The American Soldier Collection 10: Compromising Love (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 8

  She smiled at Demyan. “You knew I wouldn’t answer your calls. I told you, Demyan, I don’t date men I work with.”

  “How about just sleep with them?” he asked, pulling her closer and letting his hand roam over her hips. At first she was going to pull away but then she realized that he was frisking her. He was checking to see if she was carrying.

  Iakov approached and held his hand out. She knew he wanted her to give him her purse to check that, too. She did and he gave her a wink, looked her body over, and then checked her purse. At this point Demyan released her slowly but not completely. He turned her around and placed his hands on her hips as Iakov walked ahead of them through the crowded restaurant.

  It was actually kind of weird how no one even glanced at them, or looked to watch as the men frisked hr. It was obviously not such a foreign sight.

  She calmed her breathing best she could considering she was feeling pretty much on edge. The further they walked, the less and less people were around them. As they made it to the back hallway she realized that she may not be quite prepared for Andrei and this meeting. What could he possibly want from her for him to call this meeting? Was he intending on threatening her more? Perhaps giving her a beating? Maybe forcing himself on her? She didn’t think so. One thing she learned from studying Andrei for so long was that he was a planner. He never reacted on impulse and when he made a move or an attack it was out of the blue and unexpected.

  No, he definitely had something up his sleeve and the fact that she was still alive said a lot.

  Iakov opened the door and there was Gary Sparks, the CEO of the company she worked for, and he didn’t look too good at all.

  She looked to Andrei who leaned against the desk with a snifter of vodka in his hand.

  “Ah, there she is. We’ve been waiting for you, Aspen.”

  He stood straighter, placed his drink down and Iakov gave her a small shove toward Andrei. She gave Iakov a dirty look and Demyan chuckled.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, but Andrei eyed her over, took her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed the top.

  “You look gorgeous as usual, Ms. Brooks.” He held her gaze, his expression from smug to a look of power.

  “Iakov, a drink for Aspen please.”

  He released her hand and led her to the chair in front of his desk and beside Gary Sparks.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked Gary. He looked her over and then cleared his throat as he looked at Andrei.

  “I was just negotiating the sale of Sparks Industries. Seems I’m going to retire a lot earlier then I originally planned,” her boss told her and she was shocked. Somehow Andrei bought out Gary Sparks’s business. This was a business many people were interested in taking over including her brother Porter, Storm and his team, as well as associates of theirs who had similar businesses in New York and Texas. Galvin Quarters had been negotiating the sale for years. They had Storm, Winter, and the gang introduce him to Gary two years ago. What kind of game was Andrei playing?

  “I don’t understand. I mean you haven’t mentioned wanting to retire or sell the business.”

  “Things change, Aspen,” Gary said and then stood up.

  “Circumstances change. I already own a large number of similar companies around Chicago. By purchasing Sparks Industries, I gain a monopoly over the industry,” Andrei said and took a sip of his drink.

  Aspen understood what was going on here. This had to do with his own sense of revenge and power. Andrei wanted to take over Nicolai Merkovicz’s territory, and that was some serious dangerous move on his part.

  Aspen sat back and thought about what was happening and how she had to keep her mouth shut and not let on to how much she knew about the Russian mob families that ruled Chicago and elsewhere. Nicolai was not the kind of man to mess with, nor was his family. From her understanding there were men, family members embedded even in Andrei’s organization and he didn’t even know it. This was too much to digest.

  “So why did you ask me to meet you here? I’m not a partner in Sparks Industries,” she said.

  “I’m your boss now, Aspen, and there are certain things required of you in your new position.”

  “New position? I don’t think so.”

  “He owns the contracts now, Aspen. There’s no legal way out of this,” Gary said as Iakov motioned for him to leave the room. Aspen watched all concerned.

  “You are going to be the new CEO of my company. I have a major project I want you to work on in taking over another small business I think will be a great new avenue for my new company.”

  She stared at him and he smiled.

  “You’re going to help me get the information I need to sabotage Pro-Tech Industries and take it over,” he said and smirked.

  Her gasp was so loud as she sat forward, shocked at him. “Are you out of your mind? That’s Storm Jones’s company. Those guys are not men to mess with. There is no way I’m doing that. Besides, I quit. You can take the contract and shove it up your—”

  Demyan yanked her hair back making her slide half off the chair. She screamed and grabbed onto the arms of the chair so she wouldn’t fall.

  “You don’t seem to get the man’s orders, Aspen. You are going to do this. If you don’t, you’re good friend India is going to experience exactly what you did when you were seventeen. Except, she won’t be saved by anyone. She’ll be sold to the highest bidder as a sex slave and shipped out of the country. She is used goods though, the way she fucks around so much, but can still grab a pretty penny.”

  The tears stung Aspen’s eyes. India would never survive that. Aspen didn’t even want to think about these men doing that to her best friend.

  “Why are you doing this? Because of the construction job? I’ll get you something else. Something bigger than Pro-Tech Industries,” she said.

  Andrei walked closer and cupped her chin. “My sweet, sweet Aspen. You will do as I say or India will disappear tonight.”

  He leaned down and kissed her deeply and all she could do was let him as she fell under the strong arm of the Russian mob that now owned her once again against her will.

  When he finally released her, Iakov released her hair and Demyan was there to pull her up from the chair. He cupped her cheek and stared down into her eyes.

  “We’re going to make a good team, and perhaps not only in business.” He ran the palm of his hand from her cheek to her neck then over her breast.

  She pushed his hand away and he gripped her, got between her legs causing them to spread open nearly ripping her skirt.

  He held her neck and face in between his hands and stared down into her eyes.

  “Men have died for less. Behave and do as we say and no one will get hurt.” He leaned forward and sniffed her hair, his lips and tongue collided against her ear and neck and she squirmed under his hold.

  “Let her be, Demyan. There’ll be plenty of time for that. She’s ours now and she knows it. Iakov, show Aspen out. She needs some time to digest her new position. Oh, and don’t think about sharing it with your bodyguards. No one will know your new title. For now. You’ll do what we want or your brother and his friends will find themselves in need of medical attention if not an undertaker.”

  Iakov showed her out and she felt her body shaking with fear. These men were criminals of the worse kind and now she was going to be forced to help them destroy men who she desired but could not have in that way. As they made their way through the hallway she was so upset she nearly missed the sight of Victor Sotoro. What the hell was he doing here? It had to be to see Andrei, but why? Was he going to be forced to help take down Pro-Tech Industries, too? Or was Dmitri correct, and Sotoro was working for Andrei already and helping to take Storm and the team out of commission?

  She wondered if Storm, Winter, and the guys knew they made such enemies. As she exited the restaurant, anger began to build inside of her. She was as good as dead anyway. Why not go out in a bang and clean out the spies in Pro-Tech Industries, while a
lso work to enhance another security firm much larger than all of these? If she was now being pulled into mob-related operations, she could get killed. Why not make it worth it?

  Andrei wanted her to be a player in his little game. Then she was going to be the best player of them all.

  * * * *

  “What the hell is going on, Storm? Aspen hasn’t answered any of my calls,” Porter demanded as he stood in his hotel room in Germany. His buddies were all there waiting for him to make this call and get word on Aspen. They were all concerned.

  “She ditched the security team we placed on her. I’ve got men trying to track her down,” Storm told him.

  “How the hell does my sister ditch two of your best security men?”

  Porter’s buddies, Piers, Wren, Reid, and Silas, smirked.

  “I’m sure my sister helped,” Silas said in the background, speaking of India. Porter knew India and Aspen were best friends. They helped one another get through some pretty tough times.

  “She’s more resourceful than any of us, including you, Porter, have given her credit for. I told you what was going on. I just hope she’s not alone with Andrei.”

  “You and me both. He’s wanted her since day one. He’s been out for our territory for years and taking Aspen as a teen was a strategic move on his part. He should have been taken out for it,” Porter said.

  “Yeah well that wasn’t in the plan now was it? She definitely knows that he’s the one who had her abducted. I won’t let that need for revenge cost her her life.”

  “Nor will we, Porter. We’ve spoken to Dmitri and claimed her our property,” Storm informed him.

  Porter was silent. He knew that these men were in love with his sister. They denied those feelings to protect her and keep her out of this life, a life maybe they were all destined to be involved in. But Aspen had been through enough years ago. She had a bull’s-eye on her forehead and the only way to get rid of that bull’s-eye was to get rid of Andrei.

  “I hope Andrei abides by this move and stays clear of her,” Porter told Stone.

  “He’d better. Andrei, Demyan, and Iakov have no business doing anything in Texas. This is our territory.”

  “And if he uses this as an opportunity to try and take over what you have in Chicago?”

  “I’ll deal with that when the time comes. Aspen is our priority, and building up our resources in Texas is where we need to focus our energy.”

  “And what about Sotoro? I feel out of the loop being in Germany for the month. Any details on him and the concern that he’s working his way into your Chicago connections?”

  “No, but I’m sure Nicolai is all over that. Remember when he contacted me about confronting Sotoro so there wouldn’t be a war.”

  “Well if things like this situation keep popping up, that’s exactly what there’s going to be. Bloodshed over who will ultimately run that territory. You know that you’re risking losing some control by bringing Aspen to Texas and remaining there? I’m bringing the whole team with me, too. I won’t let Andrei get his claws into Aspen.”

  “Neither will we. We’ll see you in a few days.”

  “Protect her, Storm. We’ll see you soon.”

  Porter disconnected the call and looked at the guys. Piers, Ren, Reid, and Silas. They were his team since serving in the military and came from similar family backgrounds like him and Aspen. They were a wild bunch, never really learning how to settle down and live life like regular civilians. They each had a specialty, an ability that landed them a lot of private contracts for everything from security to applying pressure to get individuals to pay up. But they only did those jobs in between working for both Liberty Construction and Development and working for Pro-Tech Industries.

  “How is Aspen?” Piers asked him.

  Porter ran his hands through his hair as he told him and the guys about what Storm knew and filled him in on.

  “Sounds like she’s hiding shit. You’re going to have to get it out of her as soon as we get to Salvation,” Ren said.

  “No shit. But she’s changed over the last few years. I should have seen this coming. I should have recognized the signs,” Porter told them.

  “Of what? That she wanted to seek revenge? That she figured out that Andrei was responsible for her abduction years ago? Then what? You weren’t ready to talk to her about her father, and the past,” Silas stated.

  “You think I should now?” Porter asked, knowing that only his team knew the details of the family ties to the Russian mob. Surely Andrei couldn’t know. The secret was something he had come to know by accident.

  “I think it may be necessary to help her make the right decisions,” Reid told him.

  “The right decision about what?”

  “About letting Andre control her. If she knew the truth, she may be making some different choices.”

  “Like what, Reid?” Porter asked.

  “Like accepting a part of her heritage that’s been kept a secret from her since her birth. Your sister has more than proven her capabilities and strength. You need to tell her the truth. She’s obviously done her own investigating into Andrei. It’s only fair for her to know,” Silas said.

  “I’ll think about it. I just know, from what we’ve heard, that Andrei wants her but for what besides his woman, I don’t know. But knowing the man, and his capabilities, I’m fearful he’ll succeed and I’ll lose her forever.”

  Chapter 4

  She tried to pull on the sweater to hide the bruising on her upper arm caused by Demyan in Andrei’s office. But it was too late when Storm, Winter, Zin, York, and Weston opened the front door to her penthouse apartment.

  “What the hell?” she asked, stunned at their audacity.

  “Where the fuck did you go? Why did you lose your security guards?” Storm demanded to know as they piled into her living room.

  “First of all, what gives you the right to break into my home uninvited? What if I was entertaining someone?” she snapped as York approached and raised an eyebrow at her.

  “You haven’t dated anyone since that guy from New York you had living here,” he said. She gave him a dirty look but then Weston grabbed her hand.

  “What’s this? How did this happen?” he asked.

  Busted.

  She tried pulling away from him.

  “I don’t know. I banged it,” she lied.

  “Banged it my ass. There’s fucking finger marks on it,” he said, twisting her arm a little to get a better look.

  “Aspen, did you meet up with Andrei at his restaurant LaFonte?” Winter asked her.

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “Fuck it isn’t!” Zen yelled out. They were all gathered around her now. Weston released her hand and cupped her neck and cheek. She felt his other hand go to her waist.

  Weston Galloway was tall with dark brown hair and deep green eyes. He was very trim and muscular, dressed casually in his designer black T-shirt and blue jeans.

  “Baby, you need to tell us what went down in that meeting. You can’t handle this alone.”

  So many things went through her head. How badly she wanted to trust them to confide in them and tell them that she was doing this to save them, her brother, and India. But she couldn’t. They would place her in hiding or something and freak out and then Andrei would succeed in taking over all their companies and territory she just recently learned these men occupied. So they weren’t involved with the mafia in a minor way. They were knees deep.

  “I am alone. I get that now. Storm and Zin proved to me where you all really stand and how alone I am in this life for however long it is.”

  Weston reached back and cupped her head.

  “You’re not alone. You have us, Porter, and India.”

  “I don’t need to hear it. You all made it clear to me. I’m fine, and I’m working things out with Andrei. He hasn’t asked for much. Just my company,” she said and started to pull away.

  Weston’s hands gripped her firmer, keeping her in pla
ce.

  “That fucking bastard can’t have you,” he said as the others made similar statements.

  “Don’t worry, I don’t need to spread my legs just yet.” She pulled from Weston’s hold. She knew she sounded bitchy, but what they did to her, how Storm and even Zin kissed her obviously to prove a point was still fresh on her mind.

  She saw Weston look at Storm and Winter as if he wanted to say something and then Storm shook his head.

  “That offer is still on the table with working for us. We’re still in charge of keeping you safe, and Porter said you’re not answering his calls. We all think you need to go back to Texas and work at Pro-Tech until this shit blows over with Andrei,” Storm told her.

  “Oh really? Is that what you all decided?” She asked, knowing she couldn’t come off too easily about this even though it was her plan to return and weed out the shits infiltrating their company.

  “Yes. Porter will be returning from Europe this week and expects you to be at the company. He’s worried, just like the rest of us are.”

  “Oh, I’m sure he is, Storm. I’m certain you explained how weak I am and how much trouble I got myself into?”

  “Aspen, just accept the protection. We know how to handle men like Andrei,” Zin told her.

  She shot him a look. “I’m sure you do. I’ll think about it. Considering that I have work to do with Clarence as well in Texas, I’ll see if I have the time to retrain your employees.”

  “You will have the time. I spoke with Dmitri today and your services will no longer be needed with the project except on a minor level leaving you plenty of time to work for us,” Winter informed her.

  “What? How could you? Why would Dmitri agree to this?”

  “He had no choice. We’ve claimed ownership of you for your protection. Andrei can’t touch you or contact you without our consent, and that isn’t going to happen,” Storm told her.

  “And if I deny this ownership of protection I’m assuming is some sort of mafia rule,” she snapped at him with her arms crossed in front of her. She was planning on this and so was Andrei, the slimy bastard.