Bend For Him (Volkov Crime Family 1)

“You’re thirty? I would’ve guessed younger.”

He laughed. “Why? Because I’m so fit and handsome?”

“Uh, I guess, yeah.” I blushed a little. “I’m only twenty-three. I guess I just assumed you were my age.”

He shook his head. “A bit older than that, little bird.”

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

“Because it annoys you and I like it.”

“Those are both frustrating reasons.”

“Too bad.” He nodded toward the bakery. “So who comes to this place and how often?”

“I don’t really know,” I admitted. “I only heard the girls talk about it sometimes, you know?”

“Ah,” he said. “The former street girls. They come here sometimes?”

“That’s what they said.”

Have looked at me sideways. “I bet you learned a lot from those girls, didn’t you?”

“I learned a few things.”

“Think hard then. I bet there’s a lot we could use.” He sunk down in his seat and crossed his arms.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting comfortable.”

“Why?”

“We’re going to be here a while.”

“Wait— really?”

He shrugged. “Got nothing better to do. So we might as well sit around and watch this place. See if anything interesting happens. Hedeon’s got my number, he’ll call if anything comes up.”

I started to argue then stopped myself. I didn’t know why I cared what we did. The longer we spent hanging around in his car doing nothing, the longer I got to stay out of trouble. So I crossed my arms and made myself at home.

An hour dragged past. I went from bored to half-asleep. At least the weather was good, a nice crisp fall afternoon. Cool, dry air blew in and ruffled my hair.

“Here we go,” Leo said. It startled me from a half-dream and I hadn’t even realized I was straight up falling asleep.

“What?”

“Look.” He nodded at the door. “Bunch of guys going in.”

I leaned forward. “I recognize the one.”

“Really?”

“Guy in the back. That’s Anton, I don’t know his last name.”

“What’s he do?”

“Works for my uncle.” I shrugged and shook my head. “I don’t know what he does, exactly.”

“Probably just some soldier.” Leo frowned and leaned forward. “What are they doing?”

The group lingered in front of the bakery. It was three guys, two in suits, guys with pitch dark hair and angry faces, and Anton in a track suit and a pair of dark sunglasses. He took off the sunglasses, said something, gestured around. The guys in suits looked annoyed and waved him off.

Anton gestured at them.

“Looks like they’re arguing,” I said.

“Not having a good time, at any rate.”

Anton turned away from the bakery and crossed the street. He looked both ways then strode across, looking annoyed. He came to our side of the sidewalk walking with his head held high and his eyes scanning around like he expected trouble.

“Shit,” I said.

“What?”

“He knows me.”

“Shit.” Leo started the car.

I tried to slump down further, but as soon as I moved, Anton’s eyes swept toward me. I stared back at him and for one horrible moment we made eye contact. I knew he saw me and he knew I was looking right back. Recognition bloomed in his expression. That recognition turned to surprise as he slowed his pace.

“Is that Robin?” he said. “Hey, Robin, is that you? What are you doing here?”

Leo rolled the windows up. But too late. Anton came toward us, bending down to look inside.

“Hold up,” Anton said. He knocked on the window. “Hold up, Robin, I just—”

Leo opened his door hard and smashed it into Anton’s face.

Anton’s nose crunched against the outside of the window. He staggered back and growled in anger. Blood spurted from between his fingers as he clutched at himself.

“Oh, fuck, you motherfucker!” Anton doubled over in pain.

Leo slammed his door, threw the car back, then jumped forward.

Anton shouted something as we drove away.

“Oh my god,” I said. My heart was racing a million miles per second. There was a red splotch on Leo’s window where Anton’s nose had been. Leo reached the end of the block, turned left, and kept driving for a while. He skipped a couple stop signs and angled north until he pulled over in an empty spot over near Rittenhouse.

“You okay?”

I nodded and laughed. I felt insane and terrified all at once.

“That was really close,” I said.

“Think he would’ve hurt you?”

“I have no clue. I mean, do you think my uncle would’ve told all his guys to kill me on sight?”

He shook his head. “Probably not. But he’ll report that to Maksim.”

“So we’d better not go to the bakery again.”

He looked at me then burst out laughing. I laughed with him, unable to help myself. I was so relieved that we’d gotten away, but also impressed that Leo had managed to think so fast and take care of the situation.

He leaned toward me, smirk on his lips. I leaned closer to him, head tilted to one side.

I didn’t think about it when he kissed me.