“It was beneath the sheets,” Roman said. “I took it off you in bed last night, and it got kicked around until it ended up in bed with us.”
“Oh.”
He continued to sit where he was. “What are you up to?”
An unwelcome frisson worked its way down Elena’s spine, but she resisted the urge to frown. She’d told so many lies to make sure that no one knew about what she was doing, but to lie to Roman about something like this after the conclusions she’d come to? It felt wrong. “I need to step out for a little while. After you took such good care of me, I feel better. I’m going to go tend to business with my mother… to make sure that she has a permanent, caring nurse on staff at all times, and access to whatever medicines she needs. I have a feeling that my father has paid off the facility to make sure she receives minimal, unsatisfactory care. There’s no reason she should be in such a state.”
Roman offered her a smile. “You know, Viktor hasn’t gotten in touch with me yet today. There may not be any business I have to attend to. I could escort you, if you want.”
“Oh, no, thank you.” Elena returned his smile. It was earnest. Roman’s offer was sweet, and she could tell by the tone of his voice that it was sincere. “This is really something I have to do by myself. I feel like it would be too complicated, getting someone else involved, especially since the Sokolovs don’t know she’s alive, you know? If word got out, it would cause unnecessary drama… especially if they found out that you knew, and weren’t telling them.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“So this is something I’ve got to do alone.” She shrugged, offering an apologetic smile. “You understand, right?”
“I do. I don’t like it, but I do.”
Elena resisted the urge to pump her fist in victory. As long as she kept Roman off her back, she could talk to Mikhail and hopefully send him away without incident. She wasn’t sure if the Sokolovs knew he was an enemy enforcer or not—or if he was on the Sokolov payroll—but she’d rather play it safe. A discreet conversation was best for all parties. She’d get it done, get Mikhail sent away, and move on with her life, making all of those assurances regarding her mother that she’d just told Roman were at the forefront of her mind.
Easy peasy.
As if.
Elena took her bra from Roman and fitted it to her chest. She found her shirt, then located her shoes. Roman watched from the bed—she felt his eyes follow her across the room, and even given her dire situation, she couldn’t help but feel a little flattered.
“If anything goes wrong, you’ll let me know, right?” Roman asked. She turned to look at him and noticed the way the blankets pooled on his lap. His broad, toned chest was on full display, and she remembered the touch of his warm skin against hers. In Roman, she had safety.
“Right. I will. I’ll be back soon, okay?” Elena smoothed down her shirt and glanced in the small mirror attached to Roman’s dresser. How did he get by without a full-length mirror? She clucked her tongue, decided her face was far too plain this morning, but understood that there was nothing she could do about it. Mikhail needed to be dealt with. When he was gone, she could get back to her new normal.
To Roman.
“Be safe,” Roman bid her. The dark look in his eyes when his gaze passed over her made her want to climb back into bed with him and forget all about Mikhail, but she knew that she couldn’t. It wouldn’t be safe for any of them if she did. Instead, she blew him a kiss and winked.
“Always am. I’ll be back soon. Maybe you could drive me to Starbucks after, chaufferone. You can keep an eye on me there as well as you can keep it on me here.”
He laughed. “We’ll see.”
That tiny bit of hope—of normalcy—was enough to keep her going. Elena took her leave of the room and headed for the stairs, destined for Mikhail and whatever he had to say to her. She’d put an end to whatever drama he was looking to start before it happened. She would not let her father’s will shape her life again.
15
Roman
The door closed behind Elena, and Roman was alone. He sank back into bed and stared for a brief moment at the ceiling, allowing a grin to stretch his lips. The floral scent of Elena’s perfume had been left behind on his pillows, and he remembered the heat of her body beneath the sheets and the way the mattress had dipped just slightly when she’d settled down next to him. Simple pleasures like this—why hadn’t he chased them earlier in life? A sensation of peace settled in his bones, and relaxation gripped him as it never had before.
What he’d found with Elena? It was bliss in the simplest, least complicated way he could imagine it. It was happiness, even when that happiness was edged with pain. And after a night like they’d shared the night before… Tender, yet passionate? Gentle, yet demanding? He never wanted to give it up.
Roman gave up on bed and eased himself to his feet. He went to shower, then dressed at a leisurely pace and went to seek out Viktor. It was unusual that Viktor would be out of touch for so long, and Roman considered it his duty to follow up with what was happening in his boss’ life. He found Viktor seated at the dining room table with Alexandra.
“Good morning, Roman.” Viktor lifted his chin to look at Roman as he entered. “Good morning, Roman.”
Roman nodded politely. “Good morning, Viktor. Alexandra.”
“Hey, Roman,” Alexandra said with a smile. “It’s funny you’d show up. We were just talking about you.”
Roman arched a brow. “In a positive context, I hope.”
“Of course.” Viktor laughed, grinning slyly. “I was just mentioning to Alexandra how odd it is that, since Elena has come to stay with us, you’ve been so quiet and distant… and how much louder your bedroom is at night.”
Alexandra giggled. Embarrassment burned up Roman’s neck, but he kept his face impartial.
“You know, Roman, Elena can be very persuasive,” Alexandra said. She folded her arms on the table and leaned forward, looking up at him in amusement. “I had a feeling that she’d end up in your company once she came to live here—something about the two of you made sense to me. I’m glad to see I wasn’t wrong. I think you’re good for her.”
“I just don’t believe that she could convince our chaste monk, of all people, to take her to bed.” Viktor grinned, and Roman finally clued into the look—it was humorous congratulations. “It’s good to see you’re finally living, Roman.”
Roman nodded tersely. The heat of embarrassment made it to his jaw. “Thank you.”
“Now.” Viktor sat up straight and let the humor ebb from his face. “Was there something you wanted to discuss?”
“Yes.” Roman stepped toward the table, closing some of the space between himself and Viktor. There was no one else in the room, but there were ears everywhere, and if Viktor had something to tell him, he didn’t want it to spread. “I know that I’ve been shirking my duty lately, and you have my apologies for that. It won’t happen again. Since I haven’t followed up with you recently, I wanted to check in and see if you had any outings planned.”
“None.” Viktor arched a brow. The smirk returned to his face. “I figured that you’d be busy, so I’ve made alternate plans. Alexandra is grateful to have me home for a while, anyway.”
Roman nodded. It was good to see Viktor in such a fine mood, even after he’d pushed his duties aside in the name of chasing personal pleasure, but at the same time, Roman hoped that Viktor didn’t think less of him for his carnal weakness. His life was sworn to the Sokolovs—they were the ones who’d brought him in when he’d had nowhere else to go, and the ones who had given him a second chance at life after his time in the military had ended. The last thing Roman wanted was to allow Viktor to think his loyalty had strayed.
“Is there anything else you wanted to ask, Roman?” Viktor asked.
Roman shook his head. “No.”
“Then, I suppose, you’re free until tomorrow.” The good humor in Viktor’s eyes never changed. “Alexandra a
nd I plan to be occupied with each other for the rest of the day. We would appreciate privacy, as I imagine you might.”
“Of course.” Roman nodded. He straightened his posture. “Thank you. Enjoy your time with each other.”
“We will.” Alexandra winked. “Thanks for checking in on us, Roman. Have fun with your day off.”
Roman issued them a quiet goodbye, then left the dining room to return to his bedroom. As he passed through his door, he pushed a hand through his hair and let out a sigh. When he’d started with the Sokolovs, he’d requested that he never have days off—his job was his passion, and it was what allowed him to drown out the lack of anything else in his life. But so much had changed in so short a time, and he was left floundering with what he truly felt.
He was appreciative of the time off, certainly, but at the same time, he was startled by it. The prospect of enjoying time outside of work was new to him… and the idea of spending it with a woman even newer. He glanced out the bedroom window as he crossed the room, wanting to check on the current state of the sky to see if the weather would allow him to take Elena somewhere outside, when he noticed her on her way across the grounds… heading toward a man who stood near the street. Roman approached the window and peered out, narrowing his eyes to try to see more clearly. The man turned to face Elena, allowing Roman to see him in full. To his surprise, he recognized who it was.
Mikhail.
Mikhail had served with Roman in the army. They’d gotten to know each other thanks to their shared heritage, but had parted ways and failed to keep in touch.
What was he doing here, on the Sokolov estate, Roman wondered. And what was he doing with Elena?
Roman watched Mikhail nod at Elena, then lead her out of sight of the frontward facing windows of the house. Once she was out of his line of view, Roman grabbed his phone and dialed an old mutual friend of his and Mikhail’s, Konstantin. The phone rang, and Roman grimaced as he waited for it to connect. He needed answers.
“Hello, Roman,” Konstantin greeted him.
“Konstantin,” Roman said, emoting far more than he usually would. The joy in his voice served a purpose—he wanted to put Konstantin at ease. “It’s been a long time. You remember me, don’t you?” he joked.
“How could I forget?” Konstantin laughed. “What are you up to these days, old friend?”
“I’ve taken on chauffeur work,” Roman said simply. Konstantin didn’t need to know the details. “Nothing too exciting. It pays the bills.”
“I hear you.”
“But you know, I thought of you after all this time because I ran into one of our old friends, Mikhail.”
“Mikhail?” Konstantin snorted. “God, I haven’t heard that name in ages. How is he doing? The last I heard, he’d found work for the Popov family.”
Roman’s stomach dropped. He eased away from the window and sat at the side of his bed. “He looked good. Just as strong as ever. I didn’t find out where he was working. We exchanged a few words in passing. How have you been doing, Konstantin? It’s been a while. Fill me in.”
While Konstantin spoke of his ventures in security, Roman broke down internally. It was no coincidence that Elena had gone to see Mikhail. If he was working for the Popovs, then he’d come for her… and she’d gone to him, freely. All this time, she’d insisted that she was a defector, but Roman knew that wasn’t the case anymore. After her breakdown in the car after visiting her mother, combined with this morning’s meeting with Mikhail? There was no doubt in Roman’s mind that Elena was still loyal to the Popovs.
She’d been using them all along.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Konstantin remarked.
“You have my apologies. Something just came up, and I’ve got to go tend to it. I’ll call you later and we can catch up then. How does that sound?”
“Perfect. I look forward to hearing all about your recent adventures in driving. Lots of rush hour stories to share, I imagine.”
“You don’t know the half of it.” Roman’s lips pinched in at the corners. “I’ll talk to you again soon.”
“Later.”
Roman set down the phone. He took a deep breath in, then let it out slowly through his nostrils.
Elena was loyal to the Popovs, and that meant she had to die. He should apprehend her on the way back to the Sokolov mansion and dispose of her himself. Anything less would be a betrayal of Viktor and the proud Russian family who’d taken him in when he’d had nowhere else to go. But Roman’s own heart betrayed him. The thought of putting a bullet through Elena’s head turned his stomach and sucked the strength from his body.
He couldn’t kill her. He loved her.
He would find another solution. His mind was loyal to Viktor, but his body and heart would always be loyal to her.
16
Elena
“Why isn’t it done?” Mikhail’s gaze was hardened on her, and his question demanded a proper response. Elena pinched her shoulder blades together and wished she could take a step back, but she knew better—Mikhail was trying to intimidate her, and if she let him see her fear, he would know he’d won. She had to remain strong.
“It’s just… not.” She lifted her head a little higher, hiding her instability behind the ditzy facade she put on so well. “It takes time to do something as delicate as infiltrate a mob family, Mikhail. You know this. I’m waiting for the right time, okay? It’s not like there’s a time limit or something. I have no make sure they completely trust me before I can slip in and kill him.”
“It was supposed to be done by now.” Mikhail’s voice was unrelenting steel. He grabbed her wrist and Elena bit back a squeak. She scowled instead and wrenched her wrist away from him. “You had one job, Lena,” he growled.
“Do not call me that,” she hissed. Hearing the nickname her father had used for her stung. She wanted nothing to do with it. “My name is Elena, okay? And also, what the hell are you doing here, following up on me? Are you crazy, approaching the Sokolov estate so brashly? Someone will see, and then they’ll kill you. You really are all brawn and no brain, aren’t you?”
Mikhail scowled. “The risk was calculated. Of all the enforcers, the Sokolovs are least likely to recognize me. If you had done your job as you were instructed, I wouldn’t have had to take the risk.”
Elena’s scowl intensified. “I don’t like your tone.”
“And I don’t like that I have to come onto hostile territory to follow up with your lagging ass.” Mikhail grabbed her by the front of the shirt and yanked her forward. Elena broke her composure and let loose with a startled gasp. She struggled to regain her footing, trying to pull away from his grip. Mikhail had brought her behind a garden shed on the outskirts of the Sokolov estate, and she knew no one would see them out here. If he wanted to, Mikhail could hurt her. And if she didn’t follow through with her father’s wishes, she realized, there was no telling what he might do to her when they next met.
“Let me go!” Elena hissed. She tried to pull back from Mikhail again, but his grip was too strong. “I’m getting it done! Let me go!” she insisted, digging her nails into his wrists to no avail.
Mikhail leaned in close and whispered in her ear. His breath rolled hot against her earlobe. “Playtime is over, little girl. Daddy wants him dead.”
Elena’s lungs squeezed themselves shut. Her stomach flipped. Words had abandoned her.
“You have twenty-four hours to get the job done,” Mikhail said. He shoved her away then, letting go of her shirt as he did. She stumbled backward, barely catching herself on the shed before she fell. “If Viktor Sokolov is not dead in twenty-four hours, then you will be pulled from the estate and brought back to your father. He will punish you as he sees fit.”
Elena already knew how that would go. She’d seen how her father treated those who were no longer of use to him—people like her mother. She couldn’t let that happen. If she wanted to keep living the life she was accustomed to, she’d have no choice but to go through with the assassin
ation.
Viktor Sokolov would have to die after all, or it might be her life that was taken next.
“This is your only warning,” Mikhail said. He stepped away then, leaving her to catch her breath and come to peace with what she was about to do. She’d found happiness with the enemy, and now she had no choice but to trade it away.
Elena hurried back across the grounds, entered the Sokolov estate, and headed to her bedroom. Paranoia gripped her, plaguing her mind with troubling thoughts.
What if someone had seen?
Would there be questions?
Would she be forced to leave? Or worse…
With tears building in her eyes and desperation in her chest, she tore through her belongings. Behind the lining of the suitcase, sewn up expertly by a Popov doctor in lieu off a seamstress, was a switchblade. She wrenched the lining open, grabbed the blade, and sat heavily on the side of her bed.
If she didn’t go through with the attempt, her father would pull her from the mansion and punish her. If she stayed, and someone saw, she would be in equally as much trouble.
No matter how much she didn’t want to, her only option for survival was to go forward with the mission.Elena let out a shuddering breath and turned the switchblade over in her palms. She was still too on edge to leave the room and see the job through. Tears rolled down her cheeks and gathered along the edge of her jaw, then fell in fat drops onto her shirt. Viktor was Alexandra’s husband, and he was a good man. He made her friend happy, he had a big heart despite his position, and he had brought her into his home even when he’d had doubts as to her loyalty.
And, now, she was going to kill him to save her own life.
Elena blinked the tears from her eyes, struggling to calm her blood, and found the courage to stand. She exited the room, then made her way toward the bedroom Viktor shared with Alexandra. They hadn’t been married long—they were supposed to have their whole lives in front of them. Alexandra, still so young and hopeful, was supposed to enjoy the decades she still had with her husband. One day, he would have made her a mother. Elena could only imagine how happy her friend would have been with a baby on her hip, her eyes full of love for her young family.
The Sokolov Brothers: The Complete Series Page 19
