Chapter Ten

Aksana

When Vladmir suggested dinner at a restaurant, I had no idea he meant some hole-in-the-wall diner near port authority. Even more confusing, we were the only ones there, minus the cook, who happily greeted us at the door.

“Hello, Javier.” Vladmir smiled warmly, shaking the man’s hand. “Thank you for doing this tonight.”

“No problem, my man,” the jovial cook greeted. “Anything for you.”

“Aksana, I’d like you to meet Javier Tito.”

The second his name registered, I gasped, star struck.

“Oh my God. You are the head chef and owner of Cuisine Raffinée. The best French restaurant in Manhattan. You just received a five-star Michelin rating. Your creations are out of this world.”

The man laughed heartily.

“Maybe I should hire her to write my reviews.”

Looking at Vladmir, I said, “You didn’t tell me I’d be meeting the best French Chef in the United States.”

Vladmir shrugged. “He’s alright.”

“Alright?!” I gasped incredulously. “The man is a culinary genius. Food & Wine Magazine just dubbed him the ‘It Man’ in French cuisine. Le Cordon Bleu wants him to teach the next best chefs in the world.”

Javier smirked. “I really like her. She’s good for my ego.”

“You don’t need any help in that regard,” Vladmir deadpanned.

I couldn’t believe I was standing in front of one of the best chefs in the world. This was like a dream come true for me. Never in my life did I ever imagine I’d get the chance to meet a man like Javier Tito, let alone talk with him.

This was so surreal.

“So, Vladmir tells me you enjoy cooking.”

Gulping, I nodded. “Yes, but I’m nowhere near as good as you. I just tinker around a bit.”

Vladmir huffed, taking a seat at the diner’s bar. “The woman lives in the kitchen. Can’t get her out of the place. Maxim and the others won’t stop raving about her food, and Illyria is thinking about firing the house cook and asking Aksana if she would like the job.”

That was all news to me.

I knew Maxim and the others liked what I cooked, but I didn’t know Illyria thought so highly of me.

Talk about a high compliment.

“So where do you gravitate?” Javier asked, smiling at me.

“A little bit of everything, I guess. I don’t really have a specialty.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Vladmir moaned, shaking his head. “She’s being modest. The woman can cook anything, but she prefers Russian, French, and Italian cuisine. The boys really love her Russian dishes.”

Annoyed, I glared at Vladmir.

I didn’t know why he was being so flippant with Javier. The man asked me the question, not him. If he didn’t want to be here, then he shouldn’t have brought me here.

“Have you tried integrating them? Mixing them up, putting a new spin on them?” Javier asked.

Nodding, I smiled. “Sure, but I wouldn’t know where to start.”

Once again, Vladmir scoffed.

Glaring at the man, I clipped, “What now?”

“You are the least adventurous woman I know. You follow the rules and that is displayed in your cooking. Yes, you can cook, but there is no life in your food. You hide from your true self, and it shows in your cooking.”

“I do not hide from everything!” I damn near screeched.

“Yes, you do. You stay in your comfort zone. The kitchen.”

I was going to kill him.

He wanted to see some life in me, well he was about to see my hands around his neck!

“Well, that doesn’t stop you from eating everything I cook.”

“I’m being polite.”

That rat bastard!

Fuming, my hands itched to slap him hard.

“Alright, you two.” Javier quickly stepped in before I committed murder in this diner. “Tempers rise in the kitchen, which is good. Means there is passion, and if there is passion, then the food is bound to be amazing.”

Vladmir huffed, getting up from the stool and walking over to a booth. “I can’t wait to see what you two come up with.”

“So how do you know Vladmir?” I asked while I whisked ingredients.

Javier sighed. “It’s a long story, but the CliffsNotes version is he saved my ass.”

Looking at the man, my brow furrowed. “How so?”

“I was nothing more than a smart-mouthed troublemaker with a chip on my shoulder when Vladmir walked into the shitty restaurant I was working part-time in and asked if I was any good. I may have said some offhand comment but that didn’t deter Vladmir. He sat his ass down at the counter and asked me to cook something for him. He didn’t care what it was, only that he was hungry. So, I did. I watched as he looked at the plate before him, then dug in. He never said a word. When he finished, he quietly got up, paid for the meal, and left. I thought that was it until I cleared his plate and saw he had left me a note with a number attached. He told me to call the number at my earliest convenience. Curious, I did and that’s when my life changed.”

“What number did he give you?”

Javier looked at me and said, “The number he gave me was to Chef Amorello Costanzo.”

“Holy shit,” I gasped.

Javier grinned. “I know, right? Chef Costanzo is fucking amazing. I didn’t learn till much later that Chef Costanzo only took on unknown protégés. That he heavily relied on personal friends to recommend only the best undiscovered cooks in the city. Under Chef Costanzo’s tutelage, I learned a lot. Hell, I’m still learning, but over time I started making a name for myself and when I opened my first restaurant, Vladmir was there to congratulate me.”

“That’s amazing,” I whispered, pouring my whisked ingredients over the salmon I was preparing. “And this place?”

“Oh.” Javier chuckled. “I own this place, too. It’s nothing special and no one knows it’s mine, but I like to come here occasionally to remember where I came from. All the fame and money in the world is a poor substitute for my meager beginnings. I get tired of cooking for the rich and famous. Yes, because of them I have the life I live, but when I want to be me, to really cook from my soul, I come here. Here, I’m just Javier, where I can be anything or anyone I want. Here, nobody complains. They just enjoy the food as it was meant to be eaten.”

Opening the oven, I placed the salmon tray on the top rack and closed the door. Turning to face him, I smirked as I caught him dipping his finger in the sauce I just whisked. A look of shock and enlightenment marred his face.

“Damn, girl,” the man said, dipping his finger in the bowl again. “That shit is good.”

Blushing, I muttered, “Thanks.”

“What about you?”

Jumping up to sit on the counter next to him, I shrugged. “I met Vladmir two years ago. Like you, he’s helping me too. Only not in the way you think. I’m running from an abusive husband who wants me dead.”

“Damn, girl.”

I nodded. “I know. I am the total cliché. But it’s not all been bad. I’ve met some wonderful people who are eager to help me, and hopefully when my husband issue is finally taken care of, I can settle down, relax, and raise my daughter in peace without having to look over my shoulder every five minutes.”

“You belong in a kitchen, Aksana.”

Shaking my head, I replied, “No. I’m a mom first. I love cooking and I think I’m good at it, but doing what you do isn’t for me.”

“But it could be,” Javier reasoned, bumping my shoulder. “You have the skills, and you are better than you think. Cooking is an art. Not everyone understands or takes the time to learn, but you have something most chefs don’t. Passion. You create with your soul, Aksana. I watched as you prepared this meal. You let your creativity flow. You didn’t follow any recipe. You went with your gut. Good food comes from the heart. Remember that.”

With his plate in my hands, I made my way out of the kitchen and found Vladmir waiting patiently, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. Placing it before him, he examined it briefly before eagerly grabbing his fork and knife and diving in.

Settling into my seat across from him, I indulged in the mouthwatering dish I had prepared and couldn’t deny its deliciousness. The salmon, with its perfectly cooked and seared exterior, offered a delightful combination of tenderness and firmness. The Gruyère and spinach risotto was rich and creamy, but it was the subtle touch of mint that elevated it to a whole new level of deliciousness. The meal, accompanied by a delightfully crisp white wine, offered a unique and enjoyable gastronomic adventure, expanding my palate beyond my usual choices.

Just like all the previous occasions I’d prepared meals for him, the man didn’t utter a single sound. When he was done eating, he pushed his plate to the side and settled back in his chair, idly scrolling through his phone while he waited for me to finish.

As I laid my utensils down, I whispered softly, “I give up.”

“What?” the infuriating man said, looking at me.

“I GIVE UP!” I screamed, causing the man to flinch. I jumped to my feet, my heart racing, and stormed out of the diner, the taste of anger still lingering on my tongue.

I had no idea where I was going, just as long as it was a place where I couldn’t hear his voice or see his face.

Vladmir had surpassed all levels of insufferable egotism and exasperation that I had ever seen in a man, and that was no small feat, given the magnitude of my so-called father and husband. But where they owned who they were and didn’t give a damn about anyone but themselves, Vladmir was different.

I’d witnessed firsthand how he interacted with others, particularly the children, including my daughter Katiya. A smile always adorned his face, his laughter filled the air, and he showed unwavering care for those in his life.

But not me.

Never with me.

With my sweater pulled tightly around me, I didn’t even bother to glance at my destination.

What was the use, anyway?

I had no idea where I was, where to go, or even how to get back to the compound. While it hadn’t been all that cold when we left the compound, winter was right around the corner and the night had a distinct chill in the air.

Walking deeper into the darkness, I silently cursed under my breath, hating myself for even trying to please that man.

I should have known.

Men like him didn’t change. My existence meant nothing more to him than fulfilling a job, and once that job was completed, he would nonchalantly disappear, as if I had never played a role in his life. Even though I was just a job to him, he could still be nice.

I wasn’t that bad. Yes, I had my hang-ups too, but I was flexible. At least I tried to be nice. He showed no interest in acknowledging me. Needing to get as far away from him as possible, I set off at a brisk pace, my heart pounding in my chest as the sound of my breathing filled the air.

With hurried steps, I made my way down the pier, the moon’s feeble glow barely visible through the heavy blanket of clouds above. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, causing my heart to beat faster as I hurried along, my breath visible in the chilly night air.

When a quick snap echoed through the air, my head jerked around to locate the source of the sound. Hastening my steps, I suddenly realized I had lost sight of the diner.

Had I walked that far in my anger?

Everything around me felt foreign and unknown, amplifying my sense of vulnerability as a lone woman navigating the city at night.

“Damn it, Aksana,” I cursed. “You know better than this.”

I retraced my steps when a giant silhouette, which materialized from the darkness, blocked my way.

“Can I help you?” I asked nervously, while taking a few steps back.

“You sure can,” the stranger said, his voice sending a chill down my spine, as a powerful arm wrapped around my neck, tightening its grip and lifting me off the ground, pressing my body against another. I could feel the rough, scratchy stubble on his chin when it brushed across my cheek. He leaned down and whispered in my ear as I struggled against his grip.

“Your husband misses you, bitch.”

Oh God.

NO!

I inhaled deeply, hoping to let out a piercing scream for help, but his grip tightened around my arm, silencing any sound that could escape my lips.

He hissed, “Scream and I will gut you right here.”

I fought desperately against his grip as he dragged me further into the murky darkness. Despite my attempts to fight, I quickly realized I was no match for him. Taking cover behind a massive warehouse, he abruptly pushed me aside and I crashed onto the ground with a resounding thud, the wind getting knocked out of me. Seeing my chance, I hurriedly stood up and tried to escape, but his friend was too fast and managed to capture me once more. He skillfully grappled with me, easily pinning me down with his weight pressed against me.

“Please! Let me go!” I screamed, hoping someone would hear me and save me before things went any further.

Both of the men laughed.

Before I knew what was happening, the first man deftly secured my arms behind my back, rendering me helpless. He picked me up easily and pinned me against a nearby wall, grinding himself against me.

“Steele said we could do what we wanted as long as we delivered you alive.”

It was a moment of sensory overload as I noticed a multitude of things happening simultaneously. First, I noticed the intricate tattoos covering his heavily muscled arms when he forcefully placed his hand over my mouth to silence me. Next, his bulging erection made its presence known, pushing against my skimpy skirt. Adding to that, his hand stealthily made its way up under my shirt, sending a wave of revulsion cascading over my body when his rough touch met my bare skin.

I fought back as hard as I could, but his determination prevailed. His hand slipped under my bra, squeezing my breast roughly and painfully pinching my nipple between his thumb and forefinger. He pressed his body against mine, his erection evident, making it clear that he would not stop until he got what he wanted.

Gripping my hair tightly, he forced me to my knees.

As he undid the front of his pants, his eyes sent me a clear message of the dire outcome should I make any foolish moves. To make sure I understood, he hauled off and slapped me hard across the face.

His buddy laughed.

“Hurry up, man,” the fucker urged, rubbing his own growing erection.

I had only a moment to examine the massive member in the pale light before he gripped my face hard, forcing me to cry out, giving him the opening he was looking for. He shoved his dick down my throat.

His repulsive scent overwhelmed me, causing me to gag instantly.

With a split-second decision, I resorted to a desperate act and clamped down, biting as fiercely as I could.

His cries of anguish filled the air. The man frantically struggled to extricate himself from my mouth, his desperation palpable. Even after his buddy’s forceful punch landed on my face, I remained steadfast and refused to let go. When he finally stepped away, wincing and protecting his crotch, I locked eyes with him and spat his dick onto the ground.

“Fuck you!” I screamed, as his buddy backed away, shocked at what I had done.

Out of the darkness, Vladmir appeared.

It only took a second for him to realize what had happened, and before anyone could blink, Vladmir pulled his gun and shot the now-dickless man in the head, his brains decorating the wall behind him.