Broken Wolf: Moonbound Series, Book Seven (12 page)

The silver case sat safely tucked between their bodies, unfortunately it also meant she wasn’t able to sneak in a touch of any kind.

Andrea took a deep breath and listened. It was the only thing she could do.

Vadik’s hand twitched on his leg next to hers, but he didn’t move to touch her.

Good.

The boat cut through the choppy water. Wind whipped through her long loose hair and the smell of salt filled her lungs. She controlled her exhalations, slowing her heart rate a little more just to be on the safe side. To his credit, Vadik appeared to still be completely at ease.

A long few minutes passed before the boat slowed and came to a halt next to a small pier. Lights along the dock and down the beach unnaturally brightened the dark night.

Another heartbeat registered a short distance away. It was slow and too even, almost as if the person was asleep.

“We have a Jeep waiting to take you up to the house. Mr. Rossi is expecting you.”

Don’t look up. Wait for Vadik to move first. What is he going to do? We can’t go to the house. Can we? Adrian will know. Gods, Adrian will know.

Andrea held in a breath and focused on her heart rate again.

“Sasha. Pay attention.” Vadik’s voice was too far away.

When had he risen from the couch?
Dammit.
She hopped up from the seat, and scurried into her expected position.

At least these two security guys didn’t seem to know the difference.

Only one of the men disembarked from the yacht with them. His confident steps beat the boards of the dock in a steady
tamp tamp tamp tamp.

Andrea took a chance and looked up from Vadik’s feet. He walked in a straight line behind the young wolf. The silver case swung ever so slightly, forward and backward in pace with his stride.

She matched his speed and followed, carefully placing her feet to avoid a repeat of the heel incident during the boarding on the mainland.

The black Jeep was parked at the end of the long dock. Vadik handed her the silver case and climbed into the front passenger seat. His demeanor was still that of a chilling cucumber.

Did he not realize how much shit they were in? This was bad. They’d never planned on getting far enough to
actually
meet Adrian.

Andrea climbed into the back seat and clutched the silver case tightly to her lap.

The Jeep pulled away from the dock and sooner, rather than the
never
she would’ve preferred, they came to a stop in front what could’ve easily passed as a luxury island resort. Except for the bright street lamps and video camera’s placed evenly along the landscaping.

The guard led the way up a well-lit stone walk. Vadik fell into step behind him and she followed two paces behind him, the handle of the silver case clutched in her hand.

Breathe. Just breathe and follow Vadik. Trust him. You trust him.

They stepped through an arched doorway into an open courtyard at the center of the enormous villa. As much as she wanted to see her surroundings; know more about what she was up against, Andrea kept her eyes trained on the soles of Vadik’s shoes. It was her only choice. Any other action could potentially give them both away.

No eye contact. Breathe.

“Ilya Petrov,” came a deep voice from across the courtyard. Footsteps approached. The greeting had been in Russian, but the accent was decidedly Spanish.

“
Señor
Rossi,” Vadik answered slowly.

A long string of Russian words poured from Adrian’s mouth as he approached. Was he testing Vadik? Or her?

Keep your head down. Just ignore him. You’re not supposed to talk.

Suddenly the unfamiliar male was directly in front of her and one of his hands roughly squeezed one of her breasts.

She stiffened, but kept her mouth shut and her eyes down. Andrea couldn’t look at him. He would know. Something inside her knew he would know if she looked at him. She’d never been a good liar.

He released her breast and another long string of Russian spewed from his mouth.

Inhale. Exhale. Steady heartbeat.

“
I
lya Petrov
,” the dark voice said, from across the giant, rocked-in space. Everything was low-lit, like there was a lamp somewhere out of sight, and Vadik couldn’t see much. A tall man in a white suit stepped out from behind a big, thick column and stalked across the open courtyard.

He took in a breath and dropped his shoulders. “
Señor
Rossi.” No one else would walk with such a pompous stick up his ass.

The man was older than Vadik had expected. Worn around the eyes, with deep lines around his mouth and on his forehead. He had a patrician nose, high brow ridges with thick eyebrows, and piercing golden eyes.

His hair was black, if somewhat receding, and slicked back on his high forehead. His face had the firmness of power, but the shadow of good looks from another decade.

“So nice to finally meet you,” Rossi said in Russian, coming to stand directly in front of him. “I have heard much about your…proclivities…from our guest, and I will say, I look forward to viewing them for myself.”

He turned to Andrea, and every fiber of Vadik’s being went on high alert. She stood, as she should, just off his right shoulder, and behind him, and he had no doubt she was keeping her deference, like a good pretend slave.

But by rights, Rossi should’ve asked before he addressed her. While the guards might not have known the protocol, Rossi would. Vadik’s chest went tight and anger stretched him from the inside.

“You certainly have a beautiful slave here, Ilya. To keep a wolf is not an easy thing, trust me.” One of his elegant hands came out of his pocket and snaked toward Andrea.

His breath left him and took up residence in Timbuktu. He couldn’t think what to do, as Rossi reached for Andrea, almost in slow motion. With a grunt, he grabbed one of her breasts and Vadik’s calm almost broke.

This isn’t Andrea. This is Sasha.

Rossi would know that Ilya was human, but kept a wolf slave. He might try to exploit his power if he knew it affected Vadik.

Dammit, we never should’ve come here
.

Rossi’s long fingers stroked the breast and Vadik counted in his head.

Just stop. Don’t over-react. He’s playing you. Be a man
.

“Such control she has. Hardly a response at all.” Rossi withdrew his hand. “She is exquisite.”

Vadik clenched and released the hand facing away from Rossi and kept his eyes fixed on the old man’s face. He drew up one corner of his mouth and answered in Russian, “She’s the most exquisite slave I’ve ever had.”

“You must enjoy breaking her.” Rossi’s eyes glistened and traveled all over Andrea’s body, from tip to toe. “I know I would.”

“She is mine.” Vadik tried his best not to step in front of Rossi, lest that be seen as an affront, but he was afraid the man would touch her again, and he doubted he could keep himself in check.

“Yes.” Adrian gave her one last long look and turned back to Vadik. “I trust the device I gave our mutual friend has worked out for you.” His smile spread like oil on water. “He said you had it installed by the same doctor I use on my own slaves.”

He swallowed and nodded. “You were most generous.”

“I like to help out my
friends
.” Rossi snapped at the guards and Vadik’s heart climbed up his throat, lodging like a boulder, trying to stop his breath.

But instead of grabbing Ilya by the arms and dragging him away, as he’d half-expected, the two guards scaled the stone stairs at the end of the courtyard and held the giant, heavy doors open for them.

“You keep the transmitter in the case, then?” Rossi indicated the silver suitcase as they walked in to the house, their footfalls echoing in the giant space.

Vadik squeezed the handle. “Yes. For now.”

“Mr. Shaw cannot join us tonight, I’m afraid. He is preparing for the hunt, and will likely be sleeping another few hours.” Rossi indicated the stairs. “But I wanted to be here to greet you myself, and thank you for coming to my island.”

With a nod, Vadik pointed to the guard who’d taken their black luggage. “I apologize for having to delay my trip, but the tailor I use in Toronto was much slower with my suits than I expected.”

“That’s what Damon told me.” Rossi’s eyes focused hard on his. “Are you certain that the underground lifestyle did not appeal a little too much? I hear they have several very…tolerant…clubs in that area.”

He swallowed and nodded. “Of course, I did take in the sights, as they say. The girl is quite good at picking submissives for me when we travel. I think her wolf senses make her attuned to their nature.”

“They would.” Rossi’s eyes narrowed. “I find that wolves who have known torture develop a particular ability to sense weakness in others.”

The words lanced through Vadik’s body, and their tone held an ominous threat, as though, he was either indicating that he knew more than he should, or he wanted something he couldn’t have.

Vadik clicked his heels together. “I assume you have a room prepared for us.”

Rossi’s eyebrows went up. “You do not wish to begin your… vacation… immediately?”

He shook his head. “It has been a long flight from Toronto and I am tired. The girl will draw me a bath and I will rise in the morning.”

“I thought you might want to accompany your friend, Mr. Shaw, when he begins his hunt.” The old man indicated the stairs. “But let me show you to your room.”

“I would prefer not to be disturbed.” He followed Rossi and heard Andrea’s light footsteps behind him. “I’m sure Shaw will understand.”

The staircase wound up the far side of the room, ending at a landing like a European castle, then joining the opposite staircase to form one straight flight up to the top level. Even at the tallest point in the room, the ceiling still continued above them into darkness.

The low lighting gave Vadik a sense of danger, and he had no doubt that a man like Rossi would build his house with intimidation in mind.

He’d counted two exits besides the courtyard, and both appeared to lead back into the house. The second floor was a long hallway, littered with doors on one side, and open to the first floor on the other, until the wall abruptly closed on the other side, and ornate tapestries hung the length of the barrier, to the first floor. Then, they were in an enclosed hallway.

Rossi stopped in front of one of the ornately-carved doors. “This will be your room, and your girl’s room adjoins yours. I’ll let you… show her to her room.”

“That will be very good.” Vadik inclined his head, almost in thanks, but caught himself and looked back at Andrea instead. He was about to speak to her, when it hit him… she wouldn’t understand the Russian. “Just wait here.” He put his hand up so she would know not to follow.

He stepped down the hallway, indicating for Adrian to come with him, and turned his shoulders as though he planned to keep her from hearing what he was about to say.

“If I should need… another girl… in the night…” Vadik raised his eyebrows and nodded toward the dark end of the hallway.

Adrian’s grin was wicked and immediate. “I take your meaning precisely.” He gestured down the hall with one long, white arm. “My bedroom is at the end of the hall. If you should need anything at all, don’t hesitate to knock. I have many girls who can accommodate your particular needs.” With a look back at Andrea, Rossi licked his lips. “And if I should want to…sample
her
?”

Vadik pulled his mouth to one side, trying to hide the rage that threatened to send him to his own death, into a fight with such a powerful werewolf. “You have only to ask,” he said, having to force the words from his body.

If Adrian Rossi so much as touched a hair on her head again, he’d give up caring about his own skin, and waste the bastard. Or die trying.

A smile passed over Rossi’s lips that wasn’t entirely a pretense. There was something real about his desire for Andrea—or
Sasha
.

He couldn’t tell if the man truly wanted her, or wanted what she pretended to be.

“I’ll see you in the morning, Mr. Petrov.” Rossi turned on the balls of his feet and stepped toward his bedroom. “I’ll send Damon to wake you for breakfast.”

You do that
.

Vadik watched the evil man walk away with the same jackass stride he’d had in the courtyard. He really saw himself as master of the world, on this island.

He hustled into the room and Andrea followed, putting one finger over her lips to quiet him. Vadik hissed at her in a low voice. “Shit. I’m going to kill that bastard.”

“Get in line,” she whispered back. Her posture changed immediately, even though the room was dark enough that he couldn’t make out any specifics of her face or body.

He could see her shoulders drop away from the pretense of servitude.

She pressed her body against his, both of them huddled against the thick door. Her arms went around him, and she held her lips to his ear, her breath feathering against the sensitive edges of his desire.

“What should we do now?” she asked.

“Wait,” he whispered. “How far away can they hear us?”

“It depends on how attuned their hearing is. But we should be safe if we go to the back of the room.”

Vadik dropped the case and pulled her toward the barely-glowing windows. In the far distance, the haze of the lights that surrounded the island, gave an almost city-like glow to the exterior of the house. But he still couldn’t see anything. He pulled the drapes closed, then went to the other window and did the same.

He grabbed Andrea’s hand and dragged her to the bed, where they collapsed into a kissing, whispering pile of clothes and sweat and desperation.

“I was so afraid,” she said, “when you started speaking Russian.”

“There are too many unknowns.” He brushed his lips across hers, and the soft skin of her mouth fanned a flame deep inside. “I’m sorry I had to let him touch you.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him.” Her apology only made his desire grow.

But instead of pulling at clothes and desperately trying to get naked, Vadik just laid in the dark, on the plush bed, and held her against his chest.

He didn’t want to fuck her.

He wanted to consume her.

“The worst is over,” he said into her hair, stroking down the length of the leather bodysuit. “Now, we just have to wait until they’re asleep so we can set the charges.”

“So much for taking out the guards at the boathouse.” Her voice carried a tinge of regret. “I never expected to have to meet Rossi himself.”

“When you said they were wolves, I couldn’t risk it.” Vadik rolled her to one side and stroked her cheek. “I’m not certain what my skills will be like against a wolf.”

“Unless you can kill with your bare hands, and take off a man’s head, we’re probably fucked.”

“God, Andrea, don’t say that word.” He angled his hips away from hers.

“What word?”

He could hear the laughter in her tone and rather than infuriating him, as he’d expected, it relaxed him. This was the same Andrea he’d woken up with, who’d fallen asleep on his chest, who had laughed and called Luther a
jerkface,
and who’d come so beautifully under his tongue.

She leaned up to his ear again and whispered, with a long moment on the
f
, “Fucked?”

“Andrea.” He grabbed her wrists and pushed her back on the bed, his mouth on hers, his body on hers.

He was hard. He wanted her.

A sharp knock on the door stopped him searching for the way out of the fucking bodysuit. Vadik exhaled.

This was why the rule was, don’t go on assignment with someone you’re sleeping with. Sex at inopportune moments.

“Just a moment,” he said in Russian, but the door opened.

The black suitcase slipped in, lit by a sliver, and the hand closed the door without the man entering.

They lay in silence, waiting for the footsteps to recede in the hallway. Andrea held her finger over his lips, until she said, “There, I think they’re gone.”

Vadik stroked her dyed black hair, and the shadow of the side of her face was just visible in the nearly-darkness of the room. Emotion caught his breath and he swallowed hard. “He called you exquisite,” he whispered. “And you are.”

“It was horrible, not being able to understand you. Not being able to see anything.” Her breath was uneven and she stilled under his touch. “And nothing seems to go as planned, although that’s just about par for the course around here.”

“There’s only so much preparation you can ever do for a mission like this.” He let his thumb trail down her cheek. “Pray to God, but avoid the rocks, as
Babushka
would say.”

“As
Babushka
would say,” she finished with him, a giggle on her breath. “You and your
Babushka
. I’d like to meet her someday. She sounds like a wise woman.”

Vadik’s mouth went dry, and no words would form. He wanted to take it back. Take them all back. They still poured from him, like a waterfall of nostalgia, and he could never stop them. “She was a very wise woman.” He tried not to think of her, the weathered skin of her hands, the warmth of her hug, the lavender smell of her clothes. “She would have loved to meet you.”

Andrea’s hand smoothed down the front of his suit. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up… I mean, I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t know.” He grabbed her hand and kissed it. “She was the last woman I loved, until you came along. She made me who I am.”

Her skin on his cheek roused Vadik from more memories of the woman who’d raised him, made him… left him. Too soon. But it would always be too soon to lose someone he loved.

Andrea’s lips brushed against his and all memories of his grandmother faded away.

Something had happened to him when he met this little blonde wolf. He didn’t know exactly what it was, but something had changed inside him. Shifted. And it would never be the same.

He couldn’t lose her. He just couldn’t. He had to do everything he could do to keep her safe, and to get her off the island before Rossi or anyone else put their hands on her again.

A light flickered off under the door and Vadik sat up. The room was completely dark, except for a faint haze still coming in under the window drapes. The hallway was dark.