by Leslie North
Kostya crossed his arms. “Tori, I can tell you are worried about something. You have a face—they would call it expressive. You show everything, you know. And I would like…well, I can help if you would but let me. I promise you I am very good at solving problems. It is what I do best.”
She shook her head. “My problem has nothing to do with business.”
Kostya raised his chin. “Just how much did Raul tell you about the new working arrangements?” He leaned a hip against the table behind him. “Did he even tell you to expect my arrival—or my taking over?”
Tori shrugged. “He said he’d taken on some new partners and one of them would be arriving this week to look over things.”
Shaking his head, Kostya looked down at the ground. When he looked up again, Tori saw his lips twitch. “Raul is a liar and it is a very good thing that he has already left the country.”
Tori frowned. “I don’t understand. What’s the big deal?”
“Tori, do you not know I am Bratva.”
Throwing her hands wide, she told him, “I have no idea what Bratva is or why that should that make any difference to me.”
“You have so much to learn. But there is nothing to be gained from hiding the truth from you. Come take a walk with me and I will tell you a story.”
Tori waved a gloved hand at the plants. “I have work to do.”
“It will wait for a few minutes. I do not think the plants will walk off while you come and have breakfast with me.”
Tori blinked. “You cook?”
Kostya offered her a smile. “I think I can do eggs. What—you cannot?”
“Well…I usually make do with a diet soda.”
He shook his head. “That is not a proper breakfast. Especially after the energy you expended last night.” He grinned. “What—you would rather pretend it didn’t happen? That will not make it so.”
Pulling off her gloves, Tori lifted her head. She met his direct stare. “Last night was last night. It has no bearing on this morning.”
“And what does that have to do with you needing to eat? Come. Let us see today how well you take orders.”
Muttering curses, Tori threw down her gloves and followed Kostya.
Chapter 14
Kostya flipped the last pancake. He slipped it onto Tori’s plate, and picked up the second plate. Earlier, he had driven out to a grocery store to pick a few things he would need if he was staying. It had indeed been too long since he had been in a kitchen—he had burnt the first three pancakes. He talked as he cooked, and Tori sat on a stool pulled up to the kitchen island. For once she did not talk and talk. And her eyes got larger and larger as she listened.
Glancing at the pancakes, she asked, “So, let me get this straight—basically, the Russian mafia decided it wanted into Colorado. The Cordoba’s were looking for partners, but instead of being equals, your family’s taking over their whole operation?” She waved a fork around her at the warehouse.
Pulling up a stool next to her, Kostya passed her the syrup. Real maple and not the fake kind. He despised such cheapness in a kitchen. “Not quite. Raul and his brother still have control of what happens in their other operations. They will be handling all of the export out of the state.”
“Wow—you really are the boss. I thought…well, I thought Raul was at least smart enough to keep what was his.”
“Do you mind that?”
Tori poked at her pancakes with one finger. “Honestly—I have a hard time feeling sorry for Raul or Terrence. But…I just…I…”
Kostya bit into his pancakes and waved for her to speak.
She put her fork down. “Okay, here’s the thing. I’m relieved to have someone who might really understand the business be heading this up, but…I just don’t know what it means to be working for the Russian mafia.”
“You worry if we don’t like the job you do, we will simply kill you?”
Tori frowned.
Kostya could see the wheels turning in her head. “Tori, nothing much is going to change, except that instead of working so many hours, you will have a saner schedule for the same pay.”
“So, you really are willing to pay me what I was making when I was working fourteen hour days and you want me to work less?”
“Exactly.” He pointed to her plate. “Now, eat. These are buttermilk pancakes and very good.”
“You mean the unburned ones?”
“For that, you can help with the dishes. After that, I will join you in the warehouse. I didn’t get a full tour yesterday and I would like one now.”
Tori picked up her fork again. “That I can handle.”
***
Four hours later, Tori had taken Kostya everywhere. He actually asked good questions. Even more surprising, he listened. At first, she thought the whole “tour” thing was an excuse—a way to spend time with her. But while she caught him looking at her ass a few times, he never tried to cop a feel, and he really did pay attention. He wanted to know about everything, too—the full spread of how to grow weed for fun and profit. Particularly the profit part of it.
Her mouth was dry from talking, she was ready for a break, and a little bit worn out. Kostya looked like he could do the whole tour again.
Bringing him back into the main growing room, she asked him, “Anything else?”
He nodded. “I want to meet the other workers.”
“Uh…well…”
“What? What is wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong exactly. It’s just…well, Terrence didn’t like paperwork, or giving money to Uncle Sam unless he had to. We only have two workers in this warehouse besides myself and neither of them are what you’d call legal.”
Kostya glanced at Juan and Miguel who stood several rows away from them, working with the plants. “Did Raul bring them across the border?”
Tori shrugged. “They were already here when I started. They both speak English, but Terrence paid them in cash. And…well, they both get a little nervous around strangers.”
Kostya nodded. “That explains the looks they have been giving me. Very well. I will stay with you for the rest of the day. You can teach me what needs to be done.”
Way to go, Tori. Now you’re stuck with him. But was that really so bad? She’d snuck in a few glances herself of his ass when he’d leaned over to check out the barrels of soil they kept lined up against one wall. And she kept remembering what he’d done to her last night. How he’d touched her—how he’d taken possession of her. She shivered and pushed up her chin. “Whatever. But I have plans this evening.”
He gave her a sideways look. “Oh, yes?”
She nodded. And why did she feel like she had to tell him anything—but the urge to explain why she wasn’t going to be here for a repeat of last night pushed at her. “Yeah. I’m heading over to The Cellar? It’s a club—and not some place where you’d be comfortable.” She glanced at him. “No—not your kind of place at all.”
“Does that mean I’m not invited? I thought we had a deal.” Kostya put his hand over his heart. “I am wounded.”
Tori frowned at him. She hated that he could do this to her—dammit, he was supposed to be her boss. But he was going to put her on salary, and maybe she really should not be pissing off a Russian mobster. She pushed out a breath. “Oh, you’re welcome to tag along, I just don’t think it’s some place you will fit in.” She shrugged. “Then again, with your tats, maybe you will. Now if you’re going to do some work, grab some gloves.”
Kostya strode away. He came back with gloves and pruning shears. She pulled on her gloves and showed him how to trim the leaves, cutting off dead growth and keeping the plant focused on growing taller. Kostya learned quickly. She showed him how to check the soil moisture and how to tag the plants that were ready to be harvested.
Soon they were working side-by-side, making short work of a job that would have normally taken Tori hours. She’d just started on the last row when her cell phone vibrated in her pocket..
She pulled off
her gloves and pulled the phone from her pocket.
A very soft, small voice spoke her name. Ice chilled her skin. “David? David, what’s wrong?”
Chapter 15
Tori pulled in a breath and clutched her phone tighter. David would only call her in an extreme emergency. He knew it was too risky, and had the potential to ruin everything she had been working for the last few months.
“Tori, when are you coming to get me?”
Tears burned her eyes and nose. She walked a short distance away and leaned against one of the support pillars. She put her entire being focused on the voice of the little boy on the other end of the phone line.
“Sweetie, I just need a few more weeks.”
“Tori, things are bad. Please come get me today. Please?”
A tear spilled over and ran hot down her cheeks. She swiped at it. No way she could show up at the house without the full amount her stepfather wanted in exchange for David’s freedom. He’d just take whatever she had and then he’s swear she hadn’t paid him. Her stepfather was a mean son-of-a-bitch, emotionally and verbally abusive. When she’d turned eighteen, she’d. She’d thought Mom would at least continue to protect David. She hadn’t counted on Mom’s liver failing. Her mother had died. And Tori hadn’t been able to get custody of her brother.
On the surface her stepdad seemed an upright businessman, a giver to the community, a nice guy. He didn’t hit his wife’s kids. No…he did worse. He lectured, he yelled…he said things that cut deeper than a knife and left invisible bruises.
She’d tried to take David fifteen months ago. They’d been caught and her stepfather had charged her with kidnapping. Because she was David’s sister—and she’d never been in trouble before—she’d been given a slap on the hand and warned. If she tried it again, she’d end in prison. But she had to get David out of there.
At nine, David deserved a lot more—he deserved to be a kid. And Tori had dug deep enough to figure out her stepdad’s business wasn’t going so well. He needed money. She made an agreement with her stepfather. He’d sign over guardianship for twenty thousand. Cash. And it had to be paid to him within another thirty days.
“Tori? Please. He hit me last night.”
Tori sucked in a breath. Her skin chilled and red hazed her vision. “David, where is he now? Did he go to work like usual?”
“Yeah. He… Tori, he locked me in the closet.”
Taking a calming breath, she spoke softly into the phone, “David, I’m coming for you. Grab whatever you want to take. I’ll be there in twenty, okay?”
“Okay.”
“And, David…be safe. Just sit tight and don’t be scared. Don’t do anything to make him mad. I’ll deal with him.”
She hung up and strode for her office. She yanked her suitcase from its hiding place and then rummaged through it until her hand closed on the large Bowie knife—the one her dad had left her. She didn’t know a damn thing about guns, but her dad—her real dad—had taught her how to handle a hunting knife. As a girl, she’d practiced with it until it had become an extension of her own hand.
She had over nineteen thousand dollars stashing in the floorboard of her car. She’d take David and they’d run. She’d run so far and fast their stepdad would never find them. Dammit, she should have done this months ago. She should never have trusted that Earl’s meanness would stay to just saying terrible things.
She heard her office door shut and she jumped. She looked up to see Kostya standing in front of the door, staring at her.
She grabbed her suitcase and started pushing clothing back into it. “I’m sorry, Kostya. I really am, but I quit!”
“What is going on? Now you must tell me who is this David? Why do you look as if you are about to carry out a vendetta?”
Tori shook her head, “There are more important things in this world. You’ll find someone else.”
She grabbed her suitcase and looked at Kostya. “I have to go now.” Tori glanced at the clock and back to Kostya. “And that means right now.”
Kostya stood in front of the door, his arms crossing over his chest. “I am not going anywhere, and you are not either. Not until after you tell me what is happening? And not until you tell me what that knife is for.”
Chapter 16
Kostya nodded to the large Bowie knife Tori had pulled from her bag. Why would she have such a weapon? This woman never failed to surprise him.
She shot him a twisted grimace. “It’s for hunting. Now, please move. If I had time to explain, I would, but I don’t.”
“Yes, you do.” Kostya planted his legs wider. “You are agitated. Something in that call upset you. Greatly. Tell me what is happening and I’ll help you.”
“You can’t help me! No one can. This is my business, so just get out of my way. I’m running out of time!”
“What does this have to do with David?”
Tori stiffened. He could see in her eyes that she had realized he meant to keep her here until she told him what was going on. Obviously it was some kind of trouble. A very grave one for her to pick up such a knife as that one. He had no fear of such a weapon. He could easily take it from her. But he did not want her walking out of here to face…to face anything. He had to admit the truth to himself—she had become far more than someone he had just met. She was far more than an employee. He did not want to look at how quickly things were moving between them, but it was impossible now not to deal with what was in front of him.
He saw her throat work. Her skin seemed far paler in the weak lights in her office. She wet her lips and told him, “David is my little brother. He’s in danger and I need to go rescue him. And I’m on a clock here.”
Kostya pressed his lips light. He disliked men who hurt children. They were the worst of the worst. “Who is trying to hurt your brother?” He kept his stare locked onto her face. He decided he did like anything that brought tears to those violet eyes. He could see the shimmer of pain… and he could see fear in her eyes. A large amount.
“My stepfather. Earl Barlow. Now, please, Kostya, I need to go.”
Kostya shook his head. “How old is David?”
“Nine. He’s nine, okay? And he’s locked in a closet and he’s no match for my stepfather. I thought…it doesn’t matter what I thought. What matters is that David needs me and I have to save him before—”
She cut off her words and pressed her mouth tight, but Kostya knew what she was thinking. Before my brother is dead.
Kostya didn’t need to hear any more. He stepped back and gestured for her to precede him from the office, “I will drive. You will give me directions.”
Tori shook her head, “No! You can’t get involved.”
He gave her a small smile. “This is a bad habit you have of telling your boss what he should do or cannot do. We must work on that. For now, leave your suitcase here. We will go rescue your brother and then you will tell me the whole story once your brother is safe. I will help you figure out a solution to your problem. Believe me; I have many more resources at my disposal than you do. I really can help.”
Tori let out a frustrated growl, but she dropped her suitcase, pushed past him and hurried toward the garage. “What are you going to do? Kill him for me? That’s about the only solution to this problem, unless you want to loan me twenty thousand dollars?” She glanced sideways at him. “I could pay most of it back.”
Kostya opened the door for her. She started for her battered VW. He grabbed her arm and shifted her toward his Mercedes. “If you are in a hurry, you do not want to break down on the way. As to the rest…” He lifted a hand and opened the car door for her. “It would not be the first time I have killed as a way of solving a problem. And it will not be the last. But let us first see what is required, shall we?”
She shivered and her eyes widened. “Shit—you’re serious.”
“I do not joke about killing. That is a serious business.
She pulled in a breath, but she got in the car.
She buckled h
er seatbelt, Kostya got in and the engine purred to life. He had already found an automatic opener for the garage. He punched the button. As soon as the door slid open, he punched the gas. Ice coated the roads, but Kostya had driven in worse. He kept the car just over the speed limit. No sense attracting the notice of any law enforcement.
Next to him, Tori wrapped one hand around her shoulder belt, her knuckles white. “If I can get to David, there won’t be any reason for you to kill today. We’ll just disappear and that will be the end of it.”
“We? You mean you and your brother?” Kostya glanced at her and shook his head. “No one is going to disappear until you have told me the entire story. Now please direct me to where your little brother waits. We will retrieve him and see is he safe and then you and I are going to have a chat.”
Tori stared at him, her mouth open. She snapped it closed. “What’s the catch? This isn’t…you’re not just looking out for an employee. And you want to get on the freeway here.”
He accelerated onto the freeway as she had directed. Glancing at her, he asked, “Why must there always be a catch?” He smiled. “I admit I am not much of a white knight, but let us just way I like to do not like to leave problems to fester. Much better to lance these small boils and have done.”
She shook her head and put her stare on the road. “I…thanks. But…I’m not going to be able to hang around. My stepdad—Earl has connections.”
“So do I, milaya moya. So do I. For now…let us drive.”
Chapter 17
Grigori drove the sleek Mercedes, and Val sat in back with Nikolai, who had asked they take the long route to the cemetery. Val had finished a full report to Nikolai about what had happened at the Yakuza club. Danil’s funeral and eulogy would be held and then Nikolai would return to Vegas to meet with the other Pakhans.
Val glanced out at the desert. The clear blue sky looked inviting, but winter hung in the air. Snow would soon powder the mountains around Las Vegas. He glanced at Nikolai, who let out a breath. “The sooner we get this behind us, the better. Katya is going to be presented to the leaders this afternoon right before we break for dinner. I would like you both to be there.”