Expose' (Born Bratva Book 3) (23 page)

Logan

I can’t believe how small this gadget is. It’s a camera and a listening device hidden in a pair of reading glasses. Not only will I be getting Becky on audio admitting she tried to kill me and nearly took out the Pakhan’s son instead, but I’ll be getting her on film as well. The Glazovs are trained to read body language. They’ll be able to read between the lines even if she does lie.

I listen as she fills me in while we ride in the back of the car as Lukyan drives us to the gambling house. “You want to be sure to piss her off, because she’ll run her mouth if her emotions are involved. Use the fact that Kodiak loves you and not her. Taunt her with it, rub it in her face. Make sure she knows exactly what she’ll never have. That will fuck her up and when she cracks, we’ll have the whole thing on tape.”

I’m shocked when Lukyan speaks. The guy hardly ever makes a sound. “You girls don’t go anywhere alone. I need to be wherever you are, other than when she’s getting that Intel. Kodiak will have my ass if anything happens to either one of you. That doesn’t even include what Glazov will do to me.” He chuckles, eyeing us in the mirror. “I’m at your mercy, ladies.”

Roksana pats the gentle giant—gentle toward us, anyway. “You have my word, we won’t do anything crazy tonight. In fact, as soon as we get the information we want, we’ll be heading home, safe and sound.”

“Thank God. I don’t want my head severed and served on a platter to your father.”

“Ha, ha, you know Daddy well, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.” There is no amusement on his grim face. He respects and fears Glazov, and to be honest so do I.

As we’re parking the car she’s filling me in on how to go about getting the information we need. “Okay, let’s go in and get a drink. Take your time, chill. If you confront her too quickly she’s going to suspect something. Wait till she goes to the bathroom and follow her in, then confront her.”

Lukyan takes a moment to get out, looking up and down the street before opening the car door for us. I’m sure he’s suffering with some guilt over the other night. There really isn’t anything he could have done differently.

Roksana and I step up to the front door and I can’t help but think about how close I came to losing Kodiak on this very sidewalk a little over a week ago. The thought causes a chill to course through me and though it isn‘t cold I rub my arms to try and ward it off.

She punches in the code for us to enter. As we step inside, I tug on the glasses I have hooked on my button-up shirt. I feel like James Bond. I follow Roksana to the bar and order a Bloody Mary. I can already feel Becky’s eyes on me and I resist the temptation to turn and look for her. We grab our drinks and amble over to a corner table that’s hidden in the shadows and I begin my favorite pastime: people watching. My eyes land on a man I haven’t seen here before, and my suspicions are raised when Becky leans over him with her cleavage hanging out. I can see his hands moving in his lap but I can’t see what he’s doing.

“Roksana, something’s up with that guy.” No sooner do I speak than I see Becky headed to the ladies room. I grab my drink and suck half of it down, not because I need courage -- I’m hoping it will take the edge off the anger I’m feeling.
It’s for her own good, really.

“Don’t let on like you know, just bait her.”

“Oh, I’m going to bait her alright. If that bitch is the reason Kodiak got shot—she’s going to pay.”

Roksana grabs my hand and eyes me solemnly. “Even though the shooting affected you personally, this is a Glazov family matter. Now, if you want to be part of the family’s solution, that’s fine. I can arrange that. But don’t try to handle this on your own. If you fuck up and she gets away, the Pakhan will be disappointed. Trust me, you don’t want that.”

This is the side of Roksana that Kodiak warned me about. For the first time, it isn’t just Kodiak or Glazov I’m scared of. I look her directly in the eye so she’s assured I’m sincere about what I’m getting ready to say. “I won’t fuck this up, I promise. I’ll get her to lash out and when she does, she’ll assume it’s her word against mine and that Glazov will believe
her
. You know, Bratva tenure and all that shit.”

“Good…let’s do this. Oh, and one more thing…if the bitch hits you, knock her ass out.”

“You can bet on that. Hey, do me a favor and check out the guy she was talking to over there. I’ve never seen him here before and if my eyes aren’t deceiving me, he has a cell phone in his lap. If he does, have one of the bodyguards check for a poker analyzer app—look for something like Poker Cruncher.”

“Will do,” Roksana says as she turns to speak to a guard.

I rush toward the bathroom. I’ve spent too much time talking and I want to catch Becky alone. I push through the door and find her standing at the vanity washing her hands. She sees me and smirks.
Oh, game on, bitch.

“Now who’s following who?” she snaps.

“Yeah, I am following you. Listen, I’ve had it with you and I’m not going to mince words here.”

“What the fuck are you talking about, little girl?” Becky asks with a laugh.

“Kodiak is mine and you need to back off. He was already off the market, but in the last week, with me nursing him back to health after he almost got killed – well, we’re closer than ever. That shooting really brought us together, sealed the deal, you know? So stop wasting your time.”

Becky’s eyes widen and she purses her overly plump lips.
Now I’m just reeling her in…

“Sweetie,” she huffs sarcastically, “that man doesn’t need a nursemaid. A good, hard fuck? Now, that’s more like it, that’s what will get him back on his feet. And I’m more than happy to give it to him.”

“That’s never going to happen.”

“Oh, sure it will. Know why? Because you won’t be around for much longer,” she smirks as she looks me up and down with cool disdain. “The minute you go to ground, I’ll be all over that shit. And he’ll be all over me. You can count on it.”

“What are you talking about?” I ask with a confused frown. “What do you mean, ‘when I go to ground’? What does that even mean?”
I have a pretty good idea, but I need her to explain it to little ol’ me.

“See?” Becky snarls. “You aren’t Bratva wife material. You don’t even know how to talk the talk around here. Going to ground, little girl, means me burying your ass six feet under.”

“Yeah, right. What are you going to do, Becky, put a hit on me?” At that, I belly laugh and wrap my arms around my middle as if I just can’t handle it. Her face turns beet red and she’s positively fuming.
Oh, yeah, hook, line, and sinker.
Here, fishy fishy fishy…
  

The bitch has the gall to walk up to me and smirk. The only thing keeping me from doing something to her is Roksana’s pep talk and the fact that I want this bitch on tape.

“I guess that means if I did hire someone to kill you and they missed, then that makes it your fault he got shot.”

Okay, that’s some fucked up thinking right there. Whoa.
“So you
are
behind the shooting. Kodiak could have died, you bitch. That’s a mighty big risk you took. As it is, the Pakhan is none too happy that someone harmed his son.”

Her breath hitches and I know I’ve got her. But she continues to try to cover her ass. “You think so? Good luck with that. You’re just Kodiak’s little fuck toy. But not for long. And believe me, sweetie, if I was going to confide in anyone, it sure as hell wouldn’t be you.”

When she walks away, going for her dramatic Mean Girl exit, I just can’t resist tripping the bitch. I have to admit I enjoyed watching her face plant on the floor. I bend down and lift her head by yanking on a fistful of her hair extensions. I make a show of looking at her rapidly swelling eye with abject horror. “Poor thing, you know, you really should have that looked at. It’s gonna leave a nasty bruise.”

Kodiak

“Shhh, now, b’ quiet, yer gonna wake him up and get me in sooooo much troub-b-bibble…” Roksana’s only reply is more laughter. I’ve never seen my sister get along with any other woman this well other than her sidekick, Natasha.

I groan, lifting my head up and eyeing my sister and Logan. “You two are drunk.”

They both bust out laughing, hanging onto each other, which doesn’t work well when they both end up on the floor, and which only confirms what I already know—they’re drunk—like, really drunk. I wince when I adjust my body in an attempt to sit up. Logan sobers up pretty fast and rushes over to place a pillow behind my back. Even when she’s in party mode, which is very seldom, she’s still looking out for me.

She grabs the medicine bottle on the nightstand and gets three of the pain pills that are the only thing giving me any relief lately. She pops the pills in my mouth as she hands me a glass of water—even my water is served in crystal. My father is all about perfection and even the smallest of details aren’t overlooked. I waste no time swallowing the pills down in an attempt to relieve the pain in my shoulder. This is the first time I’ve ever been shot and this shit hurts.

Logan places a cigarette in my mouth and lights the tip with the vintage lighter I carry. It’s a gift from my father that I’ll always treasure. It carries a Russian inscription on the front
Како́в поп, тако́в и прихо́д
“Like father, like son.” It reminds me on a daily basis that I am his and he is mine.

“What does that say?” Logan asks as she admires the lighter and holds it up to the light.

“It says ‘Like father, like son.’”

“Your father loves you so much, doesn’t he?”

“He says we’re forged in fire.”

“Do you remember the day he rescued you?”

“Vaguely.” I look up at Roksana, who’s intently awaiting my reply. I don’t talk about that day—ever. My sister is well aware of the fact that me opening up to Logan is a big deal. I direct my attention back to Logan who’s waiting for my answer. “I remember holding on to his gun holster as he pushed through flames to save me. I remember him not letting me out of his sight for the first year after he brought me home. I remember my brother and sister watching over me closely. I don’t remember much about my first father who died in the fire but I remember my new family accepting me, and I remember Glazov—my father.”

“I’m glad you have them.”

“Now you have them, too, baby. And I have you.”

Roksana interrupts us and I’m shocked at what she has to say. “Your girlfriend caught a cheater tonight.”

Logan looks up at her and speaks, “Yeah, I meant to ask you about that. What happened?”

“The bodyguards are dealing with him.” She diverts her attention toward me. “You won’t believe who was sitting with him.” She doesn’t give me time to answer. “None other than our own Becky Fucking Box. He may even be the guy she used for the shooting. One thing’s for sure, by the time the bodyguards finish interrogating him, he’ll give his mother up—Becky doesn’t stand a chance now.”

“Well done, both of you. Now, get out of here, Roksana, I want to fuck my woman.” I yank Logan down next to me and start to get busy trying to pull her shirt off as she laughs and wiggles away from me.

“Oh, gross, now I have to get that image out of my head. Now I really am going to puke, thanks for that.” Roksana wastes no time stumbling out and heading to her room, muttering the whole way about getting Natasha to give her some bleach for her eyes.

I look over at Logan as I hold the cigarette out in her direction, “Now, you. Put this cigarette out and sit on my cock.”

I’m shocked when she stands up and pulls my drawstring pants from my body. Maybe my brazen behavior is rubbing off on her. I eye her hungrily as she pulls her dress over her head and slides her panties off. I stroke my cock, eyeing her like she’s too good to be true. In my world, she is. I still can’t believe she walked into my life out of nowhere—a gift from the Bratva gods. I smile as I think about it; having the right woman in my line of work is of the utmost importance—maybe some supernatural force did send her my way. All I do know is I’m glad she’s here and I plan on keeping her right where she is. This shooting is working to my benefit because now my dad’s put her fine little ass on lock down, with me.

Her hair cascades onto my chest as she slowly lowers her drenched pussy onto my cock. She feels like a velvet vice grip, sheathing me with her heat and a lifetime of promises to come—the promise of a future together. Even a Bratva bad boy needs someone to grow old with—who better than my new best friend? I wiggle my hips deliberately, just to hear her moan. My fingers trail down to her clit where I roll one it around so I can watch her come.

I love being the only man who’s been inside her heart and her body like this. I can’t fucking wait to brand her, mark her as my property. She has no idea, either, and the prospect of making that happen that just puts my dick in overdrive. My fingers latch onto her hips in an effort to control her movement, but my body won’t allow me to lift her the way I want. I hate the fact that I’m limited because of the gunshot wound and I am determined to get even with whoever is responsible for shooting me. This injury’s even fucking with my ability to fuck my woman.

She reads me so well and begins to move up and down on my now throbbing cock, sending heat coiling up my spine. Her fingers bite into my arms as her pussy clamps down on my cock as her orgasm spins out of control. I can’t get enough of watching her body writhe in abandon and her face clench and frown as she tries to ride out the waves of pleasure that are rolling through her. My orgasm hits me hard, releasing all the stress and strain of this past week.

She collapses on top of me in a limp heap of lovemaking afterglow. I play with strands of her long, silky hair as I murmur, “I’ll be getting my stars soon.”

“Your stars?”

“Two stars, one on each side of my chest — one on the left over my heart and the other on the right. They signify that I’m a Bratva captain. You’ll get a tattoo as well, when I get mine. A Kodiak bear with my name.” It’s my way to tell her my plans and expect her to acquiesce, but I find myself asking, “Will you wear my mark?”

She leans up on an elbow and kisses me deeply before she answers. “Nothing would please me more than to be branded as your woman.”

She has no idea how happy she’s made me. Even though the last few days have been trying, life is good. It’s good because I’m alive and I have the woman I love by my side.