“Pozhaluysta. I beg of you,” the older brother answers, a pleading edge to his tone.
“What happened to the usual safe houses?” Leon asks, frowning.
Mikhail looks aside as though embarrassed. “They’ve been… compromised.”
“What? How did that — ” Leon stops abruptly, seeing the authentic sadness on his brother’s face. I know the last thing he wants to do is let him down. I wonder what they were like growing up together as young boys and teenagers. I only saw Leon the one time at the beach, and I can’t recall ever seeing Mikhail around. Then again, it’s nearly impossible to imagine what this cold-blooded hitman would have looked like as an innocent child. The idea is almost laughable.
“I need to get her somewhere. She won’t last in the city.” The cold-hearted killer has a major weakness for the woman with him. And I can only imagine the trouble she’s in. It doesn’t seem like Mikhail has been back here in quite some time considering how Leon’s acting.
Leon glances down at me beside him, and I wonder if he’s thinking about me that way. If he’s considering what he’d do in Mikhail’s situation.
The two lovers that just arrived quibble. But it’s the kind of quarrel that happens between two people who care for one another, when what’s best for one isn’t what’s best for both. She doesn’t want him to leave her, and I can’t really blame her.
On the upside, their heated discussion gives Leon time to think.
When Alicia raises her hand to gently stroke Mikhail’s cheek, Leon breaks the silent tension in the room. “I need your help, too. I think… maybe we can work out a deal.”
Mikhail gives him a critical look and crosses his arms on his chest. “I will help you in any way I can. Whatever you need.”
Leon takes a deep breath and then says flatly, “I need you to eliminate someone for me.”
My mouth falls open again as my head whips around to look up at him in disbelief. Surely that can’t mean what it sounds like. Leon is a tough guy who runs with a kind of dangerous crowd, I know, but he can’t honestly be asking his brother to commit murder for him? Maybe it’s some kind of code or something I just don’t understand.
Mikhail doesn’t react with the appropriate surprise or indignation at his brother’s request. Instead, he just lifts his chin a little, narrowing his eyes and straightening his shoulders as though squaring up for a business deal. Like they’re just talking about buying a car together—not killing somebody! He takes his chin in his huge, calloused hand and looks at Leon thoughtfully for a long moment. The silence is killing me and I almost want to jump up and down and wave my arms, shouting ‘WHAT THE HELL?’
But I don’t.
Until finally I can’t stand it anymore.
“Leon, what’s going on? What do you mean, ‘eliminate’ someone?” I ask, my voice higher and more shrill than I hoped it would be. But under the circumstances, how could anyone expect me to keep a level tone, anyway?
Both brothers turn their eyes to me and I instantly feel my face start burning. They’re both so intensely attractive and intimidating that I want to just shrink down into a ball and hide for even daring to interrupt this discussion. Alicia just looks at me with a mixture of pity and envy.
I half expect Leon to kick the two of us out of the office so the men can continue their talk in private. But I should know by now that he’s better than that—he’s not like the snobby, dismissive, condescending guys I sometimes had to contend with at work back in the city. Those guys looked down on me for my name, my looks, my girly journalism. As if their boring sports articles were any more world-changing than my fashion pieces, anyway.
Alicia disentangles herself from Mikhail and sits in one of the nearby chairs, her face distant as though she’s in a trance, but I can’t worry about that now. Right now, I need to worry about the fact that my boyfriend is asking his brother to murder someone in cold blood.
But Leon just places a gentle hand on my back and gives me a sympathetic, meaningful look.
“Cherry, if this is getting to be too much, I won’t hold it against you if you want to take a step back. I don’t want you to be in any danger, and I don’t want to force you into anything you don’t feel comfortable with. I promise I will do anything and everything in my power to keep you safe from harm or retribution, but I will warn you that this is dangerous territory we’re going into now. It’s always been this way, and I’m in too deep to dig my way out. But it’s not too late for you to back out if that’s what you want. I won’t stop you. I just want you to be okay,” Leon explains, his voice so patient and gentle.
I stand there blinking dumbly for a moment while I try to sort through everything he just said. First of all, I am touched that he would feel such concern and tenderness for me. But second of all, I am slightly annoyed that he thinks I’m going to throw in the towel and run away at the first sign of real danger! I’d like to think I’m stronger than that, and I want him to know that I’m in this with him, for better or for worse.
After all, they’re talking about the people who very well might have had a hand in my father’s death.
“No,” I tell him, shaking my head. “I’m gonna see this through. Even if it’s scary. Even if I am definitely in over my head. I’m not leaving you and I’m not letting this go. I’m too invested. I have to find out what’s going on here. It’s—it’s what my dad would have wanted me to do.”
“Smelaya devushka,” Mikhail comments. I turn to see him smiling down at me, a hint of pride in his face. He gives Leon a nod of approval before clapping me firmly on the shoulder.
“Brave girl, indeed,” Leon murmurs, that devilish, delicious half-smile on his face again. Just knowing that I’m the one who’s put that smile there is enough to make me feel all warm and tingly. Then he straightens up and continues, “If you’re totally sure about this, then I need you to know that things may get a little… um, illegal, from here on out. To beat these bastards at their own game, we have to be just as cutthroat and willing to resort to drastic measures to get things done.”
I nod, hardening my face and trying to look tough. “I understand. They fight dirty, so we have to get down in the mud with them.”
“Exactly,” Leon says, that smile trying desperately to appear again.
“But… still, isn’t it a little too early to resort to murder?” I ask meekly, not wanting them to be angry with me. It feels like a legitimate concern, though, under the circumstances. Generally I think one should at least think twice before embarking upon a capital offense. In my personal opinion, flat-out murder should probably be Plan Z, not Plan B.
“I respect and understand your hesitation,” Mikhail says cautiously. “Your concern for human life is refreshing. But we do not extinguish lives for the thrill, and we only do so when it is to the greater benefit of the majority.”
Nodding, Leon adds, “And this particular target is nothing but a pustule on the face of the planet. He’s not worth the oxygen he’s been slurping up for decades. His existence has directly resulted in the deaths of many, many innocent people. He is not deserving of your concern, nor your pity, Cherry.”
It’s a little chilling to hear him speak this way, so intensely and darkly. He talks about taking a life with a tone of resignation. He is thoroughly certain that what he feels is right. And I don’t know enough about the subject to truly disagree with him. Of course, I have always been a pacifist, almost to a fault. I flee from confrontation and avoid conflict of any kind like the plague. But then, that’s part of why I’ve been stuck writing innocuous puff pieces for so long.
When the world sees that you’re not willing to fight, it tends to write you off.
Well, I’m ready to fight now, even if I’m not sure what will come of it.
“Who is it? The target, I mean?” I question, looking back and forth between them.
“That was going to be my next question, too,” Mikhail says.
“Brother, I need you to take out Martin Chandler,” Leon rep
lies, with an air of finality.
I feel sick to my stomach immediately. There is no possible way this will turn out well. From what I’ve gleaned about him, Marty Chandler is far too well-known and well-connected to be quietly taken care of. I’m sure he has the strongest security team Bayonne’s ever seen, and his death will certainly not go unnoticed, if it even gets that far.
“M-Martin Chandler?” I repeat, a little breathlessly. “Isn’t he that guy from the docks? The rich guy talking to Agent Doyle? How the hell are you going to get rid of him? Won’t people notice?”
Mikhail laughs, a deep and throaty sound which actually startles me and makes me jump slightly.
“I’m no amateur,” he assures me. “I have killed many men much more powerful and influential than that sewer slime Chandler. And so has my brother.”
I look back to Leon nervously. I should have known that. It should not come as a surprise. But somehow, I still find myself a little frightened… and strangely, inexplicably aroused.
What is wrong with me?
It’s just reassuring, I suppose, to hang around someone who would probably, definitely kill for me if need be. Especially because I have caught glimpses of his heart even in the short time I have spent with him, and I know his intentions to be good and true. He’s not a bad man; he’s a very, very good man who sometimes resorts to very, very bad things.
And after what he’s seen… I can’t say I really blame him.
“I hope that doesn’t frighten you away,” Leon says to me softly, and I can tell he is genuinely worried that it might. I wonder how many women have fallen for his looks and daring personality, only to run away from his troubled past and dangerous lifestyle. I want to prove to him that I can take it. I want to show him I’m strong enough to stick around, even if it gets rough.
Because I’m starting to fall for him.
“It probably should,” I mumble, meeting his gaze a little reluctantly. His bright green eyes are mesmerizing in their sadness. “But it won’t. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Then it’s settled,” Mikhail cuts in, rubbing his hands together.
“And once Chandler is taken care of, that will solve at least a few of our problems. It will throw off the feds’ operation for awhile, just long enough for us to infiltrate and put a stop to it. Without Chandler around, Agent Doyle won’t have easy access to the abandoned docks, so he will have to find a new way to hustle his huddled masses into town,” Leon explains. Then he adds, “Besides, the bloody bastard deserves to die for what he’s done.”
“Agreed,” Mikhail says simply.
“How will you do it?” I ask, unable to let it go. This is a whole new world for me, and even though I’m trying my best to remain calm, there’s a voice screaming in the back of my head to run away and never look back. I try to silence it, but it remains. I suppose that must be the lingering shreds of my once sterling sense of self-preservation.
“Do not concern yourself with the details, sestra. Leave that to me. I have done this many times before, and I do not consider Martin Chandler a threat on any level,” Mikhail assures me coolly.
“See? It will all be okay,” Leon says, smiling. I can’t believe this is happening, and I’m just going along with it. A week ago, if someone had told me I would be involved in this kind of ridiculous James Bond-esque situation, I would have laughed outright.
But things change. And here we are.
“And in return?” Mikhail presses, raising an eyebrow.
Leon turns back to him and gives him a nod. “I promise to find a safe place to hide Alicia in the meantime. I have friends and connections all over town. Don’t worry, moy brat.”
“Spasibo, Leon.”
The two of them shake hands and then embrace each other. I stand aside, smiling at them even though that voice in the back of my head is starting to get louder with every second that passes. Something tells me their plan is not as foolproof as they pretend it to be. I have this gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach, warning me to run, run away. But I can’t.
I’m already in.
18
Leon
“Don’t worry about Alicia,” I tell my brother as we head back out into the bar, “I know a club up in Jersey City who owe me a favor and have a safe house where I’ve personally lain low a few times. She’ll be safe and comfortable. My vice-prez will take her there. Eva?”
She looks up from her pool game and strides over to us, giving Mikhail a nod as she does.
“Got anything going on tomorrow?”
“Nah, I can tell my techs to handle things ‘till the afternoon.” Eva owns a mechanic shop not far from here.
“Good. Do that — I’ve gotta call in a favor from someone I know I can trust. My brother here has a lady he needs taken to the safe house the boys up in Jersey City run. Some of them will still be awake at this hour. If not, here’s some cash for a motel overnight. Get her in there first thing in the morning. Tell them things are even between us if they get this taken care of, alright?”
“Been a long time since I’ve been uptown,” Eva says, stretching her arms and giving Mikhail a smile. “So am I following you, big guy?”
Mikhail gives a slow nod. “I appreciate it.” He turns to me, a grateful look in those cold, killer’s eyes of his. The eyes I know I share, deep down. This is the only person who knows me inside and out, but with Cherry at my side, I wonder if that might change.
“Leon, you should know of all people that I act swiftly and quietly. Once I’m off to handle this situation, it won’t be long before it is done.”
“I know,” I say, glancing to Cherry and exchanging a look. “Tomorrow night, I’m guessing?”
Mikhail simply nods.
“Alright. I can work with that.” The business silently concluded between us, there’s suddenly a warmth in my eyes I haven’t known in a long time, and I give my brother a smile. “It’s been good to see you again, Mikhail.”
The hitman’s stony face shows the faintest smile, and before we know it, we’re throwing our arms around each other, embracing fully for the first time in a very long while.
“Da svidaniya, Leon.”
“Fsyevo harosheva, moy brat.” The Russian language hasn’t come from my mouth in a long time, and the words feel rusty yet familiar, like walking into an old childhood home after many years. It feels good.
We break our embrace, and I watch Mikhail, Alicia and Eva make their way across the bar and out the doors, into the cool night air.
I turn to Cherry, and something seems to be bothering her. I put my arm around her waist, and she hugs me back, laying her head against my chest briefly.
“So this is what it feels like,” she says softly, and I look down at her.
“What do you mean?”
“Ordering someone’s death. I mean, we’ve been in a firefight already tonight, but something about sending someone to carry it out deliberately feels so different. I just...I never thought I’d be in this position before, you know?”
I step in front of her, placing a hand on both of her shoulders gently and looking straight into those deep eyes of hers, searchingly. “And how do you feel about it now that you’re here?”
The look she gives me back is brave. Cautious, but brave. “I don’t know if this is going to work, Leon. It’s a stretch. We’re up against impossible odds, the other side has more resources than us, more people than us, and more information than us. And they have the law on their side. And at one flick of a wrist, they can have the public ready to take up arms against us.” She pauses, but her eyes never break the gaze we share between us. “...but I agree. This needs to be done. I don’t feel good about how it’s going down, but Chandler’s responsible for the deaths of a lot of innocent people, and he’ll keep killing them as long as it lines his pockets.” She takes a deep breath, as though re-centering herself. “No matter what happens, Leon, I’m standing by you.”
Beaming at her, I hug her tight, breaking the seriousness of the mom
ent with her yelp as I draw her into my embrace.
“I’m glad, because that’s exactly what we’re gonna do to establish an alibi.”
“Wait, what?”
“You know as well as I do that when this goes down, all eyes are gonna be on us,” I explain, crossing my arms. “So we need a really public display to prove that we’re not involved. Mikhail won’t leave a trace, so as long as it’s well known that we’re tied up somewhere else, nobody will be able to point a finger at us.”
As she twirls a lock of hair thoughtfully over what I’ve just said, I lead Cherry over to where Genn has been finishing up the pool table on his own, and he gives us a nod as we approach. “‘Sup, Prez?”
“Genn, we’re having a bash tomorrow.”
“A bash?”
“Yeah,” I say, “there’s been a real big fuckin’ damper over the town since all this shit with the feds started going down. I want everyone to know that they can’t keep us down. Show of solidarity that everyone can see — especially the feds.”
Genn’s started stroking his beard, and after a moment, he nods, and I can see the enthusiasm in him instantly. He’s always been a sucker for parties like this.
“Alright, yeah. I like it. I’ve got a cousin who can get the word out around town, connected with just about half the damn city.”
“Perfect,” I say with a grin. “We’ll hold it in the warehouse down at the end of Evergreen Street.”
“Yeah, I remember that one,” Genn laughs, remembering some old times fondly.
“Hear that, everyone?” I shout out across the bar, and the club turns to listen. “We’re having our own little royal ball tomorrow night at the warehouse off Evergreen!”
A cheer goes up around the bar, and Cherry blinks in astonishment after some of the bikers group up as they start to file out for the night, discussing plans and what to bring.
“You’ve got a hell of a way of rallying people,” she remarks.
Saved by the Outlaw: A Bad Boy Romance Page 14
