Her Lucky Number Thirteen (The American Soldier Collection 13)

“Damn,” Storm said aloud and glanced back toward the house. Cosivan followed his line of sight and could see Nalia in the kitchen with Aspen and the others.

“Let me ask you something. Do all of you want her, and I mean want her and not just for fun,” Storm asked him. Cosivan squinted at his friend and held a firm expression.

“Okay then. Don’t be stupid. We were idiots with Aspen. We treated her like a sister as we watched her live a life, get flirted with and touched by other men and then be threatened by very bad men. We could have lost her a second time. Now look at us. We’re made men. We’re soldiers, and in about nine fucking months, fathers.”

“What?” Cosivan asked and Storm nodded then took a slug from his bottle of Bud.

“Yup. Just found out a few days ago. We’re fucking doing it all, man. We can protect her, our family, one another, together and have all the things we never had or only dreamt about. So what that she’s Karlicov’s daughter? He chose you guys because he knew Nalia would trust you. He isn’t stupid. Maybe he’s even smarter than the six of you,” Storm said and raised one of his eyebrows up in challenge.

“You think he wants us to make her our woman?”

“I think he knows that her safety, her existence will always be in jeopardy and danger because she’s his daughter. He knows what happened to Danella. He left her to avoid her being in danger and still she wound up dead because of him. If you care for Nalia then see where it leads. If you’re unsure then continue to deny anything is going on. The last thing you want to do is break her heart and make her feel more alone than she already does right now.”

“Alone? She has all of us here with her, protecting her.”

“Cosivan, she lost her mother, thought she lost her father, and doesn’t even know what Karlicov’s intentions are once this is over. There’s nothing concrete that she can count on right now but those survival skills Boian taught her. She needs more. We all do,” Storm told him and Cosivan nodded his head.

Chapter 5

“We’re not going to find her. Not now. She took out several men on her own and disappeared into thin air. It’s obvious we underestimated her abilities,” Romeo Lapella said to Vincent.

Vincent ran his hand along his jaw. They were sitting by the bar on the patio in a private estate along the beach in Florida. He had been lying low but then his associates guaranteed his safety and security as he told them what his intentions were. To take ownership of prime realty in Chicago as well as the casino businesses there and further south. There was enough money and business to spread out amongst various crime families, but he didn’t want the fucking Russians getting their hands on anything.

“All I can think of was that Karlicov had her trained, or she isn’t alone but has guards.”

“She wasn’t seen with anyone. Our sources that night a month ago proved for several days she was alone in that trailer. She’s the daughter of that fucking dirty Russian sick bastard. He taught her everything,” Romeo said and took a sip from his mixed drink.

“I don’t give a fuck how long we have to wait. I will get my hands on her. How about Karlicov? Any means of getting to him to finish the job?”

“Not happening. He’s highly covered and Nicolai has sent out some

threats of his own.”

Scarlapetti widened his eyes. “He’s threatening me? That dumb fuck doesn’t know who he’s dealing with. Our family’s been around long before those dirty fucks started moving in on our businesses. Damn fucking micks screwed things up years ago by sharing shit with them and giving up territory. All this ‘play nice’ shit to keep the cops off everyone’s asses. Fuck that and fuck them. Figure something out, Romeo. I want her in my possession. I’m willing to wait. I can be a patient man. When she steps back into Chicago or someplace accessible, grab her. The window of opportunity will be small. Make sure the men know what she’s capable of. I don’t care if she’s beaten and almost broken. Just bring her to me, alive. I don’t want to accept Cornikup’s help. He’ll want Nalia for himself,” Vincent said to him.

“Why does Cornikup want Nalia? He’s hardly even involved in any business in the States anymore. All his ties are in Russia and the Ukraine.”

“I think it’s personal and goes way back between him, Nicolai and Karlicov. My need for revenge is more recent. I no longer have my brother and cousin because of Karlicov. I won’t rest until I take away the only thing he has left and cares about. His daughter. Do whatever is necessary. I want her, and I won’t stop until she is in my possession.”

* * * *

Boian sat beside her on the couch. He couldn’t get the fact that she witnessed her mom’s murder out of his head. He felt the need to be here for her despite feeling the conflict of what he and the others really wanted. To make her their woman. She sat next to him, ripped jeans, pale blue t-shirt with a V neckline that exposed the deep cleavage to her abundant breasts. She smelled incredible, too. He leaned a little closer.

“What you told us all last night, about Raymond and what he did, it stuck with me.” He placed his hand over her thigh. “That must have been terrible for you. What made you go to the house anyway?” he asked her.

She swallowed hard as Chatham walked into the room. He brought in a couple of bottles of water then took the seat next to her other side.

“My father told me to run and to not trust anyone. Vincent knew Raymond and I foolishly thought that he wasn’t part of the plan to take me. I felt the need to get to him and my mom and warn them. I guess I didn’t think fast enough or put together what my gut warned me about at the restaurant where I first met Vincent.”

“What do you mean?” Chatham asked her. She looked at him and then away from both of them.

“We were celebrating at the restaurant, Raymond, Mom and I when Vincent paid for our dinner. He had his eyes on me immediately and every ounce of me felt on guard, yet, I knew that sensation. When a man shows interest and his eyes roam over a woman’s body. I blew it off as another guy flirting with me,” she said and Boian felt his jaw tighten. He hated to think about men wanting her but she was sexy and attractive.

“He came over to the table, Raymond introduced him as a business associate, and then he stood next to me and really focused on me. Anyway, when he left Raymond pushed me about dating, marrying a man as perfect and wealthy as Vincent and that was what any father would hope for his daughter.”

“What?” Chatham asked, squinting at her.

“I was so pissed off, you have no idea. I gave him an attitude and went to use the ladies’ room. He never asked me anything about my love life, about dating or anything, so why now? I should have known it was like some sort of plan. I mean if I was stupid and went all gaga over Vincent’s good looks and sexy style plus him being wealthy, then God knows where I would be right now,” she said.