by Leslie North
As he sank down on the edge of the mattress to pull on his boots, he shook his head. Logic said he shouldn’t care. He should put Lucy and all the madness surrounding her behind and move forward. Since fulfilling his family’s obligation to the local mafia bosses, he and Nik both had been let loose, so to speak. Nik had chosen to continue in his position as an enforcer. Ben? Not so much. Hell, he’d even signed up for those cooking classes at Le Cordon Bleu.
Life was finally moving in the direction he wanted.
So why was he looking back with sadness on the girl who’d run away?
It made no sense. It was absurd.
It was all he could think about these days.
Most nights he stared at the ceiling in the wee hours, debating whether he should call Lucy, or run downstairs to pound on her door, beg her forgiveness, and ask her for a second chance.
Hell, he’d even thought about going to the animal shelter to adopt a pup of his own just to have another heartbeat around the place.
Fuck.
Ben scrubbed his hands over his face and finally admitted the truth to himself.
He was lonely.
Lonely without Lucy.
He missed her laugh. He missed her dark, crazy hair and bright, sunny smile. He missed her soft skin and lush lips and the way she sighed his name as he pleasured her. Mostly though, he missed her quick wit and sharp tongue, the way she didn’t take his crap. Period. People rarely stood up to Ben once they saw his Bratva tattoos.
Lucy was brave and fearless and the way she’d put herself in between him and her father to keep Ben safe had touched him far more than he cared to admit.
“Shit.” He pushed off the bed and stomped over to grab his leather jacket off the hook on the wall. Air. That’s what he needed. Some fresh air and space to think and clear his head. He shoved his keys and wallet in his pocket then headed out the door, intent on heading toward the café where he was due to meet his brother in a few hours to discuss family business. He’d be way early, but that was fine.
Yet as he headed down the sidewalk, he found himself walking in the opposite direction, toward the park where Lucy had headed earlier. The closer he got to the area, the lighter his steps felt, the more he anticipated seeing her again, even if she told him to fuck off—which she just might.
He chuckled as he waited for the light at the corner to change. Given that they’d only known each other a short time, he wasn’t willing to call it love. He was far too jaded for that. He was, however, willing to say he was…interested.
Interested in getting to know Lucy without the sins of her father getting in the way, interested to see where things might lead between them.
Ben stopped at the edge of the small dog park and watched from behind a nearby tree as Lucy and Pavlov played. From the way the dog was jumping and barking, she seemed to be having some trouble controlling him. He knew just how to handle that. Control was his specialty, after all.
“Cton!” Stop! He commanded Pavlov in a firm, yet quiet voice. The huge dog immediately sat near Lucy’s feet, panting loud and staring at Ben with his dopey, delighted brown eyes. A rush of affection that nearly knocked him to his knees filled Ben as he emerged from behind the tree and walked over to scratch the dog behind his ears. “Good boy! You are such a good boy, did you know that, huh? Did you?”
The tapping toe of Lucy’s fuchsia flat soon drew his attention and he straightened, his gaze moving slowly from her feet upward—over the gorgeous curves, over that raven black hair with the bright pink streak, over those lips he could still taste if he closed his eyes.
“How did you do that?” she asked, her expression both wary and annoyed. “I’ve been trying to get him to sit for an hour. The lady at our obedience classes gave me all these exercises to do with him, but he doesn’t mind me at all.”
“It’s all about your energy, your attitude. Act as if you’re in charge and he will obey you.”
Lucy crossed her arms and raised one dark brow. “Still bossy, I see.”
“Still stubborn I see,” Ben countered, holding his ground before her. God, he’d even missed squabbling with her. He’d never met a woman who could verbally spar so well with him yet turn him on so much in a flash. Adrenaline and heat pumped through his bloodstream, but he took a deep breath and forced his libido to settle. If he decided to start over with Lucy, this time he’d take things slow, keep things under control. Cause yeah, that worked so well for him last time.
They stared at each other for several moments before Lucy finally cracked, giving him a small smile. “Touché.”
Pavlov stood and walked over to Ben sniffing his boots and the bottom of his jeans then flopping at his feet, belly up and tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. Ben squatted down to pet him again, laughing.
Lucy exhaled slow, then chuckled. “He missed you.”
“Yeah?” Ben grinned at the dog’s squirming then squinted up at her in the bright sunshine. “Is he the only one?”
Her smile faltered slightly and she looked away.
“Look, Lucy,” Ben said, rising. “I’m not happy with the way we left things between us and I—I’d really like to start over fresh. Get to know you all over again without all your father’s issues between us. And I never did get your Borscht recipe either.”
She giggled at that, the sound tinkling around him like chimes, and the world brightened. Then she stared down at her feet, pushing a pebble around with the toe of her shoe. “I don’t know, Ben. I like you, I really do, but you’re Bratva. My mother will have a cow if she finds out.”
“I’m leaving.”
“What?” she looked totally confused and totally adorable.
“I’m leaving the business. After I got things sorted out with your father’s crimes, they let me choose to stay or go. Nik’s sticking around with them for a while longer, but I’m not. I have some money saved up.” He walked with her to a nearby bench and sat down. “I’ve decided to pursue my dream of owning my own construction company. Have interviews set up for later this week and everything. In fact,” he checked his watch, “I’m meeting Nik in about an hour for breakfast to discuss it. It’s time for me to break out on my own.”
“Wow. I’m really happy for you, that’s great.” She toyed with Pavlov’s leash in her hands, not meeting his gaze. “You’re really good at building things and remodeling, so you should do wonderful. And I know you’ll have the best business plan ever.”
“Thanks.” He grinned. “That’s true. And you should see my place. All done and ready to go. Even painted the place finally.” He sat back and stretched his arm along the back of the bench, not quite touching her but close enough to feel her heat through his clothes. “Maybe you can come up and cook me dinner again and see it.”
Her gaze snapped to his, that mischievous sparkle he’d missed so much lighting her green eyes. “Or maybe you can cook for me for a change and I’ll just relax while you work.”
“Maybe.” He grinned and looked around at the other people with their pets in the park. “I’ve missed you, Lucy.”
“Right.” She snorted. “Because you just love all the trouble I cause and my wild ways, huh?”
The bubble of warmth inside Ben he’d tried so hard to suppress burst, filling him with yearning for the lovely woman beside him. He turned to face her then, taking her hands in his and letting all his tightly-leashed emotions leak into his voice. “I do, honestly. I have missed you, Lucy. Crazy as that sounds. I’ve missed your goulash and your smile and your big heart. I love how you get into trouble and pull me in with you. But most of all I love your passion—for people, for life, for me. I miss seeing your face in the morning and I miss having Pavlov around too. He’s a big doofus, but he’s also pure joy and love and I miss all that. I miss you.”
She gave a little gasp and squeezed his fingers, tears welling in her beautiful eyes. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me, Ben Volkov.” She sniffled and smiled. “Ben, is that short for Benjamin?”
&nbs
p; “Benedikt,” he said, using his full accent. “Is good Russian name.”
“Da.” She grinned, reaching up to trace her fingertips down his cheek. “It is.”
He kissed her palm then leaned in to kiss her lips. “Does this mean you’ll cook me more Borscht?”
“We’ll see, sir,” she said, winking before grabbing the collar of his black T-shirt and pulling his lips to hers. “We’ll see.”
12
Lucy
One year later…
“Pavlov, no!” Lucy yelled as her dog came tearing into Ben’s bedroom where she and her bridesmaids were getting ready. The girls screamed as the huge dog rushed at them with his grungy tennis ball in his mouth and Lucy’s mother did her best to corral him into the corner so he wouldn’t snag the lace on Lucy’s pristine white wedding dress. “Sorry, guys.”
“Oh, dear,” her mother said, finally managing to get Pavlov back out in to the hallway then closing the door on him. “It’s no problem at all. I’m just thrilled you’ve found such a nice man to marry.” She came back over to fluff Lucy’s train for the umpteenth time while the bridesmaids continued to fuss with her hair and her makeup and her veil.
Honestly, Lucy would’ve been just as happy eloping to Vegas or getting hitched downtown at the courthouse then having a big party afterward, but Ben wasn’t having it. He, of course, had spent countless hours planning each and every detail of their big day so that it all would hopefully go off flawlessly.
She laughed and shook her head. Her fiancé should know better by now. Still, it was nice to have him take charge of the mundane details like renting the church and the reception hall, hiring the caterers and ordering the flowers. And with his eye for design, she was sure it would all be beautiful. She’d handled the more creative side of things—the band for the reception, the wedding cake, the dresses and tuxes for the ceremony.
As she eyed her reflection in the mirror, even she had to admit she looked good. The strapless bustier-style top of the dress, with its satin ribbons lacing down her back perfectly suited her romantic, slightly rebellious side, and showed off the new rose tattoo on the back of her shoulder to perfection. And the fluffy cloud-like layers of tulle that made up the full skirt fulfilled her childhood dreams of marrying her Prince Charming.
Okay, maybe in Ben’s case it was more like Knight in Tightly-Controlled Armor, but still. They suited each other. Against all odds and all expectations, they were well-matched. They balanced out each other’s quirks. And with all the nonsense about her father out of the picture for good—she hadn’t heard a word from him since that day at the jewelers—life was good.
Life was brilliant, actually.
“Have I mentioned lately how happy I am that you’ve found a man with a good job?” Her mother asked, floofing the front of Lucy’s skirt again. “Construction provides a stable, reliable income. People always need homes and things built.”
Lucy bit back her sarcastic reply. In fact, she’d lost count of how many times her mom had mentioned Ben’s occupation and how glad she was that he wasn’t Bratva anymore. So many, in fact, that Lucy had seriously considered running from the room screaming. But she’d taken a deep breath and forced her feet to stay where they were, knowing her mom was just being a doting parent and soon this would all be over and it would be just her and Ben again, as they wanted.
Speaking of Ben, she heard the front door of the loft open and close. He was getting ready downstairs in her old apartment along with his brother Nik and his groomsmen. After she’d moved in with him, they’d decided to keep the apartment and sublet it out for extra money. It had worked out well, though they were between tenants at the moment.
Soon, a knock sounded on the bedroom door.
“Milen'kiy, are you in there?” Ben called.
“Oh, no!” Her mother and the bridesmaids all went into a tizzy. Pink satin and tulle bustled everywhere around her as people rushed around the room. She’d chosen two friends from the tour service to serve as her maid of honor and her attendant, then a few friends of Ben’s family to keep them involved too. “He can’t see you before the ceremony, dear. It’s bad luck!”
“C’mon, Mom.” Lucy scoffed. “That’s just an old wives’ tale. You know I don’t believe in that stuff. Besides, crazy seems to follow Ben and I around. What’s a little more, huh?”
Next thing she knew, the door opened and Pavlov rushed in again, followed in short order by Ben. While her mom and the bridesmaids were distracted trying to corner the dog, Ben rushed to her side and picked her up in his arms. Stunned, all Lucy could do was hang on. “Uh, what’s going on?”
Ben sighed and carried her out of the bedroom and down the hall. “We’re getting married. Right now.”
“Okay.” She frowned, glancing over her shoulder to see her mother’s harried expression. “That’s great, but we don’t have the church until one, correct?”
“Screw the church. I can’t take my family anymore. They’re driving me batty, telling me how to do this and what to do with that. All of my plans have been blown to pieces.” He balanced her on one hip as he opened the front door again and took her outside. “I’m done. I want you and you alone. That’s it.”
Lucy grinned, cupping his cheek. “Aw, my poor baby. I’m sorry all your carefully laid plans bit the dust.”
“Are you?” He put her down and took her hand, leading her over to the freight elevator. “Because you don’t look too upset by the prospect.”
“As long as I’m with you, I’m good.” She leaned up on tiptoe to kiss him. “And I can’t wait to be your wife.”
“Hmm.” He lifted the heavy door and escorted her inside, then shut it again, closing them off from the rest of the world. “I feel the same. I love you. I just don’t love all this fuss and mayhem. I want to marry you at once then go off on our honeymoon and have peace and quiet.”
She raised a brow at him.
“Fine. Maybe not peace and quiet, but you, in my arms, alone.” He pulled her close to him, the fine fabric of his black tux caressing the bare skin of her arms and making her shiver. He looked so handsome in his black suit and crisp white shirt, the amber of his eyes bright and shining with love and heat for her. “Tell me again how much you love me.”
“I love you more than I ever thought possible.” She laced her fingers through the soft hair at the nape of his neck. “More than the stars and moon and the diamonds my father stole.”
He growled and buried his face in her neck. “I thought we weren’t going to bring that up again. Especially not today. Linda will kill me.”
“My mother loves you too. She thinks you’re very staid and stable.”
This time, it was Ben’s turn to snort. “The stable part is right. The staid part not so much.”
Lucy giggled, relaxing in his embrace. “Yeah, I’d have to agree. Staid really doesn’t describe you.” She snuggled closer, feeling the telltale ridge of his arousal resting heavy against her stomach. “How about stiff?”
Ben leaned back, giving her a devilish stare. “Stiff? Perhaps.”
“Definitely.” She pressed closer to him, loving his heat and the spicy smell of his cologne and everything about him, really. “You’re stiff. And you’re also lucky because I’m here to help you loosen up.”
She ground against him and he groaned. “Yes, you can always help me loosen up, milen'kiy. So, my stiffness isn’t a problem for you?”
“Never. You being stiff is never a problem for me, not anymore.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply before stepping back and smoothing the front of her dress. “But first, we have a wedding to attend and a reception afterward. Loosening you up will have to wait this time, I’m afraid.”
He straightened his somewhat bedraggled bow tie and exhaled slow, jamming the button on the elevator for the first floor. “I can’t wait until tonight.”
“Neither can I,” Lucy said, giddy happiness fizzing inside her. “I love you, Ben Volkov.”
“I
love you too, milen'kiy. Always.” As the elevator rumbled downward, he took her hand and kissed it. “Your father was right. It’s not every day a man finds a woman like you.”
Lucy grinned and squeezed his hand tight. “And it’s not every day a woman finds a man who’s willing to leave his old life and change everything.”
They arrived on the first floor and Ben stepped forward to open the door, glancing back at her over his shoulder. “Ready, milen'kiy?”
She took a deep breath and moved in beside him as the doors opened to reveal her mother and her bridesmaids and Nik and all Ben’s groomsmen waiting along with Pavlov, tennis ball in mouth and a bow tie crookedly around his neck. They needed a ring bearer after all, right? “More than I’ve ever been for anything in my life. Let’s do this.”
“Let’s do it, milen'kiy,” Ben said, kissing her hand once more then leading her out into their new life, together.
End of Her Russian Fixer
The Volkov Brothers Series Book One
Blurb
Sometimes, not even the Russian Mafia can resist the pull of love…
As a man born and raised in Chicago’s Russian Mafia, Nikolai Volkov is no stranger to the wrong side of the law. So when a crooked cop kills his best friend, Nik wants justice. He intends to ensure that the woman who witnessed everything will testify to what she saw, and with a killer on the loose, Nik may be the only man standing between Daphne Allman and deadly danger. Innocent Daphne doesn’t deserve to be mixed up with a man like Nik, but he has no other choice. Either the curvy, blonde beauty takes the stand, or Nik takes matters into his own hands.
After witnessing a murder, Daphne is prepared to go to the police. So when a dark-haired, tattooed stranger shows up at her door offering protection, Daphne wants nothing to do with him. It’s obvious he’s some kind of Mafia muscle, and Daphne has no intention of putting her life in more danger. But after dirty cops threaten her and her fragile mother, Nik becomes her best chance at safety. When Daphne and Nik end up on the run, Daphne realizes strong, resourceful Nik can protect her from harm; but who will protect her from him? She may be putting her life in the Russian’s hands, but she refuses to give him her heart.