Hunted: A Dark Mafia Romance Page 2

  “Get off me,” she hissed, jerking out of my hold completely.

  What the hell? I was losing my touch.

  I was too busy admiring her form to notice the fact she’d reared back, cold cocking me with enough force I was pummeled backward by two feet. Jesus Christ.

  She wasted no time, taking off and running deeper into the woods. Where the hell did she think she was going? There was nothing but woods and darkness as well as wild animals. I shook my head, the slight ringing in my ears providing the first smile I’d had in one hell of a long time.

  Within seconds, I fisted my hand around her hair, the remaining light from the orange and fuchsia blinking neon sign allowing me to catch sight of her with ease. As I pulled her against me for the last time, I was finally able to smell her fear. “You’re one feisty woman and quite difficult to find. That must mean you have a guilty mind.”

  “Fuck you. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Such nasty words for such a beautiful woman.”

  “Screw you. You’re just another lowlife hired gun, an animal and nothing more.”

  The second she elbowed me again, I determined I’d had enough of the bullshit. It was time to finish the job. When she issued a single sob, something odd came over me, a tingling sensation I’d never experienced in my entire professional career. Perhaps that was the reason that I’d let my guard down once again, loosening my hold.

  Hope took that to her advantage, breaking free, even though strands of her hair were left on my fingers.

  I wanted her down and I needed her to stay down. What I did next was something I would question for some time to come. I pitched her against a tree, placing my hand around her throat.

  It was obvious she was floored, a series of ragged breaths escaping her mouth but nothing else. The moment she started screaming, I crushed my mouth over hers. My entire body was ignited by a fire I didn’t know could exist, my cock aching to be inside of her. It made no sense, but as I thrust my tongue inside, all I could think about was my carnal desires.

  She wiggled, refusing to give in, slamming her hands against my chest. But as her tongue swept against mine, I sensed her unwanted arousal. Her ragged screams turned into moans, her hips undulating against me. I was a dangerous man, one with no conscience whatsoever. I’d never felt any guilt or second guessed my method of performing my job.

  However, this was entirely different. This was personal. I slid my hand down her side, crawling my fingers under her dress. She clawed my shirt, pitching her body but that only fueled the growing fire. When I slipped my fingers under the thin elastic of her panties, her body stiffened.

  I was completely aroused, my cock aching to the point I felt actual pain. I found it difficult to breathe as I fingered her clit, swirling the tip around her tender tissue. Her moans increased and I couldn’t stop my actions. The second I thrust a single finger inside, she arched her back, the scent of her feminine wiles filtering into my nostrils. There was no way she could be turned on by a monster. I added a second finger, plunging in and out. I knew I could bring her to an orgasm within seconds.

  A part of me wanted to fuck her, but even I wasn’t that kind of man. I concentrated on what I was doing, realizing she was no longer struggling, only sagging against the tree for support, her shoulders heaving, her moans like sweet music.

  You’re a killer. That’s all you are. Do your damn job.

  The heat and electricity building between us only added fuel to the kind of fire I’d shoved aside for years. When I finally broke the kiss, I took deep breaths. I kept my hand wrapped around her throat, prepared to silence her again if necessary.

  “I was forced to do it,” she whispered in the darkness.

  The few little words broke me of my spell. “Yeah? Well, I didn’t see anyone putting a gun to your head, Hope.”

  “You just don’t understand. I had no choice.”

  Backing away, I watched as she pressed her hands down the front of her dress. If I spent any additional time with her, I knew I would find it more difficult to accomplish my task. Huffing, I shook my head to clear it, pulling my weapon into my hand.

  She took a step forward, her lower lip quivering, but I could see defiance in her eyes. How the hell was that even possible?

  “Turn around,” I commanded, taking several deep breaths as I checked the silencer.

  “No.” She stood taller, glaring me in the eyes. “If you’re going to kill me then you’re going to have to look into my eyes.”

  “I suggest you follow my orders, Hope. I could make this extremely painful for you.”

  “But you won’t. I can tell somewhere deep inside you have some good qualities.”

  She had to be kidding me.

  I cocked my head, lifting my eyebrows. She really thought I wouldn’t be able to do it. I backed away another step, lifting my arm, loathing the fact my cock was still rock hard. When I hesitated, she took that as a sign of weakness, lunging toward me and smacking both hands against my chest before taking off running.

  Again.

  The woman had managed to get under my skin, something that hadn’t occurred in years. While she’d only gotten a few seconds of a head start, by the time I took off running after her, she’d made it to the back edge of the motel. What I couldn’t understand is why the hell she wasn’t sprinting toward the little store for protection as well as to call the police.

  When she rounded the corner toward the motel, I realized she had some help. That pissed me off. She’d been playing me. Unfortunately, there was going to be another body to deal with. I’d been forced to do so before. I would do it again.

  I made it around the corner, able to see which room she’d gone into. I took my time, scanning the parking lot before approaching. With a single kick of my foot, I easily made it inside.

  Hope met me just inside the door, the single light on in the room allowing me to catch a really good look at her face. Now I was able to see the utter terror in her eyes.

  There was no concept of second chances in my profession, or with the crime syndicate she’d decided to betray. I closed the door behind me then held my weapon in both hands.

  Then everything changed when I heard the sound of his voice.

  “Mommy. I’m hungry.”

  Chapter 3

  Dominik

  A little voice.

  The same kind of little voice that had haunted my dreams.

  I lowered my weapon quickly, shoving it into my jacket as I glared at her. No wonder Hope had been determined to get away from me. She’d been protecting her son, a child I hadn’t been told existed. The fact my fucking informant also hadn’t said a word pissed me just as much as Ivanov’s lack of information. I was enraged, the kind of fury that would need to find an outlet soon or I would explode.

  She bit back a whimper as she grabbed the little boy, bringing him against her leg. Then she gave me imploring eyes, begging but not for her life. For that of her son.

  He yawned, rubbing the sleepies out of his eyes with his balled fist before looking up at the man standing by his mother. Instead of fear at seeing the hulking six-foot-five-inch monster, he was mesmerized, pointing toward me with a look of glee on his face. “Mommy. He’s like Superman.”

  Hope bent down, holding him tightly and pressing kisses against the side of his face. “This is Mommy’s friend, Grady.”

  Grady pulled away from her, holding out his hand for a shake. I was a coldhearted bastard, but not about children. Not now. Not ever. I had my reasons. I bent down, shaking his hand, darting my glance between Hope’s face and his. “It’s nice to meet you, Grady. I’m Dominik. I don’t think I qualify as Superman though.”

  He giggled as only kids could do. In his mind everything was still an adventure. He had no way of knowing what kind of danger he was in. “You’re big.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  The boy returned his attention to his mother, tugging on her hair. “Did you bring me something to eat?”


  She was unable to hold back a slight gasp, returning to a standing position. “I’m working on that, little buddy. Why don’t you go back to bed so I can talk to… Dominik for just a few minutes? Okay?”

  Grady wrinkled his nose then nodded in a defiant manner, stomping back toward the second bed in the room. The woman had taken a huge risk by leaving him alone, wanting to do nothing more than bring him food.

  “Can we at least go outside? Please?” she asked, her tone pleading with me.

  Sighing, I opened the door, giving the little boy another look. What the fuck had I gotten myself in the middle of? She was stiff as she walked outside, folding her arms and staring out toward the street.

  “I used all the money I had to buy a few things for him to eat. He’s had nothing in two days. I would appreciate it if I can get him something to eat before you kill me. He’s so precious. I don’t know what’s going to happen to him. I’m all he has.”

  She wasn’t saying the words to try to plead with me to let her go. She was resigned, simply trying to figure out in her mind the next few steps. The truth was I wasn’t entirely certain what the hell I was supposed to do. If I returned with the child, I had no idea what would happen to him, but I knew it wouldn’t be in his best interest.

  I needed time to think and to ask her questions. Something about this entire situation seemed off to me. “I need your keys and your cellphone. I know you have a car somewhere around here, but it better not be touched. I’m going to get some food for both of you, but if you try and leave or call the police, I will know and there won’t be a single place on this earth you can go where I won’t be able to find you, including from inside prison. Do you understand me?”

  The hotel was seedy enough, I doubted if there was anyone on duty at the front desk they’d give a damn. Besides, I was only going to risk returning to the same damn store, even though I knew they had shit for food. The boy needed something nutritious.

  She nodded and when she turned toward me, there was a slight sign of gratefulness in her eyes. I had to look away. She had no understanding of the kind of man I’d become. As she slowly walked inside, I tried to weigh my options. If I didn’t finish the task, I’d become the next target. While there wasn’t another assassin on Ivanov’s payroll who could compete with me, I wasn’t in the mood to start a bloodbath.

  This wasn’t going to be decided tonight.

  Hope returned quickly, handing me both items. The second our fingers touched, she gasped, taking a long stride away from me.

  “Just stay put. I don’t want to be forced to chase after you. You won’t like the consequences if I do.” My words were laced with clear authority. She would follow my directions to the letter, or I would have no recourse but to finish the task.

  I waited until she’d returned inside before walking away, stopping at the end of the building and staring down at the bag of groceries she’d purchased. Milk was still trickling out of the busted jug, a package of potato chips, some cheap cheese, yogurt, and freaking candy bars. What the hell had the woman gone through?

  Was it possible that she had been forced into providing evidence to the police? In the ugliness of New York, anything was possible. But what could the prosecutors have on her? I took long strides toward the convenience store, storming inside. The girl behind the counter wasn’t too thrilled at seeing a big blond man in the middle of the freaking night. If I had to guess, I’d say she had her hand on the panic button, prepared for me to raid the cash drawer.

  Huffing, I moved around the store, gathering the best quality food I could find, adding milk and water to the list as well as plastic silverware. I placed the items on the counter, returning for some cookies and other treats for the little boy. It was the best I could do.

  She eyed the objects, her hand shaking as she started to ring up the items. I pointed toward the stuffed animal that was placed on another counter. “I want him too.”

  The girl couldn’t have been more surprised, barely nodding as she grabbed the bear. I had no fucking idea what the hell I was doing. I had no business getting close to them. After she rang up the items, I tossed a few bills on the counter and walked out. I realized as I made the return walk that a portion of my heart was heavy for the first time in months. This didn’t bode well on any level.

  I stopped short before returning inside, pulling Hope’s phone into my hand. When I touched the screen, a picture of her son in front of a Christmas tree flashed across the surface immediately. I stared at it for several seconds, a tic appearing in the corner of my mouth. Then I realized my grip had become firm enough I heard a slight cracking noise. Damn it. My anger at accepting the job skyrocketed, but my rage had more to do with the fact Viktor had chosen not to tell me everything.

  The man would soon learn that crossing me wasn’t in his best interest. After holding the phone to my head for a few seconds, I tossed it onto the ground, stomping down until I had the satisfaction of hearing the crunch beneath my feet. The last thing I needed was for anyone to try to trace her through the cellphone.

  As soon as I entered the room, she started to shake. I placed the bag on the dresser before doing my best to secure the lock.

  Hope seemed surprised by what I’d purchased, offering me a slight smile.

  Grady noticed the bear before anything else, squealing as he hopped out of bed, grabbing it from his mother’s hands. “Is this for me?”

  “Yes, honey. The nice man brought it for you. What do you say?” Hope asked in a hushed tone.

  “Thank you, Superman.” He rushed forward before Hope could stop him, wrapping his bony arms around my legs.

  She gasped, placing her hands over her mouth. I gave her a stern look as I rubbed him on the head.

  “It’s okay, buddy. You’re very welcome. Now, it’s time for you to eat something. Okay? I think you mom is going to pour you some milk.”

  He nodded several times then wrinkled his brow. “You talk funny.”

  I laughed genuinely. “Yes, I do. It’s a Russian accent. Do you know where Russia is?”

  “Yes. Mommy says it’s where bad people live,” he said as if reciting something Hope had told him.

  “Hmmm… Is that so?”

  “Are you a bad person, Dominik?”

  Grady’s question threw me. “Let’s just say I’ve done some bad things, Grady. Now, go eat so you can get some rest.”

  “O-tay.” He scampered away, already talking to the bear like a person.

  I rubbed my jaw, hating the ache that had already started. I watched as she moved to pour him some milk, placing some of the items on a napkin.

  “Cookies!”

  Cringing, I pressed my hand against the door, peeking around the ugly brown drapes. No one seemed interested in the Russian dude and the woman and child. At this point, we’d be safe for the night. Tomorrow was another day entirely.

  “Not for tonight. You can save some for breakfast. How’s that, little man?” Her voice was strained, her actions sluggish. I could sense her sheer exhaustion.

  “Sure, Mommy.”

  She waited for a few seconds before walking in my direction again. “What now? I appreciate the gesture. I can’t pay you right now. I don’t have anything left.”

  “Where were you headed?”

  “My brother has a place in North Carolina. I was trying to get us there before I ran out of gas.” Laughing, her shoulders slumped.

  “That’s not going to happen. Your brother will be killed.” I shifted my gaze toward the boy to make certain he couldn’t hear our conversation.

  “Because you’re going to kill him.”

  I placed a single finger over my mouth, shaking my head. “No, but I assure you that someone will. You’re going to get some rest. I’m staying right here. By morning, I will have made a plan. Do you understand me?”

  “I…” Tears formed in her eyes. “Are you going to kill us?”

  I took another deep breath. “Just get some sleep, Hope. This might be your lucky day.”
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  She kept her gaze on me for a full minute, tears streaming down both cheeks. Growling, I moved away from her, grabbing one of the bottles of water. It was going to be one hell of a long night.

  I sat down on the single chair in the room, the position enabling me to glance out the window every so often. As the minutes started to pass, I thought about the course of events in my life during the last few years. I wasn’t the kind of man to reflect on anything. I usually had no regrets, nor did I care about anyone’s feelings. With a single exception.

  After placing my weapon on the table, I reached for my phone, navigating to what few pictures I’d stored. One creed of being a hitman was never to leave traces of your life. No pictures of family or friends. No addresses or phone numbers. I’d broken the cardinal rule by allowing three pictures to remain.

  As I scrolled through them, my anger only increased. I’d let my guard down a single time and it had nearly destroyed me. Every muscle tense, I turned my head slowly, able to catch a slight glimpse of the sleeping boy. Hope had curled around him, her arms covering a portion of his body. It was obvious that she’d do anything to protect Grady, including at the cost of her own life.

  I wasn’t certain whether that should be considered courageous or stupid. Either way, it shouldn’t matter to me.

  But somehow it did.

  Her long dark hair was splayed over the pillow, her now bare feet curled under her. She was beautiful in every way, her porcelain skin flawless and her body holding the kind of curves that could make any man hunger for days. Huffing, I turned away, staring at the screen.

  When Ivanov’s number flashed, I gritted my teeth, the vibration in my hand surging the rage. There was no way I could ignore his call. Grabbing my gun, I headed to the door, taking another fleeting look before unlocking it and walking outside. A light rain had started, the thick humidity creating a fog across the road’s surface. It was the perfect night for an assassination.