Stephan

by S F Draven

  “That sounds good. Let’s go get my keys to the gallery because depending on how that goes, there is a chance I might be needing them. Will someone be staying behind to watch over Natalia?” she asked, and I nodded.

  “Eduard and Feliks are both going to be here, so that leaves some room for me to be able to show you the ropes, though I think it’s best that we keep this little arrangement of ours a secret. The last thing they need is someone getting in the way of their income. For now, you and I will do this on our own, and once you’ve garnered enough skill, then we can decide if it’s a good idea to tell them or not.”

  “Alright, I won’t say a word,” she said, pretending to zip her lips with her pinched fingers.

  “Let’s go.”

  I can’t believe that I’m going to go through with this. After everything I’ve learned over the years, this is the one thing that we’re taught not to do. We don’t train new criminals, especially not ones that aren’t sure whether they want to be criminals or not.

  The whole operation is rather ridiculous, but I’m going along with it because it’s what Annika wants. I’d also be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about her capabilities, about what she’s able to grasp in all of this, because now that I’ve started to develop feelings for her, the decision she makes about the rest of her life will determine if we even have a future together at all. I just hope that Eduard and Feliks don’t find out about this right now.

  I drove Annika down to her realtor’s office, pulled up at the front of the building, and was about to ask her if she wanted me to come in, but she was already opening up the passenger door.

  “I’ll only be five minutes,” she said, and I nodded. I shifted in my seat, feeling the gun in the holster to the back of my pants pressing into my back, while I searched around in the backseat for a secondary weapon.

  If she’s going to learn anything today, she needs to know how to operate a gun. It’s going to be her saving grace if she ever gets herself in too much trouble.

  I found a small handgun tucked into the duffle bag on the floor of the backseat. I sat there for a moment, sticking the gun in the glove compartment for easier access when she returned, while I started thinking about how this was all going to go down.

  I worried that she was in a little over her head, but she wholeheartedly felt like this was a part of her that she had to explore, so I promised myself to do what I could to make it easier on her.

  I couldn’t help but think about what she was going to be like after all of it, because I knew how difficult it was to get accustomed to the ways of criminal life when you’re just starting out. She could be caught in a whirlwind of emotions, not knowing what to do if she ever had to pull the trigger on someone.

  I felt it in my gut that she was going to be just fine, that she may even enjoy this life and choose it for her own.

  If she turns out to be a good fit for crime, it will certainly make our relationship a lot more interesting, if I could even call it that.

  I still had no idea how she felt about me, or if she was even thinking about me at all. Her life was changing so rapidly in a matter of days, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she would eventually reach her limit, begging to return to something that felt normal.

  I remembered that feeling quite well when I was younger, but I abandoned it the minute I realized that I was capable of doing so much more.

  She came back a few moments later with a small yellow envelope in her hand, taking a deep breath while she shut the door, mentally preparing for what we were about to do next.

  Her father never thought about showing her how things are done, and I wonder why that is. It could be because he wanted a better life for her, but even so, it didn’t make sense that a woman living under her father’s roof, knowing what criminal activity he gets up to, doesn’t know how to wield a weapon. Well, she’s about to find out soon if this is what she really wants.

  “Where to now?” she asked, and I could’ve sworn her eyes lit up ever so slightly, as though she was a bit excited for what was to come.

  “I’m going to take you out to the woods, and show you how to shoot a gun, because I’m not taking you anywhere near a job until I’m sure you can shoot your way out if you need to,” I explained, and she nodded, taking in every bit of information I gave her next, while we drove out to the middle of nowhere.

  We were surrounded by large cedar trees, the sweet scent of grass and untouched forest hit the both of us when we finally got out of the car, beginning our walk. Annika struggled to keep up in her strappy sandals, putting on a brave face even though I could tell that she was absolutely terrified. It was nice to see her take such an initiative to find herself because if I had half the determination she had, I’d probably be a completely different man.

  “How far are we going?” she asked.

  “Not too far, I just want to get you away from the street so no one can hear our gunshots. The last thing we need is to alert someone to our little training session,” I said, and she nodded.

  She clutched the ends of her black leather jacket, pulling her red tresses up into a high ponytail so she could focus on what she was about to do. We stopped about a mile into the forest. Letting her get a feel for our surroundings, I asked her if she noticed anything strange.

  “What exactly am I looking for?” she asked, confused.

  “I want you to listen closely, listen for the rustling of rabbits or squirrels, how the leaves crunch beneath your shoes. I need you to be aware of everything because while we’ll only be firing off at tree branches, you’re going to have to envision someone else at the end of the barrel. I know you probably haven’t given much thought to what it would be like to kill someone, but if you’re going to test out the waters of what it’s like to be a criminal, that’s, unfortunately, part of your new normal,” I said, and she nodded, gulping while I retrieved my gun, watching as she staggered back for a moment to see it in my hand.

  “You also shouldn’t have that reaction to a gun, either. Every criminal you’re going to come into contact with can smell fear, and they’re going to use that to their advantage if you’re not careful. That is the last thing that you want,” I explained.

  “It’s going to take a little getting used to, I suppose. I still have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m here to learn,” she said, and I could practically hear the inner monologue happening in her mind, while she tried to convince herself that she was capable of seeing this through.

  “Just breathe, Annika. You can do this.”

  Chapter Eight: Annika

  What am I even doing here? Is this what I really want to be doing for the rest of my life? The intrigue of it all has gotten me this far, and I have to admit that there’s a part of me that longs for adventure, but I’m not sure this is exactly what I had in mind. I won’t know if it’s something I want unless I give it my best shot, because while I still have a lot to learn, I have a gut feeling that this is where I’m supposed to be.

  I can’t ignore that I’ve begun to want more out of life, that I’ve dwelled on the possibility that this could be what I was meant to do all along, and I still wonder what my family is going to say about it. I’m starting to think my excitement is overriding my fear, and that this could be the opportunity I’ve been waiting for to finally come into my own.

  I looked back at Stephan, while he got behind me, outstretching his arms, while his hands rested over mine, feeling the brush of cold metal against his skin. I tried to stay focused, but I couldn’t ignore how good it felt to feel his touch again, even if it was just for a few moments.

  It was right then that I realized a lot of my need to be this way and to understand if this was something I wanted, was because I started to have real feelings for Stephan. There was an undeniable connection between the two of us, and even though I couldn’t explain it, I didn’t want to be without it. It gave me hope, it ignited something within me that I’d never felt before, and I didn’t want to give that up.

  “Yo
u see that branch over there, Annika? I want you to shoot it off. One clear shot and it will come tumbling down,” he whispered into my ear, and I nodded, taking a deep breath before I pulled the trigger back, watching the branch come clean off, falling to the ground. I was so happy that I nearly pulled the trigger again, and he held it steady, smiling back at me, like the proud mentor he was.

  “Let’s not get too excited now, I don’t want you to hurt yourself in the process,” he said, brushing the little strands of hair out of my eyes, while I got ready to do it again.

  “I have to say, you have a clean shot, Novikova. Though, when the time comes, your targets are rarely ever going to be standing still. I need you to remember that,” he said, and I agreed.

  My heart was fluttering, but at the same time, I was filled with the kind of adrenaline that came with wielding so much power with a single weapon.

  I wasn’t sure if I was ready to put it to use, but Stephan didn’t seem to back down from my urge to keep going, and try my hand at being useful during a job.

  He decided to take me with him to a bad part of town, hijack a car that he could sell to make some quick cash, without his buddies at home catching wind of any of it. It was a small step, but I was finally ready to see where it would lead.

  We were both sitting low in our seats, scoping out the area for any vehicles that would make a profit. I didn’t know what to look for, but I sat there, following Stephan’s gaze, observing his every move.

  “There are a lot of people around here that have expensive cars, which are usually stolen, so we’re going to go ahead and steal them back,” Stephan explained, as a shiny red car approached, parking a bit away from us.

  I saw four hulking men get out, heading into the small walk-up of the house, shutting the door behind them, but the window was clearly open. Any move that we made near that car, they’d be able to spot, so I had no idea how Stephan planned on getting us both anywhere near there.

  “That’s the car you want to steal? You do see that they have a close eye on it, right? Can you even hot-wire it fast enough?” I asked, feeling rather stupid for asking so many questions, and I had to remind myself that he’s probably done this sort of thing countless times before.

  “It will be cutting it close, but you’re going to have to trust me. Remember, I taught you how to point and shoot, so if the situation calls for it, go right ahead,” he said, and I stared back at them blankly.

  “You don’t have to kill anyone, just make sure that they won’t be able to keep up with us,” he said.

  “Okay, got it. So, when are we going to…”

  “Now, let’s go.” He waved at me to get out of the car, then we made our way down the sidewalk, running up to the car, and I held the gun Stephan gave me close to my chest.

  You can do this, Annika. You can do this.

  All seemed to be going well as Stephan broke the glass window of the driver’s seat, unlocked it and slipped inside while he opened up the passenger door for me. One of the men inside the house peered out of the window with a beer in one hand, and the minute he realized what was happening, he pulled his gun out and began to shoot before I could even get my bearings.

  I took a quick deep breath, getting my gun ready, firing back at him while Stephan tried his best to get the engine running.

  “How much longer?” I asked, screaming and ducking any time I thought a bullet was going to pierce through my skull.

  “Not long. There! Okay, now we’re in business,” he said, starting it up, and he just managed to get us back on the road as the men piled out of the house shooting at us. There were so many bullet holes in the glass, but I reached my hand out of the window, shooting away, hearing one of the men yell in pain before they all disappeared into the distance.

  “I-I think I got one!” I screamed, like a little girl.

  “Yes, you did. Not bad, Annika. I genuinely thought that was going to go down much worse than it did,” he said, chuckling.

  “So, you’re telling me you didn’t have the slightest bit of faith in me?” I asked, teasingly.

  “I hoped for the best, and you exceeded my expectations. How do you feel?”

  “Do you want an honest answer?” I asked, and he shrugged.

  “That depends on what the answer is.”

  “It was exhilarating.” I glanced over at him to see the biggest smile on his face. At that moment, I felt alive. I was overcome with excitement, like a child that had just enjoyed their first roller coaster ride. I wanted to do it all over again, but I had a feeling that it was best to quit while I was ahead.

  “So, what happens now?” I asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “How does the car get repaired and sold, or who takes it off your hands?”

  “I have collected a few contacts over the years to help me with this sort of thing. I’m going to give one of them a call on the way, and we’re going to take this hunk of metal over to him. He usually pays upfront,” said Stephan.

  “I see.” I sunk back in my seat while Stephan drove us to a little old, rundown garage, where he nudged me to get out of the car.

  “What’s this, Volkov? I didn’t think you’d be coming by today.” A man in a sweat-stained wife-beater with a handkerchief in his hand walked towards us, wiping away what appeared to be oil.

  “A little quick drop-off on the way home, I suppose. Let’s just say I had to make a bit of a demonstration,” he replied, embracing the man while I stood back there watching.

  “Al, I’d like to introduce you to Annika. She’s a bit new, still trying to get a feel for things, but after her little stunt today, I think we can expect that she’s going to outshine us all,” said Stephan, praising my performance, while I blushed.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Annika,” he said, smiling at me, while Stephan indicated for me to wait while the two of them discussed payment. I watched Al head back into the garage for a moment, coming back out with the biggest wad of cash I’d ever seen in my life. He handed it over to Stephan, bidding him goodbye, while he waved at me, before getting into the driver’s seat of the car.

  “How exactly are we getting home?” I asked, realizing that our only ride was a fair way back.

  “We’ll walk until we can take a cab back to where we left my car, and we’ll head home from there. Here,” he said, handing me an exact half of the cash in his hands.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “This is your cut. You did great work, Annika. I’m impressed, and that work deserves to be rewarded,” he said, and I smiled. I couldn’t believe how good I felt at that moment. It was probably the best I’d felt in years, like I was actually wanted, like I was accomplishing things on my own for once.

  It was the wake-up call I needed to prove that I may have been a good fit for such a life after all, and though I knew this was probably just beginner’s luck, I was really starting to enjoy where I was. I didn’t think I'd ever seen Stephan more content than he was after that job, and once we finally made it back safely into his car, he turned to me, lifting my chin to him, while I felt his lips press into mine.

  It sent shockwaves through me much like it did the first time he did it, and I didn’t know if it was because I’d felt such adrenaline coursing through me, or if it was because I had been falling for him hard, but I wanted him to touch me again. I wanted him to take me right there, in the backseat of his car, before we had to get back to reality, keeping all of what we did tonight a secret.

  I’ll be ready for that. There’s just something I have to do first.

  I looked deep into his eyes. I wanted him, and at that moment, it was clear that he wanted me too. Nothing else mattered, and we drove back off into the woods.

  Getting into the backseat together, the tension was high between us, and he stripped me out of my jacket and t-shirt, taking off my jeans until I was sitting next to him in just my bra and panties.

  He leaned in to kiss me, and I melted under him, feeling the heat of his skin brush
against mine.

  “You were so hot tonight out there, you know? I don’t think anyone has ever surprised me the way you did. I really enjoyed it,” he whispered in my ear, and I bit my lip.

  “Well, there’s a lot more where that came from,” I said, and this gave him all the encouragement he needed. I could see the glimmer in his eye, a reflection of the streetlight behind me, while I caressed his cheek, feeling his prickly stubble underneath my fingers.

  He slipped out of his pants, and both of our clothes laid in a pile on the floor, while he stared back at me, his hands touching every inch of my skin, pulling me onto his lap. My hands reached down his chest, all the way to the outline of his boner. I felt his rock solid dick, protruding through his boxers, feeling him slip them down to expose his beautiful length.

  I wanted to get down, so I could take it between my lips, but he had other plans for me. He grabbed his dick at the base, rubbing it playfully along the thin fabric of my lacy panties. He pulled them aside to reveal just how wet I was. I felt his tip rub up against my clit, and I let out a light moan, while his free hand grabbed my tit out of my bra, so he could bite down on my nipple.

  I felt the pleasure course through me, anticipating what he planned to do next, as I felt his dick slide inside me, feeling its hard, pulsating length moving in and out, looking him deep in the eyes while I gyrated. I put a hand on either one of his shoulders for support while I bounced my ass on his perfect dick, feeling him bite down playfully on my lower lip, while the car started to heat up around us. He moved his hands down to my waist, slamming me down harder over his dick, and I couldn’t help but moan. It felt incredible, and I didn’t think anyone could ever make me feel the way he did.

  With every thrust, I felt him hit the right spot, making me throw my head back while he tugged my hair, holding me steady while he rammed me so hard, and so fast I came. I felt the wetness between my thighs, my swollen, sensitive clit pulsating while I reached down to rub it again.