Roman fell silent. He came to a stop at the end of the driveway and yielded to traffic before merging. “You’re just learning this now?” he couldn’t help asking. “Your father was the man who killed Boris and kidnapped you. You defected because of him, Elena.”
“He… he was a good man to me, and that was what mattered!” Elena shot back. “He took care of me. He made sure I had everything I wanted. He was my father. But…”
“But?”
She glared at him. Mascara had streaked down her cheeks. “But what he did to my mother—the woman he claimed he loved—is inexcusable. How could he treat his own family like that? I don’t understand it...”
Roman focused on the road, but glanced at her from time to time from the rearview mirror. “Some men are bad men. There is no reason for what they do. Those are the men who are most likely to deceive—who will make you believe they’re something they’re not. Manipulation is a fearsome skill, Elena.”
“I…” Elena trailed off. She no longer sounded angry, only defeated. “I wish he wouldn’t have done what he did to her, locking her away in a place like that while my sister and I were away. I thought I knew him better than that.”
“Then use the anger in your heart to solidify your stance against him.” Roman wished he could brush the tears from her cheeks and wipe the smudges from beneath her eyes. “You already know that your father took another man’s life… and now you’ve seen that his evil is not neatly contained. A man like that doesn’t only lash out against his enemies. Take this moment and hold it close. Always remember it. The ones we trust the most are sometimes the least deserving of our loyalty.”
A look crossed through Elena’s tear-glossed eyes, like a cloud parting to reveal the sun. Then she turned her head away, focusing her gaze on the window. Roman let her be. He didn’t need an answer. If silence was what she wanted, he would give it to her.
“Where are we going?” Elena asked after a long while.
Roman found it in himself to smile. She sounded better. Having a cry had taken the edge off, and now it was his duty to make sure she was comforted the rest of the way. “Home; I’m only taking the long way to give you time to… recover some, from what you saw.”
“To the Sokolov estate?” Elena brushed at a stray tear on her cheek. “I don’t… I don’t want Alexandra or Viktor to see me like this. I don’t want to have this conversation with them. It was hard enough talking to you, and you’re… you.”
“They won’t see you,” Roman promised. “No one will see you. You won’t be bothered.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m taking you home, to my room.” Roman looked at her one last time through the rearview mirror, marveling at how strong she was. “No one will bother you there. And for as long as it takes—as long as you want—you’ll have sanctuary there.”
“With you?” Elena asked, something a lot like longing poorly masked in her voice.
“With me.” Roman smiled. “Always with me. I meant what I told you before—you don’t have to be alone. No matter what, I’ll keep you safe.”
14
Elena
Soft morning light streamed through Roman’s bedroom window. Elena opened her eyes to the rays and let them warm her through the blankets. Bleary-eyed, she blinked away the last remnants of sleep, then stretched and sat up in bed. Yesterday had been hard—harder than she cared to admit—but Roman had seen her through it. Even if he was an underling to Viktor, he had a good heart, and it was clear that he cared for her. He’d wiped away her tears, cleaned the smudged make-up from her face, and made love to her until her mind had been clear and she’d been able to sleep.
A good man like that was rare. If only he’d worked for her family, she found herself thinking, maybe she could have avoided all this mess and seen the truth sooner.
She glanced at Roman where he lay, observing the peace on his face as he slept. During the day, he was a brick wall—immovable, unemotional, and sturdy as anything. But when they were alone in the privacy of his bedroom? And when he slept? She saw the man he was deep down, and she knew his loyalty wasn’t just for show. Roman was the kind of man who would care for her even after she’d stopped caring about herself. When hard times hit—like they had yesterday—and she shut down, he was there to put her back together.
Elena allowed herself to smile as she looked down at him. She reached out and traced her fingers along his cheek, keeping her touch so gentle that it was barely there. Yesterday, she’d discovered that the father she’d once thought could do no wrong was a monster… but she’d also learned that a man not bound to her by blood, and one she’d considered an enemy, no less, had a heart big enough for both himself and her.
She couldn’t go through with the assassination. Her father wasn’t the man she’d thought he was, and his goals no longer suited her. Elena decided to place her loyalty where loyalty was due—in the man who’d been there for her even when she’d lashed out at him. He believed in her enough to endure her abuse and stick by her through her worst days. He was the one who deserved her best—not her father.
But she would not forget those who had been deceived in a similar way. Her poor mother, trapped and in such poor physical and psychological health, needed care, too. Elena would make sure she was cared for, even if her father wouldn’t.
She stretched and craned her neck from side to side, then swung her legs over the side of the bed and was about to stand when something outside the bedroom window caught her eye. A man stood casually on the grounds of the estate, his hands in his pockets, facing the street. The hairs on the back of Elena’s neck stood on end, and she stood slowly from the bedside, folding her arms across her bare chest. It wasn’t unusual to see men coming in and out of the mansion at any given time, but this man? She recognized him from his frame alone, even with his back turned on her.
It was Mikhail—one of the Popov enforcers. Elena had no doubt that he was waiting there for her.
She looked back at the bed, hoping to find Roman still asleep. As long as he didn’t wake up, she could dress, slip out of his room, and go to see what the hell Mikhail was doing here, of all places. Wasn’t he concerned about being caught?
On bare feet, Elena padded across the room. She found the jeans and panties Roman had stripped from her the night before and wiggled into them, then searched for her bra. It wasn’t near her other jettisoned clothing, it wasn’t on Roman’s side of the bed… so where was it? She dropped to her knees and peered under the bed, but it wasn’t there, either. Where the hell had it gone?
Elena rose and was set to continue her search when she stopped dead. Roman was sitting up in bed, her bra suspended by its strap from his outstretched finger. He hitched a brow. “Are you looking for this?”
Shit.
“Yes,” Elena said, doing her best to come across as casual. “Where did you find it?”
“It was beneath the sheets,” Roman said. “I took it off you in bed last night, and it got kicked around until it ended up in bed with us.”
“Oh.”
He continued to sit where he was. “What are you up to?”
An unwelcome frisson worked its way down Elena’s spine, but she resisted the urge to frown. She’d told so many lies to make sure that no one knew about what she was doing, but to lie to Roman about something like this after the conclusions she’d come to? It felt wrong. “I need to step out for a little while. After you took such good care of me, I feel better. I’m going to go tend to business with my mother… to make sure that she has a permanent, caring nurse on staff at all times, and access to whatever medicines she needs. I have a feeling that my father has paid off the facility to make sure she receives minimal, unsatisfactory care. There’s no reason she should be in such a state.”
Roman offered her a smile. “You know, Viktor hasn’t gotten in touch with me yet today. There may not be any business I have to attend to. I could escort you, if you want.”
“Oh, no, thank you.” El
ena returned his smile. It was earnest. Roman’s offer was sweet, and she could tell by the tone of his voice that it was sincere. “This is really something I have to do by myself. I feel like it would be too complicated, getting someone else involved, especially since the Sokolovs don’t know she’s alive, you know? If word got out, it would cause unnecessary drama… especially if they found out that you knew, and weren’t telling them.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“So this is something I’ve got to do alone.” She shrugged, offering an apologetic smile. “You understand, right?”
“I do. I don’t like it, but I do.”
Elena resisted the urge to pump her fist in victory. As long as she kept Roman off her back, she could talk to Mikhail and hopefully send him away without incident. She wasn’t sure if the Sokolovs knew he was an enemy enforcer or not—or if he was on the Sokolov payroll—but she’d rather play it safe. A discreet conversation was best for all parties. She’d get it done, get Mikhail sent away, and move on with her life, making all of those assurances regarding her mother that she’d just told Roman were at the forefront of her mind.
Easy peasy.
As if.
Elena took her bra from Roman and fitted it to her chest. She found her shirt, then located her shoes. Roman watched from the bed—she felt his eyes follow her across the room, and even given her dire situation, she couldn’t help but feel a little flattered.
“If anything goes wrong, you’ll let me know, right?” Roman asked. She turned to look at him and noticed the way the blankets pooled on his lap. His broad, toned chest was on full display, and she remembered the touch of his warm skin against hers. In Roman, she had safety.
“Right. I will. I’ll be back soon, okay?” Elena smoothed down her shirt and glanced in the small mirror attached to Roman’s dresser. How did he get by without a full-length mirror? She clucked her tongue, decided her face was far too plain this morning, but understood that there was nothing she could do about it. Mikhail needed to be dealt with. When he was gone, she could get back to her new normal.
To Roman.
“Be safe,” Roman bid her. The dark look in his eyes when his gaze passed over her made her want to climb back into bed with him and forget all about Mikhail, but she knew that she couldn’t. It wouldn’t be safe for any of them if she did. Instead, she blew him a kiss and winked.
“Always am. I’ll be back soon. Maybe you could drive me to Starbucks after, chaufferone. You can keep an eye on me there as well as you can keep it on me here.”
He laughed. “We’ll see.”
That tiny bit of hope—of normalcy—was enough to keep her going. Elena took her leave of the room and headed for the stairs, destined for Mikhail and whatever he had to say to her. She’d put an end to whatever drama he was looking to start before it happened. She would not let her father’s will shape her life again.
15
Roman
The door closed behind Elena, and Roman was alone. He sank back into bed and stared for a brief moment at the ceiling, allowing a grin to stretch his lips. The floral scent of Elena’s perfume had been left behind on his pillows, and he remembered the heat of her body beneath the sheets and the way the mattress had dipped just slightly when she’d settled down next to him. Simple pleasures like this—why hadn’t he chased them earlier in life? A sensation of peace settled in his bones, and relaxation gripped him as it never had before.
What he’d found with Elena? It was bliss in the simplest, least complicated way he could imagine it. It was happiness, even when that happiness was edged with pain. And after a night like they’d shared the night before… Tender, yet passionate? Gentle, yet demanding? He never wanted to give it up.
Roman gave up on bed and eased himself to his feet. He went to shower, then dressed at a leisurely pace and went to seek out Viktor. It was unusual that Viktor would be out of touch for so long, and Roman considered it his duty to follow up with what was happening in his boss’ life. He found Viktor seated at the dining room table with Alexandra.
“Good morning, Roman.” Viktor lifted his chin to look at Roman as he entered. “Good morning, Roman.”
Roman nodded politely. “Good morning, Viktor. Alexandra.”
“Hey, Roman,” Alexandra said with a smile. “It’s funny you’d show up. We were just talking about you.”
Roman arched a brow. “In a positive context, I hope.”
“Of course.” Viktor laughed, grinning slyly. “I was just mentioning to Alexandra how odd it is that, since Elena has come to stay with us, you’ve been so quiet and distant… and how much louder your bedroom is at night.”
Alexandra giggled. Embarrassment burned up Roman’s neck, but he kept his face impartial.
“You know, Roman, Elena can be very persuasive,” Alexandra said. She folded her arms on the table and leaned forward, looking up at him in amusement. “I had a feeling that she’d end up in your company once she came to live here—something about the two of you made sense to me. I’m glad to see I wasn’t wrong. I think you’re good for her.”
“I just don’t believe that she could convince our chaste monk, of all people, to take her to bed.” Viktor grinned, and Roman finally clued into the look—it was humorous congratulations. “It’s good to see you’re finally living, Roman.”
Roman nodded tersely. The heat of embarrassment made it to his jaw. “Thank you.”
“Now.” Viktor sat up straight and let the humor ebb from his face. “Was there something you wanted to discuss?”
“Yes.” Roman stepped toward the table, closing some of the space between himself and Viktor. There was no one else in the room, but there were ears everywhere, and if Viktor had something to tell him, he didn’t want it to spread. “I know that I’ve been shirking my duty lately, and you have my apologies for that. It won’t happen again. Since I haven’t followed up with you recently, I wanted to check in and see if you had any outings planned.”
“None.” Viktor arched a brow. The smirk returned to his face. “I figured that you’d be busy, so I’ve made alternate plans. Alexandra is grateful to have me home for a while, anyway.”
Roman nodded. It was good to see Viktor in such a fine mood, even after he’d pushed his duties aside in the name of chasing personal pleasure, but at the same time, Roman hoped that Viktor didn’t think less of him for his carnal weakness. His life was sworn to the Sokolovs—they were the ones who’d brought him in when he’d had nowhere else to go, and the ones who had given him a second chance at life after his time in the military had ended. The last thing Roman wanted was to allow Viktor to think his loyalty had strayed.
“Is there anything else you wanted to ask, Roman?” Viktor asked.
Roman shook his head. “No.”
“Then, I suppose, you’re free until tomorrow.” The good humor in Viktor’s eyes never changed. “Alexandra and I plan to be occupied with each other for the rest of the day. We would appreciate privacy, as I imagine you might.”
“Of course.” Roman nodded. He straightened his posture. “Thank you. Enjoy your time with each other.”
“We will.” Alexandra winked. “Thanks for checking in on us, Roman. Have fun with your day off.”
Roman issued them a quiet goodbye, then left the dining room to return to his bedroom. As he passed through his door, he pushed a hand through his hair and let out a sigh. When he’d started with the Sokolovs, he’d requested that he never have days off—his job was his passion, and it was what allowed him to drown out the lack of anything else in his life. But so much had changed in so short a time, and he was left floundering with what he truly felt.
He was appreciative of the time off, certainly, but at the same time, he was startled by it. The prospect of enjoying time outside of work was new to him… and the idea of spending it with a woman even newer. He glanced out the bedroom window as he crossed the room, wanting to check on the current state of the sky to see if the weather would allow him to take Elena somewh
ere outside, when he noticed her on her way across the grounds… heading toward a man who stood near the street. Roman approached the window and peered out, narrowing his eyes to try to see more clearly. The man turned to face Elena, allowing Roman to see him in full. To his surprise, he recognized who it was.
Mikhail.
Mikhail had served with Roman in the army. They’d gotten to know each other thanks to their shared heritage, but had parted ways and failed to keep in touch.
What was he doing here, on the Sokolov estate, Roman wondered. And what was he doing with Elena?
Roman watched Mikhail nod at Elena, then lead her out of sight of the frontward facing windows of the house. Once she was out of his line of view, Roman grabbed his phone and dialed an old mutual friend of his and Mikhail’s, Konstantin. The phone rang, and Roman grimaced as he waited for it to connect. He needed answers.
“Hello, Roman,” Konstantin greeted him.
“Konstantin,” Roman said, emoting far more than he usually would. The joy in his voice served a purpose—he wanted to put Konstantin at ease. “It’s been a long time. You remember me, don’t you?” he joked.
“How could I forget?” Konstantin laughed. “What are you up to these days, old friend?”
“I’ve taken on chauffeur work,” Roman said simply. Konstantin didn’t need to know the details. “Nothing too exciting. It pays the bills.”
“I hear you.”
“But you know, I thought of you after all this time because I ran into one of our old friends, Mikhail.”
“Mikhail?” Konstantin snorted. “God, I haven’t heard that name in ages. How is he doing? The last I heard, he’d found work for the Popov family.”
Roman’s stomach dropped. He eased away from the window and sat at the side of his bed. “He looked good. Just as strong as ever. I didn’t find out where he was working. We exchanged a few words in passing. How have you been doing, Konstantin? It’s been a while. Fill me in.”
Falling for the Mob Soldier: Sokolov Brothers Book Two Page 8