Baby Love (The American Soldier Collection 14)

“You look good, too, Polo. The bar looks great.”

He smiled and stepped back. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Water is fine.”

He lifted one of his eyebrows up at her.

“I have to head to Bailey’s tonight. It’s going to be a long night, and believe it or not, staying hydrated is important.”

That inquisitive look left his eyes. “I understand. You work very hard for Viktor and his team. I have to say, I’m surprised that you’ve had the nerve to come here, and alone. No Viktor to plead your case.”

“You shouldn’t be surprised, Polo, and Viktor doesn’t know I’m here. No one does, because no one cares. I got the message loud and clear.”

“They not treating you right, or they just don’t like thieves in their little circle?”

“If I stole from you, and was part of whatever you think Zinc and Cobra were part of, would I be here right now? Seriously, Polo, I’m not stupid. I know what you, what Malfetto and any other mob bosses, are capable of. I’m here to end this, to plead my case to you and make you see that I wasn’t involved in any way.”

He licked his lower lip and stared at her.

“Why should I believe you? You double-crossed me by letting your brother, letting Viktor, know what deals my men were doing back then in my old place. A place now owned by the Russians.”

She shook her head.

“That isn’t true.” He handed her the bottle of water. She took it, and he moved toward his desk and leaned against it. She stepped closer.

“I didn’t even know that Zinc was alive. That night Viktor showed up with the other men and recognized me as Zinc’s sister from some picture I didn’t even believe him. I figured, screw my brother. He left me, just like my mother and everyone else in my life did. I was pissed off. Then your crazy freaking guys think I’m a snitch letting the Russians know about your side businesses, and they’re suddenly ready to rape me and beat me in the back room.”

“I came back to a fucking mess to find my club ripped out from under me and the young woman I trusted and saved off the streets had abandoned me.”

“Polo, you gave me a job, you saved me from getting harassed, beaten, possibly killed by the South Liberty gang because I saved your niece. You gave me the opportunity to get the hell out of this life, off the streets, and out of potential trouble, and I told you over and over again how much I appreciated that, and I showed my loyalty to you. Once your men attacked me, I was so scared. Then the Russians came in and your men were ready to kill me. Viktor and Zinc saved my life and got me out of there. Your guys were working against you, and you didn’t even know it.”

He exhaled. She wasn’t expecting such a relaxed response to that. Had he known they were double-crossing him?

“I know they were.”

She felt desperate and out of control right now. This wasn’t going as she hoped.

“Polo, I didn’t steal those drugs or that money or whatever it is that’s missing from you, and I don’t believe that Zinc did, either.” He raised one of his eyebrows up at her. “If Zinc did, if he fucked up because of his drug habit I recently found out about, then it isn’t my debt. I’m not connected, because I would never try to double-cross you. You gave me a chance and saved my life six years ago. That isn’t something I would dishonor or forget.”

He pushed off the desk and slowly walked toward her. He stared at her, looking her over then holding her gaze, and she refused to look away from him. Eye contact meant so much to Polo, and she knew that.

“I believe you.”

She almost fell against him with relief, but instead, she felt the tears fill her eyes. The damn hormones were getting the better of her. A tear fell, and he squinted then reached up and wiped it away. He placed his hand on her waist, let it roam over her hip, and then pulled her close. She feared he might try to kiss her, but instead, he hugged her tight and caressed her back.

“I’m going to tell you something, and I don’t expect you will ever repeat it.” He inhaled against her hair as if he were absorbing her scent. “I lusted for you, Nina, for so long. I looked at you at eighteen, so innocent and beautiful, smart and strong, like the perfect woman for a man like me. If I were normal. I’m not. I’m a made man, and I’ve murdered, stolen, destroyed people, more than I care to admit to, but this is the life I chose.” He caressed her ass, and she tightened up.

“I knew what my men were up to. I knew that Viktor and his men were coming in that night, and I worked out a deal with the bosses to give up that club and to rid myself of those men and their manipulating ways. It was a setup, one done to clean the slate and start a new, renewed relationship with Nicolai Merkovicz and his organization.”

She tightened up and pulled slightly back. “What?” she asked, shocked at this news.

He licked his lip and looked down into her eyes. He cupped her cheek and kept his arm snug around her waist. He gripped her chin. “I never wanted to accept losing you in the process, yet I knew you deserved a better life than one with me. You would always be in danger. People would try to hurt you, just like my men did that night. They showed no respect and were willing to kill you, knowing how I felt. I agreed to stop wanting you when it was all over. Viktor and the team got the club and the neighborhood. I owed him because of some shit I did that fucked things up. This situation, your brother stealing from me, didn’t sit right with me since I was first informed that he was responsible.”

“Then why did you kill him and Cobra?” she asked.

He stared into her eyes, and she saw him squint as though he didn’t want to say.

“Why?”