I never wanted him to stop. He lowered the zipper of my coat and exposed my shirt, and I felt my nipples become harder from the cold, sensitive from the desire he evoked in me. He looked down then leaned forward and put his mouth on one and sucked on it through my shirt and bra. The pleasure was unbelievable. He was leaving wet marks on my shirt, but I didn't care. I started rubbing on him, right before my eyes landed on the clock behind him, and I stilled, and he with me.
“What’s wrong?” He lifted me so I sat up on the table, while I ran my fingers through my hair, hoping to make it presentable.
“I need to pick up Ciara from the airport.” I lifted my hand in a stop sign. “Before you protest, Vlad and Ivan will be with us, and we are just going to visit the ice-skating rink in the center of Moscow. Please?” He scanned my body, frowned, and I rubbed his chest, hoping he would listen to me. “Dominic, please, I want to have a relationship with her. You can’t be present during this first time. It might get awkward with you in the way.” He caressed my cheek softly, but his eyes stayed cold as ice. “Fine. I will allow it this one last time.” With a squeak of joy, I squeezed him, but he grumbled, “Ivan and Vlad are with you all the fucking time.”
“Yes!” Then I hopped down and sauntered out of his reach before he could catch me.
“I’m late.” Blowing him a kiss before the door shut in his face, I quickly grabbed my purse hanging on the bar stool and noticed Jake sitting with his hands in his lap as Radmir argued loudly with Vivian. The boy rushed to me, wrapping his hand around my leg, and asked, “Can I go with you?” Slightly taken aback by this trust, considering we’d never met previously, I tried to think of a polite way to refuse, when Radmir addressed me.
“Could you please do it? I don’t want him to hear all this.” What kind of parents were they, seriously? Radmir shouldn't have brought the kid here to begin with, if he didn't have an appropriate plan. And something about Vivian was off; she seemed dizzy, as if drugged. Dominic would hear about this. I’d be damned if this mafia house didn’t have the same rules as my dad’s. Radmir had no right to abuse her or kidnap her child, even if she gave testimony against him. She had a baby. She loved and raised her kid. What did he expect?
Fuming, I gave him a glare, which he just ignored, and then I smiled softly at Jake. I urged him outside, where Vlad had the car ready for us. We agreed with Radmir on one thing. The child didn't need to witness his parents like this, especially when he had just met his dad. Plus, ice-skating could be fun, and we’d stop by a candy shop to cheer him up.
Sitting inside, I put the seatbelt over him while he grinned. “Road trip.” Then his eyes stayed glued to the tinted window as we made it to the airport in record time. The kid sure didn’t act nervous over the fact he was going somewhere with a stranger.
The plane had already landed, and as Vlad parked the car and Ivan drummed his fingers on the dashboard to the beat of the music, the door opened and Ciara came out. The guys whistled while I frowned.
She wore black pants, shirt, and boots, and her hair was pulled into a bun on top of her head, while a backpack hung from her arm. She casually walked down the stairs and waved goodbye to the crew. She never wore anything but shiny dresses and lots of makeup, so this change of style surprised me, and unsettling goose bumps ran over my skin, like a gut feeling that warned me something was off about this situation. Shaking off the stupid thoughts that were due to anxiety attacks, which the doctors predicted would happen from time to time, I got out while she swayed her hips, lifting her arms in the process and doing a happy dance. “Girl, I’m here!” We hugged, and I rocked her from side to side, enjoying her smell and voice.
“Sure you are!” She let go of me then looked inside the car, and an odd expression flashed across her face when she noticed Jake.
“Who is the kid?” Her voice sounded weird.
“Radmir’s son. I thought he’d enjoy skating.” She adjusted the bag better on her arm and then shrugged. “Cool.” Motioning for me to sit first, I patted Jake’s leg while Ciara joined me, closing the door.
“Ice-skating rink in Arbat, Vlad,” I said, but Ciara pitched in.
“Could we stop by my friend’s house first?”
“Your friend?” She flipped her phone, showing me the picture of a blonde girl while they stood with medals.
“Yep, Olga. I just want to say hi, because I won't have any other time,” she pleaded, but I didn't know what to do. Dominic’s instructions were clear. I was not to go anywhere without informing him first, but surely one trip to some house with two of his men didn't count as dangerous. “It’s right outside Moscow in Himkis. They have a brick two-level house.”
“Rosa?” Vlad asked, meeting my gaze in the rearview mirror, and I didn't miss how he wasn't thrilled about the idea. After all, his ass was on the line. I imagined Ivan shared his sentiments.
“Sure,” I heard myself say, while she clasped her palms, giving me a peck. She kept on chatting about Italy, new gossips and rumors, or how Oliver fled from the country to God knows where, and oddly enough, no emotions colored her voice, like magically she didn't give a crap about him anymore.
The road to the house was bumpy, but indeed, it was right on the outskirts of Moscow. As Vlad navigated the vehicle closer to the old brick house, which stood quite far away from any living soul, with acres of land unattended as the grass grew higher than normal, the whole vibe reminded me all those movies with creepy houses no one wanted to visit. “Are you sure it’s here?”
Ciara laughed loudly, and for the first time, her laughter chilled me to the bone as something dug into my side, like the bite of a mosquito. My head got dizzy, vision blurred, and in a matter of seconds, I was out.
Conductor-Ciara
The minute her body sagged against me, I pressed the needle into one of the byk, and since he had his eyes closed, sleeping while music blasted from headphones, he just jerked and then was out.
“It’s scary,” the little boy said, while gazing out the window, and I barely restrained myself from screaming in frustration at the change in my plans. Why did she have to bring the kid with her? I wasn't going to go around killing innocent kids didn't deserve it. I had a moral code, even if no one could understand it.
Rosa Giovanni didn't deserve to live, but the boy did nothing wrong. But how could I save him in this situation?
Ivan stopped the engine, and I used my last injection on him. Even with my training and weapons, my strength wouldn't have allowed me to take down two muscular men. Even villains became creative under stress and in less than ideal circumstances.
Jake nudged Rosa in the arm, but when she stayed silent, he spoke. “Rosa?” Shaking my head at having yet another problem to deal with, I got out of the car and ignored the crying kid. Digging out my keys, I opened the shitty house Ercole used to bring me to, and shivers ran down my body from all the assaulting memories, which threatened my sanity and resolve.
Little darling, nothing in this world is free. Even the food you are eating. Either earn your keep or go on the streets.
Tugging on my hair with a frustrated cry, I got away from the voice in my mind. “It all ends today.”
Once Rosa Giovanni meets her maker, my suffering will be over.
