by Darcy Ray
With a clink, Godfrey slides a tumbler of liquor in front of me. Without much thought, I toss the drink back, slam it on the desk, and motion for him to give me a refill. The burn of the warm amber liquid running down my throat distracts me from my current situation and allows me to relax even further. With a fresh drink in hand, I sip it slowly and enjoy the flavors.
I'm not sure how much time passes, but the sound of someone clearing their throat pulls me from my anxiety and alcohol stupor. With finesse, as if I just didn't have a mini panic attack, I wave my hand, and say, "Please proceed, I'm ready to get this over with."
A rich laugh slips past Sasha’s full lips even though it looks as if he is trying to hold it together. Unable to control himself, he erupts in a full belly laugh that is so contagious most of the whole room follows. Not me, though. Instead, I take in the guards and then my eyes finally land on the man of the hour. With a fully-groomed beard and a slick comb-over fade, he looks like a perfect mix of rugged and wealthy. The only indications of his age are the crinkles that surround his soft-blue eyes and the silver that reflects the light scattered throughout his hair and beard.
Though he must be nearing his late forties, he exudes confidence and sexuality as if it’s second nature. Sensual and dangerous, a deadly combination. A hum of approval vibrates my lips that are resting on the rim of my drink, and as I continue to eye fuck him, he glances my way. He holds my gaze and dares me to look away, challenging me on who’s the boss here. Smirking at him, I play his little game.
No one sees this exchange, and as every second ticks by, my grin grows wider and wider. Arching one of my perfectly-manicured brows at him, I wait for him to give. With a tick in his jaw, he nods his head slightly and looks away. Satisfaction spreads through me and to celebrate my little victory, I down the rest of my drink in one last shot. That’s right, bitch; pussy always wins over dicks.
Chapter Six
With two drinks down and another one being poured into my cup, I can quickly envision this meeting turning into chaos. My filter crumbles from the dark liquor, and so do my boundaries. Taking what I want, even if I know that it's going to burn. Something about Sasha draws me in, almost like a moth to a flame. His hypnotizingly blue eyes have swirls of gold that are as mesmerizing as the flickering dance caused by fire. The sheer thought of all the naughty things he could do to me causes me to heat up, in more places than one.
Leaning back in my chair, I bask in their camaraderie and let their lighthearted mood wash over me. I know we are supposed to be here for business, but seeing genuine smiles on the faces of each of my men is worth the wait. Scanning my eyes over them, I catch Frank’s intense gaze. Awareness radiates from him, which tells me all I need to know. He saw how I checked Sasha out, how I squirmed in my seat, and probably even saw the flush that flared across my cheeks.
Giving him a subtle nod and a playful wink, I let him know there's nothing to worry about. Even though Sasha causes a warm kindling inside me, it doesn't compare to the inferno my men cause. Accepting my response, Frank leans back in his chair and lazily crosses his arms. Patient and demanding all at the same time. Sighing, I raise my tumbler and loudly clear my throat. With that, their attention turns toward me and their voices quiet.
Silence greets me, and with that, I start the meeting. "Sasha, thank you for coming on such short notice, it’s greatly appreciated. Since your last visit, shit has changed." Pausing, I watch as his brows bunch, and he lifts his hand to stroke his trimmed beard. "As you know, Dominik Romanov was recently murdered. What you don't know is that night, he appointed me his underboss. As you know, that—"
"Podozhdite minutu." Jumping up from his chair, he starts to pace the floor, and on his third lap, he turns his attention back to me. Arching a brow, I patiently wait for him to continue. Shaking his head, he sits back down and props his elbows on the table."Are you telling me that you, my blue-haired pixie, are the new boss?"
Nearly choking, I can't help but laugh at his remark. Shaking my head, I reply, "Well geez, if you say it like that, it does sound kinda crazy!" Standing up, I casually walk over to Joe and reach for the knife I know he stashes in his pocket. As I reach down to grab it, I give Joe a brisk kiss on the cheek. With my back facing Sasha, I straighten and wipe all emotion from my face. I can feel the curious glances from my men, but they don't act nor question what I'm doing.
In one swift motion, I have the knife open and pressed against Sasha’s pulsating jugular. His guards react, and with fumbling motions, they draw their guns and aim at me. Pressing the blade even harder into his sun-kissed skin, I watch as a droplet of blood escapes its protective barrier. As the blood trails down his neck, he slowly raises his hand and waves off his entourage. None of my men are even fazed by their animosity; they know what I’m doing, and they watch the game play out right before them.
Leaning down to his ear, I whisper, "Let's get one thing straight, I'm not your girl. I never will be, nor do I wish to be." Before I pull the blade away, I slide it up his neck until it's directly under his chin. Turning his head toward me, I press my slightly-parted lips to his and give in to the curiosity that has been clawing at the back of my mind. Curiosity will not kill this cat.
The moment our lips touch, Sasha braves the steel digging into the underside of his jaw and pushes his way inside. His tongue caresses the inside of my mouth with a demanding force, drawing mine out. Pressing the tip of the blade deeper into him, I lean back and nip his bottom lip hard enough to get a hint of iron on my tastebuds.
Pulling away from him, I watch as the blade that is pressed into him separates from his skin. Surprisingly, he is only left with a red mark despite his movement and the force I was applying. Closing the blade, I slide it on the table to Joe and return to stand in front of my seat. Noting the guard who now looks dumbfounded, I continue where I left off. ”Like I was saying, I’m the new boss, and all business will run through me. From everything I heard about you, and from the stories my men have told me, you were fiercely loyal to Dom. I only hope you will be the same way with me. Now, let's get this business meeting over with. What did you bring me today?”
Removing a tissue from his pocket, Sasha wipes away the dribble of blood from his neck and says, ”My relationship with Dominik is one that I will hold near and dear until I die. Whether you are worthy of the same loyalty or not, depends on you.” Rising out of the chair, he makes his way to the suitcase and starts to open it. “The newest top-of-the-line weapons that haven't even been released to the public yet are inside this case.”
“Then how do you have your hands on them?” I already know he probably has his fingers in all types of government offices, but hearing how honest he is in his response is what matters. Viktor joins me at my side and crosses his arms over his puffed-out chest. Reaching out, I tuck my hand into his back pocket and give his ass a nice squeeze. Leaving my hand there, I wait for Sasha to reply.
Raising an eyebrow, Sasha’s eyes flicker between Viktor and me. Deciding not to comment, he finally responds to my question. "Many of my men work in national security. They keep me up-to-date on my supplies, and I keep their pockets lined with cash.” Flipping the case open, he runs his hands over the seam and then turns it toward us.
Laying neatly on padding sits a variety of metal shaped into tools many like to call evil. Their calibers range from point two-two-one to point fifty, with magazines that hold various sizes of bullets, and attachments which enhance their efficiency. Interested in what I see, I walk around the table to get a better look. Turning the case toward me, I reach in and run my hand over the matte black steel. Picking up the pistol, I rotate it in my hand and test the grip placement.
“That is the Warthal PPQ. This brand-new gun hasn't reached the sights of any civilians yet but has been tested by SWAT and multiple military personnel . . .” Ding. The first lie, blocking the rest of his words out, I wrap my fingers around the grip and raise it enough so I can look through the sights.
With Sasha still ram
bling, I swivel my hips and focus my sights on the space between his eyes which causes him to stutter. His eyes flicker down and notice the missing magazine, but before he can get another word out, I tsk him. “Now Sasha, I thought we were going to have a trusting relationship? Surely you don't think I’m some imbecile ?” Hearing my words, Frank turns his chair to the side, which gives him a clear opening to get up if needed, Viktor and Joe close their distance to me, and Sasha's guards tense.
Schooling his features, he raises an eyebrow and stoically says, “My blue fairy, I have no idea what you mean. Now, like I was saying, this weapon, when shot, is as smooth as butter and the recoil is nearly nonexistent.” Out of the corner of my eye, I see Vik holding out a magazine for me to grab. Reaching back, I take it from him and quickly slam it in place and refocus on the man my father trusted.
With my voice as hard as steel, I say, “You have one more time to try me, Sasha. I like you; however, I will not be played. You are outnumbered in this room, so you might want to think before you speak again. Choose your next words wisely.” With my scowl locked with his mischievous gleam, I notice from my peripheral that my men have their hands on their holsters, and their shoulders bunched from the tension; they are ready for shit to go down.
Time ticks by, and at every stroke of the secondhand, the tension grows thicker. Just before I think everyone is going to explode, Sasha’s beautifully-rich laughter bellows out. Surprised, I narrow my eyes and quickly glance at everyone else and notice they are just as confused as me. Lowering the gun, I place my hand on my hip and start to tap my foot with impatience. With a sobering sigh, he finally speaks. "You, my blue fairy, are nothing like I imagined."
"Oh, really? How did you picture me then?"
"No offense, my fairy, but I expected you to be submissive and quiet. Instead, you are this fiery vixen who not only knows weapons, but you obviously know how to run the family business."
Rolling my eyes, I lay the gun back in its original place and begin to make my way out of the office. As I pass Sasha, I slap his firm ass and call over my shoulder to Viktor. "Babe, finish this for me. I gotta handle these people." With one hand on the door, I turn and lean back against it. With my gaze slowly roaming up Sasha’s body, I continue, "Joe, come with me so I can get these people out here finished." My eyes finally connect with Sasha's. "Frank, stay here with Vik and make sure pretty boy over here behaves himself."
Without waiting for their response, I turn back toward the exit and leave the office. Midway down the hall, Joe's hand comes to a rest at the dip in my back. Not missing a step, we make our way to the lounge area where people sit. People who live a life I once trudged through. But instead of piss-smelling blankets and roach-infested hotels, these people are going to be selling their bodies and fucking on fresh blankets with free condoms and a way to stay clean. Regardless of the difference, we still have one thing in common; to get anywhere in life, you have to fuck your way through it.
Their cheerful laughter slips past the main door and causes me to arch a brow. Shaking my head, I nod to Joe, who then swings the door open so hard it slams into the wall. The joy and giddiness that poured from them quickly dissolve and their moods sober up. My eyes roam over their dingy clothing and matted hair as I walk over to the railing. Leaning back against it, I draw a line with my finger in front of me. "I want ten of you to form a line." They exchange glances, but no one makes a move to do as I say. With anger surging through me, I reach over to Joe, grab his Glock, and shoot at where I want them to stand.
Screams echo throughout the steel building and shortly after, Viktor, Frank, and Sasha—who is followed by his guards—come running out with their guns at the ready. As if nothing happened, I hand Joe his Glock and cross my arms over my chest. Seeing that everything is fine, with the exception of a nice little dent in the concrete where the bullet ricocheted off, Viktor and Frank holster their weapons and turn back toward the office. Sasha and his guards, on the other hand, look like a fish out of water with their eyes wide and mouths opening and closing as if they are trying to say something but just can't formulate the words. As he nears him, Frank grips Sasha by the shoulder and turns him away from the scene I created.
Glaring at the people in front of me, I notice some with tears running down their cheeks and some visibly shaking. "Now, I'm not going to repeat this again. Ten people. NOW!" This time, my words got a reaction. Nearly everyone jumps to their feet, but once ten are in a line, they others sit back down. Straightening out, I brace my hands behind my back and slowly walk a circle around them. With each person I pass, I look them over head to toe to do a quick assessment.
Satisfied, I walk back to my spot next to Joe. "Go sit back down; the next ten come up here. We will repeat this process until everyone has come up here for me to inspect. Let me just say this. I don’t give a fuck if you do drugs. Shoot up, snort, pop pills, smoke it. But if I find out anyone has overdosed while under my care, I will end that for everyone. You will only buy your supply from my dealer, and you will always have Narcan on your person." Glances pass back and forth, some pull down their sleeves, others nervously run their hands over their marked arms.
The inspection of all the newbies breezes by once they realize I mean business. I quickly inspect the last group and inform them they are dismissed and are to report immediately to their new living quarters. Walking away from them, I let Joe finish laying out the finer details and make my way down the stairs to where the established prostitutes moved to. To my humor, I find them all fawning over the guards who are surrounding the vehicles Sasha arrived in. At the sound of my laughter, everyone freezes. Separating from the guards, they gather together and straighten themselves out. With the single fact that they respect me enough to gather themselves without my command, I let the tension from earlier ooze from me. Cracking a smile, I walk over to them with my hand extended and the intention of getting to know them better.
Chapter Seven
Thankfully all the meetings are wrapped up in enough time for me to visit Octavia. She is weighing heavy on my mind ever since I had that fucking nightmare. With Neal still on the loose, I fear he will try to either harm her worse than what she already is or even kidnap her. After the traitorous shit he pulled, I can't put anything past him. Scowling, I shake my head and refocus on answering the mass amount of texts that seem to be pinging on my phone nonstop.
With my fingers flying over my screen, I don't realize we are pulling up to the hospital until Frank taps me on the shoulder. Looking up from the glowing LED screen, I watch as we pull into the parking lot and take in the glowing sunset that is descending behind the nearby skyscrapers. Damn, a whole day filled with just meetings and driving. As soon as the SUV comes to a stop, I hop out and start making my way to the entrance.
Not waiting on the guys, I power walk my way into the hospital and enter an elevator. My patience is tested the entire ride to the fourth floor; the elevator stops at each floor for someone to either get on or hop off. The second the automated system indicates we’re landing on the fourth floor, I shuffle to the front and surge through the sliding doors as soon as they open. With the halls clear of all nurses and patients, I make my way to the nursing station to get an update on my best friend.
The nurse who is assigned Octavia leans over her desk and starts to pick up her phone. Being the considerate person that I am, well on occasion, I wait while she dials and for the call to end. But as soon as she inputs the last number into the phone, my cell starts to ring. Frowning, I slowly reach down and pull my phone out of my pocket. Sure enough, it's the hospital. To confirm my suspicions, I answer the phone. "Hello?"
"Yes ma'am, this is Katrina, I'm Octavia's nurse for tonight—"
"Turn around Katrina." The nurses never call me, so knowing she is calling about Tavia kicks my anxiety into full gear. Before the nurse can respond, I hang up the phone. With the receiver still to her ear, Katrina turns around with a mixture of confusion and excitement. The second she notices me, she quickly h
angs up the phone and speed walks over to me.
Without a word, she grabs my hand and drags me into Octavia’s room. I quickly look around the room for anything amiss, but nothing catches my eye.
"I’m sorry, I didn't mean to overstep, but I have the best news for you!" Katrina’s exuberance takes me by surprise, and from her high-pitched and squeaky tone, I can tell whatever it is that's so exciting is worth it. With her hand still wrapped around mine, she pulls me over to the bed and points over to the EEG machine that is spitting out wavy lines. "This is her brain activity; ever since she went into a coma, the brain activity has been minimal; however, as of . . ." Reaching down, she threads the long strip through her hand. "Ah, here it is, as of eleven this morning, the activity has been increasing." Dropping the older section of the strip down, she runs her finger over the newest waves and looks over to me. "The waves are current. They are the same as what ours would look like right now. She should be waking up any time now!"
With every word, the pressure behind my eyes grows and with the news that she should be waking up at any moment, breaks the dam. With my gaze trained on Tavia’s face, I walk around the bed and pull a chair as close as I can to where she is laying. Just as I sit down, my men finally stroll in and tense when they see tears leaking from me. Not paying them any mind, I grasp Tavia’s hand with both of mine and start talking to my sleeping chula. "Bitch, I need you to wake up now. It hasn't been the same at the club without you. I need my drinking partner back!"
Despite hearing muffled words being exchanged between the nurse and my guys, I don't take my eyes off of her. Swiping my thumb over her hand, I focus on the steady rise of her chest. The staccato sound coming from the machines surrounding me drowns out the conversations the guys are having.