Taken by the Boss

by Brook Wilder

  My cell rings, and I pick it up off the desk. It’s Lukas. “Yeah?”

  “She hasn’t met with those other students in three days,” he tells me. “We might’ve been wrong after all about how much she was involved in that documentary.”

  I doubt that’s true, but at least our talk might’ve gotten her to rethink whatever she might’ve been planning. “Good. Anything else going on?”

  “It’s why I’m calling. There’s someone following her.”

  “What? Who?” I demand as my hand tightens around my cell.

  “I don’t recognize the guy as one of ours. He could be from the Russos, but I’m not sure why Joseph would have his daughter followed.”

  “Stella said she was before we were married.”

  “That makes sense, but now?”

  “Anything specific you can tell me about him? And you’re sure he’s not just some creep?” The idea of anyone following Stella because he thinks he can steal away what’s mine makes me stalk anxiously around the office. I should be there watching over her, not Lukas. Protecting her is my job, but no, I have to be here babysitting the twins on the training floor and plotting our next mission.

  “He’s too good to be just some random guy,” Lukas replies. “I don’t like this. You want me to step in? Bring her home?”

  “No, I’ll text her and see if she can come home early today. I’ll come up with something.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah. She knows I’ve got eyes on her, but I think you actually revealing yourself will only make things worse.” I rub the back of my neck and glare out the window. The twins are sparring on the mats with my men. They catch me watching and stop to stare right back at me. Aleksandr smirks darkly, and the hair on the back of my neck prickles.

  “Danya? You all right?”

  “No, no I’m not. I don’t think it’s Mikhail having her watched.”

  “Then, who?”

  “Who the hell do you think?” They already threatened her. I should’ve seen this coming. “You do not let her out of your sight, you hear me? The fucking twins are up to something.”

  “Shit. You got it.”

  “I’ll text her and see if I can bring her home early. Keep me posted if anything changes.”

  I hang up with Lukas and immediately text Stella. I try to keep my message suave and charming, wanting her to come home so we can pick up where we left off this morning. If I tell her she’s being stalked by my brothers, she’ll either confront the man following her or she’ll freak. I don’t look away from my brothers the whole time I’m waiting for her to text me back. When my cell does finally ring, I answer without looking.

  “Stella?”

  “No,” Mikhail replies sharply. “We have a change in plans.”

  “For?” I ask, not in the mood to talk to him right now, but it’s not like I can just hang up on him.

  “The mission. I’m having the new intel brought to you now. The charity event next week, he’ll be there.”

  I pause. “You’re sure? Francesco never leaves his mansion for anything.”

  “Which is why we’re going to take advantage of his mistake. We will take care of him at the charity ball.”

  “You want us to do it there? Have you lost your mind?”

  “Excuse me?”

  I bite back the rest of what I want to rant at him and hang my head. “I mean, are you sure that it’s a wise decision to carry out the mission while there are so many potential witnesses.”

  “I trust you to come up with a workable plan.”

  “Where is this intel coming from?”

  “Vlad. He has spies on the inside of the De Luca organization. I trust the intel, and so should you. We’ll take care of both missions that night, understand?”

  Both meaning Stella’s father is going to be killed in a week. Shit. “I assume you want them taken out at the same time?”

  “Yes, it will certainly make things run smoother. It’ll save you the trouble of getting in and out of De Luca’s mansion.”

  “Yes, and give us the chance to be caught by two hundred possible witnesses.”

  “Are you saying you can’t handle this mission?” he challenges. “Shall I hand it over to the twins?”

  “No, sir. I can handle them both just fine.”

  “You won’t have to handle both.”

  I frown and sense eyes on me. Glancing out the window again, I find the twins watching me from only a few yards away. They aren’t smiling, not anymore. The looks on their faces instead are full of deadly intent.

  “The twins have been given the task of taking out Russo. You are to focus on De Luca and De Luca only. Do I make myself clear?”

  “They haven’t proved themselves.”

  “They are doing this to do just that. You will stay out of their way and see to it when the deed is done that Stella remains loyal to her new family. I expect to see your plans in five days, Danya. The twins have the same orders.” Mikhail hangs up, and I’m left glaring at my cell.

  It appears the plan Mikhail had for me taking over the family once he dies has changed. Why would he want the twins to carry out the attack on Joseph Russo? And this information from Vlad is far too coincidental. There’s more to this than I’m seeing, and I need to find out what. I’m already having the twins watched, but clearly, I need to be watching my uncles, too. And when was the last time we risked a public execution? The charity event that takes place in a week is a high-class event. Not only are the families present, but politicians, police, the police chief. Killing De Luca and Russo there is asking for trouble we do not need. It’s too convenient that Mikhail received this information now.

  My cell vibrates, and there’s a message from Stella. She says she has a few more classes but doesn’t mind skipping them. About a minute later, I get a text from Lukas saying Stella has left campus. I text him back and tell him to get to the mansion. I have new orders for him.

  As I leave the office, I pass right by the twins.

  “Where are you going?” Andrei asks.

  “None of your fucking business.”

  “Dad give you the good news?” Aleksandr says with a wink. “We’re moving up in the world. Looks like you’re not such a hotshot anymore.”

  “He’s giving you this mission because he knows you’re going to fail,” I inform them, hoping that is the truth. Mikhail is waiting for them to fall, so the rest of the family will see how useless they are. Too bad I’m not that damn lucky.

  “It’s too bad, you know,” Aleksandr adds when I start to walk away. “You seem so happy.”

  I clench my fists at my sides but don’t give in to the bait. Not this time. I turn my back on them, fighting the urge to glance over my shoulder to ensure they’re not about to attack me from behind. The stakes have just been upped. Every move I make now has to be thought out. There’s no room for mistakes.

  No room for failure.

  Chapter 15

  Stella

  “Coffee?”

  I bolt upright off the kitchen table and stare around through bleary eyes. Danya’s walking around in jeans and nothing else, like always. He’s holding out a mug for me. I take it as I yawn, giving him a smile in thanks. His lips barely twitch.

  “You know we have a bed upstairs,” he says. “It’s quite comfortable.”

  I sip the hot coffee and sit back in the kitchen chair. My back aches and I groan as I try to stretch it. “Didn’t mean to fall asleep in here last night.”

  “What are you working on so much, anyway?” he asks, resting his hip against the counter.

  His hazel eyes have been darker this whole week and his shoulders are tense. He’s hardly smiled at all, certainly hasn’t laughed. I asked him a few days ago if I did something to upset him, and we wound up tangled up in the sheets. The sex has become more frantic, almost like there’s something wrong, but he either doesn’t want me to know or can’t tell me. I don’t like it, but pushing him won’t do me any good.

  Bes
ides, I’m still keeping secrets of my own. If I push him, he might realize that I lied to him back at the cabin.

  “Just studying for finals,” I finally tell him. “Working on a few papers and reports. Nothing exciting, but it has to get done.”

  That, at least, is mostly true. What I don’t tell him is that now that I know he’s having me watched for my protection, I’ve had to resort to using emails to finish helping my fellow journalist students finish the documentary. It’s why I’ve been up until three for the past two nights. At least I closed my laptop last night before I passed out. The last thing I need him to see is what’s on my screen.

  Not like it’s going to make a difference anyway. The documentary will come out soon enough, and then shit will really hit the fan. I bite my lip nervously, wondering what he’ll do if and when he sees it.

  Danya’s eyes narrow slightly over his coffee mug as if he’s reading my thoughts. I yawn again to cover up my worry, then stand. “I’m going to take a shower and get ready for class. Care to join?”

  “I have to get going, I’m afraid.”

  I blink a couple of times as he holds my gaze. It’s the first time he’s turned down a chance to join me in a shower. First time he’s turned down any time for us to spend together. “Danya, you sure there’s nothing going on?”

  “No, nothing.” His jaw clenches as he turns his back to me.

  I swallow hard. “You can talk to me, remember?”

  He rests his hands on the edge of the counter and shakes his head. “Not about this. Not this time. I’ll see you later this afternoon. Don’t be late. We have a charity ball, and we are expected to be there on time.”

  “Yeah, sure,” I reply quietly. “I’ll just go get ready then. See you later.”

  I pack up my notebooks and my laptop and take them with me upstairs. I drop them off in my room that has essentially turned into a storage room. Then I go to the master bath in Danya’s room. Our room, as he’s been calling it. I turn on the water, strip out of my clothes from yesterday, and step under the steaming hot spray of water. I’m only in there a few minutes when the door opens and Danya walks in. He says nothing as he captures my mouth with his in a fierce kiss that takes my breath away. He backs me into the shower wall, and then I’m in his arms. I thought sex in the shower was too complicated, but then my legs are wrapped around his waist and he’s thrusting inside me.

  I gasp at the sudden filling sensation and the intensity at which he takes me. Between his tongue thrusting into my mouth and his cock swelling within my depths with each inward drive, the abrupt burst of pleasure makes me cry out in mere moments. It doesn’t seem to be enough for him, though. He sets me on my feet, spins me around, and as his fingers rub and tease my clit, he spreads my legs and fills me a second time. I’m seeing stars as steam fills the shower. There’s desperation in his touch and it wars with the pleasure he’s causing me. My legs shake, but he holds me up with a firm arm around my waist.

  “I love you,” he whispers in my ear as I feel him come undone. “Remember that.”

  I can’t do anything except cry out as I fall over that edge with him right behind me. He covers me with his body, resting his hands on the wall of the shower over my head. Our panting breaths eventually calm, but my heart continues to race.

  “Danya, what’s going on? Just tell me.” I turn around and run my fingers through his beard. “Talk to me.”

  He kisses both of my hands then the top of my head, hugging me to him as if he’s afraid to let go. “It’s nothing. Just work.”

  That does nothing to make me feel any better.

  “I’ll let you get ready for class. Don’t be late. I’ll have a gown ready for you when you get home.”

  He smooths my hair from my face, kisses me softly one more time, then steps out of the shower. I’m left feeling more confused than I have been in a very long time. Something’s wrong. This is exactly how it felt the night we first had sex. It wasn’t frantic then, but I had the same nagging voice in my head telling me that night wasn’t going to be as perfect as we both hoped.

  Now I fear it isn’t just tonight that’s in danger. It’s the rest of our lives.

  Chapter 16

  Stella

  I curse as I press the accelerator to the floorboard. I’m late, so damn late. I passed out in the library while I was studying for another final. By the time I checked my cell, I had several missed calls and texts from Danya. I didn’t even bother to check in with him because I was too busy grabbing my stuff and rushing out of the library.

  Tapping my fingers on the steering wheel, I glance at the time. It’s half-past six. We have to be at the charity ball at seven-thirty. The tires squeal as I pull into the drive and slam on the brakes. I’m out of the car and tossing the keys to the guard at the door as the other one opens it for me.

  “Sorry,” I yell as soon as I step inside and start for the stairs. “I know I’m late.”

  “Where the hell have you been?” Danya shouts, and I freeze halfway up the stairs at the roughness of his tone.

  Slowly, I turn to find him glaring at me from the bottom step. The biceps bulge beneath the sleeves of his dress shirt and he’s clutching his phone in one of his fists. His neck is a deep shade of red and his brow is furrowed. The anger in his hazel eyes conflicts with worry as he stalks up the next few stairs. My heart pounds so hard in my chest, I’m surprised I can’t see it pushing against my ribs.

  “Why didn’t you call me?” he says quietly, which is more troubling than his bellow.

  “I passed out in the library. I woke up, saw the time, and took off for home. I’m sorry. I know we might be late, but we’ll be fine.”

  “I don’t give two shits about being late to some fucking ball.” He’s one step below me, but that just puts him at eye level with me. “You didn’t answer your phone all day.”

  “I was busy in class, then I was studying for finals,” I say slowly, not sure what’s got him so riled up. “Danya, did something happen?”

  “You didn’t answer your phone,” he repeated.

  “I told you why. What’s your problem? You’ve been acting off all week. Just tell me.”

  His shoulders tense, and he looks like he’s about to walk away. I grab his arm so he can’t. His gaze slips to it, and for one horrible second, I think he’s going to tear away from me and act exactly as my father has over the years. Then he hangs his head, mutters in Russian, and pinches the bridges of his nose.

  “There’s a lot going on, and I was worried.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re my wife.”

  “No, this is different,” I argue, and this time he does try to pull away. “Answer me, dammit. You’re the one that said we need to trust each other, so trust me now. What’s going on?” Talk about being hypocritical. I bite my tongue to keep myself focused on his anger. He never has to know what I’ve done or that I lied to him. “Please, Danya, you don’t have to be alone, remember? Neither one of us does, not when we’re alone in this house. That’s the deal.”

  He opens his mouth and I hold my breath, waiting to hear what the news is. But then he backs away a step. His arm slips out of my grasp, and my heart falls. “Just get ready and be presentable in the next twenty minutes.”

  “Danya,” I say, but he keeps walking. “Seriously? You’re just going to walk away?”

  “Just get ready, Stella. Now. Unless you want to make a scene in front of Mikhail and Joseph.”

  I glare, but I don’t expect to intimidate him. He’s Danya Ivanov. Nothing scares him. And maybe nothing gets to him. Maybe what we had this past week was all just a fluke and my wishful thinking that we could have the type of relationship we always dreamt of when we were kids is just false hope. I turn on my heel and stomp upstairs to my room. I slam the door shut and lock it for good measure.

  As promised, there’s an elegant black gown hanging from the closet door. It’s beautiful satin with a full skirt and tight bodice. It’d fit me perfectly, bu
t after what just happened, the last thing I want to do is wear a dress he picked out. I toss it carelessly onto the bed and head into the closet to find something else to put on. After shoving aside several dresses, I reach into the back of my wardrobe and find a stunning red number. It’s elegant enough for the ball but has a plunging neckline. I smirk, knowing exactly what this will do to Danya. Driving him nuts at the moment seems like a perfect plan.

  I take the gown into the bathroom. I freshen up, then do my hair and makeup in record time. I’m just zipping up the dress and adjusting the straps when there’s a knock on the door. I snatch up my heels and carry them with me to the door.