Katya
I felt like a zombie the next morning. Despite his fussing that he was too old, Sarge had found the stamina to make me scream his name twice more during the night. I ached, but in truly awesome ways. My ass was tender whenever I sat, but it was a small price to pay. My cheeks warmed as I thought about all the stuff I’d let him do, and all the things I had yet to try. At one point, he’d pulled up an online shop of sex toys and had me point out anything that looked intriguing.
When my father had insisted I marry a man in the Bratva, I’d known my sex life would be less than desirable because it would have never been about me. With Sarge, he wanted to fulfill my fantasies and make me come multiple times. Well, fulfill them without inviting others into the bedroom with us. I’d been surprised when he’d made me imagine another man in bed with us, but it had worked. I’d not only gotten off, but I could have sworn I actually felt someone’s tongue on my clit. It had been amazing and I hoped he’d try that again at some point.
I was fine with it only being the two of us. Truthfully, I didn’t think another man could ever compare to Sarge. It was one thing to pretend or imagine what it would be like, and another to actually follow through. I didn’t see me ever desiring anyone else. If I’d lasted this long without having sex, then it was safe to say that I was picky about who put their dick inside me.
I sighed as I sipped at the coffee Sarge had brewed before he left, saying something about going for a run. I’d wondered how he kept in such great shape. Even though he’d told me multiple times he was in his fifties, I hadn’t wanted to believe him. Not that I had a problem with him being older, but he just didn’t look like an older man. Whatever he was doing, it was working. Maybe running kept him in shape. From the things he purchased at the grocery store, it was clear that he ate healthy, or relatively so.
“You the reason some jackass is at my gate bellowing about his daughter?” a deep voice said behind me.
I spun, my coffee sloshing over the rim of my mug. A silver fox stood in the kitchen doorway, his arms folded over his chest, and a stern look in his eyes. I skimmed him quickly, noting the black vest said Torch -- President. No, not a vest. Sarge had informed me it was called a cut. Shit. This was the man in charge.
“You going to answer me or just stare?” he asked.
“S-sorry. Um, what jackass is at the gate?”
He closed his eyes and shook his head, but I saw the smile play across his lips. “Damn. No wonder Sarge grabbed on and didn’t let you go. All right, pretty girl. Let’s try this a different way. I’m Torch and this is my club. There’s a man at the gate, Russian, who claims we’ve taken his daughter.”
I tried to process those words, but it was hard. My brain refused to accept my father could have found me. I’d been so careful, turned off any GPS that could have let him track me. It couldn’t be him, right? Then again, what other Russian man would be at the gate asking for his daughter to be returned?
“Don’t suppose you have another Russian woman here?” I asked.
“Nope. You’re it.”
I sighed and took a gulp of my coffee. Then another. I was starting to wish I’d spiked it. Now that Sarge had taken my virginity, and in the most spectacular way at that, there was no way I could go with my father unless I wanted to end up like my sister, and that was a fate I wasn’t willing to accept.
“I turned off my GPS,” I said. “It can’t really be my father.”
Even as I said it, I knew he was here. No other Russian would be looking for me, unless it was someone he’d sent. Either way, I wasn’t leaving with them. No fucking way. I’d go down fighting. Assuming Sarge didn’t just lock me up to protect me from the big bad wolf at the gate. That was a distinct possibility. Probably a good thing he wasn’t here right now.
“One way to find out,” Torch said, pulling out his phone. He tapped at the screen for a minute before putting it away again. “I’ll have someone sweep your car. It’s possible they put a tracker on it, one you couldn’t just turn off and on.”
What he said made sense. It was exactly the sort of thing my father would do. Either that, or microchip me like a damn dog. I really hoped that wasn’t the case. I’d cut off my damn arm to get it out if need be. Thankfully, I didn’t remember a time he’d have had the opportunity to do something like that. Not in the last six years anyway. Maybe when I was younger, but back then he’d only cared about Liliya and how she could advance his career. She’d always been the pretty, sweet, submissive one out of the two of us. Or at least she’d portrayed herself that way.
“Do you want any coffee?” I asked. “Sarge made it right before he left to go running.”
“Already had two cups today. If I have another, my wife will nag me about being healthier. She’s determined I’ll live to the ripe old age of three hundred.”
I snorted and took another swallow. “Does she realize that means you’ll still be here after she’s gone?”
He shrugged a shoulder and leaned against the doorframe. “She’s younger than me. By quite a lot, actually. I’ll be dying before her whether she likes it or not, but I don’t plan to go anytime soon. I’m sixty-one so I have at least another ten or twenty years in me. Maybe more if I hand this club off to someone younger. I was hoping my son would take over one day, but I had daughters first.”
“And girls can’t run a club like this?” I asked.
“Considering they sent contract killers after my wife’s stepmother, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if they tried to take over. Although, I’m not sure the world is ready for them to have that sort of power.”
My eyes about bugged out of my head. His kids did what? Just what sort of children was he raising? Wolves? Grizzlies? Maybe we should put his daughters on the front lines for the next war. We might win within minutes.
“My oldest is thirteen now, but that happened several years ago. I’d like to say she learned her lesson, but if she keeps hanging out with my VP’s kids, I can only imagine the horrors I’ll be facing over the next five years,” he said. “Venom’s kids are… Well, they’re hellions, pure and simple. Mariah is close to my Lyssa in age, but Farrah is sixteen. That one is pure trouble.”
“How old is your son?” I asked.
“Hadrian is five, and completely different from my girls. He’s very shy and laid back. Sweet boy. I only hope he stays that way, at least when it’s needed. He’ll have to be tough to be part of this club, but I want him to be fair.”
“I still say you should hand the reins over to your daughter. She might surprise you. Not all women are weak and need to be protected.”
He arched an eyebrow. “That so? Then by all means. Go see your daddy at the gate.”
Did he just issue me a challenge? Did he expect me to back down? I threw my shoulders back, set my coffee down and brushed past him. When I got outside, I slid into my car and drove toward the gate with Torch following on his motorcycle. I stopped the vehicle at the edge of the clubhouse, where a line of bikes sat parked. Getting out, I gathered my courage and approached the gate and my father, who looked like he might explode at any moment. His face was nearly purple, his lips bracketed by tension lines, and his eyes snapping fire. Yeah, he was pissed he’d had to come after me.
“Did you think I’d not protect my assets after the stunt your sister pulled?” he asked as I stopped far enough away he couldn’t reach through and grab me.
“I don’t know how you found me, but I’m not going back with you. I’m staying here.”
“Nyet. You’re coming home to fulfill your obligations, Katya. You will not ruin this for me like your sister did.”
I tipped my chin up a little and stared down my nose at him. It was a look I’d often used on handsy guys in college, but never before on my father. The tic in his jaw said he didn’t appreciate my defiance, but too fucking bad.
“You don’t own me. I’m not your property. I’m a living, breathing woman and I said I’m not going with you. That’s final.”
“Suka!”
“Call me all the names you want, Father. You can’t get in here and I’m not coming out there. Not unless I’m armed, in which case you’d be better off in your bulletproof car because I will shoot your stupid ass.”
He let loose a string of Russian that would have made me wince in the past, but Sarge had given me a newfound courage. I’d never been a coward before, but I had always obeyed my father. That time had come to an end, and I was more than happy to tell him exactly what I thought of him.
“I’m not yours to command. I was never yours.” I screamed the last part, making him stop, his chest heaving and his eyes narrowed.
“When did she tell you?” he asked.
When did who tell me what? What did he … Oh hell no. “Are you telling me that all this time you’ve demanded my obedience and you’re not even my real father? I fucking hate you! You’re nothing but a monster and I hope you choke and die.”
I heard a crunching sound behind me and spun to find Flicker standing next to Torch, munching on popcorn of all damn things. I wanted to ask if he was enjoying the show, but the smirk he wore spoke volumes. When Torch reached over to grab a handful too, I nearly lost it and started laughing, but I held it together. Barely.
Facing the man I’d always thought was my father, I stared him down until he flinched. “Who is my real dad?”
“Could have been anyone,” he said dismissively.
And that’s when I knew. She hadn’t cheated on him. He’d used her like a whore to get where he was today. And he was the reason she was gone. I’d always known that last part, but I’d never understood exactly what he’d done to her. I’d been a kid, but as an adult woman living in the Bratva world, I knew what he’d expected of her.
“How many?” I asked, my tone deceptively soft. “How many times did you whore her out around the time I would have been conceived? How many men did you let fuck her because it helped you in some way?”
“I let young Konstantin Bykov have her many times, as well as others. Until I realized she actually enjoyed being with him. Then I had to make an excuse for him to no longer have access to her.” Voronin studied his hands. And yes, he was Boris Voronin now and never again would I think of him as my father.
I thought over his words and knew in my gut that Konstantin had likely fathered me. Our coloring was very close, and while I’d never seen pictures of him when he was younger, my sister had often commented that our noses and mouths held a similar shape. It wasn’t until now that I realized she’d known all along. The way she’d said it, the sly looks… somehow, she’d known that Voronin wasn’t my father.
I looked around, my gaze landing on a short length of pipe on the ground nearby. I went to pick it up, hefting the weight in my hands and assessing the best place to grip it. Swinging it a few times, I decided if the asshole wanted to come get me, I’d let him. And then I’d beat the shit out of him.
“Let him in,” I said. “He wants me? He can come physically make me leave. If he dares. Just check him for weapons first. Boris Voronin never plays fair.”
“Have you lost your fucking mind?” Torch asked from behind me. “Anything happens to you, so much as one scratch, and Sarge is going to come unglued.”
I glanced at him. “You scared of your own man? One who doesn’t even have a title in your club?”
His jaw tightened. “I’m more concerned for the damage he’ll do to anyone and anything in his path if you get hurt. I’ve never known him to want to keep a woman before, which means you’re special. Besides… you’re not just his woman.”
Flicker started laughing and then choked on his precious popcorn. Good. Served him right. “Oh, God. If you’re going to tell her, at least let me go get some of the others. I can’t wait to see how this plays out.”
“You’re a dick,” I told him.
“Whatever you say… Mommy.” He grinned and I growled at him. “That’s right. You belong to Sarge, and since I’m married to his daughter…”
I flipped him off and focused on Voronin again, but I heard Flicker’s laughter and his steps as he left. Only a moment later, there was a loud stomping of boots and I could have sworn a stampede was heading my way. A quick look assured me it was just Flicker and about four other bikers. Awesome. So glad I could be the entertainment for today.
“I’m going to charge admission,” I told them.
When a handful of money landed at my feet, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I burst out laughing. My stomach hurt as I leaned over, trying to catch my breath, but my eyes were watering I was laughing so hard. These guys were too fucking much, but I was starting to like them. Even the ones I didn’t yet know. If they were anything like Flicker, Sarge, and Torch, then I’d get along with them just fine.
“All right. We paid good money. Get to it,” one of them said. “Let that pompous ass inside.”
The man guarding the gate shrugged and opened it far enough for Voronin to step through, then he patted him down, removing two guns. It wouldn’t surprise me if he had another weapon hidden somewhere, but I didn’t plan to let him get the upper hand, and I had no doubt the men treating this like some big joke would stop him if he did try to hurt me. If for no other reason, then I was with Sarge. Whatever that meant.
“Your husband is going to go batshit crazy when he hears about this,” Torch said.
Now that made me stop. I didn’t dare turn my back on Voronin, but Torch definitely had my attention. “What husband?”
“Sarge. Flicker here decided to interfere and asked our resident hackers to handle it. Congratulations. You’re officially part of the club because you’re Sarge’s whether you like it or not. Anyone who looks will find a very legit marriage license on file. Just don’t tell Sarge yet. I plan to bust his balls a little.” Torch came closer. “But by all means. Teach this fucker a lesson if you need to. We’ve got your back.”
I heard more than one gun cock and glanced at the bikers long enough to see every last one had a weapon trained on Voronin. It was the first time I could remember that anyone had stood beside me. My eyes misted with tears for a moment. How fucked up was my life that the badass bikers at my back could make me cry because I was touched by their acceptance?
I stared down the man I’d call Father for so long. He sneered and lunged for me, but I swung the pipe, hitting his bicep with a loud thwack. Voronin howled and came for me again. I got in three more blows before he showed his true colors and yanked a knife from behind him. I had no idea where he’d hidden it, but it wasn’t going to make me back down. I smiled, thinking of the old movie about the Australia guy visiting New York City. “That’s not a knife,” I muttered.
I heard someone snicker behind me. Voronin came at me again, and I gripped the pipe with both hands, slamming it against his wrist as he tried to jab me with the small blade. He dropped to his knees, and it was like the fury I’d contained the last six years bubbled up. Before I could second-guess myself, I brought the pipe down on his head. Not once. Not twice. Three times. Blood pooled under him, and as I stood panting, I realized I was shaking. I let the pipe go, and it clattered to the pavement at my feet.
“Oh God, oh God, oh God.” I’d killed him. He wasn’t moving, wasn’t making any noise at all, and he didn’t seem to be breathing. My knees gave out, but a strong arm around my waist, held me upright.
“Remind me not to piss her off,” someone said.
I laughed and cried at the same time. I wiped at the moisture on my cheeks and one of the guys winked at me. I figured he must have said it. Looking up, I realized Flicker had me.
“Come on. I think I need to get you back home. Sarge is going to lose his shit when he hears about this.” He led me over to the car and put me in the passenger seat. When he got in on the other side, he moved the seat all the way back and still looked uncomfortable. “If Sarge doesn’t make you get rid of this car, I may accidentally set it on fire one night.”
“What’s wrong with my car?” I asked.
He looked at me with an are you kidding me expression. “It’s a BMW. At a biker compound. What the fuck, Katya?”
He did have a point. “Fine. Someone can sell it or strip it for parts. However you get rid of cars you don’t want. I only ask that at least part of the money goes to getting me a car I can drive safely with Theo in the back seat.”
Flicker pulled away from the gate and just shook his head.
“Now what?” I asked.
“You really think you’ll only need room for Theo? The walls around here aren’t exactly soundproof. Stepped outside to sneak a cigarette last night and from what I heard, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if you’re knocked-up already.”
I placed a hand against my belly. We hadn’t used protection, and it honestly never crossed my mind. Damn. We hadn’t even had the talk about previous partners. While I didn’t have any, I knew Sarge hadn’t been a monk. Did I need to go get tested? How could I have not even thought of that before now? So stupid! Then again, that hardly seemed pressing since I’d just murdered a man.
My heart slammed against my breastbone and I felt like I might pass out. What had I done? No one loved Boris Voronin, but the Bratva would never allow his death to go unpunished. They’d come for me. Make an example of me. I whimpered and curled against the door, resting my forehead against the window. I was so screwed. There was no way Viktor Petrov or Vadim Ivanov would let this one slide. My father’s friends would demand justice be served. Or rather the man I’d thought was my father.
Wait. My father. Would Konstantin help me? Did he even know I existed? Or rather, did he know that I was his daughter? Girls were always a blessing to the Bratva men because we were bargaining chips. I couldn’t imagine Konstantin not trying to take me after my mother died if he’d known. Then again, maybe I just hoped that he hadn’t known because it meant that I hadn’t been unwanted, only undiscovered.
“I need to make a call,” I said.
“Sarge doesn’t have a landline. You have a cell phone?” Flicker asked as he came to a stop in the driveway.
“Yes. I need to call Russia.”
Flicker slowly turned to face me. “You need to do what now?”
“Call Russia. I need to speak with Konstantin Bykov. Assuming he’ll even accept my call. If anyone can help me right now, it’s him.”
Flicker held up a hand. “Look, all kidding aside, you know we’ve got your back, right? That dick is going to disappear. No one will ever know what happened to him.”
“That’s sweet, but you don’t understand. He’ll have told people where he was going, possibly even brought some men with him. My guess is they’re nearby. Close enough for him to call for backup, but far enough to give him privacy in case I embarrassed him.”
“Not sure if I should be offended you think we can’t handle those Bratva bastards, or admire the fact you want to resolve the issue yourself.”
I opened the car door. “Go with option two.”
Without waiting to hear anything else from him, I got out and went inside. Sarge wasn’t back, but I had a feeling someone would find him and tell him everything. I didn’t know if he’d be pissed, scared, or find it funny that itty bitty me bludgeoned a man to death. Only he would find humor in it, but he’d seemed amused over the way I handled the guy at the gate last night.
I grabbed my phone, made sure it had a decent charge, then took a breath to steady my nerves. I’d never called Konstantin Bykov before and didn’t even know where to start. Except maybe Viktor Petrov. He’d want to know why I needed to speak with Bykov, but I’d come up with something. Even if it was at least the partial truth. I only had Viktor’s number because I’d overheard my father say it once and I’d memorized it in case I ever needed to speak with him directly.
The phone rang a few times before the brigadier answered. “Petrov.”
“Mr. Petrov, this is Katya…Voronin.” I hoped the hesitation didn’t cost me, but was I really a Voronin? I didn’t share that man’s blood. A call to Viktor Petrov wasn’t something to take lightly. I’d heard tales about him all my life, and knew him to be a ruthless killer. I only hoped that maybe I’d catch him in a good mood and be able to get the information I needed.
“Miss Voronin, how may I help you?” he asked.
“I need to speak with Konstantin Bykov, but I’m uncertain how to reach him.”
He made a noise that was almost a growl. “I’m not a directory, Miss Voronin. Ask your father for the number.”
“Wait! Please don’t hang up. It’s important, Mr. Petrov, and I can’t ask my father. The situation is a bit delicate.”
“I’m listening.”
“I recently learned my mother spent some time with Mr. Bykov. I need to speak with him about her, but I’m afraid it would anger my father if I mentioned it. Please, can you help me?”
He sighed. “Very well. I’ll text his number to your phone. And, Miss Voronin, if I discover you’ve lied to me, I will be extremely upset.” I heard a soft murmur in the background, but I couldn’t hear his response. There was a scrape as if he’d covered the phone with something. “My wife informs me I’m being too harsh. If that’s so, then I apologize. Just don’t make me regret giving you that number.”
“Thank you, Mr. Petrov.”
He hung up before I could say anything else and I stared at my phone, waiting for the incoming text. When my phone beeped, I opened the message. My fingers were shaking as I pressed the number, bringing it up on the screen, then pushed “call” and waited as it rang.
It went to voicemail, and while I started to hang up, I decided to leave a brief message, explaining who I was and that I really needed to speak to him about something. I gave my number and then hung up. I hoped I hadn’t just made a huge mistake, but I hadn’t known what else to do.
The front door slammed into the wall and I turned to find Sarge barreling toward me. He didn’t even slow down as he grabbed me, wrapping me tight in his arms until I feared I’d suffocate. I patted his back and squeaked.
“Can’t. Breathe.”
He set me down, but didn’t release me. “What the fuck, kitten? I know you’re all tough and shit, but what were you thinking?”
“Well, Torch practically dared me to go talk to Voronin, so…”
He held up a hand. “Wait. The Pres dared you to go talk to that man? And why are you calling him by his last name?”
“I guess they didn’t tell you everything, then. It seems he’s not really my father. He gave his wife out to other Bratva members whenever it would benefit him. I believe my birth father is Konstantin Bykov. He’s the sovietnik and usually remains in Russia, but he does travel to the US on occasion.”
“I have no idea what that title means, and I honestly don’t give a shit right now. Are you okay? I saw Flicker outside. He was standing guard in the driveway, and seemed worried. He said you were shaken up by what happened. Although, the words badass and terrifying were also used.” He smiled. “It seems you’ve made an impression.”
I melted against him, letting him hold me. I hoped that my actions didn’t blow back on the club. If anyone here got hurt because of me, I’d never forgive myself. Bringing Theo here hadn’t turned out the way I’d hoped, but I was so grateful I’d met Sarge. Being with him was amazing, but I’d let my temper get the best of me, and now I’d possibly ruined what we had, and put everyone in danger.
Why did I keep fucking things up?