He stepped inside the bedroom, walked past the bed, and over to the window. The restored cobblestone was cool beneath his feet, and the only light in the room came from the crack in the bathroom door. He shut the door and pulled back the thick burgundy curtain. The stars were magnificent in the country, and they were really showing off tonight. The moon laid into view the rolling hills that stretched far beyond the second story window where he stood. His life was like a symphony. Sometimes it could be the sweetest of melodies; at other times, it was the theme from Jaws. Right now it was as if both tunes were playing in some tumultuous harmony. On one side, the sweet melody—this beautiful place, all the people he loved around him, and in a moment the warmth of a gorgeous woman—then, the Jaws side of his life—his parents’ murderer, Dragov, living through another night, his rabid dog, Nicoli, coming to kill Xander, Natalie in Paris, and of course all the unknowns that surrounded Sarah. A woman he had really grown to like. A woman who, as he looked back at her lying atop the comforter, might as well be the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. What a swirl of emotions. He looked back out the window and up at the wondrous night. He wondered if it were possible that Natalie could be thinking of him at that very moment. It was then—as a star shot across the sky—that he realized: every other woman he ever came across would leave him wanting her. He shouldn’t be in the room with Sarah right now. Without knowing if he could trust her, without knowing if he could control himself at the thought of betrayal.
“Xander?”
Sarah had awoken and propped herself on her elbow. Her curves were intoxicating. It angered him that he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. He should have stayed outside with Kyle.
“I didn’t think you were going to make it. I’m sorry I was so forward earlier. I really should never have more than two glasses of wine. I was out of my head.”
Xander didn’t say a word. He turned from the window, removed his shirt, then his pants and crawled into the bed on top of her. Sarah went to speak but Xander covered her mouth with his hand before she could get anything out. There was wildness in his eyes. He could tell by the way she looked back at him. She didn’t fight him. She let his hands have free rein over her luscious curves and soft skin. Without hesitation she grabbed him and began to stroke him. He ripped her bra off of her chest without undoing the clasp. Sarah let out a moan of excitement and tried to pull him into her, but as soon as she reached for him he caught her arms and pinned them back behind her head at the wrists with his left hand. He tasted her soft skin that had already grown salty with her sweat. The scent of lavender and honey returned to him and his desire for her was strong enough to blind him. She let out another moan, this one more in pleasure. Xander dropped his grip from her arms and pulled himself on top of her. He couldn’t wait any longer, he wanted—needed—to be inside of her. He grabbed her by the hips and rolled her over. She moved to her knees, grabbed the headboard with both arms and Xander moved in behind her. As bad as he wanted it—wanted her—the thoughts of her lying to him, betraying his trust, were too much for him to overcome. Just before he slid her panties down her legs, he backed away from her, got up from the bed, picked up his T-shirt, and threw it to her.
“Xander? What’s wrong?”
“You tell me.”
Sarah pulled his shirt over her breasts, and one last zing of desire almost made Xander reconsider. But he couldn’t.
“I don’t understand. We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. Was it something I did?”
Sarah’s expression changed when she saw in Xander’s eyes the madness that Sam had noticed earlier.
“No more games. How long have you been working for Dragov?” Xander growled.
“Dragov? Xander, what the hell are you talking about?” Sarah’s face turned quickly from concern to anger. “After I’ve risked my life for you, you’re going to ask me this?”
Sarah was too spun up to stay seated. She got up to her feet, deep breaths coming fast, her hands on her hips.
“No more bullshit, Sarah. Tell me the truth!” The muscles in his neck tightened, looking like cords. Sarah could see he was truly angry.
“Xander, what are you talking about? I’m CIA, you know this. I would never work with someone like Dragov!”
Xander rounded the bed and pinned her against the wall. “Okay, then you are working with that motherfucker Manning to take me down!”
“What? Why would Manning . . . Xander, I saved your life on that boat! What the hell is wrong with you? What was that about on the bed? Why would you almost make love to me if you doubted me?”
Xander could see the hurt in her eyes. What the hell was he doing?
The bedroom door busted open and Zhanna rushed through the door. Without hesitation she stepped in between them and shoved Xander onto the bed.
“What the hell are you doing, Xander? Who do you think you are?” Then to Sarah. “Are you all right?”
Sadness washed over Sarah’s face. Xander knew at that moment that he had made a terrible mistake. “No, I’m not all right!” Sarah moved away from Zhanna and stormed off into the bathroom. Xander had no words. He covered himself with his pants and left the room immediately. Zhanna’s intense judgment followed him out of the room.
Once inside his room, Xander headed directly for the shower and stepped inside. As the warm water washed over his body, for the first time that he could remember, he was disgusted with himself. He let his past affect his present, and worse, he had let it affect Sarah. She didn’t deserve to be accused like that. She had more than earned the right at a chance to explain herself. He knew he had just completely humiliated her, and hurt someone who had done nothing but care for him. And he cared about her. What had he done? The water continued to massage his back, and as he tilted his head into the shower, letting it fall upon his face, Natalie flooded back to his mind. She would be so disappointed in him. For so many reasons. Why was he doing this? The selfishness of revenge? Or was he thrusting himself further inside this madness, subconsciously doing things to push Natalie away, to keep her safe? Or was he denying himself Natalie to keep from losing someone else he loved? Xander had never been good at introspection. Not on the level that he would ponder an uncomfortable thought. That’s what the whiskey and women had been for. That’s part of the reason he had let Kyle in, because he knew his friend could distract him from truly feeling something. But regardless of his lousy introspective skills, Natalie had awakened something in him. Something that wanted more. More than revenge. However, he knew he couldn’t stop now. He finally knew for certain who killed his parents. He finally could put an end to all of this bullshit and heal. No matter what, he had to finish it. For his sake, for Sam and Kyle’s sake, and for Natalie’s sake. She may not know it yet, but Xander had plans for her. For them. He would do everything in his power to make her the happiest woman in the world.
If she would have him.
Xander shut off the water, toweled dry, and collapsed onto the bed. He realized as he stared up at the old reclaimed wood beams in the ceiling that it could be a while before he could make all of that happen. He just had to make sure he wouldn’t be hurting anyone, like Sarah, in the meantime. He knew he had to be patient. He couldn’t bring Natalie into this underworld. Not again. Not until he had cleared the evil from his life and they could truly be together without worry of another incident like the one at his home in Lexington. He had been lucky that she hadn’t been hurt, or worse. If it wasn’t for that text, they both would be dead. It was the first time in a while that he had thought about that anonymous text. He let it bother him for a moment, but he was tired, and his body finally gave out on him.
18
Special Delivery
The smell of bacon and a relentless beam of sunlight finally tore Xander from a deep but tormented sleep. It didn’t take him more than a second to feel sick about what he had done to Sarah. He had never been in such a prolonged state of rage. He knew that Sarah wanted him, but not like that. Not with that rage inside
him. No matter what he did, she would never forgive him for that. He’d become a real charmer with the ladies. He was starving, but the thought of facing Sarah at breakfast made him want to bury his head under the covers.
A knock at the door.
“Xander?” Kyle called to him through the door.
“Come in.”
Kyle pushed the door open, and Xander sat up when he saw the look on his friend’s face.
“What happened?”
“You tell me.”
“I don’t understand.”
“What happened with you and Sarah last night?”
“Oh, you heard.” Xander felt that rush of disappointment in himself. Not to mention how embarrassed Sarah must have been seeing everyone this morning.
“I haven’t heard a thing, that’s why I came up. Zhanna said something happened between you and Sarah last night, but she said it was up to you to tell us.” Kyle never lost his look of concern.
“So, Sarah didn’t tell you?”
“Xander, Sarah’s gone.”
Xander jumped out of bed and put on a shirt. “Gone?”
“Gone. We’ve looked everywhere. Thought she may have just gone for a walk, but none of her stuff is here.”
“Damn it. I fucked up, Kyle.”
“It’s okay, just tell me what happened.”
“I was such an asshole.”
“It can’t be that bad.”
“I stopped just short of making love to her, then demanded that she tell me how long she’d been working for Dragov.”
“Oh . . . yeah, that’s kinda messed up.”
Xander didn’t know what to say.
“So, how’d you two leave things?”
“We didn’t. Zhanna came in and kept us from tearing each other’s eyes out. I left and took a shower, then fell asleep.”
“And now Sarah is gone.”
“And now Sarah is gone.” Xander repeated, trying to work through it.
“Shit.” Kyle took a seat on the bed. “Now what? I thought you two were really getting along.”
“We were, she’s fantastic . . . I just . . . I lost it last night. I don’t know who I can trust and it made me crazy. I took it out on Sarah, and she was the last person that deserved it. I should have directed my anger toward the obvious, Vitalii Dragov’s daughter.”
“Xander,” Sam shouted from somewhere in the house. “There’s a delivery truck coming up the drive, should we be concerned?”
Xander looked at Kyle. “You’re sure Sarah actually left? I feel awful.”
“We looked everywhere, man. And like I said, her stuff is gone.”
“Xander?” Sam walked into the bedroom. “Did you hear me? There’s a delivery truck—”
“Probably just something for the winemaker. I know he’s working on the fermentation tank this week.”
Sam made a face, then went over to the window and pulled back the curtain. A white BRT parcel service truck came to a stop at the front of the circular driveway. A man in a BRT uniform stepped out of the truck with a large package in his hands. They were hiring some really muscle-bound drivers these days. Sam also noticed a large tattoo running down his left arm. Alarm bells went off in her head.
“Jack!” she shouted down the hallway.
“What is it, Sam?” Xander asked.
“Jack!” No answer.
Sam walked back over to the window, and just as she heard Jack call back to her and noticed the truck begin to back away from the villa, a massive boom reverberated through the house and pieces of the front wall blew out toward the truck. The shock of an explosion brought the three of them to their knees, shoulders hunched in a protective reaction. From the other side of the villa they heard a woman scream, and Sam got back to her feet just in time to see armed men in full tactical gear jumping out of the back of the delivery truck. Her alarm bells had been correct.
They were under attack.
“Xander, Nicoli Pavlovich and his men are here,” Sam relayed.
“Is everyone all right?” Jack asked as he walked into the room, his .357 Magnum Colt Python held down by his side. “We got company.”
“Sam, find Melanie and make sure she’s safe,” Xander said as he ran out the bedroom door and down the upstairs hallway to Zhanna’s room. Smoke filled the main level, and debris from the blast covered the great room that led out to the back pool area.
“Zhanna!” Xander shouted as he approached the door to her room. He could hear instructions being barked in Russian by someone just outside. He opened the door to her room, and the only thing he saw was a black boot leaving through the open window. “Zhanna!” he shouted again, running over to the window. When he looked out, he saw a man pointing a gun at him and a bullet ricocheting off the stone right above his head. He would have to deal with Zhanna later.
BOOM!
Another explosion rattled the villa, this time from the backside. The blast refocused Xander, and he turned back toward the room and over to the closet. Inside the walk-in closet, on the left, there was a full-length mirror attached to the wall. Xander bumped his fist against the right side of it, and it popped open like a medicine cabinet. However, its contents in no way resembled medicine. Xander reached in and pulled two Glock 19 pistols off their hooks, one Glock nine, and ammunition and quickly strapped a replica of his favorite tactical knife, Rambo, to his leg. He could now hear the shuffling of feet echoing up the stairs from the foyer. Time was up. He turned back toward the hallway as he tucked the extra magazines and a gun down into the shallow pockets of his white linen lounge pants and broke into a dead sprint. As he entered the hallway, two men were coming up the stairs. He didn’t have time to cock the pistol and fire, so he ducked to the height of the rail and sprinted past them. Shots—most likely from two Uzis—sprayed all around him, but he managed to keep from getting hit. He saw Kyle exiting the master bedroom window in front of him, a window that led to the roof of the connected pool house.
As the gunmen rounded the stairway into the hall behind him, Xander racked the slide on the second pistol and yelled for Kyle, “Catch me!”
Unsure if Kyle heard him, he was going to have to chance it. He knew more gunmen would be right behind the two who now had an open shot at his back, and his pistols were no match for their fully automatic weapons. Simply turning toward them and firing would most likely cost him his life. So he did what any badass motherfucker would do: he ran straight for the window, jumped, rotated toward the two gunmen in midair, and, just as his ass was clearing the bottom of the window seal, he put two bullets in each of them while falling in full backward extension through the window and into the waiting arms of his best friend on the roof.
Kyle had heard him.
Xander wished he’d been wearing a GoPro camera.
Jack missed the action due to the fact that he was loading his gun.
Sam just reached out her hand for the extra pistol, as if all he’d done was pour her a drink.
Tough crowd.
Xander passed her the gun and extra magazine with a disheartened look and then did the same for Kyle. Shouts in Russian filtered out the bedroom window to them. Xander pointed in the direction of the rows of grape vines across the pool area that led to the south. “Sam, you and Kyle make your way south and as soon as you are out of view, turn to the west and make your way to La Castellana. Ask for Antonia. She’ll tell you where to go from there, Jack and I will meet you there.
“Just come with us now, Xander.” Sam hurried.
“Did you find Melanie?”
“No time.”
“Well, I have to.”
“Xander, it’s too late.”
He ignored her. “And I have to find Zhanna.”
“Why, Xander?”
“To kill the bitch.”
19
Blurred Lines
By the time Sam and Kyle made it across the pool area and out to the vines, Xander had shot two more gun-toting thugs through the still open master bedroom window. Sometimes
, at the most inopportune times, weird thoughts popped into his head. Like just how unbelievably odd it was that his life had brought him here to Tuscany, standing on a roof, shooting moronic, under-trained thugs through his bedroom window. Truth is stranger than fiction.
Xander turned back toward Jack. When he did, he had another thought. All of that other stuff about shooting people through his bedroom window in Tuscany was weird, until you turned around and saw a real-life, honest to god American cowboy standing there with you.
“Jack, I’m going to go around front and come in behind them. I have to find Melanie. Stay here and smoke anyone that comes through this window. Just make sure no one comes up behind me.”
“Roger that.”
Jack tipped his hat and pulled the hammer back on his shiny cowboy pistol. Xander backed up, dropped off the roof until he caught the edge in his hands, then dropped the last ten feet to the grass below. The smell of smoke and explosives was heavy in the air; the front of his beautiful Tuscan home was completely blown to shit. He stepped over the broken stones that used to be his front wall, pistol in hand, crouch-walking around to the front. Behind him he heard Jack’s Colt Python doing its job. Three shots fired so far. Xander sidled up to the only standing pencil pine, peered around it, but didn’t see any movement. Then there was Melanie. Just as Xander made a motion to move, she put her hands over her head. He couldn’t see her face, but he could only imagine the horror it displayed. She was backing up toward the delivery truck, and then Nicoli Pavlovich came into view, a gun extended in front of him, directly in Melanie’s face. Five men followed directly behind him, their guns positioned upon her as well. Rage flamed through Xander like a backdraft blowing through an opened door in a house fire. He went to move again, then noticed a glint of light in a tree just over Melanie’s head in the distance.
A sniper.
Xander propelled himself onto his back, and just as he did he heard a crack in the distance, followed by the whiz of a bullet, rifling through the branches of the tree he’d just been crouched behind. Then another gunshot in the distance, this one from the east. Almost simultaneously a bullet collided with the stone of the wall just above his head. Pieces of it showered down around Xander.
Xander King BoxSet Page 37
