Beautiful Devil: A Dark Mafia Romance (Sinners and Saints Book 5), page 7
“Yes. And I read every word.” I knew more about Emily than perhaps she knew about herself. Her taste in music. Her favorite wine. Her book collection. I was amazed at how much Diego had acquired in such a short period of time.
“What do you want me to do about her mother?”
The one glitch in the system with removing Emily from her life was the care of her ailing mother, the very reason she’d temporarily returned to New York. “The Kozlovs owe me. They are going to protect Mrs. Shepard.”
“She goes by Janine Pepper now, her middle and maiden name, which surprises me.”
Anyone could decipher her name, securing the woman’s location at any time. Diego was right. It was surprising her husband hadn’t convinced her to go into witness protection if anything happened to him. However, that was of no importance at this point with one exception.
I would use the protection of her mother as a bargaining chip for keeping Emily in line. Keeping Alexei from killing the mother might be the most difficult part of what I was doing. “I’ll handle Alexei. This will give me power over my lovely captive.”
“Hmmm… Not a bad idea. What about this captive?”
“For now, Emily will be allowed to become accustomed to her new home. Then I’ll extract the information.”
“A man who enjoys walking through fire. I admire that about you.” He laughed, although I knew he was being more sarcastic than he wanted to let on.
“Find out just how much damage Eddie Falco created. I need to know names of anyone who spread the information.”
“That may take time.”
I turned toward him, closing the distance. “Get it done, Diego. I don’t need any additional unexpected shit.”
“Understood.”
“And make certain the security is tight surrounding the estate. Any intruders need to be handled expeditiously.”
“You’re expecting another breach?” Diego’s face was pensive, as it always was when facing a threat that we didn’t have a handle on.
“Uncertain, but I’m not risking the possibility.”
“Got it. Just so you know. I had to roust off several poachers only two days ago. They were more aggressive than normal.”
I pounded my fist on the bar, hissing under my breath. “Those bastards are determined to undermine everything I’ve done. I want round the clock surveillance. Double the number of guards surrounding the sanctuary.”
“You’re stretching our manpower.”
Huffing, I glared at him. “I don’t give a shit. And shoot to kill if they breach the fencing again.”
I wasn’t certain of the expression that crossed his face, nor did I give a shit.
“Just do it!” My bark was even harsher. I almost crushed the glass in my hand, my anger so significant.
“No disrespect, Kostya, but you’re on edge. Maybe you need to rethink bringing the woman here.”
It was all I could do not to wrap my hand around his throat. “I suggest you never question me again. We may be friends, Diego, but that doesn’t give you the right to challenge me. I’m in no mood for bullshit.”
Diego shook his head. “I’ll inform the soldiers.”
As he left the room, I fisted my hand, almost smashing it down on several of the glasses. Was it possible that Eddie had been after the same information I realized Emily possibly had access to? If so, she would have a price on her head, the man’s murder only enflaming the situation. While I wouldn’t normally care, the activity in New York could easily draw a conclusion that would compromise my other business activities. Laying low until all the pieces fell into place was the best course of action.
But first, I’d make certain her mother was secured.
I dialed Alexei’s number as I poured another glass of whiskey.
“You’re secure?” he asked. The man was almost as emotionless as I’d become, although I’d heard his recent acquisition of a woman had changed his mental outlook.
“As I can be. You owe me more than one favor, Alexei. You will do what I ask without question.”
“What the hell do you need?” I was certain he was as surprised at my request as I was in making one.
Favors usually led to requirements. That didn’t work in my world.
“A safehouse for an ailing woman.”
Yes, it was obvious he was perplexed I’d give a shit about anyone. “Who is she?”
“Her name is Sharon Shephard, although she’s currently living under the name Janine Pepper.”
There was no doubt he recognized the name.
“What the fuck are you doing, Kostya? That woman should be dead, not coddled.”
“I’m acquiring a bargaining chip. She had no part in her husband’s unscrupulous undercover operation and you will honor me with this request. Period.”
He cursed under his breath. “As I said, she should die for being associated with that piece of trash.”
“You will not take out your continued need of revenge on a woman with stage four cancer. That’s beneath even you.” I tossed back every drop of my drink, uncertain there was enough liquor in the world to calm my anger.
“You’re stretching your ties with the Bratva, Kostya.”
“So fucking be it.”
“What are you hiding?”
“At this point, nothing.”
He chuckled. “Which means you need information. Is this woman in danger?”
“Undoubtedly. There are many who would like to use her as a pawn. That can’t happen. Understood?”
When he hesitated, I tossed the glass across the room, enjoying the sound of it shattering into dozens of pieces.
“This will cost you, Kostya. You know exactly what that traitorous agent did to our organization. And you will give me the respect of telling me the reason for your request in the near future. I don’t think you want our relationship to be severed.”
“And you will never threaten me again, Kozlov. You should know by now I’m not a man to be fucked with.”
He laughed, although I could hear the aggravation in his tone. As if he had the fucking right. “We will settle this in person one day.”
“I look forward to it.” I ended the call, still seething from being questioned by anyone.
There was no additional sound in the room, but I sensed her presence. When I lifted my head, it was evident she’d heard at least a portion of the conversation. She looked entirely different, her freshly scrubbed face and wide eyes providing me another glimpse of her purity, even though I knew more about her capabilities than she would want me to know.
Wearing jeans and a bright crimson tee shirt, her ebony hair pulled into a ponytail, I thought she had to be the most beautiful woman in the world. She remained in the entryway, studying me so intently her brow was furrowed.
I moved around my desk, sitting on the edge and folding my arms. “You can come closer. I promise that I won’t hurt you.”
“I assume that comes later.”
Laughing, I rubbed my jaw. “I assume you found everything to your liking.”
“I you mean if I approve of what clothes the murderer selected for me to wear in his giant cage, then yes, they’re fine.”
“There’s the spunk that attracted me in the diner. I was hoping you hadn’t lost your ability to throw out insults as easily as you would give a compliment to one of your closest friends.”
She remained quiet, finally taking a few steps closer. “What do you want?”
“What I want and what I need could be two different things. For now, I will show you around your new home.”
“This isn’t my home. It will never be my home. Get that through your head right now.”
Every caustic word out of her mouth only added to the enticement. However, at some point I would grow weary of her taunting words. Today, I’d give her leeway. Tomorrow, she would learn the true meaning of the word obedience.
“Tell me, Emily. Do you ride?”
“Ride? Motorcycles?”
“Horses.”
Her nose wrinkled and she glanced away quickly. I detected more than just surprise. “I never have. I don’t like animals.”
I walked closer, taking casual steps. As soon as I was within two feet, she backed away. When I grabbed her arm, yanking her closer, she let out a slight cry before pursing her lips, her emerald eyes glaring at me with utter hatred. “I can tolerate a certain level of your bad behavior for now. But you will not lie to me. Do you understand?”
“I’m not lying.”
I jerked her even closer, slowly lowering my head. “When you were eleven years old, you won your first equestrian event, earning several blue ribbons and trophies over the next eight years. While you were in premed, you volunteered at an animal rescue site, often seen on their website holding one of the animals listed for adoption. I suggest you realize that there is very little I do not know about you.”
She pushed her hand against me, trying to drag herself out of my clutches. At least it was easy to tell that her attempts at avoiding my questions were useless.
“Fine. Then you know the answer. Why does it matter? I seriously doubt a man like you could ever appreciate the unconditional love an animal can provide.”
There was a moment where I almost broke the rule I’d made regarding her, taking her over my desk, feasting on her pretty pink pussy. Her scent was far too intoxicating, drawing me into the darkness that she wouldn’t likely survive. Her rebellious attitude only fueled the ache in my loins. That’s when I let her go, taking a single step away. It was the only possible way of avoiding fulfilling my needs.
“Be careful, Emily. Even a man with no soul, as you’ve so aptly reminded me of, can feel the pain of cruelty. There are two horses waiting for us just outside. It is the best way to view my estate. Come. Now. What I’m providing you is a gift but make no mistake that you will follow my command.”
She kept the ugliness in her eyes but nodded, allowing me to see the slight tremor of her lower lip. Yes, she would need to learn that I’d become her master. As I led her through the house, there wasn’t a single internal employee who didn’t stop what they were doing in order to gawk at the only woman they’d seen me interact with. The surprise in their eyes was amusing. I would need to explain Emily’s parameters with each of them at some point.
Their loyalty was to me and me alone, but they would provide Emily with whatever she needed.
As long as she obeyed.
I led her outside, studying her reaction upon seeing the two horses. For a few seconds, there was actual delight on her face, but it was quickly masked by her insolence and a fresh round of fear.
“They are beautiful,” she said with no real emotion in her tone.
“Yes, they are. I enjoy basking in the sight of enticing creatures.” Whether or not she realized I was talking about her was impossible to tell, her expression remaining blank.
Without asking, she walked closer, both horses nuzzling against her immediately. I’d been told you could tell a lot about a person by the way animals reacted. The beasts only tolerated my existence while they obviously reveled in hers.
I heard Kiki barking and crouched down, clapping my hands and whistling. The dog I’d adopted two years before came running, jumping into my arms, her tail wagging constantly. “There, there, baby. I told you I wouldn’t be gone for long.” She licked my face several times then finally noticed my guest, determined to ignore me as she bolted over to her, sniffing Emily’s legs. I couldn’t help but notice that Kiki was more enamored with my captive than she’d been with anyone else, including her master.
Woof. Woof. Woof.
Emily laughed and dropped to her knees, allowing the one creature who’d managed to crawl into my heart to jump into her arms. “Oh, my goodness. Look at you. You’re a beautiful girl.”
As I slowly stood, I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off their interaction. Kiki only knew me as her savior, a man who’d rescued her from a horrible situation. At least Emily knew the truth.
“What’s her name?” she asked, although a tentative tone remained in her voice.
“Kiki.”
She seemed to like my answer, rubbing her hands all over the dog’s face. “That suits you. A beautiful name for a stunning little girl.” After a full minute, her body stiffened, reacting to the slow realization of her predicament. She pressed a kiss against Kiki’s forehead then stood, tilting her head, staring at me with her stunning emerald eyes, her mouth twitching from the hatred that continued to exist. Yet with every breath, her body betrayed her as before, the scent of her arousal keeping the beast hungry.
I hated that I was already losing control around her, the yearning gripping every part of my body becoming uncomfortable. “Now, we ride.”
“And if I say no?”
“I don’t think you’ll enjoy the physicality of my reaction.”
CHAPTER 5
Emily
Breathtaking beauty.
Spectacular vistas surrounded me, lush and green, a direct complement to the almost cloudless blue sky. The brute had been right, horseback allowing me to see his expansive property. The sprawling estate consisted of four separate wings as well as several outbuildings. The land must require constant maintenance to keep the grounds in such a pristine state.
Kostya’s presence remained an intolerable yet exciting barrier, making it difficult to breathe around him. If I didn’t know the terms of our association or the fact that he was a highly trained killer, I’d say I’d been brought to paradise. But there was no disguising who and what he was, or that I’d been taken against my will. At least being on horseback gave me a small sense of home, even if that had been a lifetime ago.
The fact he knew so much about me was almost as terrifying as the rugged man who never allowed his gaze to travel very far. I wasn’t certain why he’d allowed me this gift, but I was grateful for the opportunity to breathe fresh air, even if it meant spending time with the devil. He guided the horses through a set of trees, pulling on my appaloosa’s reins, ensuring both horses were slowed down.
Seconds later, I was able to see why. A stunning view of the ocean was presented like a vibrant watercolor, the waning afternoon sun casting a shimmer of gold across the water as well as the rocky cliffs. There was a short distance between the edge of the forest and the precipice, the drop-off to the ocean several hundred feet. Now I fully embraced what he was doing, highlighting my dazzling, dangerous cage.
“You were insistent about learning our location, mi hermosa flor. Now, I believe it’s time to share with you a few details of your new home.” Kostya’s tone was just as seductive as before, only darker, tinged in shades of possession. “I own several thousand acres, of which two sides are surrounded by the glorious sight you see in front of you. While several men have attempted to defy my privacy by scaling the rocky terrain, all have failed.”
He stopped talking, slowly tipping his head in my direction, drinking in my reaction. I sensed his continued amusement at my reaction, a quick glance in his direction confirming what I’d already known. The smile on his face exuded power and control.
“In addition to what you see, the estate and every single mile of my property are protected by dozens of soldiers who are very loyal to me. They ensure that the main house is secure, allowing me not only privacy but at least some comfort in the fact no one will dare fuck with me. Given two attempted breaches in security occurred in a close time frame, additional safekeeping methods were installed, including high caliper electric fences as well as dozens of boobytraps. My men are all military trained sharpshooters with access to dozens of weapons and other equipment such as night vision goggles and tracking systems. In other words, there is no chance of escaping.”
Shivering, I hated my reaction, but the moment was enlightening. I would never leave here alive.
“I wanted to make that perfectly clear to you so you shouldn’t make a single attempt. However, please keep in mind that if you do, the punishment will remain with you for many months to come. That is not something I want. However, do I make myself clear, mi hermosa flor, my beautiful flower?”
His flower. I didn’t want to be his anything ever under any circumstances. I closed my eyes, willing to have my life back, but when I opened them again, the horror of what had occurred had been firmly imbedded in my brain. “Yes.” The sound of my voice was weak, ripped with fear.
“Excellent. Then let’s enjoy the remainder of our ride. There is much to see.”
I felt stiff, my heart racing as we rode for a few minutes along the edge of the cliff before taking a sharp turn toward another set of trees. A lump had formed in my throat, my mind fuzzy from fear and rage.
“You’re far too quiet. I’m certain you have additional questions.” He was so cavalier, completely comfortable in keeping me terrified. And I loathed what the sound of his voice continued to do to me. Still, I was determined to remain quiet. “Oh, come now. If we want to get along, I think it’s important that we are able to talk.”
My thoughts had drifted to my mother. She was in danger. While my father had tried to convince her to move out of New York, she’d refused, only changing her name after he’d begged. That had been one month before he’d been killed. Murdered. Just like Eddie. Why did I feel there was a connection of some kind? What I couldn’t do was tell Kostya of her existence. Then again, had he been able to find out who she was? Oh, God. With the merciless killer, anything was possible. My mind was still processing the events of the last forty-eight hours, the fear remaining like claws wrapped around my throat. And this bastard wanted to talk like this was normal? Fuck him.
“I don’t want to talk to you!” I snapped, sucking in my breath. “You must be crazy. You abducted me, brought to God knows where, make certain I knew that if I dared try and get my life back then you’d punish me. Then you terrify me with the fact your soldiers will be happy to shoot me if I dare try and escape. Why in God’s name would I ever consider having a conversation with a murderer?”
The brooding man remained silent, but his anger oozed from his muscular body, the heat he resonated electrifying the air around us. He slowly turned his head, his dark eyes obsidian black, piercing to the point I sensed not only had he undressed me, but he’d tethered me to his bed, my wrists twisted in several feet of rope. “You will learn, my beautiful flower, that there are worse things in life than being in my possession. I only hope that when you do, the circumstances won’t prevent me from coming to your rescue.”
