Page 4

There’s an issue with my card on the portable device, and the waiter insists I come with him to the computer system to try it there. I rush through it but am two minutes too late. My heart pounds as I search for Lara. She was at the bar just moments ago. Where is she now?

"Hey," I say, grabbing the bartender's attention as I lean over the counter. "Have you seen a girl about this tall, dark hair? Russian? She was sitting here, sipping water," I motion with my hand, trying to give him an idea of Lara's height.

"Yeah, she just left," he replies, wiping down a glass.

"Where?" I demand, my patience wearing thin.

"Toward the side door," he says, nodding in its direction. "Saw her slip out just a minute ago. Looked like she was in a hurry."

"Thanks." I toss a few bills onto the counter, not bothering to count them, and push through the writhing crowd toward the door.

I step through the side door, and the cool night air hits me like a slap in the face. I look left and right, seeing nothing but a back lane and an entrance to an alley.

I need to find her, but not be seen. That’s the only way I’ll know what she’s up to.

I pause, listening for any clue as to where Lara went. There—raised voices drift from the alley behind the club. I creep toward the sound, praying I don’t get caught.

The back alley is shrouded in darkness, but the faint sound of voices grows louder. I follow the source, sticking to the shadows.

"Fifty grand?" I hear Lara’s petrified voice. "I don't have that kind of money! I sold everything I had to get you this."

A man replies, in a threatening voice I don’t approve of for use on a lady. "Well, you don’t expect me to believe you now, do you? I’ve found you online. Zolotov. Powerful girl with a powerful family. You better find a way to get it, or those photos are going to make their rounds. You wouldn't want that now, would you?"

I clench my fingers, overhearing each word and putting together the pieces. This man is blackmailing her, and from the nature of the conversation, I figure they shared a night together. One that he’s threatening to expose to ruin her reputation if she doesn’t spy on her family.

I continue listening. It takes everything in me not to barge in and rescue her then and there. Even if the Zolotovs can’t be trusted entirely, they are still Bratva. No woman from our world should find herself in this situation. I won’t have her be threatened like this, not under my watch. But first, I need to know if there’s more dirt he has on her, for that’s the only way I can assess how best to deal with this mess. For a second, the conversation dies down. I believe it’s about to come to an end and that he will back off.

But then, he says something unforgivable.

"Spy on them, or I'll sell you off to the highest bidder. Your pretty face would fetch a nice price on the market," he taunts. His voice makes my skin crawl.

I hear the terror in her voice as she begs to be released. Some more scuffling. He threatens to have her sold off to a whorehouse, a harem.

How dare he? I feel anger, more at myself than anyone else, to allow the image of Lara tied to some creep’s bed to enter my mind. The things this stranger, amongst others, is capable of doing to a girl as na?ve as her…

I feel sick. I need to protect her. She doesn’t even know what he’s suggesting entails. It can get darker than her wildest imagination.

I bite back the urge to charge at him right now. My priority is Lara's safety, and rushing in recklessly could jeopardize that. But as I listen to the terror in her voice, I vow to make him pay. This man has reduced her to a quivering wreck, and it fuels my determination to protect her.

Lara's quiet sobs echo in the alley, pulling at my heartstrings. It's time to step in.

I walk forward slowly. I don’t want him to know I’m here, lest he harm her.

At last, I see two figures.

The sight of this man pulling Lara back into the alley as she fights for her freedom ignites a fire within me, my anger reaching new heights.

“Let her go,” I yell, walking faster. He shoves her against the wall, her back hitting it hard with a thud. I immediately look over at her, emerging from the shadows, worried if she’s hurt. Her head snaps back as she gasps for air, her eyes wide with fear as she clings to the wall with one hand and her neck with the other. He hurt her.

For that, I’ll hurt him when the time is right. I turn to seize him up, wondering if I should hurt him now or later. Red rage clouds my vision. But then, I force myself to focus on his face. I recognize this piece of garbage—Marv, a two-bit, low-rung lackey for the Valentino family. How dare he threaten Lara?

Does he really think he’s gotten this far ahead in life? The Zolotovs could crush him with a needle. That’s how worthless he is in our world, and to imagine he convinced Lara of how powerful he is. At this moment, I turn back to see a quivering Lara, realizing now just how innocent she is to the power ladders and workings of our world.

Anyone could take advantage of her, and I can’t allow that.

I hear Marv tell me to mind my own business and move his coat pocket to show me a pathetic excuse for a gun. I ignore him and extend my hand toward Lara, who looks petrified, her black eyes searching mine for safety.

“Come with me, Lara,” I say.

He blocks her path when she steps forward, his hand on her abdomen to keep her back. “She owes me money,” he growls. “And a favor or two.”

“She already paid you, from what I heard,” I say coldly, putting my hand inside my coat pocket, prepared to do whatever it takes to get his hands off her.

“Well, that wasn’t enough,” Marv spits from the corner of his mouth, looking over at her lecherously. “So fuck off unless you want to buy her.”

I can do this in two ways. The long way, which would involve him getting nothing but a beating. And the short way, which would mean Lara reaches my side quicker. “I’ll buy her,” I say, pulling out bundles of stacked bills and throwing them on the floor.

Lara whispers, “No!” and my eyes flicker over to her as she pales and trembles in fear. I can only imagine how this looks, but I have no time to explain it’s the fastest way out of here. In no way do I own her. She averts her gaze, now blushing, and I turn my focus back to the idiot in question.

Marv’s eyes the tens of thousands of dollars on the street, and he looks up at me in shock, his hands still holding Lara back.

"As I said, let her go,” I command with rage. “And get your filthy hands off her!” My voice is ice-cold, barely containing the fury that rages beneath the surface.

"And who the hell are you?" he demands, clearly not realizing he’s beat, eyeing me up for one reason alone. He wants to see if he can make me pay more. A man like Marv is weak, and I’ve met many like him. They view women are objects, and the only way to make them back off is to make them believe she belongs to someone else.

Someone like me.

Without skipping a beat, I play his game. “What I’m interested in knowing is what the fuck makes you think you can threaten my fiancée.”

I hear Lara gasp, and he pales in the face.

“Your…your fiancée?” he sputters. “Well, she’s been cheating on you then! And I’ve got photos to prove it,” he tries to turn me against her.

Lara's eyes meet mine, and I see the silent plea for help in them. She doesn't have to say a word—I already know what I need to do. Protecting her is my responsibility now, and I refuse to let her down.

“It’s recently been announced, and the past isn’t my concern. To strengthen the bonds between the Orlovs and Zolotovs,” I command.

“O…Orlov?” he stammers, now shifting away from me, recognition dawning on him. I see a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. He knows who I am, and he knows what I'm capable of.

“Not just Orlov,” I spit on the ground before him. “Dima Orlov. Now that you know the name, you might have heard just what I’m capable of,” I glower and, in a swift second, pull out my gun, pointing it right at his head.

"Mr. Dima, Sir, I was just…" Marv stammers.

My voice drops to an icy hiss. "If you touch my fiancée again, they'll be finding pieces of you from here to Jersey. Even the dogs won’t be able to sniff you out."

Marv pales. He knows I have the power to back up that threat. He takes a step back, hands raised.

"Sorry, Sir, I didn't realize she was your…" He trails off at my murderous expression.

My eyes trail from his face to where he holds her back, his grip still strong on her arm. He follows my line of sight and almost trembles, quickly pulling away. She stumbles away from him, rushing toward me on weak legs, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "She's all yours, Sir,” he whispers.

Lara reaches my side, and I quickly hold her just as she’s about to trip on a loose tile. She leans into me, my hand protective on her waist, and her face, all seared with tears and parted pouty lips, is one I’ve never been more grateful to see. I don’t want to let her go, and my hand, where it touches her, is ablaze to feel more. She blinks, and I root myself back to reality.

What the hell am I thinking?

She’s safe, unharmed. And that’s all that matters. I can’t go having such ravaging thoughts about her. I help her find her footing and turn back to Marv, who has now picked up all that cash and is trying to step further and further away from me.

“Not so fast,” I say, pointing my gun back at him. I walk closer, menacingly slow, and he shrinks into himself. “Your phone,” I command.

He hands it to me without question. “Open it and I need to access your cloud.”

He does as I say. I scan through his pictures and files, and a surge of unwarranted jealousy burns through me. To see him kiss Lara, watch him feel her lithe, curvy, almost naked body, makes me want to break his jaw.

Doesn’t Lara know how gorgeous she is? Doesn’t she realize she’s far above a low-rung creep like him? Why the hell did she ever get in a pool with him? She deserves better.

I delete each image, praying to delete them from my mind, too. Once done, I go to his outbox, delete the photos sent to Lara, and crush the phone beneath my foot.

“Now,” I tell him, placing my gun to his chest. “If anyone finds a single one of these images, I will come for your head. I don’t care if you didn’t pass them around. I don’t care who does. One single photo out and about, and I will skin you alive, tear each nail, claw out your eyes before I give you death. We clear, asshole?”

"Absolutely clear," he says, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Stay away from us,” I warn. “Now, go.”

He turns to walk past me, but I stop him. There’s no way I’m letting him past Lara.

“But—” he sputters, noticing it’s the only way out.

“That way,” I point behind him. “Scale the wall, but you never cross her again.”

He pales and turns, running into the shadows and scuffling over the wired wall. He screams when the wires pierce his hands. It’ll bleed, but not like how I plan to make him bleed later. I just didn’t want Lara to see that side of me just yet. And little does Marv know that I’m not one to forgive and forget.

Once he’s out of our periphery, I finally feel relaxed enough to check on Lara. I turn my attention to her and rush over to her side in three large strides. She's trembling, her wide eyes still filled with fear. Though Marv is gone, I know the damage has already been done. She must be terrified, confused, and vulnerable.

"Are you okay?" I ask gently, trying to provide some comfort.

She nods but doesn't speak. "Please don't be afraid of me, Lara," I tell her softly, my heart aching at the sight of her trembling form. "I couldn't let him hurt you. I had to do something."

She nods and averts her gaze. “I…please don’t tell anyone,” she whispers. “I’ll pay you back in time, I swear.”

“Never speak of paying me back again,” I say, almost angrily. “That was my choice!” Doesn’t she understand letting him or anyone else hold her against her will was never an option for me? I would have paid ten times the price to have her free.

She stands up straighter and nods in fear. I can see the shame in her eyes, and it breaks my heart to know that I played a part in putting her in this position by being here tonight. On one hand, of course it was lucky I was here. On the other, I am an Orlov, and she has been trained to maintain formal relations with other families within the Bratva. This incident tonight can cause grave dishonor, and she’s aware of that.

I may have saved her from Marv tonight, but our lives are now more entangled than ever before. And that can only mean one thing. I can’t just let her out of sight. Knowing she’s keeping the secrets she’s been keeping, seeing a side of her that no one else knows, only makes it harder for me to walk away like nothing happened.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself. There's no time for second thoughts—I need to secure Lara's safety.

"That man, Marv, is dangerous," I say grimly. "As long as he thinks you're my wife, he won't dare come near you again."

Lara pales. “Your wife?” she gasps.

“It’s the only way he’ll buy it after I just told him we’re engaged. Otherwise, if he sees it’s not true, he could spread the news about what happened here tonight, and all this would have been for nothing.”

“No, that can’t happen,” she mutters, panicking as she shakes her head, her black hair flowing around her. A strand is stuck to her lip, and without a thought, I take a finger and sweep it away. I stare at those lips, wishing rather urgently to smash my own against her, to ravage her. My skin tingles as I touch her, and she shivers. I pull away, fighting against the desire burning wild in my head. Lara's eyes search mine as if trying to gauge my sincerity.

“We need to get married straight away,” I say, trying to get back to the reason we’re here. I need to act to feel useful. A plan is what’s needed right now. “It’s just a plot to keep him at bay for your safety. But in time, we’ll deal with the next steps.”

She pales and takes a step back. “Get married?” Her voice comes out in a small squeak.

Shit. What the hell did I just do?

“It’s either that, where I can protect you by standing beside you. Or, you have to tell someone else,” I insist firmly, meaning every word. “Because if you walk away thinking this is all behind us, you’re wrong. Men like Marv are dangerous, Lara. If you don’t trust someone with what happened tonight, you could find yourself in more trouble than you think.”

She tilts her head, and there’s a small furrow on her brow.

“What are you thinking?” I ask, getting impatient with each passing moment.

“I’m thinking that that was probably the most romantic proposal I could ever have hoped for,” she says. I stand there, incredulous, realizing that this is the version of Lara I’ve been seeing on surveillance. Fiery, yet sweet. I like it. “Lucky me.”

“Well, I am quite the romantic,” I fold my arms before me.

“Clearly,” she snorts, rolling her eyes. I watch her intently, waiting for a reply, and she looks right at me as though trying to study me.

“What is it?” I ask, wondering what’s going on through that pretty little head.

“I was just thinking, what’s in it for you?” she asks. “Why would you want to marry me or safeguard me when you don’t even know me?”

I’ve been dreading this question from the moment I suggested we marry. Hell, I didn’t even fully understand why I was doing it myself. The truth is, I’m more possessive of her than I care to admit.

So when she asks why I’m pushing this so hard, why I’m so insistent on pretending we’re in love, I can’t just come out and admit the truth. I’ve been spying on her, keeping tabs on her every move. I know how dangerous Marv and his kind are for a woman as na?ve and innocent as Lara, and I can't stand the thought of her being vulnerable to that sort of threat.

“This isn’t just about us,” I tell her, trying to mask the real reason behind my words. “It’s about protecting our families from men like Marv. You’ve seen how far they’re willing to go. If we don’t play this right, if we don’t make them believe in us, then we risk everything.”

I know it sounds like a justification, but it’s the only explanation I can give. I need her to believe it’s all about strategy, not about how much I can’t stand the idea of her being with anyone else. Deep down, though, I know it’s more than that. It’s about keeping her safe and keeping her close.

“Lara,” I grunt. “Come on now. Which is it? Will you tell someone you can trust? Or should we take the leap?”

She takes a few moments, then shakes her head with resignation. “No,” she murmurs. “You’re right. I can’t go to anyone else. My brothers, they’ll—“

“I understand,” I cut her off. “I have sisters, too.”

She doesn't argue any further, trusting me for some reason. “Fine,” she whispers. “I know you’re right.”

God damn it. We’re in it now.

Marv wouldn’t dare cross me or her now. I cast aside the small sliver of guilt building within me in my heart, listening to my head. While Marv won’t cause trouble, I don’t know what kind she might get into. By making her my wife, I can keep her close and through that, ensure my family remains safe. She could bring another dangerous person into our lives if she’s let back to her reckless ways.

Right?

"We'll have to keep up the act, at least for now," I continue. “Pretend to be in love, appear in public as a couple. We'll also have to announce it to our families."

I pause, hating myself for the fear in her eyes. But it's the only way.

"I know it's a lot to ask. But I promise I'll protect you with my life." I tip her chin up to meet my gaze. "Do you trust me?"

Her breath hitches, and she nibbles her lower lip. But she nods.

Relief floods through me.

"Good girl. This is for the best, you'll see." I extend my hand and she takes it after looking at it like it might be diseased. She trembles when my fingers graze her arm, and I wonder why. Does my touch do to her what hers does to me? Or is it that she’s afraid?

Knowing this is a question I can probably never ask, deducing that I might just have made the biggest error in judgment and aware that as a man of my word, I can’t go back on what I proposed; I just focus on the next step forward.

And so, I lead her out of the alley into our new shared future—one where she belongs to me and me alone.