Alexei

by Roxie Rivera

  Nikolai leveled that cold no-nonsense stare of his so Alexei eased off the sarcasm.

  “Look, obviously, this was not how I envisioned any of this happening, okay? So get off my fucking back, Kolya.”

  Nikolai’s jaw tensed. He spun his wedding band around his finger, a gesture that seemed to have replaced his old habit of tossing that lucky lighter of his back and forth between his hands. “It seems An Trinh is mixed up in this mess now. She’s threatening to blackball Mueller around town. She even told Mueller that all it would take is a few words from Vivian and Bianca and Holly to have his wife blacklisted around town.” Nikolai shook his head. “That woman fucking scares me. I can’t get a read on her at all. I used to dismiss that rumor about her poisoning her husband but now I’m not so sure.”

  Alexei had heard the rumor and had instantly believed it. The man had been in his late thirties when he had died while on vacation abroad. The official word had been a heart attack but the whispers were poison. That marriage had always had problems apparently.

  “An is giving us a free pass for that bullshit that went down behind her family’s restaurant, but she’s blaming Mueller for his men trespassing on her turf and trying to beat an innocent young woman to death behind one of her businesses.”

  “She came to see me this morning. I’ve agreed to pay for the replacement of the security system that was disabled.”

  “Keep her happy,” Nikolai ordered. “She can make trouble that we don’t need.”

  “Understood.”

  “Besian is pushing for the council to sanction Mueller. This is the third time he’s trespassed into someone else’s territory. He’s done it to Spider and the MC twice. First it was the kidnapping at Spider’s trailer park when all that shit went down with Step’s girlfriend and her little brother. Yesterday his men trespassed again to shakedown your girl. Then trying to beat her up in the Lu family’s backyard? Blyad.” Nikolai rubbed his face. “They’re too fucking reckless.”

  Alexei held his tongue and waited to see what Nikolai would say.

  “I told Mueller that he’s going to have to eat the cost of his downed men and that whatever bad blood there is between his side and yours ends today.” The boss slashed his hand through the air. “You and Shay are free and that score is settled. I made it clear that if his men even look at Shay, I’ll let you gouge their eyes out. It’s done. Over. Finished.”

  “And the sister?” Alexei didn’t have high hopes for Shannon’s case but he had to ask.

  “She’s not my problem.” Nikolai cast a pointed look his direction. “Or yours. Don’t be stupid like Vanya was with Erin’s junkie sister. You stay away from Shannon and Ruben. Let Lalo’s men sort that shit out.”

  “Have you heard anything about Lalo?”

  “He’s looking for Shay.” Nikolai reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved his phone. He swept his finger across the screen and read a message that made his mouth twitch with amusement. There was only one person in the entire world who could make him smile like that. “I sent Danny over to talk to him this morning and to let him know that Shay belongs to you and that I’ve taken an interest in her. Lalo assured Danny that he only wants to make sure that Shay is safe.”

  “Lying little prick,” Alexei groused.

  “Don’t worry about him.” Nikolai typed a reply. “I went over his head and cleared Shay’s safety with Hector Salas. Lalo’s boss will put him back in his kennel where he belongs. Just keep her away from him until his wounded pride heals.” Nikolai pocketed his phone and grinned. “Danny said Lalo has two black eyes, a broken nose and a bandaged head. I guess he must have slammed face first into the ground. That’ll teach the little bastard to try to assault some poor woman again.”

  The image of Lalo so badly wounded amused Alexei but it wasn’t nearly enough pain for what he had tried to do to Shay.

  “How is she?” Nikolai seemed genuinely curious. “Last night, she looked badly shaken.”

  “She’s much better this morning. Having Stas there seems to be helping.”

  “Are they getting along well? I haven’t spent much time with him, but so far I like him.”

  “Shay enjoyed his company last night, and they seemed to be getting along just fine earlier.” Alexei didn’t want to dwell on the uncomfortable feeling he had about Stas and Shay alone together and getting so chummy. “I wanted to let you know that Boychenko really came through for me last night. He made sure there was no evidence on the security tapes to implicate me. He went above and beyond, Kolya.”

  “He’s a good kid,” Nikolai agreed. “He reminds me of me. He’s hungry and he’s got something to prove. I’m torn between assigning him to guard duty for my son when he’s born or putting him out on the streets with Ilya. He’s not big enough to be an enforcer but he’s got that instinct, you know?”

  “I’ve been watching him train at the warehouse. The kid is getting better in the ring. He’ll never be as good as Sergei or Vanya but he’s developing some skill.”

  “He better develop fast. We need a new champion before the spring fights start. The family has a reputation to uphold after you, Ivan and Sergei.”

  “You could always throw Ten in there.”

  Nikolai laughed. “That P.O. of his is way too uptight to let that pass. Hey,” he said, swiveling in his chair and tapping the tabletop, “can we talk about that strip of buildings you own uptown?”

  “Sure.” He had acquired two empty lots ripe for development and a strip of retail space in the fire sale that had followed real estate developer Jonah Krause’s arrest for attempted murder. The sorry son of a bitch had hired thugs to kill Dimitri Stepanov and his then-girlfriend Benny Marquez but the couple had fought them off and survived.

  “Those retail spaces are still wide open, right?”

  “They are,” he affirmed. “The area there is developing and growing, but it’s taking time to fill the prime spots. I’ve been kicking around an idea about one of the corner retail spaces. Shay wants to take her online handbag boutique to a proper storefront. The area is high traffic, and it’s right there next to the Galleria.”

  Of course, getting Shay to agree to take the space would be an uphill battle. He had seen her savings and the working capital she planned for her business. She didn’t have anywhere close to the budget to afford prime real estate like that, but he wouldn’t charge her, not at first. He would eat the cost to help her get that business off the ground. It would be a solid investment. He believed in her and her dreams. Someday, she would pay him back and make good on the debt.

  “You’ll need another business on the other corner to anchor that space,” Nikolai remarked. “I think I have the perfect one.”

  “Oh?”

  “When Vee had her art show in London, it occurred to me that she really needs her own gallery space. It needs to be in a high traffic area, and it needs to fit the profile of the neighborhood. That strip of retail space that you own is perfect, Alexei.”

  He could already see the way the retail strip would look with Shay’s luxury handbag boutique on one end and Vivian’s high-end gallery on the other. “But what would go in between? That space in the center would have to be something truly special.”

  Nikolai gestured around them. “Kazimir has been looking for a new space, one with better access and room to grow. Zoya’s designs are becoming more and more popular. In five years? Ten? She’ll be a household name. She needs a beautiful place that draws in flush customers. Just think of Vee and Shay sitting on either side of one of the most popular jewelry stores in this city.”

  He was thinking about it, and he liked it. Certain there was a catch, he asked, “What sort of deal are you looking for here?”

  The boss shook his head. “This would be above board and clean from the start. It would all be in Vivian’s name and using her money.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “I would expect that she be given a break on the contract and lease.” He flicked his tattooed fingers. “We can work out the
exact details later. What do you think?”

  “I like it.” He leaned back in his chair and let his mind race with all the possibilities. “I’ve been thinking about my goals for next year. Maybe it’s time to finally do something with all that property.”

  “I’d like it if you would consider Sergei and David’s construction company for any of the work that needs to be done. Maybe bring in Mueller for a piece of it. Just a few crumbs from the table, you understand?”

  “I do.” Whatever his personal disagreements with John Mueller, the man had a lot of money behind him and the potential to cause problems down the line. “Viktor is coming to Houston next week. I’ll talk business with him and see what he thinks about that property. He might have a better idea of how to structure this.”

  “How is he doing? The ruble falling like a rock must have him all twisted up,” Nikolai remarked with feeling.

  “He’s like Yuri and Evgeni, you know? Five steps ahead of the market and always hedging his bets when it comes to Putin and the government policies back home,” Alexei replied. “I’m sure he’s taken a hit, but you watch. He’ll come out richer than he was before this shit went down. He always does.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Nikolai glanced at his vibrating phone and smiled again. “I need to go. I promised Vee we would pick out nursery furniture today. If I make her wait much longer, she’s going to take Ten with her and bankrupt me. You would not believe what a crib costs, Lyosha! Don’t even get me started on rocking chairs, changing tables, dressers, linens, toys, clothes—it never ends.”

  “You can complain all you like but we both know you’ve never been happier.” Alexei had witnessed the change in Nikolai since he had married Vivian. The announcement of the impending arrival of their first child had caused the boss to go into a fiercely protective mode but he was also smiling more and seemed lighter and happier.

  Nikolai’s expression turned serious for a moment. “You don’t know what you stand to lose until you finally have it all. A wife? A son?” His eyes turned dark with ferocity. “I’ll burn this fucking city to the ground before I let anyone harm them.”

  That wasn’t hyperbole or an empty statement of bravado. He meant it. There wasn’t a throat he wouldn’t cut to keep Vivian and the baby safe.

  Reaching out to tap the table in front of Alexei, Nikolai said, “You’ll understand that soon enough, I wager.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Alexei nervously answered. “Marriage and children? That’s not for me.”

  Nikolai seemed surprised. “Then you’d better cut Shay loose,” he advised. “That’s the type of woman who wants a husband and a family. She’s not the type that will be happy with expensive trinkets and a posh apartment for very long.”

  It was a warning that Alexei couldn’t shake even after Nikolai left and Zoya returned to help him pick out some jewelry for Shay. As he examined different watches, he conceded that Nikolai had only affirmed what he had always known. Shay deserved better than what he had offered her, but he wasn’t sure he could give her anything more.

  Marriage? Children? He didn’t know the first damned thing about being a husband or a father. His own miserable childhood hadn’t taught him anything useful. Then again, neither had Nikolai’s or Ivan’s and they both seemed incredibly happy. Things weren’t always perfect, but they were making it work.

  Could I do that? He honestly didn’t know. The thought of failing Shay, of disappointing or hurting her, turned him inside out. Maybe it was better to have her for a little while and then set her free. Yet even as he tried to convince himself that was the right thing to do, he could hardly breathe. The idea of another man swooping in and taking Shay away from him hit him like a punch to the gut.

  “So that’s a watch, necklace and bracelet for everyday wear. Would you like to look at something special?” Zoya placed the items he had chosen on a velvet-lined tray. “I have some new designs that haven’t been put out onto the showroom floor yet.”

  “Let me see what you have.” The idea of gifting Shay with something truly spectacular appealed to him.

  Zoya unlocked a safe and produced three different covered trays that she placed on the table. She carefully revealed the jewelry sets on each one and described them. “This is 18k rose gold with pink sapphires. I’m really pleased with this one. I think I might do more rose gold this year.”

  “It’s very pretty.” Alexei thought it was the sort of jewelry that would look beautiful on Ivan’s wife, but it wasn’t right for Shay. His gaze slid to the next set on offer, a spectacular display of white diamonds and platinum, but it was the final set that really caught his eye. “Are these yellow diamonds?”

  “Aren’t they gorgeous?” She gingerly picked up the cascade necklace and draped it around her neck to show it off under the lights. “This was hands-down my favorite piece to design this year. I chose to keep the earrings simple so the main focus is on the necklace.”

  “It’s perfect.” He didn’t even bother looking at the sky high price tag. All he could think about was how incredible the white and yellow diamonds would look against her gorgeous skin. “I’ll take it.”

  But as he left the jewelry store with his neatly wrapped packages, Alexei couldn’t shake the feeling that diamonds simply weren’t enough.

  Chapter Ten

  “Shay, I’m going to the store.” Stas poked his head into the master suite where I sat waiting for Kylee to model her next design. “That front door locks behind me and it doesn’t open again until I get back. Understood?”

  “Yep.”

  “If you need anything call me, okay? If I don’t answer, call Alexei.”

  “Got it.” I thought he was going way overboard. Here in Alexei’s apartment, I was perfectly safe. No one could get onto this floor without one of the keycards and the two keys were currently in Stas and Alexei’s wallets. “We’ll be fine.”

  “I’ll be back in less than an hour.”

  “All right. Bye.”

  “So what do you think about this one?” Kylee announced as she paraded out of the master bathroom and modeled one of her designs. She walked the length of the bedroom and circled back. The camisole style of the top and the feminine flounce suited her thin frame. “I was a little worried about the length but I think I’m sold on this mid-thigh hem.”

  “It looks really good,” I agreed. “That fabric is amazing.” I touched the shiny metallic dots printed on the black background. “It reminds me of fireworks.”

  “It’s fun, right?” She gave a whirl and laughed. “Speaking of fireworks, I want the whole story about you and Alexei. Now that your bodyguard is gone, you can tell me all the juicy details.”

  I sat down on the bed and leaned back against the mountain of pillows. “There are no juicy details.”

  “Bullshit.” She flopped down next to me and wiggled into place. “The guy came to your rescue, brought you to this million dollar apartment and nothing happened? Come on, Shay. I know you’re, like, a Super Virgin, but you expect me to believe you weren’t the teeniest, tiniest bit tempted by that hot Russian?”

  “I was tempted, but after what Lalo tried to do to me?” I touched my neck and felt the bruises there. “I really wasn’t in that kind of mood, you know? Alexei is always so respectful toward me and gentle. He was careful with me last night.”

  “If I ever see Lalo, I’m going to run over him with my truck.” She made a sad face and cautiously traced one of the ugly bruises. “He’s such a piece of shit. It’s too bad I broke it off with Eli. He and the rest of his MC brothers would have put the hurt on Lalo for this.”

  “Are you kidding me? Lalo has a hundred heavily-armed drug dealers and gang members on his team. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me. It’s bad enough that I put Alexei in this position.”

  “Honey, that man would have come running if you had stubbed your toe. I know I’ve teased you about the way he watches you, but I’m being serious now. It’s clear to anyone who has ever seen
you two together that he’s head over heels for you. After last night, what other proof do you need?”

  I didn’t dare believe Kylee. It would hurt too much if she was wrong. “I kissed him last night,” I finally admitted. “And then he kissed me this morning. Like really kissed me.”

  “I knew it!” she exclaimed triumphantly. “And then?”

  “And then nothing,” I said with a shrug. “He went to work.”

  “Well, maybe that’s for the best after this,” she said, gesturing to my neck and cheek. “Slow and steady has always been your preferred mode. It’s always steered you right in school and money so it’s probably the best choice for a relationship.” She hesitated before asking, “I mean, that is what this is, right? You two are dating now?”

  “I don’t know,” I confessed with a rush of emotion. “I don’t know what he wants or expects. He said this apartment was for his mistress, right? You know, like his kept woman or lover or whatever. But then he told me that it’s been vacant since February so I thought he was trying to tell me that he’s been waiting for me or maybe he wants something different this time.”

  “But?”

  “But then last night, before we fell asleep, he made it pretty clear that he sees me as just his next mistress.” I bit my lower lip and tried to ignore the ball of disappointment clogging my throat. “I told him I didn’t know the first thing about being a mistress. He gave his list of ground rules, kissed me and left.”

  She winced with sympathy. “That’s pretty cold.”

  “Right? It’s like there’s this wall,” I said while drawing one in the air, “between him and everyone else. Last night, he asked me what I wanted. I swear it was as if he was afraid to ask for what he really wanted.”

  “What? Like it might make him too vulnerable? Because I could totally see that from him,” Kylee commented knowingly. “That man is driven by some powerful need to be successful and wealthy. He’s all battle-hardened from his years working on the streets. Can you imagine how hard it must be for a man like that to let his guard down? To let someone like you inside? To put his heart at risk?”