Obeying the Russian Mafia Boss: A Mob Romance (12 page)

“What?” she frowned.

“That’s not a suggestion,” he barked. “Do not leave your room until I get back. Go. Now!”

Terrified, she sprinted past him and grabbed her shorts. When she reached the door, she glanced back at him.

There was more than just anger in his face. There was also grief. Whoever had just been murdered wasn’t just any guard. It was someone Erik cared about.

Chapter Twelve

Erik’s staff at the club was well trained. News of Leonid’s body didn’t travel to the authorities, and Matvei was standing guard over the body when Erik finally got there.

“What the hell happened?” Erik growled as he stared at Leonid. The man had worked with him for years, and Erik had considered the man a friend. They had grown up together.

Grief threatened to overwhelm him, but he focused only on the anger. There were three plausible explanations. The first is that one of his own men gunned him down in an effort to move up in Erik’s organization. It happened more than Erik liked to admit. The second was that another drug dealer decided he didn’t like Erik moving in on his territory and shot the messenger. The third and final explanation was that it was a work of an enemy, and Erik only had two enemies in the city.

Valeria and Rostilav Yashin.

“I don’t know, boss,” Matvei said in a low voice. Erik knew that Matvei was upset. Leonid was his best friend. “I left a little after three in the morning after seeing the last girls safely off. Leonid was still here. He said he still had some business to attend to. I got here just a few minutes before I called you. Body’s cold and stiff.”

Erik’s eyes swept over Leonid. The man had been gunned down right in the middle of the dance floor which meant that something had drawn him out of the office.

“He was here by himself?” Erik asked quietly. “Did it look like the door had been forced?”

Matvei shook his head. “No, but the door wasn’t locked when I came in, and the security cameras were turned off. You don’t think…” he clamped his mouth shut, but Erik already knew that Matvei was going to say. Everything pointed to Leonid inviting his killer inside, but Leonid would never do anything to betray Erik.

Would he?

“No police,” Erik muttered. “Clean him up and get him to a funeral home. I want him shipped home to Russia so his family can say goodbye. I’ll call my father. He’ll make sure the casket clears customs.”

Matvei nodded. “Good. He’ll want to go home. I’ll get started.”

“Money is no option when it comes to bribing, but I want you to delegate. You can supervise, but I want to know who killed him. Talk to all of my men. Talk to any dealers that Leonid has had a conversation with. I’d prefer you not kill anyone, but I want answers,” Erik said firmly. Even if Leonid was working behind his back, the only person who should have spilled his blood was Erik himself.

While his men went to work moving Leonid’s body and cleaning up the scene, Erik pulled out his phone and called Nestor, head of security at the house. “We have a problem,” he said in a low voice. “Leonid is dead. I want everyone in that house armed and alert. No one goes in or out of that house unless I’ve cleared them.”

“Yes, boss.”

“Is Dina there? I need to speak to her.”

There was a moment of silence before the young woman came on the line. “Don’t be pissed at me. I thought she was gunning for your money,” Dina said sourly.

“I am very pissed about this morning, but we’ll deal with that later. Leonid is dead.”

Dina gasped softly. “God. What happened?”

“I don’t know. Matvei found him in the club this morning.”

“Valeria?”

Erik swept a hand through his hair and shook his head. “Maybe,” he muttered. “But Leonid was murdered in the early hours of the morning. If it was Yashin or Valeria, it was before I told Valeria that I wouldn’t marry her.”

Dina sniffed, and he could tell the woman was crying. “What do you need from me?”

“I told Ella to stay locked in her room. Anyone who has been in my house recently knows that she’s new, she’s American, and she’s weak. I can’t afford anyone using her to get to me. Make sure she doesn’t try to leave.”

“Does she know that she’s in danger?”

“Well, I don’t know, Dina. Someone told her that I’m a killer,” he said icily.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I just don’t know why you hired her. I was just trying to protect you.”

Erik was still upset, but he couldn’t fault the woman for trying to keep him safe. “We’ll deal with this later. She knows that something is going on because I told her to stay in her room. Make sure that happens, and do not let anyone near her room.”

“Do you care for her?” Dina asked softly.

“Don’t be stupid,” Erik snapped. “She has connections in the city. If she dies, someone will notice, and the whole police force will be on my head. We’ll be done before we even get started.”

Before she could press the issue, he hung up and made another call. If Yashin was still in the city, he needed to know. When the staff confirmed that Yashin was at his home in Vegas, Erik hung up. “Matvei, keep me updated. I’m going to be gone for a couple days.”

“Where are you going, boss?”

“Las Vegas.”

Erik didn’t take anyone with him. He told his driver that they needed extra eyes on the house and drove to Sin City on his own. He pushed the speed limit and got there in just over four hours. Yashin would have had plenty of time to kill Leonid and get back to Vegas, but Erik was hoping that if it was Yashin, he would have stayed in San Diego to watch the fallout.

The first thing he’d done when he’d moved from Russia was familiarize himself with Yashin’s territory. It was partly to understand the expansion of his organization if he married Valeria and partly in case Yashin became an enemy. Despite not having spent much time in the city, he had no problem navigating.

Located at the back of the Spanish Trail, Yashin’s estate stood out even among the other mansions in the wealthy gated community. Erik didn’t even blink an eye as he lowered window at security and announced himself.

The underpaid guard called the Yashin estate and waved Erik through. Obviously Yashin wasn’t worried.

It took more than a few minutes to navigate past the wealthy homes that sprawled out on thousands of acres. Erik had to endure a secondary gate and guard, but this one wasn’t a run of the mill rent-a-cop. He packed some serious heat in his holster, and his eyes gleamed with violence.

“Go on back, Mr. Chesnovak. Mr. Yashin is excited to speak with you.”

It was going to be an interesting conversation.

Erik parked in the paved roundabout and tossed his keys to the man at the steps. Four armed guards waited for him at the steps.

“Four? Seems like overkill,” he murmured as he walked up to them. “I’m not armed.”

“We’re your welcoming committee,” one man said with a horrific smile. His teeth were yellow and crooked. Erik didn’t know what Yashin was paying his men, but he certainly wasn’t offering them a dental plan.

“Consider me welcomed,” Erik said as he wrinkled his nose. The guards opened the door and escorted him through. Yashin waited for him at the top of the grand steps and spread his arms open.

“Erik Chesnovak, in the flesh. I’m honored. Just why would the man who turned down my very generous offer drive all this way to visit me? Unless you’ve changed your mind.”

In a split-second decision, Erik chose not to tell Yashin about Leonid’s death. “No. I won’t be changing my mind, but I am here to test the waters. I’m hoping we can still find peace.”

Yashin slowly walked down the stairs. A man in his fifties, he was still fit and healthy. The years of Vegas sun looked good on him. He was tan and handsome. Erik knew the man probably fit right in with the wealthy Vegas tycoons and the show girls more than happy to make an extra buck.

“Perhaps we should have this conversation some place more private,” Yashin said when he approached Erik. The older man led him down the hall into a room surrounded by glass. The view from the home was spectacular, and Erik told him so.

“It is nice, isn’t it?” Yashin asked as he opened a mini bar and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. “I have to admit that I’m getting tired of the city. It’s almost too easy, and it would be nice to be a little closer to the ocean.”

The pointed remark wasn’t lost on Erik, but he didn’t react to the man’s threat. “I hope your daughter wasn’t offended by my words this morning, but I wasn’t pleased with her surprise visit or the way she treated my staff.” He accepted the drink and slowly sipped it while he kept an eye on Yashin. The man was hard to read.

“Valeria is headstrong. I’m quite proud of that. I wanted a son, but I’m pleased that I have a daughter that no man can push around. Having said that, I am not happy with the way you treated her this morning. I believe you broke her heart.”

They both knew that Valeria had a heart of ice, but Erik didn’t comment on it. “You promised me time to get my operations off the ground, and she demanded an answer right away. I have to trust that any future partners of mine will follow orders.”

“I can stand behind that,” Yashin said as he slowly approached the window. “She has yet to learn the virtue of patience. I’m sure we can still come to some sort of arrangement. Your father assured me when you moved here that we could coexist peacefully.”

“I’m all ears,” Erik said carefully.

“In most cases, when a wedding is called off, the parents of the bride would demand some sort of cash restitution. Down payments for wedding venues, caterers, entertainment, and the dress are not cheap. Only the best would do for my daughter.”

Erik narrowed his eyes. “Are you telling me that you already paid for a wedding that I hadn’t agreed to?”

“Of course not,” Yashin said with a wave of his hand. He gave Erik an easy smile. “I’m just letting you know how I would traditionally deal with this situation.”

Setting the empty whiskey glass back down, Erik crossed his arms. “I suppose you’re going to inform me of how you intend to untraditionally deal with the situation?”

Yashin smiled. “I think it would be best for all parties if we just stick with the traditional route. I’m sure we can find a way for all of this to work if you give me the deed to the Black Orchid.”

Erik kept his face still, but the anger rose inside him. He had a feeling there was more to this than met the eye. “And why would you want my club? It’s barely established.”

“I don’t really want your club as much as I want your clientele. My daughter has taking a liking to San Diego, and having a judge, police commissioner, and state senator in my pocket would ease the transition quite nicely. I’m quite impressed with your operation and how quickly you’ve gotten it off the ground.” Chuckling, Yashin pulled his phone out of his pocket and turned it so Erik could see the screen. He swiped through to show Erik the surveillance photos. “Your women are beautiful. I’m sure they’d do an excellent job of satisfying me.”

Erik cocked head. “You know, Yashin, I came here willing to offer you several million dollars as a settlement. I’m sure Valeria could have found something productive to do with the money. Threatening the safety of my employees was not a good move on your part.”

“The safety of your employees?” Yashin echoed with raised eyebrows. “I would treat your women with the utmost respect. Damaged women don’t bring in money.”

Erik knew of Yashin’s reputation with women in Russia. He took what he wanted, and he imprisoned them with threats against their family. There were at least thirteen women at his estate at all times, and even though the bruises didn’t show, there were rumors that he ripped their souls away. Erik might have been a criminal, but he would protect his employees until the very end.

“I’ll need to think about it,” Erik said softly. “You gave me at least until the end of the spending quarter to make up my mind about the proposal. I trust that you’ll give me that length of time to consider your offer.”

Yashin pursed his lips and studied him. Erik knew the man didn’t actually believe that Erik would hand over the club, but he would play along. It would be rude not to.

“That seems fair. I’ll contact you at the end of the month to see the progress of the club.”

“Does this mean that you’ll have a tighter leash around your daughter?” Erik said nastily. “My security won’t be so nice next time she tries to break in.”

Yashin’s lips curled in disgust. “Do not ever compare my daughter to that of a dog, or I’ll take more than your club.”

Erik didn’t apologize, and the men eyed each other. Finally, Yashin relaxed his shoulders and smiled.

“It was good that we had this conversation, Erik. I like that you came to me. It shows that you are a man of honor and respect. I look forward to burying the hatchet between us. I hope you’ll stay and enjoy my city for a few days. I’d be more than happy to provide you with entertainment. I have several delicious women on my payroll and high rollers just waiting to lose their money.”

It was a challenge. Yashin wanted to see if Erik was man enough to stay in the city unchaperoned. If Erik ran back home, he would look like a coward.

“I’ll take you up on that offer,” Erik said quietly. “Maybe you’ll join me at the tables.”

Yashin chuckled and nodded his head. “Oh, yes. I do like you. I’ll have my men escort you out, and there will be a very nice room waiting for you at the MGM Grand. Enjoy yourself, Erik.”

Erik didn’t even flinch as he turned his back. Yashin might break his word, but he wasn’t one to shoot a man in the back. Especially if it was a man that he liked. Erik would spend the next twenty-four hours in Vegas, and then he would go home and figure out a way out of the hole he’d dug for himself.

Chapter Thirteen

Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed, Ella stared at the phone in her hands. She’d spent yesterday afternoon and all night in her room as Erik had asked. Dina brought her some food, but she didn’t have any appetite. An armed guard stood outside her door. It was already noon, and she hadn’t heard anything from Erik.

When she’d called her mother yesterday, Heather had been in the middle of getting a few more tests done. She’d wanted to call this morning, but she didn’t trust her emotions to have a conversation without crying. Too much time had passed, and if she waited much longer to call, her mother would know that something was up.