Reign (The Syndicate: Crime and Passion Book 2) (13 page)

S
ergei

I
t had been a long day
, and I was anxious for it to be over.

When I got to the house, home, as I now thought of it, I found Daniela waiting for me. She was pinched, nervous, though I could see how valiantly she tried to hide it.

“Is everything okay?” I asked, knowing the answer to the question before I’d even spoken it.

She stood, looked at me.

“What is it, Daniela?” I said.

“Is this duty, Sergei?” she said, whispering.

“What?”

“Me and you. Is this only duty? Obligation?”

“What are you asking me, Daniela?” I said, moving closer to her, worried about what had her so cryptic, not yet willing to allow myself to hope that this might lead to something good.

She looked up into my eyes. “We married for other people’s vendettas, to show our loyalty. But what about me and you?”

“What about me and you?” I asked, pulling her into my arms.

“I don’t want this to be an obligation, Sergei,” she said, her voice going stronger.

“What do you want it to be?” I asked, my heart frozen in my chest, unwilling to beat until I heard what she had to say, praying to a god I wasn’t sure I believed in that she felt the way I did.

“I want this to be real. Forever,” she said.

I didn’t answer, but I pulled her closer and leaned down to kiss her, covering her lips with mine. She kissed me back eagerly, her emotions right there for me to feel in her kiss.

She sighed and squeezed me tighter, her kisses growing more urgent, her hands roaming my body. She pulled at my clothes, unbuttoning and pushing my shirt down my arms without breaking the kiss.

I understood what fueled her. I didn’t want to let go either. This moment was unlike any I’d ever experienced. I loved her. I knew that without a doubt, but I hadn’t allowed myself to imagine what it would be like if she loved me back.

She wanted me, liked me, but forever, love, I’d been less sure of, and I wouldn’t risk what we had in an attempt to get more.

But now, as she kissed me, I began to allow myself to hope. I worked her top up her hips and pushed her panties down. When I touched her hot sex, my fingers were instantly coated with her juices, proof of her attraction to me, just as her fervent kisses were proof of her urgency, her deeper feelings.

She broke the kiss and then went completely still, staring up into my eyes. “Sergei,” she sighed, and in that single word, she conjured the future I knew I wanted.

I put just enough space between us to work my pants open, and the instant I had freed my cock, I lifted her. She wrapped her legs around my waist, the warmth of her core calling me. I answered that call by thrusting up, my cock spreading her, entering her in one hard thrust.

She sighed again, wrapped her arms around my shoulders and buried her face against my neck. Surprised I could balance, I took a few steps forward, grunting at the warm tug of her pussy as she gripped me tight.

Her back against the wall, her legs wrapped around me, I pounded into her over and over again, my eyes locked on hers. She cried out and then stiffened above me, her body pulling tight and then falling loose in a fast and what felt like an intense climax, one that threatened to take me as well. But I held off, grabbed her face and stared into her eyes.

“This is real, Daniela,” I said, voice low and raspy with my effort to stave off my own orgasm. “Forever.”

And with that last word, I came inside her.

D
aniela

“
I
’ll be back later
,” Sergei said the next morning.

He kissed me hard, then gave me a smile that made my heart stutter.

“Good-bye,” I said, and then I stretched up and returned his kiss.

I stayed in bed for a while after he left, lingering, thinking. Last night had been a revelation, one that would change my entire life.

But unlike the day of our wedding, I wasn’t nervous or afraid.

I was happy.

Because I loved him. He hadn’t said the same to me, but I knew that his promise of forever suggested he did, or at least let me hope so.

Yes, I had only found him because of Santo’s machinations, but from this moment on, my life with Sergei would be one of my making, and I would devote myself to it completely.

But to do that, I needed to break up with the past.

I rose from bed, showered, and dressed in a dark purple sheath dress. My mother had loved that color.

I hadn’t been to visit her in over a year, something that I regretted. I pushed that aside though as I walked through the graveyard and found the marble mausoleum. I stepped through the short iron fence that separated her grave from the others and wiped away the thin layer of dirt that covered her picture.

The tears welled, but for the first time in this cemetery, my heart felt light.

“Thank you, Mother,” I said.

I wasn’t expecting a response, but I paused for a moment, let the feelings come. Then I continued.

“I tried to do what you would have, tried to live up to your example, but I failed. I can’t save him from himself, Mother. And now I have a chance to live my own life, maybe find some happiness. I’m sorry you never got to do that,” I said.

I wiped the picture again, let my fingers linger on it before I dropped my hand. “I’ll always be grateful for what you did for me, and I’ll always love you. But I have to do this.”

I wiped away the tears and then turned to leave.

I had another stop to make today.

D
aniela

I walked up to the small porch again and again called out, “It’s me, Daddy.”

It would likely be the last time I said those words.

A moment later, Santo pulled the door open.

“Back so soon, Daniela?” he said.

I ignored him, unwilling to be goaded or distracted from my purpose. Instead I looked down the hall, watching Michael emerge. My father waved me in and then sat in his spot on the couch, Michael standing next to him.

Both of their expressions were hard, foreboding. No hint of the connection that only weeks ago I had been willing to sacrifice myself for.

“Michael. It’s just as well that you’re here,” I said.

His face quirked with surprise, as did Santo’s.

“Am I going to be a grandfather?” he said.

“Maybe one day,” I replied, choosing not to point out that Sergei would never allow him within five miles of his child.

Instead, I continued on. “Santo, out of respect I wanted to tell you this in person.”

“Go ahead. The suspense is killing me,” he said. Michael stayed silent.

“I’m with Sergei now,” I said.

I expected a reaction, but Santo’s calm was not one of them. “What does that mean?” he asked, voice not changing a bit.

“It means I’m done. No more smoothing things over, no more help, no more trying to make it right. And if it comes to it…” I trailed off, then focused on him and breathed deep. “If it comes to it, I’m going to choose him.” Getting the words out had been hard, almost impossible to speak around the nerves and fear and disappointment. I’d spent my entire life choosing Santo, had thought I always would, and even though I was certain now, saying so to him hadn’t been easy. Not that anything with him ever was.

“So that’s it, huh?” he said, leaning back against the couch.

The alarm bells that had been ringing low began to chime loudly. I’d once watched Santo break a waitress’s arm because his dinner had been cold. Yet here I was, telling him my allegiance was to someone else, and it had barely made a ripple.

Something was very wrong.

“I will always appreciate what you did,” I said, hoping the words would remind him who I was or at least buy me time to get out of here. After, I’d figure out what I’d been doing here in the first place.

“Good way to show it, Daniela,” Michael said.

I looked at him but then quickly turned back to Santo, still determined not to get distracted, uncertain of what would happen if I did.

“So you think you’ve repaid me. I saved you and your sister, and you think you can come here, say you’ll be grateful, but then tell me you choose him?”

He glared at me, and the rising grimace on his face, the way he stood, his body hunched like he was waiting to take off, made those warning bells ring at a fever pitch.

“Yes. I hope out of respect to Mother, our bond, that would be enough,” I said.

“That’s what you thought?” Santo said.

I nodded.

“You were wrong,” Michael said.

I turned to look at him, and before I could fully comprehend what he was doing, he lifted a gun, pointed it at me, and pulled the trigger.

S
ergei

“
S
o
, how are you liking it here, Adrian?” I asked as I paced around the back office of the bar.

He said nothing, and I laughed, he didn’t even give any indication that I had spoken. Not even Adrian would get to me today. Nothing could pierce the emotional high last night with Daniela had brought.

I was even more certain now I loved her, had probably known it all along, but now, our bond was acknowledged and it would only grow stronger from here. The business was under control, everything with Daniela was good.

I just might be figuring all this shit out.

I heard a loud bang, what sounded like the door being thrown open. The place was empty, and I moved toward the sound, Adrian behind me.

What I saw when I left the office almost brought me to my knees.

Vincent ran toward me, Daniela in his arms.

A dark, wet stain marred her dress. I instantly knew it was her blood.

“What the fuck happened?” I yelled.

“I saw her driving toward the house, weaving. She crashed on the sidewalk. She’s been hit, I can’t tell how bad it is,” he said.

I turned back, swept everything off the desk in the back office, and yelled, “Lay her down!”

He did and I rushed to her, shouting questions.

“When? Where did this happen?” I yelled, my insides trembling with an emotion far too close to fear, one I didn’t have much experience with. Shock at trying to process what my eyes and brain wouldn’t let me deny.

“I don’t know. I found her ten minutes ago,” Vincent said.

I touched her skin, which wasn’t nearly as warm as it should’ve been.

“Have a doctor here in the next three minutes,” I yelled.

“Already on the way,” Adrian said.

“Daniela?” I said, trying to keep my voice as calm as I could.

She lifted her eyes, her pupils dilated, unfocused.

“Daniela!” I said again, my voice even more urgent.

She focused on me. “Santo…” she said.

“It’s okay,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm when I thought my heart might break from my chest.

She swallowed hard. “Santo. Michael,” she said, her voice weak.

“Are they dead? Did you get attacked?” I asked, urgent to know everything that had happened, whether this was someone trying to go after Santo while Daniela had been caught in the crossfire, certain of nothing except whoever had done this would die.

She shook her head and then grimaced. “Shot me,” she said.

It took me a moment to process what she’d said. Even after all I’d seen, all I’d done, Santo and Michael hurting Daniela had never crossed my mind. When I did process it, anger hit me like a physical blow. At them for what they’d done, and at myself for leaving her alone, unprotected, my complacency and inability to contemplate what Santo might do having allowed this to happen to her.

I pushed those thoughts aside, though. I’d have to deal with them later, once I knew Daniela was okay. Because she would be. There was no other choice.

About a minute later, Adrian led a woman who was about thirty into the room.

“Take care of her,” I said.

She nodded and went to work, donning latex gloves and then peeling the dress from Daniela’s shoulder.

The wound was ragged, looked like every other bullet wound I had ever seen. But it was on her, my beloved Daniela. On instinct I moved, but the doctor held up a hand.

“Let me check her out,” she said.

Then she began to probe the wound, her eyes sharp. Daniela seemed to be slipping in and out of consciousness, but the doctor still tried to be tender.

“She’s lost some blood, but she’s not in immediate danger. I need to know if that bullet is in there,” the doctor said.

“If she—” I said.

The doctor raised her hand again, cutting me off. “Let me work.”

I froze, reason telling me I needed to back off. Then I turned, looked at Adrian.

He left, and I knew exactly where he was going. I’d be there soon enough, but for now, I went to the opposite side of the desk, reached for Daniela’s hand.

For the first time in my life, I prayed.

S
ergei

W
hat felt like an eternity later
, I settled Daniela in our bed gently. I’d taken her to a small clinic, and the doctor had mended the wound and then given her some strong painkillers.

After I arranged the covers around her, I slid my gaze to the doctor and by unspoken agreement, we left. When I looked at her again, she started to speak.

“The bullet went through. No bone splinters, but it’s going to hurt like hell,” she said.

“What do I need to do?” I said.

She reached into her bag and then retrieved two bottles that she thrust into my hand. “Antibiotics and painkillers. Watch her for fever. I’ll come back tomorrow.”

And she was gone just that quickly.

I stood a moment, then went into the room and kneeled at the bedside, holding the hand on Daniela’s uninjured side.

The rage I felt was deep, but not uncontrollable. There would be a reckoning for this, but I didn’t want her to see it. Right now, she just needed me to be there for her.

I kneeled there for a couple of hours and then finally she stirred.

She shifted, then grimaced.

“Stay still,” I said.

She grimaced again. “I’d hoped that was a really messed-up nightmare,” she said.

“It wasn’t,” I said.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Why?” I asked, giving voice to the question that was only second to my worry.

“I chose you,” she said.

Were this another time, I would have celebrated that admission, but now, that news had been marred by Santo.

“I chose you, Sergei,” she said again. Then her eyes drifted shut and she fell into what looked to be a deep sleep.

I let go of her hand and saw that the covers were again settled around her, her words reverberating in my head. She’d chosen me. That made me happier than anything I had ever heard.

By tomorrow, she would regret that choice.

After quickly going down the stairs, I went to Adrian. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with her. Not now.

“Stay with her. You know where to find me if you need anything,” I said.

He nodded and then I left.

I left Adrian and exited the house.

Vincent stood, watching. “How is she?”

“Shot,” I said.

Even speaking the word threatened to bring me to my knees, and it was only my anger, my absolute devotion to seeing her injury avenged that kept me moving.

I stopped in front of Vincent, stared at him. He stared back waiting.

“Did you have anything to do with this?” I asked.

I almost didn’t recognize my own voice, so thick and tense with emotion, anger.

Vincent shook his head. “No.”

He spoke with certainty and as I searched his eyes, I didn’t see any hint of a lie in them.

“Do you know who did?” I asked.

That he himself hadn’t done it didn’t mean he didn’t know who was behind it, that he hadn’t participated.

“I can guess,” he said, his voice brimming with disgust.

“Did you help them?” I asked.

“No.”

“I hope you’re not lying to me, Vincent,” I said.

“I’m not. Daniela and I have our history, but I wouldn’t shoot her, and I would welcome the opportunity to kill anyone who would,” he said.

“You’ll have your chance,” I said. Then I began to walk toward the SUV. “You’re driving.”

I tossed the keys at him and then got into the passenger side. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t allow such a sign of weakness to come out, but it couldn’t be avoided.

My heart was thundering, my blood racing through my body, and I couldn’t bother with something as mundane as driving. Instead, my insides boiled with the bloodlust that would be fulfilled, and my mind raced with the consequences that would come of it.

“Where am I going?” Vincent said.

I gave him directions and then went quiet, the drive passing without my notice.

I was preoccupied with thinking about Daniela, how she looked with blood staining her clothes, her skin ashen from blood loss. I had failed her, but not nearly as badly as those who had known her for her entire life.

I knew what kind of person Daniela was, knew how devoted she had been to Santo, and perhaps even to Michael.

I also knew that even after they’d shot her, she might not be willing to give up that connection. I prayed she would though, because Santo and Michael would not live to see another day.