Chapter 25

"There are horrors beyond life's edge that we do not suspect, and once in a while man's evil prying calls them just without our range."

—H.P. Lovecraft

Penny

Dangerous.

Damning.

Delicious.

That was the only way to describe the way I was feeling about Kraven after the night of passion. It had been completely unexpected, as if taken from a romance novel. I was pacing the floor of the bedroom, uncertain what I should do or where I should go. I'd tried to make sense of the way I was feeling but it was ridiculous to bother trying.

I was certain I was still in some level of shock. That would make sense, but the rush of feelings left me incapable of thinking clearly.

I wanted to say to myself that the array of emotions rushing through me was disgusting, creating a self-loathing that left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Or at least it would have had the taste of the brutal, unforgiving man not been so incredible. I remained furious at how my body had responded, the chill coursing down my spine all about the extreme pleasure I'd already experienced. Even the game of cat and mouse had induced excitement, yanking on the kind of darkness that had consumed Kraven long before he'd ever met me.

I also wanted to distrust him and the way he'd opened up the night before, including with his brother, but it had been very heartfelt. God, I hated second guessing myself about everything but here I was, feeling more nauseous than I did last night.

Not because of the time spent together, but from the understanding that life really was so short. I'd spent so much time running from my past I'd almost allowed myself to be swept up in a vacuum, refusing to see anything in front of me.

I wanted so much to be with Kraven, to do nothing more than to enjoy the same kind of day as we had before the near tragedy. Sadly, I had a feeling there would never be another carefree moment again. I hated it. I loathed that I'd started to fall for a man who likely could never enjoy just being.

Dinners.

Walks.

Unescorted vacations.

Hell, Christmas.

But here I stood with a juice in my hand, staring out the window of the kitchen at a glorious looking environment, wondering if I was allowed to even walk outside.

Or even if I had the courage to do so.

Every time I closed my eyes, I could still see the horror, could feel the vibrations as the guns were fired. I glanced down at Remington, grateful he didn't seem any worse for the wear, eating like a champ. I'd noticed Konstantin had been kicked out of the meeting, which had left him pacing the living room floor with a phone permanently attached to his hand. At least he'd brought my things, allowing me to change into something other than a baggy tee shirt and a pair of shorts I'd been forced to cinch as tight as possible to keep from falling off.

Now I stood in what felt like a completely inappropriate outfit: another tiny sundress and sandals. It was ridiculous to feel as if I should be wearing combat gear but that's the way it was.

As Remington moved to the water bowl, lapping like the big dog he was, I laughed since he was making so much of a mess.

"Cute dog," I suddenly heard from behind me.

I spun around, uncertain if Vissarian was going to be vicious or nice. I hadn't paid attention to the fact he'd all but hidden his Russian accent while his brother had embraced it. "He's my child. Remington Steele, meet Vissarian Sokolov."

To my pup's credit, he stopped slurping the water enough to glance around to see the newcomer, even woofing in response. I laughed again, shocked that I was rewarded by a smile from the young man. He looked so much like Kraven today that only the age difference really highlighted they weren't the same person.

He walked further into the kitchen, pulling a glass from the cabinet and grabbing out the container of juice I'd selected. "He likes you in case you didn't know that."

"Remington or your big brother?"

He kept his boyish grin as he poured his drink. "Well, both, but I was speaking of big bro."

"How can you tell?'

"Because he never brings anyone here. No friends. I can't remember the last time he allowed one of his soldiers here. As he told me. You're special."

I felt flustered by him telling me that. "I'm not special, Vissarian. I just fell into his life and because of that, he's treated me like a queen." That was really the truth. Sure, he'd taken me almost as his hostage, but I certainly had a better understanding of why.

"Nothing happens without a reason. Maybe you two were meant to be together."

"I know he had someone before, the loss something he was barely able to tolerate."

He moved closer, shrugging like any kid would do. "Whether or not he'll tell you this, I know he really wants a big family. I could see him with six kids, owning a huge camper that he'd take on vacations. Maybe even more than one dog." He crouched down, cocking his head as he pet Remington.

Meanwhile, I almost spit out my juice. "Six kids. Well, not with me."

"He would tell you never say never."

"Oh, trust me," I said, laughing. "Your brother loves you."

"Yeah, I know. It's not his fault I'm a shithead." He smiled. "Anyway, I felt I owed you an apology. I'm an asshole but I shouldn't have taken my frustrations out on you."

"It's okay. It's been a tough period for all of us." I watched as Remington jumped up on Vissarian, offering his approval.

"He's a cutie pie. If you need me to babysit, just let me know."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"I know you saved my brother's life and I'm guessing the lifestyle isn't one you're used to."

"What gave me away, the sheepish look or the fact I overreacted last night?"

Everything about the young man was beguiling when he smiled, much like the way his older brother could light up a room by just walking into it. I had a feeling Vissarian would be a force to be reckoned with as he got older.

"You speak your mind. That's rare in our world. It's especially rare with Kraven. He doesn't like backtalk."

"Apparently not. But I've always had sass."

"Which is why he needs you. You'll be good together, like the yin and yang kind of thing."

"Don't go putting us into a relationship. We just met each other."

He lifted a single eyebrow. "You ever hear that karma gives you what you need, not what you want?"

"Never heard that one."

"It's a thing. Look it up. You were brought into each other's lives for a reason. As my mother would say, don't fuck it up."

"I would have liked your mother."

Vissarian had a wistful look in his eyes. "I think she'd give her stamp of approval with you as well." He swallowed the rest of his juice before backing away, placing the glass in the sink before walking out. I had to admit to myself, there was something pretty dynamic about the Sokolov brothers.

But only one of them was the man for me. Great. Now I was picking out a wedding dress in my mind. Not a chance.

I had a sense that I hadn't been privy to another conversation between the two men, but the moment allowed me to see Kraven through yet someone else's eyes. It was as cathartic as the previous day had been, maybe even a little bit more. I was thrown by how many emotions I had, although I only hoped they weren't trauma driven.

As I heard a series of voices, I walked closer to the kitchen door. Almost immediately, I drew Kraven's attention. While the sunlight was beading in through the smoky glass sun-protected windows, the glimmer wasn't able to hide the way his eyes looked in the beautiful late morning.

They were darker than normal, as if perfectly formed obsidian chips, deep and bottomless pools.

Of anger.

Of anxiety.

And of desire.

The rings of fire I'd noted before were still there, but something more had added to his bucket of anxiety. The two guests glanced in my direction, one of them nodding before saying the last few sentences to Kraven before heading out the front door.

Very slowly, Kraven turned in my direction. There was no easy fix on the man's expression, but I sensed he was more concerned about our safety than he'd been before. I found myself walking toward him, wanting to do nothing more than offer my support.

But before I had a chance, Konstantin captured his boss's attention, pulling Kraven away.

It was crazy to feel such a cold chill shifting down my spine given the excessive heat of the desert but that's exactly how I felt.

As if the boogeymen were on their way.

Kraven

"How did that go?" Konstantin asked as he glanced over my shoulder to where Penny had been standing.

"All I can say is the world of criminal activity just might be imploding."

"That sounds ominous."

Everything I'd been told had yet to settle, but if I had to make any admittance, it would be I was more than intrigued with discovering more about the Brotherhood. If what the two representatives had told me was true, I'd been forced into a war I'd never wanted anything to do with in the first place. I didn't like being forced into doing anything.

"Realistic. I wish I could bring you up to speed but not at this point. What I can tell you is that it appears Emiliano is behind the attacks, possibly along with the Morellis' help."

"The South American savage?"

I had to grin. "I know. There are so many Neanderthals it's difficult to keep track. The son of a man my father had some trouble with. And it appears my parents' death wasn't by accident."

"Oh, fuck. This shit just keeps getting deeper."

"I'll say. I'm finished with allowing whoever is responsible to have the upper hand. I need some answers and I need them now."

"Well, then I might be able to fil in some blanks. But I can tell you that what I have to say is something else you're not going to like."

"It's been a day for it. Spill it before I resort to cracking open a fresh bottle of whiskey."

"Maybe I should show you. I got a call from technical support."

The term was used for our hackers, a couple I trusted enough to do deep dives on every potential new employee and the occasional double check on my current staff. He handed me his phone, backing away as if I was going to take out my anger on the messenger.

It was an email from the tech to Konstantin. I read it through and perhaps I refused to allow my brain to process it.

"What the fuck is this?" There wasn't a chance in hell. Not fucking one. But what if? I closed my eyes briefly, allowing a few past memories to slink in. No. I wasn't going down this road. Someone was playing me, trying to pit me against people I could trust.

"A possible leak."

"Bred sivoy kobyly. Eto ne on." When I was really pissed, I fell back to my native language. And I was more than pissed at the mere suggestion. But it was starting to make even more sense how the fuckers had gotten to me in the first place. Damn it. Hold on. What was I thinking?

Bullshit. It's not him.

"I know, boss, but the number appeared eight times, the first three before the attack in the restaurant. It's connected to the Morellis, to their club. Just like you thought. Maybe the Morellis are the go-between or something. They have an ax to grind so why not?"

"Were they calls or conversations?"

"Get this. One call that lasted two minutes just yesterday right before the attack. The others I'm uncertain if they were answered."

While I knew exactly what he was saying, I still wasn't buying it. "Bullshit. There's something we're missing."

"I hope you're right, boss. I really do."

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. I'd been in business long enough to know two distinct things. That when betrayals occurred, it was often those closest to you. But also, given the age of computers, hackers, artificial intelligence, and graphics software, any photograph and any line of communication could be altered to suit one's needs.

However, the fact the Morelli brothers were more closely tied to things than I'd originally believed also said something.

"One more thing." He threw a look toward the kitchen door once again. "One of the numbers that appeared on the list of phone calls came from the apartment where Penny used to live."

My initial reaction was to fucking kill the man. That's how possessive I felt about the woman standing looking like an angel inside my kitchen, but I had to think practically. What would be the best way of getting past my internal security?

Using a woman that would catch my heart.

"No one else is to know about this. Not one fucking person."

"What are you going to do?"

I glanced toward the kitchen, noticing she was standing in front of the bank of windows. "I'm going to handle it. My way. We're going to have a chat with the Morelli brothers tonight. Be prepared."

"Yes, sir. You got it, boss."

I needed a few minutes to collect my shit. While anger burned inside of me brighter than it had even during the attack, I refused to buy all of what I'd seen and read. Still, something was going on, someone playing on my defensiveness and previous losses. It brought far too many emotions that had been anticipated but unwanted.

But if a game was being played, I was the master of them and would continue until I learned the truth.

Then I would crush everyone involved.

I took long strides toward the kitchen, studying the woman I had feelings for from the doorway. The sun was shimmering across her hair, adding an infusion of copper and gold, the dress adding to the perfect silhouette of her hourglass figure. Even now, my mouth watered, my heart racing from the kind of desire that could ruin a man.

Doubting her was difficult. Trusting her even worse. So sweet and innocent. So perfect for my needs.

Possibly handpicked for the job.

I sensed the moment she realized I was in the room, her body tensing and her breath catching. As she slowly tipped her head over her shoulder, I was once again caught off guard by her beauty and the beguiling look on her face. She turned toward me even more slowly, her eyes darting back and forth.

I took a few seconds before I walked closer, trying to determine the next best course of action. She took a step closer. So did I.

Almost immediately, electricity soared between us, the smile on her face turning more seductive than I'd seen before. Goddamn, I hungered for the woman more than I had for any other.

I took a long stride toward her, drinking in her perfume. I wanted nothing more than to have her arms and legs wrapped around me as I drove my cock inside. Whatever was happening, I would take another taste. After all, she belonged to me. What I did with her was entirely up to me.

She offered a slight smile but I sensed concern in her eyes as she finally closed the distance, not touching, not attempting to grab another moment of closeness.

Just observing.

As any good femme fatale would do.

I was the one who reached out, brushing the tips of my fingers down the side of her face to her neck. Unable to help myself, I wrapped my hand around her throat. The move was not only possessive, it was also telling her in no uncertain terms that if she'd deceived me, I would kill her, snapping her pretty little neck.

I tightened my hold to almost the point I was cutting off her breath, and what I found interesting was that there was no fear in her eyes.

Merely lust.

My beautiful Red Penny finally placed her hands on my chest, tilting her head as much as my hold would allow. As she pursed her lips, it became another moment where the draw to her was far too powerful. I crushed my mouth over hers, dragging her onto her tiptoes, immediately thrusting my tongue inside.

We were both reeking of desire, the kind of unbridled need that could pull us into a realm of sadism and darkness. I sensed she was just as much in need as I was, the sensual scent of her perfume now infused with the fragrance of her longing. I could easily bury my tongue inside her wetness, lapping her for hours.

I had time.

Perhaps I would.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

The thought was almost like a revelation, adding to the burning desire. She rolled her arms around my shoulders, tangling her fingers in my hair. As the kiss became more passionate, I yanked her against me, shifting my hand around to her back, cupping her bottom. My cock was hard as a rock, my mind spinning between my job and reputation and my wants.

The two should never mesh.

When I finally broke the kiss, I rubbed my thumb across her slightly swollen bottom lip, pulling it down. I kept my head lowered, my eyes locked onto hers.

"I am curious, my redheaded malen'kiy yagnenok, how close are you with your roommate from before? What's her name? Sheila? How did you come to live with her?"

The look on her face was priceless and telling. Hate was the first emotion that came to the woman.

"What did you call me?"

"Little lamb."

"I told you that the bitch threw me out. Not that we were close anyway. She worked at the club and knew I had nowhere to stay that I could afford and begrudgingly made the offer. However, I knew very early on she was the main squeeze of Rocco Morelli. That didn't place her on my Christmas card list even before she called Remington a smelly beast. Plus…"

When she sucked back the last word, I could sense she was hiding something else from me. "Finish it. What?"

"Nothing." When she tried to look down, I refused to let her, pinching her chin between my thumb and forefinger. I did what I could to soften my tone given the ugliness I noticed in her eyes. "Talk to me, Penny. Trust me right now."

She licked her bottom lip and it wasn't a sensual move but as if she was tasting blood.

"What did the fuckers do to you before you left?"

When she cinched her eyes closed, I could feel the need for violence creeping into my system. "It's okay, Kraven. That part of my nightmare is over. The bastards just threatened me, good ole Sylvester knocking me halfway across the room since my potty mouth was active."

Oh, I would enjoy crushing the motherfucker with my bare hands. "Both Morelli brothers will die."

"You can't go killing everyone who dared try and hurt me."

"I can do anything I want. However, it begs a question and I want you to look into my eyes when you answer. You wouldn't deceive me for any reason, now would you, pretty Penny?"

I sensed her confusion, the tiniest hint of fear creeping back in. "You fucker. You don't want anyone else to touch me yet you act as if anyone who betrays you will be crushed beneath your feet? Then go ahead and do it, Kraven. Kill me."

"I have no intention of killing you, pretty Penny. You mean far too much to me."

She darted her eyes back and forth, still searching to find some resemblance to a soul. I hated to break it to her that even her goodness wouldn't change that. "What happened? Why would you say something like that to me after what we've shared? What did I do all of a sudden other than try to bring you closer together with your own brother?"

Goddamn, I hated this shit.

"You did nothing wrong. That I know of. The reason I was required to ask is because in my world, I can never be too careful. Often, games are played, sometimes with dire effects. Trust is vital to me, more important than almost anything."

"Trust is earned in my world, Kraven. That takes time in getting to know someone, in feeling safe around them. I don't have that in my life. It was taken from me. Except you almost brought it back. Then you say something like that. What happened at that meeting? What did you learn that suddenly has you questioning my motives all over again?" She tried to push herself away but I refused to allow it, now gripping her arms tightly until she winced in a moment of pain.

"That my parents were murdered."

"Oh, my God. Oh, Kraven. I am so sorry. I just… I'm so, so sorry."

I'd always told myself that after years of the work I'd done, including observing people, that I was a good judge of character. That I could tell a liar a mile down the road. People could fake reactions, of course they could. They would cry crocodile tears and act sad or angry, bitter or desperate. But in the dangerous and ugly world in which I'd been brought up, the one emotion that could never be faked was haunted sadness.

And her eyes shimmered with buckets of the emotion.

I pulled her against me once again, pressing my hand against the back of her head. And for the first time in my life, I said a silent prayer.

That I wouldn't need to end my pretty Penny's life.