Page 22 of Captive

If something had happened to her, the person responsible would die.

Because no one would ever fuck with my pet.

CHAPTER 5

Nikolai

“If you think you’re ever going to lead my men, you’re wrong, brother. You are nothing. You were born as scum. You’ll always be nothing but a rat crawling through the streets, feasting on leftovers. Hell, if you learn to be a very good boy, I might even toss you a few scraps.”

I would never forget my brother’s nasty words only moments after realizing our father had been slaughtered. I’d vowed then that one day, he and I would face off in a battle that would end only one way.

With. His. Death.

After taking a deep breath, I stormed into the room, finally realizing she’d fallen asleep on the couch. While I felt a sense of relief, I was forced to realize that the situation would soon become critical. I’d kept enough contacts to realize that Russia was in dire conflict, another devastating war about to take place. While the Petrov regime had been on the forefront ofmaking claims on territories, there’d also been others equally as powerful. Whatever war was about to start would likely mean extermination of thousands of innocent lives.

I walked closer, controlling my breathing. If my calculations were correct, I’d have a maximum of twelve hours before I needed to make some decisions that would affect the rest of my life. Daunting but doable.

Yet the anger continued to increase.

I gathered Chloe into my arms, my body remaining tense. When she murmured in her sleep, the sound a beautiful and soft purr, I inhaled, gathering a whiff of her sweet fragrance. She seemed small in my arms, not the rebellious girl who’d stood up to the bastards at the diner.

Her eyelids fluttering open, she peered up at me, slowly placing her hand on my chest. Then she offered a slight smile, as if she anticipated I would protect her.

Sadly, she had no idea that a monster held her in his arms.

I carried her up the stairs, moving into the shadows of my bedroom and placing her on the bed. After pulling the covers up to her chest, I remained standing over her. Even in the slender light of the moon, the shimmer streaming across her face accented her natural beauty. She was young and fresh, not yet tainted from the evils of this world.

It was unfortunate that she would be forced to learn the hard way that life was nothing more than living in a precious glass bulb. Once broken, there was no way to return to pretending as if good could conquer evil. I brushed a strand of hair from her face then thought about my next steps. First things first, gatherenough weaponry and activate every monitor instead of the single one I used on a regular basis.

I left the door open, checking on her one more time before jogging down the stairs. After moving into my den, I reopened the hidden passage, walking inside. From the day I’d moved into the house, I’d equipped every inch of the perimeter as well as the building with cameras. Undetectable, they allowed me to see every angle as well as good portion of the street. The alarm was silent but effective.

No one could step foot on the grounds without my knowledge.

I studied each one, making certain the angles were placed exactly where I wanted them then shifted my attention to the weapons. I grabbed two canvas duffles, dragging them into the office and dumping them on my desk. As I began to select the necessary equipment, I fell into an old routine, one from well over ten years before.

I’d remained in bunkers made of dirt and rubble for extended periods of time, using various reconnaissance methods while locating and securing rogue soldiers and enemies. I’d been damn good at what I did, capturing one hundred percent of my targets. That’s why I’d been given the nickname of the Butcher, my affinity for the use of knifes both skilled and widely known.

Silent.

Deadly.

Perfection.

I stood in front of the various knifes I’d purchased over the years, including risking being identified by purchasing several while performing my job as a professor. As I selected a few, Ithought about my life the last few years. I’d enjoyed normalcy in a beautiful town where the only games played were a few behind the scenes poker games and politics. It hadn’t been easy to blend in, but after several months and careful practice, no one paid any attention to the huge blond with scary tattoos.

They no longer pointed and stared when I walked into a grocery store. In fact, my classes had become some of the most popular on campus. I chuckled at the thought. I could have had any woman I wanted, but I’d refrained on every level.

Then Chloe had stepped into my classroom.

Her scent lingered on my skin. I brought my hand to my nose, taking a deep whiff, my cock stirring all over again. I’d contemplated approaching her several times, barely able to restrain my dark hunger. Now she was mine. She would soon learn to obey my every desire.

But that would have to wait.

I strapped on two knifes, selecting another two handguns. Then I grabbed my leg and shoulder holster, slapping in ammunition clips and securing both. There were other useful items such as smoke bombs and high-grade military grenades. After searching, I found my night-vision goggles and two long-range scopes, dumping them into one of the bags.

At least I would have enough firepower to last for a full month. I stood staring at the collection, growling under my breath before yanking both zippers.

I’d never forget the day Ivan had rushed into my room only two days after my father’s elaborate funeral. Tensions had been running high, Moscow on full alert. Certain government factionsstill resisting the power and influence of the Bratva had gathered and prepared a full tactical attack if necessary.