Andrei: A Dark Mafia Romance (Dark Mafia Kingpins Book 1)

by Naomi West

  I punched in the combination and swung open the door. Inside was the family fortune—every last penny of it. This was the foundation for our future and the lives we hoped to lead.

  “Anything else, capo?”

  “That’s all. I am sure that you are eager to return to your woman.”

  I nodded in acknowledgment before heading for the door. I was just about to cross the threshold when Yuri cleared his throat.

  “Yes?”

  “Do bring her around when you get the chance. I’d love to meet her.” His eyes were distant.

  We had never kept secrets from one another. Yuri knew I was lying. Did he consider this a form of betrayal? Probably. And if I realized that, then why didn’t it bother me? Yuri was the closest thing I had to a brother, and yet I was pushing him aside for the company of a woman I had fucked a half dozen times.

  It just didn’t make any sense. But that was just the effect she had on me.

  “I will,” I said before finally making my getaway. I didn’t want to leave Cora in the car any longer than I needed to.

  I was slightly surprised to find her exactly where I had left her. Even her expression had failed to change. It was like she had been frozen in place. I opened up the passenger side door and tried to help her out of her seat, but she did not move.

  “Come on, Cora. My apartment is inside the hotel. There, you’ll be able to clean up properly and eat something decent. I bet that sounds good, doesn’t it?” My words, however, did not entice her. She stared right past me like I failed to exist. “Cora?”

  Her vacantness was familiar. I had seen it on the faces of our youngest members. It always came after their first shoot-out—or the first time they were ordered to bury a body.

  Shell-shock.

  “Cora, there’s nothing for you to be afraid of now. Lorenzo will never lay another finger on you. I promise.”

  She blinked, and her features sharpened. “Why?”

  “Why what?” I squatted against the side of the car, so we were at eye level with one another.

  “Why did you do that? Lorenzo could have fucking raped me.” Without warning, she slapped my right cheek. It wasn’t all that hard of a hit, but it still left its mark. “Do whatever the fuck you want with her?” She spat my words right back at my face.

  “It’s not what you think,” I told her with the utmost calmness. “Lorenzo is a slippery motherfucker who likes to play games.”

  “Games?” she exclaimed. “Is that what you call it when my life hangs in the balance? Is that all I am? A toy to be played with?” Her chest heaved.

  “Cora,” I said, trying to ground her in the present.

  She blinked rapidly in an attempt to keep away her tears, but they rolled down her cheeks all the same.

  I reached out my hand to wipe them away, but she recoiled like I was some kind of venomous viper about to strike out at her.

  “Easy,” I whispered. “I’m not going to hurt you.” With a bit of coaxing, she finally allowed me to touch her. My thumb slid across her skin. “Now, I don’t want to see you cry.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “Why would I want to see such a beautiful girl cry?”

  “No, not about that. About what happened—about telling Lorenzo that he could do whatever the fuck he wanted—that you didn’t care.”

  I sighed. “It was just something I said. That’s it.”

  “No…”

  I cupped both her cheeks in my hands. “I swear. Lorenzo wanted a reaction out of me. He wanted to prove that he could control me by controlling you. And had I given him the reaction he was looking for, he wouldn’t have stopped the way he had. He would have gone all the way just to see me blow my top.” I pressed my forehead against hers. “Trust me, I hated myself for it, and it killed me to see him even lay a single finger on your body, but it was either that or have the guy pound you outright. I did the best that I could to limit any collateral damage.”

  She searched my eyes, but despite my words, I feared she had to believe me. She would prove a difficult nut to crack.

  “Come, we can discuss this further once you’ve taken a hot shower, and you’ve eaten something.”

  She gnawed her bottom lip.

  “I’ll carry you if you leave me no choice.”

  “I can walk on my own,” she finally said.

  38

  My head felt like it was about to explode. I had so much information to process from the near-rape experience to Andrei’s words of reassurance. How was I supposed to believe a man that had picked at his nails uninterestedly while another threatened to bury his cock between my legs? Apparently, doing nothing was the best course of action.

  Bullshit.

  We entered a small elevator and rode to the second floor from the top. His proximity was hard to ignore. First of all, there was his scent. It was thick in the air. I couldn’t help but breathe him in. And that smell was potent. My thoughts became all foggy and hard to decipher from one another.

  “Cora?”

  Without realizing, I had leaned myself against the wall. He grabbed me by the arm. As always, a current of electricity flowed between our skin. It wasn’t quite as strong as it usually was, but I still felt it. Goose bumps followed, decorating every inch of my arm. Then came the blossoming inside my chest. My heartbeat quickened in response.

  “Are you alright?” His husky voice echoed against my eardrums.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  How can you still feel this level of attraction to a man that might very well kill you? Or worse, he’ll give you up to anyone who needs a body to fuck because he just doesn’t care, chimed that voice in the back of my head. He isn’t any different. He’s cut from the same cloth.

  He took a step forward, and suddenly we stood chest to chest. I had to tilt my head back to look him in the eye. I felt so small and vulnerable by comparison. I had no doubt that this guy could break me like a twig if he wanted to. And what was there to stop him? Human decency? I was starting to think that these men didn’t have a compassionate bone in their bodies.

  Ding!

  The elevator doors opened, and I was glad for the burst of fresh air. I gulped it down, and it helped to clear my head a little.

  “Are you—”

  Before he could finish asking his question, the doors, open for too long, began to close. Andrei stuck out his foot to prevent that from happening. He then held his hand against the side of the elevator and waited for me to pass into the hallway.

  With his hand on the small of my back, we headed for the dark-colored door with a golden number ‘9’ posted in the middle of it.

  “Home sweet home,” he said as he slid the key into place and turned it.

  The door swung back, revealing a beautiful honeymoon suite. It was luxurious and grand, crisp and clean. It was nothing at all like the warehouse. Most of the furniture was white, with plush carpet. This was the kind of place you dreamed about renting for an oh-so-very-special occasion, and yet, he lived here daily.

  “Make yourself at home.”

  I wobbled forward, the heels I wore making it difficult to walk over the carpet. Plus, it didn’t help that my legs felt like jelly. All I really wanted to do was fall into a comfortable bed and sleep my life away.

  “The bathroom is right through here.” He gestured towards a door. “And I’ve taken the liberty of ordering some clean clothes for you to wear—just pajamas for now, but I’m sure you’ll be happy to know I’ve thrown in some panties.”

  He smiled to apparently try and lighten the mood, but I wasn’t feeling it. This just seemed like another aspect of control. Would I never be able to choose my own clothing again?

  “Anyway, you’ll find everything you need in there, and if you can’t find something, just give me a shout.”

  I nodded and shuffled towards the bathroom. Once inside, I locked the door. Immediately, my eyes settled on the window. I rose on my tippy toes and looked out. I had a perfect view of the West Side. Jen
ny had warned me away from that particular part of town because it was overrun by thugs and other lowlife criminals. I guess she was right.

  Stretching a bit more, I was able to see the building’s landscape. It was overrun and full of trash. Even the siding was chipped and rotting. Then there was yellow caution tape flapping in the wind.

  Are we inside a condemned hotel?

  I shook my head and tried to rake my fingers through my hair, but I didn’t get much further than the middle of my head. Most of my locks were matted and in need of a good wash. So, I undressed. Before stepping into the shower, I looked at myself in the mirror.

  “God, I look like shit…” I whispered aloud.

  My face was sunken, and my eyes wide. Parts of my body were bruised and battered. A layer of flitch covered my skin.

  Unable to stand my reflection any longer, I turned away and stood underneath a stream of hot water. I moaned. Nothing—and I mean nothing—had ever felt so good. The dorm back at the warehouse only offered cold sludge for water. This was a luxury I thought I never would get to enjoy again.

  I leaned against the stone wall as the water rolled over my body, and steam filled the room.

  What happens now? Andrei has you all to himself. He bought you just like Nadia’s man bought her. Will you end up with a similar fate or is Andrei truly different?

  I didn’t move for a long time. Recent events kept playing out in my head like silent films. I truly wanted to believe that Andrei had nothing but my best interests at heart, but I just couldn’t get Nadia’s story out of my brain. She was dead in a ditch somewhere because she had chosen to believe that her buyer was the lesser of two evils.

  Robotically, I grabbed for the shampoo and lathered it through my hair. Then came the body wash. I scrubbed myself thoroughly, trying to rinse off Lorenzo’s vile touch. I squeezed my eyes shut. I could almost feel him pounding into my hips, trying to rape me while Andrei stood back and did nothing.

  Bile rose from the back of my throat, but I swallowed it back. Instead, I focused on getting myself clean and nothing else. Once I was done, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped myself in a big, thick towel.

  “Mmm,” I moaned.

  Back at the dorm, our towels were nothing more than sandpaper. This was a Godsend as far as I was concerned. I stayed cocooned for a moment and considered the possibility of staying wrapped up in the safety of the towel for the rest of my life. But no, I couldn’t do that. I needed to face Andrei sooner rather than later. I had to gauge whether he was the kind of man that would throw me away with yesterday’s garbage or whether the passion I sometimes saw in his face was truly directed at me and the time we shared together.

  So, I dropped the towel and grabbed the pajamas waiting for me on the sink. They were expensive looking and extremely soft to the touch. Underneath them were cotton boy shorts and wool socks. Nothing about this outfit was ‘sexual’. It seemed that Andrei’s sole concern was making me comfortable. Or was this all just a trick?

  I bit my bottom lip. Deep breath, Cora. One step at a time.

  I did as my subconscious told me and filled my lungs with much-needed air. Once my nerves were settled, I eased on the panties. They were exactly my size. Then came the pajamas, and finally, the wool socks. I felt nice and cozy.

  Dressed, I approached the door. I hesitated to grab the handle. My heart was beating fast. I had no idea what to expect. What would Andrei do with me now? If I asked him to, would he let me go home?

  And then there was the favor I still had to ask of him—to save Alice and Martina.

  I steeled myself against the fears that threatened to overwhelm me and opened the door. As soon as I did, I was greeted by the smell of home cooking. The flavors were sweet with just a little bit of spice. Unable to help myself, I followed my nose into the kitchen and found Andrei slaving away at the stove.

  He knows how to cook?

  For some reason, I had assumed he had a personal maid or something.

  “How was your shower?”

  “F-Fine…” I stuttered once I saw the butcher knife in his hand. A cold sweat washed over my body.

  “Must feel good.”

  “Yeah…” I kept myself half hidden behind the island. At least if he lost his temper, I could duck behind it.

  “I hope you like short ribs and mashed potatoes.”

  He looked over his shoulder, waiting for me to answer. “Um… yeah, that’s fine.”

  His eyes narrowed.

  Could he sense that I was on edge?

  He continued to study my face for a moment like he was searching for something. My cheeks grew hot underneath his scrutiny.

  “Why don’t you take a seat? Food should be done in a minute.”

  “Right…” I clambered onto a nearby seat, watching him like a hawk.

  This was the first time I had ever interacted with him outside the bedroom, and honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. In the bedroom, he was easy to please. All I had to do was obey his commands and offer up my body. Here, things were different. What happened if I didn’t like his food? Would he slap me and tell me to eat it anyway?

  Would Andrei really do that? I asked myself.

  He had never been violent with me. Rough, yes, but never explicitly to hurt me or make me suffer. It was always something that added to our pleasure.

  My stomach churned. I was hungry, but I wasn’t sure whether I could hold down a meal.

  “Here you are.” He slid a plate in front of me. “And if you don’t like it, just let me know, and I’ll make you something else.” His voice was as smooth as honey.

  I wanted to believe that all this was genuine behavior—that he truly cared about me—but Nadia kept popping up over and over again to remind me that, really, I didn’t know this guy at all.

  What’s worse? The devil you know or the devil you don’t?

  I barely touched my food, but those few bites were absolutely delicious. If anything, Andrei was a good cook.

  Andrei removed the meat from the bone and cut up everything into bite-sized pieces. Would he do the same to me if I ever pissed him off? Or would he dispose of me in some other way?

  39

  There was something off about Cora. Her face was a sickly sort of pale and she wasn’t eating all that much, even though I knew she was probably ravaged with hunger. I didn’t think that Lorenzo fed his girls all that well. Cora was definitely thinner now than she was when I first laid eyes on her. She was still curvy, yes, but her face especially looked like it had been hollowed out by her stay at the warehouse.

  “If you want me to cook you something else, there’s plenty to choose from. Chicken. Soup. Cereal. Bread.”

  “No, no, this is fine.” She picked up a bit of mashed potato with the end of her fork and brought it to her lips. It looked like she was going to hurl.

  I shook my head and put down my utensils. “You keep saying that, but I don’t believe it for a minute. You can tell me what’s bother you. I’m not going to punish you for speaking your mind.”

  She looked down.

  In an instant, I was by her side, cheek cupped against my hand. I thought she’d pulled back, but instead, she leaned into my palm, eyes wide and doe-like.

  “Tell me,” I demanded in a voice that was much sharper than I’d intended it to be.

  “I’m just… worried…”

  “About Lorenzo?” I guessed. “Because you don’t have to worry about the man ever again. So long as we’re together, he’ll never hurt you again.”

  She shook her head. “About you.”

  Her words hit me like a slap to the face. I furrowed my brows, trying to figure out what she meant. “Me?”

  She nodded slowly. “I’m scared…” She gulped and tugged at the hem of her shirt. Her eyes were rimmed with water. I was almost certain she would burst into tears, but she held them back.

  “Cora, you have nothing to be afraid about. I am not going to hurt you.”

  “I don’t know that… you cou
ld be lying to me.”

  “Have I ever hurt you before?”

  “No…”

  “Then, there you go.”

  “But I don’t really know you. We’ve fucked a few times, but that’s about it. I don’t know whether you’re a different man or if you’re the same breed—”

  “Don’t you dare compare me to Lorenzo. I am nothing like that man.”

  She shivered. It was then that I realized that I had my hands around her arms and was holding her a little too tightly.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled as I took a step back. “But you never seemed scared of me before. Did I do something to make you feel this way?”

  She rubbed her palms against her pants as if they were sweaty. “Not exactly.” She turned her head towards the windows, and that seemed to help her tell her story. “There used to be a fourth girl that belonged to Lorenzo. She was close to Alice—”

  “The skinny one?”

  “Yes.” She ran her tongue along her lips.

  Seeing that she might be thirsty, I walked over to the sink and filled up a glass of water. She took it from me, and our fingertips brushed together. As always, I felt a magnetic draw towards this woman. Even now, that force was present. All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around her and tell her that everything would be okay. But I held back, knowing that it was important for me to hear what she had to say.

  “Go on,” I prompted once she put the glass down on the counter.

  “And someone bought her too.”

  “So, she managed to escape, just like you.”

  “No…” Her eyes were full of sadness. “Her buyer grew tired of her and…” She choked on her words, unable to continue.

  “He killed her?” I guessed at the completion of her sentence.

  “Yes…” she whispered. “He killed her.”

  “And you think that I am going to do the same to you?”

  She did not answer.

  I sighed. I couldn’t blame this girl for feeling vulnerable. After the shit Lorenzo had put her through, I would find it hard to trust someone too.

  Gently, I took her hands and ran my thumb along the back of them. “Cora, I’m not going to kill you. I know my word probably means nothing to you, but I hope that, with time, you will learn to trust and believe in me. I bought you from Lorenzo because I couldn’t stand the way that he treated you. I think you’re a beautiful woman that deserves to be cherished, and that’s what I promise to do if you’d let me.”