Sacha, Her Russian Billionaire: A Billionaire BWWM Romance

by Susan Westwood

  Bracing himself, he dialed Jessica’s number. A groggy woman answered the phone. “Hello?”

  Her voice was gravelly as if from too many years of smoking. “Jessica?”

  “Yes. Who is this?”

  “Sacha Kozlov.”

  “Holy shit.”

  “Guess you remember me.”

  He leaned back in his chair taking in his view of the city. He liked the city from this angle, but he’d like it more from his own building. It wouldn’t be quite as tall, but it was his. All his. No rent checks, just mortgage payments.

  “I do, you son of a bitch.”

  Guess she remembered him too well. She didn’t sound happy to hear from him. He was happy to keep her in his past, but the thought of his child out there, not knowing at least one of his parents, spurred Sacha on. He wanted to find his son. He needed to make up for past mistakes. With Alia in Viktor’s life, he wondered if there was someone that could be almost like that in his life. Not love, but a companion. Someone he could turn to. Kendra would fill that role for now, but he suspected at some point she’d want more. She’d want emotion involved and he couldn’t do that.

  Being a big believer in karma, he wanted to right past wrongs to make sure he had continued success. And that if he wanted something like Viktor and Alia had, that he could find that if it ever happened. He didn’t think he’d want love, but he suspected that Viktor hadn’t been signing up for love when he let Alia into his life. Now they were happily married and Viktor had said that he felt as if some part of his life was settled. A part that he’d had no idea he needed settled.

  Sacha didn’t completely understand, but he had enough respect for his brother to understand that it was now important to him. Besides, Alia kept his brother on his toes. She was a strong woman who knew how to love a Russian man. Not how he thought he wanted to be loved, but he needed to be loved.

  “I’m looking for our son.”

  Jessica chuckled which brought on a coughing fit. “Why?”

  “Because I want to know he’s safe. The reasons beyond that don’t matter.”

  “What do you expect from me?”

  “I want the information on what adoption agency you used.”

  “It’ll cost you.”

  Sacha sighed. Of course it would. “I can bring you cash if you want.”

  He wanted her to have nothing of his and certainly not a check with his information on it. She’d have his phone number from this call, but he could block that.

  “Good,” she said.

  She gave him the address she was at and the number of dollars he was to bring. He disconnected. His driver was with Kendra. He’d have to use another car service. The driver was waiting for him when he exited the building. Sacha gave the man the address. The streets became seedier as they got closer to the destination. Sacha felt vulnerable with the cash in his pocket, but he was a big man. No one should bother him.

  “Leave the car idling. I shouldn’t be long.”

  He found the apartment then knocked on the door. No one answered. He pushed open the door. It wasn’t locked. A woman was sprawled on the couch. He assumed it was Jessica.

  “Jessica.”

  She didn’t look like the same person he’d had sex with. Her career had been on the rise when he knew her. What had happened to her in the intervening years? He nudged her then felt for a pulse.

  Crap. She was dead. He called 911 then searched her apartment. He found something that might be helpful the pocketed it before the cops arrived.

  A neighbor poked her head in as Jessica’s body was being wheeled out. “I’m Mildred.”

  “I’m Sacha. Are you a friend of Jessica’s?”

  “The closest she’d had to one.”

  He gave her his business card. “Have her buried and send the bill to me.”

  When he arrived back out onto the street, his driver was down the block. Sacha strode down to the car then gave him the address for Viktor’s nightclub. Might as well do something positive today. Seeing Kendra would cheer him up but he chose not to study that thought further.

  *

  Kendra hadn’t expected to see Sacha at the nightclub. Viktor had made an appearance and Alia, his wife, was now stuffing goody bags with the volunteers. The look in Sacha’s eyes was distant and sad. What had he been doing today? It wasn’t her business or her place to ask, but she wanted to hug him. She didn’t expect that he would be receptive to her doing it.

  He shucked off his suit jacket then surveyed the tables they’d pushed together to pack the goody bags for the race tomorrow. “So what do we have going on here?” he said.

  “These are the goody bags for the entrants. All of the stuff is donated,” Kendra said.

  “How many more bags do you have to pack?” he said.

  “Only about forty.”

  He looked at the setup. “Can I make a suggestion?”

  “Sure,” Kendra said.

  Anything to make this go faster; her workers’ energy was flagging.

  “If you take away the chairs and set the item on the table, each person can walk around with a bag and fill it with the items. You’ll go faster.”

  Kendra looked at their system. He was probably right. All they had to do was move the chairs. He helped the move the chairs, but he made Alia sit off to the side. He was so sweet with her. It warmed Kendra’s heart. She had to stop looking. There was no emotion their relationship. She wasn’t going to get all mushy around him. This was a business arrangement.

  The last of the bags were finished.

  “I bet everyone is hungry,” Sacha said.

  Several people murmured and Kendra had to admit she was, too. They’d worked hard all afternoon. Sacha smiled and then one of the bouncers walked in with a teenager behind him weighted down with pizza.

  Kendra walked over to Sacha. “Did you order that?”

  “I did. I figured they were hungry.”

  She smiled at him. “Thank you. And thank your brother for letting us use his space. I’ll make sure it’s cleaned up when we’re done.”

  “I’ll help with that,” Sacha said.

  “You don’t have to.”

  He’d rolled up his sleeves and helped them fill the bags. His arms were sculpted and she own wondered when he fit in in his workouts. His arms were sexy. She shouldn’t be thinking that. Once again she was grateful for his actions. “I know, but I’m done my work for the day.”

  “You looked a little sad when you came in. Are you okay?”

  He took a visible breath. “Don’t want to talk about it here. We can talk on the way home.”

  “Okay,” she said.

  She wasn’t going to push. She was thankful he was sharing it with her at all.

  “Where are all of these bags going to be stored?” Sacha said.

  “Not in your apartment. At the non-profit’s office in a truck. It’ll be here soon to load up.”

  “Did you get something to eat?” Sacha said.

  “I’ll wait until everyone is done. You hungry?”

  It was an inane conversation for two people who saw each other naked on a regular basis. The sad look in Sacha’s eyes hadn’t left. She still wanted to hug him.

  “I’ll go in a minute. You have some amazing volunteers.”

  She smiled. “I do. They’re great.”

  “Did you see my registration?”

  She laughed. “I did. You’re going to run with us.”

  “I am. Looking forward to it. I haven’t run a race in years,” he said.

  “It isn’t that competitive. It’s our first year so we aren’t on the radar of the very serious runners yet. Hopefully next year,” Kendra said.

  An hour later, the truck had been loaded, the nightclub was clean and Kendra and Sacha were on their way home. Kendra was tired and happy to get some sleep, as she wanted to be fresh for the race tomorrow.

  “So what happened today?”

  “I told you that I was looking for my son.”

  �
�Right.”

  “Well I found the birth mother.”

  “This doesn’t sound good,” Kendra said.

  “I called her and she wanted money for the information about the adoption agency. When I arrived, she had died from a drug overdose.”

  “Oh, Sacha, I’m sorry. So you didn’t get the information?”

  “I got something. I snooped while I waited for the cops to arrive.”

  “How sad, really.”

  “She wasn’t this way when I knew her. She was successful. I wish I knew what happened in the years since we’d been together.”

  “Did you contact the agency?”

  “I’m going to have my PI guy do it. He can be discreet.”

  “No wonder you have that haunted look in your eye. Even if you felt nothing for her, that was too young to die,” Kendra said.

  She squeezed his arm. He gave her a sardonic smile. “Thanks for listening.”

  “I did want to hug you but I didn’t think it appropriate to our boundaries.”

  He brushed a hair out of her face. “It would have been appreciated, but it’s okay that you didn’t. I’m glad you’re here for me to talk to.”

  “No problem.”

  He rubbed a hand down his face. “Have the nanny make dinner for Cliff. I’m not hungry.”

  “Good idea.”

  She sent a text to the nanny. “Done. I’m not hungry either. I really appreciate Viktor letting us use his nightclub.”

  “It was Alia. She told him that you could. She didn’t give him any choice. He isn’t going to argue with his pregnant wife.”

  Kendra laughed. “Alia is a force of nature.”

  “She is and she’s good for Viktor.”

  “I’d like to do something to thank them. Can we have them over for dinner?” Kendra asked.

  “I’ll see when they’re free.”

  “Good. Thanks.”

  She leaned back in her seat, glad the race was tomorrow and she’d be past the stress of it. She wondered when she’d be safe again. Soon, she hoped. With her mother in the home, Kendra had some things she wanted to accomplish. Things she hadn’t thought would ever be possible.

  ***

  At the race the next morning, Sacha’s phone rang. It was Nikolai.

  “Hey, Nik.”

  “Sacha, I’m glad I caught you. I’ve heard some chatter this week about Kendra. Lopez is still threatening her and he’s escalating it. He wants her found.”

  “Oh, crap. We’re out in public today. She’s part of a race. I have a bodyguard and I’m around.”

  “Keep your eyes open. Where are you?”

  He gave his friend the address. “The race starts in ten minutes.”

  “Is Kendra with you?”

  “No, but I’ll go find her. Right now.”

  Sacha’s heart raced as he searched the crowd for Kendra. He’d assumed that there would be safety in a crowd. He was wrong. He asked a few of the volunteers he recognized if they’d seen her. They all pointed him to the starting line. He finally spotted her, but didn’t see anyone that was a threat around her. He rushed through the crowd to be by her side.

  “Hey,” she said, smiling. The shorts and tank to did wonders for her figure. That was an amazing ass she had. He shook himself.

  “Hi. Almost time.”

  He wasn’t sure if he should warn her about the danger. He could keep up with her in the race. He didn’t have a problem with that. He’d stay by her side. What he wished he could do is tell a cop, but the ones around were only here to keep traffic away and they were further down the course. Damn. This wasn’t helping.

  The smiled dropped from Kendra’s face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  She studied him, but he put on a smile to cover his worry. He wasn’t sure who could help him. He didn’t want to put anyone else in danger.

  Mollified, she didn’t ask him again. Instead her smile came back. “We’ve had a good turnout. We had about twenty entries today.”

  He scanned the crowd as he listened to her. He didn’t see anything suspicious. Or anyone. “Do they get goody bags?”

  “If we had leftovers, which we might have. Some people don’t end up making it to the race.”

  “That would be a shame.”

  “No refunds so not a shame for us,” Kendra said. “What are you looking at?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re scanning the crowd like a Secret Service guy.”

  He looked down at her. “I got a call from Nik.” She deserved to know. She could make better decisions if she knew the truth.

  “Oh?”

  “He thinks that something might happen here. I’d love for you to leave right now.”

  “Don’t ask me that Sacha. Please. I’m sure nothing can happen, there are too many people here.”

  “I would think that also but I’m worried about your safety.”

  “Don’t be. The race will go off without a hitch.”

  The disc jockey playing music announced that it was almost race time. Sacha’s pulse quickened. Hopefully nothing would happen. They gathered at the starting line. Kendra had the privilege of being in front because she had organized the event. Sacha was right next to her still scanning the crowd. The man who would signal the start was on the sidelines. Would that be when the person shot at Kendra? The starter pistol would cover the sound.

  “Oh shit.”

  “What?” Kendra said.

  “Get behind me.”

  “Why?”

  He grabbed her and put himself between her and the starter.

  “Sacha?”

  “Trust me.”

  His eye looked over the crowd. The starter shot the pistol, but nothing happened. Other than the thundering of about fifty people behind him. Kendra passed him, but he caught up.

  “I thought someone might use the starter pistol as a cover,” he said.

  “Nothing happened. Relax.”

  He couldn’t. She wasn’t out of danger until they were back in his penthouse. He jogged beside her.

  “You don’t have to stay with me,” Kendra said.

  “Yes, I do.”

  As he jogged he stared at both sides of the road. There weren’t many onlookers. At each turn of the course several volunteers stood to cheer them on. As they turned into mile two, the crowd both running and watching had thinned out. Sacha was getting nervous. This wasn’t looking good at all.

  “I think we should stop.”

  “I’ve got a good stride, I’m not stopping. You worry too much.”

  “Kendra, there are few people here.”

  “It’ll be fine. Nik couldn’t give you specific information so I’m sure it’s just noise.”

  Sacha frowned. He wanted to carry Kendra away, but she’d be pissed at him. At least she’d be safe. They turned another corner and that’s when he saw the guy. Hot day for coat, but the man had a jacket on. Sacha searched for where he and Kendra could hide, but there weren’t anything but vacant lots and closed stores. He wished she’d picked a better neighborhood to run through.

  Kendra wasn’t paying attention, but Sacha was on high alert. The man raised his hand. He had a gun.

  “Look out!” Sacha shouted.

  He pushed Kendra out of the way. The man fired just as he did that. The bullet seared into Sacha’s shoulder. Damn. That hurt.

  Kendra was underneath him, but the man didn’t try to shoot again. When Sacha looked up, he was gone. A cop ran around from the next block. Kendra pushed him off of her and his shoulder hurt like he’d never felt before this.

  “Damn.”

  “Sacha,” Kendra said, and then screamed.

  It was a different sound than what she made in bed. This was not a happy sound. Not a sound he wanted to hear again. His shoulder was on fire. Kendra was shouting at him, but he couldn’t quite hear her.

  He had been shot. Had the bullet stayed in? He wasn’t sure. It just hurt and he was a tough guy. “Shit.” He opene
d his eyes to see Kendra above him, her eyes searching his face.

  “You okay?” he asked her.

  “Yes, I’m fine. You’re bleeding.”

  “Ouch,” Sacha said.

  The cop was holding a bandage over the spot where he was bleeding. The pressure hurt.

  “Did he get away?” Sacha asked.

  “Yes, but I’m not concerned with him,” Kendra said.

  ***

  Sacha was conscious but Kendra was still worried. She rode in the front of the ambulance, but kept looking in the back. No one seemed to be overly concerned so Kendra tried not to be. There had been a lot of blood, not that she had anything to compare it to. She’d never seen anyone shot before. Her heart has skipped a beat when she’d realized Sacha was hurt. She was concerned. That was it. He was a friend and he’d be just as concerned if she’d been hurt. In fact that’s why he’d pushed her out of the way. Part of her wanted to dismiss her feelings, but she couldn’t. Still. They had an agreement so she would pretend that everything was the same. That she was grateful for Sacha saving her life.

  The ambulance arrived at the hospital. The EMT told her to hop out. That she would have to fill out the admitting paperwork for the man. Sacha was wheeled past her and he looked pale. He smiled at Kendra. Gave a thumbs up but her billionaire looked like washed up dollar bill. She went to the desk where the woman sitting behind it asked her what seemed like one hundred questions. Sacha couldn’t answer them. She had to call Viktor, but she didn’t have his number.

  She realized that she had Sacha’s phone. It had been buzzing the whole time. That man received too many e-mails. She pulled it out of her pocket, scrolled through his contacts then called.

  “Sacha?”

  “No, Viktor, it’s Kendra. Sacha’s been hurt. He’s in the hospital.” She told him which one. Would Sacha be mad that she told his brother he was here? Was it a macho man thing to go through these things alone? She texted the nanny saying she didn’t know when she’d be home.

  She paced in the waiting room until a nurse came in. “Mrs. Kozlov?”

  Kendra was the only person in the room. “Yes?”

  “Your husband is asking for you.”