Just Business (Aegis Group Dangerous Ladies Book 1)

by Sidney Bristol

  Sending Haley to be with Zasha would provide the necessary distance. A part of him missed Haley immediately. She wasn’t just security. She was part of them, and yet she couldn’t stay there with him.

  “Ms. Haley would come here?” Zasha’s face lit up.

  God, he was going to hate the day when he had to tell Zasha that Haley was leaving, but for now nothing was changing.

  They talked a bit more about all the things Zasha wanted to show Haley before ending the call at Ivana’s insistence it was pastime to go to bed.

  Konstantin didn’t want to admit it, but Ivana sounded far more tired.

  This was entirely his mess. He had no one to blame except himself. He’d thought he was so smart and now it was coming back to bite him in the ass.

  What a disaster.

  The SUV finally turned down the long drive toward the lake house.

  The very dark lake house.

  Konstantin sat forward. “Have either of you spoken to the others?”

  “We checked in when we started back, sir.”

  They wouldn’t have seen the need to check-in with Haley. The men saw her as their equal.

  Why hadn’t she left lights on inside?

  By the time they reached the garage Konstantin was buzzing with nervous energy. He said a quick thanks and goodnight to the men before ducking inside.

  The tinkling sounds of a woman’s laughter met him. He leaned against the door and closed his eyes.

  He was fucked.

  SATURDAY. ROSE HOUSE. Arlington, VA.

  Tasha tossed her coat on the chair by the entry. She was so irritated she didn’t spare a thought for the new garment.

  “Infuriating man child,” she muttered.

  Nikolai appeared in the arch ahead. “You’re back.”

  “Obviously,” she snapped and breezed past him.

  “It didn’t go well?”

  “What do you think?” Tasha strode through the house and into the kitchen.

  Konstantin was too much like his father. She’d hoped that the malleable boy was still in there somewhere, but he’d been closed off from her since the moment they met. Ivana had said such complimentary things about him that Tasha had simply assumed this stage would be easy.

  Nikolai followed her and set a wine glass on the counter, then poured some for her. She took the glass and sipped it, mulling over her options.

  Leonid was her goal. But the man would never cross the ocean unless something precious to him was threatened. She had to make him.

  “It’s time to stop playing nice.” Tasha drained her glass.

  Nikolai’s eyes widened. “Uh, ma’am?”

  “Get everyone here. We’re switching to the back-up plan.”

  It felt good saying those words. Finally, she wouldn’t have to wear kid gloves with her son anymore. They could have an honest conversation for once in their lives. It might even be nice.

  11.

  Saturday. Lake House. VA.

  Haley listened to the silent house.

  She’d heard the garage open and close earlier, then someone on the stairs.

  Konstantin was back.

  The security cameras had told her that much.

  She wanted to know how the dinner had gone, if he’d learned anything, but she didn’t feel like she could go to him and ask. Not with how they’d left things earlier. She’d walked on eggshells around him all afternoon until he left. He’d hardly said five words to her.

  This was why she’d stayed away from the mercurial man in the beginning. He tied her in knots without even trying.

  What the hell was wrong with her?

  Yes, she’d always given Konstantin a wide berth, but this was ridiculous.

  The man was her boss. Personal feelings aside, she needed to know how the situation had evolved.

  And deep down she wanted to see him again. Natasha Titov was the mother she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy. Haley couldn’t imagine how seeing her again had messed with Konstantin’s head.

  Maybe that was the issue?

  Haley would never know if she didn’t talk to the damn man.

  “Screw this,” she muttered and turned on her heel.

  She might have taken a peak at the cameras earlier, which told her exactly where the infuriating man was.

  The gym.

  Perhaps she could beat some sense into his thick skull.

  Haley padded down the stairs to the basement level. She heard the thuds now, coming at steady intervals.

  Over the years she’d only ran into Konstantin a handful of times in the condo’s gym. Every time it had happened, she’d promised herself to be more careful.

  Now, she stepped through the open doorway into the home gym.

  The radio was on, but so soft that every blow to the punching bag drowned it out.

  Konstantin wore gloves, shorts and sneakers, but his shirt lay on the floor in a soggy pile. His hair was plastered to his face. He had one hand on the bag, holding it as he pummeled it.

  That was annoying.

  Haley crossed the gym to stand on the other side of the bag. She grasped it with both hands, steadying it for him.

  He didn’t glance at her, much less acknowledge her presence. Instead he pulled his left arm back, did a little hop left then right before hitting the bag with a one-two-punch.

  The blows kept coming.

  She picked up on his rhythm. A little bounce, some animated breathing, then a flurry of punches. He’d back off and do it all over again.

  How long had he been at it?

  They didn’t speak. Even the radio faded from her awareness.

  The dinner must not have gone well. Had he learned anything? Could Natasha have told him something to get him riled up?

  Without warning, Konstantin turned from the bag and grabbed a water bottle.

  Haley took the opportunity to shake out her hands.

  “You don’t have to stay,” he said over his shoulder.

  She arched a brow. “We’re speaking now?”

  He glanced over his shoulder then. That smoldering glare was not amused. Dinner must have really pissed him off.

  “Tonight didn’t go well?” she asked.

  “No.”

  “That’s it? Just no?”

  “I don’t want to fucking talk about it, Haley.”

  “Alright.” She shrugged. Tonight or tomorrow, it wouldn’t change anything. “Did you ever talk to your fed friend?”

  “No.” He grimaced. “That’s not normal.”

  “Maybe he took a weekend vacation?”

  “Not like him.”

  Yeah, Haley had to agree. It all sounded very strange.

  “Taking a breather, or are you done?” she asked.

  “I’m done.” He turned and headed for the door.

  The man was avoiding her.

  Talk about annoying. What were they? Twelve?

  She followed a few feet behind him. “Are you going to tell me what I did that pissed you off this much?”

  “I’m not pissed at you. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

  That was a bullshit answer. Something had shifted after breakfast and she couldn’t nail down what it was or why. She kept trying to tell herself this was for the best. She was too attached to the infuriating man. This display was a wake-up call. He wasn’t good for her. And yet, here she was, following him around like a damn puppy begging for attention.

  She glared at his toned ass as they climbed the stairs to the first floor.

  Haley did not have to put up with this. He wasn’t Zasha. He was not owed her patience.

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “You know if you were Zasha you’d get put in time out for this kind of behavior.”

  “Well, I guess it’s a good thing I’m an adult.”

  He certainly wasn’t acting like one.

  She rolled her eyes.

  This was hopeless. And stupid.

  “Oh, Haley?” Konstantin turned to face her.

  “Hm?” />
  “I’m sending you to stay with Zasha tomorrow.”

  Haley frowned. “But—”

  “No buts.” He held up his hand. “We did it your way. Natasha doesn’t know where Zasha is. Now, she needs you.”

  Haley stared at Konstantin. He looked back at her, but his face was impassive.

  He was sending her away. Because she’d gotten too close to him? Because he’d felt something?

  “I understand.” Her voice was wooden.

  It was hard to understand a man who would barely talk to her. She’d let her emotions get away from her when it came to him. Sex with Konstantin was her biggest mistake, more than falling in love with him and his daughter. Love was good and honorable. Whatever this was, it was cheapened.

  “I guess I’ll go pack.” She turned and strode toward the stairs.

  Konstantin didn’t stop her or say anything. He let her go.

  She kept her head up and took each step calmly, but that outer shell of hers was fractured and breaking before she made it to her room.

  Haley closed the door a touch too firm, then collapsed into the arm chair.

  No part of her had seen a happy ending for them. But she’d thought they could have more than frenzied passion. Maybe she didn’t know Konstantin at all?

  She was a fool to fall in love with him. An utterly complete fool.

  SUNDAY. LAKE HOUSE. VA.

  Konstantin couldn’t pretend to sleep. It held no interest for him. His dreams would be full of her, and he’d want to take back the last day.

  Well, not everything.

  After breakfast.

  He glanced at the stairs and once more considered his options.

  Apologizing was the obvious choice. He was being a jerk, but after the apology would come explanations and he couldn’t go there. How was he to explain to Haley that she meant too much to him?

  She’d either run faster or...

  No, entertaining that idea would only torture himself more.

  The last thing he wanted to do was be cruel or mean to Haley, but this was for the best.

  He knew he was doing the right thing. Haley would only be in danger the closer they got. Her job was already tough enough without involving him. He’d think about their night together for a long time. Hell, the rest of his life. He didn’t think he’d find someone like her in all the world.

  This was the right thing to do, wasn’t it?

  He let his head fall back.

  In reality he should be pondering his next move with Natasha, but his mind kept going back to Haley.

  When he’d envisioned his life in the states, he’d known there would be struggles. He’d been told from the beginning that taking control of the businesses was a full-time commitment. And it was. But he’d also thought he’d have something of a life beyond work and his daughter. It wasn’t until right before Haley stepped into their lives that he’d realized the danger he drew extended to those in his life.

  He’d been seeing a girl casually. One moment, everything was fine. The next, she was trying to steal his phone.

  Some thugs had threatened her. Either she helped them get what they wanted to get even with Konstantin, or they hurt her.

  She wasn’t the first who’d withstood intimidation, but she was the first who’d been really threatened. And it had stuck with Konstantin. He’d realized that his enemies were still trying to get to him.

  And then Haley had joined their family and he’d felt himself pulled into a whirlpool. All while dealing with the thugs and helping his now ex move states for a new job closer to her family. It had been a learning experience for him, and he’d taken it to heart on the first go.

  But Haley wasn’t like the other women he’d dated. She was capable, dangerous in her own right. Still, he couldn’t ask her to live looking over her shoulder. It was because he cared that he would be distant, cruel if need be. She might not thank him for it, but he knew it was the right thing.

  The clock flipped over to four in the morning.

  Great.

  Just what he needed.

  A sleepless night.

  Konstantin stretched out on the sofa and stared at the ceiling.

  The silence was so complete and peaceful.

  He rarely got to experience this in the condo. There was always noise from the neighbors or outside. But here, at the lake, they could be on another planet.

  A metallic pinging sound made him frown. It was like something metal getting dropped on concrete.

  Strange.

  He lifted his head.

  Was that the night watch?

  One person was always up, watching or walking rounds.

  Konstantin peered at the patio doors. The moon made the curtains glow with a pale light.

  Something scraped. It was a faint sound, but also wrong.

  He pushed up off the sofa and went to the cameras in what would be a closet under the stairs in any other house. He opened the accordion style doors and looked at the black and white monitors.

  His stomach lurched and his body went cold.

  “Fuck,” he muttered.

  There, clustered around the side door to the garage, were four men that shouldn’t be there.

  A million thoughts went through Konstantin’s head all at once.

  Where was the night watch? What about his security? How had they gotten all the way to the house without tripping anything?

  Those men were going to be in here before Konstantin could get Haley and plot an escape route.

  “Haley,” he shouted and reached for the gun case on the top shelf. “Intruders. Haley!”

  At the very least, she needed to be aware.

  He pulled the gun from the case and loaded it, all while watching the screens.

  Only four? On one entrance?

  They could have gotten lucky, or there could be more out there. He said a silent prayer for the rest of his security, then crossed to the kitchen bar and focused on the garage entrance.

  He’d never killed anyone before. All this training and he’d never actually had to use it beyond a few punches with hotshots who got too close or thought they wanted to start something.

  Something clanged in the garage.

  Konstantin took aim.

  He would not let his mother win without a fight.

  The door swung open, revealing darkness beyond.

  He waited.

  A bit of the shadows moved.

  He fired. The blast from the gun momentarily gave him glimpses of figures before destroying his night vision. He adjusted blindly and fired again. Someone yelled. Another voice cursed.

  Where was his security team?

  If he was in luck, they were on their way. If luck wasn’t with them...

  Something slammed into him.

  Konstantin tried to stay on his feet, but his legs were still jelly. They wouldn’t move fast enough. He pitched past the point of no return and went down hard. His shoulder hit the wooden floor, then his head. He blinked up at the person on top of him, barking orders. Konstantin raised his one free arm and slammed his elbow into the man, but it made no difference.

  Panic welled up in him.

  Zasha.

  Haley.

  Everyone who counted on him.

  Konstantin couldn’t go down this easily.

  “Fucking hell,” a man said. “He shot me. The bastard shot me.”

  “Get the blood,” the man on top of Konstantin ordered. “And check upstairs for the girl.”

  Zasha...

  She was part of it. At least she was safe.

  Konstantin heard the faintest creak of wood. If he wasn’t intimately familiar with the sounds the house made, he might not have noticed it. But he did.

  He didn’t look, but he could visualize it. A slim, silent figure crouched on the stairs, moving like a shadow...

  One... Two... Three...

  He closed his eyes and mentally gathered his strength.

  All at once, chaos erupted.

  Two
shots fired in quick succession, throwing the room into disarray. Someone cried out in surprise. The man above Konstantin lurched, but didn’t lose his hold.

  A hard thud vibrated the boards under Konstantin’s cheek and then he heard the distinct sound of a woman’s snarl followed by a sick crack of a hard object meeting human flesh.

  The weight above Konstantin slumped to the side.

  He scrambled up.

  “Come on.” Haley grabbed him by the shirt, still bent double.

  Two were out of commission at the very least. That left three or more out there.

  She dragged him through the formal dining room with its stately furniture that hadn’t been used more than twice and into the utility room that still smelled slightly musty.

  “Are you hurt?” Haley closed the door.

  “No.”

  She shoved a gun into his hands. “How many?”

  “Three at least, two down. Entered from the garage.”

  “Security?”

  “No idea.”

  Haley peered out the rectangular door. “Okay, we’re going out and we’ll make a run for the boat house. Once we’re under the trees, we cut north. There’s a path. We get out of here, we keep moving.”

  Konstantin nodded. This wasn’t his expertise, but it was Haley’s.

  “Okay.” She blew out a breath and gently twisted the bolt.

  Haley straightened then backpedaled.

  “Get back!” she yelled.

  The utility room door burst open. A beefy man slammed into Haley, taking her and Konstantin down in the enclosed space.

  Hands grabbed him from behind. Someone yanked the gun out of his grasp.

  Haley twisted and punched the man on top of her. He snarled something and made a grab, but she was too fast and kicked at him.

  “Haley! Don’t you fucking touch her. Don’t you dare,” Konstantin bellowed. He pulled and jerked, but the two men pinning him to the hall wall were too strong.

  “Hey.” The big guy who’d pinned Konstantin earlier shouldered past him and aimed a gun at Haley. “Hey. Calm the fuck down.”

  A man hovered near the hall entrance, clutching his side. The lights were on now and there were more people. “She killed—”

  The big guy whirled. “Shut up. Move them now.”

  The men holding Konstantin seemed to think that order was meant for them. Together they dragged Konstantin into the living room.