Jane was busy over the next few weeks doing background work on Addison's case and putting together a list of suspects. She enjoyed the quiet no-nonsense woman's company and had invited her to the office a few times to interview and go over the information Jane had gathered. Claudia only rarely accompanied Addison, and when she did she usually rushed off to go shopping and run her club. Jane found the woman a little high maintenance and exhausting, but likeable enough.Jane had also come across few leads in her investigation of Vladimir Sitnikov. On that front, she was frustrated. Jane had never been known on the force for her subtlety. When she was investigating she moved like a bulldozer with the charm of a pit bull, but she always got results. Now, she had to cultivate the art of investigating a Russian mob boss without his knowing about it. He had given her time to adjust to the realities of her new life, but she was under no illusions that he was gone from her life completely. The
"Sitnikov."Vlad looked up from his place at the table where he had been sitting for the past twenty minutes. He didn't like waiting. It was an insult. Insults made Boris twitchy. Vlad was sincerely hoping he wouldn't have to kill the younger man, sent to check out the Bratva's American interests. It could cause problems back in Russia. He watched the blond soldier's approach with barely concealed impatience, annoyed that this was the person who would be reporting on him. He lit a cigar and let the fragrant smoke linger in his mouth. The act relaxed him somewhat and created a fine haze across the table. The homeland bosses knew better than to annoy Sitnikov. Or they used to, before they decided to send children into his organization."You're late."The quietly spoken words were said with enough menace that Anton Petrov knew instantly he had made a mistake in baiting the Boss. He eyed the scar that ran down Vlad's head and across his jaw. No doubt wondering if the rumours were true
Vlad didn't bother to check that Boris would do as he said, his enforcer wouldn't think twice. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, Vlad was able to see Jane more clearly. Her pale, delicate face was twisted in agony. Tears of pain escaped her tightly scrunched eyes and made wet paths down her cheeks. She reached for him and clutched his arm in a pathetically weak grip. Though he could see and feel the pool of blood beneath her, he couldn't tell where it was coming from. Her black jeans and leather coat camouflaged the source. "Jane, malysh," Vlad said as calmly as he could, "Where are you hurt? I can't tell where the bleeding is coming from.""Arm," she whispered.Vlad had to lean close to hear her."I need to get your coat off, baby, to see what damage has been inflicted. This will hurt."He gritted his teeth and ran the zipper down her front. She let out a scream of agony. Assuming he must have jostled her arm, Vlad cursed the darkness. Ignoring her pitiful whimpers of pain he sw
What. The. Fuck? Where were the drugs?"Where are the drugs?" she mumbled incoherently, squinting into the gloom of a dimly lit room.Movement to her left indicated another presence in the room. He stood, tall and predatory by her side, and swooped low over her bed. Brushing the hair off her forehead he asked in a deeply accented voice, "What was that, malysh?"Vladimir Sitnikov. What was he doing in her hospital room? Shouldn't a woman be allowed a little bit of privacy when she was slowly dying of increasing excruciating pain? And where the fuck was the morphine? Jane licked her lips and cracking her eyes as much as she could handle, rolled her head toward his voice, "Where the fuck are my drugs, Sitnikov?"He clicked his tongue. "Tsk, are you into the drug business, Jane? Well that would make us rivals, wouldn't it? I'd probably have to have you killed."Jane snorted painfully, "You know I'm not into that criminal shit. I mean where is the goddamned morphine? I shouldn't be
Less than twenty-four hours later, against the advice of her doctor, Jane was released from the hospital into the care of the most dangerous man in the city. She probably would have laughed at the irony, except it hurt too much. Vlad had explained to the frowning doctor that a very skilled personal physician would provide Jane with round the clock care until she was completely out of danger. Perhaps the doctor sensed Vlad's iron resolve to get Jane away from a place with too many vulnerabilities for his liking, because the man had finally capitulated."Are you taking me home?" Jane asked Vlad, her tired voice cracking a little. Vlad didn't speak for a moment as he lifted Jane from the wheelchair and into the waiting SUV. He climbed in beside her and pulled her into his arms, forcing her head against his shoulder. "You are coming to my home. It will be yours from now on."She tried to struggle upright and push away from him. The movement caused her to yelp in pain. He held her tight
It had been two weeks since Vlad had brought Jane to his mansion. She was now well into her recovery except for some residual stiffness and becoming easily exhausted. Jane was beginning to find the pampered life to which Vlad subjected her entirely too stifling. She was used to hunting down leads, and if she was lucky, bad guys. She didn't particularly enjoy lazing around in bed with unlimited magazines and books at her disposal. She had memorized every inch of his backyard, including the guard's rotation (if Vlad were nice to her she would mention the alarming predictability of his security team). She'd reorganized every single article of his clothing, more for her amusement than his convenience. And catalogued the contents of the bathroom. Twice.She was over being an invalid. And when Jane was over something, she became cranky, unpredictable and possibly a little stabby.Vladimir entered his bedroom without knocking. Though she was getting used to his casual invasion of her privac
Sitnikov dragged her through the house without another word to Boris, who continued to stand stoically by the front doors. Jane was forced to hurry after Sitnikov, his iron grip on her wrist never slackening. She was confused when they exited the back of the house and glanced around her looking for where he might be headed. Her bare feet barely had time to touch the spongy grass as he pulled her mercilessly behind him toward the tree line far back on the property. Finally she saw it, the place he must be taking her too. It was a concrete wall with a door built into the side of a rise in the landscaping. When they approached the wall he unlocked the door using a keypad and heaved it open. The chill air washed over her, causing her to unconsciously step closer to her tormentor in a fruitless attempt at finding warmth and security. She was horrified at all the possibilities for his having an underground facility on his property. This would be where he conducted the business that couldn
Vlad stalked away from the underground bunker, swearing viciously into the emptiness surrounding him. He knew there were men patrolling the land, but they knew better than to interrupt the Boss when he was working in the bunker. They were highly trained and intelligent, which is why they were rarely seen unless he wanted them visible. He shoved a hand through his hair and contemplated whether he'd made a mistake in locking Jane in the cell where she would be alone in the cold and darkness. He hated the thought of her even knowing that room existed, let alone her becoming a resident. If she weren't so damn stubborn he wouldn't have to resort to breaking her down as he might an enemy. Why didn't the woman just yield to him? Then he could have what he wanted, Jane in his home and his bed, warm and willing. He would shower her with gifts and lavish attention on every delectable inch of her curvy little body. Yet somehow he couldn't picture her happily spending her days shopping and ra