“You know what to do,” he said.
What he was asking of Motya was difficult, but Motya needed to prove his loyalty to Viktor and the Kotov Family once more. Motya gripped the handle of the gun. Without another word, Motya entered Peck’s cell.
“Motya, please! I can’t take more of this. Save me! I know I made a mistake, but I can fix everything.” Peck sobbed.
Shock reflected on the traitor’s features as Motya raised the gun toward his face. Andrei stepped aside. Motya fired. He didn’t look away as he did the unsavory task. Viktor approved.
Motya exited the cell and returned Viktor’s gun to him. “This will never happen again, boss.”
Viktor nodded, satisfied by today’s turn of events. “Make sure it doesn’t. Go back to your duties.”
Motya left the basement. Andrei started packing up his tools.
“We still need a new accountant,” Pavel reminded him unhelpfully.
“Let me handle that. I already have someone in mind.”
“You do?” Pavel asked him with a puzzled look.
“Her name is Ava. She’ll be working directly under Katya and me, so we can monitor her.”
Pavel rubbed at his jaw. “Is this the same woman you fucked last night?”
“That’s right.”
“Are you sure that’s a wise idea? I thought you said we’re hiring an—”
“She’s an outsider. Ava doesn’t know what I do and who I really am. I’ll keep it that way.”
Pavel wore a smug look on his face. “Now I want to find if she’s really that good of a fuck. What is she, a champion cock-sucker?”
Viktor didn’t know what happened next. One moment, they were chatting, the next? Viktor shoved Pavel against the closest wall. He wrapped his hands around Pavel’s neck.
His brother gasped as Viktor squeezed. Pavel kicked and punched him. Viktor didn’t let go. Pavel wasn’t exactly a small man. He was built like a fighter, but Viktor seemed to possess superhuman strength in those few moments. His possessiveness and anger empowered him. Viktor saw red.
“She’s mine and mine alone. Anyone who touches her, who so much as lay a finger on her, dies,” he said. “Nod if you understand.”
Pavel began to turn purple, but he managed a nod. Viktor released him. Pavel hacked and coughed.
“Fuck you, Viktor.”
“As long as we understand each other,” Viktor said, leaving his brother down the basement. He had more important matters to attend to.
Chapter Six
Ava woke up in soft sheets. A cloud. She slept on a cloud. Ava didn’t want to get up, but she had trouble going back to her dream. Finally opening her eyes, she slowly sat up. She suddenly became aware of the sticky ache between her legs.
Last night had been real, after all. She felt deliciously sore. However, if Viktor decided he wanted to go another round, she was up for it. Where was he? The spot where Viktor had lain was empty. She didn’t hear the shower. Ava didn’t spot his discarded clothes anywhere either. Her heartbeats quickened.
Ava had dreamt she woke up in the middle of the night. She stumbled over Viktor’s pile of clothes on her way to the bathroom. Her foot had touched something cold and hard. When she stooped down to touch what it was, she recognized the shape. A gun.
Why was Viktor carrying a gun around? That had definitely not been a dream. It was real. She could still feel the cool touch of the metal on her fingers.
“Relax, everyone carries a gun around here,” she told herself.
Maybe Viktor was a cop or a detective? Who was she kidding? He sure didn’t look like a member of law enforcement.
“He’s just carrying it for his own protection,” she whispered out loud.
The city was riddled with gangs and other criminal groups. Ava had thought about taking shooting lessons and getting a gun. Even Gina kept one in her safe.
“He’s gone now.” Those words didn’t give her relief.
What did she think, anyway? Viktor stated his intentions clearly last night. He only wanted one fuck. End of story. Her phone vibrated under her pillow. She plucked it, unsurprised to see Gina’s name flashing across the screen.
“Hey, bestie. Morning,” she said with a yawn.
“Oh? Someone woke up in a good mood today.”
“You have no idea.” Ava stretched in bed.
“So, spill. Did you go home with that hot guy last night?” Gina pressed.
“I did.”
“Was he amazing in bed?”
“You bet.”
“You’re going to make me wrangle all the answers from you, aren’t you?” Gina demanded.
“He blew my mind. Before last night, I didn’t know sex could make me feel so…” Ava faltered.
She sounded ridiculous. Gina took home strangers all the time. A one-night stand was no big deal. Besides, she didn’t really want to go into the more intimate details. Gina would freak out if she learned they’d forgotten to use a condom. Ava woke up groggy, but she was definitely awake by now.
God. How could she be so stupid? They had gotten so lost in each other, they’d forgotten basic protection?
Ava shook her head. She took deep breaths. No reason to panic. It was just one mistake. That was all. It wasn’t like she’d ever see him again. Besides, what were the chances he’d gotten her pregnant? Probably a small one.
“Anyway, it’s over,” she said.
“What do you mean?” Gina asked.
“He left before I woke up.” Did she sound disappointed?
The image of Viktor bringing her breakfast in bed sprang up in her head. Maybe after feeding each other, they could have another round of sex. Ava snorted. She’d always had a fanciful imagination ever since she was a kid. Besides, it was best last night remained a memory.
“The bastard.”
“No. I expected it. Viktor made it clear last night that all he wanted was a fling. At least I get to enjoy this hotel room until noon,” she said.
“He took you to a hotel?” Gina asked, sounding skeptical.
“He said there were problems at home. Complications.”
“Uh-huh. Where did he bring you, anyway? Hopefully not some flea-bitten inn.”
“Viktor booked the suite at the Grand Dragon.”
“Are you joking? I heard the normal rooms there cost a thousand a night. So what does Mr. Moneybags even do?”
“We didn’t exactly have time for a meaningful conversation, but he mentioned he owned a couple of businesses.”
She fingered the sheets, then remembered she no longer had a job. Mood dampened, she ran her fingers through her tangled hair. She blew out a breath.
“Actually, he said he needed an accountant.”
“He offered you a job? Was that before or after he left you this morning?”
“He gave me his business card. It says he’s the CEO of Kotov Entertainment,” she said.
“Huh. Never heard of that company before.”
“Me either. Anyway, I’m not seriously considering his job offer. I can’t put my finger on it, but instinct tells me it’s better if I don’t pursue this.”
Ava had just lied. If she became desperate enough, she might seriously consider working for Viktor. It wasn’t like he was asking her to do anything illegal. He needed an accountant, and she was a damn good one. Full stop.
“What are your plans for the day?” Gina asked, changing the topic.
“Head back home. Order some takeout food and feel sorry for myself.”
Gina laughed. “Want some company?”
“You have work,” she reminded her best friend.
“I can fake being sick again.”
Ava never used up her yearly leave. She even went to the office during the time she had both a cold and fever. It blew her mind away that Charles and Amanda would willingly let their best employee go.
She gritted her teeth. There was no use dwelling on what happened yesterday. Ava couldn’t let resentment make her bitter. She had to learn to
move on. Ava told herself this was just one hitch in the road.
“Ava, are you still there?” Gina asked.
“Yeah. I am.”
“Look, I know it really sucks the firm let you go, but they didn’t deserve you, anyway.”
Easy for Gina to say. She was still gainfully employed. Ava kept her mouth shut because she knew Gina was just being supportive.
“I just need time to stew,” she finally said. “I’ll feel better in no time, and yeah, I could use the extra company.”
“Great. I’ll bring over some cookies and cream ice cream.”
“Bring your own tub, because I can finish my own,” Ava joked.
“Will do.” Gina ended the call.
Ava fell back in bed. Last night’s euphoria had finally worn off. She hadn’t even told her mom the bad news. What would happen now? Ava still had some savings in the bank, but that wouldn’t last her long.
A month at the most. Living in the city was expensive. She’d have to move out of her fancy apartment eventually. She couldn’t live with Gina because her best friend stayed with a roommate.
The thought of dragging her sorry ass back to Briar Glen and living with her mother only depressed her. She couldn’t go back there, not after everything.
She resolved she’d get past this hurdle. She’d apply to all the best accounting firms in the city. Ava would man up, call Charles, apologize for the way she reacted yesterday, then remind him about the recommendation he promised.
Her stomach sank at the thought.
She hated to grovel and beg. It wasn’t in her nature. She prided herself on being strong. Ava preferred being in control of her environment, and yet last night, she loved letting someone else call the shots. She shivered, touching the hickey Viktor left on her neck. It was high enough that if she didn’t wear a turtleneck, everyone could see it. It felt like a personal brand.
Ava imagined Viktor crawling on top of her, restraining her wrists and setting his teeth to her most intimate places. She shuddered. Just thinking about the man who claimed ownership of her body the night before made her all hot and needy. Ava pushed away the sheets. She stumbled into the bathroom and entered the shower cubicle.
She pressed her back against the tiled wall. Spreading her legs wide, she began fingering herself. Ava shut her eyes, panted, and fantasized about Viktor kneeling between her legs, eating her out. Viktor pressing his big body against her, caging her.
He’d whisper the dirty deeds he wanted to do to her in her ear before he’d plunder his mouth. Then he’d slide his cock inside her wet and ready pussy. He’d breed her, get her pregnant.
What would it be like to carry his baby?
She gasped. It didn’t take long before she climaxed.
“God,” she whispered.
How could he affect her this much? They’d met at a bar. He’d taken her to a hotel. They’d fucked. End of story. Except Ava craved to feel Viktor inside her again. She told herself she was going through a phase. She’d just lost her job after all, a job she’d taken so much pride in. Most people who were born in the small town of Briar Glen lived in that town their entire lives.
Those brave enough to strike it out on their own in the big city returned to the town as failures. Ava refused to be one of them. She saw herself getting off the bus station in Briar Glen, disheveled and heavily pregnant. Her mother would freak out. Ava’s thoughts had gone astray again.
So what if they’d forgot to use protection last night? It didn’t mean a damn thing. Ava wasn’t pregnant, and she wasn’t returning to her hometown. She would find a new job. Be her kick-ass self again. Last night would be nothing more than a hazy memory.
“Forget Viktor, he’s moved on by now,” Ava told herself. “Right now, I’m going to focus on myself.”
Chapter Seven
“If you look at my résumé, you can see I’ve worked for three notable accounting firms in the city,” the bespectacled man sitting in front of Viktor and Pavel said. “If you give me this position, you won’t regret it.”
Brad Decker shifted uncomfortably on his chair. He was in his forties, already balding, and had worn an uncomfortably hot tweed suit to the interview. That made him sweat buckets. Brad pulled out a soiled handkerchief from the pocket of his jacket and wiped at his face. Pavel gave him a look of disgust and shook his head.
“We still have more candidates to interview, but my assistant Katya will call you if we decide to hire you,” Viktor said. He rose to his feet. Brad shook his offer hand. Once Brad left, Viktor wiped away the sweat Brad had transferred to his hand. This process started to get on Viktor’s nerves. A week had passed since they’d started interviewing potential candidates. None of them were the right fit.
It galled him that Ava hadn’t called about the job either. Viktor told himself it was better that way. Better to separate his personal life from his business, and the Family meant everything to him. Still. Viktor could still remember the sweet and intoxicating taste of her. The way her lips formed a perfect circle of surprise as she came all over his cock.
Fuck. This had never happened to him before. His mind usually didn’t linger on his hookups, but Ava’s face remained clear in his mind. He couldn’t erase her, despite trying so hard. She was a witch, and she’d done something to him. Broke him. Viktor couldn’t look at another woman after their night together. Rather, he didn’t give a shit about any other woman save Ava.
“Viktor, are you listening?” Pavel asked.
“Hmm?”
“I said the Mogilevich Family just burned down one of our warehouses. What the fuck’s going on with you lately, anyway? You’re distracted just when the Family needs you the most.” Pavel gave him a critical look.
Viktor processed his brother’s words. He cracked his knuckles. The Mogilevich Family had the fucking nerve to burn one of their warehouses? They had been steadily provoking the Kotov Family over the past few weeks, but this? They were practically begging for a war. One Viktor didn’t want to give. Unlike Goran Mogilevich and his brothers, Viktor didn’t like losing any of his men needlessly. Family and loyalty meant everything to Viktor.
“We need to retaliate or our reputation will take a dive,” Pavel pointed out. For once, his brother had made an excellent point.
“You’re right.” Viktor pondered on the problem a little more. He could tell Pavel was growing impatient, but he wanted to think this through.
The Mogilevich Bratva relied heavily on the drug trade. Over the last few months, they’d been steadily cutting out their competition. Killing them off was the better term. They were messy, too. Not professional at all and the local authorities couldn’t turn a blind eye to all the bodies they left behind. During their aggressive expansion, they’d made a lot of enemies. Enemies who wanted to see them dead.
Viktor thought he could deal with the Mogileviches at a later time, but they were festering parasites that refused to die. After that junkie followed him to the hotel a week ago, another attempt on his life had been made while he was eating lunch at his favorite diner downtown. Fortunately, his man managed to spot the shooter and had taken him down before he did any real damage.
“They recently opened a new club at the Sapphire Tower downtown. Let’s get a team. Pay them a visit,” Pavel suggested.
In his brother’s language, that meant barging inside the club, guns blazing. This was one of the reasons why Pavel wasn’t the boss. Why their father chose Viktor to lead them.
“No. I know your idea of fun. There’ll be unnecessary casualties.”
Pavel looked at Viktor like he’d gotten soft, and he didn’t like that. “The police are on our payroll.”
Viktor scoffed. “For now. The Mogileviches riled them up good. Our relationship with the cops is fragile at the moment. No. I have a better idea.”
“What’s that?”
“Send out a messenger to Fernandez. Tell him we want to arrange a meeting.”
Pavel stared at him as if Viktor lost his mind. “Why w
ould you want to meet the head of the cartel?”
“Because despite his arrangements with the Mogileviches, Fernandez hates them as much as we do.”
Pavel looked at him uncertainly, but Viktor knew his brother wouldn’t go against his orders. Pavel stared at the space where Brad sat moments ago. “And our accountant problem?”
“Will be solved by the end of the day.” Viktor made his decision. If Ava wouldn’t come to him, then he’d go to her. Most people considered him a brute, and Viktor could be pretty persuasive if he wanted. After his brother left, Viktor took out his phone. He called their in-house hacker.
“Sergio, I need you to track down someone for me,” he said. “I need this woman’s address right away.”
“Understood, boss.”
****
Ava slumped against the hard plastic seat, feeling defeated. Today was a bad day, more like an awful week. Another terrible interview. Her fifth one this week. She got so lost in her train of thoughts, she almost missed her stop. Ava rose to her feet, slung her bag over her shoulder, and exited the train. It’s only been a week, she told herself. She couldn’t give up that easily.
She trudged up the stairs leading to the street. One block later, she arrived at her apartment building. The doorman greeted her. Ava managed to flash him a smile. She entered the elevators. Between sending out numerous résumés and trying her hand at yoga, she’d had plenty of time to look over her finances.
It soon became clear to her that she was spending too much every month. She definitely had to move out of this apartment for one. Ava could still remember the first day she moved into her unit. It looked like a palace compared to the dump she grew up in. Her mom had told her how proud of her she was after Ava bombarded her with photos of her new swanky place.
Ava got off the elevator. She paused, noting the door to her apartment was open. Ava frowned. That was odd. She distinctively remembered locking her door when she left earlier this morning. She reached for her phone. She should call 911, but something felt off. How did anyone break into her place? For one, the doorman, Charlie, intercepted anyone who wasn’t a resident.
Bratva Boss' Baby (Kotov Bratva Book 1) Page 4
