Protected by a Mobster: A Russian Mafia Romance (Volsky Mafia Book 1) (2 page)

I was scared that if they knew I remembered everything that I would die, too. Even though I acted as I always had and grieved the loss of my brother, it wasn’t enough.

Until tonight, I was certain I had feigned stupidity and a lack of memory pretty darn well. I was wrong; so very wrong. They know I remember everything, or at least they suspect as much.

Now I’m a liability and I fear they’ll kill me, too. Even if they don’t, my life will never be my own, of that I am more than certain. I’ll forever be a pawn in their dirty game. Well, they may view me as a silly little pawn, with no skill or knowledge in comparison to them, but I’ll show them just how powerful I can be.

But that power comes later. Right now, I was cowering within the hedges, willing my body to remain still. Making a sound now wouldn’t be good.

I should have left that night, but I didn’t. Looking back, that was a really stupid mistake on my part. I’m rectifying that error in judgment now. I had needed time to prepare. I needed money – money to sustain me as I hid from the hellish reality that was my life. The plan came to me slowly, but it was as concrete as it could be at this point.

My father and his hired gun, as I’ve begun to call Dane, stood only a few feet away from me, my heart beating so loud the sound echoed in my ears like a damn drum line. “We’ll find her, sir,” Dane growled, stepping towards the patio door. “I’ll bring her home.”

“See that you do. With Malcolm gone, I’ll need a good man like you to run the family… and you’ll need a good woman by your side. Liliya will make a fine wife.” The disgusting smirk on my father’s face left my skin crawling.

“Yes, boss. I imagine she’ll make a fine wife.” Dane’s obsidian eyes looked dark and cold, like those of a shark when it scents blood. Fucking predator. He’s the prince of another Russian boss my father had promised me to. I’d looked at him with lust-hazed eyes until he killed my brother. Now all I feel is disgust when I look at him.

My blood ran cold as my father’s words finally sunk in. I had no choice in this marriage. My life wasn’t my own. My choices – my desires – weren’t important. I was a pawn in my father’s plans. Nothing more.

Fuck that.

There’s no way in hell I would ever marry the man that killed my brother. Bile rose up my throat. The acrid taste licked at the back of my mouth being this close to Dane. I felt ill. Swallowing it down, I willed myself to calm down. The thought of sharing a bed with him sickened me to my core. That monster as my husband simply was not happening, no matter what my father’s plans were.

The two devils, dressed in their crisp black suits, continued to talk as I crouched against the rough bricks of my childhood home. Time seemed to stand still as more details of their plan seeped out. I filed away each and every word they said, every name they spoke of, knowing that at some point, I could use it – would use it – against them.

The more I heard, the more certain I became of what needed to be done. Freeing myself from this tainted life was only a small part of my plan. Exposing my father and Dane as murderers was my top priority. Staying alive long enough to see them pay for their crime would keep me going. It had to. Everything I would face now was as much for me as it was for Malcolm. But who could I trust?

Chapter Three – Liliya

“I hear the wind a blow I hear the grass a grow, And all that I know, I know. But I will not speak, I will run away.”

-William Butler Yeats

I let out a sigh as I flicked my turn signal and pulled into a diner on the outskirts of Las Vegas. The drive from New York City had taken nearly two days and I was exhausted beyond belief. I’d driven straight through, fearing that if I stopped, my father’s men would catch up to me and drag me back to a life I feared. My body ached in places I didn’t know could ache. I killed the engine, taking a moment to take in my surroundings.

I’d say I felt safe, but that would be a huge resounding lie. Dane and my father’s men were already looking for me. To be naïve now would only get me caught, and I damn sure didn’t want that. Making it this far away was a sign; a sign that I was doing the right thing. But staying at least one step ahead of the men looking for me would be difficult.

Countless times, I had considered going to the police, but after giving it some thought, I decided that wouldn’t be any better than staying at home. There was no way to know how far my family’s reach actually was. The information I possessed was only a fraction of the bigger picture. Once the rose colored glasses I had been wearing were finally removed I saw everything move clearly… and part of that was knowing I didn’t know everything. But I knew more than I used to.

The men I had always called ‘uncle whatever’ were soldiers employed by my dad. They were his hunters. The guns I had never questioned before now told a different story. Worse were the stories that popped up about my father on a simple Google search. Just the thought of the headlines made me cringe. They had more resources and money than I did. My money would dry up fast if I wasn’t careful. I had taken my jewelry in hopes of pawning it for extra cash in an emergency, which was better than nothing. At least it was a start.

Grabbing my purse and locking up the beat-up car I’d traded my fancy car for, I couldn’t help but smile. Malcolm would be so proud of me. I’d gone from a Mercedes to a clunker Ford Taurus.

Riches to rags.

Mafia princess to girl in hiding.

I’d left behind all of my fancy clothes. The small bag of clothing I had stowed away in my car only provided a few articles of clothing and personal items because I knew I’d more than likely need to change my appearance at some point, but I’d hold off as long as I could on that. The mere thought of using store-bought hair coloring products more than freaked me out. I’d seen plenty of girls in the salon that had ruined their gorgeous locks with that shit.

Changing my name would be a great idea, too… but I had no idea how to do that, so blending in, or just hiding out, was the best chance I had of staying under the radar while I figured out how to approach the Russian mafia in Las Vegas.

My plan, or what little of one there was, went as far as finding the Russians and asking for help. Hell, I’d beg for their help if it came down to it. Surely, after hearing what I had to say, they’d be as eager as I to take down my father and Dane.

As I strode across the nearly empty parking lot to the diner, the warm Las Vegas sun bore down on me, the heat from its rays giving me a burst of energy. I’d always wanted to visit Las Vegas and see the sights. The iconic Vegas Strip was the place to be… but it would also be the first place my family would look for me. They wouldn’t expect me to live in a low-class part of town, so for now, my plan was exactly that; a cheap place to stay off the beaten path and away from prying eyes. Maybe I’d have time to sneak a peek at the casinos and at some point... if I was here long enough.

A bell jingled and a wave of cool air swept over me, cooling my heated skin when I pulled open the front door of the diner. A hefty waitress who looked to be in her forties hustled across the room in my direction, bright red lipstick coloring her overly pouty lips. “Welcome. One?”

I nodded and offered her a smile.

“Right this way honey.”

I settled into my booth, accepting the proffered menu.

“I’ll just give you a few minutes to decide what you’d like.”

“Thank you.”

The menu was small, the offerings very basic compared to the fancy restaurants I was used to dining at. I’m sure that sounds like I’m some kind of uppity girl, but I’m really not.

Okay well, maybe I am. My parents had always given me the best. I’ve never wanted for a single thing. This experience was in and of itself an adventure in humility. For once, I could experience things without being under the watchful eye of my family, and what I had learned to be my father’s many soldiers. Today was the beginning of a new life. It was the beginning of MY new life.

As I browsed the menu, I whispered to myself. “I, Liliya Markow, will be brave. I will only trust when trust is earned.” It was a mantra I had been repeating to myself ever since I fled my former home. A small smile worked over my lips as the waitress returned to my table.

“Are you ready to order, honey?”

“Yes. I’ll have a cup of coffee and the soup of the day.”

“Sure thing. If you need anything, just let me know. My name’s Gladys.” She smiled warmly, pointed a long red nail at her name badge, and turned on her heel, the menu tucked under her arm as she strode to the counter.

Fifteen minutes later, I’d devoured my steaming bowl of vegetable soup and finished off a second cup of coffee. With my stomach full, I relaxed in my booth, letting my eyes wander over the few patrons in the diner. Everyone seemed relaxed and minding their own business.

A gentleman in the corner booth on the other side of the diner sat reading the paper. He was handsome and I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him. He must have sensed me staring because he raised his head, his eyes locking on mine. He smiled and my heart beat faster under his heated gaze. I quickly averted my eyes to the window, heat rushing across my breasts and up my neck, settling like a blazing inferno on my cheeks. I fought the urge to look back at the man, instead keeping my eyes locked on the parking lot. Now was not the time to get involved with anyone.

Just outside the front door, a mother and father wrangled their two children from a truck. The woman wrestled to straighten the children’s outfits, planting a kiss on each of their foreheads as she finished. It was nice to know that somewhere in the world, love amongst family still existed. Not in my family, though.

As the family entered the diner, I continued to watch the four of them. The obvious love they had for one another melted my heart. I wanted that kind of love. Not just with my family, but with the man I married. A girl could dream, right? Because no man in his right mind would want me if he knew what my family was capable of. Women like me were destined to be alone. All we had to offer was a life of darkness.

The man helped the woman into her seat before seating himself and I sighed. I’m sure the woman knew how lucky she was to have such a wonderful man at her side. She had to know. She was so lucky. A pang of sadness flared in my chest as my thoughts drifted to my mother and what she must be feeling right now. Was she worried for me? What was my father telling her about my disappearance? Was he feeding her lies? And how in the world had she managed to handle living with a man like him for so long? The questions kept coming, but no answers followed.

Shaking away the thoughts of love and family, I returned to the reality of my situation. I needed to decide how to approach my father’s rivals. It would definitely be risky just waltzing into their territory.

Not wanting to waste any more time, I dug through my purse and removed a small note pad and a pen. Yeah, I was going old-school. I’d watched enough police procedurals to know that electronic devices would be easy to track so I’d left them all behind. I had picked up a cheap cell phone this morning as I crossed the state line into Nevada. There wasn’t anyone to call, but I still felt safer with it.

Taking the pen in hand, I began making a list of things I needed to accomplish. First and foremost, I needed a place to stay. It would need to be inexpensive, and far from what my father and Dane would expect. No flashy hotels for me.

Then I would need to find a job to replenish what little cash I still had. From there, I needed to figure out a way to bring the truth to light. I’d chosen to head for Las Vegas because of Mr. Volsky. I didn’t know the man from Adam, but after hearing my father speak of him, I knew he was the one to approach for help. If my father feared him, then he would make for a stellar ally.

I picked up the ticket Gladys left on my table and dug a few bills from my wallet, making sure to include a nice tip before slipping out of the booth. From the corner of my eye, I saw Gladys hustling towards me with a Styrofoam container as I headed for the front door.

“Hold up honey. Take this for the road. It’s the best chocolate pie you’ll ever taste. I made it myself.”

“Thanks, Gladys. I appreciate it, but I really shouldn’t.”

“Oh, honey.” She placed the container in my hands. “I don’t know your story, but I remember the day I blew into this town, feeling small and overwhelmed by the sheer possibilities before me.” She gave a smile filled with memories. “I see a little bit of me in you. Whatever it is that’s weighing on you will get better.”

My chest tightened and my eyes began to water at this stranger’s kindness. She didn’t know me from Adam and yet she saw me. It was right then, looking into the eyes of a waitress in a worn-out old diner, that I realized I was just where I needed to be. “Thank you so much, Gladys. I better head out if I plan on finding somewhere to stay.”

“Good luck to you. Don’t be a stranger now… and enjoy that pie.”

Lifting the container, I smiled. “I will.” I gave her a wave goodbye and headed out the door.

Chapter Four – Liliya

“Great perils have this beauty, that they bring to light the fraternity of strangers.”

-Victor Hugo

“Son of a…” I grumbled, looking at the flat tire on my beat-to-hell car. Unlocking the door, I tossed my purse across the seat before setting the pie container down and slammed the door closed. What the hell do I do now? Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath in hopes of calming myself when a deep voice as rich as chocolate and smooth as silk startled me.

“Need some help with that flat?” the accented voice asked.

My eyes shot open as I turned my head towards the direction of said voice. My heartbeat stumbled as my eyes tracked up the most insanely hot body I’d ever laid eyes on. The first thing I saw was a pair of thick muscular thighs wrapped in denim that looked so delicious I couldn’t help but lick my lips. As my eyes slowly worked up to the stranger’s face, my breath hitched. Gazing at a man as fine as this one was like a sucker punch to the gut. His piercing sea-green eyes were almost hypnotic as they swept over my body like a wave crashing on the beach. Fucking hell! He was gorgeous. A little bit of dark stubble on his cheeks and chin that made him seem even sexier. Dear God, he could make a woman forget all her troubles.