Dirty Obsessions: An Interracial Russian Mafia Romance (The Lion and The Mouse Book 5.5)

by Kenya Wright

  I switched to the next view. It was the main living room. There, eight more men gathered. Four of them played poker around the table and smoked cigars.

  The other four sat on the couches and watched a football game. I zoomed into the television. It looked like Spartak Moscow was beating Zenit.

  The living room’s entrance was near a hallway. I slid the screen to the side. The view of the condo’s front door showed one man standing on the inside, right at the end of the hallway. I guessed he was the first line of defense and was expected to let the others know that someone was coming.

  Sighing, I looked up at Yefim. “Sixteen men are inside the condo. Do you think the Xecutioners can handle them?”

  Yefim nodded. “If they weren’t capable, they would have already been dead.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Misha would have already killed them by now. Because he hasn’t, tells me that they’re the men for this job.”

  My heartbeats increased.

  “Our men will handle all the guys around the building as quietly as possible. That’ll get the Xecutioners into the condo.”

  “One of us should go into—”

  Yefim shook his head. “I can’t let you do that, and I must remain by your side. If something happens to you. I will not only be harmed but my family too.”

  “Then I’ll stay safe inside of the limo.”

  “Thank you.”

  My phone rang.

  I picked it up. “Hello?”

  “Are you ready?” Circuit asked.

  “I am.”

  “You stay your ass in that limo with your guards. First sign of trouble and they’ll drive you off.”

  “I understand.”

  “I see where you’re located. You’re five minutes away. Get ready.”

  “What else can I do besides wait for the Xecutioners to kill the men?”

  Circuit replied, “Once they’re done, your limo will pull up, grab Valentina and the baby.”

  “Where will I take them? Should it be back to the—”

  “You haven’t dealt with Valentina much?”

  “No.”

  “Valentina will go wherever she wants to. Once you drop her off, get your ass back here immediately.”

  “And you should have news about Misha?”

  “I will.”

  “Have his back.”

  “I will, Ava, but make sure nothing happens to you.”

  “Trust me. I don’t plan on getting harmed. My job is easy. Talk to you later.” I hung up.

  Minutes later, we made it to the area we would be waiting at. My driver parked us next to a restaurant. The Xecutioners sped by us on their bikes. They had nothing with them besides a few knives underneath their jackets. One had a sword strapped on his back.

  Can they really do this?

  When they’d left with us, I figured they would grab several weapons. They brought nothing else but the knives and swords with them. Not bags or tools.

  I tapped the side of the door. “They didn’t take any guns.”

  Yefim asked across from me. “That worries you?”

  “Aren’t guns helpful when doing stuff like this?”

  “You would think so. And looking at the Xecutioners, they’re not physically impressive.”

  I was impressed.

  While the Xecutioners didn’t have bulging muscles like the brotherhood, they were cut and sculpted.

  “However, do not worry. They’re not having guns is a good thing.” Yefim continued. “Usually, guns are fast and knives are slow. That’s the unspoken law.”

  “Then why not have guns?”

  “A woman and baby are involved.”

  I turned his way. “Okay. They don’t want a stray bullet to kill them.”

  “That’s my thinking. If I were going in, it would be knives”

  My phone rang.

  I picked up. “What’s going on?”

  “Our people have surrounded the building,” Circuit said. “All right. They’re taking out the guys in the front and back with silencers.”

  I checked my iPad. “No one in the condo has been alerted.”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “Have the Xecutioners made it there?”

  “As soon as our people took out the guards, they entered through the back. We have a couple more of our men following them inside.”

  I swallowed down fear. “And where is Misha?”

  “Heading to the restaurant. He won’t go inside until he knows Valentina and Natalya are safe.”

  “Makes sense.”

  “Okay.” Circuit sounded tense. “We have two minutes before you see them on your iPad. The Xecutioners are now in the hallway. They’ve taken out the guards by the elevators.”

  I hadn’t realized there were guys over there.

  “You should probably stop watching when they enter the room.”

  I widened my eyes. “Why?”

  “This is getting messy.”

  “It’s my. . .mission. I’m watching.”

  “Mission?” Circuit chuckled. “You’re perfect for Misha.”

  “What?”

  “He loves all those spy novels. In fact, I think he believes he is a spy.”

  I was intrigued with the information. I was going to ask more, but the Xecutioners snatched away my attention.

  They must’ve knocked.

  The guard at the door turned around and opened it.

  Hiro zipped in and slashed the man’s throat. The guard fell forward. Hiro slammed the back of his neck and dragged him out of the condo.

  Oh!

  My gaze remained glued to the screen. None of the other Solntsevskaya were aware of what happened. In the living room, the four kept playing poker while the other four watched the game on TV.

  Circuit’s voice filled the limo. “Here we go.”

  I set the phone next to me.

  Please, God.

  Other Xecutioners slowly walked down the hall and stopped near the living room’s entrance, but didn’t step out. They remained there. The Xecutioner with the black hat peeked out a little, leaned back, and raised eight fingers.

  My nerves frazzled. I tapped the side of the iPad.

  On the screen, Hiro entered the hallway, walked down, and stopped by the entrance.

  Circuit’s voice sounded in the limo and made me jump. “Let the games begin.”

  “Are there any more of Leonid’s people around the building?”

  “Our men are checking. This is looking good so far, Ava.”

  “Let’s just hope it stays that way.”

  On the screen, Hiro whistled from the hallway. One of the guards muted the television. Hiro whistled again. Two men grabbed their guns, rose from the couch, and headed that way. All the other guards readied themselves. There was no more attention to football and poker games.

  Yefim spoke. “If Hiro had a gun, he would have entered and shot.”

  “But they have to be careful about the baby.”

  Yefim bobbed his head. “So, he called the men forward.”

  “But the Xecutioners haven’t taken their knives out.” I bit my lip.

  “They will.”

  One of the guards entered the hallway. Hiro slammed into the man’s side, grabbed his hand, and twisted the body to the floor. He chopped the back of the neck. The man crashed to the ground. The other guard charged for Hiro’s back. Hiro spun his way, lashed out with his right, and smashed the man’s head into the wall. Blood spilled from the guy’s eyes.

  Jesus Christ!

  The rest of the Solntsevskaya jumped from their locations and charged forward, pointing their guns.

  Shit!

  The blond Xecutioner grabbed my attention. He delivered two blows to one guard’s head and kicked another one in the center of his chest.

  The blue-haired Xecutioner weaved a guard’s wrist around in a circle, dived for his ankles, and yanked the big man down to the ground. Once he crashed on the floor, Blue Hair rained hard
blows to his chest.

  Three left.

  The knives and sword came out next.

  Circuit shrieked. “The guys from the kitchen are coming with guns and butcher knifes!”

  My heartbeat picked up. “And the men around Valentina and Natalya, what are they doing?”

  “They moved Valentina and the baby into the closet. They have their guns pointed at the door.”

  I shook my head. “How the hell are the Xecutioners going to avoid the bullets? Did we get them bulletproof vests?”

  Yefim shook his head. “They didn’t want them. Hiro said vests weighed them down.”

  “Circuit, can you communicate with Hiro?”

  “Yes. I have a bud in his ear.”

  “Make sure he knows Valentina and the baby are in the closet and that the guns are pointed at the door.”

  “Already did it.” Circuit laughed. “You’re getting the hang of this.”

  I rolled my eyes. While Circuit was having a grand old time, I was close to having a heart attack. I touched my chest and watched the events.

  Please, God. Please, God.

  Manic chaos erupted on the screen. It was a crescendo of screams, grunts, slicing, and shooting. The men from the kitchen had entered. Fived armed men against eight blade-wielding proved to be no real match at all.

  Hiro and the Blond were already heading to the bedroom as his brothers took care of the men in the living room.

  A minute later, and all the Xecutioners surrounded the bedroom’s door. None of them stood in front of it. Four Xecutioners were on the right. The others on the left. Misha’s people were several feet behind them.

  Circuit spoke. “They can’t shoot until we know Valentina and Natalya are safe and away from the targets.”

  Pain bloomed in my chest. “This is almost over.”

  Yefim took my hand and held it. “It will be okay, Ava.”

  Trembling, I took comfort in his hand. “It better be. Misha has been through enough. He’s already burying his father. I won’t have him bury his daughter too.”

  Hiro knocked on the bedroom door.

  The guards in the bedroom didn’t take the bait.

  Hiro opened the door and stepped back.

  The guards shot at the emptiness. A few ducked behind the couch.

  Circuit’s voice sounded. “Hiro just asked me where each man was located. I told him.”

  I leaned forward. “What do you think he’s going to do?”

  “I have no idea.”

  The Xecutioner with black hair and pink streaks moved to the edge of the doorway, dove into his pocket, and yanked out several tiny silver objects.

  I squinted. “What are those?”

  Excitement hit Yefim’s words. “Ninja stars.”

  I looked at him. “Like from the movies?”

  “Yeah. Stainless steel throwing stars tend to have four to eight sharp points.”

  Circuit added, “These look like seven points.”

  Yefim continued. “If thrown the right way, they’ll stick to any surface.”

  One of Leonid’s guards shot at the space again. They looked to be unsure of what would happen next.

  “O-kay.” Circuit’s voice rose to a shriek. “Hiro asked for the locations again.”

  Mr. Black-and-Pink threw two stars with deadly accuracy. Both stars landed in the center of a guard’s throat. One dropped his gun and grabbed at his neck. Blood spurted from his hands. The other crashed to the ground. The star was lodged deep into his neck.

  My stomach twisted in disgust. For some reason, those kills messed me up more than the ones from the living room.

  Pretend like it is a movie. Just a fake film. Nothing more.

  The guards shot at the opening. A few headed that way.

  Six left.

  One guard got close to the doorway. Hiro blurred in and yanked him into the hallway. Mr. Black-and-Pink threw five stars into the room at once. Guards dove to the floor, trying to avoid them. That gave the Xecutioners the opportunity to rush in.

  I didn’t breathe. I held it in.

  Hiro beat the shit out of the man he’d dragged into the hallway. He delivered five carefully aimed blows. It was sickly calculated. The first blow bent the guard’s leg the wrong way. Freaked out, I shielded my own leg. The next two blows broke both arms. The fourth cracked the side of his head. The fifth broke his neck.

  When the guard finally fell to the ground, I actually felt bad for the man.

  I cleared my throat. “I guess they didn’t need guns after all.”

  Fear covered Yefim’s face.

  Now I understood why Misha had been so enraged. I didn’t think Yefim could truly take any of the Xecutioners one on one. The best bet would be to shoot them immediately and hope for the best.

  I had no more time to think of that because on the screen, things happened super-fast, all blood and screams and blur and panic. Minutes later and only Leonid’s people covered the floor.

  That being said, the Xecutioners looked exhausted. Someone had shot the Blue-Haired one in his arm. He held it close to him. Blood soaked the Blonde’s hair, but it didn’t look like any was his. Hiro’s jacket was ripped. He stumbled to the closet and opened the door.

  Valentina rushed out. Natalya was awake and crying against her mother’s shoulder. Frowning, Valentina grabbed a gun from a guard on the floor with her free hand, checked for bullets, and then followed the Xecutioners out of the bedroom. The rest of Misha’s men surrounded her. One attempted to grab Natalya from her. She responded by putting a gun to his temple. He backed away.

  I sighed. “Let the driver know.”

  Yefim jumped on his phone.

  I put the iPad down and picked up my phone. “Not too bad.”

  Circuit cleared his throat. “I’m about to notify Misha. Stay safe.”

  “I will. As I said, I have the easy part.”

  “Again,” Circuit chuckled. “You really haven’t been around Valentina much. She’s going to be pissed. Make sure Yefim is next to you.”

  My limo started and headed to the building.

  I frowned. “You just keep Misha safe. Please.”

  “I always do my best.”

  Chapter 30

  Misha

  The vans and my limo sped to the restaurant Mari Vanna. We were a high-speed convoy, ready to kill anyone in our way.

  For the ride, I spent no time on regret or thinking about prior mistakes. Today was the moment of redemption and solving all problems. Tonight, I would be in bed knowing that all was clear—the Mouse would be back with the Lion, my child and her mother would be safe, and Ava would be in my arms.

  I looked down. On the iPad, I watched the Xecutioners enter the apartment. They fought with ease. Confidence filled my chest. Ava and Circuit had come up with an impeccable plan. I still wasn’t sure if I would tell them. I had a fear that they would try this again.

  I called one of my special killers in St Petersburg.

  Gavrie answered on the first ring. “Misha?”

  “Get a team together. I want a family killed.”

  “Women and children too?”

  “Just the men.”

  “Boys?”

  “Adult men, Gavrie.”

  “Last name.”

  “Turgenev.”

  Gavrie cleared his throat. “That’s a big name.”

  “Get it done and don’t clean up.”

  “Leave the bodies out in the open?”

  “And wherever the dead are left, draw mosquitos on the wall with their blood.”

  Gavrie’s voice held amusement. “It may just look like bugs, Misha. We are not artists after all.”

  “Then write Mosquito.”

  “We can do that.”

  “I’ll send an extra bonus to everyone, if done by sunset.”

  “Then expect to send the money soon.”

  I hung up and switched my attention to the iPad. On the screen, I watched the Xecutioners walk Valentina and a crying Natalya out of the
condo.

  It’s done.

  My convoy came to a stop on the road in line with the front of the restaurant. My limo led the way. Every vehicle was nose to tail. The van doors flung open. Over thirty men rushed out, covered in bulletproof vests and guns.

  Grabbing two Glocks, I left the limo.

  Let’s finish this shit.

  This visit with Leonid wouldn’t be a lot of conversation. He’d caused enough trouble over his rapey grandfather. Had he kept this between him and me, I would have let his family live. But he kidnapped my daughter and made her cry. All needed to know that Ava, my child, and even my child’s mother would always be out of any dispute.

  My men swarmed on the restaurant. Leonid’s men guarded the front. They were the first to be hit. Straight shots to the forehead. No nonsense.

  My Glocks remained steady in my hands.

  Four huge guys stepped out of the restaurant. They had no chance to raise their guns. Dima took them down in seconds.

  We continued to the restaurant.

  I knew the exit would be guarded by my people. If Leonid tried to escape out that way, my men would hold him for me.

  That was the only instruction to my team.

  Leave Leonid for me.

  We entered the restaurant. Leonid’s men dropped on the left and right. If they pulled a gun, they dropped it on their way down. If they begged for their lives, they got several bullets in their mouths.

  More of Leonid’s people rushed our way. A gun battle ensued. It was all bright flashes and rapid explosive sounds. The restaurant’s windows shattered. The chandeliers fell, taking out one of my men. Smoke and the scent of blood filled the air. Bodies covered the floor—mine and Leonid’s. Some were slumped over tables.

  One of my people rushed my way. “Leonid is running through the kitchen.”

  “Let’s go.” I sped through the restaurant. My men shoved the tables out the way. Glasses, plates, and food crashed to the floor. If we spotted any of Leonid’s guards, they were shot. Waiters and other staff crouched to the ground, screaming.

  We entered the massive kitchen.

  Shots came from the other side. It knocked out the men in front of me. I headed in. A massive man held a shotgun. He must’ve been 6’2 and close to three hundred pounds. Spotting me, he pulled the trigger.

  Fuck!

  No bullets came out.

  My lucky day.