Beautiful Devil: A Dark Mafia Romance (Sinners and Saints Book 5), page 5
“You are going to obey everything I say. Yes?”
She clenched her jaw, her gaze turning into a violent, nasty glare.
“You bastard.”
Chuckling, I rubbed my thumb across her shimmering skin. “Yes, among many things.”
I studied Emily’s face after making the proclamation, noticing the instant and entirely different level of fear shoot into her limbs as she’d begun to tremble in my hold.
Jonathan Shephard had been the only individual who’d both dared and managed to infiltrate the Bratva and had done so for almost a year. While he’d been a low-level player at first, spending time earning Sevastian Kozlov’s trust, he’d been given more responsibilities over time, which had allowed him access to sensitive information. I wasn’t involved nor had I given a shit. However, I couldn’t allow the discovery to go without enhancing my aspect of loyalty to the Kozlov regime. The family hired me on a temporary basis to handle the kind of expensive and time-consuming cleanup that they neither wanted to conduct nor had the resources to do. I was loyal, but my work was private, and I was my own boss.
Still, I couldn’t ignore what the damage the man had done. Now I realized why she’d handled the assassination of her employer as well as she had.
Her father had likely trained her in different dangerous scenarios until violence had become second nature to her.
What I also knew is that Shephard had been privy to information from his access to various organizations during his career. After his elimination rumors had surfaced, some indicating he kept a little black book of names, dates, and other sensitive information that many would pay dearly to get their hands on. From what I’d learned, the secret file had never been found and I’d heard Sevastian had nearly torn up the city in his effort to find what remained in enemy hands.
“You know my father,” she managed, although her voice was entirely different than before. While it was possible that she had no knowledge regarding her father’s undercover operations, I felt it necessary to discover the truth myself. Besides, the Kozlov family would pay dearly for whatever information she could provide, and it would offer me an entirely different layer of power.
There was nothing I hated more than moles. She would suffer in an entirely different manner than her father. The conversation with Diego had fueled the kind of flames that would never be extinguished. It had also provided an entirely different reason to take her. My cock swelled once again just thinking about the time I’d spend getting to learn every inch of her voluptuous body.
Still, I’d broken my protocol with her, something I’d never done before. What in the hell was the draw to this girl? She managed to jerk out of my hold, darting her eyes back and forth then buttoning and zipping her shorts. The light flush added to her beauty, and I had a strange sense of need to protect her.
I allowed her to walk away from me, noticing the fresh blush of crimson building on her cheeks. Spanking her had been cathartic, awakening additional needs. I studied her as she struggled with her emotions, her entire body trembling.
“I know all about your father, Emily. He betrayed the Bratva. But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
“What are you talking about? “
Sighing, I shook my head. “Don’t bother denying it, Emily. You’ll learn I’m a man with little patience.”
“God, you’re such an asshole. Yes, my father was a DEA agent. He had a job to do. But I know nothing about this Bratva. Why the hell would I? Criminals. Is that what you are, some mafia asshole?” After turning around to face me, I could easily tell she was still trying to determine whether or not she could escape. The determined look remained on her face, her eyes full of fury.
“Don’t insult me by acting as if your father didn’t make you aware of various organizations that would likely retaliate if it was discovered what he did for a living. As far as my profession, that’s not anything that you need to worry about.”
She chewed on her cheek, still trying to act defiant. “He wasn’t allowed to tell me anything about his work. Don’t insult me, whatever your name is. You haven’t been living under a rock. If he did work undercover, he was sworn to secrecy. That’s the way it works.”
If she was trying to push me, she would soon learn that her rebelliousness only aroused the beast lurking inside. She’d learn that soon enough, but not until I managed to take her the way I desired. The time I craved spending on ravaging her wouldn’t be done in a rundown house in the middle of a shithole neighborhood. She deserved finer things in life.
As long as she learned to obey me.
“Then allow me to share with you a few details of the work your father did. He was a man who went undercover as a trusted soldier, deceiving some very dangerous people. And those dangerous people would enjoy exacting revenge on a lovely creature such as yourself.”
“Does that include you?” While she was trying to maintain a handle on her emotions, every action she took was a contradiction. The scent of fear was strong, almost as much so as the one exposing her desire.
“That will depend.” I was surprised when she didn’t ask me what that meant. “It would seem your father has something of value. The item needs to be found.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She looked at me quizzically before masking her emotions once again.
“Perhaps that’s the case, Emily. However, that doesn’t change the fact that your father betrayed men who don’t take kindly to any level of deception.”
“I’m not my father.”
“Another truth, but that changes nothing,” I told her as I walked closer, barely brushing the tips of my fingers down her disheveled strands. Then I gripped her chin with enough pressure her eyes opened wide, another flare of terror in her eyes. “Unfortunately, your innocence isn’t enough to erase the damage done by your father. While he paid in blood, your penance will be entirely different.”
“What does that mean? What are you planning on doing to me?”
“That means, my beautiful Emily, that as of now you’ve become my property. Very soon you’ll learn what happens to those who betray the darkness.”
She stared at me, her eyes just as full of venom as they’d been before, but there was a sense that she knew more than she was willing to tell me.
When I heard my phone, I took another deep breath. The communications would need to stop in order for me to make a clean getaway. There were always new forms of technology used by the CIA and DEA in order to catch bad men such as myself.
“Do not move. Do you understand me?” I asked, my tone demanding.
“What’s not to understand? I’m your prisoner.”
At least her spunk continued. I glanced at the screen and in doing so, an instant red flag was raised.
Alexei Kozlov.
It was fascinating to find him on the other end of the line.
“Prichina vtorzheniya?” I barked. The reason for the intrusion?
“Prichina nastroyeniya?” Alexei snarled in return. The reason for the mood?
As the Pakhan’s son, he held the reins in several of the various companies his family owned, including the successful resort and casino that had opened just a few months before. While ruthless, he and I often clashed given his level of arrogance.
“Let’s just say I have my hands full at the moment.” I stared at my beautiful creature, noticing how she cunningly was checking out various exit points. She had been trained well.
“Are you in town? Sources tell me that the Phantom has been sighted in my beloved city. Or would you prefer the Ghost?”
It would seem that Eddie had been more vocal than I’d anticipated. “I had a personal issue to contend with. Why?” I moved toward one of the windows, peering out past the blinds. The street was full of activity as usual, nothing suspicious drawing my attention. I could usually spot a member of law enforcement a hundred yards away no matter the light level. Shades of red clouded my vision, my need for violence escalating. Very few infractions pushed me to this heightened state of anger. That wouldn’t bode well for anyone who dared get in my way.
“You’ve been compromised. I’ll advise you to get the hell out of town quickly. There are several people and organizations who want a piece of you.”
A piece? I almost laughed. I was wanted in at least a dozen countries, the bounty on my head from both law enforcement and crimes syndicates making any man who turned me in extremely wealthy. Time wasn’t on my side.
“I appreciate the warning. We have business to discuss later.”
Alexei laughed. “If you’re coming to me regarding business, then I’m intrigued. Call me when you have the opportunity.”
“Uznayte, chto bylo skazano.” Find out what has been said. With that, I ended the call, taking a deep breath before I shifted toward her. I dialed the pilot, furious that it took him three rings before he answered. “Prepare the plane. We’re leaving immediately.”
“Yes, sir.” The pilot was one of the few men I trusted, but only minimally. There wasn’t a man alive who didn’t have a price in mind for instant betrayal. At least the pilot was keenly aware what my level of retaliation would be should he betray me.
“The need for my departure has escalated. Our plans have changed,” I told her, thinking about what few items I wanted to take with me. I’d planned for this possibility from the day I’d purchased the house through a nonexistent corporate entity, easily able to provide a long trail for anyone to go down if they wanted the locate the truth. Still, there was always a chance that Eddie had been more resourceful than I’d originally believed. I refused to allow anyone to get their hands on my equipment.
“You’re taking me with you.” Her lilting voice had changed, now hollower than before.
“Yes.” I shoved the phone into my pocket, moving to one of the cabinets, grabbing rope. When I approached, she backed away, her breathing scattered. “Hold out your arms.”
“Don’t tie me. Please.”
“I’m afraid I can’t trust you. I also don’t have the time to argue. Do as I say.”
Her actions tentative, she did as she was told, fisting her hands as she glared at me. As I wrapped her wrists, I gathered a scent of her perfume. Fresh. Floral. Exotic spices. The fragrance boosted my hunger; however, my increasing desire would need to wait.
“Why are you doing this? What the hell do you want from me? I don’t know anything. I can’t hurt you. Just let me go.”
“Calm the fuck down, Emily.”
“If you’re going to kill me, just do it now.”
I found it interesting that she was filled with courage one minute, a frightened vulnerable woman the next.
“As I’ve told you before. If I wanted you dead, then you wouldn’t be standing here. I’m not going to hurt you as long as you do as I say.”
She nodded, swallowing several times as I tied the rope. When I was finished, she stared down at the binding, opening and closing her fists as if testing my knot.
“Stay here. I’m grabbing a few things.” I didn’t wait for her answer, grabbing two duffle bags from the closet, yanking the hard drives from the various computers as well as the weapons I’d hidden inside the wall. She watched everything I did. I could see her wheels turning. She was planning on using what she’d learned in the future.
Then I opened my safe, yanking the powerful bombs that had been created with compromise in mind. She didn’t bother moving as I shifted into two other rooms, planting the explosives, sliding the main controller in my pocket.
After getting the items together, I jerked her by the arm, leading her toward the door then turning out the lights. I pulled her close, the heat of her body resonating through every muscle. My rage was just as intense as before, the fury almost blinding. I’d learned to train my patience over the years, which had kept me alive more times than I could count, but no one had ever gotten this close. Eddie wasn’t that smart. He’d been working with someone else. I would hunt the motherfucker down and when I did, he would understand the true meaning of the word pain.
I had no idea why this woman had drawn me in the way she had, but fate had brought us together. Now I’d take advantage of having her as my guest. After pulling the weapon into my hand, I crowded her close. “Not a peep.”
Her only answer was a slight moan.
Once outside, I swept the gun from right to left, listening intently. Then I moved into the garage. I eased her into the passenger seat, tossing the bags in the trunk then immediately jumping in. Once I started the engine, I wasted no time rolling out and onto the street. I stared into the rearview mirror, waiting for the perfect time. Then the woman and her softness crowded into my brain once again.
The way she felt in my arms, her rounded bottom pressing up against my cock. Her complete vocal contempt for a man who could easily end her life. The flash of her lovely eyes condemning me for every action. She was simply intoxicating as hell, a weakness that I would be forced to curb.
Exhaling, I yanked the controller into my hand. It was time to create the perfect pyrotechnic distraction. Then moment I pressed the button, the entire sky lit up in orange.
It was time to get the hell out of New York.
My beautiful flower had remained quiet almost the entire duration of the long flight. I studied her as I sipped my bourbon, memorizing every detail of her face. She had an exquisite kind of beauty, but was very unassuming. I had the feeling she’d been taught that remaining in the shadows was in her best interest given her father’s occupation. She’d become a target the day she was born.
With her soft lips, high forehead, and pronounced cheekbones, she could have easily chosen a career as a model. I found it fascinating as well as admirable that she’d become a pediatrician. She saved lives.
I destroyed them.
What an interesting paradox.
She sensed I was staring at her, shifting abruptly toward the window, resting her elbow on the arm of the seat.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her, the ache I had inside only increasing with every hour spent on the goddamn plane. As I took another sip, I noticed she’d darted a single glance in my direction.
“What are you staring at?” she asked, exhaustion settling in her voice. She’d yet to sleep, and had refused any food, only sipping on the bottle of water she’d accepted. Even her lovely eyes had dimmed, the once brilliant light fading.
Without answering her, I rose to my feet, moving past her toward the bar. I refreshed my drink, pouring her a glass as well. Then I pulled one of the small packets of sedatives I’d also brought from the house. While it wasn’t my intention to keep her drugged, there were too many instances where she could cause undue notice prior to returning to my personal estate. When I brought her the drink, easing the tumbler over her shoulder, she shook her head.
“Don’t defy me, Emily. You’re extremely tense. This will calm your nerves.”
“I have every right to be tense! You kidnapped me. You’re taking me to God knows where. You’ve punished me and I’m certain you’ll do so again because you enjoy inflicting pain on others. You tell me my father was murdered by the people you work for, and you’re blaming me for the admirable work that he did.”
“Admirable?”
“I’d say cleaning scum off the streets falls into that category.”
I kept the glass in front of her face, furious that she’d crawled so far under my skin I hadn’t immediately disciplined her for her insolence. “Be very careful what you say to me, Emily. While I have very thick skin, I deserve respect.”
She laughed, the sound as if her last resolve was ready to crack. “You must be joking.”
“I never joke about loyalty or respect. That’s something you will learn. Take. The. Drink.”
Exhaling, she finally wrapped her fingers around the glass, holding it with enough force her knuckles were white within seconds. “Respect is earned, not forced. Much like love.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle as I sat down in the chair opposite her. “Love is a product of greeting cards and Hallmark movies and nothing else.”
My comment intrigued her. She swung around, her eyes darting back and forth. “So a monster like you doesn’t have the capability of feeling love?”
“As I said, it’s overrated. A pipe dream.” I’d never had a single conversation about the emotion to anyone. There was no need. A man like me wasn’t capable of feeling anything other than anger.
“That’s very sad, whatever your name is. Love is the reason to wake up every morning. The moment you love someone is the moment you know the reason you’re alive and that you can get through anything. Tragedy. Loss. Heartache. Sickness.” There was a haze in her eyes, as if she’d been searching her entire life for the very love she was describing but didn’t believe in it any more than I did.
“My little dreamer.” I lifted my glass in salute, noticing she’d struggled enough in her bindings that her wrists were chafed. I cursed inwardly at myself for causing her any pain. While necessary, it burned me.
“Dreaming is very special. It’s what keeps some people alive through pain and heartache. But you wouldn’t understand anything like that so why bother explaining it?” She looked away once again, closing her eyes tightly.
“My name is Kostya.”
I noticed she rolled the syllables over her tongue silently. “You are Russian.”
“Half.”
She smiled for the first time simply because I’d given her answers. “Spanish.” At least my answer allowed her to feel comfortable enough to take a sip of her drink. Her hand was still shaking, the liquid splashing back and forth.
“Close. Colombian.”
“Why did you blow up your own house?”
“As you might imagine, Emily, in my line of work, I have more enemies than I can count. Eddie had been in the process of exposing my real identity to the wrong people. I couldn’t allow that to happen.”
“So you eliminate every trace of your existence. Clever,” she said with clear disdain in her voice.
