Blake: A Romantic Suspense (V Mafia Series Book 1) Read online

  It was best I leave before they did.

  “Please, take a seat.”

  I did as he said and waited.

  “We were under the impression that person wasn’t in the state.” He looked over his round glasses that had slid down the narrow bridge of his nose.

  “So was I.” I nodded and watched as he propped his elbows on the desk.

  “Several of our patients were quite concerned this morning.”

  I nodded again.

  “I expect this won’t happen again,” he stated, knowing full well I had no control over whether it did or not.

  “I believe he will be apprehended soon.” I pressed my lips together.

  The Chief of Staff sat back in his leather chair and placed his hand over his heart. “It pains me to bring this up, and we fully support you here, but I must think of our staff and patients.”

  Dr. Phillips was saying absolutely nothing, yet saying absolutely everything about my future here. He made the decision even easier for me. I had to get my old job back. I didn’t belong here.

  “I understand, and I’ll do my best to ensure the safety of the staff and patients.” I studied him carefully as he tilted his head and glanced at his screen before bringing his gaze back to mine. “Thank you for meeting with me.”

  “Let us know if we can do anything.” He stood up and reached over the desk to shake my hand while my mind raced with varying scenarios. What if I couldn’t get my old job back? Then what?

  I showed myself out of his office and mindlessly walked back to my office and shut the door. Dr. Phillips hadn’t let me go yet. He wasn’t foolish enough to do that today, but he was giving me a warning of what was on the horizon. Now, it was up to me to exit gracefully and as quickly as possible.

  By the time I called Dr. Silian, he’d already heard the news of what happened today. The excitement in his voice was tangible and infectious. I knew, without a doubt, that I would be able to get my job back. He was even going to talk to HR to see if my retirement could be reinstated.

  There was no judgment coming from Dr. Silian, only understanding and a willingness to help. Once our phone call ended, I felt reinvigorated and like I had a chance at my old life again.

  I opened the drawer and saw another text from Blake fill the screen.

  I’ve got something special planned for us. Hopefully, a night you’ll never forget. A package has been delivered to the address you’ve given me. See you soon.

  A smile slid across my lips at the thought of getting to spend another night with Blake Volkov.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Blake

  To say I was conflicted since receiving Ava’s text this afternoon was an understatement. We operated in two very different worlds, and I was getting sucked deeper into mine by the minute. I knew she deserved better than me, but there was no way I could turn down another chance at being with this woman.

  I wasn’t sadistic, but I was selfish.

  “Where to?” Viktor asked.

  He was Drake’s driver, but the family used him when Drake and Mia didn’t, and the timing tonight worked in my favor perfectly.

  I handed him the address and sat back in the Porsche Cayenne. My brother had a car addiction even though he lived in the city most of the year. This SUV was a little tight in the back, but who was I to complain? I wasn’t planning on spending all that much time in the backseat anyway.

  “Date night?” Viktor asked, looking at me in the rearview mirror. He’d pulled away from Wolf Industries, and I nodded.

  “Yeah. Date night.”

  “So where are we going once you pick this lucky woman up?” he asked.

  I laughed. “I’m the lucky one.”

  “Is that so?” His brow arched and he shook his head.

  “My place.” I stared out the window and tried to clear my head of the day’s work. We’d gotten a lead on Max’s whereabouts, and even though I knew I was getting closer to payback, I was plenty busy learning the everyday basics of being back in the family business.

  Life had become a balancing act. It was hard to separate the two worlds, especially when I thought back to the horse farm we’d just visited. A shudder went up my spine, thinking about the condition we’d left that man in, but Jaxson sensed my concern and introduced me to Mamba and showed me the gruesome photos of what this man had somehow gotten away with. The fact that animal abuse charges hadn’t been brought against him was disheartening, but something told me he would either get out of the business or clean up his act.

  The promise of our return was too frightening for most to make a misstep, which was what concerned me about this Max character. There was no reason for him to involve himself with our family. Something didn’t sit right with me, and I was looking forward to meeting him.

  As Viktor turned onto a familiar tree-lined street, I realized this was the same area Devin and I had followed the guy from the clinic. Had it been Ava’s door? Was this the patient she had referred to in her office?

  My pulse struck an uneven beat as I realized what this meant.

  I wasn’t the only one with secrets.

  “You okay back there?” Viktor asked as he pulled up in front of the same house. “You look like you’re getting cold feet.”

  I shook my head as Viktor began to get out of the car to open my door.

  “No need. I’ve got it,” I assured him.

  “You sure you’re okay?” he questioned.

  “I’ll be fine. I’m just not sure about her.”

  Viktor thought I was referring to my past and gave a slight nod, and I didn’t bother to correct him. One thing I knew was that I wasn’t going to be the one doing the hurting in this relationship.

  I slid out of the car and walked up the steps to Ava’s front door and glanced around the street, halfway expecting to see the creep I’d followed here days before. A tingle in my knuckles suggested I’d welcome the chance to say hi to him, but no such luck. Plus, it might not even be the person she was talking about, and I’d beat the pulp out of some friend of hers.

  But I doubted it.

  As I was about to knock, Ava opened the door and every thought I had left.

  Just like that, all I could do was take in every inch of her curves in the black dress I’d sent over. It wasn’t particularly revealing, but the way the black fabric stretched over her body was enough to stop any man in his tracks.

  “You look absolutely stunning, Ava.” My eyes connected with hers, and I saw relief dart through her eyes. “Breathtaking.”

  I couldn’t help but smile at Ava’s beauty and demeanor. The confidence I admired when I first met her was still there, but there was an innocence that layered her actions.

  “Thank you for the dress. I have no idea how you knew what size to get me.”

  I kind of liked the fact that she was dazzled by my ingenuity even though there wasn’t much to it.

  My smile grew. “When we spent the night together, I did my research.”

  A blush crept up her cheeks. “Did you want to come inside?”

  “I’ll probably never leave.”

  “Is that so?” She propped her hand on her waist and studied me as if she was trying to determine how full of shit I was.

  “What?” I asked.

  “It’s just hard to believe why . . .” She stopped short of finishing her sentence.

  “Why what?” I asked, my eyes narrowing.

  “Nothing.” Ava shook her head and grabbed her purse off the entry table.

  She turned off the light behind her, and I stepped to the side as she turned to lock the door. A piece of hair fell out of her braid, and I swept it out of the way. A shiver ran through her as my knuckle grazed her bare shoulder, and I reveled in her response.

  “So what changed your mind?” I asked, leading her down the stairs.

  When we got to the bottom of the steps, she stopped and looked at me.

  “I needed a break from reality.” Her honesty threw me, partly because I had no idea
what she was talking about. I thought I was about as a real as a person could get, and not in all the right ways.

  “I’ll take it however I can get it.” I slid my hand over hers and walked her to the car, opening the door so she could slide inside.

  Viktor greeted her, and I closed the door, nearly running around the vehicle so I didn’t miss a second with her. I’d never felt this way before over a woman, and what made it extremely difficult was that I wasn’t sure we both felt the same way.

  I knew there was a connection—there was no doubt of that—but I could feel her pushing me away before we’d even begun. After tonight, would I ever see her again?

  I didn’t know. I didn’t know enough about her to even venture a guess.

  In the short few seconds I’d left Ava’s side, I’d already talked myself into a near panic. Before opening the door, I straightened up, closed my eyes, and took in a deep breath. This wasn’t how I operated around women.

  I had to pull myself together.

  Ava was here.

  She initiated it.

  Everything would be fine.

  But that was the problem.

  I wanted whatever this was with Ava to be more than fine. Yet, something told me we were two screwed-up individuals trying to pretend our lives were different, but maybe if we could put them together, they would be.

  Now that was a thought I’d never let escape from my mind.

  I opened the door and slid inside, barely looking at her. It was like I’d been slammed back to Junior Prom all over again, where every move made me second-guess my chances.

  “I thought you might have thought better of tonight,” Ava teased.

  I shifted in the seat, sliding my fingers along her exposed knee. “Not in a million years.”

  Viktor cleared his throat and cranked some music up, and we began our way back to my place.

  “Thanks for seeing me tonight.” Ava’s eyes looked pained, and I wanted to know what was behind all the turmoil, all the second-guessing.

  I drew my hand back and tilted my head. She didn’t have a clue what she did to me. Merely being in her presence had me wondering about every single life choice I’d ever made and every future decision I had yet to encounter.

  “The pleasure’s all mine.” I cringed at my own words and wondered where in the hell the old Blake went, the one who’d stumble into a hotel bar and talk my way into a woman’s fantasy. It was like he’d never existed.

  “If you plan on dropping by in the future for lunch, you’ll have to go to a different place.” Her words snapped me out of my fog.

  “Yeah? Why’s that?” I asked.

  We were only a few minutes from my place.

  “I’m going to give my notice and return to my previous place of employment.” She was talking so formally, putting distance between us, but for whatever reason, she felt compelled to partially fill me in, and I wanted to pull the rest out.

  “And where’s that?”

  A wry grin spread across her tender lips. “The forensic unit at the pen.”

  My jaw dropped open, but I clamped it shut quickly. “Wow. That would be quite the position.”

  “I was there for years. I loved it.” She turned and glanced out the window of the car.

  “What made you leave?”

  She let out a sigh, and I caught Viktor’s gaze in the rearview mirror. He winked at me, and I realized how awkward having a driver was. It never mattered before, but I’d never been in a situation where I actually cared about who was sitting next to me.

  “Lots of things.” She brought her gaze back to mine.

  “Does it have to do with the long story you promised to tell me?”

  A smile touched her lips, and she nodded without saying another word until Viktor pulled up to my apartment building. I had a co-op I’d spent too much money on, but if I kept it long enough, it would all work out.

  Viktor parked in front of the No Parking sign and hopped out of the driver’s side and dashed over to Ava’s door. She climbed out, and I followed behind her.

  She turned around, grinning, with both brows up. “Your place?”

  “You’ll see.”

  I thanked Viktor and looped my arm around Ava’s waist. The doorman let us in and we made our way to the elevator. Little did I know how difficult it was going to be to behave myself in such a tiny box.

  We stepped inside, and I pushed the button for the sixteenth floor. She leaned against the chrome railing, the hem of her dress snaking up just enough to make me notice. Ava glanced at the camera in the corner of the carriage.

  She looked so innocent and conflicted with what she wanted to do. It made my attraction for her even more intense.

  I wanted to test her boundaries and break down those walls she was building so quickly. I took a step closer and traced my finger along her jaw. She turned her attention to me and slowly smiled. The moment her eyes fastened on mine, I closed the space between us and brought my lips down to hers.

  She tasted so good.

  A little moan escaped her lips as my tongue slipped into her mouth, my hands running along her hips as she moved into me. Her arms looped over my neck, our kisses deepened, and every part of me responded to feeling her curves press into me. I needed to be inside this woman, feel her body wrap around mine, and make her release fully.

  “Your floor,” she breathed in between kisses. I took a step back, eyeing her wide hips and small waist, before bringing my eyes to hers.

  “I didn’t even hear it,” I said, smiling.

  She looked pleased with my response, but it was the honest to God truth. I didn’t hear the chime when the elevator opened. I was too wrapped up in everything Ava to care.

  “Did you buy me this dress just to strip it off me?” She almost purred, and I nearly lost it in the hallway.

  Before we reached my door, she stopped me and slowly ran her fingers along my chest.

  “You didn’t answer me.” She sucked in a breath and bit down on her lower lip.

  Every ounce of control I had fled as I pushed her gently against the wall.

  My entire world spun out of control when I looked into Ava’s eyes. The excitement threading between us was even more intense than the first night we spent together, and all I could give her was a one-word answer.

  “Yes.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ava

  Feeling the longing pour through me was almost painful. Knowing I could make him want me this way made me feel powerful and in control. Both of those feelings were something I desperately needed in my life right now.

  I trembled as his mouth ran along my throat, completely at his mercy in the middle of a hallway halfway between the elevator and his front door. This was so unlike me, but there was a part of me that enjoyed being claimed like this so publicly. I knew there was a psych term for it, but I didn’t care. Instead, I reveled in every single second of his lips against my skin. I didn’t want to analyze anything.

  I just wanted to be, to exist, in this moment.

  “You smell so good,” he murmured, hovering his lips over mine. “But you taste even better.”

  If the wall hadn’t been behind me for support, I wouldn’t have been able to stand. The moment his mouth crashed to mine, every worry, fear, and regret of the day fell away. He lifted me to the exact place I needed to be, and I never wanted to leave.

  His tongue swept mine, and his breathing quickened as his hand slid under my dress, along my thigh. I felt him smile between kisses, and I loved the power swimming through me, knowing I could bring this man pleasure just from being close.

  I moaned softly as his fingers traced the lace of my panties and our bodies molded together.

  I couldn’t dispute that Blake Volkov knew how to make me happy, how to satisfy me, and I counted on him to take me to another world tonight.

  He broke our kiss and rested his forehead against mine. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling dopey from lust and longing swirling all around me.


  “I have a surprise inside, but we can make them go home,” he whispered, smiling wickedly.

  “If it involves food, I say we let them stay.” I smiled back and playfully pushed him away. “I wouldn’t want to ruin your plans.”

  He growled and shook his head. “You couldn’t ruin a thing, even if you tried.”

  “Give me a chance,” I teased as he looped his hand in mine and pulled me toward his door.

  He punched in his code on the lock and pushed open the door. Delicious smells wafted through the entry. The place had been transformed since I was last here. White roses centered the overly modern foyer table, softening the room considerably. He led me into the great room that had floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. The low leather couch was positioned to capture the view, but another white rose arrangement was on the glass and metal coffee table.

  “The flowers are beautiful.”

  “I thought my place could use a little warmth.” He smiled, and I glanced toward the dining room where white taper candles glowed in the dimly-lit room.

  “Good evening, sir,” a man said, walking in from the kitchen.

  He had a white kitchen towel dangling from his waistband, and two servers walked into the dining room, each carrying a bottle of wine.

  “Evening,” Blake responded.

  “Dinner is ready whenever you are,” the chef responded.

  Blake looked at me, and I nodded quickly, still fantasizing about what happened in the hallway and hoping to get back to that point soon.

  Blake nodded at the chef and helped me to the table. I had to admit the view from his apartment was incredible and far exceeded just about any restaurant he could’ve taken me to. The twinkling lights near and far made the city and apartment feel alive.

  I placed the napkin on my lap as the servers brought our salads. Pear, candied walnuts, and blue cheese adorned the plates. They poured us each a glass of red wine and returned to the kitchen.