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25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Aleksandr

A few days later, I sat by the pool, relishing the deep aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The cool morning breeze carried the distant laughter of children from the nearby table where Talia sat with Sasha and Maxim, enjoying breakfast. Dimitri approached with purpose, a man with news to deliver.

"Good morning, brat ," he greeted, settling into a chair across from me. "I checked on Sandy at the hotel. She's safe."

I nodded gratefully, setting down my cup. Dimitri handed me a green file folder. His following words piqued my interest.

"I stopped by Echo last night. The bartender had some information for us."

Upon opening the file folder, I was greeted by the cold, dark eyes of a killer. A balding man with medium brown hair and dark brown squinty eyes stared back at me.

"That," Dimitri stated, pointing to the photo, "is Vic Corallo. He's been questioning the waitresses at Echo, trying to get information on Talia. Mostly, he's been asking when she'll be back at work."

"Who does he work for?"

"Ah, that was what I found interesting. He is a low-ranking soldier of the Lupani family. He reports to Tommy Lansky, one of Gio Lupani's captains."

"It can't be a coincidence that he's asking about Talia, and he's one of Lupani's guys." I placed the folder on the table and spread out the other photos. One of them shows this guy Vic with Tommy Lansky in front of an Italian restaurant Gio Lupani frequents. Another shows Vic and two unknown guys in front of an illegal gambling room that Lupani owns. "Where did you get the photos?"

"Denis pulled them from the Lupani family's police file. I confirmed with the bartender that Vic is the one he's seen hanging around Echo." Dimitri pours a cup of coffee from the insulated carafe and then leans back in his chair. "Word on the street is Vic has been a bad boy."

"I'm not surprised. What's he been doing?" I pour another cup of coffee, watching Talia interact with the children. Sasha is sitting on her lap, pouring pretend tea into a play teacup. Maxim is seated to Talia's right, showing her a video game. She is going to be a terrific mother. I daydream of her belly getting fuller and rounder, growing and protecting our baby, the heir to my kingdom. The sound of Dimitri's voice pulls me back to the moment.

"He's been playing with fire, skimming profits from one of Gio Lupani's gambling rings. He's supposed to turn over all the profits to Gio, but my sources tell me he pockets forty percent." The Italian mafia has ways of dealing with guys like Vic that are similar to how the Bratva handles guys like Vic. "If Gio finds out what's been happening, Vic will end up face down in a grave."

"Mikhail must have been mixed up in one of the gambling rings Vic hosts. Talia said she heard the men arguing about money." I run my hand down my face to control my emotions in front of the children. The desire to gut Vic and throw his remains in the Hudson River is slowly burning me from the inside out.

I motioned for Talia to join us. As I flipped through the photographs, her eyes settled on Vic, her complexion shifting from warmth to a pallor of fear. It was unmistakable—Vic was the man she had seen commit the ultimate betrayal, snuffing out Mikhail's life without remorse.

"Talia," I addressed her gently, and a surge of protectiveness rose within me. "This man has been asking about you at Echo."

Her distress was palpable, and my words laid bare her vulnerability. I reassured her, my voice steady. "You're safe here. Sandy is safe at the hotel and at work. I don't believe Vic knows of your connection."

I directed my attention to Dimitri. "Increase security around Sandy. I want two men with her at all times."

"Of course, pakhan . I will go to the hotel myself and reinforce her security detail."

Turning back to Talia, I reminded her of the sanctuary these walls provided. "You are safe here, dushenka, " I affirmed, my tone resolute.

Talia nodded in understanding, but the assuredness didn't quite reach her eyes. "Would you excuse me? I'm going to go lie down for a bit."

"Of course," I replied softly.

With a nod, she excused herself, seeking solace within the confines of her room. The weight of responsibility settled upon me—the burden of protecting my own. Vic was no longer just a name; he was a looming threat, a shadow darkening the edges of our haven.

I surveyed the tranquil pool, its waters reflecting the play of sunlight. Beneath the calmness, danger lurked in the form of Vic—a predator on the prowl, circling, seeking his prey. His pursuit would not go unanswered.

Convincing myself that I should check on Talia, I stood before the closed bedroom door with my hand raised mid-knock. I was fooling myself and doing a terrible job at it. I wasn't here to just check on her. What I wanted was to feel her body beneath mine as I marked her with my seed, claiming her as my own. I craved her constantly, a feeling I'd never had with any other woman.

I'd only been with a woman once before discarding her. It was my way of ensuring that I didn't get close enough to a woman for her to want more of me than I was willing to give. But with Talia, once wasn't enough. One hundred times wouldn't be enough. Each time I'm with her, I want more; more time, more of her, and more ways to pleasure her. My thirst for her doesn't ever seem quenched; today is no exception.

Knocking lightly on the door, I wait anxiously for her response.

"Come in," she calls out.

Stepping into the room, I find Talia sitting on the chaise with a book on her lap. Her long, silky hair is draped down her back, and her legs are tucked underneath her. "How are you feeling?"

She smiles, but it isn't genuine. "I'm fine," she lies.

I sit at the edge of the chaise and reach for her hand. "Everything will be okay, I promise. You're safe here, and Sandy is safe. No one will harm either of you."

"I want to believe you, but…" She searches my face, her eyes narrowing. "I haven't had the best of luck with people being there for me. Besides Sandy. She's always been the one to watch out for me."

Her vulnerability tugged at my heart. I would die to protect this woman. I'd do anything to make sure she is happy and safe. But I can't tell her that. The words are stuck in my throat, and my mind is telling me that in my world, she would be a target because I care for her.

She absently rubs the small bird tattoo on her wrist that connects her to Sandy. Chewing on her bottom lip, she turns away from me, focusing on nothing in particular out the window.

Catching her chin with my thumb, I turn her face toward me. Her hazel eyes burn into me, and I can't hold back any longer. A low growl rises up in my throat. I need to be inside her right fucking now. I slammed my mouth onto hers, kissing her desperately. She gasped in shock, pulling away at first but then melting into me. She thrust her fingers into my hair, tugging at the ends, opening her mouth to allow my tongue entrance. My cock throbbed painfully, needing to be inside her tight, wet pussy.

Pushing her down onto her back, I roughly grind my cock against her, feeling the heat of her pussy through her jeans. She yanked at my shirt, frantically tugging it over my head. I dropped it onto the floor, and her shirt and bra followed. Her full breasts made my mouth water. I rubbed my thumb over her pebbled nipple, making her groan softly. Cupping her breast, I squeezed and slapped it, claiming her mouth at the same time. She arched into my hand as I feasted on her delicious lips.

I slide my hand up her chest, snaking it around her throat. Her body stilled, and her breath caught. Her hazel eyes were wide with anticipation. "Unbutton your jeans," I command, needing access to her pussy.

Her eyes flared with desire, and her fingers went to work to open her jeans. I slid my hand down her stomach and slipped it into her panties, gently rubbing her clit. Talia moaned, pushing her pussy against my hand. I sucked her nipple into my mouth as I slid my finger up and down her slit. She was so wet it made my cock strain against my pants to be released. Fuck.

Pushing off her, careful not to aggravate her shoulder wound, I stood and slid her jeans down. Pulling them off, I dropped them on the floor with the other clothing. She lay before me bare except for a pair of black lace panties. She was beautiful and mine. The thought of almost losing her to the violence that plagued my world made me sick to my stomach. Her tiny baby bump was a reminder that I almost lost them both. I'll do anything to protect them and kill anyone that dared to harm them. They're mine, and I'm never letting them go.

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