“Well, thanks for everything. Be safe,” she whispered to Freeman and then stepped forward to kiss his cheek. He held stiff and inhaled, but he didn’t hug her or kiss her back. Atlanta was next to him. He reached out and caressed her cheek.
“Take care of yourself.” He then quickly walked away to help Brutas.
Corona had his laptop in his arms.
“Be safe and stay alert.” He then leaned down to kiss her cheek. He kept his lips against her cheek, and she held on to his arms, and it was as if he didn’t want to let go, just like she didn’t. “It’s better this way. You knew what this was from the start,” he whispered to her, and instantly, his words hurt, despite their truth.
She swallowed the lump of emotion in her throat as Jessup stood by her, arms crossed and looking like his angry, pissed-off self.
He looked her body over, and damn it, her nipples hardened and her pussy swelled. She was so screwed. No man would ever come close to these men or ever touch the amount of emotion they’d stirred in her. She wanted to tell them that she loved them, but she couldn’t. It would make it worse for them. They had a job to do, missions to go on, and lives to lead that didn’t involve a commitment to a young club manager who they saw as barely experienced in life.
“Be safe, Jessup. All of you,” she said, and Brutas returned, and she stepped into the passenger seat of the SUV. She glanced back at the men to see if they would watch her go, but they didn’t. They headed inside of the building, not even giving her a second glance, and suddenly, all she wanted to do was cry.
Fifteen minutes later, Brutas walked her up to her apartment and helped her with her bags. He stood in her doorway with his arms crossed as she took in the sight of the place she called her home.
“Are you okay?” he asked her.
She gave him a nod, despite the fact that tears filled her eyes.
“I’ll be just fine. I guess I’ll see you at the club this week?” she asked him.
“I’ll be around. Things have been crazy since Nalia was located. Team Thirteen is heading home with her, and there are various events going on. We took care of everything with Zinc, but you need to meet with Cramer. Viktor put him in charge of the investigation of Zinc’s and Cobra’s murders, and it seems that something fishy was going on.”
“What do you mean?” she asked him.
“I shouldn’t say. It’s just something Cramer uncovered. You need to meet with him.”
“Okay. But why can’t you tell me what you heard?”
Brutas seemed uncomfortable as he shifted his feet and looked away from her a moment. She had a feeling this was going to be bad news. Before she’d left Texas with the guys, Viktor had informed them that there wasn’t a connection to Nalia’s disappearance and that it was a completely different situation. Corona and the guys wouldn’t go into any details about where Nalia was found, who took her, or if they caught the ones responsible. Why couldn’t Brutas just be honest with her? After all, this was her problem now.
“I like you, Nina. I’ve always felt protective of you, and it was because I could see how hard life has been for you and how you work so hard to have a better life. It just pisses me off to think that Zinc and Cobra were looking for some easy side money. I don’t want to believe that he was letting some bad shit into the club. Word is he made some kind of deal and came into some money, but no one knows where that money is. That’s what they’re working on. Well, that, and who he was working for.”
“No. He wouldn’t go against Viktor. Viktor saved his life, and he saved mine. What else do you know? Have you heard anything on the streets?”
He scrunched his eyes together and glared at her as if her question triggered some unpleasant thought, or maybe just at the fact that she’d asked him that. He looked pissed off, as if he didn’t want to tell her.
“Tell me,” she said to him.
“Word is he made some kind of deal with the Cubans. The hit on him and Cobra had the Cuban mafia written all over it. The Malfetto gang is taking responsibility, but the money and drugs that were stolen supposedly belong to someone of importance. That’s what we know so far.”
She covered her mouth and felt the tears emerge. “Why?” she whispered.
Brutas walked closer and pulled her into his arms. “We don’t know. But whatever he took from them, they want it back. Cramer and Viktor think they might come after you to get it.”
“Me? But why? I don’t know anything about this, or even where he would hide something like drugs or money or guns, if he even did something so terrible.”
Brutas stepped back and caressed the tears from her cheeks. He was a good friend and loyal guard to Viktor and the family.
“Because they might think you have it. Whatever it is. We don’t know, but you need to be careful.”
She nodded. “My God. How could he do this? How could Zinc do this to me?”
Brutas shook his head. “I don’t know. I didn’t want to believe it, either. I keep thinking that maybe he was forced. That maybe someone had something on him, but it doesn’t make sense. He was pretty fucked up when Viktor sought him out after serving in the military. They became good friends. Cramer has been trying to talk with Viktor, but the family is too busy with all this other crap, and some guy who was seeking revenge was the one responsible for all the trouble and danger against Nalia and Karlicov. Maybe when things settle down, Cramer and Viktor can figure things out.”
Nina wasn’t too sure, and now she felt even worse than earlier. Viktor had his own family to worry about, and Nalia, his woman, the boss’s daughter, to give full attention to. Nina’s life didn’t mean shit, and she realized she came back to even less than before. Her head was throbbing, and she felt sick to her stomach. Viktor and his team wouldn’t waste time trying to find out if Zinc had done these things or not. Their focus had to remain on Nalia and protecting Karlicov and leaders in the family.
“I’d better head out. I grabbed the few things you had on the list. They’re in the refrigerator.”
“Thanks, Brutas. I’ll see you at the club.”
He gave a soft, sympathetic smile before he headed out the door. Nina locked the multiple locks and deadbolt then walked over and plopped down onto the fluffy sofa. She stared straight ahead, absorbing the silence and the loneliness she was accustomed to. Being around the men in a big country house with the fresh air filtering through the windows and the constant sound of talking, noises, or busy work had been more relaxing than this. This setting made her feel lonely.
Her heart was heavy as she thought about what Brutas had told her. How she wished Corona, Atlanta, Freeman, and Jessup were here to hug her, hold her, and make her feel safe, as though everything would be all right. That thought upset her. When had she become reliant on them? When had she truly trusted anyone to that extent? She thought about the last time they’d all made love, and it answered those silly questions immediately. She’d allowed them to possess her body in every way. To take her virginity, as well as her heart and soul.
She tried to clear her mind. Thinking about them, longing for something that could never happen, would depress her. She reached for her bag and pulled out her iPad. She thought about what Brutas had said, about what Zinc might have taken, and how the Cubans might be the ones he was working for. The ones looking for what he’d taken.
Maybe Brutas was right about the drugs and money. Maybe Zinc heard about an exchange and thought he could take the stuff and be set, disappear? Why would he do that? She felt angry. Could it have been money—or maybe guns and drugs that Zinc sold off for cash?
Nina couldn’t help but think about her past and the men she worked for, how Viktor and Zinc had saved her from getting killed. Polo was a powerful man, and so was Vincent Malfetto. For a time, when she’d first left and Polo was away on business, he’d tried to seek her out. It had been true that he’d desired to have her and make her his woman, but Viktor and Zinc had taken care of that, somehow. She never knew how, and they’d never told her. They
made her focus on her studies, on achieving her degree and on making a new life. A safe life. Why would Zinc even consider ripping off Polo, of all people? If Zinc had taken money from them, where would he stash it?
She pulled up her e-mails and then her bank accounts. It would seem silly for Zinc to send anything to them. It would leave a paper trail. Any decent computer hacker would find out. But she felt helpless and wanted to somehow feel as though she was seeking answers, in hope of proving that her brother wasn’t a backstabber but was trying to help. As she logged into her account and saw her balance, her mouth gaped. The sixty thousand dollars she expected to see was now two hundred and sixty thousand dollars. She wanted to throw up.
Was this from Zinc? Had he really put this shit right in her lap and made his bad judgment her problem? The Cubans would come after her. Viktor would accuse her of being part of this, fire her, and then toss her out on the street and spread the word that she was a crook.
Nina felt tears fill her eyes. She scrolled down to see when the direct deposit had taken place and from whom.
What the hell? When she got to it, she gasped. It was just a few days ago, well after Zinc had been killed. Then she saw the name, and suddenly it all became fucking obvious. The tears rolled down her cheeks, her chest tightened, and she couldn’t breathe.
“Corona Perry. You Goddamn son of a bitch,” she spat and then cried. She’d never felt so used, so disgusting as she did in that moment, knowing that, after what they’d all shared, he’d paid her off like some fucking high-priced whore.
She could hardly catch her breath. The pain was so large and restricting that Nina thought she might die. Then, those gasps for breath turned into sobs of hurt, betrayal, stupidity, anger. She’d given them her virginity, her love, her heart and soul. And they’d given her cash payment for a week and a half of sex. Nina couldn’t believe it, and she fell to the couch, curled up in a ball, and cried until exhaustion overtook her body.
Chapter 8
“She’s back,” Paulie said into his cell phone. He watched Nina as she went about her job as if she hadn’t been gone for nearly a month.
“How does she look?”
“As beautiful as ever, but maybe a little tired. I haven’t had the opportunity to talk with her.”
“Any sign of the Cubans?”
“Are you kidding me? The security around here is intense. Karlicov and Nicolai aren’t taking any chances, and word is Cramer figured out Zinc was double-crossing Viktor and his team.”
“But he wasn’t.”
“You and I know that, but until we figure out who framed him and who is working for the Cubans, we need to keep a closer eye on Nina. She’s key to this situation. I want you to keep an eye on who shows up at the club. Any familiar and not regulars that have a connection to the gangs, I want to know about them.”
“No problem. You know I like keeping an eye on her,” Paulie said to the other man on the phone.
“Hey, I thought we talked about this. You’re too old and too twisted.”
“Hey, she isn’t your daughter.”
“She could be.”
“So that’s why you’re putting your neck out for her? You think she’s your daughter?”
“Keep an eye on her. She’s not safe until we confirm who set up Zinc and Cobra and why Zinc was in the Cubans’ territory.”
The call disconnected, and Paulie sighed. Who would have thought the notorious Cuban businessman had Nina as a daughter? Maybe someone else knew, and it was really him they were seeking for revenge? But as Paulie thought that, he realized it couldn’t be true. If it was, he would no longer be alive, and the problem would have already been eliminated.
He smiled widely as Nina walked near his table. She was stopped by a few male patrons, whom she barely smiled at and then blew off. His gut clenched. Something was different about her.
“Hey, Nina, I missed you,” Paulie said to her as she approached. She gave a small smile.
“I appreciate that. How are you tonight?” she asked without looking him in the eyes like she usually did. Instead, she looked around the place, almost bored, her mind somewhere else.
“I’m a hundred percent better now that you’re here. Tell me about your trip? Enjoyable?” he asked. Her cheeks changed color, and instantly, he wondered what that was about.
“It was no big deal. So, did I miss anything around here?” she asked, changing the subject.
“Well, besides me having to deal with Mirella and her hitting on me constantly, no. I did hear she pissed a few employees off and fired them.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know what her problem is. She’s been all over me since I arrived. On top of that, the other manager and some of the staff are mad at me and accusing me of ordering things I shouldn’t have, or not ordering things I should have. Meanwhile, I didn’t touch the orders or inventory.”
“Can’t you prove that you didn’t do it by the signature on things?” he asked.
“Funny thing is, I don’t remember signing some of the papers. It doesn’t really matter now. I’m back, so hopefully things will return to normal.”
Just as she said that, Mirella approached from behind her.
“Nina, there’s some guy here to see you. He’s at the bar. Remember, you’re working. Social hour is after hours,” she snapped at Nina and then walked away.
“Bitch,” Paulie said, and Nina chuckled.
“I’ll talk to you later.”
As she headed toward the bar, Paulie caught sight of the man waiting on Nina. It was Cramer, the one investigating Zinc’s murder. He wondered what the guy had so far, and as he looked around the club, he instantly spotted Mirella. She was on her cell phone in a dead stare at Nina and Cramer. There was something about that woman he didn’t like. He wondered if he should bother to look into her background and find out exactly who she was. Then he thought better of it. She was just some stuck-up bitch trying to bump Nina out of her position. She was money hungry and power hungry, but she also stared daggers at Nina constantly. That was reason enough for Paulie to dislike her.
* * * *
“Cramer, I really don’t know what my brother was thinking. I don’t know what he was taking, or where he stashed whatever it was—if, in fact, it was drugs, guns, or money. I’ve been going over it since I spoke with you yesterday, and I can’t understand it. Truth is, I honestly don’t believe Zinc would be part of it.”
“I have to look into every detail. You don’t want to mess with the Cubans, Nina. They’re pretty fucking brutal people. They’ll want their stuff back or their money.”
“Have you contacted anyone connected? Maybe find out what went down or what they’re after? What proof do you have that Zinc was even involved with this and that there was actual money or product taken? I don’t know of anything and couldn’t even begin to think about where he would stash it, if he even did take something.”
Cramer looked at her in disbelief. Nina really didn’t care at this point. She knew it was the truth, and in all honesty, her life was shit right now, and this just added to the misery she felt.
“I looked into your accounts. Seems, while you were away, you came into a significant amount of money.”
She felt sick to her stomach. She should have known that Cramer would investigate her. The Russians didn’t trust anyone, and with all the chaos, the abduction of Nalia, and the attempted killing of Karlicov, they weren’t taking any chances. It just validated how much of a nobody she was to them, to Viktor. He didn’t trust her, either. What kind of life was she living here in Chicago? Combined with how Corona had paid her off for sex, she felt pretty damn worthless and hollow inside. It seemed to her that life was coming around into a complete circle, and she was heading toward being a nobody again, just some homeless kid who’d made it out only to wind up back down in the gutter. She felt sick to her stomach, which was becoming a regular occurrence.
“That was a mistake. It’s going back. I just need to discuss how with Viktor, o
nce he has time to meet with me. He knows who put the money there, and it has nothing to do with my brother,” she said firmly, but she felt even more guilty and low. She owed that to Corona.
Cramer looked her body over. “It came from the men who were watching over you. That’s a lot of fucking money. I’ve started an investigation into them, as well.” The way he looked at her made her feel just as much like whore trash as Corona’s payoff did. Cramer had a reputation of being crazy and intense, never mind a bit promiscuous himself. Yet, Viktor trusted him enough to run investigations like this, which involved what could become controversial for the Russian family. They cut ties fast around here, and Nina wondered when Viktor would stop helping her and just toss her away.
“Do whatever you need to do. I’ve got nothing to hide, and like I said, that money from Corona to me was a mistake. One that will be resolved by Viktor.”
He took a deep breath and then looked around them. Then he held her gaze. “Nina, these Cubans are bad news. Your brother was murdered and caught up in the middle of this shit. If they don’t get back what Zinc took from them, they will come after you next.”
Nina felt like throwing up.
“Someone has to be able to contact the Cubans and ask the bosses what went down and what was taken. I know Karlicov and other members talk to other bosses. I’m not stupid, Cramer. Obviously you’ve done your homework and you know what type of life I had before my brother found me. There has to be a way to find out what this is all about.”
“That’s for the bosses to decide. If they call, they acknowledge it. Therefore, they could try to get our bosses to give in, on some other avenue. It could cause trouble that they’re not willing to involve themselves in over your brother. It’s a big enough deal that Viktor is putting his neck out for you. The higher-ups think he shouldn’t bother, especially since, years ago, a certain Cuban boss wanted you as his woman and you were working at his club.”
The American Soldier Collection 14: Baby Love (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 11
