It had been my job to keep a watchful eye on his princess for more than a year now. At first, it had been an easy task… but that changed soon enough. Liliya Markow was a woman that screamed trouble. She seemed pure and innocent, but word amongst the men was she gave as good as she got. They made her sound like a whore, but I knew for a fact that wasn’t true. She flirted, but in a year she hadn’t given me more than a kiss. I’d have her one way or another, though. She was mine. Only mine.
Grabbing my phone, I placed the call I’d been dreading for two days. “Boss, we’ve had no luck locating Liliya. It’s like she just vanished. Maybe she had help from someone in the family?”
“That’s unacceptable, Dane,” Mr. Markow screamed. “A girl can’t just disappear without a trace. If someone in the family helped her, they’ll fucking regret it. I don’t think anyone is that stupid, but I’ll look into it, just to be sure. You find her, boy, or don’t bother coming back.” The line went dead.
Fuck!
Double fuck.
I crammed my phone back in my pocket and faced the small group of men helping to search the city. I had no choice but to find Liliya and bring her home to her father. The consequences of failure just weren’t an option. We’d come too far to risk her taking the whole organization down. One word of what she had seen or overheard spoken to the wrong person and we were all dead. The Commission wouldn’t allow our plan to come to pass.
She had to be controlled.
Mr. Markow had promised his little twenty-one-year-old princess to me. The joining of our families was paramount to keeping control of the city. With the meeting of the Bosses, better known as The Commission, coming up, and the threat of another Russian family vying for control, Liliya’s disappearance couldn’t have happened at a worse time.
Our marriage would unify two strong families, the combining of the territories forming the largest amongst the five families, making the Markow-Duskin family the strongest mafia family in decades. Malcolm had been against this move, arguing that it would attract too much attention from the police and other agencies, as well as the three other families. He’d feared that a war would come.
I’d always thought Malcolm was a pussy. And I was right. He had cried like a little bitch as his father beat the shit out of him in the garden, crying and begging even though he knew his words wouldn’t save him. He was beyond saving. He could have had everything he wanted, if only he would have found his balls and acted like a real man for once in his life. Now, with Malcolm gone, I was Markow’s right hand. Together we would make history.
When his father had ordered me to kill his son, I hadn’t hesitated. No. I had done what was asked of me. I followed orders. I listened to him beg for his life and swallowed his fear as the light in his eyes disappeared into oblivion. What I hadn’t expected that night was his sister – my bride – to see me do it. She had seen everything, and it had turned what should have been cut and dried – a mere formality, really – into a fucking nightmare.
Shaking off the memory, I turned to my men, running my fingers through my obsidian hair. “The boss is pissed. Someone saw Liliya leave the city. She doesn’t have resources at her disposal. Expand the search. Her car is gone, so start there. Check rental car companies, bus stations, airports… hack the fucking department of motor vehicles if you have to. Call in every favor you have and find my girl. She is NOT to be harmed. Punishment is up to her father. We don’t return home until we find her. Get to work!” A chorus of yes sirs rained down on me and I felt ten feet tall. I loved commanding the men, the taste of authority on my tongue. I yearned for it like oxygen… or a warm wet pussy.
Johan approached the back door of the car, opening it for me. As I moved to slip inside, he spoke. “I’ve got a guy that can track Liliya’s car. He’s good and fast.”
“Call him now.”
“Yes, sir,” Johan responded as he shut the door.
Two hours later, Johan and I pulled into the parking lot of a ‘buy here, pay here’ car dealership called Big Mo’s. I scoured the lot, filled with dozens of rusty pieces of shit, for several minutes before finding the little red Mercedes. The front end of Liliya’s car was just visible from behind the office.
Wasting no time, we strode towards the entrance to the dingy portable building. The sound coming from the television masked our entrance. The heavy-set man behind the desk was busy watching television on an old black-and-white set the size of a microwave dinner. He had a beer in one hand and piece of greasy fried chicken in the other, the man’s stained wife-beater shirt barely covering his beer gut. I approached the desk giving it a solid tap with my fist, startling the old man. The old guy looked as if he might shit his pants. It’s funny how just the mere sight of men like Johan and me can incite fear in someone. Have to give the old guy credit, though. He recovered quickly, always on the lookout for a fast buck.
“What the… how can I help you gentlemen?” He wiped his mouth on the back of his grease-covered hand, crispy flakes of crust from his dinner flittering to the floor with each movement he made. The chair snapped forward as he shifted his weight to sit up, his hefty beer gut rubbing against the edge of the desk. A real fucking winner, right here before us. Just the thought of my sweet little Liliya dealing with this scum turned my stomach.
“We’re here about the Mercedes you have parked outside,” I growled. “It belongs to my woman. How long have you had it?”
“Sweet little piece, isn’t she? I’ve had her about two days now, or there about. She’s fancy. Has all the bells and whistles, she does.”
“I think you misunderstood. We’re not interested in buying the car. We’re looking for the woman who gave it to you.” I gave Johan a nod and he made his way around the desk. When he jerked the man up from his chair by the nape of his neck, the yelp from the old man made my heart race. “You see, old man, my woman ran off. I need to find her. My friend here wants to find her, too. I ask the questions and you give me answers or my friend here will dish out pain like you’ve never felt before. Are we clear?”
Silence.
Johan gave the man’s neck a good squeeze.
“Fuck yes!” the car dealer whine. “We’re clear.”
“Good. What kind of car did she get in exchange for the Mercedes out back?”
“She picked out an old Ford Taurus. Beat-up old thing but that’s what she wanted. I swear.”
“Did she say where she was headed?” I asked through gritted teeth. The idea of Liliya driving around in some old beat-up piece of shit pissed me off.
“She didn’t say exactly.”
Johan gave the man another squeeze that stole his breath.
“Wait,” Big Mo gasped, wincing in pain. “Just wait. Let me think. She mentioned going somewhere warm. Yeah, when she started to leave, she asked what road would take her out west.”
“You’ve been helpful,” I said, offering the man a friendly smile. “Where’s the keys and paperwork for both of the cars? I want everything you have.”
Johan let the man go and he stumbled across the office, fumbling through a stack of paperwork, his hands shaking so bad he could barely keep them from slipping from his fingers. Seconds later, he thrust several documents into my hand. “Thank you.” As I turned to head for the door, I gave Johan a quick nod, leaving him alone with the old guy. I knew what would happen. Johan would take care of my loose ends, just as he always had. Loyalty. You couldn’t beat that.
Johan stepped out of the office, flipping the lights off with the sleeve of his shirt. He then ran a cloth over the door handles, wiping away our prints. Just like that, we were never here. I quickly folded the paperwork and slipped it into my jacket. Johan strode towards the car, removing his gloves, his lips pressed in a flat line.
“I’ll drive Liliya’s car back to the boss’s house,” I said. “You follow me and we’ll regroup from there.” Johan nodded, heading towards the other vehicle.
As I slipped into the Mercedes, the scent of Liliya’s perfume slapped
me dead in the face, reminding me of something I had managed to keep buried in the back of my mind until now. I’d never admit this to anyone, never speak it out loud. It would be a sign of weakness, and that I could not have in this line of work.
The secret that haunted me was shame. I was filled with a shame, unable to shake it. The look in Liliya’s eyes as her brother’s body hit the ground cut me to the bone, bleeding me dry. From that night forward, she would not meet my gaze. I knew the memory of that night sickened her, and her refusal to acknowledge me, even with anger – made me feel an emptiness I had never experienced with her.
I wasn’t always like this. I used to be a good man. But the steps I have taken these past few months have set me on a path from which I cannot return. It’s too late for that. I’ve gone too far into the dark, so far that I barely recognize myself now, but it’s all worth it to have her by my side. The darkness of our families has swept through me like the blade of the grim reaper’s scythe. The man I am now will stop at nothing to head the Markow-Duskin families, and Liliya… she might not love me, but she would be with me, whether she liked it or not.
The five families will soon become four, and the power will shift in our favor. I will be the head of the snake that coils around the city, and then I will spread my reign from state to state, taking full control. I will be the voice of reason that will not only be heard and respected, but feared.
Chapter Six – Ruslan
“It is the dim haze of mystery that adds enchantment to pursuit.”
- Antoine Rivarol
I watched as Liliya pulled onto the highway, headed towards the heart of Las Vegas, unable to wipe the image of the beautiful woman from my mind. I’d say that I have a type, but that would be a lie. All women are my type. I don’t discriminate, and I never will. Tall or short, thick or thin, all natural beauties or those that paid for their looks all have a place with me at some point or another. They have always been the same in my eyes. Good for one thing and one thing only… until today.
The mysterious Liliya caught my interest in a way that others haven’t. She makes me want more than I am comfortable with. It’s certainly a rarity. In just a few short minutes, the sexy little lady has burrowed under my skin.
I’m not the kind of man for a woman like her, though. She’s too perfect and sweet for the likes of me. A man like me will chew her up and spit her out. I’ll use her in ways she couldn’t possibly handle and make her beg me for more with every breath she takes. I’d ruin her in a night. Maybe even less time than that.
My life is dangerous and lonesome. It’s not a place for a woman as innocent as she is. As much as I know, deep down in my blackened heart, that I should let her go, I know that I won’t.
I’ll seek her out and corrupt every square inch of her life and her body.
I’ll make her mine.
She’ll fall under my spell, as they always do.
I’ll ruin her for all others and leave her broken.
That’s why I should leave her sweet little ass be and let her live her perfect angelic life. I know all of this, but I also know that I cannot resist the mystery surrounding her. She’s hiding something, of that I am sure. Knowing this spurs me on like an addict seeking his next high. I’ll find out what it is, this secret that she keeps. I always do. If she’s lucky, I’ll let her go when I’ve had my fill. One taste should be enough, it usually is. And then I will be on to the next one. It’s just as well, since I despise attachments.
I fingered the screen of my phone, pulling up Bobby’s number, waiting for him to pick up. One ring. Two. Three. Bobby has been a trusted associate of mine for many years. The day we met, he was hustling his dope in my territory. Long story short, he caved to the powers that be, meaning he knelt before me and the Volsky family, offering up his loyalty. Without hesitation, he was accepted into the fold, becoming a brother in our growing family. I can always count on him, and I need him now. I need to know more about this mystery woman that seems to be quickly becoming my obsession.
I’m the kind of man that gets what he wants. When I set my sights on something, I never stop until I have it, and my sights are set firmly on her plump little ass. She won’t know what hit her until it’s too late.
“This is Bobby.”
“Bobby, it’s Ruslan again. That sweet little lady you changed the tire for, by chance did you get the usual information on her?”
“I did. What’s going on, boss?” he asked. He’s an inquisitive little shit. Always has been. I’ve told him before it’s a dangerous habit. Too much knowledge can be a dangerous thing. I had no intention of explaining myself to him, but he would cough up the information regardless, because that’s just the way it worked. Nobody ever tells me no. Sometimes I wish they would, just to see how I’d react. It’s been too long since I let the beast free.
“Give me the full name, and any other contact information you have. Oh… and if you managed the license plate and vehicle identification number, give me that too.”
“Sure thing, boss. You thinking the gal is trouble for us or something? Hold on a second and I’ll grab it for you.” Papers shuffled for a minute or two, and I was beginning to get a little annoyed at being kept waiting when Bobby was suddenly back on the line. Crisis avoided, Bobby. He rattled off the details I had requested and I jotted them down. All the details, except one.
“Last name, Bobby?”
He went quiet. I could tell he was hesitant about sharing the name. Waiting was making me antsy as hell. Why wouldn’t he answer? Bobby never denied me. And if he valued his life, he wouldn’t deny me now. “Last name, Bobby,” I repeated, my voice edged with steel, promising violence if he made me ask a third time.
“Uh… sorry, boss.” Another moment of silence that I gritted my teeth through, imagining Bobby on his knees in front of me, the barrel of my gun pressed against his forehead. “Mr. Volsky,” Bobby said, a slight tremble in his voice, “this might not mean anything. I mean I ran a quick check to be sure. She’s…” Again he went quiet.
“What the fuck is wrong with you, Bobby?” I exploded. “Give me the damn name or I’ll drop in for a chat that you’ll definitely regret. Now!”
“Markow,” Bobby stammered. “Her name is Liliya Markow… as in THE Markow crime family of New York City.”
Fuck! The unexpected shock made me instantly forget that I had been within moments of driving to Bobby’s and putting a bullet in him. “Any idea what she’s doing in Vegas? And why she’s driving around in a beat to hell piece of shit car?”
“No idea, boss. Word on the wire is her older brother, Malcolm, was killed a few months back though. They were close, boss. Should I dig deeper?”
“I heard about her brother at the last meeting. Find out everything you can. I want to know what you know as soon as you know it. Make it fast… but keep it all quiet. This is between you and me only. I have a bad feeling about this.”
I ended the call without another word. Bobby knew what needed to be done, and I was eager to find out just what the hell a rival family’s princess was doing in my playground. Was she here to spy on me? Surely that jackass of a father of hers wouldn’t send a delicate little princess here… or maybe he would. She was a little jumpy and eager to get away from me, though. Not exactly the attitude of a spy looking for information. Damn. I want to be wrong about this. But if I’m not, I’ll make her regret the day she and her father tried to toy with me.
She’d mentioned she just moved to the area, so I wasn’t shocked to find that Bobby didn’t have an address for my girl. My girl? What the hell was I saying? That didn’t matter, though. She provided a cellphone number, and that alone would allow me to find her. I called another associate to have him track her ass down. One thing was for sure, she had to be watched closely.
One call later and I knew where she was. The Markow princess – the only daughter to one of the five mafia bosses – was holed up in a seedy motel that was mostly used by hookers and drug addicts. The more I learned a
bout this girl, the more concerned I got. Nothing added up when it came to her.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, she was cash-poor, based on what she said at the diner, and she was driving a car that should have hit the scrap yard ages ago. She wasn’t dressed bad, but there’s no way her father would let her run around looking the way she did. All of these points definitely raised some concerns. What the fuck was Markow up to? And how the hell was his daughter involved? Was she involved? She didn’t seem to have a clue who I was. Fuck, maybe she did and just feigned ignorance.
My next call was to my best captain, Vladimir, to keep a watchful eye on the mafia princess and report back to me with every single move she made.
“Da.”
“Vlad, we have an unusual situation. One that needs to be handled with kid gloves.”
“Kid gloves?” Vlad chuckled. “Whatever you say, boss. What’s the job?”
“You’ll report directly to me, and no one else on this. Keep this quiet. It seems that we have a rival pakhan’s little princess in the area. I ran into her and she seemed a little too jumpy for my liking. Bobby is digging up what he can so we’ll know more soon. I want you to watch her every move. Do not let her see you, and absolutely zero contact. Give me hourly reports.”
“Who is she?”
“Liliya Markow.”
“Fucking hell Boss. You don’t think the old bastard sent her to rile you up before the big meeting he called, do you? Maybe get under your skin… or even into your pants. If she’s a looker, maybe her old man thinks she can seduce some secrets out of you.”
I couldn’t hold back the growl and Vladimir’s hearty laugh didn’t help. He knew me too well. Vlad and I don’t keep secrets, so I knew it was pointless hiding my interest in her. “Fuck, man. I’ll admit that she’s gorgeous little piece… but we need to find out why she’s here. That’s top priority, Vlad. She’s driving an old Ford Taurus that’s seen much better days. From the looks of it, she’s hiding something, and I want to know what the hell it is. We don’t do anything other than watch until we know what her story is. Then, and only then, will I make my move. Her being here is cause for concern.” I gave the name of the shitty little motel to my right-hand man.
Protected by a Mobster: A Russian Mafia Romance (Volsky Mafia Book 1) Page 3
