Mafia Enforcer's Sassy Lover (The Karzhov Crime Family Series Book 4) (9 page)

Tori could only stare at the man. Of course she wanted Earl gone. She knew that she and David would never be safe with him around. And David was only nine. If Earl got David back—that was nine years or more that he’d have to treat David any way he wanted. She waved a hand at her bother. “What do you think?”

Turning, Kostya looked at David. “Are you okay? It is not a bad thing to tell another if you have broken a bone.”

David slowly nodded his head. He looked so pale, and Tori remembered a time when he’d been a chatterbox, a bright, happy kid with too much energy, always bouncing around. Always talking. Would he ever bet that again?

David looked at her. “He can’t hurt either one of us anymore, can he?”

She heard the raw fear in his voice. Tori forced a smile and shook her head, “No. He can’t.” She turned to Kostya, who had his cell phone in his hand as he watched Earl’s house. “Why are we still here?”

He glanced at her. “Did this man—this Earl—did he beat you?” She shook her head. Kostya raised his eyebrows. “Ah, he did worse, then. There is an art to breaking someone. Pain is something the body can endure. But uncertainty, the loss of identity, the breaking down of the mind—those are the things where torture becomes an art. It takes a special kind to do this—very special to do this with enough control not to lose yourself in the power that such a thing brings a man.”

Tori sucked in a breath. “How…how do you know this?”

Kostya shrugged. “I know much like this Earl. They can be useful. But…too often they become a dog who cannot be chained or kept. You can leave. He will look for you. If he does not find you, he will find others. That is how it goes. He needs others to cower before him. He will begin this again. Or we can end this.”

Tori didn’t know what he was saying. She met his gaze—his gray eyes did not seem cool now. Instead, she saw understanding in his eyes. She blinked, and it was gone. Shaking her head, she decided she must have been seeing things. “Kostya, please, can we just go?”

“I thought you might want to have one final conversation with your stepfather.”

“What? No! Why would I do that?”

“Because he is about to die. His furnace will malfunction. It will do so thirty seconds after he answers the phone. His house will explode. That is going to happen. I allowed a man such as him to live once before—I came to regret that mistake bitterly for it cost the life of a woman I loved. For this man—this Earl—the only choice you have to make is whether or not you want to say any final words before he makes a quick trip to hell. “

Tori sat back in the car seat, stunned.

She saw Earl’s car speed past. She couldn’t mistake the red Corvette. The gates of Earl’s house opened and Earl pulled into the driveway. In a few minutes he’d discover that David was gone. He’d call the cops—again. She’d go to jail and Earl would have David—again. But, with one phone call, she could end this.

Kostya held out his phone. She took it with shaking hands.

She glanced at David who stared back at her. Kostya’s voice reached her, low and kind. “Trust me,
milaya moya
. You do not want to read in a paper that Earl married again, that he has a new family provided to him by an unwitting mother. You do not want to know you could have ended him before he destroyed others.” He nodded to her. “He poisons minds…he has probably also poisoned bodies. Your mother—she died of something mysterious, yes? Her organs failed and no one could save her. Not a difficult thing to do, to remove a woman who says she is going to leave and take her children with her.”

Tori’s fingers chilled. Her mother. Liver failure and no one really knew why. Earl had…her stomach knotted. She turned in her seat and dialed his number

When he answer, his voice rough, fear bled through her. Kostya put a hand on the nape of her neck. She sat straighter. “Hello, Earl.”

“Tori, what do you want? You bitch! Calling with more excuses why you don’t have any cash? I should have known you’d never be able to earn a penny—not even if you started walking the streets to sell that worthless, skinny ass of yours..”

Oh yeah, asshole! Keep talking.
“I want you to know that I made a choice today. A choice to stop being afraid of you. And to stop you. I’m not going to say good-bye, Earl. Instead, I’m telling you—this is for my mom.”

Tori hung up. The explosion rocked the car, shattered windows in nearby houses, left Tori’s ears ringing. Flame and debris landed around them. Tori glanced back to see Earl’s house engulfed in flames. David’s eyes widened. Kostya glanced at him and said, “This is not how you end all problems—your sister will tell you that, David. But there are times we can no longer tolerate evil. And then we must act.”

Eyes huge, David nodded.

Tori let out a breath and handed Kostya his phone. She swallowed down the urge to step out of the car and throw up. She wasn’t going to mourn Earl—or regret what she’d done.

She asked, “What now?”

Kostya pulled away from the curb. He pulled to the side for the fire trucks racing toward what was left of Earl’s house. “Now, we return to the warehouse. I think David might like lunch—I know I am hungry.”

She heard what he didn’t say—they were going to have that ‘chat’ Kostya had wanted.

She settled back against the seat and closed her eyes. Waves of fatigue washed over her, leaving her arms heavy. It was over—ended. And yet, it wasn’t. She still didn’t know what Kostya wanted from her in return for his having helped her. And now she wasn’t just helping mobsters grow pot—she’d killed a guy. And she was dragging David into God only knew what.

“David, do you want another hamburger?” She’d forced him to wash up. He’d done so and she was glad to see him complain a little about that. She’d made hamburgers for everyone—the one thing she knew how to cook. They were eating them on bread since there weren’t any buns, but she’d been surprised to find fresh ground meat in the fridge. Along with some other things that she guessed Kostya had bought. Yawning, David shook his head. “Can I watch TV?”

Tori came over to hug him. He wiggled and she pulled back. It was going to take some time for her to get over this, but David already seemed to be bouncing back. “Why don’t you lie down in our room and get some sleep?”

“But Tori…it’s only three in the afternoon. I’m too old for naps.”

Tori watched him yawn again. She smiled. “How about a deal? You lay down for a rest and then you can stay up tonight as late as you want. Deal?”

He shrugged and pushed up from his chair. “Okay. I guess.” He started for the bedroom, but stopped then threw himself into her arms, giving her a gigantic hug. Pulling away, he trudged off to the bedroom, dragging his backpack with him.

Tori glanced up to find Kostya watching her. “Come into the den area so we can talk.” He held up a bottle of vodka. “And I think we could both use this.”

She followed him and let him pour her a drink. He clinked his glass against hers and threw back his vodka. She did the same and almost choked on the vodka—he’d bought the good stuff, strong as paint thinner but with a kick.

He waved for her to sit down. He frowned at her and she wiped her chin, wondering if she had something on her face.

“I like your brother. He has nerve.”

She nodded. What was going on inside that Russian brain?

He cleared his throat and poured them both more vodka. “Seeing you with your brother.”

“You realized he doesn’t belong here? And I don’t either?”

He frowned at her. “Do not put words into my mouth.”
             
No, I want to put something else there
, she thought. Her face warmed. She bit her lower lip. She didn’t know what Kostya wanted, but somehow offering him sex for what he’d done seemed a cheap way to repay him—an insult for something noble that he’d done. He’d saved her. Her and David. And she didn’t know how to repay him.

“I have known you for a day—a day! Already I am becoming attached to you. Something I swore would never happen again!”

Tori shifted on the couch and held up her glass for more vodka. “Is this going to be a two bottle conversation? Look, I—you didn’t sign on for this, and I will get David out of here as soon as he wakes. Will that work for you?”

“Why would you do that?” Kostya leaning against the entertainment center.

She waved her glass and vodka splashed. “You can’t want us to stick around. The cops will figure that David wasn’t in the house. When they do, I’ll become their prime suspect and that will probably spark a criminal investigation. I need to be long gone with David before that happens.”

Kostya nodded. “Under normal circumstances, everything you said would be true. But what is normal with us?” He came over and sat next to her. He touched his chest. “The tattoo—I got that for Talia.”

Tori sat sit. She knew he was letting her in on things he had told to no one. He shook his head. “Talia would have liked you. And she---she would not approve of how I have been living. You have shown me so much of what I have been missing.”

“But… I hear a but in there somewhere.”

He took her hand. She pulled away. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I mean, I have to think about David. And, sure, yesterday I would have been all over you, but we’re doing that whole boss-employee thing now, and—”

“And now you are the one with the but.” She giggled. He frowned at her. “That was not meant to be funny.”

He leaned forward and put down his vodka glass. Grabbing her, he pulled her onto his lap.

She braced the heels of her palms against his shoulders. “Kostya, this is a really bad idea.”

“And last night—was that not a good idea?”

Tori gave in to her need for comfort and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “David could wake up.”

“I don’t think so. It is probably the first time in a very long time that he has slept without fear that asshole would come for him.”

“Asshole? I like it. Much better name for Earl.” Tori smiled for the first time in several hours. “I keep thinking how am I ever going to thank you.”

Kostya smiled. “I can think of a few things.” Grasping her chin, he held her head still as he captured her lips with his own. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, tasting her. Her breath hitched and she gave a low moan.

She felt as if she was being consumed, and she loved it. She scooted around to straddle his thighs, never breaking the kiss. Undoing his buttons, she pulled his shirt open. She pressed herself against his hard length, moaning around the tongue he shoved into her mouth, mimicking what he wanted to do to other parts of her body.

Kostya placed his hands on her hips, pressing her down to his hardness and holding her still. He pulled back a little and said, his voice almost breathless. “That thing you are doing with your helps is about to cause me to embarrass myself in a way I haven’t since I was a youth.”

She started to wiggle away but he tightened his grip. “Slow down. There is time yet before I must go.”

Tori rocked back. She blinked. “You’re not staying?”

He heard the edge of panic in her voice. She was not understanding him. He could see the fatigue in her eyes, too. She needed rest as much as her brother, but he wasn’t about to suggest a nap to her. “
Milaya moya,
I don’t want you to take David and leave. Not yet.”

Tori traced the angel tattoo on his chest. “How is that supposed to work? We hide here forever? Or just until the authorities find me?”

“I don’t have all of the answers yet, but I need you to help me with the warehouse. And there is no reason David can’t stay here with you.”

Tori waved a hand. “Last I counted, there are only two bedrooms here.”

“I will be happy to sleep on the couch for a few nights.”

“Few,” she said, echoing the word. “How few?”

Kostya shook his head. “I only came down here to get things organized. Once that is done, I am to head back to Las Vegas.”

She let out a sharp breath. He could see her struggling to hide her disappointment. He touched her face. “I want you and David to come with me.”

Tori shook her head, “I… David needs to be in school. He needs a home. He needs …” She let the words trail off, but he heard all she wasn’t saying about how her brother needed to feel safe and loved.

He caught up her hand. “And you think to provide that for him here? Tori, think about it. You grow pot for a living here. How does that work when you meet other parents? Do you just say that it’s all cool now it’s legal. And what of your worries that you will be linked to that asshole’s death? Will you start running and keep running? How will David do with such a life?”

She shook her head. “I don’t…I don’t know. I wish I did, but I don’t!”

Kostya ran a hand up and down her back. “Stay here until I leave and help me train someone else to do what you do. Once you’re satisfied things are in order, we’ll go to Las Vegas and I will help you get settled there. Meantime, the
Bratva
will ensure that no one looks too closely into Earl’s death.”

“You can do that?” He smiled. Not me. The family. “And in Vegas, I have a very large house. If we decided we are compatible…then nothing changes.”

“And if this… this chemistry between us is only a fleeting thing?” She waved a hand between them.

He tightened his hold on her waist. “We’ll take it day by day and see what happens. In the meantime, you will be safe, David will have what he needs, and we will be free to explore this thing between us.”

Tori slowly nodded. “Okay.”

Kostya frowned. “You’re not going to fight me on this?”

Tori shook her head, squirming on his lap and drawing his body’s attention once again. “Hey, when it makes sense, it makes sense. David can stick around and have an extended school vacation. He likes to read, so I can download some books on my phone.”

“We’ll get him whatever he needs. I told Nik I would only be willing to stay in Denver until the first of the year. That is only six weeks away.”

Tori nodded. She started to toy with Kostya’s belt buckle. “Now, about the exploring…”

Kostya could tell that all discussions about the future were about to be shelved for the moment. He lifted his hips slightly, allowing her to push his pants and boxers down past his hips. He made short work of opening the fly of her jeans. He turned her so he could push her jeans off her long legs.

Laying her back against the couch, he heard her giggle and looked up to see what she found so amusing. He arched a brow at her in silent question. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Couch, kitchen table…think we’ll ever make it to a bed?”

“Are you complaining?”

“Oh, no! Not at all. In fact, this place has a few other places I’ve wondered about.” Leaning up, she kissed him, her mouth open. He brushed a hand over her nipple rings. Leaning back, she grinned. “I think we should try them all out.”

Kostya smiled at her. “You really are a bad girl, aren’t you?”

Tori gave him a wicked smile. “You have no idea!”

She guided him into her and he plunged in without waiting. Wet and open she was more than ready for him. He wanted to take his time, but she wrapped her legs around him and urged him to pound into her, fast and hard.

Head arching back, she gave a cry of raw ecstasy. Kostya grabbed her ass and pulled her even closer, drove even deeper into her. She gave another shout and he lost himself in her warmth and pleasure.

“I didn’t think it could get any better, but once again, you have surprise me,” Kostya said. He licked her neck before biting down on the tendon between her neck and shoulder.

Tori arched and tightened around him.  He chuckled and asked, “Still hungry?”

“More like wiped out. How about I join you in your bathroom for a shower?”

Kostya kissed the tip of her nose. “Let’s get cleaned up and then I’ll make a few phone calls while you look after David.”

Tori smiled and allowed him to pull her from the couch.

An hour later Kostya came back and told her, “There will be no trouble over how that asshole died. It seems an ex-employee has confessed to the crime.”

She sat up. “I can’t let an innocent man—”

Kostya held up a hand. “The man has terminal cancer. His family will now be looked after very well. Trust me, this is for the best.”

“Are you sure?”

Kostya nodded and kissed the top of her head. “I failed once to look after my woman—I will not ever do so again. Now, go get your brother and let’s take a swim. I think we deserve a night off.”

Sitting beside the indoor pool and watching Kos and David play volleyball in the water, Tori shook her head. Yesterday morning, had been just a one more day closer to the goal of getting her brother out. Now that wasn’t a worry hanging at the back of her mind. She’d always held a secret fear that Earl would go too far—that she’s hear of David’s ‘accidental’ death far too late.

Now she had David splashing in a pool, grinning, Earl was gone, a gorgeous Russian was watching out for her. And she’d fallen for him—totally. She was pretty sure she’d been lost the second she’d opened the door to him and had seen that huge hunk of man.

Hugging her knees, she knew the future still held a number of uncertainties. But she didn’t care. She’d been through hell.

Everything else was downhill from here on, and she intended to enjoy every bit of it.

David and Kos stopped hitting the ball back and forth. They swapped a glance, and Tori stiffened. “Oh, no!” She started to get up. Kos and David got out of the pool before she got far. David grabbed her leg. Kos swept her up in his arms. “Time to get wet,” he told her.

She punched his shoulder. “With you, it’s always jump right into the deep end.”

“Of course,
milaya moya.
Would you have it any other way?”

“Hell, no,” she said, and gave a yell as he jumped in the water with her held close.

END OF BOOK 4

BOOK 5 OUT EARLY 2015

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