Dangerous Addiction: A Dark Bratva Romance, page 9
Shivering, I glanced at the handcuff shackling me to the bed, wiggling it furiously. As the metal snapped against the wood, I resisted a whimper.
Think. Breathe. Control.
I did my best, concentrating on where I’d been taken, the shadows finally fading. From what I could tell, I was in a bedroom inside of a house somewhere. Wait a minute. That didn’t make any sense. Wouldn’t the man who’d ripped me away from my life dump me in a hole somewhere, a cage maybe? Swallowing, I turned my head, studying the limited furnishings. There certainly wasn’t anything special about the room itself or the furnishings. A large bed, a nightstand, and a lamp. There was nothing more. The door was closed, no other sound that I could hear but my ragged breathing.
After taking several deep breaths in order to calm my nerves, I managed to ease into a sitting position, kicking away the covers. My head ached from continuing exhaustion and the fear keeping me on edge. What was mystery man going to do with me?
Ultimately, the answer would mean death. Whether or not he was obsessed with me right now wouldn’t matter for long. Men like him threw women away. I realized the asshole had removed my shoes before putting me to bed. Why bother? Why not just dump me on a mattress?
I yanked at the handcuff, doing little more than chafing my wrist. There was no way to break it free, the post the cuff was attached to made of steel. I was wasting my time. When my eyes fell on the single drawer in the nightstand, I bit my lower lip before reaching for the handle. Who knew? Maybe I’d get lucky and there’d be a weapon inside, something I could use against the man. I should have known he’d never be that stupid to leave me with anything remotely dangerous to him. The drawer was completely empty.
A blind covered the two windows, but I could clearly see it was still dark outside. I hadn’t been asleep for very long, just enough to make me groggy.
Slumping forward, I placed my head into my hand, fighting rage and sorrow, anxiety and a bout of oncoming depression. I forced my thoughts to return to Samuel’s attorney and various conversations. There’d been no additional information, just a single business transaction, although he’d left a letter addressed to my mother, which she’d refused to take.
I’d decided to take it with me, determined to read it at a later point. Unfortunately, I had no idea if I’d tossed it during the move or if I’d accidentally left it at my mother’s house. At this point, everything was foggy.
I fell back onto the covers, staring at the ceiling. Answers wouldn’t come easy if at all. The second I closed my eyes, I heard the door being opened and jerked up, my heart racing. When he walked through the door, I was shaken all over again just seeing his hulking frame. As he walked closer, the vibrations I’d felt earlier strummed through me all over again.
He swept his eyes over me before pulling a key as well as the blindfold I’d been forced to wear earlier from his pocket. Every move methodical, he unlocked the single handcuff, leaving the other one locked around the headboard. In an unexpected move, he crouched down in front of me, taking and holding a deep breath. When he expelled the hot air, I looked away.
The bastard grabbed my chin, forcing me to look him in the eyes.
“You have one chance to tell me the truth. I’ll understand if you lied to me before. But you will not lie to me again. Understood?” His gravelly voice sounded more strained than before. With the man being this close, I could see what appeared to be specks of blood on his face. Then I realized he’d changed shirts. He’d been out killing someone else. My stomach churned at the thought.
“What do you want? You won’t even tell me who you are.”
His eyes held the cold, hard stare of a monster, but his expression softened. “Maksim. That’s all you need to know.”
“Well, Maksim. I can’t say I’m happy to meet you.”
He leaned forward, allowing me to catch the scent of peppermint. “Are you a nurse or were you lying to me?”
Why the hell did he want to know? Besides, he should have checked my credentials by now. That meant something had occurred while I was sleeping. My first inclination was to lie to him right now, but I had the distinct feeling he would know. Then what small amount of trust I might gain would be lost, tossed away. “Yes. I’m a trauma nurse. I work in the emergency room most of the time.”
“Are you good?”
“I guess. Why?”
“Then you’re coming with me.” He wasted no additional time placing the mask around my eyes then shoving my tennis shoes onto my feet. “I don’t think I need to remind you of this, but I will. If you try and run away or get anyone’s attention, the kind of punishment you’ll face will be worse than death.”
“Okay. Where are we going?” It felt weird for him to be tying my shoes, the silly action only adding to the jitters coursing up and down my body.
“To save some lives.” He jerked me to my feet, dragging me along behind him.
What? Whoa. This was crazy.
The blindfold blocked out every millimeter of light and as he pulled me down a set of stairs, I tried to remember climbing them. I couldn’t. Had he carried me up to the bedroom?
I could feel a blast of cold air, which meant we were going outside. When he shoved me into a vehicle, I could barely think clearly. As he’d done before, he said nothing as he started the engine, the powerful set of vibrations matching the chattering of my teeth.
“Who am I trying to help?” I asked, unable to stand the silence.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Obviously, it does to you. Is there any medical equipment wherever we’re going, a first aid kit? Something?” He seemed thrown by my question, the sound of his breathing changing.
“I’ll make certain you have what you need.”
Huffing, I fought every urge to rip off the mask. “Listen to me, Maksim. From the look on your face earlier, I could tell that whatever happened troubled the hell out of you. If this isn’t a basic cut or light burn, then you’re going to need to tell me what I’ll be dealing with.”
He exhaled.
Was he kidding me? I wasn’t a miracle worker. I turned toward him, fisting my hand, furious I couldn’t look the asshole in the eyes. “Goddamn it. I can’t help you if I’m not given the right information. I’m not God.”
“Gunshots. Multiple gunshots.”
Fuck.
I took several deep breaths, furious with him, angry with myself. “These people need a hospital.”
“That’s not possible.”
“What is wrong with you? You’re trying to save them, yet you won’t take them to the one place that can help?”
Another moment of silence kicked in.
“My men were attacked inside one of the family businesses.”
The family. I doubted he was talking about his brothers and sisters. Mafia. Of course. With a Russian name and accent, he was Bratva. I’d read enough, seen enough on television over the years. “How severe are the injuries?”
“Two are minor, shoulder wounds but both have bullets lodged. Another with a leg injury. The fourth has lost a significant amount of blood, although I managed to get it stopped before I left, the tourniquet stopping the flow. His heart rate was elevated and he was in a significant amount of pain, but he was completely conscious before I left.”
“It sounds like you know something about medicine. If you do, then you understand the important of having the right supplies. Clean towels and bandages, sterile knives and antiseptic. Painkillers would be preferable but aspirin. Anything.”
He snorted. “Yes, I know more than I give a shit about. It was shoved down my throat for two years.”
My God. The man was more complicated than I’d realized.
“You studied medicine. Didn’t you?”
“How astute of you, Walker. It no longer matters.”
“From lifesaver to murderer. I bet your parents are proud of you.” I couldn’t help myself, the words tumbling out of my mouth before I could stop them.
When he snapped his hand around my thigh, I knew just how angry I’d made him.
“I will stop at a drugstore where you will get everything you need, but you need to make it quick and stay quiet. Do. You. Understand?”
“Yes. Of course.” I could tell by the difference in his voice to shut the hell up. I’d seen the outline of his gun when he’d walked into the room. I also knew exactly what he was capable of. I took several deep breaths, concentrating on any sounds around me. “Depending on how much blood this man has lost then he might need a transfusion. I doubt you’ll know his blood type.”
“He was conscious when I left, Walker. However, I’m his blood type. I’m a universal donor.”
I wasn’t certain if he was trying to impress me by offering to roll up his sleeve. It honestly made me even sicker to my stomach.
Only minutes later, I could tell we were slowing down. Then he made a turn. After he cut the engine, I felt his presence drawing closer and held my breath. He untied the blindfold, giving me a stern look before climbing out. After blinking several times so I could focus once again, I glanced up and down the street perpendicular to where he’d parked. He’d stopped at a Walgreens store in a neighborhood I certainly didn’t recognize. Thank God it was open twenty-four hours.
He kept his hand on the small of my back as I grabbed a basket, moving past the only person I noticed inside. While the woman eyed us carefully, I had a feeling she’d do so for anyone walking in this time of night. I remained quiet as I headed for the medical supplies, tossing everything I could think of into the basket. With the way he’d described the injuries, the men have a fighting chance, but I wouldn’t have another opportunity to get what I needed. I still felt sick inside, but not being tied like an animal was giving me a sense of purpose. Plus, maybe I’d learn more about my captor.
“The syringes are too small to be effective.”
“What about the pharmacist?” he asked.
“That will draw attention and we don’t have a prescription. You better hope your man did stop bleeding.”
He gave me a strange look, as if he realized another person connected to him could die because of the business he was in, although what the hell did I know?
As we walked to the register, I could tell he was concentrating on the front window, staring out at the street.
“That’ll be two hundred seventy-two dollars and fifteen cents,” the woman said.
As usual, he remained quiet, yanking out his wallet and tossing his credit card. What he didn’t know was that I had better than twenty-twenty eyesight. Before the woman was able to pick up the platinum card, I was able to read his full name.
Maksim Calderon.
The name sounded vaguely familiar, but I had no idea from where.
He continued to stare outside, forcing my gaze to follow. There was a vehicle on the main road, literally crawling by the front of the drugstore. When he moved in front of me to sign the receipt, I sensed he was attempting to protect me. The dichotomy of this man was far too confusing.
As we moved toward the door, he hesitated, leaning over and whispering in my ear since the store clerk was likely watching. “Be a good girl and climb into the vehicle without wasting any time. Then crouch down. Do you understand?”
“Yes, of course I do.” I did what he asked, unable to take my eyes off the road. As soon as Maksim stepped off the sidewalk, the car sped away. When he climbed inside, he pulled his weapon into his lap.
“We might have company,” he said gruffly. “And not the kind that’s going to save you, Walker. The kind that will eat you alive.”
“What’s going on?”
“Business.” He sped out of the parking lot, driving more erratically than he had before, slowing only after he’d checked the rearview mirror several times. Then he drifted into the quiet mode from before, saying nothing as he drove onto the interstate.
“You can sit up now,” he instructed, growling under his breath.
I slipped onto the seat, able to tell how tense he remained. Whatever had happened kept him on edge.
Ten minutes later, I knew exactly where we were going. A casino. I could see it in the distance, the bright neon lights lighting up the sky even as the morning light began lifting over the horizon. I’d never been, but I’d heard about it from other nurses at the hospital.
The Diamond Club was swanky, expensive, and star studded.
It was also owned by the Novikov crime syndicate. I should have put two and two together except that Jack Springer wasn’t in the mob.
Or was he?
Was the building a front, owned by Ivan Novikov?
I shrank against the seat, my throat starting to close.
He drove around back to a private parking area, only waiting a few seconds to allow me to grab the two bags of medical items before pushing me toward a huge steel door. Once inside, I realized it was the service entrance. He moved through the brightly lit area, obviously knowing the place inside and out.
There were dozens of people from various jobs moving from one room to another, the scent of food filling the airspace. He continued walking, turning corners as he headed for whatever our destination was inside the massive facility. Had his men really been shot inside? Weren’t gangland style wars only seen in the movies? But the fact people were still going about their everyday business meant they were either not aware of whatever had gone on or were used to gunfights.
Everyone gave him a nod of respect as the gorgeous man walked me through the kitchen, all taking a moment to stop what they were doing and if I didn’t know any better, they were paying homage to the man. Jesus. Did everyone think he was a damn celebrity? It was almost six in the morning and the casino was still this busy? It was crazy.
I glanced down at my jeans and sneakers, realizing I didn’t fit in with the fancy attire I knew was required. He caught my look and shook his head, pushing his palm against one of the swinging doors and into a hallway. He remained in front of me as he scanned the corridor. What was he looking for?
Whoever had attacked his men, I realized just how angry and unsettled he was when he cursed several times under his breath.
“Do you own this place?” I asked after at least four other employees greeted him warmly.
He didn’t bother answering me as he led me through to a bank of elevators. Then he pushed me against the wall as he pressed the button. “Don’t ask too many questions, Walker. This isn’t a social visit. That’s something for you to keep in mind.”
“I know that better than you do, Maksim. I’m your prisoner. Remember?” I stared at him defiantly, even though I felt even smaller standing in front of him than I had before.
Lifting my chin with a single finger, he stared into my eyes. “I believe you are who you say you are, Walker, but don’t push me. I’m not the kind of man you want to fuck with.”
“If you’re trying to scare me, don’t bother. I’m already so terrified I can no longer feel my legs.” The doors opened and he looked away, but I could tell he remained tense.
“Mr. Calderon,” the two young men exiting the same steel box said, absolute respect in their voices.
“Gentlemen,” Maksim said as he led me inside, backing me into the rear.
He narrowed his eyes, pressing one hand against the elevator wall. For a few seconds, I thought he was going to kiss me, but not like before. I could swear there was a real person behind his stunning blue eyes. He remained hovering over me for a few seconds then pulled away, turning toward the doors.
“Whatever happens, you will not allow my men to die.” His statement was a threat without question.
I closed my eyes, concentrating on how fast my heart was beating, a lump forming in my throat.
“And as I told you, I’m not God. I will do everything in my power to help your men, but I won’t be held responsible for the fact so much time has gone by or that they were gunned down because of the profession they chose.”
“Sometimes, a profession chooses you for reasons you might not be able to understand.”
Why I found his words profound, I would never know. I shook my head, holding my breath when the elevator pinged. He turned his head to glare at me, taking long strides into another corridor, expecting me to follow.
A man approached and I was able to see an outline of his weapon even though he was wearing a suit jacket.
“Everything is under control,” he said as he stared at me, his eyebrows lifting as he eased his slow and steady gaze down the length of me. “Interesting change in the doctor.”
Maksim grabbed me by the arm, leading us down the hall. We were in the hotel portion of the casino, and everything was very quiet, maybe too much so.
“I don’t have time to explain, Brick, but I’ve been assured that Ms. Sutherland can help us. She’s a registered nurse with the local hospital.” Maksim’s answer was clipped, without emotion. “Any trouble?”
“Nothing new,” Brick told him, still giving me quick glances, his expression one of amusement. It was obvious the man didn’t know who I was.
“They’re resting comfortably. No appearances from the police.” Brick moved ahead of us, unlocking one of the doors. “I tried to think of some things that the doctor might need.”
“Is Kane tending to the Saudi prince’s family?” Maksim pushed me inside, anger remaining in his voice.
Saudi prince? I glanced around the room, amazed at just how well some people lived. The expansive room was at least fifteen hundred square feet, the posh surroundings accentuated by a baby grand piano and gorgeous art adorning the walls. There was a significant amount of money to be made in the business of gambling.
“Yeah, he’s trying to. I only hope we don’t have some international incident. At least the prince’s consorts believe he was the target.”
Maksim sighed. “We won’t be able to keep the press away from long.”
