Dismissed (Smirnov Bratva Book 4)

by T. L Smith

  I nod my head, forcing my smile to stay tightly in place. “Happy Birthday. I just saw your brother,” I say, changing the subject.

  She smiles. “Yes, he didn’t want to come, but I managed to talk him around. Being surrounded by Russian men when you’re Italian isn’t easy for him.”

  “You’re Italian, and you make it look easy.”

  “That’s because I was smart enough to fall for their leader.” She turns, looking for Kazier, and nods in his direction. I turn as well and see him talking with Anton. He has a hand to Anton’s chest and is holding him back. Anton’s eyes look wild until they fall on me.

  “Maybe you should talk to him?”

  “We just tried, it was… um… pleasant.”

  Elina laughs, her red lips parting as she does.

  “Ladies.” Both men are standing near us now.

  Elina leans up to kiss her husband. “Let’s dance.” And he whisks her away onto the dance floor. It’s a slow song, and I try to watch them, not the person standing right next to me.

  “Dance with me?” he asks, surprising me. I look down to his outstretched hand, placing mine in his, then he pulls me to the dance floor. His hands go to my hips burning them with his touch, while my arms circle around his neck. We aren’t glued to each other like some others, there’s a definite space separating us right now. “I think we should try again.”

  “Three times,” I ask referring to his fuck rule with me. Three times was all he needed, wasn’t it? I gave him that, and more.

  “No. How about we start with a lifetime and go from there?” He pulls me in by my hips, and now we’re touching, my mouth is next to his ear.

  “I don’t think that would be smart, do you?”

  His breath tickles my ear as he speaks, “Are you better? How are you?” Anton almost whispers his words, and I want to be truthful with him.

  “The nights are hard, the days a little easier. The thought of sex is painful, unless…” I leave it at that, not wanting to finish my sentence.

  “Unless what?” he asks, his lips now touching my ear.

  “Unless it’s you,” I whisper. “You… I feel safe with. Funny, isn’t it?”

  He kisses my ear then proceeds to my neck. The whole time, we rock back and forth, swaying to the music.

  “Funny because that’s what friends are meant for, right?” I push back from him and he doesn’t hold me in place, his eyebrows pinch together as he looks at me.

  “You kiss all your friends?” Anton asks, then just as I open my mouth to speak, his hands are gone from hips and are now on my face. He pulls my face toward him, so our lips meet, and he kisses me hard, forceful but passionate. My hands move and touch his hips. I cling to his shirt as he holds firm to my lips and face, our tongues dancing as they have done multiple times before. Each and every time there’s a new sensation, this one I can feel sliding all through my body, like butterflies are singing and finally happy for once and not being squashed down by me.

  Someone coughs next to us, so he pulls up. My eyes are still closed and my hands still clinging to his shirt as I feel his stare on me. His hand brushes my cheek before he removes that too, which makes me open my eyes.

  “So you kiss all your friends like that?”

  I shake my head. No other words want to leave my mouth right now.

  Chapter 23

  Anton

  The dress is sexy, her hair is sleek, her body is my wonderland, and yet I can’t have all of her. My hands glide up and down her body as she pulls slightly away to the person who interrupted us. Her sister is there, smiling an apologetic smile as she looks at Sam. The moment I saw Sam I was on her, I had to touch her, to kiss her, so that’s exactly what I did. And now she’s pulled away, but I don’t want to let her go, so I keep one hand on her at all times so she cannot escape.

  “Stan is coming to get me. Are you alright to stay?” Raven asks, looking to Sam then me then back to Sam. “I can take you home if that’s what you want?”

  “I’ll take her home.”

  Both of their eyes go to me.

  Sam starts shaking her head.

  “We haven’t finished dancing. We need more dancing,” I tell her. It’s a lie. Partially, but with dancing at least she’s close. She turns back to Raven, her mouth opens then closes. She’s so unsure. Is that my fault? Her lack of faith in me. It must be.

  “Anton will drive me,” Sam finally manages to say.

  Raven looks to me in a hard stare. “You look after her.”

  I smirk but nod my head anyway. Raven walks away, and I turn, pulling Sam back to me so we’re flush, and start rocking back and forth with her.

  “What do you want, Anton?” Her face is nestled in my neck.

  “Just this,” is all I can manage to say.

  The music stops, and we walk over to where Kazier is on the microphone with my hand in hers. Stopping as we get to the front, I stand behind her, my hands wrapped around her waist. She doesn’t push me off nor does she tell me to get off of her. In fact, she leans into me like I’m somehow her comforter.

  “They’re sickening, aren’t they?” Freya says next to me, and I laugh at her.

  “They’re cute,” I reply.

  Kazier kisses Elina on the lips, and people cheer and holler loudly at him.

  “It’s sickening, but I guess it’s a little cute.” Freya’s eyes go back to me. “Don’t expect cute with that one.”

  I roll my eyes at her, shaking my head. “Nope, I expect orgasms,” I say closer to her ear. Freya laughs as she asks Sam to go to the bar, but I squeeze Sam tighter, not wanting to let her go.

  “Okay, well maybe next time.” Freya turns back to Elina who’s now making her way over to us. Looking around, I realize I haven’t seen my sister, who was meant to arrive ages ago.

  “Alyona is at the front, threatening bodily harm on some poor person,” Elina says smiling as if it’s not a problem. “Fix it.” Elina turns and walks away still with the smile on her face as she heads back to Kazier. I realize then she didn’t need to tell me, she wants me to handle it without Kazier’s involvement.

  “I’m coming,” Sam says as I debate whether to take her with me. I nod my head, clasping her hand in mine, gripping it tightly then walking to the front of the building past the music and out onto the red carpet. Hearing Alyona before I see her is easy. Viktor is behind me, and I hear his chuckle as Alyona calls the man every name known to mankind.

  “Alyona.” She stops and turns around, dressed in her figure-hugging pink dress. Her hands are on her hips.

  “What?” she yells at me.

  “What the fuck are you doing?”

  Her eyes go behind me, and I know Kazier’s just walked out.

  “This fucker’s been following Sam.”

  It’s then that I realize it’s the detective, the same one who came looking for Sam. His face is hidden in the shadows, but when I look closer, I see him. Sam shakes her head and stays glued to my side.

  “The things you see when you don’t have a gun,” I grumble.

  “Anton,” Kazier warns.

  I place my hands in the air, watching the detective. “I know. Behave… I am.” I turn, grabbing Sam’s hand and start walking away. “Peace out, motherfuckers.”

  My name is called, but I keep on walking with Sam, straight down the road to where my car is parked around the corner.

  “We left,” Sam states the obvious as I open up her passenger door.

  I nod my head, guiding her in. “We did. You see I’m banned from killing. We left so I didn’t.” Sam looks at me to see if I’m serious, but I shut the door. Walking around to my side, I get in and start up the car. “Your place?” I ask her, to which she nods her head. Her hands play on her lap. “You look good. Better?” I can feel her eyes on me, but I try to not look. I try to not get sucked into those depths.

  “Thank you, you look good, too.”

  I nod my head. “I’ve had better days.”

  “Can I ask you some
thing?” she says after a moment of silence and I nod my head. “Have you… well, have you been with anyone else?”

  Shit, that’s a tough question, and it’s one I didn’t expect.

  “Yes,” I answer her truthfully, but I don’t bother asking her that same question. I know she doesn’t trust anyone, and I’m sure she hasn’t been with anyone else.

  “Oh…”

  “Does that disappoint you?” I ask as we come to a stop out front of her apartment.

  “Yes and no. If I’m being honest I’d like to say I wish it were me you needed, but even if you did, I don’t know if I would have wanted you in that way.”

  I nod my head, understanding. “Can I come up?”

  Sam’s about to get out, her hand pauses on the door, and she nods her head as she opens the door to get out. I follow her up the stairs and wait behind her as she unlocks the door. Nothing has changed, it still looks exactly the same as the last time I was here.

  “We’re looking for somewhere new. Especially now since Raven is seeing someone.” She places her bag on the table then points to her room as she walks off. She attempts to close the door, but it doesn’t shut all the way. I can just see the side of her as she changes her clothes and I can’t look away even if I wanted to.

  “Can you help?”

  My eyes lift up, and she’s watching me with her head turned—she wants help with the dress. It has no back, but I don’t say anything as I step into the room and as I do, the dress drops to the floor. She’s standing there naked with nothing on but heels. My cock stirs, I want to shout from the rooftops, but instead, I look at her and the way her hands are clutching to her sides as she turns to face me. She’s nervous. Sam’s never nervous. The one thing she’s always been is confident with her body.

  My hand reaches out. Her skin is soft under my touch, and the things I want to do to her shouldn’t be legal, but my hand drops instead. She faces me, her dark eyes looking worried.

  “Maybe not tonight,” I say to her.

  “You don’t want me anymore?” She sounds unsure of herself. When did that happen? Now I want to kill him all over again.

  “Of course, I’m hard as Harry Potter’s wand right now, but that doesn’t mean I should.”

  She giggles. “You like Harry Potter?”

  “Shut up, you filthy Mudblood,” I say with a chuckle and grab her hips, pulling her to me. A soft kiss is all I give her on the lips because if I went for more, my moral compass would go out the door and my cock would win this fight.

  “Tomorrow?” She seems to have lost her nerves now. “Apartment hunting.”

  “I’ll pick you up at eleven.” I turn to leave, letting her soft skin go, and leave before I decide to join her in her bed.

  I hear her soft voice as I walk to the front door. “Thank you.”

  ***

  They’re both waiting out front when I arrive. Raven already knows what’s happening, I spoke to her last night. Now it’s just to tell Sam. Raven kisses Sam then offers me a slight wave before she starts to walk off as Sam opens the door to get in.

  “She isn’t coming,” she says, sounding confused. “And hello, Anton.” She smiles then leans over to kiss me. I let her kiss my cheek and don’t force her to kiss my lips where I want her sugar-coated lips right now.

  “Sam, looking fuckable as always.”

  She shakes her head at me. “Only you could say that and make it a compliment.” Sam tells me about Raven and her new boyfriend as I drive. I come to a stop at a house, making her pause in her discussions about Raven, then she looks around. “Are we seeing Pollie and Death?” she asks.

  I shake my head, getting out. I bought this house a few weeks ago. When I was leaving Death’s I noticed the ‘for sale’ sign and didn’t hesitate to buy it. Grabbing the keys from my pocket, I pass them to her.

  “It’s yours. And it’s close to the restaurant and in a safer neighborhood than you’re in.”

  Sam shakes her head fast then tries to pass me the keys back. “Nope, not happening. You didn’t buy me a house. We haven’t even had sex again yet. What if I don’t like it? What if I am so mentally scared I don’t ever want it again?” Her hands are pushing the keys into my chest.

  “I can wait. But this… it’s yours.”

  “Will you stop? It’s your money. I work for mine, and I don’t take handouts.”

  “It’s an investment, I already have a house I live in.”

  “Your mother’s,” she says with a huff.

  “No, it’s mine. They just live with me.” Her eyes widen at that statement, and I push her hand back, folding her fingers over the keys.

  “You can pay me if that’s what you want to do.”

  “Not in sexual favors,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest making her tits rise up. I lick my lips and try to keep myself together. Her hand clicks in front of my face as she does now all I can see are two beautiful perfect tits.

  “Fuck, I was hoping…” I say, looking up to her smirking. “What about hand jobs?” I joke, but she looks at me with her lips puckered like she’s considering it. “Your time will do.”

  “My time?” she asks, confused.

  “Yes, I want your time.”

  “I guess…” She looks behind.

  “Oh… and occasional sleepovers. I’ve bought you a bed… for us.”

  “Anton,” she squeals. “Stop! There so better not be anything else.”

  “Dobby’s been a bad elf.”

  She stops and chuckles at the Harry Potter reference. Her laughter is beautiful, but it stops when she opens the door.

  “I can’t…” She turns, passing me the keys, but I grab her fingers and close them back in her hand.

  “You can and you will. Raven’s already said yes.”

  She gives in.

  I win.

  And the delight on her face is worth it.

  Chapter 24

  Samara

  It’s perfect, better than what we could have afforded. It’s way out of our budget to be exact. But he was kind, and he was… different. He didn’t even want to have sex with me. He’s giving me time. It’s exactly what I need. No matter my attraction to him, I needed to breathe to find my footing again around him, around what could potentially be a relationship. That’s at least where I hope it is going.

  I think I’m ready for it. To stop focusing on everyone else and focus on myself for a change, to take it to that next level where it’s possible to see what life has to offer me because I’m really getting sick of being kicked in the guts. Getting back into the swing of life isn’t as easy as everyone thinks, it becomes harder and harder every time something goes wrong.

  “Wow! I didn’t think you would say yes,” Raven says later that evening when she comes over. Anton moved all my stuff in today. Granted it wasn’t much, but still, he wouldn’t let me say no. Raven is holding a box of her own and Anton comes in behind her, because he went back to help her move. She has her own room, and so do I. We both have bigger beds. The two of us can fit comfortably, instead of being stuck to each other. We each have our own bathrooms, and the whole place feels more like a mansion even though I know it’s not. It’s more than we have ever dreamed of owning.

  “We’re paying for it,” I say mainly to Anton but it’s Raven that laughs.

  “I’ve tried that approach already. He wouldn’t take any money when I offered it to him.” She walks up the stairs, leaving us down in the hallway.

  The house is gorgeous. Two stories outside covered in cream cladding, and gray shutter windows. As we move inside, the bottom story of the home is all open plan. As I look over to the kitchen, I see gleaming stainless steel and white marble countertops with matching cupboards. The living room is furnished with gray and white furniture to match the rest of the space. An enormous flat screen television is hanging on the wall. I look over to the right, and there’s a set of steps, which is where Raven disappeared, and I’m guessing that’s where the bedrooms are located.

/>   The box Anton has in his hands is placed on the floor in front of him as he stands opposite me.

  “I think I want that kiss now.”

  His lip twitches. “You think so, do you?” he asks, stepping over the box and into my space.

  “That detective is walking up to the door,” Raven yells down just before Anton reaches me. My happy vibe disappears and is replaced with anguish.

  Anton’s eyes close then reopen as he turns to go to the door, then he looks back to me. “Stay back, don’t come to the door.”

  I listen to him because so far his intentions have to been to protect me. So why wouldn’t I? I hear his voice, the man who was partnered with Jamie at the door. I try to not think of Jamie at all, all it does is make me physically and mentally sick.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I know you two had something to do with it.” Mitchell’s voice sounds off like he’s been drinking. “And what, now you move her away? Are you buying her silence, Mr. Smirnov?”

  Anton chuckles. “If I could buy anything for her it wouldn’t be her silence.” He turns to look back and notices where I am, then he looks back to the door. “Don’t step foot on my property again.”

  “I’ll get it out of her one way or another. You better hope it’s when you’re around.”

  Mitchell’s voice sends shivers through me.

  “Did you just threaten her?” I watch as Anton steps out of the house. I step behind him, staying hidden and clasping onto his arm.

  Mitchell steps back, shaking his head.

  “Next time, detective.” Anton slams the door shut, leaning on it to face me. His hand goes to his pocket, and I remove my hands from him. “Look out your window.”

  Anton waits as he speaks on his cell, and I watch him, unsure of what he’s doing.

  “Yes, go out and kill him.”

  Silence.

  “No, I’m not allowed to kill. So I need you to do it.”

  Silence again.

  “Stop being a bitch and fucking do it, or I’ll tell Pollie you like to wear her pink G-strings.”