The meeting room door opened, the man who had pointed at me looking at me. “What’s your name?” a deep male voice boomed from behind me.
My pulse pounded like the maddening beat of a drumline in my ears as my heart thudded wildly against my rib cage. Shit! Shit! Shit! Taking a steadying breath, I turned and looked at the man towering over me, darting out my shaking hand. “Corsica. Corsica Moretti, sir,” I said, my voice almost a whisper as I looked into his eyes.
“You’d be perfect,” he said.
“What?” That was unexpected. “Perfect for what, sir?”
“Come with me,” he said as he whirled around and reentered the meeting room. “See? She’s just what we need.”
“I think you might be right, James,” another man said, nodding his agreement. What the hell was I perfect for? What was going on?
James motioned for me to enter the conference room. I moved farther into the room, my feet heavy with each step I took as James closed the door behind me. It snapped shut with an ominous click. Or maybe it just sounded ominous because I thought I was about to get in trouble as I stood surrounded by a roomful of strangers. James ushered me to an empty chair at the table and I hesitantly lowered myself into the seat and waited, hopefully to be filled in on what the hell was going on.
“Corsica, I’m James Green. I’m the Director of the DEA in New York.”
“Nice to meet you, sir. What exactly is going on?” A few of the men sitting at the table seemed shocked that I would ask such a question, a question that was clearly above my paygrade… but I had been invited in, and I was starting to think it wasn’t because I was in any type of trouble.
“I’m sure you’re aware of the incident that happened yesterday?”
I nodded.
“Good. The Grekov family has been running drugs into the United States for several years, their shipments increasing in size and frequency.”
I nodded again, thinking of all the documents that I had analyzed.
“Nikola Grekov, the son of the man responsible for these shipments, will be arriving in New York in two weeks. The agent that was placed with the Grekovs had been undercover with the family for almost two years… until yesterday.” He stopped speaking for what seemed like an eternity. My eyes caught sight of his bobbing Adam’s apple, the pain from yesterday’s news still fresh in his eyes. After a few seconds, he went on. “We need a replacement. A woman might be our best bet.”
When Mr. Green finished talking, I sat still, mulling over all that he’d said. Before I could speak, Jeff Dancer, the supervisor of my department spoke. “Corsica has all the credentials required for the Special Agent position… but she lacks the field experience for a job like this. You can’t possibly be serious about placing her in the line of fire with a family like the Grekovs, especially after recent events. It’s a suicide mission.”
The director looked at my supervisor. “Mr. Dancer, I appreciate your thoughts but her lack of experience is exactly what makes her perfect for the job. The Grekov family has proven to be very good at detecting our seasoned agents, and they’ll be even more cautious now.” He glanced at me. “Also, we know Nikola has a preference for women who have dark hair and… uhh… curvy figures.” He cleared his throat. “This young woman may be our only hope at salvaging this entire operation. We can’t afford to miss it.”
“I’ll do it,” I blurted. “I can do it.”
“Great,” Mr. Green said, excitement lacing his voice. “You will be transferred to the New York office until further notice.”
“Yes, sir.” Just like that, I was a field agent. My moment had arrived.
CHAPTER THREE
I spent the rest of the day with Director Green getting a crash course on the Grekov case. My dream of working as a Special Agent was finally coming true and I was filled with a complete and total euphoric feeling unlike any I had ever had before. Sitting at a desk one floor up from my department – my old department – I learned all about the dirty deeds of the Grekov family.
Nikola Grekov, the man I was to get close to, was a murderer, a drug-running criminal. Until this moment I hadn’t seen a picture of the man, but my imagination has been busy, creating a crude, scarred thug with soulless eyes, a man as ugly on the outside as he was on the inside. The picture before me, however, revealed something completely different. The handsome young man was wearing a dark suit that molded perfectly to his muscled body, his expression commanding and intense. This was a man used to getting what he wanted.
I devoured his pictures with my eyes, licking my lips. The man was drop-dead gorgeous. There was simply no way to deny that. With a twinge of regret, I tossed the pictures face-down on the desk and continued reading. He was in his late twenties – just a little older than me – and tall; 6’2 according to one report, 6’3 according to another. I picked up the pictures and looked through them again. A couple of the surveillance photos showed him with other men. He towered over them. Definitely tall. I threw the pictures down again. It didn’t matter that he was tall… or handsome… or that he looked good in a suit. All that mattered was that he was a criminal. He was a job, nothing more. Still, I was going to have to be careful. It would be easy to get lost in those intense eyes that stared out from the photos, easy to forget that handsome face masked darkness.
With a frustrated sigh, I forced Nikola Grekov to the back of my mind and read through the rest of the information that had been collected on his family. They were the largest organized crime family in Russia, growing faster than any other organization the DEA had seem in more than twenty years. All attempts at getting close to the core of the family had been a dead-end, and it had seemed that all possible options had been exhausted… until now.
Mr. Green’s plan was to bring me up to speed on the case and come up with a way for me to meet the pakhan’s son, Nikola. If everything went according to plan, Nikola would take a fancy to me and we’d have a way into the inner sanctum of the Russian mafia family. Sounded easy enough, but the words of my old supervisor, Mr. Dancer, replayed in my head. Was this a suicide mission? What would happen if my cover was blown like the other agent? I’d be dead, that’s what. My mouth went dry at the thought of dying at the hands of a ruthless killer. So many scenarios, so many ways to end a life... painfully... brutally… and the Grekov family knew them all.
Mr. Green slid a sandwich across the table to me, his deep voice bringing me back to reality. “Corsica, we’ll remove any connection you have to the agency and create on online presence that fits your actual life. You’ll use your own name; no aliases. That will make things easier to keep straight in your head. Easier and safer.”
I nodded, thankful that I’d get to keep my own name while undercover. I had been worried about, scared to death that I might make a mistake. “How long will this undercover operation last?” I unwrapped my sandwich, the rich scent of barbecue filling my nostrils. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until I took the first bite. I had no idea what the future held so I figured I needed to eat before my first mission began.
“That depends on you,” the director said. “When we have the information needed to take them down, we’ll get you out of there.”
Nodding, I took another bite, trusting in my new team. We ate in silence for a few minutes, my thoughts going to all the terrible crimes the Grekovs had committed over the years. They had never been arrested or even indicted because there was never any proof or witnesses to tie them to anything. Hopefully, I’d be able to change that, but one question kept nagging at me. One question I was afraid to ask because I thought I already knew the answer. But I had to know for sure. “What if I don’t get what we need while he’s in New York? What then?”
“You do whatever you can to make him take you to Russia with him.”
He must’ve noticed the look on my face, although I did my best not to show I was nervous.
“Corsica,” he said. “I know this is asking a lot. It’s a very unique situation. I hope you understand how much we’
re relying on you to help catch these people.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll do my best, sir.”
Mr. Green smiled, seeming to realize I wasn’t going to back out or try to change my mind. “Go home, get some rest, and prepare yourself for a whole new life. We’ll head to New York in the morning and get things started. Any more questions?”
“No, sir.” I stood up, and tossed the sandwich wrapper in the trash, heading for the door when another question popped into my head. I looked back at the director. “Mr. Green, what should I pack for my trip? Do I need to bring anything in particular? Clothes? Passport?”
“Your passport. Nothing else. Clothing will be provided. We’ll need to dress you like the women Grekov finds... appealing.”
My cheeks grew warm. After looking through the documents and seeing the photos, I had a very good idea of what Nikola liked. “See you tomorrow, sir,” I blurted, turning and leaving the room quickly. The director didn’t need to see me blushing.
CHAPTER FOUR
With passport in hand, I locked my apartment door and headed to the office. Today, instead of my regular outfit of pencil skirt and blouse, I donned a pair of dark fitted blue jeans and a white button-up shirt tucked in, with a pair of boots. With the flight to New York in my very near future, I preferred comfort over a tight skirt.
Security was just as it always was – a necessary but time-consuming pain in the ass. Finally slipping through the checkpoint, I took the elevator to the Special Agents’ floor that was above the floor where I used to work. It felt good to press the button that I had spent so much time staring longingly at. It felt even better stepping out of the elevator onto that floor. This was where the action was. It was the beginning of a whole new chapter in my life, and I was loving every minute of it. Not knowing where else to go, I stopped by the director’s office. He glanced up from some paperwork on his desk as I approached. “Good morning, Corsica. You ready to get the show on the road?”
“Good Morning, Mr. Green. Yes, sir, I’m ready to go.”
Green nodded. “We’ll leave within the hour. Have some coffee while I round up the other agents.”
An hour later, I was sitting in a private plane with a dozen DEA agents. I might have been sitting still but inside... inside I was jumping up and down like a kid in a candy store. Smiling from ear to ear, I suddenly realized how close I was to beginning my undercover life with the Grekov family. The smile fell just as quickly as it arose.
As soon as we landed, I was given a quick, final debriefing and sent to begin my new life; a life with only one goal – get close to Nikola Grekov.
CHAPTER FIVE
The next two weeks flew by at the speed of light and before I knew it, I was sitting at a bar, dressed in a tight black dress that barely left anything to the imagination. My breasts were damn near popping out of the top, and if I bent over, I was sure I’d give the pimple-faced boy clearing the table behind me a clear view of my lady parts. Under normal circumstances, I’d never be caught dead in an outfit like this, and anyone who knew me would be shocked as hell to see me this way. Hell, I was shocked when I looked in the mirror before I left my fake apartment to head to this sleazy little club called Indulgence. The agency was certain that Nikola would make an appearance. I didn’t ask why this bar but I was here...waiting.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked, his Russian accent strong with each syllable that passed his lips.
“A whiskey sour would be great.” I turned to the side, resting my elbow on the bar, glancing around the room while waiting for my drink.
The bartender sat my drink down on the bar with a crooked smile, his eyes examining my cleavage as if he could discover the secrets of life in there. Tattoos peeked out from under the sleeves of his pressed white shirt. “Nice ink,” I said, hoping to stop him from undressing me with his eyes. He looked into my eyes, and that leering smile grew bigger. “There is more to see when our clothes are on the floor.”
“No thanks. I’m just here for the drinks.”
The smile fell off his face and his eyes turned cold. I turned and looked out into the club, goosebumps breaking out all over my body. Would Nikola be as cold and intense as this guy? If he was, then my job just got a whole lot harder.
Two whiskey sours later, I had a good buzz going when a burst of cold air from an open door rocketed through the bar, sending another wave of goosebumps over my flesh. It was Nikola, a group of men stalking in behind him. I glanced briefly at the men with him and then looked at the man himself. The pictures Director Green had given me didn’t do the man justice at all. In the photos, he was drop-dead gorgeous, but in real life, he was almost god-like. The air seemed to crackle with electricity as soon as he had entered the room and the atmosphere of the room itself had changed. People didn’t stop and look at him but they knew he was there. People sat straighter, voices were lower. My mouth grew dry as he made his way to the bar just feet away from where I sat.
Game on.
“Vodka,” he commanded. His voice was deep, rich, and sensual, making an army of butterflies take flight in my stomach. The bartender grabbed a bottle of high-end vodka from the top shelf behind the bar and quickly handing it to Nikola. I watched as his lips went around the bottle as he turned it up, his long, strong fingers wrapped tightly around the bottle like a vice. For just a second, I imagined those powerful hands roaming across my body and trembled. He lowered the bottle from his lips, reached over the bar and grabbed a glass, and then retreated to a table behind me.
Letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding, I squirmed on my stool. He hadn’t paid me the slightest attention. Maybe I wasn’t the right woman for the job after all. Perhaps I wasn’t his type. I sipped my drink, wondering what the hell I should do. I slid my now-empty glass across the bar. “Another whiskey sour, please.” I glanced around. “Um...Where’s the restroom?”
The bartender looked at me for a moment, his eyes once again dropping to my almost-exposed breasts. He pointed to the hallway on the other side of the room.
“Thanks.” I walked across the room slowly, letting my hips swing seductively as I passed Nikola’s table. I didn’t have to look in his direction to know he had caught my movement. I could feel his scalding gaze on me. When I made it to the bathroom, I stood in front of the mirror, face flushed from the alcohol and a bad case of nerves. I had never been a big drinker. Thankfully, the booze was a little watered down, but I was still feeling it. I grabbed a paper towel, ran it under the sink, and rubbed it across my neck. My skin felt hot enough to fry an egg on and I couldn’t hold back a sigh of relief as the coolness calmed some of the building heat.
The door opened and in walked none other than my mark. He stood in the doorway, his gaze burning into me as his eyes swept from head to toe and back up again. I trembled, unmoving as he stepped forward slowly, leisurely, as if he were a big cat stalking his prey. He stopped right in front of me, only inches away. “What is your name?” he demanded in that sexy Russian accent that made my knees feel weak.
“Corsica,” I whispered. “Corsica Moretti.”
“Corsica. Very beautiful. Like you,” he said. His dark eyes burned into mine, staring intently, as if he could look inside me and see all my secrets. For a moment, I feared that he could. His hand brushed my arm and electricity crackled through every fiber of my being. “I am Nikola.”
Before I could respond, his mouth crashed down on mine in a heated kiss that would make a hooker blush with envy. My first instinct was to pull away but this was part of the job. This was actually what I wanted – needed – to happen… and then I wanted it for an entirely different reason that had nothing to do with work as his talented tongue teased my lips.
I kissed Nikola back, moaning into his mouth like a savage, my heart crashing against my ribcage in a maddening staccato. He pressed up against me, forcing me back against the counter. I could feel his erection, thick and pulsing, against my stomach and I couldn’t help wanting it as his tongue plundere
d the depths of my mouth. Moaning, I dug my nails into his firm pecs, yielding to the sudden lust awakened within me, desperate to feel his skin against mine. His hands rubbed along my hips and I trembled as his fingertips burned a trail up my thighs, the hem of my dress slowly rising.
Nikola lifted me onto the counter and pulled me against his hard body. I whimpered softly as his fingers found the zipper of my dress, pulling it down so slowly I thought I might die from the insatiable heat between my thighs. Part of me hated myself for allowing this to go so far. This was work. I was a DEA agent. I wasn’t supposed to be turned-on for real, but Nikola was like no man I’d ever met. I had seen the way he had entered the bar, the master of all he surveyed. Even now, he was confident he could have whatever – whoever – he wanted… and he was right. I had never wanted a man so bad before in my life.
His warm, moist lips trailed along my neck, nipping and kissing their way to my collar bone. I couldn’t have stopped even if I wanted to. I was a hot mess, growing even hotter as Nikola freed my shoulders from my dress, lazily kissing each one as the dress slid lower and lower. I told myself I was only pretending to enjoy the feelings he was awakening within me, told myself I had to let this play out, had to get inside the Grekov family any way I could, even if that meant allowing myself to be ravished by this powerful and sexy man.
With my dress bunched around my waist, Nikola tugged on the front of my bra until my large breasts spilled over the cups, his massive hands greedily grasping them as his lips worked their way lower. When his tongue lashed out, flicking across the pebbled nipple of my left breast, I almost succumbed to an orgasm right then. It had been so long since a man had touched me in such a way. His teeth scraped along my nipple, sending sharp twinges of pain and pleasure straight to my pussy, increasing the flow of liquid fire seeping down my thighs.
“Oh God!” I shouted. I didn’t care who heard me. I only needed more of what this man was offering. I felt dirty and wanton, but at this moment I couldn’t care less what anyone thought of me. I needed the release his talented tongue and hands promised me.
Indulgence: A Russian Mafia Romance (Grekov Mafia Book 1) Page 2
