by Roxie Rivera
"What? Why?"
"Because I'm certain we were followed by the police," he said, his voice so low I barely heard him. "They may think Ruby has told you where the drugs and money are hidden. It would be a huge win for them."
"Why don't we just tell them?" I wanted out of this gang war mess as quickly as possible.
Ivan frowned at me. In that moment, I realized how silly and naïve I must have seemed to him. "Erin, the Albanians have already killed Andrei to settle their blood debt but the Hermanos? They're still out there."
"So you want to trade whatever we find for Ruby's safety?"
"For your safety," he said and tugged me along beside him.
Within five minutes, I was buckled into the front seat of his black sports car. He raced away from his home in one direction while Dimitri went one way in his truck and Kostya took a different route in an SUV. The covert nature of Ivan's plane made my stomach ache.
"Are you all right?" He glanced over at me as he wound in and out of the late night traffic.
I rubbed my belly and grimaced. "I'm not used to this constant anxiety. I think I'm getting an ulcer."
"I doubt it, angil moy." He squeezed my thigh. "You've shown such bravery. I'm impressed."
Considering the kind of life he'd lived, I figured that was quite a compliment. "Thanks, I guess."
Ivan laughed and turned into a parking garage behind one of the upscale boutique hotels downtown. I thought it an odd destination until he addressed the guy running the private parking garage. Their quick conversation in Ivan's mother tongue and the mention of Dimitri's name helped me understand. This was just part of the ruse.
He reached into the console between our seats where he'd dropped his wallet before we left the house. My eyes widened when he withdrew a handful of crisp hundred dollar bills and thrust them into the parking attendant's hand. The man handed him a time-stamped ticket and hit the button to raise the black-and-white striped bar.
As Ivan drove up the many levels of the garage, it occurred to me that he still hadn't told me how he'd made all his money. "Is your money blood money?"
He visibly stiffened. I chewed my lower lip as nervousness swept through me. He found an empty spot on the fourth level and parked. After killing the engine, he let his hands drop from the wheel. He turned to face me. His expression was one I couldn't place.
"You must think the worst of me."
I gulped. "I don't really know what I think, Ivan. You have all those tattoos and you're obviously very comfortable in the underworld. Yesterday when I tried to ask you about your wealth, you shot me down."
"Time shares."
I blinked. "What?"
"Time shares," he repeated. "I made the bulk of my wealth in time shares."
I tried to wrap my head around what he'd said. "But—"
"Look, I'm no choir boy, Erin. I've done some terrible things. I've stolen. I've burglarized. I've enforced for loan sharks. I've moved drug shipments and run weapons. There was a time when I would do anything if the price was right."
The shame filling his voice touched me in a way I couldn't quite explain. I reached for his hand. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."
"No." He kissed my knuckles. "You have every right to know what kind of person I am."
"I think the man I know is a good man. God, what you've done for me, Ivan."
"It wasn't without ulterior motives," he replied honestly. "From the moment I saw you, I wanted you. Saving your sister was the easiest way for me to keep you near." He held my gaze. "I swear to you that I have never once committed any sort of crime against women. I've never dealt in the skin trade. I've never killed anyone. I'm no murderer and no rapist but I was a thief and a violent man."
"You've been in prison." It wasn't a question. Some of the tattoos he had looked like prison work with their uneven lines and strange blue tint.
"Three times," he admitted. His shamed gaze dropped to his lap. "I did my time, Erin. I paid for my crimes."
"And then what? You came to Houston and started over?"
He nodded. "Nikolai was leaving. The three of us—me, Nikolai and Dimitri—we had money. It cost so much to buy a new life but we managed it." He hesitated. "I won't sit here and lie to you about the way my life started in Houston. I dealt in stolen goods and bare-knuckle fighting to make enough money to invest."
"In time shares?" I couldn't hide my surprise. "I mean, really?"
His lips twitched with amusement. "I know. It's really just a legal scam, isn't it? But the money was so easy. Dimitri and I both bought into them when they were cheap and made money hand over fist. We listened to Yuri and got out before the real estate market went bust. I parked quite a bit of my money in minerals and oil and gas with Yuri's company. The returns have been…well…they've been substantial."
"And that's how you paid for your gym and started your training business?"
"Yes." He ran his thumb over the underside of my wrist. "I know it doesn't make it right but I donate to charities. Food banks and women's shelters and the children's hospital here. I send money back to Russia, to the orphanage there. It helps me feel like I'm paying for my sins."
"Oh, Ivan." I unbuckled my seatbelt and slid closer, winding my arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "You made mistakes. We all do. Yours were pretty big ones but you've been punished for them. You're trying to make it right. I respect that."
He pulled back and gazed into my eyes. "And me? Can you respect me?"
"I do."
He buried his face in the curve of my neck. "I don't deserve you."
I kissed his cheek. "Don't say that."
"It's the truth," he insisted. "You're the type of woman who deserves a man with an education and a clean criminal record. Someone you can be proud of—and that's not me."
"That's not true." I cupped his face and kissed him tenderly. "You saved my life. You saved my sister. You fought to defend me from two men with guns. You could have died, Ivan, but you faced them without any thought for your own safety. Don't you see? That's the kind of man you are."
His pale eyes widened briefly. "God, Erin," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "You make me want—"
But he didn't get to finish his thought. Dimitri chose that moment to knock on the driver's side window. I gritted my teeth with frustration. I'd been sure that Ivan was about to say something amazing but Dimitri had blundered right into the middle of it.
Ivan exhaled roughly and frowned. "We'll pick this discussion up later. Yes?"
"Yes."
"Good." His lips lingered against mine. "Come. Let's do this."
* * *
Ivan controlled the desire to throttle Dimitri for his poor timing. He'd never felt closer to Erin than when she'd been half across his lap while he poured out his darkest secrets. Her acceptance of his past had stunned him. She'd taken a reasonable stance on the crimes he'd committed and the punishment he'd served and seemed willing to accept that he was a different man today than the awful person he'd been when he'd done those things.
He would never stop trying to fix those wrongs. The charities he supported weren't enough—nothing could ever really clean away the smudges on his character—but they gave him a sense of peace. Knowing that Erin was willing to walk beside him without embarrassment or shame and with her head held high filled him with such strong hope. Maybe the life he'd always wanted wasn't so far out of reach after all.
"Do you see the entrance up ahead? Turn in there and then take the first right."
Ivan's gaze moved to the windshield. Erin gave Kostya instructions as they neared her childhood home. Dimitri followed in his truck not far behind. The neighborhood she'd been raised in was filled with big houses and large yards. It was the kind of place he'd dreamed about as a hungry child living hand-to-mouth in an orphanage. Even though he'd surpassed his wildest dreams, he still had mornings where he woke in a daze, unable to believe he'd risen to such heights.
"The brick two story with the dark shutters,"
she said and pointed to a house near the cul-de-sac. While Kostya pulled into the driveway, she dug around in her purse and produced a key ring. He noticed the way she gripped the keys so tightly. Whether it was the painful memories of losing her parents in this house or the uncertainty of what they would find inside that left her so upset, Ivan couldn't say.
Out on the sidewalk, he gripped her hand. She started to take the lead but he stopped her. He held out his hand. "Give me the key."
"Why?" Erin asked but did as instructed.
"Because Andrei might have been stupid enough to booby trap the place," he said matter-of-factly. "You stay back with Dimitri and Kostya."
"No," Dimitri interjected. "I'll go first."
Ivan nodded and handed over the key. Those years in the military and later in Spetsnaz had given Dimitri quite a few skills Ivan would never possess.
He pushed Erin behind him and waited near the SUV while Dimitri unlocked and entered the house. A few minutes later, Dimitri returned. He shook his head and said, "You aren't going to believe what's in there."
Ivan's stomach clenched. "The drugs?"
"And the money and piles of stolen electronics," Dimitri added. "It's all there plus more."
"I can't believe she used our parents' house like this," Erin whispered, her voice laced with pain. "Doesn’t she realize it can be seized?"
"I don't think she cared," Ivan replied bluntly. "But you bring up a good point. I don't want you to be any part of this."
"But—"
"No." He spoke firmly but gently took her hand to lead her a few feet away. Frustration radiated from her in waves. Running his fingers down her cheek, he said, "This is tricky business, Erin. I need to concentrate. I can't do that if I'm worrying about you."
"Oh." Her annoyance with him fled. "I didn't think of it that way."
"I want you to go back to the hotel and get a room there." He withdrew his wallet and discreetly slipped her a large sum of money. She started to argue with him but he silenced her with a demanding kiss. He plundered her mouth, stabbing his tongue between her lips, and tasting her until she whimpered in his arms.
She sighed softly and pressed her cheek to his chest. "Is that the way it's going to be? Every time I want to argue about something, you're just going to kiss me until I'm dizzy?"
He laughed. "It sounds like a good plan."
She rose on tiptoes and brushed her mouth against his. "A very good plan." Then, more seriously, she begged, "Please be careful, Ivan."
"I will. Text me the hotel room number. I'll be sliding into bed with you in no time."
"Promise?"
He kissed her forehead. "Promise."
Reluctantly, she made her way back to Kostya. He shared a look with his longtime employee. Kostya would protect Erin with the same vigor he had, if the need arose. Standing next to Dimitri, he watched the SUV until the tail lights disappeared from view.
Ivan turned to Dimitri. "Do you have a way to contact Besian?"
"Yes."
"And the Hermanos?"
He hesitated before nodding. "I can use Johnny to get a message through."
"Then do it and let's finish this."
Chapter Eight
Five Weeks Later
"We're having breakfast here?" Lena wrinkled her nose. "I'd hoped we were going someplace with mimosas on the menu."
I shot her a knowing look. She looked rumpled and worse for the wear this morning. "I think maybe you had enough to drink last night."
"I wish I'd had time to kick back a few shots last night," she grumbled. "This is exhaustion."
"You're a PR girl for one of the hottest clubs in Houston," Vivi replied. "How hard can that be?"
Lena shot her the finger. "That hard."
I snorted with amusement and shoved open the door to the bakery/café I'd come to love. "Dimitri introduced me to this place. The breakfast tacos and pastries here are to die for!"
"I'm not so sure about all these carbs," Lena said as she tucked her sunglasses into her oversized and ridiculously expensive purse. "I had to suck it in just to get into these jeans this morning."
"Then maybe you should try buying jeans in your actual size," Vivi suggested. "No one else sees the number but you, Lena."
She smacked Vivian's tiny butt and made her yelp. "When you finally get out of the toddler section, you can tell me all about buying jeans to fit a donkey booty."
I laughed but gave the pair a hand gesture to tell them to tone it down. The patrons of Benny's bakery weren't the type of crowd who would enjoy talk of big butts and skinny jeans.
As Vivian and Lena talked in hushed tones behind me, I glanced around the bakery. The Saturday morning breakfast rush seemed like good business. Most of the tables were full and the line to order was a decent size. Still, I knew from the little bit I'd pried from Dimitri that the place was struggling.
I caught sight of Benny coming out of the kitchen area. She balanced a huge tray of pastries one hand. Back behind the counter, she handed them off to one of her employees and moved down the line. She noticed me and smiled. Her bright grin infected me with happiness. I don't know that I'd ever met anyone as spunky or fun as Benny.
Before I could turn to tell Lena and Vivi about her, Lena made a strange sound. "Benny Burkhart?"
Laughing, Benny hurried out from behind the counter to hug Lena. "Oh my gosh! How long has it been?"
"Sophomore year at college," Lena said and hugged her back. "I heard you'd left school to help out with the family business. I had no idea it was a bakery!"
"This is it." Benny motioned around the cozy place. "I'm going to school part-time now. I need two semesters before I graduate."
"Good for you!" Lena shot me an annoyed look. "Why didn't you tell me Benny owned this place?"
"I didn't know you two were acquainted."
"We were in the same dorm freshman year," Benny explained. "We had a pretty good time together."
"Hell yes we did!" Lena's skilled eye jumped around the bakery. "Looks like you could use some marketing and PR help, Benny. This is a good location but you're not doing nearly as much business as you could."
Benny swallowed a bit nervously. "Those kinds of skills are expensive to hire."
Lena smiled warmly. "I'm sure we can work something out."
Benn looked surprised. "You're in PR now?"
Lena nodded. "I work at Hillman & Crest where I do mainly night clubs and restaurants but I know I can handle this. Why don't we trade contact info…"
When the line moved, Vivi and I left the two old friends behind to talk business. We placed our order and found a table. A short time later, Lena joined us with her coffee and breakfast burrito. She seemed rather excited about working with Benny.
"Isn't this a step down from the usual posh places you promo whore for?" Vivian asked.
Lena didn't deny it. "I won't do it on company time, obviously, but she's a really nice girl. It's clear she could use some help." She dumped a few tablespoons of sugar into her coffee and gave it a stir. Her gaze held mine. "So—how was it at the jail yesterday?"
I licked some of the sweet cinnamon filling that had oozed out of my pastry from my finger. With a grimace, I said, "It was okay. Jails are creepy places."
"Is Ruby doing well in treatment?" Vivi sipped her tea. "She's five weeks into it. That's better than she's ever done, right?"
I nodded. "She was…difficult during our visit. I could tell that she's depressed and having a hard time facing the consequences of what she's done. Being high as a kite for years made it easy to mask all the wrong she was doing. Now it's staring her right in the face. She's trying, though, and that's all that really matters."
Lena emptied a couple of creamer packets into her cup. "Has her lawyer finished hammering out her plea deal?"
"She's going to finish the six months of mandatory in-jail rehab and do another six months in an extended treatment program at the jail. Twelve months total," I said. "Then probation."
"Wow,
" Vivi said softly. "That's harsh but I guess she's just lucky to be alive."
"Absolutely," I agreed.
"Have you," Lena lowered her voice, "have you had any more problems with you-know-who?"
She meant the Albanians and the Hermanos. "No, they've left us all alone."
"Do you blame them?" Vivi asked. "Ivan put one of those guys in a halo brace and the other one had to have his leg rebuilt. I'm sure they're going to avoid you two like the plague."
"Speaking of Ivan," Lena said with a lascivious smile, "how are things with your big Russian hunk?"
My cheeks grew hot. "Very good."
"Oh come on!" She practically begged. "Details? Please! I live with a nun," she gestured to Vivi, "and I'm stranded in a sex desert where there isn't one good penis to be found."
Now my ears were bright red. I glanced around the tables surrounding us and prayed no one was eavesdropping. "Not here! Maybe later."
"No maybe to it, Erin. I'm going to get all the juicy, dirty details from you."
Vivi rolled her eyes and whacked Lena's arm. "Calm down! You're worse than a frat boy."
Lena looked contrite. "Yes, Sister Vivian."
I laughed as the two roommates and longtime friends pinched and smacked one another. When they were done with their childish play, they laughed and turned back to me. Both stared expectantly and I realized they wanted to hear more about my relationship with Ivan. I figured now was as good a time as any to tell them.
"So—Ivan wants me to go back to school in the fall and work on my MBA. I was hoping to turn my part-time gig at the firm into full-time employment but they've made it clear they're going to downsize. I won't be kept on as an accountant. I was toying with the idea of going to grad school but it's so expensive. Ivan offered to help." I hesitated. "And he wants me move in with him."
Instead of the cries of outrage at the idea of moving in so quickly with him, they both looked rather calm. Finally, Vivi spoke. "Well—are you going to?"
"What? Go back for my MBA or move in with him?"
"Both," she clarified.
I chewed my lower lip and admitted, "I'm leaning toward yes on both."
"But?" Lena asked.
