A Love of Vengeance

by Nancy Haviland

  Eva’s mouth once again fell open as Caleb dropped onto the couch next to her, ice clinking in his glass. The truth! Finally!

  And she couldn’t do a damn thing with it because Nika was now staring with wild eyes, as if she was appalled by what she’d confessed. Her gaze flashed between her brother and Eva, her lips mashed together. She shook her head almost imperceptibly but with so much force it looked as though her neck were going to snap.

  Eva’s cell phone rang.

  “My ringtone was much cooler than that lame thing,” Caleb said. “Aren’t you going to answer it?” He passed her phone to her.

  She plucked it from his hand with numb fingers, still reeling over what Nika had just admitted. Why was she staying with Kevin if she hated him? Did she have money issues? Was that bastard somehow keeping her there against her will? How, though?

  What else was he doing to her against her will?

  Alarmed, she swiped her thumb across the bottom of the screen without checking the display. Once she was done with this call, she would find a way to get Caleb out of the room so she could talk to Nika alone. Her friend was going to explain what she’d meant. “Hello?”

  “Get up and walk away if anyone is near you. Don’t show any reaction that you recognize my voice, or I hit the detonator in my hand and your boyfriend’s suite blows out the roof of his hotel.”

  Eva’s heart slammed like a freight train into her ribs.

  Furio. Her Mohawked intruder.

  “Say, ‘Okay, Dad,’ ” he hissed. “Say it!”

  “O-okay, Dad.” She looked away from Nika’s sudden frown and rose from the couch. She walked a few steps away on legs that felt as though they were about to collapse.

  “An explosive device large enough to take out the entire top floor of the hotel was wheeled into Gabe’s suite five minutes ago, kitty. If you don’t do as I tell you, right now, I’ll hit this switch and whoever is with him will die. Do you understand?”

  “I don’t believe you,” she whispered, calling his bluff, praying he was lying as she tried not to hyperventilate.

  “Then you’re stupider than I thought. You’re playing with the big boys now, kitty. You think taking out a few guys, along with whoever happens to get caught as collateral damage means shit to us.” He laughed darkly. “Your tutor needs to brush up on your lessons because you’re not getting it. It’s come down to kill or get killed. So I’ve chosen to kill. Gabe, Quan, Alek, Vincente, Kirov . . . your daddy. Who else will die because you wanna be naive?”

  Her father had just arrived a short while ago. He couldn’t have known that unless he was telling the truth.

  Oh, my God. She tried not to vomit.

  “And don’t bother running across the hall to check. I’ll know. Don’t think I can’t see you with your friend and the biker.”

  The hair on her nape stood straight. He could see them? How?

  Doesn’t matter. He’s not bluffing. He would blow them all up without question. “Okay. What d-do you want?”

  “Say, ‘Where should I meet you, Dad?’ And say it louder than this whispery shit you keep doing.”

  “Where sh-should I meet you, Dad?” she said with more force, a buzz of fear vibrating in her brain.

  “Come on, kitty. You can do better than that. Put your poker face on and tighten up because I’m guessing quite a few have gathered and their lives are now in your hands. Whoever is with your man won’t stand a chance at survival any more than he will if that device blows.”

  Her father. Gabriel. Their entire crew. Caleb and Nika.

  Horror flooded Eva’s system, its icy acid burning a trail from her scalp to the bottoms of her tingling feet. But she straightened her spine from the protective curl it had gone into and cleared her throat. “I thought you were next door,” she said, holding her throat tight so her voice wouldn’t shake. She had no choice but to do exactly as he said, she realized. No choice whatsoever.

  “That’s better. So the kitty Gabe is fucking is Vasily Tarasov’s daughter. I got myself a Russian princess,” he laughed. “Who the hell would have thought?”

  Her skin crawled.

  “You tell the biker Dad wants to see you. Come to the loading docks at the end of the hallway on the other side of the ballroom on the main floor. Got it?”

  “Yes.” How was she going to get back there without dragging Caleb with her? After what Nika had just told her about hating Kevin, she needed her brother, and Eva would not endanger him in this situation that really had nothing to do with him.

  “Eva?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t have to tell you not to pull any shit, do I? You get your sweet ass down here ASAP with your biker pal or I kill your man and whoever else is with him.” Click.

  Oh, God. Swiftly gathering herself, trying to appear as normal as she could, Eva turned to her friends to see them both watching her with interest. “Um, my father wants to see me downstairs,” she said quietly without meeting their eyes as she tucked her cell into her back pocket. She had no money, no wallet.

  You won’t need a wallet or money where you’re going.

  The thought had the blood freezing in her veins, but she had to ignore it. “He said for you to bring me downstairs, Caleb.”

  Both brother and sister stood.

  “No! I mean, no, Nika, you stay here.” Do not cry! “I’ll be right back. He wants to see me alone.” God, she was blowing this.

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know.” She forced a laugh. “I’m still not sure why the men in this crowd feel the need for such secrecy. But I’ll be right back.” She hugged her friend so hard Nika cried out like she’d been struck.

  “Ow, Eva! What the hell?”

  “Sorry, sorry,” she mumbled, letting go and turning away before Nika guessed something was wrong. “This whole thing with my father still freaks me out a little. I’m just . . . sorry.”

  She went for the door, Caleb on her heels. Aron, her father’s bodyguard whom he’d introduced her to earlier, was out in the hallway.

  “It is me, little one,” Aron said in his heavy Russian accent, clearly having seen he’d scared the shit out of her. He rose from his chair and towered over her, his features harsh and unyielding.

  Shit. How were they going to get past him? And the others lining the corridor?

  “Um . . .” Think, Eva!

  “Hey, brother,” Caleb gripped the bodyguard’s hand. “Eva’s old man wants to see her downstairs. You coming with?”

  Aron nodded. “Da. Vasily left room few minutes ago.” He motioned for one of the men standing not far away to take over his post, then waved Eva and Caleb ahead.

  Caleb nudged her into motion and they were off. Shit. Her father had left Gabriel’s suite? What would she say if they ran into him in the lobby?

  What would she do if Gabriel came out and caught her trying to leave?

  Worry about it if it happens.

  She walked faster.

  “You okay, Priss?” Caleb asked quietly as he lengthened his stride to keep up. “Your old man seems like a good guy. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

  “He is.” God, she wasn’t even going to have the chance to know him! “I, uh, just don’t know why he wants to see me without Gabriel—that’s all. Think he’ll try to warn me off?” She forced another laugh that almost turned into a sob. “I hope he doesn’t think he has the right to dictate my life when I’ve only just met him.”

  He wasn’t going to have the chance to give her even one scrap of fatherly advice.

  She ignored that thought, too, and realized something right then. She was Vasily Tarasov’s daughter. An intimidating mobster who ruled a Russian organized crime family.

  And she’d spent enough time crying and simpering like a toddler who’d lost her parent at the mall.

  In that moment, with that realization, steel entered Eva’s spine, straightening it. Her head lifted, her eyes s
uddenly dry.

  She might have to give in to Furio’s demands, but she didn’t have to do it like a pathetic crybaby.

  And she wouldn’t. For her father, and Gabriel, she wouldn’t. And for herself. She was more than that.

  Despite her insides being a mess—she wasn’t stupid enough not to fear what was coming—she walked steadily, and by the time they were in the elevator, the doors closing, she’d counted thirteen guards.

  Gabriel was going to kill her. Her heart ached like hell. Actually Gabriel wasn’t going to be able to do anything to her ever again. Because she was riding the elevator down to her imminent death right now. Stefano had plans for her . . . plans that didn’t include getting away alive. She was never going to see Gabriel again, she thought, once again nearing hysterics. Never going to have a chance to touch him again, talk to him, laugh with him, love him.

  Wait. Love him?

  God, yes. She loved him. She was desperately in love with him.

  After watching what her mother had gone through with her father, Eva didn’t think she’d ever allow herself to experience romantic love. She’d thought she’d shut that part of herself down. Kept it hidden away. And she had. Until Gabriel. Somehow he’d broken through her defenses. Her fierce and deadly would-be mob boss had smashed the shell around her heart to pieces and conquered her, body and soul.

  She choked on a frantic laugh. She was her mother. History was repeating itself. The very thing she feared.

  But she didn’t care. The knowledge didn’t dim her feelings for Gabriel one bit.

  “I love him, Caleb,” she whispered, grabbing her best male friend’s hand in a grip so tight he winced.

  “Hey, relax, Priss,” he chuckled. “Who do you love? Your old man?”

  “No. Yes.” She shook her head and looked away from the suspicion settling in Caleb’s eyes. “Gabriel. I love him. I’m in love with him. And I love my father. And you and Nika.” She forced out another laugh that came out more of a croak and let go of his hand so he wouldn’t feel her trembling. “I just wanted that out there.”

  God, if they didn’t get out of this elevator soon she was going to go Incredible Hulk on the mirrored box.

  “Eva. I think maybe we should go back upstairs. Your dad can come to you.”

  “No. I’m sorry.” She had to do better than this. Furio was going to kill Gabriel, and her father, and whoever else was in the suite with them if she didn’t get it together.

  “Sorry,” she said again, smiling up at Caleb. “I’m so effing stressed. Please ignore me. I guess I could have used that drink.” Shut up, Eva. “But knowing me, that would have made this a million times worse, since I’m not much of a drinker. I’d probably be bawling all over your ratty T-shirt.” Shut. Up. Eva. “But, then, you’d probably let me.” SHUT UP, EVA!

  She bit her lips and watched the numbers count down the final ten floors. The bell dinged, and the doors swished open to present the lobby. They stepped out and turned right. How did she get to the loading docks without them?

  The door to the ladies’ restroom caught her eye, and a fuzzy memory started to take shape. That night at the benefit gala, there had been multiple entrances to the restroom. A front one and a back one. Dare she hope all the restrooms at the Crown Jewel were designed the same way?

  “You know what? Before I go into the bar, I’m going to splash some water on my face and get a grip. Give me one second, ’kay?” Before she even touched the wood of the door, a strong hand gripped her upper arm. She looked up at the man who’d been one of the best parts of her life since she was thirteen years old.

  “You go in, clean up, and come right back out. Talk to no one,” Caleb ordered. “You fuck around in there and I’ll kick your skinny ass. Got me, Priss?”

  Please don’t let Gabriel or her father hurt Caleb for losing her, she prayed. Or Aron. Because if everything went as planned, lose her they would.

  She steeled herself and nodded. It couldn’t be helped.

  “I’ll be right back.” She snatched her arm away—like she normally would have—and gave him an impatient look before disappearing through the door. She greedily scanned the space and nearly fainted in relief when she saw a second door on the other end of the restroom.

  She ran to it and slipped out into the back hallway. Without a backward glance, she moved as quickly as she could without drawing attention to the Exit sign at the end of the corridor.

  She pushed through the heavy steel door and rushed headlong into a dimly lit area that smelled of old car exhaust. Someone grabbed her arm before the door had even clanged shut behind her.

  “I’ll never get over how gullible you fucking women are.”

  She looked up into Furio’s dark, evil eyes.

  “And by gullible, I mean stupid,” he drawled.

  “Just leave Gabriel and my father alone. Don’t hurt them. Please,” she begged.

  “How can I hurt them? They’re way up there—we’re down here.”

  “But the explosives you put in . . .” She looked down to see what he held in his hands. They were empty but for her arm and a cast covering his forearm.

  Sonofabitch. He’d duped her. His knowing she’d been with Nika and Caleb in the other suite—and bringing up her father—had sealed the deal. He’d used her fear and her friends and loved ones against her to make sure she felt like coming to him was her only option.

  Rage overrode her fear in that instant. She was going to die anyway, so might as well die like a Tarasov.

  “Fuck you, you bastard.” She spit in his face, and, before he could react, she drew her arm back and let her fist fly, catching him right on the jaw. The hit sent him stumbling back, and she lunged for the door. He beat her to it, slamming it shut in her face. He jerked her back and rammed her so hard into the wall she heard something in her shoulder snap out of place. She cried out as he came in close, pressing into her from behind.

  “You and I are going to have such fun before I put you down, kitty.”

  With a hard yank, he spun her around, and she barely saw the blur of movement before pain shot up her cheek and into the back of her head.

  Eva was swallowed by darkness.

  Gabriel paced in front of the fireplace, wrenching his head to the side, looking for some relief to the tension in his neck. Fuck. He wanted to go get Eva. Wanted her with him. Sitting in the corner, watching him, following him with her eyes, the way he’d gotten used to her doing.

  “We’ll bring the girls and Paynne to the airport and then head to Enumclaw. Simple as that.”

  He glanced at Maksim. Nothing was “simple as that.” Where the fuck was Vasily? He should be back by now. Had gone down to do a sweep of the hotel with Dmitri because he hadn’t trusted anyone else with it.

  He looked over to see Vincente with his back to the room, focus on the nearly dark sky. Guy hadn’t moved from that window in an hour.

  Feeling edgy as fuck, Gabriel finally gave into the urge and sent Eva a text.

  Everything good?

  He felt like an idiot when he hit “Send,” almost expecting to hear the ringtone since the phone receiving it was right next fucking door.

  He wrenched his neck again and waited.

  “Why doesn’t Vasily take her?” Maks suggested. “He, Dmitri, and the biker can go, while we take care of whoever is at that cabin.”

  Fucking Mr. Party Planner needed to shut up for a minute. “Vasily wants to send a message. Didn’t you hear him earlier? Weren’t you fucking here?” Gabriel snapped, that disturbing conversation replaying again in his head. Vasily had informed him that he was going to kill Stefano in such a way that his enemies would think twice before ever coming after one of his own again.

  His fucking brother was going to die tonight, and, despite everything, he didn’t like it.

  And why the fuck wasn’t Eva responding to his message? A simple yes would suffice.

  “I must have dozed off for that one, you assh
ole, considering I’ve been up for close to forty-eight hours covering your ungrateful ass.”

  Lifting his eyes from his phone, Gabriel looked over at Maksim’s long middle finger waving at him.

  He trudged over and clapped his hand onto the man’s monster shoulder. “Sorry, brother. I’m feeling . . . fuck. I don’t know. Something’s making me—”

  The suite’s door banged wide-open and Vasily stormed in, Dmitri, Aron, and Paynne on his ass.

  Maksim and Alek jumped to their feet, Vincente came to attention, Quan put his gun away, and Gabriel braced himself for the worst.

  Vasily looked him in the eye, his face a dark mask of fury, and delivered it. “She’s gone.”

  CHAPTER 23

  What did Vasily mean she was “gone”?

  She couldn’t be gone. She’d made a promise to stay with him, to let him keep her safe. She wouldn’t fucking dare leave him. Not when the stakes were so high. Her life was on the line here, goddammit!

  “What happened?”

  Everyone froze and looked at him. Even he had to check himself. Had that been his voice?

  “You make me ask again and someone’s going to end up dead,” he said, his insides quaking. “Where is she?”

  The biker stepped forward. “Someone called her cell. She said it was her father and that he wanted to see her downstairs. He thinks”—he motioned to Vasily—“it was Furio.”

  Vasily’s movements were controlled as he came farther into the room—a clear sign that someone was going to die. His mentor always went Zen when he was plotting a nasty kill. “He had to have threatened her with something. Told her to make her way downstairs or he was going to hurt you, or me, or her friends.” He shook his head, thinking hard. “She went into the restroom while Aron and Caleb waited, and disappeared out the second entrance.”

  “She wouldn’t have pulled this unless something drastic was used against her,” Caleb offered.

  “Get Jak on the security footage,” Gabriel barked at Quan as he stomped over to grab his spare rounds that he’d stashed in one of the desk drawers.