by Cole, Jagger
I check the windows again. They’re fifteen feet away. This is gonna be tight, but it could work.
“Hey, Daniel!” I call out.
Belle’s head whips around to stare at me. “What are you’d doing?!” she hisses.
“Baiting him,” I grunt.
“Why?”
“Hey!” I yell again. “Danny! Did you manage to get the pee-pee out of your panties after I scared it out of you the other night?”
The men outside start chuckling. I glance back at Belle.
“That’s why.”
I need them loose. I need them distracted by the clown. I need their feet off-balance, because mine are squared.
“Keep laughing, shit head!” Daniel yells back. When I glance out the window, I can see him hopping from foot to foot, looking coked out of his gourd and waving a gun around.
Good. Play the part, clown.
“Hey Danny!” I smirk. “Sorry for stealing your girlfriend, buddy.”
I know it’s juvenile. But so is he. And the men outside start to snicker.
“Ya predpolagayu, chto ona ustala ot detskogo chlena!” I say loudly.
The men, Russians, roar with laugher. Belle raises a brow.
“I said you got tired of his baby dick.”
She rolls her eyes, but she giggles.
“Stop laughing!” Daniel barks. “Stop it! STOP it!” He whirls on Vadik, who’s also chucking. “Tell them to stop!”
“Hey Danny!” I yell. “Is it weird to be twenty years old and still pissing the bed?”
“I don’t—fuck you!”
The men outside are laughing their asses off now. At least they’re going to go out with smiles on their faces. Before anyone can realize what I’m up to, I kick the front door open wide. I lurch out of the doorway, spraying automatic fire from the rifle.
The men roar and dive behind their cars. Right. On. Plan.
The two pins slip out easily, and both grenades go sailing through the air. The first hits the hood of one car, the other rolls under a second. I dive back inside as the explosion detonates through the night.
Twin fireballs slam through the air, engulfing the men who were nearest. There’s screaming outside, and bullets start to pepper the side of the cabin.
“Down!” I roar at Belle. She goes flat on the floor and yanks herself under the bed, hands over her head. I lunge back out the door and start spraying more bullets into the survivors of the blast. Daniel is screaming and running around like a chicken with its head cut off. But I ignore him. He’s played his part.
I grab the last grenade, yank the pin out and toss it at the third car. When it explodes, most of the rest of the men get blown off their feet to lie motionless on the ground. Daniel just starts shrieking. He doesn’t even look hurt, but he starts booking it back down the dirt road away from the cabin.
It’s time to move. I bolt into the bedroom, grab Belle, and smash out the back door. The bike stars quickly. And the engine guns to life.
“Hang on tight,” I hiss.
Her arms fly around me, and we peel out from behind the cabin. We go flying past the burning cars and bodies. There’s a few guys moving, but they’re done. These aren’t professional soldiers, just goons. And getting blown halfway to kingdom-come has the fight snuffed right out of them.
I don’t see Vadik anywhere. But there’s enough bodies lying still on the ground that I have any idea about the fate of the Volkov second-in-command. If there wasn’t a war before, there sure as fuck is going to be one now.
The bike’s headlight illuminates Daniel as he runs headlong down the driveway screaming his ass off. I think about running the little shit down, but I decide to swerve instead. Belle isn’t as forgiving. Her foot juts out, catching him in the back of head. Daniel screams and goes down hard. I hear Belle giggling and whooping behind me, and I grin as we roar into the night.
Her arms hold me tight, her laughter is like music in my ears. My pulse is racing, but all I can do is smile.
Just me and the wind, and an angel on my back.
17
Nikolai
We drive for as long as I want to chance it. Back at the cabin, there were three cars worth of Volkovs but who the hell knows how many more are on the way or already fanned out on the boarders up here.
My eyes narrow. They knew where we were. That’s a fucking problem. That’s a huge problem, actually. I suddenly jam a hand into my jeans and whip out my burner phone. I wave it at Belle and she leans forward.
“Mine is at the cabin!” she screams.
I nod, and then toss mine behind us to shatter on the road. I gun the engine, gritting my teeth. I want to put some distance between us and the shit storm back at the cabin. But I also need to get off the road before someone else spots us. Another few switched roads, a couple of double-backs, and about fifteen miles later, I spot what I’m after.
The motel looks like a shithole. But that’s perfect. Even better, just past it there’s an equally shitty little general store looking place. I park at the motel, then we both head over to the store.
“Think I’m still recognizable?”
I smirk as I glance at Belle in the oversized track suit.
“You’ve honestly never been more attractive.”
She giggles. “I’ll wait out here.”
“Probably a good idea.”
Inside, I grab some basic toiletries and some sweats a t-shirt that might fit her. Then it’s time for camouflage. Belle might be dressed like a comical Russian gangster. But she’s still strikingly gorgeous, and one of the most recognizable faces in the country.
I pay with cash from the safe house, then it’s back to the motel. Belle waits outside, but the clerk barely even looks at me anyway. In the cruddy little motel room, I lock the door, and finally, we’re alone again.
“You did some serious shopping.” Belle raises a brow at the big bag of crap from the store. I dump the contents out, and she smiles.
“What?”
She grins and picks up the box of dark brown hair dye. “This is for me, right?”
I nod. “Sorry. It’s just that you’re—”
“Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to dye my hair?” She beams at the box. “Since I was ten. Seriously. I mean I like blonde, don’t get me wrong. I just never got to try anything else because it would ‘mess with the brand.’”
“Ready for your makeover?”
She grins at me. “Definitely.”
Belle draws the line at an actual haircut. But I don’t blame her. I wouldn’t trust myself to cut my own hair. But she does perch on the side of the tub as I put on the oversized plastic gloves and work the dye through her hair.
We sit on the floor against the bed, watching bad TV until the dye has done its thing. Then we both slip into the shower. I wash her hair slowly. But even after the dye is washed, I can’t take my hands away from her.
My lips find her neck. Belle coos softly as I nibble and suck. My cock thickens, throbbing against her ass. She turns her head, moaning as my mouth slides to hers. I kiss her, feeling the surge of lust burn inside of me.
With a growl, I push her against the tiled wall. My knee spreads her legs. She whimpers, reaching back to grab my hip. I slip my cock up between her thighs until the swollen head rubs over her lips.
“Niko…” she moans. I center the head and groan as I push into her.
“Fuck, baby…” I grunt in pleasure. Christ, she feels amazing every time. She’s so tight, and it feels like I can barely get my cock into her, even though she’s dripping wet.
My hands grip her hips, and I sink the rest of the way into her. Belle’s got one hand flat on the wall next to her cheek. The other reaches back to pull my hip, like she’s urging me on. She moans eagerly, whimpering as I start to fuck her harder.
My thick cock plunges into her heat. My body presses hers to the wall, my lips on her neck and shoulder. She pushes back, arching her back to get me as deep as I can get. I start to fuck her eve
n faster. My balls slap her clit with each thrust, and my fingers dig into her skin.
“Niko!” She cries out. “Oh God… I…”
“Me too…”
I rut into her, groaning as her hot little pussy clenches snug around my swollen dick. My hips smack her ass, her cries of pleasure are all I ever want to hear. I bury my lips in her neck as I sink as deep as I can and let go.
“I’m coming!” She moans loudly. Her body shudders and clenches. Her toes curl against the tub. I groan as my balls draw up and my cock surges inside of her. My hot cum spills deep in her sweet little cunt, over and over until we’re gasping.
I turn her in my arms, and I kiss her until the water runs cold.
I have no idea what time it is when we’re lying in bed, Belle in my arms. We’re both in matching sweats and t-shirts, like some old married couple. And I love it. I stroke her newly dark hair and lean down to kiss the top of her head.
“This is bad, isn’t it?”
I frown. “I think you look gorgeous as a brunette, actually.”
She grins. “No, I mean… the situation.” She looks up at me. “The thing at the cabin...Vadik is like pretty important with this Volkov family, isn’t he?”
“He’s the second in command.”
Her mouth thins. “So the situation is pretty bad.”
I nod, and my jaw grinds. “It could mean a bratva-on-bratva war. We…”
I shake my head.
“What?”
“We might be on the run for a long time.”
She nods quietly.
“Like forever.”
She smiles. “Okay.”
I frown. “Belle—”
“I said okay,” she whispers fiercely. Her gaze holds mine. “I’ll go wherever you go.”
“No, your career—”
“It would be sad to leave, but…” she shrugs. “I did it. I mean I ‘made it’ about as much as you can make it. Where would I go from here? Cling to roles until my looks fade?” Her lips twist as she raises a brow at me. “And they will, trust me. They always do, for everyone. So if you’re just after me because of my tits…”
I laugh loudly and lower my mouth to hers. I kiss her deeply, and then pull away shaking my head.
“Well, they’re a nice bonus.”
I tug the sheets away. My mouth dips to suck one of her nipples into my mouth. She moans softly and giggles when I give it a suck.
“I really like your tits,” I growl. “But I’m in love with this.” I point to her heart, between her breasts. “And this…” My hand raises to tap gently at her forehead. Belle’s staring at me with wide eyes and a blushing face. And it’s only then that I realize what I just said.
“Niko…”
But I’m not shying away from saying that to her. Not ever.
“I love you, Belle,” I growl. She turns in my arms, sliding hers around me as she looks up into my eyes.
“I love you too,” she whispers. Her eyes are wide as they hold mine. “I have since the day I jumped onto the back of your bike. And the last six months—”
“I missed you so fucking much,” I groan as I pull her into me. My lips crush to hers, and she whimpers into my mouth. Belle slides onto my lap, and my hands slip down to grab her ass.
I see the sweep of headlights through the blinds across the ceiling, but I ignore it. When another set, and then three more seem to pull up outside though, I pull away from her lips.
“Niko…”
We both hear the muttered words in Russian from outside at the same time.
Fuck.
I growl as I grab Belle and bolt into the bathroom. There’s a tiny window up near the ceiling that I think we could slip out of. But when I glance out of it, I see another car-full of men pull up out back.
I turn to look at her, and her eyes go wide.
“Belle—”
“I’m going to go with them,” she says thickly.
My lips curl into a snarl. “Like fucking hell you—”
“Yes,” she chokes. “I am.”
“Goddamnit—”
“They need me, Niko!” she hisses. “They’re not going to hurt me, because they need me. And I won’t help them unless they let you go, and they know it.”
“You’re not doing this,” I growl.
She looks up at me pleadingly, gripping my hands in hers. “It’s the only way…”
“NIKO!”
I close my eyes when I hear Vadik screaming my name outside. Guess the grenades didn’t get him back at the cabin.
“Get out here! Now!”
I look into Belle’s eyes. My mind replays every single kiss; every touch, every moment. But then I’m thinking of Mr. Palmer’s garage. I’m think of him telling me to fix my stance and teaching me to stand my ground when the other kids in the neighborhood wanted to gang up on me.
I think of my mother—going through hell, leaving every dream she ever had to come to this country and keep going.
My jaw ticks. I know what I have to do. I’ve been fighting my whole damn life.
I’m not dropping my fists now.
“I love you,” I groan deeply as I kiss her hard. And then before she knows what I’m doing, I pull away, step out of the bathroom, and slam the door.
“Niko?!” Belle screams.
I wince as I pull back and slam my weight sideways into the knob. It wenches, jamming sideways against the door frame.
“NIKO!?” She screams again, pounding on the door. I grit my teeth. I want nothing more than to open this door and take her in my arms forever. But there is no forever if she goes with them. There’s no us if she walks out of this motel room and goes back to being a prisoner to those fucks.
We could run forever—always looking over our shoulders, and dying hair, and staying in shitty motels. Or, I could end this, right here and right now.
I snarl quietly as I go to the bedside table and pick up both handguns from the safe house. I check both mags and snap them back in as I turn to the motel room door.
I’ve been training for this fight my whole life. And here’s the match bell.
I grunt as I tip the bed over and shove it against the windows. I grab the last grenade from the cabin that I’ve had stashed in my bag. I pull the pin and keep the switch pressed in my hand as I head for the door.
“Vadik!!” I roar.
“Niko, no!!” Belle screams, sobbing from the bathroom. “Please! Please no!”
I crack the front door open. “Okay! Vadik! You got me, okay? I’m coming out.”
“Easy,” he spits back.
I glance around the frame and grit my teeth. Shit, there’s like thirty fucking guys out there. I smile thinly. But there they are, still hugging the cars in groups. Idiots.
“Nice and easy, Nikolai!” Vadik yells. “And don’t you dare pull that grenade bullshit aga—fuck!”
My arm juts out of the door, and I fling the grenade right into the middle of them. Every gun in the parking lot opens up on me as I dive back into the room. There’s a whooshing BOOM, and the heat of the blast that blows out the motel windows tells me I’ve hit a gas tank.
I grin savagely as I pop up, both guns out. Vadik’s men are running around screaming and firing wildly. They’re untrained. But I am, thanks to the Marines. They’re shooting like they just need to unload.
I make every shot count.
Man after man goes down. I grunt, diving behind my cover when fresh waves of bullets smash through the walls and broken glass. I duck and roll into the doorway, popping off more shots before rolling away. I jump up again, but suddenly, my heart sinks. I’m out of rounds.
I roll back behind the mattress. But I know there’s nothing left in here. I close my eyes. I just want one more. One more fight. One more chance to keep swinging, if only just to keep her safe for as long as I can.
Bullets spray the outside wall. I can hear Vadik screaming commands, and even from here, I can tell they know I’m out. Any second now, they’re going to come throu
gh that door. I snarl as I slide a knife out of my belt. I crouch, ready for my last stand.
Then I hear the helicopter.
Huh?
I poke my head up just enough to see a huge, black helicopter lowering out of the sky. Vadik pales when it sets down in the middle of the parking lot. The engines die, the door swings open, and my eyes narrow as Yuri Volkov himself steps out.
Vadik runs up, hopping from foot to foot and talking a mile a minute. But the older Russian in the suit glares at him. He says one thing, and Vadik’s mouth clamps shut. Yuri turns toward the motel, scanning it as his jaw grinds.
But then suddenly, as if shit couldn’t get any weirder, someone else steps out of the helicopter behind him. Two someones, actually: my brother, and Viktor.
What the fuck is going on?
The rotary blades slow, and I realize I can hear voices outside again.
“Opustite oruzhiye. Prekrashcheniye ognya,” Yuri growls thickly at the men still alive outside.
Lower your weapons. Ceasefire.
He’s older, with hair silvered at the temples. But he’s still a beast of a man. He still looks like he chews iron and could punch through a fucking wall, even at his age.
“Yuri, please,” Vadik looks downright terrified as he coddles up to his boss, his face pale. “Just let me explain—”
Yuri’s hand slips into his jacket. Without even looking away from the motel, he suddenly pulls out a gun and pushes it into Vadik’s nose.
“Boss—!”
The gun fires. A very much headless Vadik slumps to the ground as Yuri quietly puts the gun away and narrows his eyes at my motel room door.
“Nikolai Antonov!” He bellows, like a bear. I grit my teeth. I glance past him. But both Lev and Viktor are impassive, just standing there with their arms folded over their chests.
I look across the havoc-wrecked parking lot and try and calculate how fast I could grab a gun from one of the fallen Volkovs. I’m about to make a break for it, when Yuri’s face softens.
“I would like to talk with Belle.”
My lips curl. “Go back to Russia, you fuck!” I yell out of the shattered window. “Not gonna fuckin happen—”