by Ivy Clyde
“The part of her belonging to Victor Sokolov,” she replied. “It doesn’t sound like she’s talking about being part of his team but rather his ownership of her. Do you think he killed Pavlov because he wanted Danica working under him?”
“We sent her disguised as a guy to avoid this sort of problem,” said Ethan. “Don’t tell me they’re already on to her.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think it’s about her being a woman,” I said. “Young boys in gangs are often broken into by their superiors.” I met both Ethan and Emma’s gaze so they understood what I meant. “It’s not about the sex, but rather power and control over the men they command. Some groom, some rape.”
A long breath escaped me but it did nothing to lessen the anxiety gripping my chest. “There were men who wanted to groom me when I was working undercover in Guadalajara. It’s not uncommon in gang hierarchy.”
“Does Danica know of this particular fact?” asked Emma with a frown as she glanced between me and Ethan. “I’ve been at this job longer and hadn’t come across this particular fact which seems to so common in gangs.”
“I didn’t tell her,” said Ethan, looking uncomfortable and avoiding Emma’s fiery gaze. “She was already so unsure about the whole thing. I didn’t want to scare her.”
“Geez, Phillips!” shouted Emma, banging her hands on the table as she rounded on him. “You were in charge of getting her prepared. You should’ve told her. What if she lands in trouble because she can’t read the signs? She might ignore this sort of approach because she thinks no one would do that sort of a thing to another man.”
“You think Victor Sokolov wants Danica in that sort of a way?” said Ethan, going paler than before. “All that short hair made her look like a teenage boy.”
“Could that be the reason Victor killed Pavlov?” asked Emma, turning her attention back on me. “Did Boris try to hurt Danica in some way? I can see Victor getting pissed off over someone messing with one of his people.”
“I don’t think a skirmish over a boy would be serious enough for that sort of torture and punishment,” I said. “Pavlov probably fucked up on other fronts too.” I fell silent, repeating the conversation I had with Danica. “Victor wants her for something. That’s the reason he singled her out from the rest of the other recruits, but until she calls us again, all we can do is guess.”
“Does Danica have any idea of how much danger she’s in right now?” asked Emma. Her lower lip was bleeding now.
“She knows,” I said. “She witnessed a murder on her first day in the gang.”
“Do you think she witnessed this too?” asked Emma, staring at the grisly photographs spread on my desk.
“I don’t know,” I said. “Let’s hope she didn’t have to get involved.”
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Emma cursed. “She’s just a fucking kid!”
“She’s not a kid,” I said in a grim tone. “She’s smart and capable. We don’t know whether she was involved in this case at all. Danica could be halfway across the city in a drug den or a meeting. She could be inserting dollar bills into an exotic dancer’s G-strings for all we know.”
“I just hope the kid’s alive,” said Ethan. Harsh lines appeared along his forehead while his fingers gripped the armrests of the chair.
“Stop calling her a kid,” I said, injecting steel in my voice. “Danica is a police officer like the rest of us.” Releasing another breath, I added, “I am taking the case. Get back to your desks and keep me updated on any information you receive regarding this.”
Ethan and Emma got up and left my office.
Back to being alone, my mind went back to Danica. I was hoping the same as my colleagues. You better be alive, Danica, I silently prayed.
17
Danica
My nightmare seemed to have altered itself. This time, I was being held back by Juan Lopez while Boris moved toward me with a glinting steel blade. A strange, gurgling noise escaped his lips but his eyes were murderously dark as he approached me. I was screaming, struggling against Lopez but his hold didn’t slacken, pinning me against his chest as Boris pressed the sharp blade against my throat.
Over and over, the nightmare continued, like a video being played on loop.
I wanted to open my eyes but each time I opened them, they fluttered closed, keeping me trapped in the nightmare. My body shook with the force of my sobs but there was no way I could stop dreaming about the men I’d seen being killed.
“Sshh!” a strangely familiar voice suddenly spoke near my ear. “You’re going to be okay.” Next moment, a pleasantly cool hand rested on my forehead. “Shit! You’re burning up.”
Trapped between dreaming and wakefulness, I tried to focus on the voice, but it seemed to have fallen silent. Minutes seemed to tick away as my body shivered uncontrollably while my mind tried to drag me back to my nightmare.
A cold, wet something was gently lowered on my forehead. My eyes fluttered open at the sensation. When the haze clouding my vision cleared, I saw Alexei leaning over me.
“Hey,” I croaked out. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to check on you,” he said, leaning forward to grab my arm.
A groan escaped me as I tried to get away from him but all I managed to do was roll on the bed. My body felt unusually weak and a thunderous headache pounded my head.
“Stop moving,” he said in a tight, commanding tone. “Let me lower the fever first.”
“Fever?”
“Yeah. You’re burning up, Danny. Let me help you.”
That explained why I was feeling so shitty. Alexei dragged me closer to him like my body weighed nothing more than the pillows on the bed.
I watched him as he rolled up the sleeves of my shirt to expose my arms. Bringing a wet towel forward, he started wiping my arms. The cool, damp cloth felt surprisingly soothing. I closed my eyes, this time from pure relief.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked with a soft moan.
“I’m trying to lower the fever so you can get up and eat something. I can give you the pills only after you’ve eaten a few bites,” he explained, changing the towel on my forehead.
“That’s not what I meant. Why are you doing this for me?”
He paused to glance into my eyes. “I know what happened to Boris,” he said in a grim tone. There was a strange emotion in his amber eyes I couldn’t recognize. “I know what you did to him.”
I felt my eyes widening. Something close to panic gripped me but next moment, I realized there was no disgust in his gaze.
“Victor made you do it,” said Alexei, swiping a wet towel against the side of my neck.
“Yeah.”
“Did you enjoy it?” His amber eyes locked with mine.
“Would I be in this state if I enjoyed it?” I snapped, surprising both him and myself. I groaned internally. Giving attitude to Alexei was as risky as getting Victor angry. “Sorry,” I muttered, looking away.
“It’s okay,” he said in a gentler tone. “I know what you went through.”
Feeling much better than before, I sat up. The wet towel slid down my forehead and I caught it in my hand.
“Did you ever kill a man?” I asked in a low voice.
“No,” he said. “I have never tortured one either. Those are my cousin’s favorite hobbies. Not mine.”
This was the reason the department had no leads on Alexei Sokolov despite his closeness to Ivan’s heir. His name wasn’t linked to any case because he kept himself far from these situations.
“Why not?” I asked him. “Don’t you want to punish people who hurt your family’s business?”
Alexei met my gaze. “Victor already does that,” he said. “My job is keeping the business afloat. I do the negotiations and make the deals. There is no need for me to get involved in the disciplining of gang members.”
Getting to his feet, he walked toward the kitchen. Early morning sunlight was already streaming in through the curtains at the windows. The time on an ornamental
clock piece showed the time to be close to seven A.M.
Another groan escaped me.
Even though I felt better, my body still felt weak. Victor would get mad if he found me in such a mess. He made it clear he wouldn’t tolerate any kind of weakness in me. There was no way I could let him see me struggling so badly.
“Drink this,” said Alexei as he put a warm bowl in my hands. “You can take the medicine after this.”
I was glad he’d brought me soup. The thought of eating anything sent waves of nausea roiling through me. Lifting the bowl, I took a few tentative sips. To my surprise, I could taste the garlic and spices in it. I took larger gulps and within a minute, finished the whole thing.
“That’s good,” said Alexei, his face brightening with something close to a smile. “It means you’re getting better.” He dropped two pills in my palm and handed me a glass of water.
This sort of treatment was just as strange as Victor wiping my face clean. Both men could be kind despite being at the top of the ladder in the gang. I couldn’t help but wonder if Alexei was into men as well...
“Thank you,” I said, feeling heat creep along my neck.
Alexei was smiling now.
Fuck! I cursed internally. Stop being so girlish! Men don’t blush when other men give them soup and pills.
“I can work today,” I blurted. “When does Master Sokolov want us to leave?”
Alexei’s smile dimmed at once. “It’s okay to call him by his name in front of me. I know he’s already asked you to do so.”
My gaze dropped down. I could almost hear Ethan cursing in my head, telling me to stop blushing like an idiot. I was giving away way too much with my facial expressions at the moment.
“Relax,” said Alexei in a deep voice. “He’s working in his suite at the moment. You won’t be needed until ten A.M. Take a shower and another nap if you need it.”
Before I could say another word, he turned away and steadily walked toward the door. Opening it, he stepped out and didn’t come back again.
A long breath whooshed out of me.
I was relieved about the late start to the day but worried how easily both Victor and Alexei could come into this suite. Locking the door couldn’t keep them away so I had to stay extra alert.
A shower sounded good at the moment but I needed a fresh set of chest binders. My skin felt itchy from having to wear the same one for two days now.
The soup and fever medication Alexei gave me seemed to be working. My headache lessened and I felt stronger.
Running fingers along the strands of my hair, I combed out the messy tangles. I had a little over two hours to get ready for Victor, giving me just enough time to get some of my stuff from an unmarked locker room located in Downtown Brooklyn.
Using my phone, I booked a cab. The app told me my ride would arrive within five minutes, so I rushed out of the suite despite looking like a complete hobo.
My finger left a mark on the spotless panel of the elevator as I pressed the button to take me to the ground floor.
The guards stared at my unkempt appearance but no one said a word as I was handed a box containing my shoes. Putting them on, I jogged down the foyer to get to the glass door leading outside the building.
Getting into the cab, I gave the man the address to a soccer club.
Anyone following me right now would only see me collecting a duffel bag from the lockers of a nondescript sports club in Brooklyn. Searching the contents would reveal nothing but men’s clothes, my chest binders, and a few mooncups.
The morning traffic made me bite my nails but I was able to make the trip to the sports club and back to the residential building with several minutes to spare for a shower.
The security guards went through the contents of my bag. I stood with a grumpy, impatient look on my face as they checked one of the menstrual cups with confused expressions.
“Aren’t you done yet?” I asked in a cold, authoritative tone.
I might be younger and smaller than the three guards but they were immensely respectful toward me. It wasn’t hard to guess that not everyone was welcomed to be living in their master’s penthouse suite. They knew exactly what would happen if they pissed me off.
“All done,” said one of the guards and handed me the bag.
“Thanks,” I said shortly and strode away to reach the elevators down the hallway.
Pure relief spread through me as I checked the watch on my wrist. I had about twenty minutes to clean up and get ready for work.
Reaching the apartment, I rushed into the bathroom and started by brushing my teeth. My reflection showed me how shitty I looked. Something close to embarrassment stirred inside me. Alexei saw me looking like this that morning.
Groaning under my breath, I placed a stool under the doorknob. Showers were one of the most dangerous places for me. I couldn’t risk Victor or Alexei coming in and finding me naked. I’d lose more than my modesty if that ever happened.
Entering the glass-walled shower stall, I turned on the water. At once, hot, steamy water poured out from four different heads.
Using copious amounts of shampoo and body wash, I rinsed away the filth sticking to my hair and skin since last night. My hands rubbed extra hard over my face and neck. Those were the places that had been drenched in Boris’s blood.
Don’t think about it, I told myself as I continued to scrub my body.
I felt somewhat fine despite the horrors I faced last night. My mind stored the whole episode in a dark recess, only bringing it out when I closed my eyes to sleep. My deeds haunted me only in my dreams.
For now, I didn’t care. I just had to keep going and do whatever was necessary to keep Victor happy. In return, I was getting access to the gang’s members and the way they conducted their business. Sooner or later, I would find all the evidence to take them down.
After the shower, I got dressed quickly. The fresh pair of chest binders was almost a cause for celebration. After combing my wet hair backward in neat swathes, I felt good enough to face Victor for the day.
Alexei’s pills were so good I was even able to chew a mouthful of cereal before leaving the apartment to wait for Victor downstairs. The renewed strength in my body made me feel like I could face whatever the day threw at me.
Victor appeared in the front foyer only a minute past ten. Alexei walked beside him but his gaze was focused on me.
“Morning,” I greeted them both.
Victor came to a stop and swept his gaze all over me. “Are you okay?” he asked in a low voice.
“Yeah,” I said with a nod. He didn’t look convinced, so I added, “What’s the plan for today?”
Reaching out, Victor caressed my cheek with the back of his hand. Heat bloomed under my skin at his touch. His silver-gray eyes seemed to notice the effect he was having on me because his lips curled into a smile.
“We’re going out to get you some stuff,” he said. “Alexei has decided to join us since he’s got nothing better to do.” His voice came out in a drawl as he frowned at his cousin.
Alexei’s face was a mask of impassiveness.
“Come on,” said Victor, resting his hand just above my ass. “I’m really looking forward to this.”
18
Victor
“Is this another meeting?” asked Danny as I swept him out of the foyer.
“No, this is not related to business. So, just relax.”
He gave a nod and jogged forward to open the door of the waiting car. I was about to enter but Alexei walked past me and climbed in. A sliver of irritation jolted through me. I’d been hoping to sit with Danny in the backseat.
With no choice left, I climbed in beside Alexei. Closing the door, Danny went to sit at the front with the chauffeur.
“Why the hell are you coming with me?” I asked Alexei as soon as the car started. The glass partition between the chauffeur and us made sure our conversation remained private.
“I want to make sure he’s okay,” he said.
“Why won’t he be okay?” I asked, bristling. “Danny will be safe with me.”
He glanced at me for a moment with an unconvinced look in his eyes. Next moment, he turned away and resolutely stared out of the window.
“You’re an ass,” I grated through clenched teeth.
Alexei stubbornly ignored me and made no reply. Turning away from my infuriating cousin, I huffed out a hot breath. Maybe it was better if neither of us spoke to each other.
Soon, the car came to a stop beside a glass-fronted tailor shop.
Danny got out of the front seat and hurried to open the door at my side. He seemed unusually alert and normal today. I’d been expecting him to show some signs of weakness after the events of last night but he’d pulled himself together exceptionally well.
“What are we doing here?” he asked, looking at the posh shops lining the street.
“You told me you didn’t have anything to wear,” I said.
A blank look came over him. He clearly didn’t remember the way he’d hysterically laughed last night and told me he’d ruined his only clean shirt.
“Come on,” I said, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “You need better clothes and proper suits. I can’t have you wearing that cheap stuff when you’re hanging around me.”
“We’re here to get suits for me?”
“Yes.”
He glanced at Alexei before looking back at me. An unsure look came on his face. “Is this my reward?”
“No, Danny,” I said. “I’m getting you your uniform.” My gaze took in his lean frame. “The men of the Sokolov clan must always look good. You’re going to be an important member, so you must change the way you dress. A good suit will take care of that.”
“Okay, then.” He looked oddly nervous about going inside a tailor shop.
Tightening my grip on his shoulders, I pulled him alongside me and entered the shop. Alexei followed us like a silent specter.
“Mr. Sokolov!” A familiar squeal greeted me as soon as we walked through the door. Next moment, a portly man with brightly-dyed purple hair waddled up to me and kissed me on both my cheeks. “A guest!” he gushed, turning to grab Danny.