Alexei

  Growling with fury, he unleashed hell on that bastard. A blow to the shoulder sent the man stumbling to the side. Alexei followed him as he staggered away from Shay and then cracked him across the chest with the bat. The man had tried to block the blow but succeeded only in breaking his hand. It took another two hits, one to his knees and one to the middle of his back to drop him for good.

  Panting for air and high on adrenaline, Alexei whirled around to search for the fourth man. He was taken aback to see Boychenko striding toward him with the other man at gunpoint. Hands in the air, the man marched forward as if heading toward the gallows. For a moment, Alexei considered taking the bat to him but then he decided Shay had seen enough violence tonight.

  Turning back toward Shay, his heart beat erratically as he watched her shoulders shake with silenced sobs. He crossed the distance between them and crouched down in front of her. Headlight beams illuminated her beautiful face. She gazed up at him with wet lashes and leaned into his touch when he cupped her cheek. That simple movement of seeking his warmth and reassurance threatened to break him.

  Very carefully, he pulled the gag from her mouth and tossed it aside. He didn’t bother trying to undo the knots in the rope. He pulled a small but razor sharp knife from his pocket and used it to cut her free. When the knife was safely back in his pocket, he shrugged out of his suit jacket and draped it around her bare shoulders.

  “Are you hurt? Do you need me to take you to the hospital?” He looked her over as quickly as possible but it was difficult to tell in the dark. She shook her head, and he decided to wait until he got her some place safe to check her more closely. He quickly gathered her small body in his arms, cradling her close to his chest, and carried her to the front seat of his idling SUV. He fastened her seatbelt and turned up the heater before closing the door and returning to Boychenko.

  “You need to get out of here, Alexei. Now,” the kid added forcefully. “You don’t want to be here if the police show up.”

  Nodding, Alexei gathered up Shay’s things. Her jacket was ruined with the blood splatter from the beatings he had given those men. He grabbed the bat, rope and handkerchief because he didn’t want to leave behind his fingerprints or her DNA. As he picked up the personal items that had tumbled out of her purse, he spotted a folded up note. He didn’t mean to read it but his eyes flicked over it before he could stop himself.

  The threatening words scribbled on the paper sent a new flash of rage burning through his body. Note in hand, he strode back to Boychenko and placed the dented, bloodied end of the bat right against the skinny man’s jaw. The man shook with fear as Alexei pressed the weight of the wooden implement into his skin. He made sure that nervous gaze was on him as he laid it all on the line.

  “You go back to Mueller, and you tell him that my girl is off-limits.” He balled up the note and roughly shoved it into the man’s mouth, scraping his knuckles on crooked teeth but barely registering the pain. “You tell him he knows where to find me if he wants to settle this.”

  And then, just because he was so angry, Alexei sucker punched the man right in the stomach. He kept his fist buried in the man’s soft belly and brought his mouth close to the man’s ear. “I’m going to gut the next one of you skinhead fucks that gets within five hundred feet of Shay. Do you understand?”

  The man coughed and nodded enthusiastically. “Ye-yes,” he stuttered out a raspy reply around the paper jammed in his mouth.

  “Good.” Drawing back his hand, Alexei glanced at Boychenko. The young enforcer jerked his head, silently telling Alexei to beat it and fast. He didn’t waste time apologizing to the kid for dragging him into this mess. There would be time for that later.

  He opened the passenger door behind the driver’s seat and placed Shay’s purse and jacket there along with the bat and the other items he had collected. He slipped into his seat, fastened his seatbelt and quickly backed out of the narrow rectangle between the two buildings. Glancing left and right, he chose a path out of the interconnected parking lots and headed for Bellaire.

  The sight of flashing lights up ahead and the blare of police and fire sirens rattled him. He exhaled a breath of relief when he realized they were responding to a collision up ahead. As he navigated the slow crawl of traffic, he could feel Shay staring at him. Thinking of what he had just done back there and of the violent way she had seen him react, he feared what he would see if he finally found the courage to look at her.

  When he slowed to a stop behind a line of vehicles waiting for the minor accident to be cleared from the intersection, he glanced at Shay. Her bruised and bloodied face saddened him more than anything in the world ever had. He leaned over to retrieve the extra monogrammed handkerchief he kept tucked away in the glove box and wet it with the bottle of water sitting in the center console.

  Very gently, he dabbed away the blood drying under her nose and trickling along the curve of her chin. When she was clean, he dropped the folded up handkerchief in a cup holder. Her long dark hair was such a mess. He carefully uncurled the lime green elastic that held her tresses in a ponytail and combed his fingers through the messy strands. He had no fucking idea what he was doing but he couldn’t stop gliding his fingers through the silky waves. The scent of her shampoo filled the air and inspired thoughts that were better suited to another time and place.

  Gathering up her hair, he managed to tame it into a simple, low ponytail. “It’s not very pretty,” he apologized, “but it will do.”

  Her sweet mouth slanted with a timid smile. In a voice that was raw and thick from crying and fear, she whispered, “Thank you.”

  Marveling at her reaction, he held tight to the ends of her hair. “How is it that you can still smile after all that?”

  She slowly reached for his hand. The tips of her fingers peeked out from the too long sleeves of his suit jacket as she shyly and uncertainly grasped his wrist. He swallowed hard as she tugged his arm down and slid her hand on top of his. “You came for me, Alexei.”

  That quietly spoken statement struck him with the full weight of the responsibility it carried. For most of her life, Shay had been on her own. Her father had been killed in a car wreck. Her mother had run off and left her in Shannon’s care. Though her older sister had done her best, Shay seemed to have been the more responsible one in that household. So how many times had she needed help and been on her own? How many times had promises been broken?

  Burrowed deep in his jacket, with her knees pulled up to her chest, she reminded him of a little wounded bird desperate to take flight and escape. Not to escape him but to escape the hard life of poverty and heartbreak she had known since birth. In so many ways, she reminded him of a younger version of himself. Her drive and ambition matched his, but she was infinitely more talented and kind-hearted and good than he ever would be.

  Suddenly, he understood what needed to be done. There was no use in fighting the inevitable. He was going to give her the chance that no one ever gave him. He was going to give her the break that she so desperately deserved.

  Still holding her hand, he shifted out of park as the traffic began to move. He had a destination in mind. It was the one place he had always told himself he would never take her, but it was also the one place where she would be safe, safe from Lalo and Mueller.

  And me…

  He was honest enough to admit to himself that that he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off of her if he took her into his home. She was temptation on two legs, and he refused to put her in a situation where she felt pressured to say yes. A little distance between them was the perfect solution.

  “Ptichka.” Little bird.

  “Yes?”

  Interlacing their fingers, he lifted her hand and placed a tender kiss on her soft, warm skin. “Do you trust me?”

  “Yes.”

  One word.

  No hesitation.

  No question.

  It was all the permission he needed to keep her.

  Chapter Five

  Da
zed and still in shock, I clung tightly to Alexei’s hand as he drove through the city. I tried to get my bearings but my brain was so fuzzy I finally gave up. Wherever we were going, I would be safe. Not even the faintest glimmer of doubt existed in my mind now.

  The bat rolled around on the floorboard behind the driver’s seat. When I closed my eyes, I could see Alexei storming right up to the leader of that crew and slamming his forehead into that jerk’s nose. I could hear the crunch of bone and the shocked curses from the men who knew they were next. The thud of wood slamming into bellies and knees echoed in my ears.

  I was no stranger to violence. A childhood of loser boyfriends trailing my mother into our home had taught me more about cruelty and meanness than any one person needed to know. Even with all that ugly history behind me, I still couldn’t quite believe what I had just witnessed. One single man taking out four others without a gun or a knife? With just his bare hands and a bat? It was breathtaking and terrifying.

  I glanced at my hand clutched in his. Those hands that had just committed such brutal violence had also tended to me with such tenderness. Alexei swiped his thumb side to side along my skin, the small gesture soothing my raw nerves. The two sides of this complicated man intrigued and unsettled me. Until tonight, it had been easy to categorize our friendship. There were lines and boundaries, and everything fit neatly in a friendship box.

  But now? After watching him unleash hell on those men? After witnessing what he was capable of doing to protect me? After the way he had just cleaned my face and fixed my hair and now held my hand? That box had just been obliterated.

  What does he want with me? A different question, one that made my stomach pitch with anxiety clamored right on the tail end of that one. What does he want from me?

  Because that was the real question, wasn’t it? Nothing in this life was free. A man like Alexei, a man who had survived prison and escaped the mafia to become a successful, wealthy businessman wasn’t going to stick his neck out for me without expecting something in return. Would I be able to meet his price?

  He’s not Lalo. He won’t make you trade your body for his protection. He’s not a monster. He’s a good man.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yes.” My voice was still dry and rough after all that crying and running. “I’m fine.”

  “You’re not dizzy? Are you hurting anywhere? Bleeding?” He gave my hand a light squeeze. “I can take you to an emergency room if you need one, Shay.” His grip tightened. “If they hurt you…”

  “You got there in time,” I said quietly. “They were just getting started when you showed up.”

  He muttered something in Russian, something angry and harsh. His grip changed and he threaded our fingers together again. “And before those skinheads found you? When you called, you said Lalo was bleeding.” He paused, and I could see the profile of his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he kept his gaze fixed on the windshield. “Your shirt is missing. You were crying. Did he—?”

  “He tried,” I cut him off before he got more worked up about it. “But he didn’t get very far.”

  Alexei’s teeth grinded together so hard I expected his jaw to snap. “Did he hit you?”

  I touched my still aching cheek. “Yes.”

  Alexei snarled angrily in Russian before switching to English. “I’ll fucking kill him for touching you.”

  That wasn’t hyperbole. He wasn’t saying outlandish things to impress me. He meant it.

  Remembering the bloody scene I had left behind, I whispered, “You may not get the chance.”

  “Why?” The lines in his forehead were prominent when he glanced at me. “What did you do?”

  “I didn’t have a choice.” I started to bite my lower lip with worry but hissed when I experienced the sharp sting of pain.

  Alexei must have realized what I had done because in the next instant he gently chided, “Be careful. You have a busted lip. We’ll get some ice on it soon.” He stared at me as we waited for a red light to turn green. “How badly was Lalo hurt?”

  “I slammed a crystal paperweight into his head,” I admitted somberly. “Twice.”

  He didn’t even blink at the revelation that I had done something so violent. “Was he breathing when you left him?”

  “Yes, but there was so much blood.”

  “Head wounds gush. If he was breathing, he’ll probably survive.”

  Fearful of the answer, I asked, “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

  He eased on the gas and flicked on his blinker. “It’s good for you and bad for me.”

  That didn’t make sense to me. “Why would you say that?”

  “It’s good for you because you won’t have Lalo’s crew or their friends in the Hermanos street gang hunting you down to win a bounty.”

  “Why is it bad for you?”

  “You don’t need to worry about that.” He guided his SUV through the intersection. “You’re safe now. That’s all that matters.”

  Alexei’s voice had that edge of finality to it so I didn’t protest. And honestly? I was so tired. I sagged in the seat and leaned my head back against it. As if sensing my exhaustion, Alexei said, “We’re almost there. We’ll get you cleaned up and find something for you to eat. It will help you feel better.”

  A thousand questions raced through my mind. Where are you taking me? When can I go home? What about my sister? Where am I going to find clothes? What’s going to happen tomorrow?

  I didn’t ask any of them. I had a sinking feeling I wouldn’t like any of the answers.

  When Alexei slowed down and flicked his blinker to enter a private parking garage, I perked up a bit. A sticker with an RFID tag allowed Alexei to pass through the guarded entrance to the garage attached to the soaring building that housed million dollar hi-rise condos and penthouses.

  “What is it?” he asked as he began the looping climb to his assigned spot in the garage.

  “I just never figured you for the type that would live in a condo.”

  He cast an approving smile my way. “You’re right. I don’t.”

  His reply confused me. “But if you don’t live here—”

  “This is the apartment I keep for…” His voice trailed off as he swung his SUV wide and backed into his slot.

  “For?” I prompted nervously.

  Alexei shut down the engine and turned in his seat. With his hand still clamped between both of mine, he explained, “This is the home I keep for my mistress.”

  Tense seconds of silence stretched between us. “Your mistress?” A horrifying thought struck me, and I tried to jerk my hands away. Faster and stronger, he placed his other hand on mine and held me in place. “Alexei! Are you married?”

  “What?” He laughed as if that was the most outlandish thing imaginable. “No. Never.”

  “Then why—”

  “Girlfriend is a teenager’s word but mistress? That suits me just fine.”

  “Because?”

  “Because it’s an arrangement,” he said matter-of-factly. “There are clear rules from the first day. It doesn’t get messy or uncomfortable. It’s as simple as outlining a business transaction.”

  The cold, distant way he described his romantic relationships saddened me. I tried to mesh together everything I knew about him with this new discovery. It didn’t jell. “You’re happy with that, Alexei?”

  There was a brief moment of hesitation before he nodded. “Yes, I’m perfectly happy with it.”

  I didn’t believe him. He might be able to fool other people but that subtle shift of his eyes spoke volumes.

  It’s none of your business, Shay. Don’t push.

  Was his mistress upstairs in bed right now? Had he left her to come find me? Was she going to be super pissed off when I walked into her home?

  Worried that I might be walking into a minefield of awkwardness, I said, “I don’t think this is such a good idea. I don’t want to cause any problems for you with your mistress.”

  “It
’s no problem.” He untangled our hands and reached down to unbuckle my seatbelt. “The apartment is empty.” He pushed the seatbelt away from my shoulder and hip and tugged his jacket closed around my naked torso. He tipped my chin with two fingers and met my questioning gaze with a steady one of his own. “It has been since February.”

  “Oh.” What was he trying to tell me? Not wanting to read more into that statement than he intended, I let it go.

  “Let’s get you inside.” Alexei left the SUV. He grabbed his gym bag from the backseat before coming to my door. Before I could move, he had slipped one arm around my shoulders. In the next instant, he scooped me right up and out of the SUV.

  I gripped two handfuls of his shirt. “What are you doing? I can walk!”

  “I’m sure you can.” He pushed the door closed with his foot. “But I’m not taking any chances.”

  I started to tell him that he was going to hurt his back carrying me and his gym bag but he moved effortlessly. When we reached the elevator, I could feel his hard, well-honed muscles rippling beneath my thighs and across my back as he shifted me in his arms. His hand dipped under the borrowed jacket I was wearing and into the pocket hidden away there. I tried not to think about the brush of his warm skin against mine as he retrieved his wallet and presented it to me.

  “Can you open this and find the keycard?”

  “Sure.” I took the wallet from him and pried it open. There weren’t enough slots for all of the items he kept in there so it bulged in places. “You need a new wallet.”

  “I just bought that two months ago.” He gestured with his chin toward the cards jammed in the slots. “It’s the white one with the gold lettering. Yes. That one. Swipe it, please.”