Broken Wings (The Broken Series Book 3) (37 page)

They
exchanged looks. “Why?”

I
shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s a bit unnerving how you all dress alike. Don’t you
get bored wearing the same thing day after day?”

The
new guy laughed. The man who had originally been standing outside our door
folded his arms across his chest. “We dress this way so people know who we are.
It helps avoid confusion. If we don’t want people to know who we are, then we
wear something else.”

I
leaned against the wall. “So this is simply a work uniform… standard attire for
the Russian mafia?”

He
nodded.

I
shrugged as I pushed off from the wall. “Okay.” I thought it odd they were so
blatantly open about who they were, but they obviously considered it an
effective strategy. I began walking toward the stairs. I glanced back at the
guy who was trailing after me. “Do you have a name?”

He
smiled. “Lev.”

I
nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, Lev. My name is Kristine.”

He
chuckled as he opened the door to the stairwell for me. “I know who you are.”

“Do
you know where I might find a good cup of coffee? I think I’m going to need
three or four cups. Soon.”

Lev
pushed open the door at the bottom of the stairwell. “I’ll have one of our men
bring some coffee by.”

My
eyebrows shot up. “The Russian mafia makes coffee runs?”

He
shook his head and laughed as he opened the main door to the hotel. He motioned
toward a bench before walking a few feet away. He immediately began texting on
his phone.

I
took a deep breath and dialed Rafael.

He
answered on the first ring. “What the hell is going on?”

“You’re
awake?” I gasped in surprise.

“Of
course I’m awake. I’m packing a suitcase so I can catch the next flight out of
here. What the hell happened last night?”

I
glanced nervously at Lev, who was still texting on his phone. “I… I’m sorry.
Someone came by the hotel last night, and things got a little crazy. I didn’t
see that you had called until a few minutes ago.”

“Kristine…”
he growled threateningly.

I
took a deep breath and blew it out.

“I
want to know why some guy had you pressed up against a wall at a dance club.
Who the hell is he, and what were you thinking going to a dance club in Ukraine?”

Lev
glanced at me as I shot to my feet. I immediately began pacing in front of the
bench. “How do you know we went to a dance club? Do you have someone following
me?”

His
voice vibrated menacingly. “Of course I have someone following you. I told you
it wasn’t safe over there. You wouldn’t let me come with you, so I sent two of
my men to watch over you until I could meet up with you in Sevastopol. You
still haven’t answered my question, Kristine. Who the hell had you pressed up
against that wall, and why was his tongue shoved down your throat?”

I
stopped pacing. I didn’t know whether to be pissed off or relieved. I swallowed
nervously before trying to explain. “His name is Maxim Markov. It’s not what
you think… Well, maybe it’s a little of what you think, but he’s trying to keep
us safe. He’s a very powerful man. Other people… far worse people… will leave
us alone if they think I’m dating him.”

I
winced as Rafael yelled, “
What?
”

My
thoughts rushed out all at once. “We’re being followed by a number of people, and
there were bugs planted in our room. The government is extremely corrupt. They often
accuse Americans of being spies. They’re notorious for false accusations and
tortured confessions. Maxim can keep us safe. If these people think I’m dating
him, they won’t mess with us.”

“Who
the hell is this guy?”

I
collapsed on the bench. “He’s Russian mafia… and he ranks pretty high up.”

Rafael
groaned. “You have been in that country for less than forty-eight hours, and
you’re already involved with the Russian mafia? You have got to be kidding me!”

I
glanced at Lev, who was now watching me intently.

“Start
from the beginning,” Rafael gritted.

I
sighed. “A woman from the university met us at the airport. She insisted on
driving us. She wouldn’t take us to get SIM cards, so Cory had to sneak out of
the Internet café to get them. We barely had time to unpack before she carted
us off to this dinner that was not on our agenda. It was this huge dog and pony
show. The dean was there, along with twenty or more government officials…
people from the ministry of education, the ministry of justice, the ministry of
culture, and the ministry of foreign affairs. God, I can’t even remember them
all. Anyway, Maxim was at this dinner. There was an entire table filled with
Russian mafia. Apparently, they attend all government functions. They don’t try
to hide it. Everyone is very open about the mafia’s role in their governance.”

I
paused as I sifted through what to say next.

Rafael
huffed impatiently. “Go on.”

I
pulled my feet up onto the bench. I hugged my knees as I pressed the phone to
my ear. “There was an endless stream of toasts. I tried to avoid drinking, but
I was told it was disrespectful to toast with water. We had to drink the
champagne, and the wine, and multiple shots of vodka. Every time I tried to
avoid the alcohol, I was called out for it. I tried dumping the vodka into my water
glass, but I got caught. I think it insulted Maxim. Evidently, you don’t
decline a drink from the Russian mafia. Anyway, he called Shae and me over to
his table. Then he separated us. He poured a number of shots, then sat there
and watched me drink each time someone made a toast. He kissed me sometime
after the fifth or sixth shot. I was wrecked. I ran to the bathroom with Oni,
because I thought I was going to throw up. She said there was no way I could
refuse Maxim. Nobody tells him no. Ever. So she snuck me out of the restaurant.
Igor brought me back to the hotel.”

“Wait.
Who are Igor and Oni?”

“Igor
and Oni are students from the university. Nonna, the head of the International Relations
Department, invited them to the dinner. They’ll be attending our training next
week.”

“Continue.”

“Cory
and Nonna tried to smooth things over with Maxim. They told him I had to go
back to the hotel because I was sick. Cory and the rest of the team joined me
at the hotel an hour later.”

Rafael
sighed. “Well, that explains why my men couldn’t get into the restaurant that
first night. They were told it was a private party. They saw you leave and
followed you back to the hotel. They became concerned when you were separated
from the rest of your team, so they called me.”

I
closed my eyes and sighed as I curled into my knees.

“What
happened after that?”

“Nothing
more happened that night, but Maxim and his friend, Konstantin, had a bunch of
flowers delivered to Shae and me the next morning. We took them to a children’s
hospital. Then we went to lunch with Nonna, Igor, and Oni. We were still
feeling wrecked from the time difference and all the alcohol from the night
before, so we went back to the hotel to sleep after lunch.”

“So
how is it you ended up in a nightclub?”

“We
went out for dinner and dancing because it was Shae’s birthday. None of us were
interested in drinking, so we only had one shot to toast Shae. I was dancing
with Cory and the girls, then Maxim and Konstantin showed up. Maxim started
dancing with me. He kissed me… and he did press me up against the wall… but
there was a commotion, so I was able to slip away. We ducked out of there when
he wasn’t looking and immediately returned to the hotel. He was worried
something bad had happened to me, so he came to the hotel to make sure we were
okay. We spent nearly the entire night talking in the lobby. Cory was with us.
I didn’t have my phone on me. That’s why I missed your call.”

Rafael
let out a long breath. “I’m catching the next flight out of here. I don’t like
this, Kristine. Not one bit.”

I
bolted upright. “Please don’t. I don’t want you to miss out on that assignment
with Prince Harry, and I want you to go talk to Michael. Just wait and come
next week. Meet me in Sevastopol as soon as you are done in Paris. Please,
Rafael. You have people here watching me. The government is watching us, the
mafia is watching us, everyone is watching us. Nothing is going to happen to me
when there are so many people watching.”

Rafael
growled his frustration. “I don’t like you being involved with the mafia. You
need to stay away from this guy.”

I
sighed. “I know the Russian mafia is notorious for criminal activity, but they
do a lot of good things too. I think they are the lesser of two evils here. I’d
prefer to have their protection than be tortured by a bunch of guys who are
former KGB.”

 The
line went silent.

“Rafael?”

“What’s
your plan, Kristine?”

I
eased back onto the bench. “Maxim is taking us sightseeing today. I think it’s
good for us to be seen in public with him. I believe people will leave us alone
if they think I’m dating him. So, I’d like to proceed with that plan. I don’t intend
to be alone with him, Rafael. I’ve told him I have a boyfriend, and he knows
you’re meeting me here in Ukraine. I start work at the university tomorrow, so
today is my last free day. I won’t see much of Maxim once the training begins.
I’ll see him just enough so that other people steer clear of us. I think that’s
the best course of action… at least until you get here.”

I
hugged my knees, then buried my face in the crook of my arm as I waited for
Rafael to respond. It was some time before he spoke. “I’ll hold off coming, for
now, but I’m telling my men to move in closer to you. I will not trust your
security to the Russian mafia. My men are going to accompany you everywhere you
go. They are going to stand guard outside your hotel room and outside your
classroom. If you cannot agree to that, then I’m getting on the next plane to
Ukraine.”

A
rich accent rolled over me. “Kristine?”

My
head popped up from my knees. Maxim was standing directly in front of me.
Konstantin and two other men were standing next to Lev with coffee. Maxim knelt
in front of me. His face was etched with concern.

“Maxim,”
I breathed.

Rafael’s
voice drew me back to the phone. “Maxim?”

I
studied Maxim’s face as I spoke to Rafael. “Yes. He left someone to stand guard
over me while he was gone. He just returned.”

“Hand
him the phone. I want to speak with him.”

My
breath caught. “What?”

“You
heard me.”

I
shot Maxim an apologetic look. “Rafael would like to speak with you.”

An
amused look flitted across his face. “Really?” He grinned as he reached for my
phone. His eyes captured and held mine as he stood. “Maxim Markov.” His face
lit with surprise, then hardened as he switched over to Russian. I sat frozen
as he began arguing with Rafael. His jaw clenched… a few times. He grew silent,
then resumed arguing. Eventually, he handed the phone back to me. “Rafael and I
have reached… an understanding.”

My
hand shook as I pressed the phone to my ear. “Rafael?”

“You
should see my men getting out of a gray sedan just to the right of you.”

I
looked up as two men exited a gray car. “I see them.”

“Their
names are Ethan and Brady. They’ll be joining Maxim’s security team. You are
not allowed to leave their sight, do you understand me?”

“Yes,”
I conceded in a small voice.

“You
can continue with the charade until I arrive next week, but you should be aware
that Ethan and Brady will be reporting everything to me. I’m willing to
tolerate Maxim kissing you and putting his arm around you in public for
appearance’s sake but nothing beyond that. Do you understand?”

“Yes,”
I responded miserably.

“I’m
having him thoroughly investigated. If I get even the slightest inkling that he
has some ulterior motive, then I’m flying directly there.”

“Okay.”

Rafael
sighed. “I hate this. I hope you know how much I hate this.”

“I
do,” I conceded hoarsely. I was trying not to cry.

“I
should be there with you.”

I
shook my head. “You have more important things to do.”

“Nothing
is more important than you. I love you, Kristine.”

I
squeezed my eyes shut as a tear stole silently down my cheek. “I love you too.”

Cory,
Shae, and Sammi filed out of the hotel just as I disconnected the call. Two of
Maxim’s men trailed after them. Shae’s eyes widened when she saw the circle of
men who now surrounded me. “What’s going on?”

I
took a deep breath, unfolded my legs, and rose from the bench. “This is Ethan
and Brady. Rafael sent them to watch over me.”

Cory
looked relieved. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Nonna’s
heels clicked across the pavement as she, Oni, and Igor approached the group. Nonna
looked livid. “What is going on here? Maxim, why did you have the hotel locked
down… and who are these two?” She waved irritably toward Ethan and Brady.