every one of the businesses was closed for the night. I noticed a car parked near mine and pulled her toward it. I knew there were words that needed to be said, at least in order to help her sleep, but I wasn’t that kind of man.
There was no romance in my world.
No need for anything other than brutal passion.
Even though the taste of her had been sweet, I would forbid myself from indulging any further. I couldn’t risk it on any level.
“Where are your keys?” I asked, still scanning the area. Given it was well after two in the morning, there was very little traffic. An eerie feeling came from out of nowhere. My grip on her tightened. “Where are your damn keys, Chloe?”
“Here. I only take one with me. Okay? Jesus.” She jerked away from me, her hands shaking as she tried to unlock her door, the battered car little more than a clunker. When she opened her door, I was relieved, waiting until she climbed inside, holding it open for a few seconds while she peered up at me with her big, emerald green pools of electric draw.
Damn, what I wanted to do to her.
“Go home.” I slammed the door and backed away. When I heard the sound of her engine turning over, only then did I turn and head toward my Camaro.
Maxim had called me uncanny for my ability to know seconds before an enemy presented themselves. He’d been certain I could smell their stench from miles away. Maybe that was the case for at that second, a putrid odor flowed into my nostrils.
Then I heard her screech.
“Nikolai!”
I reacted instantly, yanking the weapon from my jeans as I raced toward her. The asshole had made a huge mistake in touching her, dragging her from the car. He’d also been taunting me, no doubt hoping I would take the bait. If I had to guess, I’d say there were at least four more of the assholes waiting for the right moment. If not, he’d been a fool to take me on.
“Get away from her,” I growled, holding the gun in both hands.
“Blya Bratva podonok,” he exclaimed.
His second mistake was speaking Russian, his use of the statement ‘fucking Bratva scum’ divulging the reason for the two attacks. The rage that surfaced mixed with a high octane level of adrenaline, my quick reflexes allowing me to wrap my hand around his neck, yanking him away from Chloe.
I didn’t need to tell her to run. She backed away, gasping for air.
“Tell me why you’re here,” I hissed into his ear, tightening my stranglehold.
“Ubit’ tebya.”
To kill me. The fucker actually thought he’d be able to do that? I turned slightly then snapped his neck, stuffing him inside Chloe’s car as quickly as possible. Things had changed. She’d never be safe remaining on her own.
The fight between desire to own her and the need to protect her had suddenly become one.
A wave of heat built from deep within, the persona I’d adopted no longer existing, at least for now. I’d been a fool for long enough. I needed to avenge the murder of my father.
I was no longer Nikolai Lenkov, the decorated professor at a prominent American university.
I was now Sacha Federov, son of Maxim Federov, Bratva ruler.
A ruthless man with no heart or soul.
A king capable of savagery.
And a man who always took what he wanted.
Chloe had now become mine.
My possession.
My toy.
My pet.
As I stormed toward her, Chloe remained rigid, covering her mouth with both hands. When I grabbed her arm, only then did she respond.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking you with me.” I knew she’d fight me as I dragged her to my car. The fact there wasn’t another asshole in the darkness shocked the hell out of me.
“You can’t do that. No. No. No!”
“I don’t have time to argue, Chloe.” I shoved her inside and after closing the door, wasted no time jumping into the driver’s seat. She’d already attempted to get out of my vehicle. When I yanked her back, she managed to slap my face.
“Let me out of here.”
I started the engine, wasting no time reversing and twisting the wheel, zooming out of the parking lot with little regard to any traffic. I had to get the hell out of here. “You don’t seem to understand, Chloe. That man was Russian. He was going to take you with him. And after he was finished with you, I assure you that you would have begged for him to kill