My eyes adjust to the darkness just as she scoots over and lifts the covers. “With me.”
I don’t argue. I don’t ask to make sure it’s what she really wants. All I want is sleep and her, and she’s giving me the chance to have both.
I climb in and lay on my side, fitting her against me. She sighs, her body relaxing against mine in slow degrees, until she’s asleep once more.
Stroking the soft skin of her bare arm, I calculate how much time we have left before Benjamin joins us, and how much time is left on the hit that’s still out on my halfbrother’s life. Despite Viktor’s demise, the financier has not withdrawn his or her request.
When I asked Everly to come with me, to meet my grandfather, I had also told her of a charity event that we would attend, lest she think I was trying to kidnap or murder her.
I grunt at the irony.
The charity event is to take place in two days in Barcelona, and my halfbrother, Sebastian Romanov, is supposed to be there.
Perhaps I should go to warn him. But would he believe me? The few times I’ve met him—and been introduced as his cousin—he was a prick. Then again, he was a teenager, and they’re all pricks.
Everly snuggles into me, her round ass brushing against my dick, and I start to harden.
Brilliant.
Forcing my brain off, I concentrate on the sound of the train, the noise it makes as it skims the rails, the evenness of Everly’s breathing, and the drip drip of the water into our sink.
My lids start to droop. I press my nose into her hair and breathe deeply. The scent of my woman calms and inflames me.
Hell, she calms and inflames me.
Turning slightly, I glance at my mobile and note the time. The train will stop in Paris in a few hours. Time enough for me to sleep.
Once I wake up, I have to decide the best way for Benjamin die, should I find him guilty of betraying me.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE CONFESSION
I am cleaning my gun while thinking of the best way to get Everly safely back to America, when she wakes up. She pushes her hair out of her face and looks at me. “What time is it?”
“Nearly ten am.”
“Are we almost there?”
“Less than an hour. You slept through Paris and all the other stops as well.”
She frowns. “I would have liked to have seen the Eiffel Tower.”
Inspecting the chamber, I say, “Perhaps when this is over.”
“Maybe.” She shrugs, swinging her legs over the mattress and standing up. I try not to stare at the way her breasts strain against the thin material of her shirt as she stretches. I try not to notice that her nipples are hard, or that the panties she’s wearing are barely scraps of lace sewn together.
But she notices me watching and hurries to dress. “I’m hungry.”
“There is breakfast on the table.” I nod at the bag. “Help yourself.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
She stops going through the bag to look at me. “Not just for this, but for saving me. Thank you.”
Uncomfortable with the direction of this conversation, I try to change the subject. “Ben will meet us for lunch at the hotel’s café.”
Walking to me, she squats in front of me. “I mean it, Roman. Thank you.”
Setting the now clean gun beside me, I look her in the eye. “It is hard to be thanked for something that is my fault.”
A tender smile covers her face. She touches my cheek. “You could have left me.”
“I should have left you in Raleigh. The very first day I met you, I should have packed my things and left.”
“But you didn’t. And none of that matters now, because this is where we are—on a train to Barcelona to confront the man who you think has betrayed you.”
“Not just a man, love. Family.” I hang my head in shame.
Everly touches my chin, lifting it. “How can I help make it better?”
“When I give the word, I want you to run like hell for the US Embassy. Tell them you were kidnapped and forced to come there. That you escaped while I was meeting with a client, and you want to go home.”
Bewilderment shines in her eyes. “I don’t understand.”
“What’s going on right now—it’s too dangerous for you. I don’t know if I’ll be able to protect you at all times. I can’t allow you to get hurt again.”
“Then teach me how to protect myself,” she says, surprisingly undeterred by my reasons.
“I don’t have time.”
She kisses my lips. “I’m not asking for you to train me to be an assassin. I’m asking for the basics, like how to load a gun, fire a gun, and aim for the vulnerable spots. I know we don’t have time for major self-defense lessons, but I’m a country girl from Asheville, and I can scream like a banshee if it came down to it.”
I stare at her for a moment. “You make me proud. Any other person in a situation like this, who has endured what you have... they would be in the fetal position on the floor.”
“A country girl can survive,” is all she says, before returning to her meal. “Does it help that I can shoot a rifle? When I was in high school, I won first place in cross-country shooting sports. Hit five targets, dead center while running through the woods.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Immensely. But then, why did you need to take a class with me?”
“I thought you needed it.” She pops a grape into her mouth. “Besides, there’s a big difference between shooting a rifle at a target, and aiming a Glock at someone.”
Her concern for me, like always, is nearly overwhelming. At one point, while we were in Prague, I might have had her love. I guess now, I can settle for her help.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but why the change in attitude?”
Everly levels me with a look. “Either I can continue to be the helpless victim, or I can learn how to fight back. I choose to fight. I choose to live.”
*** *** ***
We take a cab from the train station to Hotel Majestic. It’s situated in the middle of Barcelona, the perfect location to meet someone who might be attempting to kill you. Made of light-colored stone, the seven-story tall building is bustling with activity when we arrive.
After handing over our passports, we are shown to a luxury suit and left alone.
“You sure do know how to travel,” Everly says, peering out the window.
“Normally, I wouldn’t stay here,” I admit.
She glances back at me. “Why not—it’s beautiful.”
“It’s too high profile. People come here to see and be seen.” Not exactly the darkness I need to take out my latest contract.
“Oh.” She walks around the room, taking in everything as her hands roam over the bedcovers. “What time are we meeting Benjamin?”
“At noon, but we need to be already seated.”
Her brow arches. “Home court advantage.”
Now that phrase I know. While living in Raleigh, I became obsessed with their March Madness and support of college basketball teams. Although, my favorite was not mentioned often—the one with the Pirate mascot.
I grin. “Exactly.”
“And you want to sit with your back against the wall.” She walks to me and pushes me down in a high-back chair, then straddles my lap. “That way you can see who’s coming or going.”
“You are a quick learner, Mrs. Smith,” I tease. She frowns a little, so I lean forward to whisper in her ear, “Remember, we are honeymooners in love.”
Her head tilts to one side. “Shouldn’t we be doing more than just pretending we’re honeymooners in love?”
I grab her hips and push up. She moans at the contact and I groan low in my throat. “What did you have in mind?”
Her hands come between us to cup her breasts, teasing me as she pushes them together. “I was thinking of trying out the shower. I always feel so dirty after travelling.”
My hands join hers, my thumbs rubbing over
her nipples and making them hard. “What if I make you dirtier in the shower?”
She lowers her head to mine and sucks on my bottom lip. “Then it’s a good thing we have lots of soap.”
Letting go of her breasts, I grab her hips and lift her as stand. She wraps her legs around my waist, helping me carry her to the bathroom. I nibble on her neck and ear, earning a giggle from her.
“Prepare to get very dirty, love.”
CHAPTER NINE
THE CONFESSION
Ben is already seated by the time we arrive at the café. And chatting up a waitress. The redhead giggles as he pulls out his phone, probably texting her. Sometimes, the boy has the sense of a brick.
I roll my eyes and place my hand on Everly’s lower back. The dress she has on dips low and my palm comes in direct contact with her skin. Skin that only minutes ago, I had the pleasure to kiss, bite, and suck. Wash. We had spent nearly the entire time, before we had to leave, in the large tub, exploring one another as jets sent streams of water everywhere.
Everly had refused to believe that I could hold my breath under the water long enough to make her come with only my tongue, but I had changed her mind.
Repeatedly.
Ben spots us, that goofy grin never leaving his face as he waves us over. The waitress blows him a kiss and saunters off.
“For someone who might be trying to kill us, he looks pretty happy to see us,” Everly points out as we move to the table.
“He’s not the brightest Romanov,” I say, and she snorts.
“It took me forever to teach him how to ride a bike properly.”
“You taught him how to ride?”
“And shave. And tie his shoes. Helpless, that one.” I try to make a joke of it, but I know the truth. Benjamin is like a little brother to me, or even a son.
“That’s sweet. I hope you don’t have to kill him,” Everly says as we reach the table.
I give her a look of admiration. Most perfect woman ever created.
Benjamin stands, greeting Everly first and then me, with a kiss on the cheek. “What took you two so long?”
“I was hungry.”
“Nap.”
He gives us a curious look. “You ate while you were sleeping, or you slept while you ate?”
I wave his question away. “We need to talk.”
His shoulders fall. “I know.” He watches as I take out my gun and hold it under the table. “Put it away, Nikolai. I’ve not betrayed you.”
“That is for me to decide.”
Everly clears her throat and nods to her left, indicating that we are not alone. The server smiles, ready to take our orders. I have no idea what I tell him, because everything inside of me is focused on Benjamin. I might think him stupid and inept, but every dog has its day.
“Vladimir is the one behind the attacks.”
I blink. “He wants me dead?”
Benjamin nods slowly, as if he knows what his confession is doing to me. Though I’m not sure if I know. For years, I felt nothing for the man, but now...
“Why?”
Ben takes a sip of his coffee. “Because you are the natural choice to take over.”
They will come after you first, Kolya. Vladimir had spoken those very words to me. Had I known he meant himself, I would have shot him then and there.
“Who’s Vladimir?” Everly asks, her gaze bouncing between us.
“The most egotistical, selfish man in existence,” Benjamin replies. “And he’s grandfather’s first born.”
Her brow wrinkles as she looks at me. “Who does your Grandfather want to be in charge?”
I know the answer, but I’m afraid by admitting it, that I’ll lose her forever. I’ll never have the pleasure of her company again. Never again be able to hold her hand simply because I feel like doing so.
I give myself a mental shake. No matter what I want, she deserves normality. As soon as possible, I have to find a way to get her inside the American Embassy, or at least the gates.
Benjamin makes a noise, a cross between a snort and a grunt. “Anyone but Vladimir.”
“Working with family is never easy,” she says.
“That’s one way of putting things.”
My cousin grins. “I’m really glad Viktor didn’t kill you.” I smack the back of his head. Wincing, he gives me a look, “Well, I am. I like her.”
“It’s okay, Roman,” Everly says, taking my hand and squeezing it. “I’m really glad I’m alive, too.”
Warmth flows through me at her touch. The softness she brings to my life... I will never be able to repay . “What about the house in Berlin?”
“Vladimir hired Gustav to burn it down. Gustav then hired some local skinheads to help out.”
“No wonder they went down so quickly.” Letting go of her hand, I quickly put my gun away. “Professionals wouldn’t have spent their bullets so quickly.”
Everly grabs a roll and begins to tear at it. “How do you know all this, Benjamin?”
“I hacked into their personal email accounts,” he says with no small amount of pride. “No one in the Bratva trusts him anymore, and there’s a huge lack of trust among the organization as it is.”
“Bratva?”
Looking around, I lean into her. “Mafia. Mob.”
“That’s your family business,” she squeaks.
I’m amused by the horrified expression on her face. “Assassin is okay with you, but not crime lord?”
“Yes. Well, no. “ She looks at me, and then at Ben, before her gaze returns to me. “But you said you only ah... bring the bad guys to justice. Does that mean you’re in the nice mafia?”
Ben laughs so hard that his face turns red and it seems as though everyone in the entire café stops eating to look at him. I rub the bridge of my nose. So much for circumspection. But I have to admit it’s my fault for ordering him to meet us here, instead of the privacy of a hotel room.
“Nice... Jesus. That’s priceless, Ev. Priceless.”
“Her name is Everly. Use it.” Although it is part of mine and Ben’s culture to shorten names of those we know and sometimes hold dear, I do not like it. It is not amusing to see him act so charmingly to her.
Holding up his hands, Ben says, “Yes, sir. Sorry. Everly, that’s damn funny. I’ll have to put it up on my yahoo group’s loop.”
Her roll falls to the table. “There’s a mafia yahoo group?”
Ben winks at her. “There’s a group for everything.”
“Can we stay on topic, please?” Everly and Ben turn their attention to me. “I work for independent financiers eighty percent of the time. The rest is at the request of our family.”
“And those people are bad guys too—the ones you’re asked to punish?”
“Roman is known for his requirements. No one bothers to secure his services otherwise,” Ben interjects. “He’s the one with a conscience. Hell, they call him The Monk for sticking to his vows.”
Stupid nickname. “Don’t call me that.”
“Will you bring Vladimir to justice?” Everly asks softly.
I nod grimly. “He hasn’t earned the right to terminate me.”
CHAPTER TEN
THE CONFESSION
Later that afternoon, Everly and I travel with Benjamin to an estate on the coast, so that she can practice shooting a gun in relative peace. When we pull into the semi-circle of a driveway, the place looks deserted.
“It’s like a fortress,” she gasps, taking in the castle, the sharp cliffs, and the waves crashing in the distance.
“At one time, it was exactly that.” Ben walks with us to the front door and enters a combination onto the keypad.
“Please tell whoever owns this place, thank you for letting us stay,” she says.
He opens the door with a flourish. “You’re welcome.”
“You own this?” I ask, nonplussed.
Instead of answering, Ben wiggles his eyebrows at Everly. “Who’s ready to waste some perfectly good bullets?”
&
nbsp; ***
Watching Everly aim a gun is one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever witnessed. Of course, I want her to be able to protect herself. But to have to resort to this...
Her gun shakes.
I put my arms around her, breathing in her scent as I place my hands over hers to adjust them. “Stand straight. Rest the ducktail along your thumbs. It will give you more control.”
She tilts her head, yellow safety glasses catching the light. “Ducktail?”
“The part that flares out here.” I indicated the spot.
“Oh.” She corrects her stance, and her thumbs slide in closer.
“Are you ready?”
She nods, and I let go. “Take your time.”
Backing up a step, I wait for her to shoot the paper outline of a man. The gun goes off. Once. Twice. Her body jerks with each shot.
Suddenly, she turns, holding out the gun, barrel facing down. “I can’t... it’s too much.”
“It’s not. You can do this,” I insist, taking her by the shoulders and turning her around. “Imagine Viktor standing there, gun aimed at you.”
“He’s dead. Let’ s pretend it’s someone else. What other bad guys are there?”
Nearly a week of running, fighting, and being shot at finally catches up with me. “Pick whoever you want.”
“I was just trying to make it more fun, so I wouldn’t be so scared,” she says meekly. “I want to be brave.”
“I want you at the embassy,” I snap.
Her mouth opens and closes. “I thought we were a team?”
Ben joins us, before I can say something stupid. He takes the gun from Everly and resets the safety. “Why don’t you take a break, and I’ll work with her. I’ve had my nap, my shots, and everything else you’d require in order to be around her.”
I cross my arms and glare at both of them. “I don’t need a break.”
“Yes, you do,” they say simultaneously.
Ben’s smile is kind as he approaches her. “Let’s start at the beginning, yeah? That way, I can correct whatever bad habits Roman has.”
“My Roman doesn’t have bad habits,” she insists, taking the gun from him.
The Confession Page 4
