The Heir: A Dark Mafia Romance (Sokolov Mafia Clan Book 1)

by Ivy Clyde

  I renewed my struggles against Boris but the position in which he’d pinned me against the wall made it impossible to get out of his grips.

  “Get off me!” I shouted. “Get off me right now!”

  The recruits and guards were all watching the show but no one came forward to stop what was happening. My screams were being completely ignored. It seemed to excite Boris even more as he thrust the hard head of his cock against my ass crack.

  “Fresh meat don’t disobey orders,” Boris growled in my ear. “The boy didn’t come to claim you yet. I’m free to use you as my bitch until then.”

  “You’ll get in trouble,” I shouted. “Master Sokolov said—”

  “You think the fag prince’s interest means anything?” He whispered in my ear, thrusting his cock at my ass again.

  The fabric of my trousers and panties were the only barrier between him and me. His fingers snagged at my hair, pulling it so hard I thought I’d have a bald patch soon.

  “He was probably bored yesterday,” said Boris, biting down on the shell of my ear. “You’re really dumb if you thought he gave a shit about you.”

  Boris’s words pierced through the haze of panic, inflicting a sting I couldn’t ignore. I was in danger of blowing my cover, raped and killed at that moment, but could only feel disappointment.

  “Master Sokolov won’t be pleased about this,” I tried one more time but my voice shook terribly. Even I could hear the doubt and fear in my tone.

  “I don’t give a shit about the fag prince,” he snarled. “And you. You’re nothing but a bitch. Better learn this simple lesson before you get that pretty head blown up.”

  I tried to reach back to grab at his hand but next moment, he slammed my head against the wall, causing a fresh stream of blood to cascade down my face. I moaned, feeling the painful throbs. My vision was going hazy.

  It looked like I had two options.

  One- Resist and risk getting my head bashed in until I was dead.

  Two- Give up, blow my cover, get raped and killed.

  Either way, I was going to end up dead, so I decided to go with my first option. Boris could fuck my dead body all he wanted.

  Raising my leg, I placed my foot against the wall and used my last remaining strength to push Boris off. The move made him stumble backward but he didn’t loosen his grip on me.

  “Quit fighting!” he barked. “I’m your fucking master now.”

  I felt Boris’s hand clutch onto my trousers’ waistband. It was only a matter of time before he’d pull them down completely. The other recruits watching this show were probably laughing right now. Once I was breached, I’d be even lower than them in ranks. They wouldn’t hold back from coming after me again.

  What the hell am I thinking? I wondered through the haze of terror and pain. You won’t live long enough once they realize you don’t have a cock inside your pants.

  “It’s a lesson for the rest of you bitches!” Boris roared. “Do as you’re told or you’ll fucking regret it.”

  Great. Boris was also making an example of me while he was at it.

  The waistband of my trousers was already halfway down my ass now. “Please stop!” I cried out, struggling against Boris uselessly.

  “Boris.”

  It was a strange voice but the icy-steel tone had me turning my head in its direction. The haze of tears cleared from my eyes so I could see the newcomer.

  A familiar figure fiddled with his glasses, turning the glare of his fiery amber eyes on the man behind me. It was Alexei Sokolov.

  “You’re not supposed to be here, Boris,” said Alexei, walking toward us with unhurried, measured steps. “Victor won’t be pleased to hear about this.”

  Boris’s grip on my waistband loosened. Next moment, he’d let go of me completely. I used the opportunity to pull up my trousers before glancing at Alexei. Pure relief spread through me as I realized he’d rescued my ass quite literally.

  Alexei met my gaze but I couldn’t figure out whether he was angry or disgusted by the scene he’d just witnessed. We might as well be back in the meeting room instead of this dimly lit hallway. “Victor needs you, Danny,” he said.

  “Really?”

  “Yes. Come with me.”

  I risked a glance at Boris. The man’s mouth was crumpled in an ugly scowl and his hands were balled into tight fists but he didn’t utter a single curse. He just ground his teeth and stayed quiet.

  Taking a deep breath, I moved to stand beside Alexei. He stared down at me, letting his eyes rove all over me. For the briefest second, a concerned look flashed through his handsome face but he didn’t say a word.

  I was aware of how bad I looked at that moment. My hair was a mess, tear-streaks ran down my cheeks, thin streams of blood dripped onto my shirt, leaving patches of crimson on the white fabric. I wasn’t even wearing any shoes.

  “Come,” said Alexei. Turning toward the exit, he started walking, leaving me to jog behind him.

  I was led out into the grounds where a silver Mercedes was waiting for us. It was the same car that brought him and Victor to the mansion yesterday. A cold breeze blew by, making me shiver controllably.

  “Here,” said Alexei as he took off his jacket. Next moment, he’d dropped it on my shoulders. “I’ll buy you shoes on the way.” Walking ahead, he opened the backdoor of the car and gestured for me to climb in.

  I didn’t know what Victor Sokolov wanted with me but I couldn’t wait to get away from Boris Pavlov and the thugs lodging in the basement of this old mansion.

  Taking a deep breath, I climbed into the car, bracing myself for the next phase of my mission.

  11

  Danica

  The interior of the car was warm and luxurious but I couldn’t relax. Even sitting on the cream leather seats felt uncomfortable because I was afraid of leaving blood and sweat stains on them.

  Alexei climbed into the car and sat beside me. I glanced up at him, but he was looking ahead and speaking to the driver through a glass partition that separated the backseats from the front.

  A long breath escaped me as the car started up and began pulling away from the grounds of the mansion. I peeked at Alexei through lowered lashes and watched him tap away on his phone before placing it by his ear.

  “I’ve got him,” he spoke into the phone. “We might be delayed because of traffic.”

  Looking out of the window, I found the streets to be quite free of traffic. Was he accounting time for the stop we’d make for my new shoes?

  Alexei switched off the call and placed the phone back into his pocket. He stared out of the window on his side, ignoring me completely. I wondered whether he was aware of me staring at him, studying him, but was choosing to give me space.

  I hadn’t noticed him much yesterday because each time he was around, he’d stood in Victor’s shadow. Looking at him now, I realized he was just as handsome as his cousin. Thick dark lashes framed his amber eyes. The strands of his dark auburn hair were combed back from his forehead. Even this late at night, his attire was neat and polished.

  My gaze took in the dark outlines of the tattoo peeking through the top of his shirt’s collar. Curiosity rose inside me. Like the first time I glanced at him in a photograph, I couldn’t tell what the tattoo was about.

  While Victor’s presence was overwhelming and all-consuming, Alexei left me feeling calm and relaxed. His close proximity made my heart beat hard but it wasn’t out of fear or awe.

  Alexei didn’t intimidate me and for some strange reason, his aloofness was like a balm to my frazzled mind. I was glad he wasn’t asking me about Boris.

  “Why does he want to see me?” I asked him, breaking the silence between us.

  “Victor asked me to deliver you to him,” he said, glancing at me. “That’s all I know.”

  Deliver me? He made it sound like I was a parcel or package to be picked up and dropped.

  Shifting closer, he turned to face me. I flinched as he reached out toward me but he stopped as soon
as he noticed my reaction.

  “You’re bleeding,” he said. Producing a neatly folded handkerchief from his pocket, he held it out to me. “Can you clean up on your own?”

  “Oh…” I plucked the handkerchief from his hand and dabbed it at my face.

  He watched me for a moment before snatching the handkerchief back. “You’re not doing it properly.” To my surprise, he shifted closer, his thighs brushing against mine as he started wiping at the sides of my face and neck.

  I sat like a child as he parted my hair and looked closely at the wounds on my scalp. “They’re not too deep,” he said in a low voice. “That’s good or we’d have to stop at a hospital to get you checked. Some antiseptic from the pharmacy will be fine for these.”

  He dabbed at the throbbing wounds in my head with a gentle hand. It was astonishing how a ruthless man like him could be so kind.

  Even though he hadn’t participated in Juan Lopez’s murder yesterday, I knew he was no sissy. He was Victor Sokolov’s cousin and right-hand man. There was a monster lurking beneath the cool, calm façade.

  After about fifteen minutes, the car came to a stop beside a small pharmacy shop on the side of the road. The driver got out but Alexei stayed by my side.

  The driver came back in a few minutes and handed him a bag before climbing onto his seat in the front. I watched as Alexei brought out a bottle of antiseptic solution and a cotton ball.

  “This is going to sting,” he said as he dabbed the cotton ball in the solution.

  “I can do it on my own later,” I said, feeling a bout of shyness take over me. I wasn’t used to people taking care of me this way. After the death of my grandmother, I’d learned to deal with injuries on my own.

  “Victor won’t be happy to see you so damaged,” said Alexei as he parted my hair strands to reach the wounds on my head.

  I bit my bottom lip, feeling the cold sting of the antiseptic on my wound.

  “Will he care?” I asked.

  Alexei sat back to stare at me. His gaze was piercing as if he was trying to figure something about me.

  “Victor cares about those who are loyal to him,” said Alexei in a grim tone. He fiddled with the strands of my hair, probably hiding the wounds. They were still throbbing but no longer bleeding.

  “Looks like it’s too late to be buying shoes,” said Alexei. Looking through the window, I noted the large, well-lit shop fronts but they were all closed down for the night. “But you know what? You won’t be needing them tonight.”

  I didn’t know what he meant by not needing shoes for the night but I decided not to ask right away. “It’s all right,” I said softly.

  “If Victor decides to keep you, your things will be brought to you.”

  Keep me? Why did it sound like he was talking about a pet?

  The car stopped beside a tall, glittering building. It was one of the many skyscrapers filling up the area. If I had to guess, we were somewhere in Midtown Manhattan.

  I reached out and grabbed Alexei’s arm just as he was about to turn away from me. He glanced down at me wordlessly.

  “Thanks,” I said in a low whisper, meaning it with all my heart. I might be here to spy on the guy and his cousin, but I was grateful to him for saving me. “For…you know?”

  “Yes.”

  “And also, about this.” I pointed to my head where he’d dabbed my wounds with an antiseptic lotion.

  “It was nothing.”

  “Thanks for this too,” I said, giving back his jacket.

  He took it from me and gave a nod. “Come with me.” With that, he turned around and climbed out of the car.

  I did as he asked, following him until he strode into a brightly-lit foyer. Something about the place seemed different from the usual entrance halls of such luxurious high-rise buildings. It took a moment for me to notice the armed men at the desks.

  “Get checked,” said Alexei, gesturing toward a pair of men in black suits.

  One of the men approached me with a metal detector. Without a word, he slid the wand over my frame. It only beeped when it was brought close to my right wrist.

  “Give me the watch,” said the man. “You can have it back later.”

  I took off the watch and it was kept in a box.

  “He’s clean,” the guard told Alexei. “Interesting how he has no shoes.”

  Alexei didn’t even bother replying to the man. He gestured toward me to follow him.

  He led the way down a narrow hallway. I noticed cameras positioned in every angle perched over our heads. It didn’t seem like an usual entry point for regular residents and visitors.

  “This is the only way you can access our living quarters,” said Alexei as if he’d just read my mind. “Each time you come in and go out, you’ll be checked. You can’t bring up anything that can be used as a weapon.”

  He led me inside an elevator and pressed the number ‘59’ and ‘60’ on it.

  Silence swallowed us as the doors slid closed. My gaze followed the slowly changing numbers on the display panel in front of me as I waited to reach our destination.

  When the doors slid open, Alexei stepped out but stopped me. “You’re not getting down here. He is waiting for you on the next floor.” He pressed a button on the outside panel and the doors closed in my face.

  Suddenly alone, I began feeling nervous. It had been fine with Alexei at my side but without him, I felt completely lost.

  I didn’t have much time to worry as the doors slid open once again.

  Stepping out, I stared at the two doors lining the wide corridor. My feet moved on the cold, hard marble floor while the elevator doors slid closed behind me automatically.

  I stood for a few seconds, wondering which door to knock. To start, I knocked on the door directly in front of me.

  “Enter,” a deep voice called out.

  I reached down to twist the knob and pushed the door open. My gaze took in the extensive open plan apartment suite. The area was vast, comprising of a sitting area in the center, a kitchen to the right, a bedroom nook to the left, and an office space to the far side.

  Victor was seated in a plush leather couch in the sitting area. He gestured me to come forward with one hand while the other held a flute of bubbling champagne.

  My feet moved over the soft, plush carpet lining the floor.

  Victor looked completely relaxed, sitting with one ankle balanced on the opposite knee. His feet were bare and he’d lost his jacket and waistcoat. The top few buttons of his shirt were undone, giving me a glimpse of the hard planes of his broad, muscular chest.

  “You took your time,” he said, meeting my gaze.

  “Hello, Master Sokolov,” I said, suddenly feeling a rush of warmth in my cheeks. It was surreal to stand before Victor Sokolov. I’d spent so much time looking at his photographs in the department’s archives, it was like coming face to face with a celebrity.

  That’s the reason I feel so flustered, I decided. It’s got nothing to do with the fact I’m completely alone with him right now.

  “Come and have a drink with me,” he said. Reaching over, he grabbed the bottle from the coffee table before him and poured me a glass.

  I eyed the glass, wondering if he’d spiked it.

  Standing up, he came close to me and offered me the glass. There was no way to refuse him, so I accepted it.

  He smiled at that.

  He picked up his glass and raised it. “What should we toast to?”

  “To the Sokolov gang?”

  He chuckled softly, the sound taking me by surprise. Right this moment, he seemed like a young man who was simply happy to be sharing a drink with me. His angelic, calmly smiling face could almost make me forget his cold brutality.

  “We should toast to a bright and exciting future for us,” said Victor. He clinked our glasses and took a sip.

  I followed his actions, taking a small sip. The champagne was surprisingly light and sweet on my tongue, so I took a bigger gulp. My parched throat greatly enjoyed
the cold, smooth liquid, but soon a soft warmth began spreading through me.

  Victor’s gaze dropped to my lips and then to my throat as I swallowed more champagne.

  “Like it?” he asked as if it mattered to him whether I liked the drink or not.

  “Yeah, Master Sokolov,” I said truthfully. “It’s delicious.”

  “Then, follow me.” He led me across the vast suite to reach the glass-walled office space. “Sit,” he said, gesturing at a chair before a desktop monitor.

  I sat down.

  Next moment, his hands descended on my shoulders, resting there gently. The warmth of his palms seeped through my shirt and to my surprise, I felt my body relax.

  His hands slid down to rest on the armrest of the chair as he leaned over me. Resting his chin on my right shoulder, he said, “I’ve got a job for you.”

  “What kind of job?” I said slowly as the heady fragrance of his cologne wrapped around my senses. Act like a guy, I chanted in my head. Don’t fucking react to his charms.

  “It’s a special job that no one can know about except Alexei,” he spoke, his lips moving against my neck.

  My teeth sank into my bottom lip as I struggled not to shiver. Heat rose to my cheeks and neck as Victor placed a finger on my lips.

  “This will be our little secret,” he whispered.

  I had the strong urge to wet my lips despite the weight of his finger still resting there.

  “Master Sokolov?”

  “I want you to find out the rats for me,” he said. “The ones who think they can steal from the gang and get away with it. Find out the snakes who think they can strike me down behind my father’s back. I want them dragged out and exterminated. They can’t be part of the empire I’m about to build.”

  His finger dropped under my chin and turned my face to him. “Can you do that for me, Danny?”

  I stared into his warm, silver eyes. It was unnerving how he’d guessed my talent at finding useful information in a sea of data. He wanted to use me to get rid of all corrupt gang members.