The American Soldier Collection 13: Her Lucky Number Thirteen (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Read online

  An hour later as they finished up dinner and small talk, Raymond seemed a little less on edge. That was, until the waiter told him that the bill had been paid. Nalia’s gut clenched. She hoped her biological dad hadn’t done that, but one glance at Raymond as his eyes locked onto a man standing by the bar and she knew something was up. He was very attractive, and older. At minimum early forties. Raymond nodded.

  “Who is that, Raymond?”

  “An associate of mine.”

  “Well, that was very nice of him to pay for dinner. You know him from work?” her mother asked him. Nalia held the man’s gaze and he smiled softly. She got a funny feeling in her gut and looked away. It was strange, she had men flirt with her all the time and ask her out, even ask her to bed, but she never bit. Things were worse because of the time she spent with Boian. She swallowed hard and then jerked, looking up as the man from the bar now stood by the table.

  “Thank you so much for taking care of the check, Mr. Scarlapetti,” Raymond said as he went to stand up and shake his hand. The man placed his hand over Raymond’s shoulder, squeezing it.

  “No need to get up. So, this must be your wife and your beautiful daughter,” he said, glancing at Nalia’s mom but then totally focusing on Nalia.

  “Yes. Danella, meet Mr. Scarlapetti.” She shook the man’s hand and smiled. His suave, sexy ways seemed to get to her mother, too. Her mom’s cheeks flushed.

  The man moved around the table. “And this is Nalia,” Raymond said as he smiled in an odd way.

  “Nalia, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” He took her hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the top instead of shaking it hello. She shivered a little, unsure how to read this man, friend or foe.

  “I’m afraid I’m at a disadvantage, Mr. Scarlapetti. My father hasn’t mentioned you before,” she said and he released her hand and licked his lower lip as he looked her breasts over.

  “Well, we go way back, and only recently started to do some business together. So I understand congratulations are in order. You’re MBA. Very impressive. Smart and beautiful,” he added and gave her a wink. He pulled back and then stood by the table.

  “Won’t you join us for a drink?” her mom asked and Nalia wondered why. The man made Nalia nervous. Especially the way he stood so close and seemed to inhale as if trying to infuse her scent into his nostrils.

  “I have some business to attend to. But thank you for the offer, Danella,” he said to her and nodded slightly.

  “We appreciate the dinner,” Raymond said.

  “Well, sit and enjoy your drinks,” he told them and then walked away.

  “He seemed nice and very powerful,” her mom whispered and then took a sip from her glass of wine.

  “He is a very wealthy businessman. The kind of man a father wishes for his daughter to marry,” Raymond said. Danella widened her eyes and Nalia felt her gut clench.

  “Excuse me?” she asked him.

  “Just saying, Nalia. Vincent is quite the catch. Did you not find him attractive?” he asked her and she felt so weird.

  “Uhm, you have never asked me anything like that before, so don’t start now.”

  “Didn’t you?” he pushed, a little firmer in his tone.

  “Raymond, Nalia is shy when it comes to those types of things. You know that,” Danella said.

  Nalia felt completely uncomfortable. Were they going to try and set her up? Did they think that now she’d graduated with her MBA and was set in a professional career that she needed a man by her side? Not happening.

  “I need to use the rest room,” Nalia said, and stood up. He looked like he was going to say something else and then her mother touched Raymond’s arm and he glanced away from Nalia with daggers now toward her mother.

  She took that moment to walk away. What in the world was that man thinking? He never asked her about finding a man attractive. She headed through the crowded restaurant and as she went to head toward the hallway leading to the bathrooms she couldn’t get through the crowd by the bar.

  “Excuse me, please,” she said.

  A tall young guy with a button down dress shirt smiled wide. “Hey, gorgeous.”

  He looked her over, checking out her abundant breasts in the designer dress she wore. She knew she looked good, but also classy. This guy was with a bunch of other guys who looked like Mafioso wannabes.

  “I’m trying to get to the ladies’ room, could you please move?” she asked him.

  He licked his lower lip and then smiled. He turned and at first she thought he might ignore her but then he yelled out for the guys to move and at his voice and tone they parted and gave her the space to walk by them. Their gazes at her body as she passed between them didn’t go unnoticed. Nor did the funny feeling she got when she passed by one guy who looked as big as a linebacker. His eyes were dark and evil and his dress jacket was open, revealing just enough of his holster for her to see the gun. Maybe they weren’t wannabes. Maybe they were the real deal?

  She got to the ladies’ room and was relieved for the time being. She took care of business and then reapplied her lip gloss and wondered if Raymond would push about finding Vincent attractive. What was up with that anyway?

  Her phone buzzed and she glanced at it once she pulled it from her purse.

  She read the text message from Clarissa.

  Ditch the parents and celebrate with us at O’Rielly’s. We’re down the block.

  She chuckled. Her friend didn’t need to twist her arm.

  Give me twenty minutes.

  Yes!!

  Nalia chuckled and then looked into the mirror. O’Rielly’s was a great place. A lot of the people who worked at the office hung out there. It was a go-to place for a lot of celebrations. She took a deep breath and then prepared to tell her parents she was basically ditching them. As she headed out of the bathroom she was surprised to see Vincent standing there. He looked her over.

  “Everything okay?” he asked her.

  She looked at him strangely. “Yes. Why wouldn’t it be?” she replied.

  “I saw you having a hard time getting through that crowd of men.”

  “I got through just fine,” she said and started walking. She felt him take her hand and press close to her back.

  “I’ll walk you through this time,” he whispered next to her and then she felt the second hand on her hip as he escorted her through the crowd of men. This time when she approached they all moved out of the way as their eyes landed on Vincent.

  She turned to look at Vincent before they came near her parents’ table.

  “I could have handled that fine,” she said, staring up into his dark brown eyes. He caressed her arm on one side and she instantly felt on guard.

  “I thought otherwise, Nalia.”

  She had a bad feeling in her gut and she turned away from him, hoping he would just release her and not follow. No such luck. The moment they were close her father smiled.

  “There you are,” he said. He and her mom stood up.

  “I’m going to meet some friends so I don’t need a ride,” she told them and then went to kiss her mother’s cheek in hopes Raymond wouldn’t question her.

  “Where are you going?” he asked and she didn’t look at him.

  “Just down the block.”

  “We can drop you off,” her mom said.

  “Don’t be silly. It’s a warm night and only a block down the street.”

  She felt the hand on her waist and one on her shoulder.

  “I would be happy to make sure she gets to her destination, Raymond, Danella.”

  Both Raymond and Danella smiled.

  “That is so nice of you, Vincent,” her mom said and then Raymond took her hand and pulled her close.

  “Have a good night. We’ll talk tomorrow,” Raymond said and then looked at Vincent. She caught the change in Raymond’s expression and wondered what that was about but then they were leaving and she was left with this very older, pushy, attractive man who seemed to set his s
ights on her.

  She turned around to face him just as another group of people were leaving the restaurant. He pulled her close and she grabbed on to his forearms.

  “I think you need looking after.”

  She stepped back once the people moved. “I’m fine on my own, Mr. Scarlapetti.”

  He squinted his eyes at her and that gut feeling went up a notch.

  “Vincent. Call me Vincent.”

  “I think Mr. Scarlapetti will do fine, considering you’re a business associate of my father’s. Thank you again for dinner, but I’m heading out and don’t need an escort.” She started to turn and move but then felt him hold on to her snugly as he led her out of the restaurant.

  “I disagree completely,” he said.

  As he led her outside and down the sidewalk she knew that something was wrong. She tried to dislodge his hold on her arm but couldn’t.

  “What are you doing? Let go of me,” she demanded and then felt the gun against her side.

  “Get into the car, Nalia.” He walked her closer to the dark SUV and the man standing there holding open a door. She didn’t want to get in. She wondered what this was about and thought of Karlicov. She swallowed hard, her mind bouncing in all directions. She needed to be smart and to give up no information no matter what.

  Once she was in the car another three men were waiting. Three of them were men who had blocked her path while she was trying to get to the bathroom. That same playboy in the dress shirt licked his lips as he looked her over. They were all packing guns.

  “What is this about? What do you want with me?” she asked. She was scared now. No one was saying a thing.

  Their stares at her body put her on edge. She crossed her legs and kept her hands on her lap and thought about how she could escape. But they had guns. She wanted to know what they wanted and then Vincent placed his hand over her knee. She pushed his hand away and he gripped it tighter as two of the men across from her pushed their jackets open, showing their weapons. It was a sure sign she should cooperate.

  Vincent ran his hand along her knee and up her thigh.

  “I’ve waited a long time for this moment. Waited until I felt you were ripe for the taking.”

  She swung her head around to look at him as she pushed his hand away from her thigh. In a flash his hand went to her throat and he pressed her over the guy’s lap next to him.

  “Don’t fight me on this. You’re going to be mine. All mine.” He squeezed her throat a little tighter and she could hardly breathe. He used his other hand to glide up her thigh, causing the material to stretch and begin to rip.

  She was scared and confused. Raymond introduced this guy as a business associate. Was he just some wealthy rapist? A guy connected to some Mafia stuff or something?

  His dark brown eyes held hers as he lowered and licked her lips. She wanted to spit at him but could hardly even breathe with his hand gripping her throat.

  “You’re young and need discipline. I get that. You’ll serve many purposes besides my revenge on your father.” He pressed his lips over hers and she tightened up and tried to resist him. His hold tightened and his hand moved from her thigh to her breast.

  “What are you talking about? What did Raymond do? Is this over some kind of business dealing with him?” she asked, not understanding the man at all.

  He cupped her breast and she tried to push him off of her but now the man whose lap she was halfway over took her hands and pulled them back. She gasped, tilted her pelvis and ass off the seat, and cried out in pain.

  He kissed her again and then held her gaze as he stroked her throat with his fingers. “Not Raymond. Your real father. The one who is going to die tonight knowing that I have his precious daughter who I’m going to fuck until you’re pregnant with my child.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Raymond is my father. Are you some kind of nut case?”

  He lifted up and the guy released her.

  “Your destiny lies in my hands, Nalia. I know Karlicov is your father. I know he watched you get your diploma tonight. Just as I know everything there is to know about you,” he said and ran his hand between her thighs. She shoved them away and he struck her across the mouth. Before she could strike back her hands were grabbed and pulled behind her. They had her on her knees in the back of the SUV and Vincent grabbed her hair. He pulled her head back and she gasped.

  Slowly he ran his hand down her shoulder and over her breasts.

  “Cooperate, and the first time you have sex it won’t be painful.” He licked her bloody lip and then smirked as the SUV came to a stop.

  Did he know she was a virgin? But how? How would he know that? How long had he been watching her? She felt sick, terrified, and she contemplated what she could do to get away from him.

  The doors opened and they were in some underground garage of a large upscale building. He dragged her from the seat and before they could get to the sidewalk she heard the gunshots.

  “Get down. Fuck,” Vincent yelled out. More gunshots went off and people were shooting. She pulled from Vincent’s grasp, forearmed him in the throat, and ran. She ducked down between the cars and then rolled under an SUV and crawled under two more vehicles trying to escape.

  She peeked around the one car and saw her father. Karlikov was holding his chest. She saw the blood.

  She ran to him and felt the bullet whiz by her head. She noticed the guy trying to sneak up from behind him. She jumped for the gun and as the guy prepared to shoot, she shot him, saving her father’s life.

  “Daddy. Daddy?” she whispered as she covered his chest and he held her gaze.

  “Go. Go and hide, Nalia. Trust no one. Do not let these men get their hands on you.” He shoved her back as he pulled the gun from her hands. Another few shots went off by his head and hit the car he was next to.

  “Run now. Do as I say and hide. Don’t show your face anywhere. Go! Go now!” he screamed at her and he shot another two men as they descended upon them. Nalia was crying, she was so scared. She looked at him one more time. “Remember the training. Remember,” he said and she saw his face. She knew he was in pain. He might even die. She was angry, scared, confused but she did as he told her to do and she scrambled through the parking lot and into the night.

  She wasn’t sure where to go to. She needed things. She needed her bag, money but her apartment was across town and more than likely these men, whomever they were, had to be watching that place. She thought about her mother. She needed to warn her and warn Raymond. That man Vincent was evil.

  She was running on pure adrenaline, making her way out of the city and to the residential area where her parents lived. She didn’t know what to do, and felt panicked as she hurried to get to their house. But then she began to process what was happening. She cried for her father Karlicov, wondering if he were dead and what she should do. He prepared her for this, a moment, a danger she didn’t think would ever occur. When she was younger she almost wished for a chance to use her new skills, but now the reality of maybe needing them didn’t give her such a wonderful feeling. Instead it made her feel sick, and question her capabilities after all.

  She gripped her head as she made her way through the development to her mom’s house. It was pounding and she felt like throwing up. Her dress was torn, her lips swollen and bloody. She climbed the fence, hoping they were safe. It was an hour since she saw Karlicov. Did he make it? Was he still alive or did those men kill him?

  She felt the tears roll down her cheeks as she made it across the yard. No one was around. She couldn’t see in the dark but no cars were in the roadway in front or down the street. She headed toward the back door. Her mom rarely put on the home alarm. If they did then so what that it would go off? She needed to warn them anyway.

  She got through the door and into the dark kitchen. It had been months since she had been here but she knew her way around. She needed to get to her mom’s bedroom and then to her bag in the basement.

  She headed toward the
living room and heard the whimper. A light popped on and Raymond stood there holding a gun.

  “It’s me, Raymond. Just me. There’s been trouble. That guy Vincent you do business with, he’s after me. He shot—”

  She turned to see her mother sitting in the armchair gagged and tied up. Her face was beaten and bloody. Nalia was shocked and angry. “What’s going on?”

  “Why couldn’t you just cooperate? Why did you have to flee?”

  “What are you doing, Raymond? Why?” she asked and started to walk to her mother.

  “Stop. Stand still right there. They’re coming for you and this will be done,” he stated through clenched teeth.

  “You’re part of this?” she asked him.

  “I made this happen. Are you kidding me? You think I didn’t know your mother was a fucking whore who got knocked up by a Russian mobster?” he yelled at her and she looked at her mother who appeared scared with her eyes wide and bulging.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Save it, Nalia. You’re as good as dead once you pop out a kid for the Scarlapetti family.”

  “Fuck you. The police will find out about this. You’ll go to jail.”

  “No, you will. Because you just killed your father, a made man in a parking garage on the east side. Then you came here and killed your mother.”

  “What? I did not kill him or my mother.”

  “Well, your fingerprints are on the gun. They set it all up. Right about now Nicolai Merkovicz is probably finding out about how you killed his right-hand man, your father, and then your mother. You’re on a hit list. You’re as good as dead,” he said to her, practically smirking.

  She was shaking, she was so angry and confused. “I didn’t kill him and I didn’t kill my mother.”

  She jumped and screamed as he pulled the trigger and shot her mom.

  “No. No!” she cried out and ran to her.

  Raymond grabbed her hair and pulled her back as he pressed the gun to her head.

  She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. Her father was dead and now her mother, too. She was shaking and feeling helpless.

  “I know everything about you. I worked your mother over all these years and finally got what was coming to me. I know your every move. I’m going to bring you to Vincent myself. You’re going to fuck him. Give him the kids he wants to secure the bloodline and take over the territory he wants. Your piece of shit father killed Vincent’s brother and cousin.”