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CHAPTER 13

MIKHAIL

I have never felt this conflicted around a woman before. I want to comfort her, spank her, fuck her, protect her.

All of it. None of it.

Maybe she isn’t safe with me.

That’s why we need to get the hell out of here.

I drag out my phone and pull up Enzo’s number.

“Mikhail. Did you get her?” he asks before it even rings.

“I did. Is the plane ready?” I’m itching to get her to Vegas. Once she meets Jax, she’ll have a safe place to stay with him. The brother she never knew.

“Should be. I had Drago get some backup. There’s a yellow Cessna parked near the end for you.” He clicks in the background. “Mikhail, the camera feed isn’t working correctly, so be on your toes.”

“Copy that.” I click the call off and slide my cell back in my pocket.

“Be ready to run, princess.” I smirk beneath my mask and glance at her.

I have to say anything to keep her at arm’s length. If I let her close, who knows what I might do?

She grunts and wrinkles her nose at me. “I swear I’m going to kick you right in the shin, after we get out of here.” She glances over and sticks out her tongue. “I can’t have you slowing me down.”

My jaw clenches. I want to put her in her place.

But getting her to Vegas and as far away from me is my priority.

“Fine. Watch me.” I jab my finger towards her face. “And fucking listen.”

Her palms fly up. “Okay, sheesh. Don’t get all excited, you might stroke out.” Her lips twitch as she fights a smile. “I promise.”

When she traces her breasts in an “X”, I swear I’m almost coming in my pants.

With a growl, I throw myself out of the truck, then motion her to follow.

In a crouch, we cut through the trees and find ourselves on the back of a huge hangar.

Pulling out my binoculars, I make a slow sweep over the other buildings. I can’t see anyone right away, but that certainly doesn’t mean this place is empty.

“Can we go? I’m cold,” Ana whines behind me.

Then her palm smacks my left ass cheek, making me jump.

“Jesus Christ.” I almost stumble to catch myself. “What the fuck?”

She’s grinning. Of course she is.

“You looked too serious.” Her hand sits on my thigh as she squats next to me. “Where are we going?”

I can’t even think with her so close.

“That yellow plane.” I point to the next hangar.

There’s a substantial amount of empty ground between us and it though.

“I’m trying to make sure we make it. Stop being a pain and focus.” In a half run, I grab her hand and pull her with me.

Three quarters of the way from the next building, gunfire erupts around us sending me sprawling into the dirt, tugging Ana down with me.

Pockets of rocks and debris fly up with the frenzy of bullets.

I look up and see a group of men pouring from the tree line opposite of us.

Fuck.

“We have to go back!” Pushing up from the frozen earth, I don’t give her a chance to argue but sprint towards the truck.

There’s no way in hell I can make it to that plane where it sits in the open.

It’s too exposed.

Gravel flies behind us as I slam on the gas, fishtailing the truck out of the parking lot.

“Shit. That was close.” Her wide eyes stare between the seats behind us. “How did they know we were there?”

“Ivan owns all of this. He probably put out an order to lock down all the airports.” My palm slams against the steering wheel. “Damn it!”

“So…what do we do now?” She pulls her knees up to sit cross legged in the seat.

“I have safe houses set up just in case. We lay low until we can fly out.”

We drive in silence for the better part of an hour while Enzo preps the closest spot.

I don’t want to show up with her, so we wait until I get the word the crew is gone.

A crazy thought drifts through me as I step around the truck to open her door.

What if, instead of just stealing her from my father, I claimed her as my own?

That really is insane.

“Inside,” I growl, pointing to the small cabin nestled in the trees.

She climbs out and stops just inches from my chest, then looks up at me with those wicked blue eyes. “Is this where you take me to have your way with me?” A smile tickles along the seam of her full red lips before she turns on her heel and flounces away from me.

I have to adjust my holster again, my cock is so full it makes my pants uncomfortable.

My fingers tingle wanting to grab her throat and force her to her knees.

That takes a back seat to watching her ass move in those tight leggings up the stairs onto the porch.

She pauses before reaching for the handle.

“It’s not locked.” There’s barely room for both of us on the narrow flat.

“You said it yourself, I’m also not stupid. Ivan will be looking for me.” She waves her fingers in the direction of the house. “You’re the big, strong, scary guy with the gun, you check it first.” She smiles sweetly and tilts her chin up.

I twist the handle, opening the small living room to the cold evening air.

With only one bedroom, it takes seconds to sweep it and make sure it’s clear.

“No boogeyman.” I wave her in, then squat in front of the woodstove to start a fire. Winter in Russia is no joke.

Makes me miss the heat of Nevada, and the comforts of climate control.

She stands in the middle of the room with her arms wrapped around her like she doesn’t know what to do.

“Make yourself comfortable. We’ll be here for a few days. It’s too dangerous to try and get to any airport right now.” I drop my duffel next to the couch as the temperature begins to slowly climb from the warming stove.

Her icy blue eyes narrow as she stares at me. “Where are you taking me?”

“America. Las Vegas. I have someone there who would be very happy to meet you.” I’ve been careful not to share her existence with Jax.

He’s been through so much, I didn’t want to tell him that he has family still alive, when I wasn’t at liberty to share her location.

It’s been easier to just keep the secret.

Except there isn’t any hiding who her father is. Her dark curly hair leaves little doubt.

“Are you trying to set me up with one of your friends?” Her nose wrinkles. “I’m really not in the mood for any more matchmaking. Besides—” She flops backwards onto the cushions behind her. “—I’d rather stay with you. At least I know you’re not going to kill me.” She smacks one of the pillows making a cloud of dust rise through the last rays of the sun.

“The night is still young,” I growl, moving into the kitchen. “Do you know how to cook?” The cupboards are stocked with everything we’d need to last for weeks.

Enzo is so thorough, I’m not sure what I’d do without him.

“Why, because I’m the woman, I’m supposed to know?” She tosses one of the smaller pillows, but it falls flat on the floor.

“I swear to fuck,” I grumble under my breath. “No, because I’ll be gone and I want to make sure you aren’t going to starve to death, princess. ”

“I told you not to call me that. Yes, I will be just fine here. All by myself.” She gets up and retrieves her failed missile.

But when she moves closer, she doesn’t even pause before pushing in front of me at the fridge to bend over and look inside.

Her ass presses against my leg, as if she’s trying to move me out of her way.

Think again.

My hand falls to her hip, and I wrap my fingers around her, digging them into the soft curves.

With a jerk, I pull her tight against my thigh so my hard cock shoves to the top of her ass. Only the taut fabric of our pants keeps me from thrusting into her. “You want to fuck around? You’re going to get burned, iskorka.”

She flips her dark hair over her shoulder, and without moving turns to look up at me. Her pale eyes tighten with a smirk. “You think you’re hot enough for me? I dare you to take that mask off and show me.”

Reaching into the cold recesses of the refrigerator, she pulls out a long neck beer and a package of cheese with crackers. “Looky, big man,” she says, standing and sauntering away. “I may survive to live another day.”

She props the cap of the bottle against the sharp lip on the stove and pops the lid.

Sucking the neck into her mouth, she guzzles the foam, her gaze never wavering from mine.

My finger comes up to point directly at her face. “You’re trouble. Stay here. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

Wait. She didn’t listen last time.

“There are cameras. I don’t let insolence go unpunished.” I squat next to the stove and toss in another heavy log to keep the fire going while I’m gone.

“What are you going to do if I don’t listen?” Ana sits cross-legged on the couch and lets the tip of her pink tongue circle the rim of her bottle.

I may have to jack off in the woods after watching her mouth do gymnastics over the cold glass.

“Only one of us will enjoy it.” Rising stiffly, I reach for my phone to send Enzo a text.

Me

She’s a fucking handful.

Enzo

What did you expect with her being related to Jax?

Me

Not this.

Enzo

Is there something wrong with her?

That makes me stare at the screen. I steal a glance at her laying across the arm of the couch, thumbing through the stack of magazines.

Her round, tight ass poking up into the air makes it difficult not wanting to grab it.

Me

No. That’s the problem.

Enzo

Ahh, have fun!

And they say I’m the asshole.

“Look, we aren’t far from Ivan’s stronghold here. We made a wide loop so I can keep an eye on him. If you leave, there’s a very real chance you could be caught.” My fist squeezes as I try to keep my words level and my eyes locked onto hers.

I really shouldn’t be letting my gaze wander down her toned body and tight fitting shirt. Nor the fact that her little leggings look like they’ve been painted on.

When she shrugs, I feel my blood pressure spike.

“You’d just rescue me again.” She purses her lips and slides a piece of cheese slowly between them.

Torturous brat.

Fury bubbles in my chest until I find myself standing over her. “If my father catches you again, there’s no hope of you ever escaping alive. He doesn’t handle traitors lightly.” I jerk my finger towards my mask, then stomp towards the door.

“Wait, he’s your…father?” There’s a tremor in her voice.

Grabbing the handle, I force myself to take a deep breath. “Yes. Always remember, I’m a Volkov, too.”

I step out into the frigid night. Steam erupts from the edges of my balaclava with every angry exhale.

That fucking woman. She knows how to push my buttons.

I shouldn’t let her. No one has cracked my armor, let alone a twenty-three year old.

My father’s fiancée .

And my step-sister .

Every piece of this is wrong.

So why do I feel so close to saying “fuck it” to everything, and taking her like I own her?