Uncaged (No Rival Book 7)

by Charity Parkerson

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Introduction

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Author Bio

  Uncaged

  No Rival #7

  Charity Parkerson

  Without limiting the rights under copyright(s) reserved above and below, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

  Please Note

  The scanning, uploading, and distributing of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal and punishable by law. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Brief passages may be quoted for review purposes if credit is given to the copyright holder. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. Any resemblances to person(s) living or dead, is completely coincidental. All items contained within this novel are products of the author’s imagination.

  --Warning: This book is intended for readers over the age of 18.

  Copyright © 2017 Charity Parkerson

  Editor: Hercules Editing and Consultants

  Photographer: Kiuikson

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-10:1-946099-10-4

  ISBN-13:978-1-946099-10-5

  Introduction

  Most people’s soulmates bring light, joy, and happiness into their lives. Jozsua’s brought death.

  As the younger brother of a notorious crime lord, Jozsua’s life has been anything but normal. Mostly, it’s been spent hiding out in the open. He’s been fighting on the MMA circuit while trying to keep his sister-in-law and niece safe from the remnants of his brother’s reputation since his death. The only break Jozsua has ever had from the monotony of life on the run was that one time he fell in love with a killer.

  Dmitry’s been called a lot of things—murderer, psychopath… hitman. Seeing how it’s all true, he doesn’t let it get to him. Since he’s a sociopath, it wouldn’t bother him, even if it could. When he’s sent to infiltrate the Danshov family, he also doesn’t let the fact that he’ll have to kill them all one day stop him from pursuing Jozsua. After all, he’s not one to deny himself when someone catches his eye. However, once Jozsua is in his bed and in his head, Dmitry can’t shake him.

  Now, with the job he was hired to complete out of the way, Dmitry has his sights set on Jozsua once again. With all his secrets on the table, he has one last job to do—to win back the man who gave him a conscience. The man whose brother Dmitry killed.

  Author note: This is a dark story not meant for all readers. Jozsua and Dmitry’s love is borderline insanity, but it’s their love story.

  Prologue

  Two years earlier…

  “Konstantin Danshov was found dead overnight…”

  Those words continued to play in Josh’s head over and over again as he ate up the floor of his living room. He’d practically dug a ditch with his pacing as he tried repeatedly to get hold of Dmitry. Each time, the phone rang with no end in sight. Not even a voicemail box magically appeared to save his sanity.

  Konstantin had been more like a father than an older brother. Both sons of a Russian mafia leader, their futures had been set at birth. Shortly before Jozsua turned thirteen, their father had been found shot to death in his office. Konstantin had brought Jozsua to live with him in the States, changing his name to Josh and hoping the Danshov family would forget he existed. His brother had wanted nothing more than for Josh to have a normal life, as much as anyone could with mafia ties and a brother who played professional hockey. It had been too late for Konstantin. As the oldest son of Boris Danshov, he’d been sent to the US, using his goaltending talent as cover to set up family operations. He was in too deep. Still, he’d managed—for the most part—to keep Josh out of things. Of course, Josh had still spent thirteen years with their father. He’d been taught to fight. Done and seen things he couldn’t take back. Lost a sense of normalcy and right and wrong. Even living with Kon hadn’t been perfect. He’d been exposed to things regular people were not… and fallen in love with a killer.

  Josh tried Dmitry’s phone again, praying he’d pick up. When Dmitry’s thick Russian accent rang through the line, Josh’s knees almost gave out.

  “Hello?”

  Josh didn’t waste words. “Was it you? Did you do it? Did you kill my brother?” His voice cracked on the final word, but he had to know. For a full minute, silence met his question. He felt every second in his soul. Each one that ticked by damned Dmitry a little more.

  “Yes.”

  A roar of denial ripped from Josh’s throat as he hurled the phone away from him. The hole it left in the wall upon impact wasn’t enough. He searched the room with his gaze, looking for an outlet. He wanted to tear everything down. The whole goddamn world. Snatching up the lamp, he yanked the cord from the wall before heading for the TV. The lamp’s wooden base made the perfect bat as he smashed the screen. Nothing was spared in his fury. By the time the storm passed, his coffee table scattered the room in splinters and blood dripped from Josh’s knuckles. His chest heaved from the exertion and sweat ran down his spine.

  None of it mattered. His brother had loved him. Trusted him above all others. Given Josh the freedom he himself had lost. In the end, Josh had been the one who’d killed him by falling in love with the enemy.

  Chapter 1

  “We’ve been thinking.”

  Josh glanced up from his task of replacing the weights he’d been using. Max and Ryan were hovering.

  “I’m waiting,” Josh said, urging Ryan on. They’d met briefly on a few occasions. Not to mention, Max owned the fitness center they were currently standing in, Grid Iron. Still, Josh could think of only a few times when they’d seen one another, and even fewer when they’d spoken.

  “We’ve been thinking,” Ryan repeated. “You should join us at Affinity some night.”

  Since he’d run into the pair at a local dance hall while having drinks with his sister-in-law, they’d purposely stepped into Josh’s path more than he liked. It wasn’t that they didn’t seem like decent men. For Josh, it was more that he was not a decent guy. They needed to steer clear.

  “What is this Affinity?” Josh heard the question leave his lips as if coming from another. He hated talking to anyone. At home, he was free to be himself. Kip and Cameron knew most of his secrets. In fact, they had a few of their own. In public, Josh had to be someone else. He had to concentrate on his every word. Even after years of living in the States, his Russian accent was thick. He tried to keep it hidden without much luck. Instead, he usually didn’t speak at all.

  Ryan and Max exchanged glances. Josh bit back a sigh. It didn’t seem they would be getting to the point anytime soon. Setting his hands on his hips, he waited. As far as Josh had observed, Ryan seemed to be the outgoing one while Max was more intense. He could picture them together. Josh ground his back teeth against the image. No doubt they were beautiful. Love was gorgeous sometimes. Not for him.

  “The thing is,” Ryan said.

  “We’ve been thinking,” Max said at the same time.

  Josh sighed. “Back to this, are we?”

  The pai
r smiled. An unwanted wave of desire crashed over Josh. He kept his features blank by sheer will. They were a sexy couple. No doubt, people everywhere fantasized about a night between them. But Josh didn’t mess with men. Not anymore. Not since… He turned away and grabbed the abandoned weights, hoping they wouldn’t see the longing—the way he craved handing over the control.

  “I’ve got shit to do today,” Josh said. Even he heard the way his voice had thickened. He cleared his throat. “This Affinity sounds like a club, correct?” He hoped the men would accept his olive branch. It wasn’t their fault he was the way he was.

  The men nodded. Ryan’s smile brightened. Max smoldered. The hair stood on the back of Josh’s neck.

  “It’s an exclusive one,” Ryan offered.

  “One where we’re members,” Max added.

  Ryan nodded. “You should come with us.”

  The man’s invitation sounded the same as the devil luring someone into signing documents. The uneasy feeling in Josh’s gut intensified.

  “And you’re extending this invitation to me, because…”

  Both men smiled, but Ryan answered. “We love Kip and would like to know you better as well.”

  His discomfort fled. Josh snorted. “No. You wouldn’t. Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll pass.”

  “Are you sure?” Ryan sounded ready to let it drop.

  Max spoke up. “Aren’t you tired of hiding?”

  Josh’s fingers went cold as he dropped the final weights back into place. There was something in Max’s tone, as if he knew. When Josh didn’t respond, Max took a step closer. A plain black card appeared beneath Josh’s nose. A single word “Affinity” stared up at him. Josh didn’t take it.

  “If you don’t want to go with us, you should still go. No good can come of pretending to be someone you’re not. Trust me. I know.”

  Without thought, Josh’s fingers clasped the card. He flipped it over, inspecting the back. It felt heavier than he expected—as if it was a passkey rather than a business card. Other than the name, the card was blank.

  “Seems a bit of a useless thing since there’s no information on it.”

  Max’s eyes flashed with something Josh didn’t understand. “Say you’ll go. If not with us, then I’ll give you the address.” Max was hypnotizing Josh with his stare. Josh couldn’t look away from his amber gaze. “Either way, show the card at the door for entry.”

  “This club is sounding very secret-like.” Josh didn’t bother trying to tone down his accent. It was as if Max weaved a spell around him. The man’s mouth lifted in one corner. Against his will, Josh’s gaze dropped to Max’s gorgeous lips.

  “Of course it is,” Max said, still smirking. “Most fetish clubs are.”

  If there was a competition for keeping a straight face, Josh felt he earned the gold. He was shocked, but then again, he wasn’t. There was something inherently sexual about Max. Some people were charming. Others were outgoing. Max was temptation. He made people burn whether he intended it to happen or not. The man couldn’t choose to not be a hard-on waiting to happen. It was built in—an intricate part of his being. Ryan was the flirt and—no doubt—up for anything. But Max, he was a different flavor—like an LSD-laced lollipop. One lick was all it took to enslave a man. Just like the drug, that wasn’t a good thing. Then again, all Josh’s favorite things were deadly.

  “What time and where?”

  The matching smiles meeting his question had Josh’s mouth going dry. Perhaps it had been a long time since he’d been with a man, but he wasn’t opposed to having two. Now was as good a time as any to set a match to what was left of his life.

  * * *

  If not for the lone man standing in the shadows and occasionally ushering people inside the nondescript door, Josh would’ve thought the address Ryan had given him was a joke. Affinity was right there, in the middle of everything and underneath some of the poshest stores in Vegas. The shops had long since closed for the night. It still seemed odd for such tawdry happenings to be going on right beneath where people got their Botox done during the day.

  Headlights momentarily blinded Josh as a truck pulled into the parking lot. It seemed to Josh he should at least be a little nervous. As usual, he felt nothing. He’d died the day his brother had. His heart continued to beat against all laws of nature. As he watched Ryan and Max climb from their truck, Josh realized they could’ve shown up or not. Neither outcome would’ve fazed him. It had been this way since… Josh ruthlessly cut off his thoughts before they took hold and watched as Ryan and Max headed for the door.

  He wouldn’t think tonight. Instead, he concentrated on taking in the vision of Ryan and Max. They were gorgeous. Ryan’s green eyes always sparkled with devilry. They would be amazing. Tonight wasn’t about that either. There’d been this invisible line in the sand he’d created in his mind he’d been refusing to cross. Max was right. Josh was hiding his true nature, but not for any of the reasons they would suspect. No. Josh had known if he touched another man, he’d permanently lose someone he’d already lost. Tonight, he was killing something already long dead to everyone except him.

  Dmitry.

  The name floated across Josh’s mind. He ruthlessly tore his thoughts away. Josh waited until after he watched the men go inside the private club before stepping from his truck. Josh’s skin crawled, as if invisible eyes followed his every move. He fought the urge to glance over his shoulder. By the time Josh reached the doorman, his shoulders were nearly cramping beneath the strain.

  The man working the entrance seemed every bit as nondescript as the door he guarded until he met Josh’s stare. His golden gaze reminded Josh so much of a lion’s, he had to stop himself from saying as much. Instead, he passed the card over. “I’m meeting someone.”

  The man’s mouth quirked. “Isn’t everyone?” Holy Hell. His voice. Wow. Josh swallowed back a hum. If the dude’s day job wasn’t phone sex, it was a damn shame. “What’s your name?”

  “What’s yours?” Josh asked before he could stop it. The man was fucking Josh’s ears. He had to know.

  A low rumble of laughter slipped from the man’s lips and caressed Josh’s skin. He flashed an electronic tablet Josh’s way. “It’s for the reservation.”

  “It’s for me,” Josh shot back.

  The man’s lips twisted as he visibly fought not to smile. “I’m Isaac.”

  “Josh Salko.”

  “Intriguing.” Isaac said, apropos of nothing, but fascinating Josh nonetheless. Isaac swiped his finger across the device. “Nice. You have a private room and special instructions. I’ll show you the way.” Josh had no problem falling into step behind Isaac. He scanned a keycard across the keypad, unlocking the door. Josh’s gaze slid down the man’s body, taking in his chocolate skin and runner’s build. The ass was nice too. Josh shook his head. It was as if Max and Ryan’s proposition had unleashed something inside him. Josh still wasn’t sure how he felt about it. As he entered the building, Josh realized he’d soon find out.

  The door led to a darkened hallway followed by a sharp turn and a set of stairs, leading down into the unknown. With Isaac leading the way, Josh allowed the man to steer him toward whatever plans Ryan and Max had in mind. Sultry music and low moans met them halfway down the stairs. The temperature dropped the farther they descended. The first wisp of sheer lace came into view. Josh held his breath, expecting anything. See-through curtains hung from the ceiling to the floor. They danced in time with the air blowing from the vents, giving everything a surreal edge. The thin scraps of material did nothing to hide the erotic scenes taking place on the other side.

  Josh’s steps slowed as he caught sight of a man on his knees, head bowed and hands bound. His nude body and submissive pose gave the illusion of helplessness. Josh knew from experience that wasn’t the case. Handing over control took more power than it gave. Josh didn’t realize he’d stopped moving until Isaac motioned him forward.

  “Your room is this way.”

  The softly
spoken announcement had Josh snapping to attention. The longer he walked, the more private the rooms became. Sheer curtains became velvet. Velvet turned to actual walls and doors. The third door they reached, Isaac opened, waving Josh in ahead of him. It was empty—with the exception of chains hanging from the ceiling.

  “Strip,” Isaac said as he pulled the door closed behind them.

  Josh’s eyebrows tried hitting his hairline at the demand.

  Isaac’s gaze swept down Josh’s body. “Unless you’re shy.”

  At the challenging note in Isaac’s voice, Josh pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. Satisfaction roared through him at the way Isaac’s eyes flashed with hunger. “Your host will be with you shortly and it’s obvious they think you’re a runner. I’ve been instructed to make sure you’re chained and blindfolded.” Josh thought they probably had a good point. He might bolt. Isaac met and held his stare. “For the record, this is the most tempted I’ve ever been to put in a request to join.”

  This man was a sexual deviant. Josh felt it in his bones.

  “Maybe you should keep your pants on after all,” Isaac added.

  Josh nodded, incapable of speaking. If he lost his pants, he might just ask Isaac to stay. The closer he came to feeling a man’s touch again, the stronger his cravings became. He missed the hard muscles. The rough touch. The devastation.

  Isaac motioned Josh toward the chains. “Do you have a problem with being bound? Everything we do here must be agreed upon upfront.”

  Josh eyed the metal shackles. He lifted his arms in the air toward them. “I’m fine with this.” The words slipped past his lips even as his mind drifted away.

  Cold steel kept his hands bound to the headboard. Josh didn’t know how he hadn’t ripped the wooden piece down. He’d been straining hard against the oak rungs from what felt like hours as Dmitry spread his ass cheeks wide and massaged his prostate. It wasn’t enough to get him off, and Dmitry fucking knew it. This man had a gift when it came to keeping Josh hanging on the edge.