3. Nikolai

3

NIKOLAI

I t's her.

I had never believed in luck or stupid shit like that. Life wasn't a game of fate. It was just reality. Often cold and dark, in my case.

Spotting those familiar long blonde locks, I was treated to a moment of hope and brightness.

I struggled with disbelief, stunned in place and not trusting my eyes when I did a double-take at Harrow's. Of all the fucking places in the city, in the world, I'd run into her here ?

Keeping to the darkness, I relied on stealth to stare at her. It was her, and I fell deep into the pit of infatuation and amazement as I watched her. Her friend noticed my attention first. She didn't assume I was checking her out. Very quickly, she realized I was focused on her shorter friend.

I didn't approach her, content for now to simply watch and stare. Nothing would have stopped me from approaching her. She wasn't with anyone but that taller Black woman, a friend, it seemed. No obstacles would have prevented me from walking right up there and seeing her closer, even touching her.

But I didn't. I had my reservations, and for good reason.

Amy didn't belong in my life. I realized that during our one night together, and I was aware of it now. She wouldn't fit in my dangerous life as a Bratva spy. She was innocent, a veterinary technician who paid her bills and never broke the law.

Besides, I didn't look the same. The night I spotted her, I'd been in disguise, coming back from spying and taking documents from the docks. I'd worn a wig that night and put on colored contacts, and tonight, I sported another look. I doubted she'd recognize me, so what good would it do to approach her?

I wanted to. My body yearned to go to her, but I waited and stalled, keeping her within my sights as her friend told her that I was watching her. I almost smiled, amused by her attempts to look in my direction without being obvious. If I hadn't been watching her so closely, I might have missed the way she so subtly tried to spot me. She didn't see much. I kept to the corner, and with this different wig on and a high-collared jacket, she wouldn't know it was me. Nate. That was the alias I gave her that night.

Even if I wanted to go after her, I had to linger back and listen, to scope out the clientele. I'd come here tonight because I told Alek I'd keep an eye on the Cartel members trying to sneak in. During the half hour I'd been hawking this place, I spotted a couple of people who were likely affiliated with the Cartel. I didn't recognize anyone specifically, but my radar was up. I was watching, both for a sign of the Ortezes and Amy.

Finally. After all this time. I'd worried she'd moved away or something because I hadn't seen her again. I'd gone back to the apartment where we'd fucked. Several times, I went there to see if she was home, but the place was vacant, up for rent. Searches on social media hadn't helped me either, but I seldom went on there, anyway .

I'd been too busy to launch a full-out search for her, and it bothered me that it would be a challenge to locate her again. And that was why I knew I wouldn't let her get away again. I couldn't. Not with how often she'd been on my mind, and that was after one night of fucking her like I pleased. She'd made that much of an impression, like lust at first sight.

Even if she couldn't fit in my life for good, too sweet and gentle, I couldn't walk away.

When she moved to leave, I didn't think twice. I followed right after her, chasing her down outside.

She glanced at me, aware that I was on her tail. But she didn't run until we were near the alley around the block. Fear shone in her eyes, and a sick, twisted part of me relished that reaction.

Amy was my prey. I was the predator. And that bond amped up my need for her.

I picked up my pace, hurrying after her down the dark lane between buildings. The further she went from the club, the fewer people lingered around here. Stragglers headed toward Harrow's, and soon, we were all alone.

Her sweet, spicy perfume floated in her wake, and it fueled me to rush up and grab her. With every step I took that brought me nearer, my heart raced. My dick was already mostly hard, and I gritted my teeth to tamp down this adrenaline rush of not only seeing her but hunting her down.

I grabbed her upper arm and whirled her to the wall. She grunted defiantly, wrenching her arm to the side to break free. But she didn't dodge me and try to run. She knew I was there. She wasn't playing stupid or being dumb with an attempt to escape.

Her back smacked to the brick wall, and she jerked her head back to free her hair from covering her face. A haughty huff blew more blonde strands clear of her vision, and I almost growled at the hard look she gave me.

Sass. So much bravado and gumption as she glowered back up at me. Her hazel eyes conned me all over again, and I stepped into her space, tormented with the need to taste her scowling lips.

I angled closer, keeping my thigh between her legs as I towered over her. My hands remained at my sides, and my fingers itched to take hold of her again. She didn't try to run, snarling up at me, but I knew she wasn't happy about being stalked.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she snapped.

Fuck me. Her voice cut through me, teasing me with her melodic yet firm tone. She had the gritty voice of a woman who wouldn't suffer fools, and her confidence turned me on like nothing else. She was good and sweet and everything innocent, but she had a backbone. There was nothing sexier than a woman who didn't take crap.

I'd rather hear her whisper my name with that husky tone. Or better yet, scream it again, like when I brought her to ecstasy with my mouth and cock.

"The question is where do you think you're going?"

She narrowed her eyes, then took her time to scan me again. Without moving her head, she looked me over the best she could at this close range. Her chest heaved, pushing her glorious tits up against me with every quick, hard breath, and I loved that I could intimidate her, that I could rile her up like this and make her so fiery and alive.

"None of your business."

"Oh, I'm going to make it my business," I said, lowering my face toward hers.

Her brow furrowed, and I saw a slight hint of recognition flit through her eyes. I didn't mess with voice modifiers, not often. If she recalled our night together, she had a very good chance of recognizing me from my voice.

"Do I know you?"

Yes. You know what my cock tastes like. You know how good my dick feels deep inside your mouth and cunt.

I shook my head slightly, keeping up the guise of being a stranger to her. It killed me. We could never have a future together. I wasn't a doomsday kind of guy. This wasn't my pessimism coming to the fore. I knew there was no chance of our being compatible in any other way than fucking.

But why not? Just one more time?

I smiled, leaning down to breathe in her sweetness. She didn't flinch or jerk away. Standing still and panting, she remained within my reach. She taunted me, being so close but not acting on her intrigue about thinking she knew me.

If I had another taste of her, if I took a chance to fuck her sweet body again, maybe that would drain this aching need. Maybe one more time would be all that I required to get her out of my system for good.

I was sober. That night we fucked, I was slightly drunk. Maybe it was all in my head. Perhaps Amy stood out because I experienced her with the haze of alcohol clouding my brain. I could've been spending all those weeks just thinking she was better than what reality would prove.

Why not fuck her one more time and know that she's really nothing special?

"Do I know you?" she repeated, firmer and angrier this time.

"Do you want to?" I challenged, dragging my nose along her jawline.

Her skin was as soft as I remembered, satiny and smooth, and the closer I dipped toward her neck and dragged in a deep breath, the spicier. Her flesh gave off a warm scent that intoxicated me, and I couldn't help the low growl that left my lips. She smelled delicious, clean, yet with something exotic in her lotion or perfume. Her skin was so warm and soft to the touch, begging for my kisses.

"I—" She gasped as I pressed my lips to the delicate spot below her ear. Just like that other night, she reacted fiercely. Her breath left her mouth in a rush. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she instinctively leaned her head to the opposite side, giving me access to kiss her again.

Fuck. She was impossible to resist. I slid my hand out to caress her hip, and holding her flush to my dick that grew harder with every second of her presence, I lowered my mouth to the top of her neck again. This time, I kept my lips parted, pressing my tongue to her flesh and sucking hard.

"Dammit. I—" She whimpered, making such a needy, sexy sound of desire that my cock jerked beneath my pants.

"Do you?" I asked again, knowing she was putty in my hands. There was no way she could know it was me, but that didn't matter. She was turned on this much already.

I stepped toward the wall, caging her there as I brought my free hand to her face. I cupped her jaw roughly, and once I tipped her upward, I caged her to the brick wall with my mouth smashed over hers.

She moaned. At the first touch of contact, she leaned toward me and rewarded me with that husky, wanton sound of needing more.

Just like before, she tasted hot and addictive, and I reveled in her enthusiasm, her boldness, to slide her tongue alongside mine. She was no wallflower. Amy wasn't a na?ve, timid lover. Even though we were strangers and I'd stalked her here, she didn't shy away from obeying her traitorous body. She had to know better. She wasn't stupid. And I wouldn't forget her fear before she'd turned it into defiance.

But she wanted me .

Moaning and reaching up on her tiptoes, she kissed me back so quickly and soundly, I pushed up against her to ground my hardening dick against her pussy. A louder sound tore from her lips, a sexy groan that hit me right in the balls. I flattened her to the wall as I ripped my lips from her, staring down at the lust shining in her eyes.

"I…" She frowned, seeming frustrated and confused by her desire for me. When she licked her lips, staring at mine, I knew I'd take her right here against the wall.

"Fuck me," I muttered, dropping my mouth to hers.

Just before I touched her, the sounds of men reached me.

I hesitated, recognizing the braying laughter of the one. Keeping Amy flush to the wall, I turned my head to see down the alley. She went still too, and her quick pants of air whipped against my cheek.

Two cops walked by, coming from the direction of the strip club.

Dammit! One was the Bratva's nemesis. That asshole cop was always trying to meddle with our businesses and bring us down. Steven Murphy was highly regarded on the NYPD forces, but he was a thorn in our side.

I didn't want to know why he was lurking—out of uniform—near one of the Valkov clubs. He should've known better than to be on our turf. And the fact that he was here, near a spot the Ortez Cartel seemed to be targeting, was interesting.

"Fuck." I stepped back from Amy, breathing hard as I realized I couldn't stay here. I didn't belong here with her. I had to be on duty. I had to scope and look out, like I told Alek I would.

If that cop was hanging around, ready to cause trouble or counting on something happening, I refused to be slacking like this.

I scowled at Amy. She slumped against the brick wall, touching her fingertips to her lips. Her eyes were wide open with so many emotions I couldn't pick them apart. Confusion that I'd stopped. Alarm that she'd been kissing a stranger in an alley. Horror that she wasn't fighting back. But most of all, the potent lust for more of that kiss.

I wanted her. So bad. I yearned for her to the point of pain, and I hated that she couldn't be mine. Not here. Not ever again.

Without a word, I turned, hasty in my steps to return to the club and keep an eye on things like I was supposed to.

Fury filled me. Regret burned me from the inside out. I could be mad all I wanted. It was unfair that my life stood between me and the woman I wanted. But duty would always come first. I was a Valkov, and I would never willingly let my family down.