Chapter 2 - Aleksandr

I pulled up outside the currently empty building downtown and waited for my younger brother—my second in command—to join me. If everything was going according to my plan, the meeting should have already been underway upstairs. Not that they were expecting me, but that was the most important part.

Lev pulled up only a few minutes after me, but I still scowled at my vintage Rolex. He grinned at me, our faces so similar that we used to be confused as twins when we were kids. While his hair stayed the sandy blond of our mother, mine went dark, and I was always an inch taller than him, a fact he tried to desperately make up for by working out to a ridiculous extent.

He rolled up his sleeves and flexed his impressive forearms, forgoing an apology for not being on time. "What's so important?" he asked as I strode toward the building, forcing him to trot to keep up.

"You'll see," I told him. The building was under construction and being completely renovated, with soon-to-be upscale offices and a very nice tax shelter, but now it was still gutted, and the elevator wasn't working. Because of the late hour, the work crews were long gone, leaving the place dark, lit only by the ambient light coming in the bare windows from outside. "They'll be on the eleventh floor."

"Of course, they will," he grumbled but good-naturedly pulled open the emergency stairwell door. "Even when every room is vacant, you couldn't possibly have a meeting without going up eleven flights of stairs."

We traipsed up through the dark. "You should focus on cardio as much as you do lifting," I said, making him laugh.

Lev was far more happy-go-lucky than I was, probably the most carefree of the seven siblings. Our four other brothers and I had all fallen victim to his practical jokes when we were younger. The only one to grow up unscathed was our baby sister, who the six of us adored and doted on. She had begged to be part of this operation I had to set up, but I still didn't want her doing anything so dangerous yet. Mila was our parents' late-in-life surprise blessing, and I often treated her more like my own daughter than my sister, something she didn't care for at all.

Despite his laughter, Lev paused when we reached the eleventh floor, catching his breath and looking to me for instructions. "You'll see," I said again, leading the way to our destination.

Mila was the only one I had confided in about this. She thought I was full of it, but had agreed to keep her silence and not say anything to Lev.

I held up a hand just outside the closed office, waiting a moment to listen to the voices coming from inside. A light shone along the bottom seam of the door, from one of the generators the construction crew used. The rest of the hallway and the other offices were dark and deserted.

I held up a finger to Lev, my other hand on the door handle. As soon as I heard the voice I was waiting for, I busted it open and stormed inside.

Jakob Pavelka, someone my family had trusted for years, was there, doing a deal with some terrified members of a rival but unthreatening organization. They were unthreatening because they mostly stayed in their lane and understood not to mess with the Bratva here in LA, of which I was king. I didn't blame them for jumping at what they saw as an opportunity. They wouldn't be punished tonight. Jakob was the reason Lev and I were here tonight.

With a snap of my fingers and a tip of my head, the three terrified opportunists scampered past Lev and me, clattering down the stairs as fast as their cowardly legs would take them.

"What the hell is going on?" Lev asked.

I studied his face well. The brother closest to me in age and confidence was shocked to see Jakob, someone he heavily relied on, associating with our enemies. It was clear he knew nothing about this little ruse I set up once I caught wind that Jakob might have been doing deals behind our backs and weakening what had to be, at all times, a united front.

I quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Lev hadn't betrayed me.

"What the actual fuck?" Lev asked, angry now. He lunged forward, cracking his fist into Jakob's face.

"Tell him what you've been up to," I urged Jakob. If he didn't lie, I might have shown mercy.

But he proceeded to spew nothing but nonsensical falsehoods through the blood streaming out of his mouth and nose. He stupidly believed I didn't know everything he'd been doing behind our backs, and this was the first time he'd been caught. He was still trying to talk his way out of tonight's meeting when I grabbed him by the throat and backed him over to the window.

"Ah, I get it now," Lev said, hurrying over to open the window, then shaking his head at me. "But the eleventh floor? Fifth or sixth would have sufficed, no?"

I shook my head as Jakob started to blubber. "Not for rats, no," I said.

We had him hanging out by his ankles, and he finally confessed everything I already knew.

"You have to forgive me, you have to!" he shouted, arms flailing.

Far below him were piles of construction debris. The nearest building was empty and closed for the night. Any security guards working there weren't paid enough to investigate if they heard anything.

"Do we have to forgive him?" I asked Lev.

He scowled. As easygoing as he was, betrayal was an unforgivable offense. "Hell no." He let go of one ankle, and Jakob shrieked, twisting his body to try to reach for us, for anything that would save him.

"Hell no," I agreed and let go.

We turned away, dusting off our hands before he hit the ground. His screams stopped abruptly with the distant thump of his landing. Lev moved to turn off the construction light but turned to stare at me with a look of disbelief.

"You didn't think I had anything to do with this, did you?"

He was hurt, and I would have liked to say it didn't at least cross my mind. Telling him I was thrilled he passed the test wouldn't ease his anger, so I only smirked.

"Just keeping you on your toes," I said, leading the way back down to the street after he glared at me a bit more before snapping off the light.

Back at our cars, I tried to extend an olive branch for not being able to have total faith in him. It wasn't his problem, it was mine. Trust never came easily to me, and when I did give it fully, it was often trampled on like an old sales flier.

"How about going to the club with me to wind down," I said, tapping in a message to a couple of our men to come and clean up the mess at the back of the building. "Call the others, and we can have a few drinks. It's been a couple weeks since I've even seen Max and Dima."

Our two younger brothers had been up in San Francisco doing some negotiating, but I'd heard from Ivan and Nikolai that they were back now, and it was about time for a brotherly night out. I needed a stress-free evening after exposing Jakob's perfidy.

"Nah," Lev said, stretching out his back. "I was going to get in a little bit of sparring tonight. Dima's meeting me at the gym. You should join us instead."

Dodging my brothers' punches at Lev's boxing gym doesn't sound nearly as relaxing as reigning supreme in the VIP area of my club. "If you spent more time looking for a woman to settle down with instead of beating the shit out of each other, maybe Papa would get off my back about presenting him with an heir."

"What's wrong with Nataliya?" he asked, jumping to my daughter's defense.

"Nothing's wrong with her," I said. "But I don't want her in the business if she doesn't want to be. She's happy studying in Italy. And…" I paused, and we both rolled our eyes as he nodded his understanding.

Our father, who still lived in Moscow, was old school, traditional Russian all the way. He couldn't rest until one of us had a male heir to join the Bratva and carry on our family name.

"You go have fun with that, then," Lev said, more determined than ever to stay single.

"I've already done my part," I grumbled, getting in my car as he waved and drove off. Our father didn't see it that way, though, and he nagged me as much as he did my single, childless brothers.

I waited for the cleanup crew to arrive and then headed for my club, an upscale and discreet establishment in the hottest part of Hollywood. No one would know it was a nightclub that hosted the most in-demand deejays, with a celebrity bartender and off-duty models as servers, except for the line of eager patrons lined around the block every night, hoping for a chance to get in.

I went in through the back and was greeted by one of the security guards, who let me know it was a slow night, which was only code for nobody who might cause trouble had dared to show their faces on my turf.

I'd already been having trouble with some Armenian group who'd been gaining power, and coupled with Jakob's betrayal, I was in no mood for anything but to down a couple drinks and oversee my kingdom in peace for a few hours.

I made my way past the long, curving bar, nodding at one of the bartenders when he called over the noise if I wanted my regular order that night. The music was loud, the bass line seeping into my bones through the soles of my feet as I went upstairs to survey the dance floor. Strobe lights that were programmed to flash in time with the music regularly flashed across the sea of bodies pulsing below me.

My eyes went to the patrons at the more secluded banquettes on this floor, surrounded by colorful cocktails and bottles of the finest, most expensive liquor or champagne. Getting in here wasn't cheap, and my door control was strict. There were the elite regulars, but the ones who spent weeks trying to get in always spent a small fortune once they were accepted.

I settled into my cordoned-off VIP area. It was out of the way of the crush of people making their way back and forth between the bar and the upstairs seating but had a view of the dance floor. A voluptuous server brought me my special bottle of Russian vodka only a few seconds after I was seated, leaning way over to ask me if I wanted company that night.

With her inflated breasts inches from my face, I leaned back and shook my head. "Maybe later," I said when she pouted.

With a snap of my fingers, two guards who'd been keeping to a discreet distance until now, moved forward to block anyone else from trying to speak to me. For now I only wanted to taste the vodka, let the music wash over me, and watch all the people below enjoy themselves at my most popular establishment.

After scanning the dancers, I kept an eye on the bar, moving forward when it seemed like one young woman was being hassled by a man trying to pull her onto the dance floor. Before I could call for security, irritated that they already weren't taking care of the situation, it became clear that the two were friends, and it was a playful tussle. It looked like they were part of a group and the only one who didn't leave the bar to dance was that one young woman.

I continued to watch her, sweeping from her auburn hair that shone with every pass of the strobe lights, down her bare arms and the tight, bright blue dress that clung to soft, voluptuous curves. Her legs were lost in the darkness, and the crowd crushed in on her to order their drinks.

She looked out of her element, letting herself be jostled from side to side as people wedged in between her to wave for a bartender. I leaned forward farther when a beefy brute nearly knocked her right off her stool. My hands curled over the brass rail, and I almost sent someone to bring her up to me so she could enjoy her drink in peace.

But then her friend was back, and he was being far too handsy for my liking. Somehow, in the last few moments, this girl had become mine to protect, and through her laughter, I could see she was nervous about getting onto the dance floor. But she eventually let him haul her out there, and I kept a watchful eye, determined not to lose her in the crush.

The way she moved was innocent and flirty, and when she laughed a bit self-consciously, I had a flash of recognition. Did I know this woman? She certainly wasn't a regular because I would have already sought her out. Her innocent beauty had entranced me and made me believe I'd met her before.

The young man she was with pulled her close, and I'd had enough watching. Storming past my guards and down the stairs, I headed straight to the bright spot of blue in the sea of bodies. When I reached her group, her auburn hair was tousled out of its updo, and seeing the strands cling to her high cheekbones and fall across her shoulders made me want to take apart what was left of the knot atop her head and feel it tumble through my fingers.

With a tinkling, almost nervous laugh, she tried to disentangle herself from her inebriated friend. Clearing a path, I grabbed her hand and tugged her away from him.

"Hey," he shouted, his face screwed into an angry scowl.

I gave him one right back and shook my head. He put his hands up and turned away, dancing with another of their group. I kept pulling my little prize until we were clear of the writhing mass. She barely came to my shoulder, and up close, she was even more beautiful, with a straight, slightly snubbed nose, big, excited eyes, and lush, full lips curling into a smile.

"Mr. Fokin," she said, staring up at me with eager wonder.

So she knew who I was while I was still drawing a blank where she was concerned.

"You know who I am?" I asked, trying not to appear smug.

"Of course," she said, her feathery brows coming together as she looked around before settling her big eyes on me again.

Ah, she knew I owned the place. Well, being the owner did have some perks, and I wanted to show them off to her.

"Come with me," I said, still holding onto her hand. I stayed close to her, not wanting her to get jostled, but also because I was drawn to her. The way she so openly took everything in on the higher level was refreshing since, normally, even newcomers tried to appear jaded and as if they'd seen it all before.

In my section, her mouth dropped open as I motioned for her to have a seat on one of the black velvet banquettes. I sat beside her, and once again, the server appeared within seconds. She took our order, trying to hide her disgruntlement that I'd found someone I wanted to spend time with.

"This is amazing, Mr. Fokin," my girl said. "How have you been?"

The shyness I'd seen while watching her didn't seem to apply to me, and I was glad. "You have to call me Aleks," I told her.

She blushed and nodded. "Okay."

I waited a beat but finally had to ask her name. Now I could tell her eyes were green, and they flew open at my question, even though it was the least shocking thing I could have said to her.

"Oh, uh, it's Katie. Katie Brixton," she said expectantly.

Our drinks arrived, and I asked the server to close the curtain, which cut the noise back considerably and gave us complete privacy.

"Well, Katie, tell me what brings you to my club."

She kept looking at me like she was waiting for something but finally gave a small shrug. "Oh, you don't even want to know."

Leaning close, I poured the white wine she ordered and handed her the glass. "I want to know everything about you," I told her.

She turned sideways, and our knees touched. Her clingy dress had ridden halfway up her thighs, and I longed to run my hand up the creamy length of her leg.

Her sigh was long, and she delved into a story about quitting her job, failing miserably at a catering business, and then having to grovel for her old job back, only to be demoted. It wasn't funny, but the animated and good-natured way she told it had me laughing at the end.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm sure you'll have your old job back soon. It sounds like a classic power play to me."

I thought about having my brother Nikolai hire her at his Beverly Hills restaurant, a passion project for him. But my mind was already reeling with other ideas for this feisty and resilient beauty. As she asked me to fill her in on what I'd been doing lately, I only waved my hand at the surroundings and urged her to tell me more about herself.

She had a sister and an aunt but no mention of parents, which made me feel an odd stirring in my chest that competed with the stirring in my pants now that she'd scooted even closer to me.

I'd only had one shot of vodka since I arrived and a sip of her white wine, but I felt intoxicated. The steady beat of the music had her toe tapping, and as soon as she was finished telling me all about the restaurant she worked at and would have loved if only it weren't for the horrible boss, I pulled her to her feet.

"Dance with me," I said, pulling her close.

She melted against me, then turned toward the curtain separating us from the rest of the club. I shook my head, sinking my fingers into her lush curves.

"No, in here."

Her mouth dropped open in surprise, but her hands slid up my chest, and her fingers locked behind my neck. Her body so close to mine had me feeling a way I hadn't felt in a long time. When we began to sway, and her eyes drifted shut, I got a jolt that I could honestly say I'd never had before.

I glanced at my watch behind her back. Had we really been up here talking for two hours? It felt like only minutes. As responsible as she seemed where her job was concerned, I started to worry she'd say something ridiculous about having to get home and get to sleep. Splaying my palm across her back and nudging her closer as we danced, one thing was certain. I wasn't letting Katie go. Not tonight.

Maybe never.

That thought hit me like a thunderbolt, and I gripped her tighter. She tipped her head back and smiled languidly at me.

"I'm having such a great time, Aleks, thanks."

That sounded too much like she was leading up to a goodbye, but her hands still clung to my shoulders. Her belly brushed against my hips as she moved, smiling some more to herself because there was no way she didn't feel my raging hard-on.

Another shocking thought hit me, harder than before. Not a thought so much as a vivid image.

Katie, growing round with my child.

Nonsense. The constant urging from my father for a male heir was going to have to be up to my brothers. I'd done my part as well as I could, and I was done.

Or was I? Could I let this woman who'd struck me so hard and fast slip out of my life?

Looking down at her, her head was tipped back, lips still parted. I lowered my head and let my mouth brush across hers, smiling at her soft gasp. Dragging my lips across her cheek, I spoke close to her ear.

"Come home with me tonight."