by Tabatha Kiss
“In my life, I’ve known two types of men,” I say. “There are men like Gio who act for themselves, for survival, and men like Luka who act for others, for love. I look at you, Fox, and I don’t see Gio in you.”
He raises his head and peeks at me from beneath his cap.
“You have a love,” I say. “Don’t you?”
He softly clears his throat. “Yes.”
I tilt my head as his expression changes. “What’s her name?”
A half smile bleeds through his lips. “Dani.”
“You will go to her now,” I smile back.
“No.”
“She doesn’t feel the same way?”
“I’ll never know.”
Darkness returns to his eyes as he looks away from me. I know so little about Fox but I recognize pain when I see it. A familiar pang teases my gut, throwing me all the way back in time to the blackest moments of my life that I’d rather forget.
“I was like you once, Fox…” I say. “Separated from the life I desired and the person I wanted to be. I didn’t think there was anything out there that could help me.”
“What changed?”
I look up as Luka appears from the dark office building across the street with a small duffel bag in his hand. He and Yuri head in our direction, talking softly and I smile.
“A light came to me,” I say, “and with it, a new life. Tomorrow, it may come to you.”
Fox turns to me, his hard expression barely moving as he looks me in the eye. I see it again, that soft restraint staring back at me, but I know he hears me.
Finally, he nods.
Yuri pulls open the car door and lowers himself onto the backseat as Luka joins us by the trunk.
“As promised,” he says, holding the bag out to Fox. “Ten thousand for every kill.”
Fox stands still, refusing to take it until Luka pushes it a little closer and forces him to. He unzips the top and peeks inside. “I’m impressed you kept count,” he says.
Luka tilts his head. “I may have rounded up a little.” Fox closes the bag and tosses the strap over his shoulder. “You know, I was going to kill you.”
“I knew you would try,” Fox quips. “What made you change your mind?”
Luka shrugs and glances at me. “Sofia, she… she’s grown attached to you.” I raise a brow and he sighs. “Let’s just say you’ve earned my respect.”
Fox smirks. “Fair enough.”
“Are you sure you want to stay here? We could use a man with your talents. As you can see, I pay very well.”
“No, thanks. I think I’m retired.”
“Well, if you ever change your mind…” Luka extends his hand. “You will always have a friend in Moscow, Fox Fitzpatrick.”
I smile at them as they shake hands.
“Thank you,” Fox says.
Luka’s eyes shift towards mine for a long moment. “Thank you.”
I step closer to Fox and wrap my arms around him. Slowly, he returns the warm embrace. It’s a kind and quick piece of affection but I want him to feel it. I want him to know it still exists in his world, no matter how much he may think otherwise.
As I pull away, I kiss his cheek. “Goodbye, Fox.”
He smiles and nods at both us before turning into the passing crowd. I keep my eyes on him and I don’t look away until he disappears around the corner down the street.
Luka takes my arm and tugs me into his body, flashing a devious wink in my direction. “American pretty boy gets a kiss and I don’t?”
I pop onto my toes to peck his cheek. “Feel better?”
“Almost.”
He leans in, aiming towards my lips but I slide from his grasp to pull the car door open instead. He growls softly, amused and teased, and I chuckle at him as I lower myself inside.
Luka sits beside me and waves to the driver to get us moving. “Let’s go home.”
Yuri scoffs from the seat across from us. “Or we could stay here for a day or two? Take in the sights. Have some fun.”
“Yuri…”
“No, I like that idea,” I smile. “We could stay for another night, see the city. See the ballet?”
Yuri groans.
“The ballet?” Luka parrots back at me.
“What? You don’t like the ballet?”
“I am a Russian mobster, Sofia,” he jokes. “I love the ballet.”
I laugh and settle beneath his arm. “Okay, no ballet. What would you like to do?”
His eyes fall down my body and that answer becomes obvious. “I wouldn’t mind seeing a few of these fancy, American hotel rooms you hear so much about…”
“We did not come halfway around the world to waste time in hotel rooms, little brother,” Yuri scolds.
Luka’s lips brush my cheek. “Maybe you didn’t, Yuri…”
Yuri rolls his eyes and looks out the window at the passing city. “Fine. Be boring.”
I lean into Luka’s kiss, feeling my face flush red.
He opens his eyes and grins. “You are smiling, lyubov’ moya.”
“I am happy,” I shrug.
“It looks good on you.” He kisses the edge of my mouth and tugs at my dress collar to peek inside. “Unlike this pesky and bulky—”
Yuri groans again and Luka glares at him with annoyance. “Save it for the hotel room, please.”
I put a little distance between us on the seat, still smiling wide. “Sorry, Yuri.”
Luka sits back and sighs. He holds out his hand for me and I pause as fear forces me to stare at it.
My pulse slows, nearly halting completely with the passage of time. Black mist clouds my mind, threatening all that I think is real and true. I’ve reached for his disappearing hand so many times before and for a moment, I wonder if all of this is just a dream.
I lay my hand in his and his strong fingers entwine with mine.
Luka Lutrova.
The boy in the garden shed with kindness in his eyes.
I’m finally home.
Chapter 24
Luka
I step inside the warehouse and I inhale a deep breath. The air is thick and warm with that familiar stench of blood and sweat. Morning sunlight pours in through the windows, illuminating every black hair on his downturn head and I smile.
The man sits in the chair at the center of the room with his hands tied behind his back. Black, tactical vest. Red dripping from his lips.
It’s almost nostalgic.
Stefan Petrovin stands nearby with three of his men, looking just as eager as I feel. The hissing man killed his son. I’m not sure which of us will enjoy this more.
Markov walks in behind me and slides the door closed. “Make it quick,” he says at me.
“We still have plenty of time, Markov,” I smirk.
His eyes flash with impatience but he doesn’t argue about it.
I step closer to the chair and the man looks up at me with that same cocky glance he had the last time he was here.
“Privet, stranger,” I greet him with a smile. “It’s nice to see you again.”
He licks the blood from his lips. “Hi.”
“I bet you didn’t think you’d end up back here in my warehouse, did you?”
His shoulders bounce and he smirks at me. “It was unexpected.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t think you were this stupid.”
I chuckle. “Do you know why I brought you here?”
“I implore you to tell me — in great detail.”
He wants to get me talking. The more time he wastes, the higher the chances of him being rescued again.
“I wanted to tell you a story.”
“A bedtime story?” he quips.
I shake my head. “I read enough of those to my son. No, the story I have for you is more of a… cautionary tale.” I pause, staring him down. “Forty years ago, someone put a bullet through my grandfather’s eyes.”
“My condolences,” he smiles and spits onto the floor.
�
�Recently, the same happened to my father.”
“Sounds like a pattern to me.”
“Me, too,” I nod.
“Maybe you should get out of town,” he chuckles. “You might get a pretty decent head start if you leave now.”
“Why would I do that?” I ask. “Your squad isn’t coming for you this time, Thomas Bradley of Alberta, Canada.”
His smirk fades.
“What?” My lips twitch. “You have nothing to say? No snarky reply?”
He flexes his jaw in anger.
“Good. From what I’m told, Miles Lemont didn’t have one either. Or Amelia Amuzgar. Zahir Bolen. Lance Brockett. Stacey Lupoli.” I watch the life fade from his eyes with each name I list off. “This was your squad, yes?”
He swallows. “Was?”
“Was,” I smile. “You see… Snake Eyes was a very good secret but it’s not anymore. Now, it’s just a checklist. Today, we check off you and your squad and tomorrow, we check off another one.”
“You have no idea what you’re doing…” he warns.
“Snake Eyes has spilled too many drops of Russian blood. I’m going to track down every last one of you and do the same. Starting with you. That’s what I’m doing.”
He falls silent, gently trembling as his fate sinks in.
“Did you enjoy my story?” I ask him. “Or would you like to hear another one?”
“Luka.” Markov taps a finger against his wrist.
I give him a quick nod and reach into my belt for my pistol as Stefan’s smile grows a little wider. “Before I kill you, Thomas Bradley, I want you to do one thing… for old times’ sake.”
He flinches as I lean over to look him in the eyes.
“Hiss for me.”
***
Markov throws open the car’s trunk and reaches in before I even make it out of the warehouse. He spins back around as I step closer and shoves the garment bag into my hands.
“Get changed on the way,” he says, pointing a stern finger at me.
I chuckle as he rushes towards the driver’s side but I don’t argue. It might be a little later than I thought it was but she’ll understand.
I pull the zipper down on the bag and smile at the black tuxedo hanging inside.
Yuri’s waiting on the steps when we arrive, pacing back and forth in his own tuxedo. When he sees me, he throws up his hands.
“It’s about time...”
I shrug and make one final adjustment to my cufflinks. “I was busy.”
He grabs the chapel door. “Explain that to your bride.”
My eyes squint at the sudden change in lighting as we walk inside, but everything shifts to sudden clarity when I see her standing at the altar, waiting for me.
Sofia. My bride.
My mother flashes me that scolding stare but she keeps her smile for the bouncing boy in her arms. I offer her a kiss on the cheek as I pass by her and she tugs on my sleeve.
“Did you have somewhere more important to be today?” she murmurs for my ears only.
“Of course not, Ma…” I take Lucian from her and balance him on my hip, looking down to admire his tiny tuxedo. He chuckles at me as I tickle his chin.
I spin away from her and stand beside Sofia.
My Sofia. Dressed in white from head-to-toe with a bouquet of pink roses in her hands, just as she always wanted. I can barely see her face, obscured behind a white veil, and I use my free hand to roll it back over her head.
She smiles up at me with bright, colorful cheeks and those beautiful eyes. Everything about her shines. There’s no fear of the unknown. No malice for strict tradition. Not even a tremble of hesitation.
That frightened girl — cowering behind a mangy tablecloth in the darkness — is gone.
Her eyes fall to Lucian and she smiles even wider. I grin with her. If there’s anything in this world more perfect than she is, it’s him.
“Dearly beloved…”
We turn forward as the priest begins and I reach out for her hand. She lets go of her flowers and rests her palm against mine. We steal one more glance at each other and her attention lands on my neck.
Sofia sighs softly with rolling eyes and drops my hand to grab at the handkerchief in my breast pocket. The priest continues on as she whips it free and slides it beneath my chin.
She twists her wrist to show it to me and I flinch at the blood-red drops on the white cloth.
“Did you get him?” she whispers, raising a taut eyebrow at me as she tosses the handkerchief to the floor.
I clear my throat. “Yes.”
Her lips curl and she takes my hand again. “Good.”
Sofia Lutrova.
This is only the beginning, lyubov’ moya.
One Zappia down. The rest will fall in time, but first…
Never let a snake loose in Moscow.
The SNAKE EYES Series
Stand-alone Romances.
Interconnecting Stories.
One Unforgettable Adventure.
READING ORDER
#1: Bodyguard: A Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance
#2: The Hitman’s Dancer: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance
#3: Love and Wargames: A Bad Boy Hacker Romance
#4: Bloodlines: A Bad Boy Secret Baby Romance
NOVELS BY TABATHA KISS
Read every novel for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
THE SNAKE EYES SERIES
Stand-alone romance. Interconnecting stories.
One unforgettable adventure!
Bodyguard: A Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance
The Hitman’s Dancer: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance
Love and Wargames: A Bad Boy Hacker Romance
Bloodlines: A Bad Boy Secret Baby Romance
BAD BOY ATHLETES
Whiplash: A Sports Romance
BAD BOY MMA FIGHTERS
Untouched: A Bad Boy MMA Romance
Unbroken: A Bad Boy MMA Romance
Undying: A Bad Boy MMA Romance
BAD BOY STEPBROTHERS
Ruin Me: A Stepbrother Romance
DARK BILLIONAIRES
Blind Girl: A Dark Billionaire Romance
Tabatha Kiss lives in Chicago, Illinois. You can probably catch her huddled up in a hoodie, reading a good romance beneath a tree in Jackson Park with her trusty husky by her side. She enjoys roller derby, sushi, and is always searching for her forever bad boy. In the meantime, she writes.
Discover more at
http://tabathakiss.com
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