Mafia Enforcer's Sassy Lover (The Karzhov Crime Family Series Book 4) Read online

  “Nothing you need to know. And I am still waiting to understand. Why so unfriendly earlier today?”

  Tori huffed out a breath. “You really want to know? Okay, the full deal. I got a little miffed that some guy who obviously doesn’t know anything about what we do here thought he could come in here and take over. It’s not that I want to blow my own horn…okay, maybe I do, but I’m the only reason this place runs as well as it does.” She punched a finger into her own chest this time. “Would you like all of your of my hard work would be destroyed without ever being recognized?”

  Kostya looked at her. He rubbed his chin. “This job is important to you?”

  “Of course. It’s a paying job! Like, really good paying.”

  Kostya gave a laugh. “Now you are not being so honest. I cannot see you as wanting only the money. No, not you. By turning this warehouse around, you have proved something to yourself. Am I right?”

  She chewed on her lower lip but she offered up a nod and a shrug. “Not that it matters now. So if you’ll step out, I’ll get dressed, and gather up my things.”

  “Why?”

  “Why?” Tori asked. Her face tightened with confusion.

  He stepped closer to her. “Why would you want to leave when it is almost midnight?”

  “Well…you’re here for one thing. And I…I kind of thought you wanted me gone. So I’ll just—”

  “No.” Kos shook his head. Tori’s mouth dropped open and she stared at him. “I am not throwing you out on the street. As you say, this is not a good neighborhood.”

  Tori swallowed. He watched her throat work. She had an elegant neck—long and well-shaped. He shook his head. Head to the side, she stared at him from the corner of her eyes. “What? You planning on taking a page out of Raul’s playbook and making me pay for using this place?” One hand fisted on the blanket. “Look, it’s not that I don’t think you’re cute—you are. But…well, I’ve worked damn hard not to whore myself out. And if you think I’m going to lie back and take it—”

  He put a hand on her lips. “First, thank you that you think I am cute. It is not a word I have ever heard much applied to me, but I will take the compliment. Second, I do not intended to force you to pay for staying here with your body. But if I did wish that, I can tell you that you would find much pleasure in the act.

  “Damn it,” she muttered. “I should have gone to The Cellar and taken my chances with the cops!”

  “I do not know about this cellar, but let me finish. Third, I am not letting you walk out of here to stay on the streets. If you have been living here, then here you live. And that brings us to the fourth thing. You will get dressed and join me in the living area. We need to work out a few things.”

  Kostya watched her struggle with her predicament. He saw the exact moment when she decided to shut up and deal with him. The look of defeat in her eyes was like a knife in his chest. She should never allow herself to be defeated!

  And then he wondered if this was yet another act. This woman would always keep him guessing.

  He watched her violet eyes darken. Turning from her, he headed out the door. “You have fifteen minutes to get into your clothes or I come help you with them.”

  ***

  Tori watched Kostya walk out of the bedroom. He closed the door behind him. She blinked and adjusted the blanket around her. What just happened? He was letting her get dressed and wanted to talk? She blinked again. That hadn’t gone as she had expected. He hadn’t backed down—and…and she wasn’t sure who had won that round. Well, at least he hadn’t told her to pack up and get out. Maybe they could work out a deal.

  Dropping the blanket, she pulled on her underwear, dragged on her jeans and sweatshirt. She’d pulled them from her clothing stash earlier that evening, intending to have a comfortable time watching a comedy or something on Raul’s flat screen. Now she was going to spend the time talking to a stubborn Russian. She grinned. That wasn’t a bad swap.

  Once dressed, she shoved her feet into her hi-tops, tossed her clothing from that day into her backpack, and cleaned up the bedroom. No sense in giving Kostya the impression she was a slob. As she made the bed, she decided she’d apologize nicely. She'd be polite. He’d unbend a little and be generous enough to let her keep her job. Come Monday morning, they’d be working together just fine. She skipped over the weekend—she’d deal with what she was going to do for a place to sleep later. Hell, maybe Kostya would opt for a high class hotel after all. She pasted on a pleasant smile and resolved to show him just how agreeable she could be in the next few minutes. In fact, Kostya wasn’t going to know what hit him!

  Chapter 10

  Kostya was on the phone when Tori walked in. He had buttoned up his shirt and his leather jacket lay over the back of a chair. He paced the lush carpet, his head bent, a frown tight on his face and darkening his gray eyes. Tori started to say something about how rude it was to totally ignore her, but the look on his face stopped her words. He looked absorbed—and worried about something. She could hear a little of the other side of the conversation. Kostya was talking to someone named Val, and while that usually was a woman’s name the guy on the other end of the line didn’t sound at all feminine.

  “Are you certain everything is handled?” Kos asked.

  The man on the line gave a small chuckle. “What, you think you could fly here and get through the airports in less than an hour. Stop worrying. We know Danil is meeting with Yoshi Yamashita at the Neptune Club. All is arranged.”

  “Val, do not underestimate the Yakuza. Yamashita is bound to have more than a few friends.”

  “Derr mo! Do you think this is my first job? Danil will be sweating a great deal tonight. He failed to eliminate Darya—the Yakuza will not be pleased.”

  Kostya turned profile to Tori. The man looked more than dangerous now. She settled on the arm of a couch and tried to make herself smaller. Maybe she should just leave and come back. She started to stand, but Kostya waved her to stay put and spoke into the phone. “How is your little Darya? Does she like Las Vegas? Nikolai says she is already making friends at school.”

  “Darya would thrive anywhere, so long as she has Chelsea with her. I must go, Kos. Nikolai had declared that none of Yoshi’s escorts are to be left alive—he intends to send a strong message to any others that the San Moreno family will protect what is ours. And Grigori is becoming impatient.”

  Kos smiled. “That is a lie—Grigori has ice in his veins. Call me when it is done so I know you haven’t botched a job I could have handled far more easily than you.”

  “Go and tend to your plants, Kos.”

  Kostya broke the connection and glanced at Tori. She sat with her hands in her lap. Her mouth had dried. She’d been listening in on a hit against rivals—the Yakuza. She knew that Kostya didn’t plan to fire her—but what did he plan for her?

  ***

  Valentin Tolstov hung up and turned to Grigori and gave a nod. They headed out, taking Val’s car. Nikolai’s men would already be in place at the club. As he drove, Val glanced at Grigori. “Nik said what happens is up to us. But you know his wishes.”

  Grigori nodded.

  Val parked across the nightclub that was a known Yakuza front—the place looked like most others close to the famed Vegas Strip. Bright lights danced outside promising girls, girls, girls, five dollar poker tables, and high payouts from the slot. But the street had seen better days—this wasn’t a spot that would attract many tourists. Val smiled. He swept the street with a cool stare—no telling how many men Yamashita might have in hiding. They had a count of who would be inside, but the others…? Val let out a breath. He could almost wish Kos was with them tonight, but he had other business to attend.

  It had been good of Kos to ask after Chelsea and Darya. Ever since Talia’s death, Kos had not allowed himself to get close to many. He needed a good woman in his life—not that I would have thought that before Chelsea, Val thought.

  Chelsea and the girl she had adopted, the daughter of
a Bratva man, had changed Val’s life. Now he was going to make certain Danil did not remain a threat to Chelsea or Darya.

  Grigori had pulled out a listening device. Now he trained it on the club. The faint noise of slot machines and music faded, and Grigori tuned the device into the voices.

  Val recognized Danil’s voice at once.

  “That is not what we agreed upon! Your man failed to eliminate the girl…now I must figure out how to go forward. If Nikolai knew the full extent of my deception, my life wouldn’t be worth anything!”

  Another voice spoke, one polished and calm. “You promised us a piece of the Colombian’s distribution network. Now you are telling me we must wait?”

  That had to be Yamashita, Val decided.

  Danil huffed out a sharp laugh. “Unless you want a battle, you need to let me find another way.”

  Val heard clattering, as if Yamashita had slammed his fist or something else onto a table, “We will not wait. If you cannot deliver the drugs you promised, what else are you prepared to offer in their place?”

  “That is what I am offering instead,” Danil said.

  Twisting in his seat, Val wished he could see into the club. He bit back the urge to head in there now. He must wait until everyone was in place.

  Yamashita’s voice thickened with disgust. “What is this? Fifteen women? I can get dozens off the streets.”

  “Not like these are not just ordinary women. They have been carefully selected and trained. They’d bring you premium prices. Where do you think I have the funds to break from the family?”

  “I was told Nikolai was a man of honor within his family. I cannot believe he would be involved in such an operation.”

  Danil gave another sharp laugh. Val’s hand curled again. He so wanted to smash in that traitor’s face. “Of course he isn’t. Nikolai’s stupidity is costing the family a small fortune!”

  Val heard a rustling of papers and then Yamashita said, “I too steer clear of this type of operation. Deliver the merchandise we agreed upon or—”

  “Or what? This is Bratva territory. Did you think you could come into my town and win a pissing match on my turf?” Val heard the scrape of wood on wood, and the sharp click of safeties coming off guns. Danil’s voice went from smug to stuttering and tight. “You…you really don’t understand the way things work around here. Now I am going to walk out of here…and you are going to go home and sit on your hands until I figure out another way to get rid of Nikolai.”

  Val heard the sharp report of a gun.

  He and Grigori surged from the car. Val no longer needed a listening device to hear the screams coming from the club. Two men and three women burst from the front door, running. Val and Grigori slipped inside, weapons drawn.

  The Yakusa men had been distracted by the shot and weren’t watching the entrance. They were easy to spot—not just because of their Asian features and expensive suites. They were the only ones standing. Dealers, waitresses, dancers all hugged the floor or cowered under gaming tables.

  Val searched the club and spotted Danil standing in a roped off area for high stakes gamblers. He had his orders—the Bratva believed in taking care of their own cleanup.

  Danil held a gun, but as Val watched two heavy-set men jumped Danil and pinned his arms behind him. Danil twisted to try and get away, but the men held him.

  Val strode toward Danil, but Yamashita stepped up. Blood dripped from his right temple where a bullet had grazed him. Picking up a short blade from a display of samurai swords, Yamashita stabbed Danil. Yamashita twisted the blade and pulled it out. Danil let out a scream, clutched the bleeding wound and crumpled to the floor.

  Val rushed at Danil and took out the men who had been holding Danil.

  But Yamashita had slipped out a back door. Grigori reached Danil’s body and Val gestured to Danil. “Deal with the others. We’ll take Danil with us—Nikolai will want to honor his life with a traditional funeral.”

  Val headed to the back, pushing through the doors. He stepped into a kitchen and found Yamashita struggling with a locked back door.

  “Going somewhere?” Val asked. He kept his tone cool. Yamashita turned and straightened.

  “You should thank me for killing a traitor.”

  “You have no right to one of ours. You will die this night because of your arrogance and your attempt to take something that didn’t belong to you.”

  Yamashita reached for a kitchen knife. Val pulled the trigger and Yamashita crumpled to the floor.

  The San Francisco Yakuza would be in need of a new leader.

  Heading back, Val met up with Grigori. The other Bratva men had cleared the club. Val nodded to them.

  “Ditch your weapons before sunrise and go find an alibi for the evening. Did someone snag the surveillance cameras?”

  One of the men handed Val two hard disc drives. “I started a fire in the office. There shouldn’t be much left.”

  Val could smell the acrid odor of smoke. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Grigori hefted Danil’s body on his shoulder and carried him out. Val followed. He would lose the gun he had used far in the desert and destroy the computer drives

  There would be no evidence to connect any of the Bratva to this night. And now Chelsea and Darya would sleep more safely.

  Val started the car and gunned the engine. Grigori put Danil’s body in the trunk and climbed in. Sirens echoed in the night. Grigori bucked his seatbelt and began emptying the bullets from his gun. “Kos will hate to have missed the action,” he said.

  Val kept his eyes on the road. “Kos always hates to miss the action. Let us hope he finds something to amuse him in Colorado.”

  Chapter 11

  Pocketing his phone, Kostya glanced at Tori. She had propped her butt on the arm of the closest couch and now looked more like a recalcitrant schoolgirl. He sank down into one of the leather armchairs and crossed one leg over the other.

  “Have a seat,” he told her, sweeping out a hand.

  “This is fine. About earlier today, I am sorry for how I came across. It just irked me that it seemed like Raul and Terrence were going to destroy everything I had accomplished.”

  Kostya gestured to the couch once again, “Sit. Be comfortable. Please.” When she stared at him, he met her gaze. He could see her debating internally whether or not she should comply with his request.

  He wondered if she would tell him what he could do with his request. She had nerve, he had to give her that. But she also needed to learn restraint. She would get herself in trouble otherwise.

  She broke the stare fist, sighed, lifted herself from the arm of the couch and took a seat directly across from him. But she spread her arms along the back of the couch on either side of her and very deliberately crossed one ankle over the opposite knee.

  Kostya resisted the urge to smile. He would not encourage her, but he liked how she staked out her territory on the couch as if owed this entire place. Tipping his head to one side, he asked, “Explain why those plants mean so much to you.”

  She tried to hold her pose, but gave it up and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “It’s not the plants, it’s what they represent. They were almost dead when I first came here. Now I’m pretty damn sure they’re some of the healthiest marijuana plants in the state. And…well, I know some folks who go to the clinics. There’s a lot of folks out there who really need that stuff—I don’t think anything works so well with helping someone through chemo.”

  “You enjoy making things grow?” Kostya asked. He was trying to understand what drove her.

  She offered up a small smile and deliberately dropped her stare to his crotch. “That all depends on whether or not there’s something in it for me.”

  The little minx was blatantly flirting with him. He shifted. Did she not know he could throw her over the nearest piece of furniture and do what he wished with her? Or did she think herself safe—perhaps he had allowed her to get her clothes back far too easily. He adjusted his j
eans and then waited for her to look at him again. When she did so, he smiled. “You are playing with a fire that will most definitely burn you.”

  Tori shrugged as if she could not care less. “That’s nothing new. Besides, I’ve been bored lately.”

  Bored? That was exactly how he’d been feeling before he’d come to Denver. Wasn’t that interesting? “And you think I could help relieve your boredom,” Kostya ask with one raised brow.

  Tori slowly nodded. She lifted one hand to toy with the collar of her sweatshirt. “I can think of all sorts of ways for you to help me relieve my boredom. But that’s not why you’re here, is it?”

  Kostya watched her and then stated what he was thinking, “I have a proposition for you. There are two bedrooms in this space. You may continue to occupy the one you just left and you will bring your belongings from wherever they are and place them in that room.”

  Frowning, she sat up straight. “What’s the catch? I mean—look, I can see by your expression that there is one, so let’s get it out in the open.”

  “You are very—blunt. Very well, the catch is that you will teach me everything I need to know about the plants out there and how this operation works. That will be how we spend the business portion of our days.”

  “And…?” He could see the pulse quicken as it fluttered on her pale neck. “I’m not hearing how you expect me to spend evenings…and my nights?”

  “That will be with me of course. You will show me your city, where you like to hang out, what activities you like to engage in when you are not working.”

  “I put in fourteen hour days here most of the time and I really need to keep earning—” She cut off what she had been about to say. Kos didn’t need to hear more. He told her, “That will stop. Immediately. Tomorrow morning, you will help me understand the other employees’ schedules and we will figure out the number of hours you truly need to be here. I will not have you working yourself to death—no one should do such a thing.”