Her Lucky Number Thirteen (The American Soldier Collection 13)

“No, no, you can’t and that will make Vlladim even angrier. Aren’t you tired of getting beaten and touched?” she asked.

“I will continue to fight. It’s in my blood to not give in to the enemy, Malayna, and it is in yours, too.”

“I can’t.”

“You will, and when the time comes. When my men come for me, I’ll need you to help me. To get me a loaded gun, any weapon you can.”

“And what? Fight off Vlladim and Cornikup and their men on your own?”

“And kill them, because I was trained by my father, and survived his enemies wanting to kill me before. I will survive now. I’ve got lucky Team 13 on my side, and on yours, too.”

* * * *

“Mexico. They are located on a heavily guarded compound in Mexico,” Nicolai addressed the large group of men along with Karlicov.

“Where? When can we leave? How many?” Boian asked, sitting forward in his seat.

Nicolai held up his hand and looked around the room at all the men gathered there.

“This is a great enemy of mine and Karlicov’s. Viktor, he is the one responsible for giving the order to kill your father.”

Viktor clenched his teeth and his brothers looked cold as ice. They were exhausted, had very little sleep, and were at their wits’ end over the abduction of Nalia. Three and a half weeks had passed. The surveillance tapes at the boutique in Salvation revealed a man who they identified as one of Cornikup’s soldiers. That information came from Star and his team of men on the hunt for a man named Vlladim they wanted to kill. They were part of the Mulicheck family, a second in command under Nicolai.

He explained more about the men they were hunting and then about Star, Krane, Luca, and Border. They would be going in first, leading the infiltration of the compound.

“We want to be there and go in,” Cosivan said, standing there with his arms crossed and ready to kill.

“And you all will. We have to ensure that this situation ends there in Mexico. I will have other members of the extended family on high alert. The plane leaves in thirty minutes. You will work together with Star and his team to accomplish this mission. I leave you, Star and Storm in charge of this, Cosivan. Your military backgrounds will be quite useful in putting an end to this situation once and for all,” Nicolai told him.

Cosivan, Star and Storm nodded their heads and then Viktor looked at Karlicov. “We will bring back your daughter. She never should have been taken from us.”

“You bring back your wife. You do everything you can to protect her and ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.”

* * * *

Nalia cried out as Vlladim pulled the chains that were attached to her wrists. She was bloody and battered, but resisted less and less and played somber and weak a little more each day. She needed these men to believe they were breaking her down as Malayna told her to. It was too hard not to shake or feel disgusted when Cornikup touched her and petted her hair. He treated her like a pet, an animal, and she thought of all the ways she could and would kill the fuck.

She tested the amount of give in the chain and whether or not she had enough leeway to hold a gun and shoot it with some precision. She kept contemplating different plans and acting them out in her head with all the scenarios that could take place. She had to put into account her battered body, the bruised if not broken ribs, and her more recent injury, her sprained ankle. Kicking that piece of crap Vlladim in the nuts had felt really good, but it cost her.

“A few more weeks and if you submit and accept your fate, I can do away with the chains,” he said and brought the links up to her cheek and caressed her bruised jaw. He looked at the gap in the stupid smock they made her wear and he licked his lips at the sight of her breasts. They were bruised too from the strokes against her skin by Vlladim. But at least they didn’t try to touch her sexually. Not until today as Cornikup licked his lips and stroked a finger into the gap.

She shivered at the feel of his thick finger pressing into the cup of her bra. She stared at him, trying to maintain eye contact as he demanded, but not show her disgust or the daggers she wanted to throw at him. Again, as he watched her, got aroused by it, she stared straight faced and contemplated a plan. She relaxed. She wasn’t such a patient woman. That she had a temper, a fire in her that kept rising up, and she needed to tamp it down and tell herself to wait. Just wait, and this sicko’s time will come.

He trailed his finger from her breasts to her throat then her chin, grasping it as he looked down at her. Kneeling on the floor like some servant really pissed her off. I’m going to kill you the moment I have an opportunity and I don’t even care if I die.

She had to sit up completely on her knees and raise her chin as he pulled harder. She was losing balance and shifted forward, having to place her hands on his knees for support. His teeth clenched. He closed his eyes and inhaled.

“Sweet, sweet Nalia. My plans keep changing for you. I thought I would just keep you as my pet and then eventually kill you, but it seems Vlladim wants Malayna for himself.” He licked her lips and she clenched her eyes closed, both disgusted and shocked at what he was doing to her and also at his plans for Nicolai’s daughter. The man was as good as dead if she could just get her and Malayna out of here.

He gripped her head a little more firmly and then pressed his mouth to hers. The forceful kiss and plunge of his tongue had her gripping his thighs and pushing back.

When he released her lips she felt like vomiting.

His eyes never left hers.

“Still resistant to your fate.” He nodded and when she went to see who was behind her strong arms gripped her around the waist and set her on her feet. Vlladim grabbed her chains and tugged tight.

“Seems you need more discipline.”