hysterically, I wanted to beg for my life, but I knew it was pointless. I was outnumbered and couldn't bargain with these men. They absolutely hated me. I could see the disgust burning in their eyes as they stared at me.
"Do you know who I am?" The one who looked like Adam Blake stared expectantly at me.
I nodded and sobbed. "You're Adam Blake's brother."
"Darren Blake." He tugged a knife from a sheath in his boot and trailed the super sharp tip down the front of my blouse. The fabric split open to reveal the lacy cups of the delicate pink bra Sergei had given me.
"Why are you doing this?"
Darren laughed in my face. "Why are you doing this?" He mocked me in a sing-song voice that made my skin crawl. "Because I fucking can! Stupid bitch."
I flinched at his cruel words.
"I know your boyfriend and his boss have James. I sent him out to follow that skinny, blue-eyed gash, but he never came back."
I suspected his vulgar description was meant for Vivian. "I don't know anything about Sergei's business. He doesn't tell me those things."
"I don't care if you know or not. That's not why I'm here." The edge of the blade pressed against my neck, and I held my breath. "You're the reason my brother is turning his back on his family."
"Wh-what?"
"Adam told me that your face haunts him." His lip curled in a menacing sneer. "I can see why. I've seen some ugly fucking n—"
He didn't get the rest of that filthy, nasty, horrible word out of his mouth. The sharp puff of bullets fired from a silenced pistol interrupted him. The man standing behind Darren crumpled forward as two bullets ripped through his head. The other skinhead reacted instantly and raced toward the back room, escaping death for now.
Kostya stepped through the doorway and lowered his gun. He fired twice more, hitting Darren's kneecaps and dropping the man to the floor. Writhing and screaming with pain, Darren clutched at his bleeding legs while Kostya kicked aside the knife the evil man had been carrying. The frighteningly quiet Russian glanced briefly my way as if to ascertain that I was in no need of immediate help and then strode calmly into the back room.
"No! No! No!"
Another two bullets were fired, and the pleading from the third man stopped.
A few seconds later, it was Sergei's panicked voice that echoed in the shop. "Bianca!"
He burst into the room with Nikolai right behind him. They quickly scanned the space, taking in the dead man in front of me and Darren's tortured cries. Sergei raced toward me while Nikolai went to stand over the skinhead leader.
Whipping out a knife from the back pocket of his jeans, Sergei sliced through the awful plastic ties squeezing my wrists and ankles. He gathered me in his strong arms and cradled me close. I hugged him so hard and sobbed against his neck. The soothing scent of him broke through my fear and convinced me I was safe.
"You need to get her out of here. Now," Nikolai ordered.
I made the mistake of glancing over Sergei's shoulder. Kostya had wrapped the third man in one of the plastic dress bags and carried him on his shoulder like a rolled up carpet. I assumed the other dead man would soon get the same treatment. I didn't even want to think about what they were going to do with Darren.
"Do you have a security alarm?" Kostya lowered his burden to the floor and waited for me to answer.
"Ye-yes."
"I will need the code."
"It's in the top drawer of my desk. On a pink sticky note,"
I added, still so very dazed by my horrific experience. Staring at the carnage, I asked, "What are you going to do?"
"After I clean up this mess," Kostya gestured around him, "I'll stage a break-in. We'll steal some dresses and some equipment. You don't need to worry."
Swallowing hard, I burrowed into Sergei's protective embrace. "What time am I leaving?"
Kostya frowned at first but then nodded with understanding. He glanced at his watch. "Fifteen 'til eleven, okay? Leave your car and the keys. I'll drive it back to your house so our neighbors see it come home at the right time. That way you both have alibis, yes?"
Kostya produced my phone from his pocket and handed it to Sergei who was staring at Darren. I had never in my life seen such fury on any man's face. I knew that if I let go of Sergei, he was going to kill Darren. It would be bloody and brutal—and it would change the man I loved forever.
"Take me home, Sergei. Please."
My softly pleading voice seemed to break through that haze of bloodlust. He swept me up into his arms and carried me out of the shop. I didn't know how I was supposed to come back here in the morning and pretend nothing had happened. Could I seriously play along with the break-in story?
You don’t have a choice.
I accepted that there was no decision here. Those men were going to kill me. They might have even raped or tortured me before they slit my throat or stabbed me.
Still…guilt held me in its cold clutch. What if I had called 9-1-1? Would they have gotten there in time to save me? Would they have ended the attack on me in a different way?
Tormented by those thoughts, I didn't even realize we had reached my house and were parked in front of the carriage house until Sergei touched my hand. "Bianca?"
I rubbed my face and felt the bile rising in my throat. "I need to take a shower."
"It will help." He sounded as if he spoke from experience. "Let's go inside. I'll fix you some tea, and then you can sleep."
I doubted I would ever get a full night's sleep again.
* * *
Sergei couldn’t sleep.
His mind insisted on playing the scene he had discovered at Bianca's shop on an endless loop. His queasy belly churned relentlessly. The tea he had been drinking all night threatened to erupt at any moment.