Her Russian Mafia Protector

by Rose, Bella

  “To wear?” Veronika bit her lips. She’d made some girlfriends in undergraduate school, but she’d failed to really connect with them. But if she wanted to make this relationship with Charley work and she wanted to remain independent, she needed to learn how to enjoy girlie time with Charley.

  “Whole new host of fresh meat,” Charley said with a maniacal grin.

  “Fresh meat? Shouldn’t you be focusing on your studies?”

  “Sure. But a girl needs to relieve some tension and stress every now and then,” Charley said as she waggled her eyebrows.

  Laughing, Veronika looked at the two outfits Charley held out. Both were paired with jeans, but one was a low-cut tank-top, and the other was a lacey top.

  “Charley, you’ll freeze in both of those,” Veronika said with a laugh.

  “That’s what coats are for!”

  Veronika pointed to the lacey top and turned to look around Charley’s room. She was, apparently, a big fan of green. Green comforters, green wall art, and green curtains. Veronika liked it. Growing up, her father had insisted that everything be pink and purple. She was a princess amongst a sea of men, and for the longest, she’d thrived on the attention. It was all she knew.

  But then she’d lost her brother. And suddenly, she felt more like a prisoner than a princess.

  “What are you wearing tomorrow?” Charley asked.

  “Jeans and a sweatshirt,” Veronika muttered.

  Charley turned and stared at her. “Not much of a girlie-girl, are you?”

  At one time, she’d been a girlie-girl. But not anymore. “Focusing on my studies,” she said with a smile. “Not men.”

  “No, of course not. Why would you want a man when the most delicious one of them all is sleeping on my couch? Can I flirt with him? Would that make you mad?”

  “Yes,” Veronika snapped. Charley’s eyes widened, and Veronika shook her head. “I’m sorry. You’re both adults. You can do whatever you like. But it might be a bit strange if you sleep with my bodyguard.”

  “Unprofessional? Or because you’d be jealous? Don’t pretend that you wouldn’t be. You look at him like you want to kill him and strip him naked all at the same time. The tension between you two is almost maddening.”

  “Tension? We’re barely together.”

  “That’s the point,” Charley said with a crooked smile. “All right then. My schedule is somewhere in here.” She began to shuffle through the papers on her desk.

  “How do you find anything in that mess?” Veronika muttered.

  “It’s my mess. Ah. Here it is! I’ve got classes all five days, which is not what I love. And I’m working five nights a week. Oh, this semester is going to suck. But I have a three-hour break in between my second and third class on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays. That’s going to help me out a bit. What about you?”

  “I’ll be on campus all five days, but I only have classes on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays. But I’ll be at the shop on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And then they’ll want me to work weekends during the big exhibits. But I’ve got a light class load, so it shouldn’t be that bad.”

  “Are you talking schedules?”

  Veronika whirled around to find Kaz watching them from the doorway. Charley immediately dropped her outfits in surprise and glared at him. “Bedroom. Off limits unless I invite you in.” She cocked her head. “Do you want me to invite you in?”

  “Charley,” Veronika hissed. “Yes, we’re talking schedules.”

  He held out his arms. “Write them down. Class schedules. Work schedules. Study schedules. Locations. Give them to me.”

  “Me, too? Are you guarding me, too?” Charley asked with a frown. “Really? Business is that violent?”

  “I’m not guarding you, but since this is your house, I have to factor you in. You have keys. You have knowledge of Veronika. I have to keep an eye on you.”

  “I like the sound of that,” Charley said in a smoky voice.

  Veronika snorted. “On second thought, take the shirt that shows more skin. The faster we get you a man, the better.” She grabbed a piece of paper and quickly jotted the information down. “This is work and class. I’ll probably study after my shift on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the library. I should be able to stay here on the weekends unless there are exhibits.”

  “Or she has a date,’ Charley said.

  Kaz’s head lifted sharply. “Date? Are you seeing someone?”

  “Of course I’m not seeing someone,” Veronika snapped. “I haven’t met anyone.”

  “She will though,” Charley pressed. “Pretty girl like her? Won’t stay single for long.”

  “Charley!” Veronika hissed. What the hell was she doing?

  “What? It’s not like I’m wrong. Social lives need to be taken into account. Veronika, this is a new life for you. New people. New independence. You most certainly need to meet some new men.”

  Kaz straightened. “We’ll cross that bridge if it arises.”

  “When it arises,” Charley said with a wicked smile.

  “Okay, that’s enough,” Veronika said with a forced laugh. “Yes. We will talk about social events as they come up. Is there anything else you need right now, Kaz?”

  He was staring at her strangely, and she swallowed hard. For a moment, she felt like a teenager, the one she used to be. The one who stared at Kaz just like that.

  Well, not quite like that. She’d stared at him with the dreams and desires of a starry-eyed girl. He stared at her with nothing but intense lust.

  And just like that, he snapped out of it. He blinked, and the look was gone. “Schedule, Charley. Get me that schedule. And I’ve got a car. So I’ll be driving. No busses. Got it? And no unscheduled trips off campus. And Charley, since I can’t watch you twenty-four/seven, you’ll have to report to me every day. Anyone you think might be strange or taking an interest in you. Got it?”

  “This is rather ridiculous, you know. Do they think you’re going to give up trade secrets?” Charley asked.

  “Charley,” Kaz said in a warning voice.

  “Fine, fine. Jesus. I live here, and I’m taking orders from a stranger,” she grumbled. “Sexy as hell, but you’re an irritating little thing.”

  Veronika rolled her eyes and pushed past Kaz. “This is absurd. It’s like I never left.”

  After stomping into her room and slamming the door, she leaned against it and took a deep breath. It was a ridiculous move, but Kaz always brought out the worst in her.

  “What’s wrong, Princess? You look like someone just took your favorite pony away,” he teased her.

  “Go away, Kaz,” she sniffed.

  He sat on the steps next to her and put his arms around her. “Tell me, Veronika. Tell me what’s wrong.”

  She turned her head sharply and looked at him. He never called her Veronika. He always called her Princess. But at seventeen, she wasn’t a little girl anymore. Maybe he was finally noticing. Straightening a little, she pushed her shoulders back and wiped her tears away. “I put in some applications for college, and he yelled at me.”

  “You trying to leave me, Veronika?” he whispered.

  Him? She never wanted to leave him. “I just want to be normal. Meet some friends.”

  He pulled back. “Friends? Ah. College girls.”

  Girls? He was talking about other girls? Reaching out, she slapped him full across the face and stormed away.

  But she wasn’t seventeen anymore. And she wouldn’t let Kaz make her feel like that ever again.

  ***

  Kaz listened carefully for the footsteps upstairs. Satisfied that Charley and Veronika were both in their rooms, he crept out on the back patio and pulled out his phone. The job would be tougher now that he was so far away, but it wouldn’t be impossible. Dmitri had already reported worming his way into the house, but he was far from a trusted friend. For that, Kaz would need someone already on the inside. And that would mean finding someone who was willing to betray Fedor.

  That wouldn’t
be easy. In fact, the last two men who tried to betray Fedor were now dead. There wasn’t anyone Kaz could think of who was willing to pick up that torch. So if he couldn’t find someone wiling to betray Fedor, he would have to pull some strings of his own. And he would not only be putting his own life at risk, but the lives of anyone who unwittingly helped him.

  But this had to end. And he saw no other option. Taking a deep breath, he dialed the number.

  “Kazimir. My old friend. How is my Veronika?” Fedor asked. His voice was full of love, and Kaz cringed. Veronika would also be placed in harm’s way if he wasn’t careful. But he knew full well that Fedor had every intention of turning the business over to her one day. So for all he knew, she was just as bad as he was.

  “Stubborn,” Kaz growled. “She’s not taking my advice, but she’s not calling the cops on me either.”

  “That’s my girl. She’s got a good head on her shoulders, but her taste for independence might lead her astray. Do whatever is necessary to keep her safe.”

  “Of course.” Kaz took a deep breath. “But I’m concerned about your safety while I’m gone.”

  “I’m an old man, Kazimir. Veronika needs to be your only concern,” Fedor said in a low voice. Kaz wondered if he detected a hint of sadness in it.

  “I can do two things at once,” Kaz said wryly. “Give the names of your new security detail so I can keep an eye on them and you. While your daughter is in class and studying, I’ll need something to keep me busy.”

  “Always need to be in control,” Fedor chuckled. “All right. I’ll make sure my men get in touch with you.” There was a slight pause over the phone. “Kaz?”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Tell me. Are there people close to Veronika? A best friend? A boyfriend, perhaps? She speaks so little of her personal life when we talk. I’m starting to wonder if she’s not turning into a stranger right in front of me.”

  Kaz felt a pull at his heart. Despite everything that he had done, Fedor was a father figure to him. To hear him in pain saddened Kaz. It almost surprised him to know that he still felt this way about the man who had murdered his closest friend.

  “She’s new here. This roommate of hers is the only personal contact she has. As far as I can tell, she speaks to no one from her other classes. And there seems to be no man in her life.” That last sentence pleased him more than he would have liked to admit.

  Those long legs. He’d kill before he saw them wrapped around anyone else.

  Startled at the thought, he shook his head and focused. Veronika was nothing more than a job. He didn’t need to get involved with her life. He hung up on Fedor and sank down on the steps. How had his life come to this?

  Fedor towered over Kazimir with a look of rage in his eyes. “Pavel is dead.”

  Kaz’s heart dropped, and his hands shook. “Dead? How?”

  His boss stared intently at him, and for a moment, Kaz was taken aback. Pavel was Fedor’s son. His only son. His oldest child. He was Fedor’s pride and joy, but there was more rage and anger on his face than sorrow and grief. What had happened?

  “Car crash,” Fedor said evenly. “He died in a car crash.”

  A car crash? Kaz searched beyond the words. A mere accident wouldn’t make Fedor angry. “Deliberate?” he asked in a soft tone. If someone had failed to protect Pavel, there would be hell to pay.

  Fedor watched him closely, and then he suddenly straightened. His eyes softened, and the tears slowly trickled from his eyes. Suddenly, he wasn’t full of anger and wrath. He was a broken man who had lost his son. “No,” Fedor whispered. “Not deliberate. All that money I put into protecting those I love, and it simply wasn’t enough.”

  “Sir,” Kaz started, but his own hands were trembling. Pavel hadn’t just been part of Fedor’s family. He’d been Kaz’s friend. Kaz’s best friend. And now he was dead. His whole world was starting to darken.

  But something was missing. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Something he was afraid to admit to himself.

  “Earth to Kazimir.”

  Kaz immediately stood and whipped out his gun. Charley’s eyes opened, and she immediately put up her hands. “Whoa. Easy there, cowboy.”

  Holstering his weapon, he glared at her. “What do you want?”

  She snorted and skipped down the steps. “You’re awfully easy to startle. Are you sure you’re the best man to protect Veronika? Is this more of a punishment?”

  “It certainly feels that way,” he said under his breath. “Never mind that. What do you want?”

  She rolled her eyes. “I just wanted to let you know that I have some last-minute errands to run. I should be back in about half an hour.”

  “Fine. Text me each location when you get there and when you leave.”

  She rolled her eyes and passed him. After a few steps, she stopped and turned. “What’s the story with you and Veronika?”

  “There is no story. She is the job. My job.”

  “Sure. But it just seems like you two have known each other for awhile,” Charley hinted.

  Aware that the woman wasn’t going to leave until she had some sort of an answer, Kaz shook his head. “I’ve worked for her father for years. I met Veronika when she was a teenager. Sixteen or seventeen. So yes, we’ve known each other for a long time.”

  Charley smirked. “She doesn’t seem to like you very much.”

  Kaz only smiled. “I believe you said you had some errands to run?”

  “Fine. Ignore the subject. You two seem to have that in common. I’m going to figure it out before you two catch my house on fire with all that tension,” Charley said glibly as she turned and hurried to her car.

  Kaz grunted. Veronika herself would be a handful, but this other woman probably wasn’t going to make things easier on him.

  Turning, he saw Veronika staring at him from the window. With a growl, he stomped into the house. This was going to be the year from hell. The year with no privacy.

  She looked at him with tears in her eyes. “Pavel is dead, Kaz.”

  Every time she was near, he pushed her away. Every time. But he couldn’t do it tonight. He just couldn’t do it. She’d lost her brother. Her father was acting cold and distant. He knew how alone she felt. He was feeling the same.

  And for the first time in all the years that he’d known her, he gave in to his desires and wrapped his arms around her. She smelled sweet. Intoxicating. Normally the scent simply teased him, but today it enveloped him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t let her go. Holding her was everything he had ever imagined and more.

  When she finally pulled back and looked at him, he lost everything. Bending down, he finally tasted her.

  ***

  Veronika’s first two weeks of school were finally over. As she dragged her body through the door, she thought she might collapse. As usual, Kaz surveyed the house before letting her pass.

  “Rough day?” he commented lightly.

  “Shut up,” she said, but there was no fire behind her words. There was nothing left. Whereas the first two weeks of her undergraduate classes were usually lighter and more carefree, her Master’s program dove right in. She was reading hundreds of pages a night, and she already had a paper due on Monday. Combined with her job, she was beat. And she had no strength to fight with Kaz.

  He kept to the shadows, and so far, no one had questioned the strange man who lurked around her. But she was making friends, and she knew that soon it would be hard to hide Kaz’s footsteps. The man was better than all of her previous guards, but eventually people would start to notice.

  She slung her bag on the floor and leaned against the wall. Her body was tired. Her mind was tired. Wanting nothing more than to drag herself up the steps and fling herself onto the bed, she instead took a deep breath. All she needed was a cup of coffee, and then she would be fine.

  “Hey.” Her eyes flew open as Kazimir gently closed his hands around her arms. “You need to take a break,” he said softly.

>   “I’m fine. I just need to get back into the swing of things. Once I’ve got a schedule down, I’ll be able to keep up a little bit better. Right now, I just need a shower and a pot of coffee.”

  “And some food,” he said, frowning. “You had a banana for breakfast, and you skipped lunch.”

  “Stalking me?” she asked jokingly as she raised her eyebrows.

  “It’s my job. Go take your shower. I’ll make you some dinner and brew you some coffee.”

  She heard the concern in his voice. “I must really look like hell if you’re willing to take care of me,” she muttered as she walked away.

  He didn’t reply.

  Her feet ached. Veronika had thought her job would be easy enough. Stand at the register, study when she had some downtime, and ring up the few people who walked through the gift shop. What she didn’t realize was that the shop was busy. There was no downtime. And when she wasn’t ringing stuff up for people, she was running around the store restocking and rearranging things.

  But she had to think long term. If she played her cards right, she could ask the curator a few questions. Maybe shadow him for a little while. Get some experience.

  The warm water ran down her body as she stepped into the shower. She should have been thinking about her paper, but as she ran her hands over her body, all she could think about was Kazimir. The truth was that while they did have a history, she knew very little about the man. Did he have a family? Friends?

  Girlfriend?

  Chastising herself, she tried to reign in her imagination. Kaz was just another of her father’s employees. She hadn’t given her other guards any thought, and she didn’t need to give him any thought either.

  But she couldn’t help it. The more she tried not to think of Kaz, the more she thought of him. As she closed her eyes, she pictured him standing behind her in the shower. The heat of his body so close to hers. His warm breath as he hovered his lips just above the crook of her neck. Even through he wasn’t there, even though he would never be there, her heart began to race, and her hands trembled. She ached to have him touch her. Just for one night.