Page 11 of Deadly Devotion

“Keep going!” he yells, pulling a gun from his waistband and shooting at the burly man in the window. The bullet hits the glass windowpane as the man steps to the side, hiding himself inside the apartment. A black SUV swerves around the corner just as we reach the sidewalk. “Get in!” he shouts, holding the back passenger door open. I get in and Aleksandr follows.

After catching my breath, I realize I know the driver. It’s the blonde-haired man with the coffee-colored eyes who was with Aleksandr in San Francisco. He drives the SUV around the corner before I realize we’re leaving Sandy behind. “Stop!” I screech. “You have to stop!”

“Are you hurt?” Aleksandr grabs me by the shoulders, checking for a wound.

“We can’t leave Sandy!” I screech.

“Dimitri, pull over. Where is Sandy?” Aleksandr insists, pushing loose strands of hair away from my face.

“She went to the bank to get money. She’s coming back, and we’re supposed to go to a motel. I can’t leave her!”

Aleksandr says something to Dimitri in Russian. Dimitri nods and gets out of the SUV.

“What’s happening? What are you doing?” I ask, exasperated.

“Dimitri will wait here for Sandy. You and I will go to my estate, where you will be safe.”

Before I can react, he gets into the driver’s seat. The SUV’s tires screech on the black asphalt as it speeds away.

Chapter 8

Aleksandr

The drive to my estate in Old Westbury is taking longer than anticipated. Maybe it’s because I’ve been arguing with Talia for thirty minutes. This woman can be infuriating, yet I feel very protective of her. And I can’t deny my attraction to her. Somehow, she’s even more beautiful than when I left her in San Francisco. Her voluptuous curves are making my mouth water, and her sweet honeysuckle scent is getting my dick hard. She climbs over the seat and sits in the passenger, her eyes burning holes into the side of my head.

I steal a glance at her out of the corner of my eye. She’s tapping her fingernails on the armrest and her lips are drawn into a tight line. She’s scared and angry, and all I want to dois wrap her up in my arms and protect her from the world. But she is the only one who can identify Mikhail’s killer, making her valuable to me.

“Why did you move to New York?” I ask, hoping to get a more informative answer this time.

Squaring her shoulders, she looks straight ahead at the cars before us. “I already told you I needed a change of scenery,” she replies, pursing her lips.

“There is more to your story than you are telling me.”

“If you say so,” she mutters, crossing her arms over her chest.

Blyat!This woman drives me crazy! I don’t know if I want to force her to tell me or shove my cock in her mouth to keep her from saying anything else. “You will tell me why you moved here!” I bellow. “Were you looking for me, hoping I would rescue you from your drab little world and shower you with riches? That’s not going to happen.”

Her face twisted in shock as she sucked in a deep gasp. “Howdareyou!” she screeched. “I didn’t come looking for you!Youknocked on my front door! I don’t want anything from you! Let me out!”

She slammed her palm against the passenger window so hard I thought the glass would crack. She’s feisty, and that’s a huge turn-on.

“Stop this car right now and let me out, you…you…asshole!”

Her face is beet red with anger. I slow down the SUV, steering it to the side of the road. She tries to open the passenger door, but I don’t give her the chance. Grabbing her wrist, Ipull her toward me, my lips slamming down on hers. The kiss is full of anger, lust, and desperation. My fingers tangle in her silky brown hair, holding her in place. My tongue explores her mouth, savoring her taste and desperate for more. Her nails dig into my shoulders, but she’s not pushing me away. She’s pulling me closer, forcing my tongue deeper. The chemistry between us explodes. My mind fills with images of her soft, supple body pressed against mine as I drive my hard cock into her tight, wet pussy.

A low whimper escapes her lips, and then she pushes me away. Her lips are red and swollen, and her eyes are wide with shock and desire. “I want to call my sister,” she whispers between heavy breaths. “We have to go back.”

“No, Dimitri will take care of her,” I explain, running my fingers through my hair. We’re going to my estate, where I can protect you. After all, you are the only person who can identify my brother’s killer, and I’m not letting you out of my sight until you do.”

I pull the SUV back onto the road, and that ends the conversation. She spends the rest of the trip absently rubbing the little black bird tattoo on her wrist and looking out of the passenger window.

Before long, I can see the golden glow of my mansion lights against the tranquil black sky. I own many homes worldwide, but this one was my favorite. It was a testament to the wealth and power of the Avilov Bratva, a sanctuary that commanded respect. With the push of a button on the dashboard, the ornate iron gates open to allow us entrance down the long driveway. Rows of perfectly trimmed hedges lined each side, and a grand circular fountain stood at the entrance.

We were greeted by Anton, the head of my security team. “Boss, the grounds are secure,” he states, his voice smooth and composed. Walking around to the passenger side, he offers Talia his hand, helping her out of the SUV. Awe flicks across her face as she watches the cascading water flow from the top of the marble fountain down through the mouths of the lion figures stationed around the base. Her expression changes to hesitation as we ascend the marble stairs to the grand foyer.

“Good evening, Mr. Avilov.” Abram, my house manager, greets us in the foyer. “Christian has retired for the evening, sir. May I warm you up some dinner?” Abram waited while I directed my attention to Talia. Her stomach rumbled at the mention of food. Her embarrassment was evident when a light pink tinged her cheeks.

“Yes, thank you, Abram. I’m going to show Miss Martin around the mansion. We’ll be in the dining room shortly.” Taking her by the elbow, I escorted her through the grand entrance hall. “You’ll be safe here. I have the best security team, a state-of-the-art alarm system, and cameras throughout the mansion and adjoining grounds.”

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