by Kay Loren
She leaned over and licked the outline of his ear. She had to stifle a laugh as Nikolai stirred in his sleep, lazily wiping away at his ear. She teased him again and sucked on his earlobe. He didn't wake up. Finally, Audrina bit his ear and tugged it lightly causing him to wake up.
Nikolai stared at her with his sexy hooded eyes.
"Good morning sleepyhead," she chuckled with a kiss to his neck.
"I thought you were my dog," he smiled, rubbing his eyes.
Audrina scoffed, hitting him playfully on the arm, causing him to laugh. "Jerk. Your dog can't do what I can do to you."
"That he can not," Nikolai smiled, shaking his head. "In fact, nobody can."
Audrina blushed, biting her lip at his admission. "I have to go. Here, I made you a cup of coffee."
Nikolai smiled gratefully as he took the cup from her warm hands. Audrina stood up fully clothed in dark, skinny jeans and a white shirt. Nikolai smiled as he saw how her clothes fit her perfectly in all the right places, flaunting her curvy body. "You look good, as always."
"Why thank you," she smiled as she threw on a black leather jacket.
"I have to get up as well," Nikolai said sitting up in bed, setting the cup down and putting on his dark boxer briefs. Audrina sneaked a peek as she saw him stand up and wiggle his perfect behind into them.
"Where are you going?" she asked, putting on her boots.
"I have a business meeting," Nikolai said, walking into the bathroom. "Michael will be there as well."
Audrina's stomach dropped when she heard Michael and Nikolai were going to be at the same meeting. She still didn't know what kind of 'business' either was in. It seemed strange that they both -at times- worked together and had to go to the same meetings. She was with them both and yet neither told her a thing. It was really starting to get to her.
Nikolai stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and his hair all messy and wet as Audrina was putting her things into her tote bag. She watched Nikolai from the corner of her eye as he sauntered into the walk-in closet.
"Hey Nik…"
"Yes?" he raised his voice so she could hear him.
"What kind of meetings are these that you guys go to? Are you all in the same kind of 'business'?"
Nikolai didn't reply. Audrina sat on the bed and waited for him to come out. When he did, he walked to where she was and raised his wrist so she could help him button the end of his white sleeved shirt.
"So?" she asked as she did the final button.
Nikolai sighed. He hated lying to her but he had to. He knew she'd leave and never talk to him again if he told her that he was the Boss of the Russian mafia and that they discussed drug and trade routes and who to kill next. She would never speak to him again.
"They are very important meetings that we have to attend. We discuss how to import and export goods from other countries... Stuff like that," the lie rolled easily off his tongue though it pained him to lie straight to her face.
"Oh," she frowned, still not happy with his answer.
Silence stretched between them.
"I'd better go," Audrina gave a small smile then kissed him on his cheek. She grabbed her bag from the bed and was about to leave until she felt Nikolai come from behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face in her hair.
"What are you doing?" she giggled, turning her face to meet his.
"Why do I feel like you are not happy with me at the moment?" he murmured.
"I'm not mad," Audrina kissed the space in between his eyebrows. "Maybe you have a guilty conscious."
Nikolai sighed and let her go.
Audrina turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. The last few days she had spent with him had been exciting and she had never felt more free and alive. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close to his body, inhaling her lovely scent of vanilla and coconut.
“I’m going to tell Michael,” she breathed.
Nikolai froze. “Tell him what?”
“That I’m leaving him,” she whispered. She had made up her mind in the shower that morning. Enough was enough. “I know you guys do business together… I’m not going to say a word about you. I’m just going to tell him that it is over between us.”
Nikolai smiled. He didn’t know whether to jump for joy or take her again right then and there. She was finally going to be his! He pressed his lips to hers. “You have made me a very happy man.”
“Just give me a few days please, to work up the courage,” she pleaded. “I want to tell him when I know he won’t go off the rail.”
Nikolai knew Michael had a notorious temper. He had heard the stories. And it didn’t stop at men either. Nikolai knew he was no different but he only did what was for his family and business. Michael did it for his own selfish needs.
“Tell him right now,” Nikolai insisted. “If he gets mad, I’ll take you to my home. He will never find you. You will be safe there.”
Audrina chuckled. “It’s just Michael. Worst he will do is throw my things around. He would never hurt me.”
It angered Nikolai that Audrina didn’t know the truth about him or Michael. He thought to open his mouth right there and then and pour the truth all out. He only looked into her eyes. He couldn’t speak.
Sergei walked in at the right time. His cheeks flushed when he saw his boss’s arms wrapped around Audrina.
“I have Nikki waiting down in the car,” he forced a cough.
"Until next time," Audrina kissed Nikolai and then left.
Chapter Sixteen
"What is it with this uh new uh generation?" the hefty, aging, bald man Johnny Puzo said in a thick Sicilian accent. "You kids are going into the drug business nowadays. Back then we wouldn't do such a thing! That would land you in the joint for 20 years and then you'd go rat on your family just to save your own ass and join the damned protection program."
Michael laughed as he heard the old man. "Times are new now… we need to expand our ventures."
"It is a shameful," Johnny spat.
Just then Nikolai walked into the dark room with Sergei, Alek and Vanya, another one of his most trusted men. He gave a polite nod to Johnny, Michael and a few other men who were seated at the long, wooden table.
"It's about time Nik," Michael smirked as Nikolai took a seat across from him. "What took you?"
"I apologize," Nikolai replied. "I got held up."
"Like I was saying," Michael began as he lit a cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke. Nikolai glared at Michael for a moment. Michael got on Audrina for smoking yet he could smoke all he wanted, always making her feel guilty. Soon she’ll be mine, he thought. And you will never see her again.
"We have to expand. Drug profits are way higher than-" Michael continued until he got interrupted by Johnny.
"Back then we used to skim the casinos and hijack airports. What's a happened?"
Michael tried to explain his reasoning’s yet Johnny kept on interrupting him with how things were done in the old days. A lot of the old timers refused to get into the new lucrative trades the young guys were slowly dipping their fingers into.
"Make this old man understand Nikolai," Michael sighed, exasperated.
"Look ," Nikolai spoke respectively and slowly so his English would sound perfect. "The drug trade is very much profitable. Yes it is high risk, but we make any where from 700 thousand to over 3 million depending on the shipment size and how much we move.”
Johnny stroked his chin, interrupting again, “I won’t have my family taking any risks.”
“We’re all taking risks,” Nikolas stated. “My family deals with the Bolivians. We move everything as far as central America. I just need someone to take it from there. That’s where you come in Johnny.”
“We’ll be at war with the Columbians,” The head of the De Luca crime family growled from across the table. He was a shrewd for a middle aged man and worked closely with Johnny Puzo for many years. “They already have a pr
esence here in Deep Falls.”
“I will deal with any interference from the Columbians,” Nikolai stated with a stern glare at the De Luca man. Then he turned to Johnny. “With the kind of money you would be making, you could eventually retire a very wealthy man and be set with your family for life..."
The thick-headed old timer nodded his head, taking Nikolai's words into consideration. "You make some good sense my boy…"
Nikolai wanted more than anything to have this meeting over and done with. At this point he didn’t give two shits if Johnny was in or out. He thought of Audrina and wished more than anything to be with her again. He looked at Michael, knowing Audrina was leaving him soon enough.
"You could pay off your family’s debts," Michael added hoping to seal the deal.
Johnny stroked his chin slowly. After a few minutes he nodded. "What is life without some risks?”
"Finally," Michael rolled his eyes. "We'll set you up with some people of ours and from there you and your family back in Philly can join in."
Johnny Puzo stood up and shook Michael's hand, then shook Nikolai's. "I like you Mr. Stratauv. You're not as bad as your reputation says you are."
Nikolai nodded his head once. He knew his bad reputation in Russia would follow him where ever he went. Yes he could be shrewd, cold-hearted, murderous bastard that once killed off over 60 people within a three day span by himself in revenge for his mother's death, but he had to have a bloody reputation. Business is business, and nobody messed with him.
Johnny walked out with the rest of the other men who were in the room, leaving Michael and Nikolai to discuss what they had been meaning to for a while now.
"Look Nik," Michael began. "I need a favor."
Nikolai cocked his head to one side. "What kind of favor?"
Michael glanced around the room making sure it was just him and Nikolai alone. "I need you to take care of someone for me."
"Why can't you just get one of your men to do it?" Nikolas asked uninterested. He needed to drive up to his home and sort things out with his sister. He had made it a point to stay away from her as she healed. He knew it would drive him insane if he saw her in the state Sergei had explained she was in.
"I would Nik… I really would, but this job is a little more complicated than that… you see I need you to accompany me and help me out."
Nikolai didn't know why Michael needed his help. Michael was the type of guy who would rather do a job on his own so nobody got in the way or asked questions. He was curious to know who the guy Michael wanted dead was. "Who is the guy?"
"Someone you know very well," Michael smirked.
Nikolai raised an eyebrow. No one came to mind in that moment.
"Sammy." Michael said nonchalantly.
That name instantly made his breath hitch. He knew his once good friend Sammy was gonna be on someone's hit list soon enough. He just wished that he hadn't had to be a participant in his death. Nikolai once considered Sammy a brother, but when Sammy got heavily into cocaine, he joined another rival crime family. Not only did he screw over Nikolai, but a few other important people as well, including Michael.
"Is this a problem for you?" Michael questioned.
"Not at all."
"So, we have a deal?”
Nikolai had no choice but to agree.
"Great," Michael smirked. "I'll have two of my guys scoping him out and I suggest you do the same."
"I'll have someone on it," Nikolai agreed.
"I wanna get him when he's least expecting it," Michael grinned. "He must have a lot of shit on Carrozza's next move. We’re gonna have to torture the shit outta him."
The way Michael’s dark eyes lightened up at the thought of torturing Sammy made Nikolai’s skin crawl. He had never done a job with Michael before and he didn’t look forward to it. Torture was part of the job, even for mafia bosses. Nikolai hated the killing and torturing. As of late, he was getting tired of the lifestyle all together.
"Very well. I will let you know if I find anything," Nikolai sighed as he stood up. "I must be going now."
"Me too," Michael said standing up as well. "I have to get home."
Chapter Seventeen
As soon as Audrina came home, she was greeted by Michael's maid Carmella.
"Hello Miss Audrina… It's nice to have you back," she greeted warmly, her eyes wrinkling as she smiled at Audrina. She was a sweet, middle aged, dark haired, lady with almond eyes and an olive complexation. She really looked after Audrina and treated her like a daughter which is why Audrina took so well to her immediately.
"It's nice to be back Carmella," Audrina smiled tightly. She noticed the house was quiet. “Is Michael home?"
"No, not yet,” she replied with the shake of her head.
She took a deep breath. Good. It would give her time to work up the courage just to tell him already.
"Okay," Audrina nodded as she headed upstairs.
"Can I get you anything Audrina?" Carmella asked.
"No thank you."
Her nerves set in like glue when she realized she was finally going to tell Michael that she was leaving him. She played the various scenarios in her head and each one concluded with Michael being enraged. She didn’t want to worry Nikolai, but the way Michael had told her she was never leaving him, scared her to death. His eyes would cloud over in darkness and it rattled her to the core.
Audrina walked down the hall and opened up the double doors to her and Michael's bedroom. As soon as she walked in, she saw a large white box on their bed with holes and a huge red bow attached on top. Audrina wondered what the hell the holes were for so she opened the box to settle her curiosity.
"Oh my god!" she squealed as she took out the small, snow white poodle and hugged it close to her chest. The playful pup licked her face with a whimper. The dog had a white diamond, platinum, tennis bracelet around its neck with a little hand written note attached to it.
Mi amore,
I hope you've had time to forgive me.
I have acted very wrong and I am sorry.
I would like to make it up to you.
I love you.
- Michael.
A slow smile spread across her face as she read the card. The note reminded her of when she and Michael first dated. He always wrote her love notes on flowers, chocolates and clothes. It was how he won her from the very start.
Moments later, she felt a set of arms wrap around her waist.
"I've missed you," Michael's deep, seductive voice whispered in her ear. "Do you like my gifts?"
Audrina turned to see Michael, looking dapper as always in a dark suit. "Very much," she put the dog down on the bed and hugged him. "Thank you."
"Am I forgiven?" he smiled against her neck.
Audrina found herself saying yes and hugging him tightly. This was the Michael she fell in love with. The one who was loving and admitted when he was wrong. Before she could think about Nikolai, Michael spoke.
"Do you like the bracelet?"
"Yes, and I love the puppy even more," she replied as she sat down and rubbed the now sleeping puppy. She had always wanted a dog. Michael hated animals but she knew if he made this sacrifice for her then he was really trying.
Michael sat down next to her and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "What are you going to name her?"
"Her?" she grinned. "I want to name her… Princess."
"Typical," he smirked with a roll of his eyes. "I've really missed you mi amore."
Audrina smiled shyly. She didn't know why she was, but she felt like she was meeting Michael all over again for the first time. Michael pressed his lips against hers, fisting his hands into her hair, and kissing her with anew passion. He lowered her onto the bed without breaking the kiss and ran his hands all over her body as she weaved her fingers into his hair. He knew he had her again.
* * *
A beeping sound began to go off early in the morning, waking Michael. He got out of bed and walked around to Audrina's side. He saw tha
t the beeping was coming from her discarded jeans on the floor. He took the phone out of one of the pockets and saw that it was the alarm for Audrina to take her pill. '7:00 am, Take Birth Control’, the reminder read. Michael turned off the alarm and looked back at Audrina, who was still sound asleep. He then went to the menu button and deleted the reminder for good. Easier than I thought he realized. He put the phone on the nightstand and crawled back into bed with Audrina, waking her with sweet kisses.
Chapter Eighteen
Audrina made quick work of peeling and chopping the garlic, onion and tomatoes. She tried her best to keep up in the kitchen next to Michael’s grandmother Teresa. Everything looked savory and the various pots and pans on the eight range stove cooked a different meal and offered a delicious mouth watering aroma.
“Now put olive oil all over and mix,” Nonna Teresa instructed with a heavy Italian accent.
Audrina had been having a good time cooking with Nonna Teresa. She had been staying with the couple for the last two weeks after Michael had insisted that she come live with them after a recent health scare. Nonna immediately took over the kitchen -as well as the household- and taught Audrina how to cook like a ‘proper Italian wife’… Well made her cook since it was the ‘wifely’ thing to do.
Everything was made from scratch. The pasta had to be fresh and rolled out the way nonna wanted. Even the marinara sauce nonna had brought from her house since she had many stored jars that she had made herself. To be in her eighties, she ran circles around Audrina in the kitchen and moved quickly as she cooked.
“Good,” Nonna nodded once as Audrina mixed everything up for the bruschetta. “Now we make the Bolognese. “