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

  “Is there anything I can do?” I asked, knowing there wasn’t. The restraining order I had against him was pretty much pointless as far as protection. The truth was that once the police could find him, we could start the process of admitting him back into the facility, but the piece of paper would have its day in court if any situations arose.

  My heart jumped to my throat at the thought of what kind of situation that would take.

  “I’ve got some friends at the station who’ll be running some extra patrols in your neighborhood, and you have the restraining order.”

  I let out a sardonic laugh.

  “I know, hon.” My dad sighed, and I could tell it was as wearing on him as it was on me. “But we’ll get this son-of-a-bitch. Knowing he’s in the city gives us a game plan.”

  “I just want this taken care of,” I said softly, sitting back in my chair. It was nice to have my dad on the other end of the line even if he was delivering bad news. He’d always been my beacon.

  My rock.

  He let me be the little girl when I didn’t think I could shoulder the weight of the world, and he watched me soar from the sidelines.

  “I know you do, and I do too. We’ll get him this time.” He fell silent for a few seconds. “Did you get a package from me yet?”

  “A package?” I glanced around my office, not seeing anything dropped off. “No. I didn’t. Should I be looking?”

  “I had an envelope couriered over. You can take a look at it when you get home.”

  “It’s probably in my mail cubby. It’ll give me something to focus on at lunch since I’m not hungry.”

  “You need to eat.”

  “Says the man who didn’t eat his dinner last night.”

  “Oh, I did. I just waited until you left.” He snickered.

  “All right, Dad. Love you, and I’ll call you tonight.”

  “Love you too, Ava. Stay alert.”

  “Always.” I hung up the phone and made my way to the mailroom. A thick yellow envelope had been wedged so tightly into my mail slot that I almost fell backward trying to pull it out. Whatever my dad came up with to send over certainly had a lot of pages.

  I ripped the flap open once I got back into my office and pulled a stack of papers an inch thick out of the envelope and sat them on my desk. Taking a seat, I pulled myself up to the desk and lifted the blank sheet of paper off the stack.

  What I was left staring at made the pit in my stomach burn. I could almost taste the acid of disgust backing up. My dad had sent over a file on the V Mafia, and the first sentence read like a crime novel. Murder, assault, racketeering, cybercrime, theft, and fraud were only a sampling of what the V Mafia had been involved in over the years, but as I scanned page after page, I saw absolutely no charging papers, no warrants, nothing to directly tie this family to the crimes they were accused of, merely from a distance.

  Regardless of how many unsolved crimes were linked to the Volkovs, there was never enough to arrest anyone in a ten-mile radius of that family. That didn’t mean they didn’t commit the crimes. It just meant they were good at not getting caught.

  These were the very kind of people I studied, yet I’d slept with one. How could I let good looks sway me to put everything I believed in aside? Although, just because these Volkov men were criminals, it certainly didn’t mean they were criminally insane. In fact, I think they were the exact opposite—very controlled, calculating, and . . .

  My phone buzzed and I glanced at my cell. It was a text from Sarina.

  Abram left. The wedding is off. I can’t believe I wasted a second with that dirt bag.

  I shook my head in surprise. I hadn’t spoken with her much since I’d gotten back, but I figured Abram was in her ear.

  I’m so sorry. What happened? I’ll call you the moment I get home.

  I knew this wouldn’t be a quick call, and I wouldn’t be able to make it through a call in less than an hour, more likely two.

  She wrote back immediately.

  He’s just a total creep. I’ll be home after seven tonight.

  I pressed my lips together and debated what to text. I wasn’t sure if they were really through or if this was merely a bump in the road. I’d learned the hard way about talking bad about an ex-boyfriend only to have the guy turn back up in my friend’s life again.

  Okay. I’ll call you later and we’ll have an old-fashioned vent session.

  She texted back two emojis, a glass of wine and a smiley face with horns coming out of the head, which made me laugh. I turned my attention back to the stack in front of me.

  Page after page, I was shocked at what I was seeing. By the time I reached the bottom of the stack, I’d seen reports going back to 1970 and not one arrest. I drew a shaky breath and went back to the top of the stack, where there were photos of Blake’s brothers taken near a pier. The first photo was black and white, quite grainy, and probably at night. I flipped to the next page and saw more photos of Devin, Drake, and Jaxson walking away from the pier. Blake was nowhere to be seen, probably because he was busy playing soccer many states away. Whatever made the police snap photos of them at this particular moment was lost on me, but so was the fact they were still walking free if they’d been tied to so many things.

  I flipped to another page, and my entire body went numb at the photos of a crime scene. It looked like it was inside a bedroom. It was a scene I’d seen many times before with the evidence tags and markings dotting the room, but something about this was different. It looked like a teenage girl’s room, or maybe a college dorm room, and it hit something deep inside me. My stomach turned and I closed my eyes. Did they murder a little girl? I forced my lids open and turned the page, scanning it for some clue until I saw a victim’s name, Vera Volkov.

  My phone rang, and I nearly jumped out of my skin again. It was the receptionist.

  “You have a visitor. He said it was for a lunch date, but I don’t remember you saying anything—” She stopped talking to me and began talking to the man. “Sir, you can’t go back there without a pass.”

  My entire body trembled with fear as I thought about Alfred walking into our clinic and making his way to my office this very second, and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it. I had fewer than thirty seconds at the most.

  I slammed the phone down, my hands shaking, as I kept my eyes on the door and attempted to dial 9-1-1.

  But it was too late.

  My visitor rounded the corner, and my entire body turned to jelly.

  “I’ve never been ignored before, so this is kind of new to me.” Blake’s blue eyes sparkled with mischief, and for some crazy reason, I felt like crying and smiling simultaneously as he closed the door behind him.

  I’d never been so relieved to see a mafia member in my life.

  What had my life come to?

  I tried to suck in a deep breath, but the earlier fear had paralyzed me, and I could only focus on tiny, shallow breaths to bring myself back down to earth.

  Blake’s expression fell the moment our eyes connected, and I had a sudden urge to run to him, but that wasn’t how I operated.

  Not to mention, we weren’t in a relationship and he’d probably think I was nuts.

  “What’s wrong? Is this a bad time? Is everything okay?” Blake put a bag of food on my desk and quickly walked around to me.

  “Ava?” he asked again, sliding his hand along my cheek.

  I was so taken off guard by his gentle touch, I just let him do it as I shook my head.

  “I’m fine,” I answered, electricity from his skin spinning me into another world that I desperately wanted to be in, at least for a little longer.

  “You can’t shake your head, yet tell me you’re fine. You’re not fine. I can see it.” His eyes steadied on mine.

  I drew a shaky breath.

  “I just kind of had a blast from the past, so to speak.” I dropped my gaze to the floor and closed my eyes in an attempt not to crumble.

  “An old boyfriend?” he asked, bri
nging his other hand to my other cheek, tilting my head slightly. I opened my eyes and focused on his. They were so blue and calming.

  “Not even.” I bit my lip and knew I’d regret what I was about to say, but there was something about Blake Volkov that made me want to open up. “A patient.”

  “What do you mean?” His brows furrowed and produced sexy lines along his temples when he scowled, but I noticed a recent cut near his brow. It was kind of an unusual injury.

  Truthfully, I shouldn’t be noticing anything about him.

  “It’s a long story,” I muttered.

  “I’ve got nowhere else to be.” He smiled, and I felt my body respond to him, just like the other night.

  “Well, I have a patient in forty-five minutes, and I can guarantee you it’ll take longer than that to explain.”

  Blake’s lips parted as if he were going to say something, but instead, he slid his tongue slowly along his bottom lip. It was like everything that had plagued me since yesterday no longer existed, and that was worrisome. I couldn’t afford to lose grip on reality. Blake was a fling with some pretty scary ties to a life I’ve always fought hard against. It didn’t matter his disguise. He was still connected to one of the most ruthless crime families in New York.

  “I can tell lots of things are flashing through your brain.” Blake narrowed his eyes and rolled his head to the side. “How about if we have a nice, quick lunch enjoying the city’s best tacos so you can get back to your day? Then all you have to do is promise you won’t ignore my texts and we can make a date.”

  He stepped a little closer, lessening the gap between us, and heat rolled up my body as my mind went back to that night.

  “It’s nothing, and I wouldn’t want to bore you.” I shook my head.

  “Or you just don’t want to have to answer my texts.” His brow arched.

  “That’s not it.” My gaze fell to my desk, and I gasped, realizing what all was still on the desk. I swooped the piles into one and smacked the envelope on top. “Sorry. Doctor-patient confidentiality.”

  My gaze flicked to his, praying he didn’t see what was on my desk, as he traced his finger along my chin.

  “I understand.” His eyes conveyed the same hunger I felt. There was a part of me that wanted to slide everything off this desk and have a repeat, but that couldn’t be.

  “I’m . . .” I pursed my lips together, and his smile widened as he caressed my lips with his thumb.

  “You can tell me anything. I won’t bite.”

  “I’m just not in a place for a relationship.” I straightened slightly and glanced at the clock. I had thirty minutes until my next patient arrived.

  “You said you’d never done a one-night stand before,” his voice lowered and sent a chill up my spine.

  “Right. But there’s a first time for everything.”

  “So that was just a fling?” His brow arched again, and I realized this man was far too sexy for my own good. “That’s why you didn’t answer my texts? You had no plans to see me again.”

  “Uh-huh.” His eyes stayed on mine, and it was like my entire body was being pulled toward him. I wanted to reach out to him and feel his hard muscles under my fingers, his soft lips on mine.

  “That’s not what it looks like to me.”

  “I’m a highly conflicted and complicated individual,” I told him, taking a step back and bumping into my chair.

  “So am I.” He leaned against the desk and crossed his arms in front of him. “My dream career is ending, and working with my family is proving to be challenging.”

  I glanced at the cut on his brow and wondered if it was related.

  “You’re working with your family?” I asked, my heart pounding quickly. “Doing what?”

  “A little bit of everything right now. Getting my feet wet and trying to decide where I’ll fit in.” He shook his head, his expression falling. “It certainly isn’t where I saw myself.”

  “Is there really no chance you can play professionally anymore?” I asked softly.

  “I think that ship has sailed.”

  “Because of the injury?” I asked.

  His gaze darkened. “For many reasons.”

  “But if it’s something you enjoyed . . .” my voice trailed off, thinking back to my own life. Sometimes, decisions weren’t based on dreams, but instead, they were grounded in a reality that was completely out of our control.

  “Fate has a way of stepping in and changing well-laid plans.” He glanced at the closed blinds and around the room before pushing himself off the desk. Blake opened the bag and placed a taco wrapped in green paper next to the sandwich I hadn’t eaten and grabbed a taco for himself.

  Blake sat down on the other side of the desk, just like the last time he was here, only this time, the desire pulsing through me was nearly paralyzing. Having gotten him once only made me want him more. He motioned for my seat and I nodded.

  “It looks like you’re hiding from someone,” he said, taking a bite of the taco as I slowly unwrapped mine. “And it looks like you’re not hungry. I’m guessing it’s because you’re riddled with worry about things that are out of your control.”

  I was surprised at how in tune he was, and it was rather unnerving.

  “Not even close.” I took a bite of my taco just to prove my point. It really was a good taco, but not enough to make me want to keep eating.

  “So this patient . . .” he began.

  I shook my head. “I’ve already said too much. I shouldn’t have said anything. It’ll be handled,” I assured him, more for my benefit than his.

  “I see.” He took another bite of the taco and I forced one too. I didn’t feel like being analyzed. I did that to others and wasn’t thrilled when it was done to me.

  “You’re not a very good liar.” His eyes connected with mine, and I knew there was something more here if I let it happen, but I wasn’t going to do that. I couldn’t start letting lustful feelings derail my entire life.

  “I’m not lying about anything.” I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “I can’t talk about patients, I’m not ready to be in a relationship, and I’d never done a one-night stand before. That’s all you know about me, so your profiling is a little faulty.”

  He leaned into the desk and cocked his head slightly. “My read is that you’re fearful because of this patient, you’ve never given yourself a chance at relationships so you wouldn’t know if you’re ready to have one or not, and you’ve never done a one-night stand before because it conflicts with the second issue you have, and having a one-night stand could start something like what’s happening now.”

  “Nothing’s happening.” I cleared my throat. “But I really should prepare for my next patient.”

  He stood up and put the taco wrapper into the bag.

  “I didn’t go into that night as if it was a one-time deal,” he muttered, and my heart ripped open just a little.

  “With your reputation, you expect me to believe that?” I teased lightly, trying to push all the varying emotions away. I wanted to believe he wasn’t like his brothers. I wanted to believe that by being with someone like this, I wouldn’t be throwing away everything I’d ever studied or believed. I wanted to believe in lots of things, but I couldn’t believe in a future with Blake.

  “I haven’t been able to get you out of my head, Ava. I wasn’t kidding when I texted you.”

  I stood up to see him out of my office, but his hand gently gripped my wrist as he brought me into him. Everything about him was a turn-on.

  “I’m in no place to have a relationship,” I said, nearly breathless as he pulled me deeper into his embrace.

  My eyes closed, and I felt his mouth against mine, but his lips didn’t part. Instead, the heat of our bodies mixed with an overwhelming longing for something I wouldn’t let myself have. My breath hitched as he rested his forehead against mine, and he ran his hand down my spine.

  Blake took a step back, and I opened my eyes to see his eyes running along my body be
fore returning to meet mine. Every cell in my body wanted to experience Blake Volkov just one more time, but I knew better.

  “Then that’s where I’ll leave it, Ava. The decision is in your hands.” He gave a slight nod and walked out of my office, leaving me contemplating a reality that would only hurt everyone I loved, and I knew I’d never be able to do it.

  Chapter Eleven

  Blake

  “I stopped by Ava’s office again,” I told Devin.

  “Are you just a glutton for punishment? She didn’t respond to your texts. I’d say that was her answer.”

  I smiled and put the turn signal on as we waited at the stop sign.

  The windshield wipers couldn’t keep up with the rain, and the dreariness matched my mood. I didn’t like not hearing from her. Being ignored made me wonder more about her. It also didn’t help that we’d seen a guy loitering at her building, and now she’s worried about some patient. I was unsettled, and I didn’t like that feeling.

  “Possibly.”

  “Her dad’s a cop, you know.”

  Surprise stung me, and I slid a look at my brother.

  “No, I didn’t know that. You failed to mention it.” Seeing her two days ago woke up all the urges I had to be with her again. It was hard to leave her office, but something told me she needed to be the one to make the decision. Unfortunately, her answer wasn’t what I expected. I knew she felt the same chemistry I did. I could feel the sex nearly rolling off her, and yet, I got no call.

  He shrugged as I turned onto the road leading to the stables.

  “I didn’t expect you to pursue her.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I’d been driving for close to three hours and wasn’t in the mood to discuss this any longer.

  “She’s not exactly your type.”

  “And what type is that?”

  “Well, not her.” He shifted in his seat and adjusted his seatbelt. “I mean, I get it. She’s hot and—”