Their Battle for Love (The American Soldier Collection 15)

“Damn,” Lucca whispered.

Malayna stood there stiff, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I couldn’t run. I couldn’t move and then they looked at me and I turned to run. I tried to run as fast as I could to my neighbors and through the wooded area when suddenly out of nowhere an arm came out and clotheslined me. It was Vlladim. I was eighteen years old. Eighteen,” she whispered. Lucca pulled her into an embrace and held her tight as Krane caressed her back and pressed kisses to her head and then her shoulders.

“We’ve got you, baby. We’re here now, and we’ll do whatever we can to make you feel safe again. Whatever you need,” Krane said to her and he knew he wanted Malayna as his woman. He wanted his team to claim her as theirs and to take away all her fears, and to show her what true love was so she would never be alone again. How much longer would they have to hide their feelings, and why?

* * * *

To ease Star’s mind, and to avoid having Border accompany her to the dinner meeting, Malayna agreed to meet Pierre and Ellington at one of the Mulichecks’ nightclubs called The Crest. She had never been to any nightclub before, nor to a city like Chicago, but she tried to act unaffected by it all. Thankfully Nalia and Aspen had brought over a series of dresses for her to wear to the club and she was shocked at how sexy they were. As Border gave her a bit of attitude about trusting Pierre and Ellington, and Murin and Dubkova insisted they would provide security, too, she decided to pick the sexiest of the cocktail dresses. The one she put on was a deep blue that dipped low in the front and even lower in the back. She couldn’t wear a bra or panties with it, and wondered if it were too much, until she climbed down the stairs and met her entourage of security.

Border, Krane, and Lucca looked as if they were biting the inside of their cheeks as Murin, Dubkova, and four other security guards couldn’t take their eyes off of her. She heard the low whistle and then Border giving orders to get to the awaiting vehicles.

Krane took Malayna’s arm and looped his through hers. His eyes roamed over her abundant breasts that peeked out from the dress and looked about ready to escape cover. She knew she wore the special tape to keep them in place but it was still nerve wracking.

“Where did you get this dress?” Lucca asked her as she slid into the backseat of the SUV.

“Nalia sent over a few things. She knows better than I do what women wear to nightclubs.”

“It’s a bit much considering this is supposed to be a business meeting,” Krane snapped at her.

She held his gaze and knew he was going to be jealous. “Who said it was just business, Krane?” she replied and then looked away as he shot his head toward her.

She couldn’t stop taking deep breaths, inhaling the scent of their cologne and the manliness of their presence around her. She was a glutton for punishment but set on making them see she wanted them and that it was okay to want her. As they arrived at the club they bypassed the front entrance and pulled along the back of the building to a private entrance she assumed was available for special guests. She caught sight of Ellington and Pierre as they got into the club and saw how some security guards were patting them down and really being rough about looking them over for weapons. She felt the hand on her hip and then turned to see Star and Border and boy did they look pissed off. Star looked her over and then zeroed in on her eyes. “Malayna,” he greeted her and then leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

It was supposed to be subtle and noncommittal but it was everything but that. The atmosphere around them was palpable, and the effect they had on her and her on them was so damn obvious that her heart pounded inside of her chest. She heard her name and straightened her shoulders as Pierre and Ellington greeted her.

“My God, you look stunning, like a movie star,” Ellington said to her then kissed her cheek and let his hand glide along her lower back.

“Thank you, and you look great, too,” she said then Pierre kissed her hello and slid his hand along her arm, caressing it. She smiled at him.

“We are definitely the luckiest men in the place tonight,” he said then winked. She felt her cheeks warm and shyly looked away only to see Border and Star shooting daggers at the men.

“How about a drink first, then we can head to the table. I think Star said it’s almost ready,” Pierre offered her.

“Sure,” she said and then both men placed a hand on her hip and guided her through the crowd to the bar. A quick glance behind her and there were Dubkova and Murin following close-by.

“Are your friends joining us, too?” Ellington asked.

“I don’t believe so. I thought Border might have but it seems they are good with keeping an eye on me from a distance.”

“They’re very protective of you. Do you find it hard to socialize with bodyguards like that around you at all times?” Pierre asked and nodded toward the two big Ukrainians Dubkova and Murin.

She saw Murin and knew he heard Pierre and she smiled at him then looked at Pierre. “Absolutely not. They’re not only guards, they are friends and make me feel safe and secure.”

“Then that is a good thing, although Pierre and I can’t quite compete with the Mulicheck brothers either.” Then he chuckled and she smiled.

“No need to compete,” she said.

Pierre licked his lower lip and gave her a sexy smile. “That’s good to know.”

Suddenly a hand came down hard on Pierre’s shoulder and Malayna looked up to see Star standing there. He was definitely in a bad mood.

“Your table is ready. Krane will show you to it.”

Both men stood up and waited for Malayna to stand up and come along but Star stopped her and nodded for Pierre and Ellington to go ahead. Star pressed his hand to her lower back and practically over her ass. She almost lost her footing but his other hand moved along her belly and held her firmly.

“I’ve got you, baby, and for the record, I really like this dress, but not the fact you wore it for them.”

As they got to the table he gave her ass a little tap and she gasped and looked over her shoulder but his expression was firm and unreadable.