The Collector: A Dark Russian Mafia Romance (The Cells of Kalashov Book 1)

by Vi Carter

  “I know.” I release her and weigh my words. Do I tell her the truth about what I am going to do? I glance at Mila and decide she deserves the truth.

  “I’m going to the can,” I say.

  She folds her arms across her small chest as she tries to hide the pain I see flicker in her eyes. She must think I am going to deliver her to the can.

  “I’m going to deliver myself to the can,” I clarify. The horror of my confession on her face has me smiling.

  “I need to be taken to Victor. It’s the only way to end this.”

  She’s shaking her head. “No, you can’t go. My father… you have no idea what kind of man he is.” Her voice rises in disgust.

  I take her in my arms again. “I know what kind of man he is, Mila. I work for him. I know the unthinkable things I do for him. This is the only way.”

  She’s shaking her head again like we have a choice. Time is against us and right now I decide to use these few moments the way I really want to. Pressing my lips against Mila’s gives me the desired effect I want. She melts into me and I hope for the next while, I can make her forget.

  My tongue slips easily between her lips and her warmth surrounds me. She moans into my mouth and my cock grows harder. The smell of the motel room penetrates my lust and I break the kiss. She’s panting and I love how her eyes are swimming with a want that I can fill. Taking her hand, she doesn’t question as I lead her outside. It’s still bright, yet the light from the day is starting to dim. We don’t have the full disguise of the dark, but that makes it more exciting as I lead us down the alleyway. I go deeply enough that we can’t be seen from the parking lot. When I stop, Mila frowns.

  “What are you doing?”

  I answer with a kiss that presses her back into the brick wall. She hesitates and when I press my hard cock against her, she wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me closer. Slipping my hand down her trousers, she groans into my mouth as I dip my finger into her soaking pussy. I want to taste her sweetness. Taking up my hand, I give myself what I want and suck each finger. Her pussy tastes sweeter than I remember.

  “I want you inside me.” Her frantic words are delivered with her dragging my hand back to her. I rub the outside of her dampening trousers.

  “Aren’t you worried someone will see us?” I question before nipping her earlobe.

  “I don’t care.” That’s exactly what I want to hear. I dip my fingers back into her trousers and pull her panties aside. This time I push two fingers inside her, she’s soaking and my cock grows harder. Plunging my fingers in and out of Mila is better than sex, her moans have me wanting her to come all over my fingers. I kiss her opened mouth as she pants into mine. She’s spreading her legs wider for me, as I plunge another finger inside her.

  “Oh, God!” Her words are loud and I move faster until she comes all over my fingers. Her tremors are delicious and I don’t slow down until she stops pushing herself down on my fingers.

  I fix her panties back in place and remove my hand from her trousers. She’s still clinging to my shoulders and I don’t move away. Inhaling deeply against her neck, I want to take her, but I know why I’m holding back, I don’t want this to be the last time I’m inside her.

  Mila drags my face to hers. Her gaze roams my face and I could look at her for a long time; she’s beautiful. I let her press a kiss to my lips, it’s light to the touch, but it goes deeper than it should have. I feel the need to end this, like she’s showing me how she feels and she’s only doing it because there might not be a tomorrow. That thought terrifies me.

  “I want you, Nicholai.”

  It’s there for me to see. I can accept what I see in her eyes and give her what she wants. I smile softly. “You already have me, Mila.” I close the distance and kiss her deeply. There isn’t anything soft about the kiss. It’s edged with a panic I didn't sense coming over me and a savagery of wanting her now. She’s quick to pull down her trousers, I break the kiss to help her out of them. I’m tempted to move this inside, but she drags me back and I don’t argue. Her small hands work quickly at my belt and the cold air on my ass has me pushing my body against her warmth. She easily spreads her legs and I lift her up until my cock is right at her entrance. The contrast from the cold on my back, to the heat of her against my flesh, has me pushing into her soaking pussy. It’s wetness and warmth consumes me and I already feel my release building. I’m moving quickly. My hands grip her thighs so I can hold her up and gain entry inside her. She’s panting and pushing her body down on my cock, both of us pounding to the same rhythm. I’m aware of a car in the distance, but even if someone was standing behind me, I don’t think I could stop fucking Mila. She was too good. I move quicker, my hands digging into the flesh of her thighs. Her hands tighten around my neck as she moves with me faster, my release comes quickly and I empty my seed inside her. She cries out along with me and it’s a new kind of ecstasy that I ride slowly back down.

  Once our movements slow to a halt, I take a quick look around us. We haven’t attracted attention. I turn back to Mila and place a soft kiss on her lips. Her eyes say too much. She’s afraid and when she is with me, she should never feel that way. I slowly slip out of her, and silently, I help her back into her trousers before I pull up my own.

  She deserves so much better than this piss-filled motel room, but I remind myself it will only be for a short while.

  “I paid for a full week for the motel room,” I tell her once we are inside. I don’t look up at her as I take a few hundred out of my wallet and place it on the table. “This is for food.”

  Silence makes me look up. Her eyes waver with unshed tears. She surprises me when she nods. “When do you leave?”

  “In the morning.” I hope we make it to the morning without being caught. Once Oleg has me in the can, he would call Gail off and that would keep Mila safe. She would have no reason to keep hunting me.

  “Okay.” Mila drags the sleeves of her jumper down over her hands, her gaze darts away from me and I’m ready to question her, but she picks up the remote and turns on the TV. Tiredness pulls at me again and I can’t remember the last time I slept properly. I check the door and make sure it’s locked before drawing the curtains. Pulling all the covers off the bed, I flip the stained mattress onto the other side. It doesn’t look much better. I enter the bathroom and gather all the towels. Placing them on the bed, I roll them out like a sheet.

  “We should get some sleep.”

  Mila nods, but doesn’t look at me. “You go ahead. I just want to watch some TV.”

  “Mila,” I say her name softly and when she looks at me she smiles.

  “I promise, I just need to settle my mind.”

  I walk over to her and press a kiss to her forehead. “Okay.”

  MILA

  There is one thing I’m certain of, and that is that I won’t let Nicholai go to the can for me. The only way I can try to do something about this is go to Oleg. He’s the one that wants me. I’m tempted for the hundredth time to glance at Nicholai’s sleeping form, but each time my heart races. What if he’s still awake? Some documentary about an oil spill that’s killing the seals plays out across the screen. It casts the room in flickers of light. Turning off the TV wouldn’t be wise. There would be too much of a change in the room. I count to ten before looking over my shoulder. His chest rises and falls in a steady rhythm, it’s now or never I tell myself. I get off the bed and walk towards the bathroom just to get a feel for how asleep he is. I keep an eye on Nicholai. I hadn’t intended to go into the bathroom, but my feet seem to drag me that way. Once inside, I close my eyes and try to calm my racing heart. Going to Oleg was the only reasonable thing to do. I nod and open my eyes before leaving the bathroom. Nicholai is still asleep. Taking a few bills off the table, I leave the safety of the motel room.

  It’s cold tonight, but I try not to think about that. All I can think about is finding a taxi that will take me to Gail’s. I remembered her home. It still felt bizarre that it was only today w
e were at her house and that Nicholai had the photo of Gail, Dimitri, and Irina. My stomach churns thinking of Irina sitting on the swing.

  Would Gail kill me? I highly doubted it, since Oleg wanted me so bad, but she would have a direct line to him. I can’t stop looking over my shoulder expecting Nicholai to be there, but each time he isn’t and I can’t help the disappointment I feel at getting away. I know I’m doing the right thing, but that doesn’t make it easy.

  The town is close to the motel and I don’t have far to walk before I flag down a taxi. Climbing in, I don’t have an exact address, but I know the road.

  “Farrah Street.”

  The driver doesn’t start the car and everything in me freezes. Have I made a mistake? His gray moustache and peaky cap make him look like so many other cabbies.

  “Where exactly on Farrah Street?”

  My heart slows down, I was being paranoid. “I’ll let you know.”

  The car starts up and I glance out the window at all the people who walk down the street. They are oblivious to the freedom that is given to them. I don't think I have ever walked down a street without looking over my shoulder, or the thought of someone wanting to harm me being there in the back of my mind. I sink further into the seat and wish, for the millionth time, that I had been born into a normal life with a normal family.

  The high wall along Farrah Street has me sitting forward. “Here is perfect.”

  The cab pulls in along the curb. I hand him a twenty and climb out. My stomach churns. I was going to enter the woman’s home whose child I helped kidnap. A shiver races down my spine. Folding my arms across my chest, I walk up the hill towards Gail’s home.

  A large hand clamps across my mouth and my back collides with the wall painfully. I have no idea who I’m expecting, but it isn’t Nicholai. His dark eyes swirl with anger.

  “What are you doing?” His words come out in a hiss.

  “Fixing this.” I push him away from me, but find myself pinned against the wall.

  “How?” He’s trying to calm himself, but it isn’t working.

  “By going to Gail’s and getting her to ring Oleg.”

  There is a brief moment of silence before Nicholai pushes off the wall and releases me. He starts to laugh and heat races up my neck.

  “Are you that daft?” His words are snarled at me. I hadn’t ever seen this anger from Nicholai, and I didn’t like it.

  “At least I’m not the one sending myself to the can. That’s daft,” I fire back, my own temper flaring. He can be allowed to do reckless things, and I’m not?

  Nicholai moves and I’m boxed in again. “You kidnapped her child. She’ll kill you on first glance,”

  “I’m worth more alive than dead.” I really hoped that part was true.

  “You can’t guarantee that, Mila.” He pushes away from the wall again and I have an overwhelming urge to touch him and try to calm him down.

  I need to make him understand. I take a calming breath and move closer to him. He leans into my hand as I touch his face.

  “I love you, Nicholai. I can’t let you give yourself up for me.” I adore the transformation I see in his eyes as my words fully register with him. It calms him and he moves his face and presses a kiss into my palm. Reaching up, he pulls my hand into his. My stomach flutters when I see the understanding in his eyes. He knows I’m doing the right thing. I’m ready to step towards him and give him a kiss when he starts walking in the opposite direction, bringing me with him.

  “What are you doing?” I tug at my arm; he stops walking but doesn’t let me go.

  “Taking you back to the motel, where I’m going to have to handcuff you to the bed.”

  I point behind us, reminding him of the conversation we had like a second ago. “I thought you understood why I have to do it.”

  “I do understand, Mila. But I’m not letting you do it.” He continues to walk and no matter how much I pull at my hand to get it out of his, he won’t loosen his hold on me.

  “How the hell did you find me?” I finally ask when I can’t break his hold on my hand.

  “I placed a chip in your neck.”

  I drag my heels until he stops and faces me. “You’re joking.”

  He’s dark gaze assesses my face. “No, Mila. I’m not.” My stomach twists with the truth I see in his eyes.

  I reach back and my fingers dance across the back of my neck. I move closer to the hair line and gasp. I feel a bump under my flesh.

  “You put a chip in me!?” I frown now, as a new sense of betrayal takes over.

  “I don’t regret it.” Nicholai starts walking again and I follow him, giving up on getting out of his hold.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  NICHOLAI

  I always seem to have that moment of regret after telling Mila something. She’s fuming over the chip. We have been back in the motel room for the last ten minutes and she keeps touching the back of her neck.

  “I want it out.” She slams a hand on her hip, her blue eyes on fire with anger.

  “I will. I just can’t right now.”

  She shakes her head. “How can I even trust a word you say?”

  “You are talking to me about trust? You just ran off the moment I fell asleep.”

  She doesn’t even look guilty. “I will run again. What I was doing was right.”

  Losing my temper wasn’t something that happened to me. Even when I exact revenge on someone, it’s always done with a sense of calm, but right now with Mila, I can’t seem to find anything calming about this situation.

  “I won’t hesitate to tie you up.” I close the distance between us and she doesn’t shy away from me. She leans back.

  “You put a chip in my neck.” Her words are lower, but they sound more distraught now.

  She didn’t understand. I exhale loudly and try to find my calm. “I love you,” I say. Her shoulders grow rigid and her eyes dart from left to right. Her mouth opens and closes, but nothing comes out.

  “I’m trying to keep you safe,” I add, sensing that I am winning right now.

  “I’m trying to keep you safe, too.” She takes a step towards me and wraps her arms around my torso. She feels good in my arms.

  “I need you to promise me you’ll stay here.” I press a kiss to the top of her head.

  She doesn’t answer me.

  “Mila?”

  It takes another few seconds before she looks up at me. “I promise.”

  I’m not sure if I believe her, but we only have a few more hours before I leave to go to the can. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about what was going to happen, but this was the only way to keep her safe.

  “Let’s try to get some sleep.”

  Mila nods and we lie down on the towel covered bed. I drag her against my chest and that’s how we fall asleep.

  ***

  I expect her to try to leave throughout the night, but she’s still there the next morning. I don’t want to wake her, so I place a final kiss on her forehead and leave the motel room. It’s warm as I start walking through the parking lot. I pick an old navy station wagon parked near the back of the motel. Using my elbow, I smash the passenger window and let myself in. No alarm goes off on the old model. Climbing across the seats, I unlock the driver door before walking around and getting in. It takes a few tries after pulling out the wires and sparking them, before the car starts.

  I glance back at the motel one final time before leaving Mila behind. The drive to the can seems longer than usual, but once I pull up, I take out my phone and send a message to say that I have delivered Mila to the can.

  I park the car a bit away from the can and walk the rest of the way. The gun in my waistband gives me a sense of security that I’m sure isn’t real. The burnt ground beneath my feet has my stomach tightening as I cross it and walk to the can. Opening the door, I step into the concrete box. It’s stuffy from the heat. Pulling the door closed behind me, all I have to do is wait. I just won’t wait inside. Stepping back out, I lo
ck the can and make my way around the small building. When Oleg comes, I will only have seconds to surprise him. I remove my jacket and place it on the ground. I didn't think anyone would be coming soon, so I get comfortable as I wait for the sound of a car.

  ***

  Time passes and as the day continues, the heat grows more intense. I regret not leaving a phone with Mila, I’d like to talk to her. Pulling out my phone, I drag up the app and see her red dot, moving fast. She was in a car and travelling out of town. I’m standing ready to leave and stop her from doing something stupid when a car pulls up. I slowly remove my gun and stay close to the wall.

  The car stops and someone gets out. I hear his whistle, he’s relaxed, like he’s finally cashing in. My blood boils. What would he do if Mila was inside?

  The lock rattles and I use that moment to appear beside him, my gun drawn and pointed at his head. “Hello, Oleg.”

  He pauses and slowly glances at me. His face tightens. “Nicholai, you want to tell me what this is about?” He continues unlocking the can. I fire a shot into the ground beside him and he jumps back.

  “Mila isn’t in there.” I confirm.

  He nods, taking a step back.

  “You will take me to Victor.” I point the gun at his car. “Now.”

  He shakes his head. “I can’t just take you to Victor. Mila is his daughter.”

  I want to empty the gun into his face when I think of the marks he left on Mila. “I don’t think Victor would like to hear how you beat his daughter.”

  For the first time, I see real fear cross Oleg’s face. “Or how you killed a girl in front of her.”

  He snorts, but he’s worried. The tightness around his eyes is giving away his concern.

  “Or how you and Dimitri lied about where she was. I don’t think Victor will be happy to hear his daughter never ran away.”

  Oleg spits to his left. “So, what do you want?”

  I take a step closer. “I already told you Oleg, take me to Victor.”

  He stares at me and I don’t flinch. “He won’t believe you.”