Rise (Dark and Dangerous Book 2) Read online

  And that shamed me.

  My mother and father deserved vengeance, and Vlad deserved to suffer for what he had done to them, what he had done to Lake.

  I thought about that, tried to hold onto it, thought that maybe if I gave myself a few moments, really started to accept that all that I had worked toward for decades was at my fingertips, I could get to it.

  I saw the small stainless steel table in one corner of the room and walked over to it.

  I was familiar with all the implements, had no doubt at one time or another imagined using one of them, all of them, on Vlad.

  I turned away from the table and faced him again.

  “You really don’t recognize me.”

  “Like you said, I’ve had a long career.”

  “But you knew my mother.”

  I didn’t want to say her name, didn’t want to desecrate her memory by bringing it up in same room as him, but when I whispered it, I saw the instant recognition in his face.

  “You’re that fucking kid.”

  “Yeah. The one you had plans for,” I spat.

  He lifted a brow, looked me up and down again.

  “So you did see.”

  “I did,” I said. “I saw enough.”

  “Too bad. But I figured you must have. That was why you ran. Smart,” he said, some admiration in his voice.

  The emotions that had been so distant moments ago were back and strong.

  “So why?”

  That was the one question I hadn’t allowed myself to ponder too much.

  I hadn’t known when I was a kid, but as I’d gotten older, it became clear to me that my father was a criminal. Low-level stuff, but he was involved in the life.

  But no one had sent Vlad to get rid of a smalltime crook. The familiarity between him and my mother had always been hanging there, a curiosity that I had been too chickenshit to delve into.

  Not now, though.

  “Why did I kill her?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I got paid to.”

  “You got paid to?” I asked, somewhat incredulous, unable to believe that that was his answer.

  “Yeah. Why the fuck else would I go to the middle of nowhere?”

  “You didn’t talk to her like it was just another hit that you’d been paid for,” I said.

  Even though I was managing to keep my emotions in check, I knew that even entertaining this conversation was giving away more than I wanted to. Vlad knew that I was invested in his answers, would try to use that to his benefit.

  There wouldn’t be much of one. And no way could he manipulate his way out of this room. So the only thing at stake was me saving face.

  I decided that answers were more important.

  “She was a friend of mine,” he said.

  I could think of little else he could have said that would have surprised me more.

  “Friend?”

  I tried to imagine a scenario where my mother would be friends with Vlad.

  I couldn’t, but also knew that the image I had of her, the devoted wife and mother and excellent homemaker, wasn’t all there was to the woman.

  “Yeah. We came up through the ranks together. Your mom was a sight to see. One of the best hitters I ever worked with,” he said.

  He lifted a brow, studying my reaction.

  “Before she spent all her time making milk and cookies and playing house, your mom was one of the best killers around. A fucking shame she wasted all that talent.”

  I wanted to deny at, knew it was possible that Vlad was just fucking with me for the fun of it.

  But I believed him.

  My child’s eyes hadn’t seen it, but the man I was now could.

  “She got out. That’s why you came after her.”

  “She had you. That’s why I came after her.”

  “What the fuck does that mean?” I snapped.

  I hated the moment of emotion, but there was no taking it back now. Vlad didn’t seem to respond to it.

  “You really think that idiot was your father?”

  “Be careful. Think about what you’re going to say. You know how this goes, and you know how much worse it can go,” I said, my voice deepening.

  “I do. But I got no reason to lie to you. He wasn’t.”

  A thought, one so sickening that it almost took me off my feet, popped into my head.

  Vlad smiled, then started to laugh.

  “No.”

  “No what?” I responded, still feeling sick to my stomach.

  “I’m not your father, kid,” he said. “Frankly, your mother scared the shit out of me.”

  “But you know who is.”

  I couldn’t believe how things had shifted.

  I had come here for one purpose, ten minutes ago was certain I had known exactly how this would play out.

  And it could still play out that way.

  I had indulged my questions, had given in to curiosity, even though I knew where it might lead.

  But it didn’t have to keep going.

  I could stop. End this, get back to Lake.

  But I would always wonder.

  “Yeah. I do,” Vlad said.

  He looked at me then, his head tilted, some of the cunning I always seen in him back in his eyes.

  “You don’t want to know, so leave it at that,” he said.

  “You think you’re in a position to give orders here?”

  “No. But your mother was something like a friend of mine once. I consider it a favor to her.”

  Anger, so deep that I couldn’t ignore it, came over me.

  I rushed toward him and landed a blow directly on his face.

  To his credit, Vlad didn’t flinch, and fortunately for me, that punch dissipated some of the anger.

  Which allowed me to refocus on this conversation, though I wasn’t exactly sure I wanted to.

  “I heard your conversation with her. It didn’t seem friendly.”

  Even now, I could hear his voice, remembered how it had terrified me, how it had terrified her.

  “It ended up that way. I told her she was playing with fire. But she didn’t listen.”

  Again, I wanted to rebel at what he said, but I didn’t and couldn’t.

  His words held a ring of truth, more than a ring, really.

  “Who?” I said.

  It was time to put an end to this, all of it.

  “Yuri.”

  He knew the implications of that single word.

  I said nothing, and he watched me as I stared at him.

  “You want to call me a liar?”

  “No.”

  “Smart,” Vlad said, lifting one corner of his mouth. He nodded at me approvingly, and seemed to want do something to make me punch him again.

  “What’s the story?”

  “I told her nothing good could come from it, but she didn’t listen to me. Your mother was smart but ambitious. Thought if she was good enough, gave Yuri a son, that he would marry her. Dumb bitch,” he said, shaking his head.

  “That obviously didn’t happen.”

  “Obviously. He married someone else, and your mother thought it would be a good idea to blackmail him. Tell him that she would tell the new wife, and more importantly, the new wife’s father, about Yuri’s firstborn son.”

  “I take it that conversation didn’t go well,” I said, surprised by how calm I was.

  “It did not. He beat her half to death. I don’t even know how she got away, but she did. Took you with her.”

  “And eventually sent you to finish it?”

  “Yeah. You know Yuri doesn’t like loose ends,” Vlad said.

  It came to me then that there was even more to this story.

  “So you were there for me?”

  “Yeah.”

  I remembered what he’d said to my mother, how he had taunted her.

  “You told my mother you had plans for me.”

  “Yeah. But I was just fucking with her. I was going to get rid of all three of you then burn d
own the house. Easy peasy.”

  In that moment, my hatred of Vlad had never been more intense.

  He hadn’t been content to kill my mother. He’d wanted to make her suffer, make her last thought be what horrible fate awaited her child.

  He had earned the eternity in hell that awaited him after this conversation.

  “But you failed. Yuri doesn’t accept failure.”

  “What Yuri doesn’t know won’t hurt him. I looked for you, couldn’t find you, so I went back and told him that you were all gone.”

  “That’s sloppy.”

  He shrugged. “Maybe, but it worked out for you.”

  I went silent, and Vlad smiled.

  “It’s really ironic. Yuri wanted to off you. And now you work for him. And you must be pretty good.”

  “One of the best.”

  “Makes sense. You came by it honestly.”

  I went quiet then, as did Vlad.

  I was almost overwhelmed by all the information I had in my head, but one thing was curiously missing.

  I looked at Vlad and then calmly reached into my waistband, pointed the gun at him, and pulled the trigger.

  The single shot ended his life in a blink and just as quickly brought the thing that had been the central feature of mine to an end.

  I waited for some emotion.

  Relief, joy, something.

  I would have even expected a little bit of sadness. After all, seeing him dead had been the thing that had driven my life. Now that it was done, there might have been grief over what I had lost, bereavement over the fact that I didn’t have anything to take its place.

  But there wasn’t.

  I was happy to have avenged my mother and father, and to know that he would never lay another finger on Lake.

  But that was all.

  I stared at Vlad slumped against the chair, reminding me of how my father had looked all those years ago.

  I had built him up in my head, made him into this outsize monster, but tonight had proven an important lesson.

  Vlad was a piece of shit, but he was just a man. He’d gotten what he deserved, and I knew then I would never think of him again.

  I left the gun on the stainless steel tray, certain that Ezekiel would have it disposed of, then left the cabin and walked back to the SUV.

  Ezekiel was leaning against the side smoking, and there was a moment of surprise when he saw me approach.

  He snuffed out the cigarette and got into the SUV.

  “That’s it?” he asked, somewhat surprised.

  “That’s it.”

  “Quick. I’m surprised.”

  “I had plans, but the fucker wasn’t worth the time.”

  “No, he wasn’t,” Ezekiel agreed.

  I didn’t respond and instead leaned back against the seat.

  “Aras, I know that look. I hate that look.”

  “What look?” I asked, turning to glance at him.

  “That one. The look that tells me you’ve got some crazy shit up your sleeve and you’re going to drag me into it.”

  “Nothing crazy,” I whispered.

  Ezekiel tilted his head, studying me. “What then?”

  “I’m going to kill the most powerful criminal in the world,” I said.

  Ezekiel gaped then shook his head vigorously. “You’re out of your fucking mind.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Do you have any idea what you’re suggesting?”

  “I’m not suggesting anything. I’m telling you what I’m going to do.”

  “And telling me that I’m going to help you.”

  “Yes.”

  I smiled, and Ezekiel glared at me.

  “If you’re asking for my help, and I’m not saying I’m going to give it to you, but even just for asking, you have to explain,” he said.

  “Vlad and I had a very interesting conversation.”

  “I’d hoped to never hear that fucking guy’s name again,” Ezekiel muttered.

  “You won’t. Pretty soon he won’t even be a memory, but he did have some interesting things to say.”

  “Yeah, I bet he was trying to get out of that room.”

  “No. It wasn’t that. I think he just wanted to get something off his chest.”

  “Something about Yuri?”

  “Yeah. Yuri ordered the hit on my parents,” I said.

  “He knew your parents?”

  He was interested now, and I could see he was considering what I had to say, or at least listening more closely.

  “He knew my mother. Got her pregnant with me,” I said.

  Ezekiel snorted, lifted one brow, the only acknowledgment of his surprise, though I knew he was. But he got over it quickly.

  “And used Vlad to try to clean up the mess,” Ezekiel said.

  “Exactly.”

  “Now you’re going to repay the favor.”

  “Yes. And you’re going to help me,” I said, my eyes locked on his.

  Ezekiel shook his head. “How do you know it’s true? You’re just going to take Vlad’s word for it?” he asked.

  “No,” I said.

  “Then what?” Ezekiel asked.

  “My gut. Vlad was a monster, but he never particularly struck me as a liar. And more importantly, I know when somebody’s lying. He wasn’t.”

  “And I’m supposed to risk my life for your gut.”

  “You’ve done it before.”

  “That I have.”

  He went quiet then, considering, but I knew it was a formality. Ezekiel had never let me down. I didn’t think he would start today.

  “So let’s assume I was entertaining this, which again, I’m not saying I am, but let’s just say that I was. How do you think we’re going to pull this off?”

  “I have a plan.”

  Ezekiel shook his head, looking at me incredulously. “Of course you do.”

  He smiled one last time then sobered.

  “Let’s hear it.”

  Twenty-One

  Lake

  I had been suspended, stuck in stasis, as I waited for him.

  At least that was what it had felt like.

  I went through the motions—ate, drank, pretended to read. At some point, maybe even slept.

  But I was completely detached from all of that, each second that ticked by reminding me that he wasn’t here, driving my fervent prayers that he would return.

  And then he did.

  I had forced myself to eat dinner, then sat in my favorite spot in the safe house dining room, determined to finish a book.

  Had even managed to read a page or two without giving in to tears, or worse, allowing my mind to conjure all of the horrible things that could be happening to him.

  When I heard the door open, I froze for a split second, then reached for the gun that he had taught me how to use.

  Left-handed now, but I was more comfortable with the weapon and knew for certain I would have no trouble using it.

  I cautiously inched toward the door then let my arm fall when Aras approached me.

  I was momentarily frozen, my relief so intense that it didn’t allow me to move.

  He didn’t seem to have that trouble.

  He walked toward me slowly, though I could sense his eagerness.

  He gently pried the gun from my fingers and set it on the mantle.

  And then he stared at me.

  I stared back, drinking him in, studying his face, afraid that I had imagined him.

  Knew that I hadn’t when he reached up and cupped my cheek with his palm.

  The touch of his hand against my face was a key turning a lock.

  I threw my arms around him, squeezed him with all my might.

  There were so many words I wanted to say, so many emotions that were rushing through me.

  But I didn’t speak, couldn’t. So instead I kissed him.

  Then I pulled back a fraction, searching his eyes with mine, needing more reassurance that he was there.

  And when I was sure that he was, I
gave in to that need, the one that seemed to be ever present, to touch him.

  I brushed my lips against his, gingerly at first, some part of me probably still worried that I had imagined him.

  When he kissed me back, it was like the floodgates had opened.

  He pushed his tongue into my mouth as I pushed mine into his.

  I kissed him deeply, as deeply as he kissed me, our breaths mingling, our bodies close.

  I was only vaguely aware of him lifting me, but I didn’t break the kiss, needing to touch him more than I needed my next breath.

  His display of strength was something that usually would have made me marvel, but not now. No, now I was completely caught in the web of him, his scent, his taste, his touch all driving me higher, pushing me to the place that only he could.

  “No,” I protested when he laid me on the bed.

  But that protest died in my throat as I watched him remove his clothes and reveal his perfection to me.

  “I’ll do it,” he said in a gruff voice when I started to remove my own clothes.

  I stopped instantly, frozen in place by his voice, what it did to my body, the anticipation of what was to come.

  I didn’t have to wait long. He closed the small distance between us, his muscled body flexing, hard cock bobbing as he approached.

  He wasted no time, reaching for the hem of the silky nightgown I wore. I’d hated the things, but no more, not when Aras looked at me as he did now.

  I was eager, my blood thrumming through my veins, but Aras didn’t rush. No, he moved tortuously slowly, inching the gown up millimeter by millimeter until I though I would go mad.

  I breathed out hard when he finally pulled the gown over my head and tossed it away, leaving me bare before him.

  My body was a riot of desire, my nipples distended, practically begging for his touch. I’d clenched my thighs tight, seeking relief for the insistent ache between them, knowing that only he could give it.

  I thought he would, but again, he reached out slowly, tracing rough fingertips against my collarbone, down between my breasts.

  He paused there, his hand flat against my chest, my heartbeat thundering against his palm. Some unnamed emotion crossed his face but was gone instantly, as was my breath when he grazed his fingers across my nipple.

  “Aras,” I said breathily, my entire world having been reduced to this man and his touch.

  His only response was a kiss against my collarbone, one that continued as he trailed down and circled my nipple with his tongue.