Mafia Soldier's Irresistible Lover (The Karzhov Crime Family Series Book 3) (8 page)

Chelsea’s worry about Darya seeing anything was completely for naught. She was awakened at six o’clock after having spent many hours lying awake worrying about what today would bring.

The knock on the front door came, and she rose from the bed and prepared to open it, only to have Val pull her away from the door moments before it was blown into a million little pieces. If she had been standing any closer, she would have been impaled by the numerous shards of wood the explosion sent flying into the air.

Val pushed her into the sitting room, drawing two guns from his waistband and leveling them at the intruder who was just bursting through the doorway.

He fired six shots off in quick succession, stopping only when the intruder collapsed to his knees.

Chelsea watched from between Val’s knees, holding her breath as the intruder swayed on his feet while clutching his chest. She watched as blood bloomed across his shirt, but still the man attempted to stay on his feet.

Val fired one last shot into the head of the man who’d thought to use an innocent child in the games of men. Games that at times were much more violent than the actual truth.

She could tell by the unmistakable black and white hair that it was Taro, the man sent to kill Darya. When Taro fell to the ground, Chelsea watched as Val cautiously felt for a pulse before closing the man’s eyes and bowing his head momentarily. When he lifted his head, there was no trace of sorrow or regret in his eyes. He’d done what needed to be done. No more. No less.

“Go finish packing what you and Darya need for the next few weeks. I will go get Darya from Margot’s house and let her and James know they have the next week off.”

“What about him?” Chelsea asked, refusing to look at the deceased body lying in a pool of its own blood in the middle of the foyer.

“I’ll come around to the kitchen entrance. Just pack a few bags. Whatever else you need we can get down there. Nikolai will have men here to sterilize the site before the day is done. They’ll even repair the front door. No one will ever know what happened here today but you and me.”

Chelsea nodded her head, then turned and pulled two suitcases from the closet beneath the front stairs. One was pink with
Disney Princesses
on it, and the other was a deep red color and had seen much better days.

She left the red case standing in the hallway and took the pink case with her into Darya’s bedroom. She quickly filled the case with Darya’s favorite clothes, including her favorite pajamas, and her bathroom essentials.

Spying the backpack lying halfway beneath the bed, she emptied it of school books and replaced them with pictures of Darya and Alexandra, scrapbooks, and a few stuffed toys she knew were very special to the little girl. Last, but not least, she tossed in several handfuls of hair ties, ribbons, barrettes, and headbands. Darya was a very girly girl and loved having her hair done just right.

Hauling the suitcase to the kitchen door, Chelsea then returned for her own suitcase and dragged it up the stairs. She paused at the entrance to the room Val had been assigned, shocked to see that he had already packed all of his belongings and they were sitting in a neat pile in the middle of the room.
So that’s what he was doing when he left me earlier this morning.

She shook her head, entered her own room, and began throwing in various items. She made sure to pack an extra pair of shoes, and only hoped the movers Val had talked about would be quick about delivering their belongings. Her mind was in such a mess, she really couldn’t decide what she needed to bring along.

She was still standing in front of her dresser when she heard the crunch of tires on gravel as Val returned with Darya in tow. She wasn’t sure what explanation Val had given the young girl for their sudden trip, but Chelsea was surprised to see Darya stay seated in the car as Val approached the house.

She zipped her bag up, grabbed her purse and the small lockbox that had her meager savings in it, and headed for the staircase. She met Val coming up, and he easily picked her case up and carried it the remaining way down the steep staircase. It still amazed her to see a man so strong.

Chelsea followed him, once again drawn to the pull of fabric across his butt. She recalled vividly the feel of the muscles and just what they were capable of making her feel.

Shaking her head to dispel that distracting image, she gave Darya a tentative smile and asked her about her night with Margot. The little girl was full of information, including the fact that Margot and James were now boyfriend and girlfriend and she’d caught them kissing outside last night.

Val raised his eyebrows and Chelsea laughed at the horrified look upon Darya’s face. “One of these days you won’t think kissing is such a bad thing. I promise.”

Chelsea stole another look at Val, then turned her head away in an effort to conceal her own smile.
Yeah, kissing isn’t so bad when you do it with the right person.

                                                                                    *****

Six hours later, Val, Chelsea, and Darya were sitting in a town car headed toward Nikolai’s hotel and casino. Darya had fallen asleep as soon as they entered the car, and Chelsea was in awe at the sights that greeted them as they traversed the length of the Vegas Strip.

“I’ve seen pictures of this on TV, but nothing compares to the real thing.”

Val laughed. “That’s for sure. Now, Nikolai reserved one of the executive suites for us. Darya will have her own bedroom, but for now, you and I will have to share.”

“You and I?” Chelsea parroted, having wondered what would happen once they reached their destination. Had Val been serious when he said he had formally announced his right to provide protection for her and Darya?

“Yes. I cannot protect you if I am sleeping somewhere else. From here on out, you and I are a team.”

Chelsea sighed, then asked the one question that had been on her mind for the last several hours. “Val, what happens when this doesn’t work out?”

“You sound so sure that it won’t work out.”

“Well, you have to admit things have been moving pretty fast since we just met a few days ago.”

“That’s true, but I already know I enjoy spending time with you. I can’t wait to get to really know Darya. She seems like a very bright and lovable child.”

“Oh, she is that, and so much more. She has so many things she wants to do. Things that were impossible before. Now, maybe she’ll be able to try some of them.”

“Like what?”

Chelsea smiled at Darya with affection in her gaze. “She wants to be a ballerina. But living up in the mountains, there just weren’t any dance schools.”

Val smiled. “It just so happens that Nikolai’s girlfriend, Katya, is a world class ballerina. She’s been talking about opening up her own dance studio. Maybe Darya could be one of her first students.”

“Oh, do you think so? She would love that!” As the car pulled to a stop, Chelsea stared in wonder at the sight that greeted her. Nikolai’s hotel was huge, and extremely lavish. It was like a modern palace. She’d never seen such luxury all in one place.

Val picked up the sleeping Darya as if she weighed nothing. He carried her straight through the lobby to the private elevators and forgot about his keycard.

“Chelsea, the keycard is in my front pocket. Could you reach in there and pull it out?” Val felt himself blush as his words echoed back to him.
Well, that was completely vulgar. Way to go.

Chelsea blushed but reached her hand into the front pocket of his too tight jeans. She located the car keys and began to slowly withdraw them, unable to ignore the growing evidence of Val’s passion for her, just a few centimeters out of her reach.

“Got them,” Chelsea exclaimed once her hand was free.

You got something, all right, and it sure isn’t keys I’m talking about.
Chelsea’s foray into his pants pocket had left him hot and bothered.

She scanned the keycard and was pleased to see the elevator doors slide open.

The ride to the executive suite was accomplished in nothing flat, and the entire suite was decorated in perfect style. Val laid the sleeping girl down on one of the beds and walked out, leaving the door cracked quietly in case she woke up during the night.

Having dealt with one girl, he turned to the other female who was waiting on him. “Chelsea, you’ve got to be tired. Why don’t you go get ready for bed?”

Chelsea nodded. She was more tired than she could ever remember being. The car ride into Denver International Airport had taken almost two hours because of rush hour traffic. Then the flight had been delayed forty-five minutes. To compound things, their luggage had been left behind and would not be arriving until the morning.

When Chelsea continued to just stand there, Val took her by the hand and led her into the other bedroom.

“There’s a bathroom in the corner that will simply amaze you. I need to run upstairs and have a chat with Nikolai. Why don’t you take a quick bath and relax?”

“That sounds really good.” Chelsea watched Val leave the suite, and then she pulled out lingerie and a new razor. She quickly jumped into the tub and ran the razor over her legs.

Next, she quickly washed off, not wanting to be found in the bath two nights in a row. When Val returned, she was sitting on the couch waiting for him.

“Hey!”

“Hey, yourself. I trust you enjoyed your shower?” Val asked, beginning to remove his shoes and jacket.

“I did. Thank you for thinking of it.” Chelsea watched Val remove his clothing, her eyes feasting on each new patch of skin he revealed.

Val came to her side, letting his fingertips skim her shoulders before dropping lower to trace the swell of her breasts. “I’ve wanted you all day long.”

“Me too. What about Darya?” Chelsea asked, always putting the little girl first.

“She’s sleeping in the other bedroom. I left her door partially open, and if she comes in, she’s liable to get an eye full.”

“If she’s truly asleep, she could sleep through a hurricane coming down. We probably won’t hear from her until morning.”

Chelsea was fine with that. As was Val. He pulled her back to lie beside him on the bed, using his lips, teeth, and tongue to drive her crazy.

When she was squirming on the mattress, using her hands to drive him just as wild as she was, Val began talking to her in Russian. She didn’t understand much of it, but the feeling behind the words told their own story.

He continued to talk to her, punctuating his words with actions. A kiss on her navel. Another on the inside of her elbow. The base of her neck. Places on her body that Chelsea hadn’t known were considered erogenous zones.

Val used his hands to learn her body, taking time to adore each piece of newly uncovered skin. “I love your body.”

Was one supposed to say ‘thank you’ at a time like this?
Chelsea’s brain was so confused, she couldn’t think beyond his next touch.

Val was so pleased to have her in Las Vegas. He worshipped her body, and when he felt his control was almost gone, he rolled her over so that she straddled his lap.

Chelsea had never been in this position before, and as she slid her body down over his, she reveled in the feeling of control the position gave her. “Is this okay?” she asked, her confidence faltering.

“Chelsea, anything you do to me feels good.” Val reached up and helped her find her rhythm by keeping his hands on her hips. He allowed her to control the depth, but he controlled the speed, driving them both slowly mad.

When he could no longer hold back, he let go of the reigns and thrust up while pulling her down, time and time again, hurtling them both into an orgasmic bliss like none they’d ever known.

“That was amazing!” Chelsea exclaimed to no one in particular as she collapsed against his chest.

Val was in total agreement and held her close for several minutes. “This was better than the last time.”
How is that possible? The first time was fantastic.

“I agree. If it gets better each time, I’ll be dead this time next week,” Chelsea told him as she relaxed across his chest.

He let her lie on him for several minutes before his arms began to go to sleep. “Chels, I need to change position for a bit.”

As he lifted her off him, he realized that in their haste to love each other, he had forgotten to protect her. “Chelsea, I’m sorry,
angel moy
. We didn’t use any protection.”

Chelsea paused in the act of pulling her hair up and away from her face. She slowly let her arms drop to her sides, then watched him to see how he would react.

Val took her silence for anger and hurried to assure her he would be there to protect her, no matter what happened. “Chelsea, my protection—”

Chelsea shook her head and placed a finger across his lips. “Val, I’m not upset. I probably should be, but I’m not. When you said we hadn’t been careful, I had this image of a little boy with vivid blue eyes and dark brown hair. I guess it just caught me by surprise was all.”

“So, if something occurred from this, you would be okay with it?” Val asked for clarification.

“I think so. I mean, I already have Darya, and she absolutely adores Margot’s little siblings. I think a sibling or two for her would be welcomed.”

“Well, if you find out you are pregnant, you will tell me immediately.”

“Of course. I would never try to hide something like that from you. Even if the chemistry between us is only to last for a little while.”

“Thank you for that. I have to confess, I don’t find the idea of becoming a father all that repugnant.” Val tapped her on the nose. “And Nikolai told me this evening that both Katya and Desi are expecting babies as well. You would be in good company.”

Chelsea allowed Val to bring her a warm cloth from the bathroom. When he tried to clean her up himself, she protested and insisted on doing it herself. Val gave her a stare, but then smiled and let go of the cloth. Her strength and independence were traits he admired in her.

Hours later, Chelsea slept peacefully on Val’s shoulder while he lay awake, thinking about the future. It was crazy to be thinking about years and decades when he’d only known Chelsea for a little under four days, but that’s exactly what was going through his brain.

Nikolai had shared with him the family’s plan for taking down Danil once and for all. Grigori had made contact with the Cayman bank, and a very nice man by the name of Matthew had kindly told him all about a Mr. Danil who had been making deposits to various accounts for years.

Grigori had promised the man a very nice reward if he would help provide information that could help them bring Danil down. Matthew had readily agreed. It seemed Danil had promised him the entire contents of the account set aside for Darya, but the reality had been less than pleasant.

Without Chelsea’s signature, the money was going nowhere fast. Nikolai had promised to get the proper paperwork signed by Chelsea the next day and then forward it directly to the Caymans bank.

In the meantime, the San Moreno family had been brought up to speed on Katya’s presence and her new role in the family. The situation with the
Yakuza
was discussed, and it had been decided that a team of family members would already be in the Neptune Club come Friday evening.

If Danil incriminated himself, he would be brought before the tribunal and his sentence pronounced. Val wasn’t a patient man, but he could manage it this time. The rewards were that great.

His last thought as he drifted off to dreams was of Chelsea smiling up at him, her arms full of firewood. That had been the defining moment in his life, and he would never forget his time spent in her small home. He wondered how many more defining moments might be headed his way.

He wasn’t sure where a future with Chelsea would lead him, but he was more than willing to follow the road and find out. She was worth it, and he looked forward to getting to know Darya. What had started out as only a seek mission had definitely turned itself into a find and retrieve one. And he felt extremely lucky to have found such a treasure as Chelsea Barlow.