Lana groaned and whined, “I don’t know if I can. I just want to go home. Please.”
“We’re almost there, now. Just think about what we said. Use your heart not your head. It’s the best decision I’d ever made,” Bianca said.
Amber smiled and clapped happily as she said, “Me too.”
“Are you telling me Luciano kidnapped you too?” Lana asked amazed. This seemed like a trend. A happy one, she had to admit to herself.
“No, his men did at the request of another,” Amber said sadly. “Luciano rescued me when he heard about it.”
“I’m telling you, the guys can be bad, but to us, they are wonderful. I wouldn’t trade Nikolai for anything,” Bianca added.
Lana looked at the two women and realized they were super happy to be married to the mob, but she wasn’t sure she could do it. Did Sergei even want to marry me? Or was I just a goal?
The divider came down and Luciano turned to them. “Ladies we’re almost here.”
Amber smiled at her husband, then said to Lana. “We’ll walk you in.”
“You don’t have to,” Lana answered.
“We know, but we’d like to make sure we got everything in the right place.” Amber wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
“You two really did put everything back?”
“Of course, men don’t have a clue,” Amber said as she tapped Lana’s shoulder.
“Grazie, Amore,” Luciano growled playfully.
The limo stopped, and just as they were getting out the motion got to Amber. “Oh no!” she cried out as she ran to a bunch of nearby bushes. She emptied the contents of her stomach. Seeing and hearing her vomit, Bianca couldn’t contain her nausea and both pregnant women started throwing up.
Luciano shouted as he held the door for Lana. “Shit. Cara, Bee are you girls okay?”
“What’s wrong?” Lana asked. She hadn’t seen anything because she was the last to exit the limo.
“They’re both pregnant. It’s easy for them to get sick. Shit. Excuse me.” He ran back to the limo and grabbed some of the chilled water bottles.
Lana watched as Luciano in his full finely tailored suit took care of both women, helping them and rubbing their backs. He seemed really caring for them. Lana had the whole rundown on the family because of searching for Santini. It sickened her to know that Santini was willing to have the baby killed too.
Lana’s eyes bugged out when she thought about what she was seeing. She’d had unprotected sex with Sergei. Why hadn’t I thought of it until now? Lana pondered her realization and waited until the ladies had improved before approaching. She could handle blood, but she couldn’t stomach vomit. Lana was doing everything she could to avoid joining them in the barf fest.
Once everyone was done being sick, they walked back up to a blanched Lana.
“Oh my! Are you okay?” Amber asked.
“Yeah, just not good with vomit,” Lana admitted wryly
“Sorry,” Amber apologized as she turned red with embarrassment.
“No worries. I’m really tired. I just want to go in. I’m really tired,” Lana bemoaned.
“Okay, ladies. Let’s go,” Luciano said as he escorted the women up the stairs to the small house. After opening the door, he looked around before letting the girls in. It wasn’t something he normally did, but since Lana’s house wasn’t as secure as his he was a little antsy.
“You need to get cameras installed. It was too easy for Sergei to get to you. There are worse people out there than him.”
“Thanks, I will, but I really don’t know how long I’m going to stay,” Lana remarked as she noticed some of the changes.
Luciano said, “Just stay at least until you talk to Sergei. I think he’s a great guy and was glad when he noticed you, so he could stop flirting with my wife.”
“He was flirting with you?” Lana asked Amber, in thinly-veiled jealousy. The three looked at her with barely hidden grins. She was caught.
“Only to irritate Luciano,” Amber responded.
“Yeah and don’t forget how many times Nikolai wanted to end their twenty plus year friendship every time Sergei smiled at me.” Bianca, the pot-stirrer, enjoyed this. It was clear Lana wasn’t going to be able to fight her attraction to Sergei forever.
They left Lana alone in her apartment because Amber and Luciano wanted to go home and be with their son. Plus while Amber and Luciano were talking to her, Bianca got a call from Nikolai saying he wanted her home because he missed her.
Once they left, Lana was able to look thoroughly at the changes they made. She was amazed at the minor makeover that was subtle, but noticeable. They did a great job with taking away from Lana’s tastes. After making sure all the doors were locked, she poured herself a glass of water, then walked back into the bedroom. Lana looked at the bed, remembering the way he pounced on her, turning her on in a moment when he sent the file flying. Now it all made sense. At the time, she’d been so lost in the idea that he was in her place to notice his reaction to the file. After putting down the glass she decided to lie down. She was suffering from a severe case of jet lag.
When she woke up an hour later, Lana sat up in her bed cradling her thighs and thinking about her dream. The dream seemed almost too real. Sergei was here with her and they were happy.
Climbing off the bed, Lana padded into the kitchen, she looked in her cabinets for something to eat. She knew anything in the fridge would be garbage if they hadn’t already emptied it. The cabinets were full of food, more than she had kept stored in there. She walked to the fridge just to check if they cleared it out for her. Opening it up, she found it fully stocked with everything she liked and lots of healthy treats. Lana made herself a quick salad and sat down on the sofa.
She turned on the television, but it only served as background noise to her thoughts, which were all back in Russia and France with Sergei.
“So how is your imprisonment going?” Sergei asked on the third evening at dinner. I wanted to laugh because he feigning seriousness that was so poorly done, it was pathetic.
“Same as always…purely dreadful.” I pretended to horrified. Being with him every day was starting to be all I wanted. Every time he left for work I wanted him to come right back. It was sickening, but I was addicted to his presence.
“Really? I think we need to do something about that.” I had been semi-kidding, but Sergei didn’t look like he was happy with my answer. “Maybe we should take a trip? Or I should let you go? Then maybe you’ll be happy again.”
“Whatever,” I said, trying not to be too happy about the idea of going away with him.
Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone rang. It was one of the detectives who worked at the department, Jack McDonald.
“Hey, Jack. What’s up?” Lana answered cheerfully.
“Nothing, I was just wondering if you were busy tonight. There is a barbeque at the chief’s house and well, we wanted to see if you would come. This is the first time you’ve answered us since you left. Hell, are you even back in town?” he asked hopefully.
“Yes, I actually just got back today. I would love to come. I need to get out of the house.”
Jack inquired anxiously, “Should I come and get you, or are you coming on your own?”
Suddenly Lana was feeling wary, but she decided it would be fun to go out. “I’ll drive myself. Thanks. What time?”
Jack sounded disappointed when he said, “It starts in twenty.”
“I need to shower and change, but I’ll be there in about an hour.”
“Great, doll. See you there!” Jack said before hanging up.
Lana got up with a need to shake off thoughts of Sergei, and Jack had just done that. She liked Jack. He was everything a man should be; honest, hardworking and handsome. She could really fall for him if she gave herself more time to socialize. Sounds like a plan.
She hurried up, showered and tried to find an outfit that hid Sergei’s markings on her body. She looked in the mirror at the bite
on her breast, caressing it and reliving the pleasure he gave her. Lana’s mind fought with the rest of her body. She wanted him so much, but didn’t want to end up like her sister. Bianca and Amber’s words did stick with her, but she was too afraid to go with it.
Lana left the house in a hurry and drove to the chief’s house. Just as she pulled up, Jack McDonald was walking from the back with a beer in his hand.
“Hey, Lana. I’m so glad you made it,” he said as he gave her an overly welcoming hug. He didn’t let go all the way, but he pulled back far enough that he could talk to her while staring into her eyes. “How have you been?”
“I’ve been good. You?” Lana could tell he was already smashed. She wondered if he started drinking the instant he got there. She was feeling a bit awkward.
“I’ve been good. Although I would be better if I knew where you’ve been.” His tone was a little too curt for her liking.
“I was away.” She hadn’t thought about what she would tell people about her absence.
“You took all your stuff out of the apartment and had it put back in matter of a week. It’s just odd, that’s all.”
A bit startled, she asked, “How do you know that?”
“I saw the moving people twice now,” he answered.
“But you don’t live anywhere near me.” Lana was starting to feel a little weirded out. The fact that he’d watched Sergei’s people come and go from her place on two separate occasions seemed suspicious. The hair on the back of her neck rose in fear.
“I was going to see why you left,” Jack justified.
“Did they tell you anything?” Lana asked, wondering what excuse they had given him.
“I didn’t talk to them,” Jack replied. “So why?”
“Why?” Lana asked, looking at him with a confused expression.
“Yeah, why did you move in and out?” His question was a little aggressive and made her feel more uncomfortable by the second.
Lana felt the need to explain herself and go inside. “I had the place remodeled and cleaned.”
“Oh. You didn’t need to quit because of it,” Jack said as Lana started to walk away.
“I didn’t,” she roared, and she continued walking to the steps with him trailing behind her.
“Did you run off with your Russian lover, the criminal?” Jack thundered as he grabbed her wrist, twisting her around to face him.
Pissed, Lana pulled her wrist away and hissed, “Listen Jack. I don’t know how much you’ve had to drink, but you’re going too far.”
“Going too far? You’re fucking a mobster when you should be gracing my bed.” He grasped her arm painfully, dragging her away from the house.
“Jack let me go!” Lana tried to pull out of his grasp, but she was out of luck.
“Did you fight him while he was fucking you?” he growled as he pulled her to him. He was too strong, and his grip too tight for her to break free. He then slammed his lips against her kissing her so roughly she could feel the bruising.
Lana could feel the tears stinging her eyes as her fear grew. Just as he pulled her hair to attack her neck, she felt him being tugged away. When she opened her blurry eyes Lana saw her Sergei stealing off Jack. He had to be pulled away by another man dressed in a suit, Sergei’s driver.
“Come near her again and being a cop won’t save you,” Sergei threatened Jack. His venom so strong the threat was surely a promise.
Sergei left the bloodied cop on the ground and walked up to his woman. “Lana, are you okay?” he asked gently as he looked at her tearstained face, swollen mouth and shivering body. “Lana?” Sergei reached out to her when she wouldn’t respond. The shaken Lana looked at him frightfully.
“Sergei?” Lana asked in a shuddering whisper.
“It’s me, love.” He took her into his arms and held her until the shaking stopped. Once she was calm, Lana looked around his massive arms at Jack, who still lay unmoving on the ground.
“Did you…did you kill…him?” Lana stuttered while looking at Jack.
“No, love, but I’m seriously considering it,” Sergei growled as he turned to look at the bastard lying on the ground. “Come. Let’s get you back to your place.” Sergei’s words were soft and gentle. He was doing what he could to make her feel safe.
He walked her back to the SUV waiting for them. His driver left the place as Sergei wrapped his arms around Lana, holding her tenderly.
They were about halfway back to her place when Lana asked, “How did you know where I was? Did you have someone following me?”
Sergei paused, giving a big sigh before he said, “Not quite. Don’t get mad, but I had your cell phone bugged.”
“Why?” There was a tone to Lana’s question that caught Sergei in his heart. She was offended.
Feeling like a dick, but having no option, he told her the truth. “It was Niko’s idea. He was afraid you’d call the police on me.”
“So you came here to stop me from having fun with my friends at a barbeque?” Lana seemed a bit put out, but really had just wanted answers.
“No, not at all. Besides it didn’t look like you were having fun,” he stated.
“No, I wasn’t. I’d just pulled up when he met me at the front of the house. So why did you come?” Lana looked up into his dark eyes as she pleaded for an answer.
“Nikolai was listening to the call, and as soon as my flight landed he told me. I wasn’t okay with you being out with other men, but I knew I was the one to send you away. On my way to Nikolai and Bianca’s house, I ran into Chief Evans. I stopped because he was in his uniform and was walking into the diner to grab his lunch. I asked him about the barbeque, and he looked at me like I was crazy. So I hurried here.”
“So there was no one else there, was there?” It was clear Lana was confused. Sergei continued to hold her and rub her back.
“I don’t believe so. I’m sorry.” He slid his hand through her hair and across her cheek, caressing her softly. Lana pressed her face into his hand. The feel of her skin against his tingled from the tips of his fingers to the center of his chest.
“Lana,” Sergei whispered as a benediction. He laid his head down against hers. Nothing was said as they held each other. Once they arrived at the house, the driver opened the door and Sergei carried Lana into the house, then sat down with her on the sofa.
Lord…that was close. If she thought he was going to let this go she was misguided. He was going to be out for blood and would bide his time. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her.
As Sergei held her, Lana sobbed into his chest. The anger that he was feeling was almost unbearable. He wanted to place her down and run after that bastard and make him pay for assaulting his future wife, because for him there was no other option.
Lana could feel Sergei’s racing heart as she pressed her head harder against his chest. She didn’t miss the tension his body was radiating, but somehow she knew that holding her helped. She lifted her head from his chest and he turned to meet her gaze. “Thank you, Sergei.”
“I’d do anything for you,” Sergei promised as he kissed her cheek. Her lips hurt, so she could tell that they were bruised.
“Somehow I’m starting to believe it,” Lana muttered.
With an open heart, Sergei responded, “You should. I shouldn’t say this right now, but I am because I haven’t stopped thinking about you since we met. I love you, Lana, so much more than you know.”
“Sergei,” Lana murmured before she reached up and pulled his head down to hers, kissing him. Their lips connected softly at first, but they became more intense as she moved from sitting in his lap to straddling him.
“Uh…Sergei,” Lana moaned out when he gripped her ass and pushed it until her pussy pressed firmly into his growing erection. She started to lightly grind into him, needing to feel him any way he’d let her.
Sergei wanted to move this into the bedroom and tear her clothes from her body, but he knew that after what happened and their already shaky relationsh
ip it just wasn’t right. He struggled but managed to tear himself from her and lightly placed her on the sofa. Sergei looked down at her. She was so beautiful with her hair all messy, eyes glazed and lips swollen from his touch. “I can’t do this right now.”
Lana gazed up at him, confused and afraid. She didn’t want him to leave her again. After what happened today, she had no doubt that he was different. He didn’t pretend to be something he wasn’t. Yes, he’d kidnapped her, but he did it to keep her from getting into his business.
She believed him when he said he hadn’t killed Claudio, but she knew Sergei had something to do with Santini’s disappearance. Finding her sister had been Lana’s only mission for the past year, and she let it become the most important thing, even getting in the way of her future.
If Sergei had been any other mobster, she would have been in the bottom of a ditch or missing forever. He did everything he could to get her to stop stalking him, but since she’d refused he felt like he had no choice to take her. It was something she understood since he took her, but she refused to let his kindness seep through because she was afraid.
“You don’t want me anymore?” Lana finally asked as he paced the floor.
Her words halted his movement. He turned to face her with a look of bewilderment so intense it was comical. Sergei approached, dropping to his knees in front of her and gripping her hands in his, and said, “Lana, I want you so much it’s unbelievable, but I won’t take advantage of your vulnerability. I want you to want me because you do, not because you’re scared. God, how did Luciano hold it together?”
“Their love for each other holds them together,” Lana said.
“You know?” Sergei looked at her in confusion.
“Yes, Amber told me when they drove me home from the airport.”
“I guess that’s why his cousin is dead.” The words came out with pure venom, and she knew that what happened earlier was in no way done. Jack wasn’t going to survive if Sergei got a hold of him again.
“Are you going to kill Jack?” Lana asked fearfully.
Sergei jumped up to his feet and looked at her with actual heartache. “I want to…so damn bad,” he growled.
Sergei's Stubborn Captive (The Captive Series Book 3) Page 7