Give Me More (2 page)

Chapter Two

Three months later

When someone was happy time had a way of moving swiftly, like a blur of color flashing before her eyes. But when someone was unhappy it was amazing how slow time seemed to move, the reality of life and everything moving around them going at a snail’s space.

Three months had passed since she’d left Rick lying on the floor bleeding. She didn’t know if he was dead or alive, and, although she hoped for the former because it meant she and Alexa would be safe, another part of her didn’t want to be responsible for the death of a human, no matter how shitty that human was.

But Zoey was hopeful, optimistic that Rick wasn’t coming after her. It had been months, and with no word from him maybe she was in the clear? She’d never told him her sister’s last name, that Alexa had once been married so their last names were different. Zoey had never told him exactly where Alexa lived. And Zoey wasn’t using her full name, not with the help of Alexa and Yvgeny, the man Zoey’s sister worked for. But Yvgeny wasn’t like other men. She knew he was into some shady things, things that were dark and corrupt, even. But whatever Alexa’s boss was into, however illegal it might be, Zoey didn’t care. He was helping her, had given her a job, even a place to stay that wasn’t connected to her name. He was dangerous and powerful, but he and Alexa had helped her when she’d been at her lowest, and Zoey would be eternally grateful.

Zoey had watched the news for any indication of Rick being found dead … murdered. There hadn’t been anything, and although a small part of her was happy she hadn’t taken a life, another part, a huge part, wished she’d bashed his skull in until there was nothing left.

Because if he was still alive wouldn’t he have come for her by now?

She pushed all the negative thoughts away and focused on the here and now. It didn’t help her thinking about what Rick would or wouldn’t do, or if he’d find her. She just had to stay positive, keep living her life, and hope everything worked out for the best.

But Zoey wasn’t going to be a victim ever again. She’d been taking self-defense classes, felt more empowered, and she knew if it ever came down to her being attacked, by Rick or any other asshole, well, Zoey would be ready.

She grabbed her purse and headed out of the apartment she’d been staying at since she came to town after leaving Rick.

When Zoey had first come to town and Alexa told Yvgeny what was happening, the man had done extensive research on Rick. Whatever connections he had went deep and long, and the dirt he’d got on her ex had been shocking, to say the least.

Rick had a long history of violent, cruel behavior. Most of the things that he’d gotten in trouble for had been when he was younger, and branching into his twenties. She’d found out he’d lived in many states, each one having some kind of criminal activity that resulted in domestic violence and restraining orders. Once Yvgeny had started going down the list of the atrocities Rick had done, she hadn’t been able to listen anymore.

And to think she’d been with that man, slept beside him, and let him touch her intimately.

Now Zoey was in Blackwood, a town that was smaller than the big cities, but big enough she felt comfortable staying in it because it gave her space to hide.

The job Alexa had gotten was waitressing at Vitali, one of Yvgeny’s clubs. It wasn’t the type of work she’d ever seen herself doing, not when she’d worked so hard on her business degree. But she also was thankful that she had something, was on her own two feet, and the past was behind her. It was getting further away with every day that passed.

Even the car she used was from Yvgeny.

That man was helping her so much, and she didn’t know if she’d ever be able to repay him.

Ten minutes later and she was arriving at the club. It was going on six in the evening, and although the club wouldn’t open for another two hours, she was helping with set-up.

Zoey went around back and opened the staff door. She kept her head lowered and focused on putting one foot in front of the other as she walked toward the main floor. Right away she heard Alexa barking out orders about liquor coming in and needing to be stocked. She spotted her sister at the bar and crossed over to join her.

Alexa was multitasking by being on the phone, setting up glasses, and jotting things down on a pad of paper. With her being the floor manager she had a lot of responsibility, but Alexa was the type of woman that could handle anything.

“Hey,” Zoey said and sat on one of the barstools.

Holding up a finger to her, Alexa said a few more things into the phone, disconnected the call, and exhaled.

After a second she smiled. “Hey.” Alexa leaned on the bar top, still smiling. “You’re doing okay, Zoey?”

Ever since Zoey came to Blackwood Alexa had tiptoed around her. She knew it was because of the Rick situation, and she hated that Alexa saw her as broken.

“I’m fine,” she said, and set her bag on the bar. They didn’t speak for a few moments, but they also didn’t break eye contact. Finally Zoey exhaled. “I’m fine, seriously. Please, Alexa, stop thinking I’ll break if you’re too rough with me.”

Alexa’s smile turned into a sad one, and Zoey hated that.

“I know you won’t break. You’re strong, have been through some shit, and I’m proud you came out of it all.” Alexa reached out and placed her hand on Zoey’s. “I love you, and you aren’t alone in this. I’m here no matter what.”

“I know that, and love you more for it. But I just want to move forward. Just be yourself with me. I just need normal right now. I need it to be how it was with us, even the occasional bickering.”

Alexa started chuckling. “Fair enough.” She leaned back and grabbed the floor plan sheet for the night. “Since I’m your supervisor let’s get to it.”

Zoey smiled and nodded. “So, where am I tonight?”

“You’re going to work the VIP room, tables A through D.” Alexa glanced at Zoey. “Yvgeny has several business associates coming in for a meeting, and that section will be blocked off for them.”

“And you’re sure you want me to work it? I mean one of the other girls has more extensive knowledge working that clientele.”

Alexa shook her head. “You’ve got this, and beside, Yvgeny wants you in there.”

That surprised her. Even if he’d been helping her during this hard time, this was still his business. Wouldn’t he want someone that knew the club and clientele better than she did?

Setting the floor plan down, she gave Zoey this look.

“What?”

“You got this, Zoey. Yvgeny wouldn’t have you here, and wouldn’t be helping you the way he is, if he didn’t think you were worth it.”

“Maybe he’s doing it because he’s got a thing for you and wants in your good graces.” Zoey was teasing, to a point. She knew a man like Yvgeny wouldn’t do anything he didn’t want to, and he certainly wouldn’t help anyone just to get into someone’s pants. Zoey may not know him that well, but she knew him well enough to understand that with certainty.

“You know better than that,” Alexa said.

“Yeah, I know.”

Marius, one of the waiters on the weekend shift, came up and spoke with Alexa for a few moments. Zoey stared at the floor plan, feeling nervous. She’d never worked VIP before, and although this was just a club, and she was just waitressing, it was a lot of responsibility, especially for someone like her who had only been here for three months.

“I get off at midnight, and I know you’ll be here until closing. Call me when you get home, no matter the time, okay?”

Zoey nodded. Even if she and Alexa weren’t working the same shift, or one got off before the other, they still spoke daily. Zoey knew it also had to do with her sister being worried over the whole Rick situation. But Zoey couldn’t blame her sister for being concerned. Zoey was, as well, and if it were the other way around she’d be just as worried for her sister’s safety.

Both of their lives had changed so much over this whole ordeal, and Zoey hoped one day it could be back to the way it once was.

Chapter Three

The good thing about working at a nightclub was it kept Zoey busy. When she was alone, her mind wandered, her thoughts going down dark, destructive paths. She hated the fact one man could control her so much. Yet he wasn’t even here, hadn’t been in her life for months.

Focusing on working the tables, she carried a tray full of rinks to the first VIP table. It was a bachelorette party, and the women wore headbands with smiling penises dangling off of them, had pink feather boas wrapped around their necks, and had enough dick themed accessories that the table was all but covered with it.

Zoey set the girly drinks on the table, asked if there was anything else, and turned to head to the next table. Once at the bar she waited for her next order to be filled, her focus on the ticket in her hand. A large, warm hand landed on her bare shoulder, and she turned around to see Yvgeny standing there.

“You’re doing okay?” he asked in a deeply Russian accented voice.

She nodded. Yvgeny was a big man, with a lot of muscles, and a lot of power and danger emanating from him. She didn’t know exactly what he did on the side, but she could do the typical stereotyping of him being Russian and being part of the mob. Of course it might have been a ludicrous on any other occasion, and with any other man, but the truth was she suspected that was exactly what Yvgeny was into. 

“You’re sure?”

Maybe he saw how tense she was? And she was, but only because she didn’t want to screw tonight up. “I’m good.” She smiled.

He didn’t look like he really believed her, but he also didn’t press her about it. Giving a sharp nod, he gestured over to section D. It was the largest table in the VIP section.

“I will have a business meeting with some associates.”

She nodded again. “Alexa filled me in.”

And I hope I don’t screw this up.

“All we need is the drinks coming, the Dom on tap, and some of the dancers to entertain the men.”

Zoey nodded again. “I’ll make sure it all happens.”

Yvgeny didn’t move for long seconds, but finally nodded.

She watched as he headed out the private entrance door, and only five minutes later it was opening again and a large group of huge men, all dressed in expensive looking suits, came in. They filled section D, and the low hum of them speaking Russian to each other filed the VIP section.

“Order’s up,” Bran, the bartender on VIP duty tonight, said from behind the bar.

She turned and filled the tray with two bottles of Dom, and enough champagne glasses for all the men. She’d start them off with the good stuff, and bring the hard liquor after that.

Stopping at the table, she smiled and started placing flutes in front of the ten men that were sitting around the table. No one stopped speaking as she busied herself with getting their drinks set up. The feeling of being watched had Zoey looking up and to her left.

Their eyes locked, and for just a second her heart felt like it stopped before starting up hard and fast. She didn’t mean to stare for as long as she was, but it was hard not to. His hair, the color of onyx, appeared slightly disheveled around his head. He was in a dark three-piece suit, the material not hiding that the man was built like a tank. He had his jacket off, and the sleeves of his white button down rolled up his thick forearms. The vest he wore had a small golden chain hanging from one of the buttonholes and connecting with another.

And his eyes … lord, his eyes were this light blue shade, almost unnatural, and holding her gaze as if he could read every secret she held deep down inside.

Despite the rush of conversation coming from the table, all of which she couldn’t understand anyway, it was like it was just the two of them in this moment. She’d never felt this way, never had this reaction to someone by just looking at them. Even though he was sitting down she could see how big he was, easily nearing six and a half feet.

Drawing her thoughts back to the present, she focused on the fact she was at work.

“Zoey,” Yvgeny said, and she turned her head to look at him.

“This is Sergei, one of my business associates just flown in from Moscow.”

She felt her cheeks heat, although she didn’t know why she had this intense reaction.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Sergei said and grabbed hold of her hand before she could even react. She stared at him, watching as he brought her hand to his mouth. He kissed the back of her hand, but Zoey didn’t miss the way he rubbed the inside of her wrist with his thumb. He added a little pressure right on her pulse point, and she knew he could feel it jump.

He let go of her wrist, and she curled her hand into a fist at her side. Swallowing past this bizarre emotion moving through her, Zoey looked around the table again. “Is there anything else I can get you right now?” The men stopped talking and glanced at her. “I can put an order into the kitchen?”

“Just keep the liquor flowing,” Sergei said, and she glanced at him again. He had the corner of his mouth lifted up, and there was something darkly sexy about the act.

After all the shit with Rick, she hadn’t thought she could feel something like this, an intense arousal for a man she just met. But it was clear she wasn’t as bent as maybe she thought?

She smiled one last time and walked away, thanking whoever had been watching over that encounter that she hadn’t made a total ass out of herself.

****

“I want to know more about her.” Sergei said. He wasn’t the type of man to sit on something that he wanted.

And he wanted her.

He went after what he desired, conquering it, claiming it as his. There was something vulnerable and innocent about Zoey, and it called out to the bastard in him.

“I don’t think she’s what you’d be interested in,” Yvgeny replied, and brought the flute of Dom to his mouth.

Sergei lifted an eyebrow. “And you know what I’d be interested in?”

Yvgeny put the glass down and stared Sergei in the eyes. They’d grown up in Moscow together, been in the Bratva, and as the years went on their rank grew. Yvgeny worked out of America, and Sergei had decided to stay in Moscow to oversee things. They were at the top of the food chain, as were the men at this table, and because Sergei was used to certain luxuries in life, he was never denied.

They weren’t good men, and never claimed to be. But it didn’t matter, because they’d chosen to be like this, to live their life by a certain code. They were a brotherhood, the Bratva, and it would always be that way.

“She’s scarred,” Yvgeny said, and leaned back in the booth. “And I’ve taken her under my wing. She’s off limits.”

That piqued Sergei’s interest in her even more. “Off limits?” he asked and smirked. “When have you ever known me to not go after what I want?”

“Never,” Yvgeny said without emotion. “But she’s been abused, and is hiding from the motherfucker.”

The table had gotten quiet.

Their organization might do things not classified as legal, were pretty hardcore and secretive, but they didn’t partake in abuse toward women. In fact, they enjoyed going after those that did.

Sergei looked over at Zoey again, realizing her vulnerability and innocence might very well have to do with the hand she was dealt.

“And you’re dealing with the issue?” Sergei asked without looking at Yvgeny.

“Of course, but the fucker’s gone into hiding for the time being.”

Sergei watched Zoey. She was small, maybe a foot smaller than his six-foot-five frame. Her long dark hair curled at the ends, and the curves on her spoke of a womanly body. She was gorgeous, that wasn’t anything he could deny, and he would be lying if he didn’t admit his attraction to her had been instant. Hell, his dick was hard just thinking about her and all he could do to her in the bedroom. But now that he knew she’d been hurt, that the man that had done that to her was still out there, well, that just made Sergei want blood on his hands.

He may be a hardcore killer when the time came, but when it came to protecting a woman that was hurt … there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to make sure the ones responsible were brought to their knees.

“There’re plenty of other women you can have, Sergei,” Yvgeny said in Russian, and glanced over at Zoey.

She came back with two bottles of their oldest, finest scotch. Sergei noticed her hands shook when she set one of the bottles close to him, and he reached out and held it. He looked at the delicate length of her fingers, the tiny bones that were raised at her wrists.

“Sergei,” Yvgeny said in a hard voice, and he glanced at the other man. “I’m sure Zoey has a lot to do.”

So, it seemed Yvgeny was overly protective of the girl? He might have said as much without actually admitting it, but Sergei saw the look in Yvgeny’s eyes. Sergei let go of Zoey’s hand, the scent of lemon coming from her and having his cock jerk. He heard her exhale, but he had his focus on Yvgeny. Once they were alone again Sergei spoke.

“You think I mean to harm her?” Sergei might like it rough in bed, but he’d never hurt a woman … not unless they wanted it in the bedroom, that was.

“I think she’s fragile, and I know your appetites,” Yvgeny responded. “You don’t stick around after you’ve had them, Sergei. Leave the girl alone.”

He could have gotten angry over what Yvgeny said, but he didn’t, because it was true. He didn’t stick around after he fucked them.

“There’s something different about her,” he said low, his focus on Zoey again. Yvgeny knew him well, so he had to know now that Sergei had her on his mind, he wouldn’t stop until she was his.