Hidden Monsters (Volkov Bratva #4)(121)

Balling his fist, Klaus swung, landing a solid punch to Luka’s face, grabbing his shirt with his free hand to keep him upright. When he didn’t react quick enough, Klaus swung again, only this time, he finally got a reaction.

“Hit me again and you’ll lose your hand.”

Klaus didn’t doubt he meant it. “You’re acting like a little bitch,” he said now that he was sure he had Luka’s attention. “Two years from now, let’s say she’s happy with whoever the f*ck that little shit was. When the Russian’s enemies come for her, who will be here to protect her? ‘Cause that poor bastard won’t know his own * when guys show up with f*cking sigs ready to blow a hole in him to get to her. And by the time the Russian even realizes what’s happening, she’ll be long gone.

“In the time that you’ve spent watching her, how many times have you heard her talk to him? To Lauren? Maybe twice on the latter, but the Russian? She wants nothing to do with him because of what she thinks he did to you.”

“Thinks?” Luka spat back, barely contained fury radiating from him. “He f*cking handed me over!”

“Believe it or not, the Russian had his reasons. And whether you like it or not, those reasons are the only thing that got you out alive.”

Luka scoffed. “Yeah? Could have sworn it was your face I was staring at that day.”

“Were you so quick to forget who else was there that day? It wasn’t just me, but my entire team. The Russian may have a lot of pull, but he doesn’t have that much.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Go. See. The. Russian.”

But Luka was still being stubborn. “I promised her I’d always be there, that I’d never let any bad shit touch her. Because of me, she was buried alive. She had to sleep with the lights on for a week after that.” Luka shook his head, the self-hatred in his eyes clear. “What the f*ck can I give her that doesn’t end with her getting hurt?”

“You and that Russian are annoying as shit,” Klaus said, agitated. “All you do is bitch. ‘Oh, I can’t protect her. She’s better off without me.’ Stop being a * and go fix it. Own up to your shit. Bottom line, the only thing keeping her from you is you.”

Luka didn’t respond, but he blew out a breath, the tension leaving him.

Reaching into his back pocket, Klaus pulled out an envelope. “Your plane to New York leaves in an hour. Don’t ever say I never did anything for you.”

Only when Luka snatched it from him, bumping into his shoulder as he left the alley without a word did Klaus smile.

His work was done.





51

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Bleeding Stars





Walking out of the airport, it was an entirely different experience from the last time he’d done the same. Sliding into one of several yellow cabs that lined the entrance, he sat back in the cracked leather seat and gave the driver his address. He watched as the concrete turned to lush green, and finally, he was traveling down that familiar road that he had found by chance years ago.

He hadn’t been gone for very long, but when he arrived back at his house, it felt like he was seeing it with new eyes.

Tipping the cabbie an extra forty dollars, Luka headed inside, dropping his duffel in the entryway. Going through each room, he took his time, breathing in the familiar air of a place that hadn’t been touched by his former life in Albania. For once, there was nothing around that brought back bad memories…it was the opposite actually.

The only thing he could think of as he ventured through was Alex and the memories they shared here.

And more…

Hopefully.

Taking a shower, Luka scrubbed the day away, then got dressed, and was back out of the house and heading for his Jeep. He smiled at the mud-caked monstrosity, climbing into the driver’s seat and starting it up, the roar of the engine like music to his ears.

Things almost felt normal, like he had been on a job for a long time and was now back, but there was one vital person—and Loki—who he was more than ready to see.

And for her, he would do the one thing he’d sworn he wouldn’t…

Thirty minutes later, he found himself outside of Club 221, watching people move in and out as they prepared for the night’s events.

Heading inside, Luka ignored the few double-takes he got from some of the employees. Of course, they wouldn’t have know why he had gone, only that he wasn’t around anymore…which could have meant a number of things.

It wasn’t until he neared that back hallway that he raised his guard, eyeing the two men who stood watch there. He didn’t remember either of them, so they had to be new, but both obviously had opinions of him as they frowned as he came closer.

One was bolder than his friend, however, holding out a hand to stop Luka in his tracks. “Do you have an appointment?”

Luka glanced down at the hand that was mere inches from his chest. When he looked back up, he relaxed his stance, a smile curling his lips.

Full circle, indeed.

With a shrug, he answered, “No.”

It was all too clear that they would deny him access to Mishca’s office, and while he might have toyed with them before, Luka was working on a short fuse.

In the time it took for him to reach behind him to grab the knife he had sheathed there, he thought of how quickly it would be to end their lives…feel the life drain out of them just as their blood did.