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

  He shrugged and kept driving.

  “Okay. Apparently, the conversation is over.”

  “I just thought they’d already talked to you about it.”

  “Nope.” I tapped my finger on my knee. “I’m the brother no one trusts.”

  Devin laughed and shook his head. “No. You were the untouchable brother. The only one who escaped.”

  “Yeah. That really worked out well.” The pit in my stomach only worsened as I watched the brownstones zip by and the reality settled in that this was what Devin did every night. He had a route. “So what’s the deal tonight?”

  “I’ve got some business I need to take care of before our final stop.”

  My brows shot up in surprise. “Is that part of the problem? Are you doing things on the side?”

  “I’m not skimming, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  “I’m just trying to diversify Wolf Industries.” Devin flashed a wicked grin and I rolled my eyes. “They’ll thank me later.”

  “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear any of this. Just get me to Priva by ten, and I’ll look the other way.”

  Chapter Six

  Ava

  “It’s been way too long.” Nina scolded me and shook her head.

  I gave her a quick hug and plunked my purse on the empty chair before taking a seat across from her. Three votive candles flickered in the middle of our table, doing little to brighten up the extremely low-lit restaurant.

  A few men glanced in our direction, and I noticed one of them turn back to the bartender. I really hoped a round for our table wasn’t on the way. I didn’t have the energy to come up with excuses as to why we wouldn’t be a good match for them.

  “You look amazing,” I told Nina. “You’re so lucky you can pull off short hair. The look gives me three chins instead of two.”

  Last I saw Nina, her strawberry blonde hair fell below her shoulders. Now, it was a cute pixie cut, which highlighted her prominent cheekbones and hazel eyes.

  “You don’t have a double chin.” Nina rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  “That’s not what my selfies tell me.” I laughed.

  The server came over, and I ordered a dirty martini with extra olives.

  “Going straight for the good stuff.” Nina smiled and reached across the table. “So how are you doing after everything? It’s like you changed jobs and fell off the earth all at the same time.”

  I’d met Nina at the inpatient facility I’d worked at the last several years before moving to my current position. She was a nurse in the same unit, and we’d immediately hit it off. We’d met under less than desirable circumstances on my first day on the job and instantly bonded.

  Nina and two correction officers were leading a patient to a treatment room when the patient snapped, ran toward me, and picked up a chair to swat me with it. That was one of the more harmless acts of aggression and assertion I’d experienced during my time there.

  “I’m doing better every single day.” I sat back in the chair and felt the stress from the day begin to roll off. “I miss my old job.”

  “I was worried you would.” She pressed her lips into a thin line. “But I understand why you left.”

  The air in my lungs burned as I held onto my breath. I’d tried hard not to think about the things that led me to this point in my life, but I couldn’t ignore them forever.

  “I think it will just take some time to get used to a new routine. When I first got assigned to our unit, I was scared to death. Remember? It took nearly a year before I started to feel comfortable. I’d imagine it’s the same.” I forced down the uncertainty. It wasn’t like I could go back. Besides, I wasn’t sure I had the strength.

  “Yeah, but you were a new physician rolling into one of the most feared forensic state hospitals that happens to be inside a maximum-security prison.” Her smile widened. “You dealt with an entirely different set of mental health issues than your current post. They were criminals.”

  “True.” There was a huge difference and no comparison at all. The server placed the martini in front of me, and I quickly popped an olive in my mouth. The salty tartness made me hungry and I glanced at the menu.

  I ordered a pear and Gorgonzola salad and turned my attention back to Nina after the server left.

  “Is your dad happy now that you’re not working at the hospital any longer?” she asked, taking a sip of her pear martini.

  “It’s hard to tell.” I glanced at the group of men, who still managed to steal looks in our direction, and my chest tightened. Would there ever come a day where I could just sit and enjoy an evening out with friends? “I think he’s relieved I won’t be interacting with criminals who have a shot at getting back out on the streets. He hated that I worked there in the first place. When Alfred Hawkins escaped, it only supported the fears I’d promised my dad were unfounded.”

  “It’s got to be tough having a dad who’s a cop.” She nodded sympathetically.

  “There are definitely pros and cons.” A shiver ran up my spine, and I glanced toward the bar again. For instance, he was able to fill me in on the Volkovs. When I’d returned from Seattle, I’d asked if he’d ever heard of them, and he proceeded to inform me that they were one of the longest established criminal organizations in New York’s history. The family had slipped away from law enforcement time and again, but my father thought justice would eventually be served. I was actually surprised my dad knew so much because I couldn’t find a ton online. Most of the press discussed the Volkovs’ charitable contributions over the years and their company, Wolf Industries.

  “My dad is getting close to retirement, and I have no idea what he’s planning to do once he does,” I continued. “I think he likes the idea of retiring until he won’t.”

  Nina chuckled. “My dad retired three years ago from his law firm. He handed it over to my brother . . . except my dad never really left. He took a long summer vacation with my mom and went back into the office when they returned.”

  “Some people just can’t retire.” I shook my head. “I have a feeling my dad might be one of those. Part of me worries he’ll devote his life trying to find the guy who—” I stopped myself. I hadn’t wanted to bring any of this up.

  “Are you still worried he might be in the state?” Nina asked in a near-whisper.

  My gaze flashed back to hers, and I knew there was no avoiding the truth with her. I’d done a pretty good job of compartmentalizing things in my life, and I tried to keep the attack tucked away in the recesses of my mind.

  “Yeah.” I found myself running my fingers over the scar on the back of my neck, and my shiver intensified. “Knowing he’s still out on the streets is terrifying.”

  “The authorities didn’t think he stayed in the city though, right?” Nina’s mouth curled into a frown as she studied my reaction.

  “Right. They think he’s long gone.” I nodded and shoved the rawness down my throat. “I’ve gotten several pieces of mail since he escaped. The postmarks are from all over the country. I don’t know if he’s homeless, bouncing from one city to the next, or whether he’s managed to create a new personality to sink into until the time is right.”

  Nina’s gaze dropped to her drink. “I didn’t know he was still contacting you. Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

  “I actually don’t know if it’s him or some other patient who’s angry with me. When I get the envelopes, I just hand them over to the police. Actually, my dad hands them over. He insists on seeing them first.” I took a bite of my salad and thought about my predicament. “My gut says it’s him though.”

  Nina’s eyes connected with mine, and she let out a long sigh. “Where was the last one from?”

  “Colorado.” I played with my fork. “My concern is that it will be getting cold there, and if he is living on the streets, he’ll probably be on the move again. At least when I get the envelopes, I have a false sense of security about him being anywhere but here.�
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  “What does your dad say?” she asked

  “I think he’d like me to never leave my apartment,” I confessed, and I understood why. He’d already lost his wife to a senseless act of violence and didn’t need to lose his only child.

  “I don’t blame him.” She smeared butter on a piece of bread.

  “I thought that by separating myself from the hospital, I’d be able to heal quicker and put the attack behind me, but I’m not so sure any longer.” I shrugged. “Anyway, enough talk about serious stuff.”

  She smiled and nodded. “Then tell me about your trip to Seattle, and I don’t want to hear it was all work and no play.”

  I laughed. “It was mostly work. The conference was painfully long, but Sarina’s fiancé set up a pretty amazing experience on my last night there.”

  “A blind date for you with the most eligible bachelor in the Emerald City?” She wiggled her brows.

  “Yes, because dating has always been a priority.” I laughed. “But pretty close. We were literally on a field, eating catered food, drinking local ales, and watching gorgeous men play soccer.”

  “A soccer game?” Her brow arched. “Don’t they call it football?”

  “Yeah, but I call it soccer.” I pulled my phone out of my purse, put it to an online photo of Blake, and showed off my screen. “He is even sexier in person. He’s a midfielder—was a midfielder.”

  Nina laughed, throwing her head back in delight. “Are you telling me you have a crush on a soccer player?”

  “I may or may not have considered a one-night stand had things turned out differently.” I grinned.

  “Like how? You follow him to the locker room kind of different?”

  “Actually, something really sad happened. He got injured, and I’m not sure if he’ll be able to play again.”

  “That’s horrible.” She shook her head. “Professional sports are really dangerous.”

  I nodded, debating whether to tell her about Sarina’s fiancé.

  “What?” she prompted, and I let out a groan.

  “I forgot how perceptive you are.” I grinned.

  “No, I’m not perceptive. You’re just especially transparent. Now, spill the beans. Did you somehow manage to make your dreams come true?” She chuckled and I shook my head.

  “Not even. That’s not how I roll.”

  “I’m not sure how you roll, to be honest. I’ve known you for years, and beyond the occasional date that never deserves a follow-up, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a relationship.”

  “I’ve had other priorities than dating.”

  “I know.” Her voice softened and a flicker of understanding darted through her gaze.

  When I first started at the hospital, I was naïve enough to believe I’d have a eureka moment and find the answers I was looking for about my mom’s murder, but the human mind is far more complicated than that. No two individuals are alike, no two crimes are alike, and I’d come to realize my search for answers would be a lifelong endeavor.

  “So what’s up? What’s got you second-guessing what you want to tell me? Do you not like Sarina’s fiancé?” she asked, only teasing.

  “Actually, I’m not sure I do. Abram was betting on that game.”

  “That’s not unusual.”

  “No, it’s not,” I agreed. “But he was remarkably nervous. He really didn’t like Player 11.”

  “I assume that’s the guy you showed me?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, but beyond what Abram said, it was the look in his eyes. I recognized the look from some of my patients. You know that moment when they realize their plan is about to work? That they’re about to get away with something?”

  Nina nodded. She understood how difficult it was to separate our two worlds. Dealing with criminals day in and day out was exhausting, but it clued us into another side of life. It made us more aware of another existence that often drifted just below the surface of the conscious mind.

  “That’s the look her fiancé had right before Blake got injured, and the moment it happened, her fiancé got a text congratulating him.” I finished the last bite of my salad. “He didn’t like that I saw the text come over, and I tried to play it off.”

  “What did Sarina say? You didn’t tell her of your suspicions, right?” Nina had met Sarina several times over the years.

  “Not really, but something’s changed. We’ve barely texted since I returned.”

  “I’m sure it’s just a hiccup. Maybe her fiancé just didn’t like that you saw that side of him . . . you know, illegally betting and all. He’s probably trying to make you look like the bad guy.”

  I nodded. “Probably. Anyway, I went and visited Blake.” I wasn’t about to tell her why.

  “No way.” Her eyes widened.

  “I did,” I confirmed, suddenly proud of myself. “Before his injury, he actually winked at me. He doesn’t remember that, but I do.”

  She laughed.

  “He’s actually going to be at Priva tonight with his brother. I told him I was meeting a friend tonight for dinner, and he invited us both.”

  Nina’s mouth dropped open.

  “I wasn’t sure if you’d be game, so he knows we may or may not show up.”

  At the office, I knew I didn’t give him the answers he wanted, but I wasn’t sure I could, and he probably figured getting a couple of drinks in me might work to his advantage.

  “Well, I’m game. I’ve never run in the professional athlete circles before,” she teased. “This is certainly one way to add excitement to a Wednesday night.”

  “That’s what I thought. His brother is really cute too.”

  The server brought over our check, and we paid before leaving to head over to Priva. A nervous excitement ran through me. This was unlike anything I’d ever done. I’d spent my nights in college studying, not going to clubs, so it seemed odd that in my thirties, I suddenly decided to set foot in one.

  By the time we’d hailed a cab and arrived at Priva, the last drink had railed through me, and I was feeling slightly loopy. I glanced down at my outfit and became extremely aware of how inappropriately dressed I was.

  What I was wearing was perfect for a day at the office, not a nightclub where women were lining up in skinny jeans, see-through tops, and high heels adding six inches to their diminutive stature.

  In my grey pencil skirt, matching jacket, and red silk camisole, I felt like a schoolmarm. I quickly wiggled my way out of my jacket and draped it over my arm as Nina crawled out of the cab.

  We both stared at the extremely long line of men and women waiting to get into the club, and I realized there was an extremely high probability tonight would end with both of us leaving with our tails between our legs, never to enter Priva.

  “Should you text your player?” she whispered, glancing at the three bouncers.

  “You think maybe I should?” I asked.

  “Only if you actually want to step inside.”

  I glanced at the time on my phone. It was a quarter to eleven. He’d mentioned that he expected to get there around ten.

  I let out a groan and messaged him.

  My friend and I decided to see how the other half lives. We’re outside, and judging by what everyone is wearing, I doubt we’ll get in without your help.

  “So what did you say?” she asked, and I showed her my screen. Her brows knitted together and she glanced at me. “Really?”

  “What?” I asked.

  It was the truth.

  “That doesn’t seem very . . . sexy.” She shrugged and looked toward the exit door, which swung open.

  Out stepped Blake Volkov, and my heart nearly tumbled outside my body. He tapped on the shoulder of one of the bouncers, who nodded and grinned, before Blake turned his attention to Nina and me on the sidewalk.

  “Oh, dear God,” Nina hissed.

  The moment Blake’s eyes connected with mine, every fiber in my body ignited with a desire to be close to him. Outside the clinic walls, I no longer felt in
hibited and guarded as I took in the sinfully good-looking man waving us over.

  “I can see why you wanted to make sure no one did anything on purpose. He deserves to be revered and his body protected,” Nina muttered under her breath, and I jabbed her with my elbow before we walked over to him.

  Blake was holding the door open for us, and I felt the ugly stares from the men and women still waiting to get inside Priva. They’d obviously put a lot of time and energy into their looks tonight, and here we were, waltzing inside without a care in the world. I felt marginally guilty until I glanced behind me and saw one of the women pointing at me and laughing with her friend.

  “I can’t tell you how happy you’ve made me,” Blake said, taking me in as if he hadn’t seen me in weeks.

  “I feel a little out of place,” I confessed.

  “You shouldn’t.” His hand rested at the small of my back as he guided me through the opening.

  The moment I stepped inside, I was met with pounding music, near darkness, and Nina shouting, “Which direction for drinks?”

  This wasn’t a typical club. Elegance defined the space. The gold light fixtures anchored to the walls spilled a light glow over the leather seats below, and ice sculptures poured liquid behind the bartenders. All the women looked like they stepped out of the pages of Vogue, and I was reminded of what I was wearing from work today.

  “No need to go to the bar,” Blake informed Nina. “We’re in the VIP section with our own bartender.”

  Nina’s eyes grew as huge as her smile. “I’ve never been in a VIP section before. Actually, I’ve never been to a club like this either.”

  “How about you, beautiful?” Blake whispered next to my ear. “Have you ever been somewhere like this?”

  His words sent a shiver down me.