Grabbing my purse and locking up the beat-up car I’d traded my fancy car for, I couldn’t help but smile. Malcolm would be so proud of me. I’d gone from a Mercedes to a clunker Ford Taurus.
Riches to rags.
Mafia princess to girl in hiding.
I’d left behind all of my fancy clothes. The small bag of clothing I had stowed away in my car only provided a few articles of clothing and personal items because I knew I’d more than likely need to change my appearance at some point, but I’d hold off as long as I could on that. The mere thought of using store-bought hair coloring products more than freaked me out. I’d seen plenty of girls in the salon that had ruined their gorgeous locks with that shit.
Changing my name would be a great idea, too… but I had no idea how to do that, so blending in, or just hiding out, was the best chance I had of staying under the radar while I figured out how to approach the Russian mafia in Las Vegas.
My plan, or what little of one there was, went as far as finding the Russians and asking for help. Hell, I’d beg for their help if it came down to it. Surely, after hearing what I had to say, they’d be as eager as I to take down my father and Dane.
As I strode across the nearly empty parking lot to the diner, the warm Las Vegas sun bore down on me, the heat from its rays giving me a burst of energy. I’d always wanted to visit Las Vegas and see the sights. The iconic Vegas Strip was the place to be… but it would also be the first place my family would look for me. They wouldn’t expect me to live in a low-class part of town, so for now, my plan was exactly that; a cheap place to stay off the beaten path and away from prying eyes. Maybe I’d have time to sneak a peek at the casinos and at some point... if I was here long enough.
A bell jingled and a wave of cool air swept over me, cooling my heated skin when I pulled open the front door of the diner. A hefty waitress who looked to be in her forties hustled across the room in my direction, bright red lipstick coloring her overly pouty lips. “Welcome. One?”
I nodded and offered her a smile.
“Right this way honey.”
I settled into my booth, accepting the proffered menu.
“I’ll just give you a few minutes to decide what you’d like.”
“Thank you.”
The menu was small, the offerings very basic compared to the fancy restaurants I was used to dining at. I’m sure that sounds like I’m some kind of uppity girl, but I’m really not.
Okay well, maybe I am. My parents had always given me the best. I’ve never wanted for a single thing. This experience was in and of itself an adventure in humility. For once, I could experience things without being under the watchful eye of my family, and what I had learned to be my father’s many soldiers. Today was the beginning of a new life. It was the beginning of MY new life.
As I browsed the menu, I whispered to myself. “I, Liliya Markow, will be brave. I will only trust when trust is earned.” It was a mantra I had been repeating to myself ever since I fled my former home. A small smile worked over my lips as the waitress returned to my table.
“Are you ready to order, honey?”
“Yes. I’ll have a cup of coffee and the soup of the day.”
“Sure thing. If you need anything, just let me know. My name’s Gladys.” She smiled warmly, pointed a long red nail at her name badge, and turned on her heel, the menu tucked under her arm as she strode to the counter.
Fifteen minutes later, I’d devoured my steaming bowl of vegetable soup and finished off a second cup of coffee. With my stomach full, I relaxed in my booth, letting my eyes wander over the few patrons in the diner. Everyone seemed relaxed and minding their own business.
A gentleman in the corner booth on the other side of the diner sat reading the paper. He was handsome and I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him. He must have sensed me staring because he raised his head, his eyes locking on mine. He smiled and my heart beat faster under his heated gaze. I quickly averted my eyes to the window, heat rushing across my breasts and up my neck, settling like a blazing inferno on my cheeks. I fought the urge to look back at the man, instead keeping my eyes locked on the parking lot. Now was not the time to get involved with anyone.
Just outside the front door, a mother and father wrangled their two children from a truck. The woman wrestled to straighten the children’s outfits, planting a kiss on each of their foreheads as she finished. It was nice to know that somewhere in the world, love amongst family still existed. Not in my family, though.
As the family entered the diner, I continued to watch the four of them. The obvious love they had for one another melted my heart. I wanted that kind of love. Not just with my family, but with the man I married. A girl could dream, right? Because no man in his right mind would want me if he knew what my family was capable of. Women like me were destined to be alone. All we had to offer was a life of darkness.
The man helped the woman into her seat before seating himself and I sighed. I’m sure the woman knew how lucky she was to have such a wonderful man at her side. She had to know. She was so lucky. A pang of sadness flared in my chest as my thoughts drifted to my mother and what she must be feeling right now. Was she worried for me? What was my father telling her about my disappearance? Was he feeding her lies? And how in the world had she managed to handle living with a man like him for so long? The questions kept coming, but no answers followed.
Shaking away the thoughts of love and family, I returned to the reality of my situation. I needed to decide how to approach my father’s rivals. It would definitely be risky just waltzing into their territory.
Not wanting to waste any more time, I dug through my purse and removed a small note pad and a pen. Yeah, I was going old-school. I’d watched enough police procedurals to know that electronic devices would be easy to track so I’d left them all behind. I had picked up a cheap cell phone this morning as I crossed the state line into Nevada. There wasn’t anyone to call, but I still felt safer with it.
Taking the pen in hand, I began making a list of things I needed to accomplish. First and foremost, I needed a place to stay. It would need to be inexpensive, and far from what my father and Dane would expect. No flashy hotels for me.
Then I would need to find a job to replenish what little cash I still had. From there, I needed to figure out a way to bring the truth to light. I’d chosen to head for Las Vegas because of Mr. Volsky. I didn’t know the man from Adam, but after hearing my father speak of him, I knew he was the one to approach for help. If my father feared him, then he would make for a stellar ally.
I picked up the ticket Gladys left on my table and dug a few bills from my wallet, making sure to include a nice tip before slipping out of the booth. From the corner of my eye, I saw Gladys hustling towards me with a Styrofoam container as I headed for the front door.
“Hold up honey. Take this for the road. It’s the best chocolate pie you’ll ever taste. I made it myself.”
“Thanks, Gladys. I appreciate it, but I really shouldn’t.”
“Oh, honey.” She placed the container in my hands. “I don’t know your story, but I remember the day I blew into this town, feeling small and overwhelmed by the sheer possibilities before me.” She gave a smile filled with memories. “I see a little bit of me in you. Whatever it is that’s weighing on you will get better.”
My chest tightened and my eyes began to water at this stranger’s kindness. She didn’t know me from Adam and yet she saw me. It was right then, looking into the eyes of a waitress in a worn-out old diner, that I realized I was just where I needed to be. “Thank you so much, Gladys. I better head out if I plan on finding somewhere to stay.”
“Good luck to you. Don’t be a stranger now… and enjoy that pie.”
Lifting the container, I smiled. “I will.” I gave her a wave goodbye and headed out the door.
Chapter Four – Liliya
“Great perils have this beauty, that they bring to light the fraternity of strangers.”
-Victor Hugo
> “Son of a…” I grumbled, looking at the flat tire on my beat-to-hell car. Unlocking the door, I tossed my purse across the seat before setting the pie container down and slammed the door closed. What the hell do I do now? Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath in hopes of calming myself when a deep voice as rich as chocolate and smooth as silk startled me.
“Need some help with that flat?” the accented voice asked.
My eyes shot open as I turned my head towards the direction of said voice. My heartbeat stumbled as my eyes tracked up the most insanely hot body I’d ever laid eyes on. The first thing I saw was a pair of thick muscular thighs wrapped in denim that looked so delicious I couldn’t help but lick my lips. As my eyes slowly worked up to the stranger’s face, my breath hitched. Gazing at a man as fine as this one was like a sucker punch to the gut. His piercing sea-green eyes were almost hypnotic as they swept over my body like a wave crashing on the beach. Fucking hell! He was gorgeous. A little bit of dark stubble on his cheeks and chin that made him seem even sexier. Dear God, he could make a woman forget all her troubles.
He cleared his throat and let out a throaty laugh that immediately had my eyes jerking up to meet his again. The wicked grin that awaited me had my stomach clenching and heat rising from my chest to my cheeks in a split second. I knew he had caught me eyeing his package. Shit. “Uh…Yeah. Looks like I might need a little help. I’ve never had to change a tire before.”
“Do you have a spare?” He gestured towards the trunk of my car.
“I don’t know. I hope so.” I replied, fumbling with my keys and dropping them at his feet. Could I be any lamer? He must think I’m an idiot.
The stranger bent down and retrieved my keys, looking me straight in the eye and offering a wicked smile that was half smirk when he stood back up. The predatory look in his eyes made my legs weak and shaky.
He extended his hand. “I’m Ruslan. And you are?”
“Liliya. It’s nice to meet you.” He hadn’t offered his surname and I was hesitant to offer up my own.
My hand slipped into his and electricity sparked like the fireworks on the fourth of July. I snapped my eyes up to his and knew he had felt it too. Our gazes held for another heartbeat or two before I couldn’t stand the contact anymore. It felt too good. Being in this man’s presence for much longer would be a mistake. I didn’t have time to make connections. Kicking myself mentally, I forced myself to remember my plan. Three steps on my list that didn’t and couldn’t include this man or any other.
“Liliya,” he said, his thick accent making the name sound foreign and exotic. “Beautiful name.”
“Thank you,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm and even. Hearing my name fall from his lips made me want to do terribly naughty things to him… with him… for him. I’ve always had a thing for men with accents. I might have been squirreled away in a big house, protected from God only knows what but I wasn’t dead. Dating wasn’t allowed. But I had options. I had tons of men rambling around the house to prey on. It didn’t take long to find one with too little control and too much testosterone. So a virgin I am not.
“Let’s check out the spare. Shall we?”
I followed him to my trunk and watched as he dug around, shifting the few random items around to remove the tire. As he moved around, I couldn’t help but notice how his muscles bunched and rippled beneath the tight black t-shirt he wore or the way the material slipped up, revealing the taut tanned flesh of his lower back.
I licked my suddenly dry lips, unable to force my eyes away from the temptation of his flesh. He was beyond gorgeous. I wondered what he’d taste like, what his hard muscled body would feel like as he pressed his naked flesh against mine. Good grief, this man was driving me crazy. I needed to get control of my body and my naughty thoughts before I did something I would regret. He might be the definition of male perfection, but I didn’t have the luxury of getting involved with anyone. Such a shame, too, because I was pretty sure this man would be more than worth my time.
Ruslan huffed out a breath that immediately grabbed my attention, as if anything the man did wouldn’t grab a woman’s attention. “Do you want the good news or the bad news first?”
That didn’t sound very good at all. “Bad news, I guess. It’s been a shitty few months so why change things?”
“Your spare is toast.” He looked at me with his piercing eyes. “The good news is I can give you a ride… or call a friend of mine to help you get a new tire and a tow if you prefer. What’s it going to be?”
Shit. Shit. Shit. Could I afford a tow and new tire? “Crap! This is really embarrassing. I’m low on cash so how much would a tow and new tire cost?”
Ruslan looked me over again, like he was trying to figure me out, and then glanced at my beat-up old car. I so wanted to know what he was thinking, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask. His presence was overwhelming me in ways I couldn’t explain. He didn’t say a word as he pulled out his phone and dialed up someone. He turned his back to me and took a few steps away before he began to speak to the person on the other end of the line.
He spoke in another language – Russian if I had to guess – and, of course, that sent a bolt of lightning straight to my core. I’d always had a thing for guys that spoke other languages. I knew very little Russian, even though my father was Russian himself. But I had picked up what I could over the years. Damn. This man was freaking dangerous as all hell to my plan. I needed to get some space between us and fast. Several minutes passed before Ruslan turned to face me again. “A friend of mine is on his way to take care of your tire problem. What brings you to Las Vegas?”
I’m on the run from my evil father and murderous ex-fiancé who doesn’t know we’re now a done deal is what I wanted to say, but I didn’t. “I needed a change. The appeal was definitely that old saying ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.’”
He grinned, his eyes roaming up and down my body.
Holy crap! Was I flirting with this guy? Not good, Liliya. Just thank the man and let him be on his way. “So,” I finished somewhat lamely, “I’m just hoping to find a little apartment and a job, you know.”
“Right. What kind of job are you looking for? I know a lot of people around here. Maybe I can help.” And then he gave me another one of those panty-melting smiles that made my thighs tremble.
Good Lord. I could listen to his voice all day. The accent only increased the sexiness. Damn. I had always loved a good Russian accent. That was one thing about my father’s background that I’d always appreciate, although I wasn’t lucky enough to have that beautiful accent myself. My mother was American, and all of my nannies, too. I guess the lack of exposure to the language robbed me. But at least I could understand a little bit of the language; not much but enough to ask for a bathroom and a few other things; very touristy stuff.
“I don’t know what kind of job I want. I’ve never worked before. Don’t ask,” I said, noticing the strange look he gave me. “I guess I’m open to almost anything… aside from getting naked or selling myself. A girl has to have limits.” I said the last with a giggle.
Ruslan arched a brow in response, that wicked smile returning and damn near disarming me of logical thought. Neon lights lit up the word DANGER in my head, but as much as I believed him to be dangerous, I felt an overwhelming sense of safety around him. I don’t know why. Maybe it was the controlled way he carried himself. But the fact of the matter was that I hadn’t felt safe in months, and suddenly this stranger willing to help me for no reason made me feel at peace. I really needed to be able to trust someone. Could Ruslan be someone I could trust?
“I tell you what…” He reached in his pocket, slid his wallet out, and retrieved a business card. “When you decide what kind of work you’re interested in, give me a call and I’ll see what I can do to help. I’m always available. Sound good?”
“Yeah, that sounds great. I really appreciate all of this.” I replied, taking the card from him. His fingers brushed over mine and that same spa
rk of electricity was back in full force. It was intense. Hell, my attraction to this man was off-the-charts intense. My body hummed all over, my skin tingling where our hands had touched.
A low rumble interrupted our exchange as I tucked the card into my back pocket. A tow truck pulled to a stop just a few feet away and a young man hopped out and headed our way. The two men talked for a minute and I did my best to ignore them. I just wanted the dang tire fixed so I wasn’t a sitting duck if my father’s men came looking for me here.
Thirty minutes later, I had a brand new tire. Bobby, the man who changed my tire, gave me his card and offered his services free of charge if I found myself in a bind again while in Vegas. I thanked him profusely before doing the same with Ruslan. After the last few months, I couldn’t believe the luck of running into, not one, but three very kind people, and all in one day. If this streak of luck continued, then everything would work out.
I said goodbye to Ruslan and hopped into my car, giving him a quick smile and wave as I pulled away. As much as I didn’t want to look back to see him, I couldn’t help it. A small part of me wanted to look in the mirror and see that fine man watching me drive away. I wasn’t disappointed.
Chapter Five - Dane
“Whatever is begun in anger, ends in shame.
-Benjamin Franklin
Dane and his men spread out across New York City, looking for any sign of Liliya, finding nothing. Every snitch had been talked to. No stone had been left unturned. But she was gone. Mr. Markow, her father, was not a happy man, and when he was unhappy, his anger flared hot and bright, burning anyone who stood too close. I was the only one close enough to feel the burn this time.
Protected by a Mobster: A Russian Mafia Romance (Volsky Mafia Book 1) Page 2