“I’m ready,” she whispered.
Ava rose on tiptoe to brush her lips against his. Not an easy feat, given her wobbly heels. She still didn’t like wearing them, but she figured she could endure the pain for just one night. Besides, she looked amazing in them. Viktor immediately clasped the back of her neck and kissed her without a second thought. Viktor didn’t seem to care they were in a formal setting. He slipped his tongue down her throat. The heat turned up. Ava could feel her nipples tightening. Moisture gathered between her legs.
Viktor released her, smirking. “Good. I was wondering when you’d bring it up again.”
“Viktor Kotov. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” a voice interrupted.
Ava glanced at the speaker. She estimated him to be in his early forties. He was a huge, hulking monster of a man crammed into a suit a size smaller than he was. His black oily hair had been slicked backward. It looked like his nose had been broken a few times. A sharp, hawkish face stared down at Ava, even though it was Viktor he had addressed. Her skin crawled. Ava didn’t like the calculating look in his eyes. She didn’t know why she stood a little closer to Viktor. It seemed rude, but she didn’t care.
Viktor’s reaction told her everything. He stiffened but regained his composure immediately.
“Goran Mogilevich. I can’t remember the last time you’ve shown your ugly mug in public,” Viktor said, smiling.
Ava didn’t imagine it. She could feel the tension in the tiny space spiking up. Ava spotted Pavel and two of Viktor’s men practically mow down another group of guests only to position themselves next to Viktor and her. Goran Mogilevich didn’t come alone. Four muscled and heavily inked men fanned out on either side of him.
“Come now, let’s not spoil tonight by leaving this pretty event area with bodies,” Goran said.
Bodies? Ava stood, still as a statue. Goran must be joking, except his and Viktor’s expressions seemed too serious for her taste. She looked at the four men on Goran’s side. Ava swallowed, slightly taken back by the bright hatred burning in their eyes.
What the hell was happening? Nothing made sense to her. Who was Goran Mogilevich and why was he such a threat to Viktor? She’d never seen Viktor like this. Viktor moved two steps ahead of everyone. Nothing scared him. Viktor was fearless. Ruthless. He was the devil in disguise, but it looked like he just met his equal.
“What do you want, Goran?” Viktor practically spat out the words. She noticed he had unbuttoned his suit. With one hand, he gathered her close to her. He left his other hand in his suit, as if he were ready to draw out a weapon. A weapon? Ava’s mind must be going on overdrive.
Goran raised a finger at Viktor and wagged it like Viktor was a child who made a mistake.
“I don’t know how you convinced Fernandez to do business with you, but it was a wrong move,” Goran said.
To her surprise, Viktor laughed. “It wasn’t hard, considering Fernandez was miffed about all the late payments. Unlike the Mogileviches, we always pay on time. When we make promises to our allies, we keep them, but this isn’t the place and time to discuss business.”
Goran narrowed his eyes at Viktor. The big man kept clenching and unclenching his fists. His men tensed. Ava felt like she’d been suddenly thrust inside some kind of mafia movie. She swallowed the lump in her throat. This wasn’t a sudden revelation. Part of her suspected Viktor had been involved in some kind of criminal activity. It didn’t take a genius to figure out the discrepancies in her reports. Maybe Ava just didn’t want to admit the truth—that she’d fallen hard and fast for a stone-hard criminal.
“No, it’s not,” Goran agreed. “But you better watch your back, Viktor. Showing up here with her was a mistake.”
Goran pointed one inked finger at Ava. Her heart dropped. The sinister smile he flashed her would haunt her in her sleep. That look told her this was a man who’d enjoy doing all kinds of awful and painful things to her. Viktor looked ready to throttle Goran right there and then. The muscles on Viktor’s face twitched. Viktor’s impulsive and hot anger, she could handle, but his cold one? Ava admitted it intimidated her.
“No, threatening her was a monumental error,” Viktor said.
Goran raised both his hands and shrugged. “I’ve said my piece. Enjoy the rest of the evening, Viktor. Your days on this earth are numbered.”
Then Goran and his men walked away. Whispers broke out around them. Ava looked at Viktor, who was still staring at Goran’s back with that murderous expression on his face. She hesitantly touched his arm. He snapped out of his trance and stared at her. For a few seconds, he didn’t seem to know who she was. Viktor blinked, gaze softening. Ava preferred this version of Viktor the best. Despite all his hardness, he always had a soft spot for her.
“What do you say we leave this awful party?” he asked her.
“Can we?” Ava felt like there were hundreds of phantom eyes watching their every movement.
“Of course.” Viktor started guiding her back toward the museum’s entrance, much to her relief.
How could she describe tonight? Equal parts mind-bending and outright frightening. Gina’s words and all her mother’s warnings came back to her. Dating dangerous men had disastrous consequences. Ava thought she could remain content living in her own fantasy world. She wanted to thoroughly enjoy the starting part of their relationship where Viktor and she had all the time in the world to get to know each other. Goran had burst her bubble tonight. Enough living in the dream world. It was time Ava faced reality.
Chapter Eighteen
Ava didn’t say anything for a few minutes as they returned to the car. That was understandable. Viktor shook with silent fury. How dare that fucker approach him in public like that? Goran seldom appeared at public events, simply because he’d never been invited. Goran Mogilevich was a true thug at heart. Goran deemed making connections with prominent members of the city a useless endeavor. Why bother shaking hands and making small talk with folks he could intimidate and blackmail?
Viktor nursed a headache. What was taking Jake so long? A thump landed on side of Ava’s window. Viktor snapped out of his train of thoughts. His first instinct was to protect her. Ava screamed and Viktor flung himself at her. He wrapped his arms around her, about to tug her down the seats. Viktor saw the smear of blood on the glass. Jake’s body had made the sound. It looked like someone had blasted his face off with a well-aimed bullet.
Anger swelled in the pit of his stomach. A figure ran toward Jake and started searching his body. Viktor didn’t know what happened to Pavel and the others. Maybe more of Goran’s men kept them busy. Whatever it was, Viktor and Ava were on their own. The looter found what he was looking for. The key to the car.
Viktor gently released Ava. The looter yanked open the car door. Ava shot him a panicked look. It might be regrettable, but sooner or later, Ava would need to see his true self. Viktor had played the gentleman card throughout the weeks they’d been dating. Spending time with Ava made him believe goodness still existed in him, but it wouldn’t, couldn’t last. Ava’s eyes went wide as he calmly pulled out the gun in his coat.
He lunged for the bastard who thought he could simply kill Jake and drive away with Viktor Kotov and his date. Viktor wrapped an arm around the bastard’s throat before he could put the key into the ignition. The man gasped, eyes bulging as Viktor pressed the barrel of his gun against the side of his head. Good thing Viktor put on a silencer. That would eliminate some of the noise his gun would make.
“Did you really think this pathetic plan of yours would work?” Viktor asked in a cold voice.
To his irritation, the fucker had the audacity to laugh. Bloodshot eyes met his.
“You were never the real target. I’m just the disposable pawn.”
Viktor pulled the trigger. Ava let out a little gasp. Blood and skull fragments sprayed against his face and suit. Viktor looked out the windows, wanting to know what the hell this dead bastard was muttering about. He finally understood what the junkie meant. V
iktor caught a glimpse of Pavel, kicking and screaming as two men shoved him in the back of a black unmarked van. His heart plummeted. Viktor couldn’t leave Ava alone, and it would be too late to run out. He’d never be able to stop Pavel’s kidnappers in time. Viktor had to try.
His relationship with his brother had already been fucked-up, thanks to their father. Viktor truly regretted sending Pavel to the hospital.
“Wait here,” he told Ava. “Don’t open the doors to anyone. This car’s bulletproof. You’ll be safe here.”
“Viktor, don’t go out there,” she whispered. Ava looked tiny, trembling on the floor of the car and staring at him with huge and terrified eyes. Her hair and makeup were a mess. Viktor ignored her warning.
“Lock the doors.” Viktor threw the car door open and pointed his gun at the van. He fired at the back window. It shattered. He ran at the van, but it started to move, faster and faster until Viktor could no longer catch up. His gun clicked empty. He let out a stream of angry expletives in Russian.
“Boss, you’re okay. Thank God,” said a voice.
Viktor whirled. He didn’t know what expression he wore, but it made Motya take a hesitant step back. Motya gripped his left hand with his right. Blood blossomed from a spot on his shoulder. He looked all bruised up. Viktor looked for his other men. Only Jake was down. Igor had been shot, too, but despite the wound in his leg, Igor leaned against his car. Viktor told his men if something did happen, their first priority was guaranteeing Ava’s safety.
Katya had shared her doubts about bringing Ava to tonight’s events. Viktor didn’t listen. He’d been too overconfident, too secure in the knowledge that no one would touch him. No one would dare. No time for regrets. Viktor couldn’t change the past, or mend his fractured relationship with his brother, but it wasn’t too late. Pavel wasn’t dead. Viktor wasn’t worried about his brother talking. Pavel might be rash and prone to violence, but he’d die loyal.
“What do we do next, boss?” Motya asked.
“Take care of Jake’s body. Make sure his family is generously compensated. We’ll figure out how to get my brother back once we get home.”
“Understood.” Motya then pulled out a clean white handkerchief from his pocket. “Here, boss.”
Viktor looked at him quizzically.
“You won’t want Ava to see you all splattered in blood, don’t you?”
Scowling, Viktor wiped his face. Then he called for more reinforcements. They’d arrive faster than the cops. Viktor stationed his men in every corner of the city. He didn’t care about the gawkers on the sidewalk who witnessed everything. What a headache.
Fuck Goran. This was all his fault. Going after him in some backwater alley or side street was fine, but doing shit like this out in the open? There would be severe repercussions. The authorities and police tolerated and happily took the bribes from the crime families in the city as long as they conducted their affairs in the shadows. By doing this, Goran broke all the rules.
Viktor would need to have a chat with the mayor, the chief of police, and God knew who else. He’d do that later, though. Viktor returned to the car, almost half expecting Ava to be gone. She was there where he’d left her, cowering on the floor and shaking. He didn’t blame her. She just witnessed a man dying right outside her car window and in the front seat. That must come as a shock to her.
“Ava, it’s over. We’re safe,” he said.
Viktor held out a hand to her. She looked at it, uncomprehending. She said nothing for a few seconds. Viktor’s patience had a limit. There was so much to do and plan for, but this was Ava. Minutes ago, everything had seemed fine. Then her entire world had spun out of axis. Viktor had a plane. He was going to slowly integrate her into his world. Then again, plans had a way of going off track.
“Are we?” Ava seemed to finally snap out of her shock. She pulled herself up to the seat. She touched the glass, at the spot of blood Jake had left behind. “Nothing about tonight makes any sense. Who was Goran? Why was Jake killed? And you … you just whipped out your gun and shot that guy without a second thought.”
“If I hadn’t, he would’ve taken us captive along with Pavel. Goran would’ve won, and believe me, he wouldn’t kill us immediately. No, that would be a mercy. He’d keep us all alive for as long as he could just to wring out more screams.”
Viktor exaggerated. A junkie would’ve never bested him, but he needed Ava to understand the real threat wasn’t him. She was safe with him. He’d never let any of those bastards touch a single hair on her beautiful head.
“Why would he do that? Just who the hell are you people?” she whispered. The car door opened, revealing Mikhail. Reinforcements had arrived. Mikhail pulled the body still in the driver’s seat. Shit. Viktor just realized he’d left Ava here with a corpse, but what was he supposed to do?
After wiping the blood off the seat, Mikhail got behind the seat.
“Home, boss?” Mikhail asked.
“That’s right.”
“Drop me back at my apartment. Now.” Ava stared him down or at the very least, tried her best.
“Unfortunately, that’s no longer an option.”
She must’ve realized he was dead serious because she starting beating at his chest. Viktor hardy felt her blows. He closed his fingers around her wrists and set her hands down. What the hell? Viktor wasn’t in the mood for an argument. He could tell her to shut up and sit tight, but that would mean he’d have another fight in the foreseeable future. Viktor needed to handle his woman better, more diplomatically.
“It’s no longer safe for you, now that Goran’s seen your face. He probably knows who you are and where you live.”
Ava stopped struggling against him. “How?”
“Goran has connections. He’s the Pakhan of the Mogilevich Bratva after all.”
“The what?”
“A moment ago, you asked me who we were. We’re the Bratva. Goran’s group and mine are enemies. He wants a piece of me after I stole his biggest supplier.”
“The Bratva?” She swallowed.
“Come on, Ava. I know you’re a smart girl. Don’t pretend to be surprised. Surely, you’ve had your suspicions.”
“God, I’m so stupid.” Ava yanked her hands from his.
Viktor released her. She wasn’t going anywhere. It wasn’t like she had a choice in the matter. Viktor was taking her back to his home, his stronghold. No one would be able to touch her there. His defenses were impenetrable. Viktor spent a large fortune turning the old Kotov Bratva home into a fortress. It wasn’t just Pavel and him living there. Some of his men took up residence there. They also conducted important meetings there.
It was the heart of his operation. Hell, some of their most expensive merchandise was even kept in the basement. That was why Viktor was careful not to bring Ava to his house. She immediately would know he wasn’t a normal business owner, like he initially claimed. Now, the time for playing charades was over. Viktor had to admit he’d enjoyed the chase, the pretension. For the past few weeks, Ava had shown him what it was like to be normal. Viktor enjoyed the holiday, but it was time to get back to business.
“What am I then, your prisoner?” she demanded.
“This is for your own good, Ava. I’ll take care of everything,” he promised. “No harm will come to you or those who care about.”
Ava widened her eyes at the implications of his words. “What do Gina and my mother have to do with this?”
“Goran’s known for being relentless. If he realizes he can’t come for you directly, he’ll go after those you love.”
Viktor would do the same in Goran’s shoes. In fact, he’d done it before with traitors to the Kotov Bratva. He didn’t just end their miserable lives, he eradicated their friends and family. Ava didn’t need to know the extent of his ruthlessness just yet. Right now, she needed to believe that Goran was the big bad wolf and that Viktor was her white knight. Winning her trust was critical. A compliant prisoner was so much easier to deal with than a corn
ered rat who made rash decisions.
“So, what’s going to happen to Gina and my mom?” Ava finally asked.
Viktor had already thought this through. “I’ll have my men take them to a somewhere safe. They’ll have to take a forced vacation, to a place Goran won’t be able to track them. Meanwhile, I’ll have someone transfer the belongings from your apartment to my home.”
Ava stared at him like it was the first time she was truly seeing him. “Is Goran so dangerous?”
“You have no idea.”
She said nothing for the rest of the drive. Ava needed time to process. To think. Fine with him. Viktor pulled out his phone and called Aleksander, another of his lieutenants. He was right under Pavel in terms of the Kotov Bratva hierarchy. Aleksander immediately answered.
“I’m sorry about what happened tonight,” Aleksander said. Word had already reached most of his men. Good. Viktor didn’t have to waste time explaining the severity of the situation. True, he cared about Pavel’s safety, but if word got out Viktor lost his own brother in the crossfire, the Kotov Bratva’s reputation would go down. The other crime families in the city might consider it a weakness and decide to take action against them.
“I’m calling for a meeting tomorrow morning. Gather all the lieutenants. Tell Katya to cancel all my meetings.”
“Done. Are we going to war, boss?” He could hear the anticipation in Aleksander’s voice. If Pavel wasn’t his brother, he would’ve probably picked Aleksander as his second-in-command. Aleksander loved a good fight, but he thought before he acted first.
“I won’t call it that just yet. I need time to think tonight.” Viktor ended the call and noticed Ava watching him intently.
“You call the shots, huh?”
“That’s a redundant question.”
“I guess it is.” Ava wrapped her arms around herself. Viktor took off his jacket. She shook her head at him, but he draped it over her like a blanket anyway. She gripped the collar of the jacket, not quite meeting his eyes.
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