Without Remorse

They hit morning traffic, which Papa complained about loudly. What a spoiled asshat, Nicholas couldn’t help but think. Papa was the one who’d set the leave time, and of course they’d hit traffic at this hour.

Forty-five minutes later, though, they were finally pulling into LaGuardia. They’d actually made good time, all things considered. Natasha got out as soon as Nicholas pulled into the drop off lane, but Papa Dimitri leaned in between the front and passenger seat. “So, remember that favor you owe me? I’ve finally decided how you can pay up.”

“Oh?” Nicholas turned, craning his neck to look back at his boss. “Good. Whatever it is, it’s yours, sir.” He was glad to get this off his chest, frankly. Owing a favor to a man like Papa Dimitri wasn’t a comfortable position to be in.

Papa smiled, and it was a look that sent a spike of fear through Nicholas. Something was off, he could feel it.

“Good, good.” He cuffed Nicholas on the shoulder. “I’m glad you feel that way. Because the favor I’m asking is a night with that tight, obedient little wife of yours. Arrange it for when I get back.”

He clapped Nicholas on the shoulder again and then turned to leave.

Nicholas sat, speechless. But of course Papa Dimitri, the bastard, didn’t leave it there. He opened his door but paused before stepping down. “That’s not a problem, is it, soldier?”

Nicholas found his voice as he shook his head. “Of course not, sir. I’ll see to it.”

Papa grinned, and in that moment, Nicholas thought he looked exactly like the devil must. “Excellent. I look forward to tasting that little bit of honey myself.” He laughed. “See you in a week.”

Nicholas nodded and swiftly turned his head back around front, not sure he’d be able to arrange his features into anything other than an expression of murderous rage.

As soon as Papa closed the door, he wanted to take off. If he was lucky, running over the fucker’s foot in the process. But no—Nicholas fought to calm the seething rage boiling in every bit of blood in his veins. No, no, fuck, he couldn’t lose it, he couldn’t—

He made his face stone as he watched Papa Dimitri walk around the back of the car in his rearview, then head with Natasha into the airport.

Only once he’d disappeared inside did Nicholas slam the wheel of the car and peel out into traffic, spitting every curse he knew, in English and Russian both.

What the fuck was he supposed to do now?

Chapter 22

ALEXEI

Alexei walked into the bakery and grinned when he saw the beautiful blonde working the register.

He joined the end of the line waiting to order, letting a woman ahead of him so he’d have more time to talk to Veronica once he got to the front. He’d made sure to come at the end of the breakfast rush.

She hadn’t once looked up in his direction though somehow he felt like she knew he was there. He didn’t think it was his arrogance talking, either. Maybe it was just him who felt the electric, chemical pull between them, but he made his living off reading people, and he didn’t think so.

She felt it, too. She was just stubbornly resisting the draw. That intrigued Alexei. In a world where most people bowed and scraped when they sensed a powerful person nearby, she definitely stood out. And then there was her beauty.

She was an enigma, showing up here out of the blue, dropped right in his path.

Alexei didn’t like surprises. In his life, he’d found they rarely boded well. But maybe, in this one case, the universe was giving him a break. Just this once.

When she’d finally finished with the customer in front of him, she stared down at her order pad instead of giving him the eye contact and glowing smile she had to everyone else. Oh yeah, she’d clocked him coming in.

His grin grew wider. “Hmm, I’m having a hard time deciding what to have this morning. What do you recommend?”

Finally, she looked up, and rolled her beautiful blue eyes. “Seriously? We both know you’re going to end up ordering the number two special. Morning in, morning out, it’s the number two special and a black tea.”

He dimmed his grin to a smirk and leaned one elbow on the counter. “You like me so much you memorized my order?” He lifted a hand to his chest. “I’m touched. Honestly.”

She rolled her eyes again. “More like annoyed because you come in here every single morning and bother me with your chattering on and on when I have other customers to serve.”

Alexei looked behind him and waved his hand in a grand gesture. “No other customers today.”

She glared at him. “And you think I don’t have other work to be doing? Cleaning and clearing tables and doing dishes and—”