Assassin by Day

by Tessa Robertson

  A cunning smile crosses Alexei’s face as he steps backwards. He reviews Nickolas then shakes his head.

  “I’ll return within a day.” Before he clears the door, he includes, “Be sure you’re ready for our reunion.”

  Once Alexei vanishes, I wait until the elevator doors ding to look at the other person in the room. The bodyguards shut the doors. They’re trained well. My fiancé saw to it. He knows what I want even before I do. It’s petrifying.

  Nickolas’s eyes graze me, his lips ready for use. And use they’ll get.

  “That was bold of you,” I conjecture, pushing my chair in at the table.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” derives his steady response as his size twelve shoes inch closer.

  The sway of his muscled body eases my mind for the moment. I’m allotted minimal time away from my prison world. It’s nice to break out of the bars which hold me hostage, rather literally sometimes.

  “Alexei would’ve informed his apprentice about the protected families. Only a fool would kill them to spite him.”

  Nickolas stops in front of me and lifts a hand to traces his fingers down my neck. “Then I suppose I’m a fool,” he manages, toying with the straps of my dress.

  I allow the dress to fall with ease off my arms and down my body. It lands in a heap at his feet. “You know one of these days, he’ll kill you for what we’ve done together,” I point out, unbuttoning his shirt.

  “Only if I don’t kill him first.”

  His reply is precious. Of course, our combined intellect is fourscore compared to Alexei’s. Still, he genuinely thinks Alexei will be defeated. I wish I could put my faith in him. Nickolas can’t beat the man who never wants me to escape him.

  “You are a fool.”

  Nickolas unravels my braid and my body pebbles as my hair flutters over my breasts. His cloudless eyes captivate me more than they should. “And yet, you like me.”

  Untucking his shirt, I push the useless black article to the floor. “You fill a void. That’s it.”

  Hoisting me up onto the table, he seizes my lips with a kiss. “I don’t fucking care,” he admits, but it’s not true. He does care. Too much. It’s clear from the moment he asked me to join the agency.

  I shove at his pants as I wrap my arms around his neck. We don’t need words. We’re in tune with each other’s bodies where words are useless.

  Nickolas drops to his knees in front of my position on the table.

  This is why I like him. He’s not above pleasing me. In fact, he makes it his responsibility. I clutch the edge of the table when his tongue meets my bare body. If only I could find a man who was a combination of Alexei and Nickolas. He’d be a match made in hell. And one I’d gladly kill for.

  Chapter Four

  And so, I’m in love with three men. It’s obscure love, but love nonetheless. I know what each man craves and between the three of them, they figure out what I like. Personally, rough sex is my favorite. It was my number one choice even before I slept with Alexei the first time. Let me tell you, that was an odd encounter. He was all nervous and shit. Funny what a few years can do.

  I glance down at the woman currently in a headlock between my thighs. She’s not on the agency’s list, but Nickolas assigned her to me this morning. Apparently, she’s a double agent and I was chosen to take care of her. The satire isn’t lost to me.

  “You understand, don’t you? Men in the skhodka are complex. Sometimes, you need more than one to be satisfied.”

  The woman wriggles against me, so I clamp my legs tighter. “No, I doubt you have a love triangle.”

  I don’t like killing women, but this one’s acceptable. She was a bitch to me, so it’s fitting I’m ending her. It was sweet, really, how Nickolas presented the note this morning. It was on his dick, so my definition of sweet is mangled. Still, he’s aware of my disdain and promptly plucked this order before another assassin could snag it. I showed him my appreciation right after. How could I not when he was so waiting for it?

  “Keep still or I’ll get blood on my leather,” I scold, snaking my knife along her forearm. Yes, I’m wearing leather pants. It’s an incredible feeling. Leather on your bare ass. Almost as good as Nickolas.

  The woman sputters nonsense in Russian, and I grow weary of fighting her. I dab my dagger to her chest. A trickle of blood races down her chest. It’s fascinating to me. Blood, that is. I’m no crazy person, but the artwork I make should be framed. It’s an element I’ve no control over, just like my life.

  “You know, the worst part of my bedroom playtimes? None of them make me feel any better about doing this.” My blade slips over her neck, a delightful stream trickles down.

  “Momentarily, I’m content, but the blood lust is too great to control.” The brunette is bleeding on my pants. Fucker. “One taste of Nickolas holds me over until the next. Though he doesn’t fill the gaping hole in my soul.”

  I shove her away and watch as she grabs her gushing neck. “I don’t think even Eddie can save me from what I am. I’m too far gone.” I sigh. “But every damn time I see the lanky cop, I catch a glimpse of restitution.”

  My eyes flutter over my mark, her blood pooling. Her eyes are motionless as is the rest of her body. Carefully, I lean over and check her pulse. Nothing meets me, so I sit on my heels and watch as red fluid drips from her.

  “I need Eddie alive, so I follow orders. I can’t have his death on my conscious. It would kill me.” I nudge the corpse. “I’m also a lost cause to Nickolas. He needs to grasp it before it’s too late for him.”

  ***

  More messages from Eddie as I step into the elevator. I ignore them the same way I ignore the bodyguards who have no sense of space. I don’t mind them following me around when I have no hidden agenda. It’s rather nice to have men doting on me who don’t want my body.

  My eyes skim the two skhodka men. Then again, they’ll get their day at one point or another if Alexei decides to punish me.

  I hop off the elevator and wave off the shadows. I don’t need them when I see Nickolas in the living room. “To think I’d have alone time,” I complain, gaining on him. “What are you doing here? Alexei will be back any moment.”

  Nickolas takes in my bloodied apparel. “I take it your mission went as planned.”

  Shoving off my boots, I shrug. “We had a nice chat, yes.” I gaze at the dried liquid. “I don’t believe she’ll share any more secrets except to demons.”

  “Good, I’ll let your superiors know. Do you need anything further?”

  His question catches me off guard until I hear the soft footsteps nearby. Without looking, I sense Alexei’s presence. It’s a fog. A deviously wicked fog. “No, I believe you’ve been useful enough, thank you.”

  I stand and meet the waiting forestry eyes. “Alexei, I didn’t know you were back.”

  My beloved tosses his jacket to the couch, holding my eyes hostage. “I’m sure you didn’t.” His gaze transfers to Nickolas then to me. “I see you’ve been busy.”

  Unsheathing my knives, I study the stains. “I had an assignment pop up.”

  “I’m sure that wasn’t the only thing to pop up in my absence.”

  I smirk at his spiteful reply. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he’s jealous.

  Twisting my torso, I watch the exchange in the room. Alexei prides himself for being level headed, but his actions speak another tone. His obvious hatred for Nickolas is his own fault. He invited him, so I feel no regret in the Olympics I share with his minion.

  “Leave him alone, Alexei,” I urge, tearing off my skin-tight leather shirt. I rather like the James Bond villainess look. I think I’ll keep it. My brown hair catches on the zipper and I silently curse. Damn this long hair!

  I turn and notice both men gaping. It could be because I’m not wearing anything underneath or because blood’s streaked across my chest. I’m not sure which one enraptures them and I don’t care. Their attention is all I crave. I murdered a comrade. Punis
hment is warranted.

  “Nickolas, you should go,” orders Alexei, his voice low.

  My eyes swing to Nickolas, but his feet don’t budge. He’s not done with me. I exhale because neither am I, but Alexei is home early. Motherfucker!

  “Nick, go!” Alexei rumbles, moving toward me.

  I wish I could tear my gaze away from Nickolas, but it’s not in me. That’s probably why Alexei’s elbow collides with my face. I remain standing. This isn’t my first rodeo, but it’s the first one where clowns get involved.

  Nickolas pulls Alexei away and bashes his fist into his boss. I stand flabbergasted at the bold disruption of power. “You don’t need to do that,” he states through clenched teeth, punching again.

  If I could spirit away from the room, I would. From the corners of both eyes, I spot bulky men enter the room. This won’t end well for Nickolas. He hit a boss. Over me. I should be flattered, but I’m just disappointed. Fighting isn’t the way you defeat a Petrovich. I believe the ancient ways involve a wooden stake and fire. Neither of which apply to this specific Petrovich, unfortunately. He’s human. I think.

  Alexei’s black clad group moves in and pries Nickolas off their meal ticket. They form a circle and begin laying into him with their fists. Before they can tear his limbs off, I flick my knife into one of their backs. It stuns the man enough that he staggers away from Nickolas.

  “Enough!” I yell, holding two more daggers at the ready.

  Alexei raises his eyebrows at my action that maimed his thug. “He’s nothing. Twenty more like him are in Moscow waiting to be called. I’m sure one would suit your fancy.”

  I skim my eyes between Nickolas and Alexei before settling on my fate. “His family’s protected, Alexei. You won’t kill him.” I accost without remorse and dig another blade into the man holding Nickolas by the neck.

  “Plus, he’s an old friend.” I jab another bodyguard then turn on my heels to Alexei. “One you invited into our inner circle.”

  Pondering my statements and seeing his bodyguards drop like flies, Alexei nods to the last man. “Drop him,” he commands and isn’t disobeyed.

  Nickolas looks like shit, but he’s alive. He shoots me a nod then fades from the apartment. I hear the reassuring ding of the elevator before Alexei is suddenly in my face.

  “Don’t trifle with me. You won’t like the result,” he threatens, the scent of vodka on his lips.

  Chucking my last blade into the wall opposite us, I unzip my pants. “I know.”

  “Good.” Alexei catches my ear between his teeth. “Now, be a good girl and let me fuck away his memory.”

  I turn my mind off after that. I don’t want to feel what comes next, because I won’t be one of them. Saving Nickolas was idiotic, but he’s a piece of my mortality I can’t relinquish. His affection, as fucked up as it is, holds me in the skhodka more than Alexei. Well, and the ever-looming threat on Eddie’s life. I can’t protect myself from the man in my arms, but I’ll shield the two who keep my sanity intact.

  ***

  It’s difficult not to lose yourself in someone. I’ve done it a number of times I don’t care to elaborate on. Ultimately, I find myself. Usually, when the man turns abusive or jealous. Alas, this isn’t one of those times. I lost fragments to every man I dared to love. The list isn’t long, but my heart functions at half-mast. They take chunks, not snippets, of the beating organ. I hope someday, Eddie will return his. Seeing how I’m connected to Alexei, I doubt it’ll happen.

  I flip a blade from each hand and they meet their bullseyes on the man tied to the office chair. His co-workers have gone for the day, so it’s the two of us. Passing the time with darts, er, knives. It’s a bit of a one-sided game since I’m the sole one scoring.

  “My father tried to warn me about the skhodka. I didn’t know it until he overdosed on moonshine. He’d always greet Alexei with a shotgun. I didn’t see it then, but he tried to keep me from becoming another killer for hire.”

  The accountant turned spy spits a trickle of bloodied mucous. “That’s disgusting,” I note, letting another blade ring true. It nails him in the ribs. I shiver at the echoing thud of metal against bone. It’s chilling no matter how many times I hear it.

  Standing, I tiptoe to my prey and pull out the weapons. My act creates Mount Vesuvius if it spewed blood instead of lava.

  “My stepmother threatened to kill my father one time.” I gently wiped the man’s sweaty forehead with my gloved hands. “She told me lots of lies during my adolescence.”

  The man gives me an odd glance when I push back his hair. Blood seeps down the chair, causing the surrounding floor to turn into a slippery slope. “When she claimed Chuck wasn’t my biological father, it couldn’t be true. I have his eyes. Still, the doubt made me damn her to hell.”

  I sneer at the memory. “In turn, she promised to smother my dad in his sleep. As any good daughter, I believed her. She was enough of a witch to do precisely what she claimed.”

  Shrugging my shoulders, I cock my left eyebrow as I stare at another tally off the list. My tattoo artist’s going to love when I come in for the newest additions to my portfolio.

  “She promised not to murder him so long as I continued my partnership with the skhodka. I had no choice.”

  No sounds emit from the auditor so I glance to him. He successfully bled out. I study my clothes. “And not a goddamn drop this time.”

  Twirling the chair, I examine the body. He looks like a nice man. His brown hair is gelled and his tie holds pink and violet polka dots. If he wasn’t helping the Russian mob, I could’ve liked him.

  Checking the time, I see messages on two out of three of my phones. “Ugh, men are exasperating!” I leave the corpse to fester. The janitor will find him, the poor bloke.

  My phone rings, surprising even me. “Hello?” I answer, expecting a wrong number. No one calls anymore.

  “Mishka, come home. There has been a development,” Alexei dictates.

  “Fine, but I want Indian for dinner.” If I’m forced to undergo another lengthy meeting with mob members, I’m eating chicken vindaloo until I pass out.

  “I sent the order half an hour ago,” notifies my lover with a salty sweetness.

  Huh, weird. He’s getting to know me after all. That’s dangerous. I pass through the front doors of the office building, the clicking of my heels comforting me. “Excellent, be there in five.”

  I disconnect before he sneaks something else in. I know he wants to. It’s his modus operandi. Pulling out the keys to my Thunderbird, I grab my helmet. This bike’s my favorite accessory to leather and diamonds. The sleek chrome and black body and sexy twin engines is the best gift Alexei ever gave.

  Throttling the engine, I spin out of my parking space on the sidewalk and swerve into incoming traffic. Life was meant to be lived, so I make it a point to live careless when possible. It must be the Russian in me.

  I reach the apartment in record time. Probably because at one point I was a blur to traffic. I love the effects of speed. It’s a high I never want to come down from.

  Easing the bike into the allotted spot, I assess the underground parking lot. It’s filled to the brim with armored cars. Never a good sign. I anticipated Alexei giving me a tongue lashing for hooking up with Nickolas. Looks like it’ll be shoved to another day. The whole inner circle was invited to the impromptu soiree from the looks of it. “Oh, goody.”

  Yanking off the helmet, I place it on the bike and stalk to the elevator. A familiar chum awaits my approach. “Aw, why aren’t you upstairs with the fun people,” I heckle, closing the door without him inside.

  Elevator escorts aren’t necessary. I’m perfectly capable of fending for myself no matter the location.

  The doors open to a bustling apartment. Fuck. I don’t handle crowds well. An intimate group, sure, but fifty people in the place I call home, uh no.

  “Mishka,” Nickolas greets, walking to me. He looks dashing tonight, decked in all black. I swear it’s a mandatory color
for us. “Where’ve you been off to?”

  I adjust my black V-neck shirt. Black. What’d I tell you? It never hurts to distract men with boobs and Nickolas is most assuredly a boob guy.

  “Running recon on a new assignment,” I reply, snagging a glass of wine from the server. How thoughtful of Alexei to cater.

  “I wasn’t aware of any new jobs.”

  “It’s fresh off the presses.” I swig the red wine, not a fan. “You don’t know everything. You aren’t my fiancé.”

  Nickolas leans over and offers me a smile. “No, I’m not.” He takes a gulp of vodka. “Yet.”

  Cocking my head to him, I want to pester him, but Alexei’s voice fills the void.

  “Comrades, I brought you together to discuss a grave disruption in our group.”

  The room hushes at his salutation, but the silence is a roar to my ears. I need a distraction. I can’t be left alone to my homicidal thoughts. They’ll cripple me.

  “I learned tonight several of our assets have been slain,” continues Alexei with a solemn face.

  “Who was it?” a faceless voice asks from within the crowd.

  I don’t bother listening. I’m familiar with the Tom’s, Dick’s, and Heather’s I’ve slaughtered since joining forces with the agency.

  Damn! I need to check in with them when this fascia is over. They need an update, and this meeting will intrigue them. Skhodka leaders in one apartment. Yeah, I better not. They’ll bomb the place.

  “The members were vital to our daily operations in the East Coast. A reward is promised to anyone who catches the person responsible,” finishes Alexei with grandeur. He’d do splendidly in theater.

  “Then you don’t know who our traitor is?” Nickolas pipes up from beside me.

  Before I can move, Alexei makes eye contact. Fuck me! I’m going to get it tonight and not the good stuff.

  “No, the bodies had gunshots and knife wounds, so it could be several opponents.” Alexei goes on about staying close and keeping extra guards on duty.