Stolen from the Hitman: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance(138)

“Take your life back,” Mikhail says to me in his deep husk. “It’s your choice how.” And he rests his hand upon my shoulder reassuringly.

We talked about it briefly when planning this.

I’ve shot men before, twice now. Even killed one myself. But that was self-defense. Strict and simple. A life to save a life in the moment. Stabbing a wounded man to death as my lover steps on his arm and pins him down, however…

That’s a choice. A dark choice.

A choice about what type of woman I want to be, or could be.

I’ve maimed him, and I’ve made him suffer for what he’s done to me and Mikhail and Eva and Nikki, for all the collateral damage that he’s accumulated in what Mikhail told me was an unsanctioned power play.

None of this should have happened, and none of it would have happened, if not for Gregorovich, this disgusting creep beneath me.

But I’m not Mikhail. I know what needs to be done, but I can’t be the one to do it.

He must sense me wavering, because his hand squeezes my shoulder in a reassuring manner. “It’s okay.”

He helps me up, and Gregor lays there, looking confused.

“Now wh-” he starts to say, but the sound of Mikhail’s gun firing a muffled shot through its silencer ends him before he can finish his question.

Gregor can’t live. Too many people would suffer and die if he did. But Mikhail will shoulder that burden for me.

“Let’s go,” he says, picking my coat up off the floor and draping it around my blood spattered dress as Nikki emerges from the room, looking skittish and scared.

“It’s all over now,” I assure her.





23





Alicia





Three Years Later




It’s the anniversary of the night that Mikhail and I met, three years ago now. We never really celebrate it, it’d feel crass to do so, but we always take note of it and do something a little special. I’m not sure what Mikhail has in mind for me this year, though. He’s been so busy after taking over for Gregorovich as Avtoritet. But then, I’ve been busy too.

Leon bops in my lap, our oldest son, named after Mikhail’s brother. Already two and growing like a weed. Having two kids makes it a bit hard to concentrate on managing all of Mikhail’s financial records, but I like being involved in his business. And out of danger. Besides, he says I’m the one person he can trust.

I glance out over at Central Park, spread out before me from our beautiful condo. It’s a place bigger than I ever could have dreamed I’d live in, but with the two kids, plus mom and Hernando, it’s just perfect. Plenty of privacy and space, and the best location, right in the center of everything. It’s a commute for Mikhail, of course, but he wanted to keep his growing family somewhere safe. And in New York, safe means ritzy.

“Mommy, walk,” Leon says, squirming down from my lap and rushing to Eva’s playpen. He’s a bright kid, and I blame that on his dad. Mikhail has been reading to him every night since before he was even born, I guess trying to be the father he never had. Regardless of his reasons, I couldn’t be more proud of our little family.

“How about nan takes you for your walk,” I say as I pick Eva up, bringing her down the hall. My mom has recovered a lot since meeting Hernando, and the doctors have said it’s a miracle, but I know what it actually is. He’s given her purpose again, never treated her like an old lady knocking on death’s door. After dad died, I guess she lost a lot of that spark, but Hernando has lit her back up.

“Oh my little Eva!” Mom says as she comes to collect my baby from my arms.

“Could you take her and Leon for a little walk in Central Park? Mikhail is due home soon, and I have a little surprise for him.”

My mom laughs, bouncing Eva in her arms as she nods.

“Of course, sweet peach. We’ll get out of your hair for a bit!” She kisses me on the cheek before she quickly gathers the children and leaves me to the silence.

It’s funny, living so high above the bustle of New York, away from the crowds and the noise. Mikhail splurged on this place, most of his savings gone into securing the best condo he could find, our little castle from which to rule. But as a boss in the Bratva, the millions he spent on this place seem like peanuts. I should know, I do the books.

I head into our bedroom, changing out of my more comfortable clothes into a slinky red dress that looks similar to the one that Mikhail first found me in, and I tie my hair back, letting a couple tendrils frame my face. I’m used to dressing up fancy now, and it doesn’t take a lot of time to put on my makeup and the finishing touches.

By the time I finish, though, I hear the door unlocking. Even after all this time, I find my hand going to the gun hidden in my vanity, instincts kicking in before I hear Mikhail’s voice. He knows better than to surprise me after trying that once on our wedding night and finding me with a gun in my hands pointed at his chest.