Crave (Beneath The Secrets #3)

68. Alexei

CHAPTER 68

ALEXEI

“Why did I have to drive all of the way out here? A phone call would have worked.” It took an entire tank of fuel in that shitty car with no heater.

I’m freezing.

Tatiana is bundled so completely, I can only see her eyes through the thick ruff of fur framing her face. “I know you got what you came for, crazy man. Now it’s time you pay up.”

I hold out my palms. “What is it, money? I have that.”

The heat of her laughter makes a fog around her head. “Funny man. No. I want to introduce you to your new lawyer.” Her black gloved finger points to a beast of a man who is leaning against the door of her SUV.

When he straightens, I’m almost positive he’s bigger than even Mikhail.

Fuck.

“What do I need a lawyer for? I did nothing wrong.” Well, except one or two teensy tiny killings.

But they deserved it.

Especially those jerks who treated Lara bad on their dates.

It’s like they were begging to die. Eh. A few of them did by the time I was done with them.

“Oh, Alexei. You’re so adorable.” Tatiana reaches forward and reaches up like she’s going to stroke my cheek.

But then her fingers wrap around my chin and squeeze. “You’re going to prison for murder. And Drago here is going to make sure that you get put into the maximum security wing.”

I jerk my head out of her grasp. “The fuck I am. Absolutely not.” I can’t leave Lara.

Russian jails are death camps.

“Tisk, tisk. It would be a shame if your little girlfriend ended up captured all over again. Do you think she could handle it?” Tatiana pulls out a cigarette and places it through a slit in her mask before lighting it.

The smoke hangs in the cold air in a languid dance.

It’s like time freezes.

I don’t want Lara to ever experience that trauma again. I know she struggled before, but that has made her wake up with nightmares that even I have a hard time consoling her from.

Damn this world.

“Fine.” My exhale swirls the steady smoke.

“See? You may be crazy, but I know you’re smart. That’s what I need once you’re in there.” She takes a long drag of her cigarette. “You’re going to kill an untouchable man. And it will take everything you have to survive long enough to do it.”

Her eyes narrow as she points to me with the burning ember. “Fail? Your girl belongs to me.”

Son of a bitch. I’m so fucked.

“Fine. I’ll do it. Then we’re even?” I need to get Mikhail to get me the hell out of here.

Her head tips back in a full laugh. “You’re hysterical. Of course we’ll be even. I’m sorry this will be the last time we’ll get to see each other.” She twirls her fingers in the air.

Three men swarm me before I can pull my pistol, pinning my arms to my sides.

Drago steps closer as Tatiana crawls into the heat of her car.

I’m jealous. I’m freezing.

At least these brutes are warming me up a little as they almost break my elbows forcing my hands out.

Heavy handcuffs fall over my wrists before I get pushed into the back of his SUV.

“Don’t worry, Alexei,” Drago says as he gets behind the wheel. “I’ll make sure to use a fake name so your friends won’t know about your tarnished reputation.”

I try to shift my weight enough to feel if my phone is still in my back pocket. I have to get a message to Mikhail.

“Useless,” one of the heavily jowled men next to me mutters. “I have your cell already. I’ll be jacking off to your girlfriend’s pictures tonight.” His grin reveals a wall of silver teeth.

I slam my forehead into his mouth as hard as I can in the short space.

The scream and rush of blood spraying down my face is worth the backhand from the other guard.

“At least the whole time your throbbing nose will remind you of me.” I try to reach for my device in his flailing hands, but I can’t reach with the other asshole pinning my arms.

Fuck.

Drago turns around with a scowl. “Just drug him. He doesn’t need to enjoy the scenery.”

“No! No! No—” A needle pierces my neck.

I try to fight it, but the world fades into black.

My head hurts.

So does my back.

Where the hell am I? There’s so many voices, they turn into a low hum.

Shit. I remember.

I’m afraid to open my eyes. It stinks like body odor and onions.

Fucking Tatiana. I don’t even know who I’m supposed to kill here.

Maybe it was all a trick just to get me caught.

Rubbing my temples doesn’t help the pain to fade, but I open my eyes anyways.

Well, at least I’m alone. There’s a bunk above me with the mattress folded over so I can see the ceiling.

The bed is hard as nails. I miss mine already. No, I miss Lara’s. That’s where I’d rather be. Snuggling her on the downy pillows, pressing my naked body against her.

Not here in this frigid cell in a fucking gulag.

I know the stories. I’ve been lucky enough to avoid jail. Mikhail helped keep me out.

There may have been once or twice I should have gone.

Looking through the bars, a row of men stare back from the other side of the corridor. One grins without teeth, his bare gums smacking wetly.

How do I find out who the target is?

I have to at least pretend that is my purpose.

This sucks so incredibly much.

Then my door slides open with a loud buzzer.

“Mess number three.” A staticy voice blares over a speaker.

I watch two rows of cells open on both sides of the hall.

Food?

Everyone shuffles out forming lines towards a big set of double barriers. I fall behind a short hunched man with a wave of matted gray hair.

A fist drives between my shoulder blades, nearly crumpling me to the concrete.

Maybe that is the man I’m supposed to end?

As I fall, I sweep my leg behind me and take him out at the ankles.

With a grunt, he falls backwards, bouncing his head on the hard floor.

Before anyone stops me, I leap onto his chest and gouge my thumbs into his eyes until they give.

With a scream, he bucks his hips and throws me off, his palms covering his empty sockets as he rolls back and forth.

“That’s what you get for getting me when I didn’t see it.” I step over his leg and fall back into place behind the old prisoner.

I’m nearly into the cafeteria when two guards trot by with a stretcher carried between them.

One gives me a subtle glare, but they don’t say a word.

I didn’t do anything wrong. Just fought back.

Soundlessly, the old man picks up a metal tray and then points at the stack, his wrinkled face turning to glance at me.

Following his cue, I pick one up and slide it onto the rails like him.

His gnarled finger jabs at the array of questionable foods behind the plexiglass screen and tucks his dish under the narrow gap at the bottom.

Green, purple, and brown slop get dropped in the cavities of my tray before I pull it back.

What the shit is this?

Is this edible?

There’s a bin of round wooden spoons near the end that the old hunched figure grabs out of.

Monkey see. I get one too.

He seems nice enough, so I follow along behind him, passing the glares of the other prisoners.

Not sure what the fuck I did to make them mad.

I don’t really care.

The age-spotted hand reaches out again and points to a spot on one of the long benches by the table.

There’s a large empty circle around us, like everyone is too afraid to sit close.

Is it me, or the old man?

“Are you going to shank me over this dog food?” I ask him quietly once I’m facing him.

I don’t know if I can even swallow this shit.

He squints dark eyes watching me drip the runny stuff off my spoon. “You don’t want to waste that.” His voice is as torn and ragged as the collar of his outfit.

With a shaking hand, he pulls some to his own lips, then nods at my tray.

“Why isn’t anyone messing with you?” I whisper before choking down the first bite.

It tastes like rat piss.

The tattered sweater around his shoulders raises and lowers as he shrugs. “They know me.”

By the third or fourth mouthful, the expectation of flavor is less.

He’s right, I’ll need the nutrition. I wish I had something sweet.

What I’d give to have Lara’s candy jar here.

No, I’d rather have her. But sure as hell nowhere close to this place.

Damn. I have to figure out how to get out of here.

“Why are you helping me?” I ask him as I look past and see a hulking figure glaring.

His spoon stops halfway to his chin, but he doesn’t raise his head.

After a long pause, he slurps the gruel from the narrow curve before it lowers back to his plate. “I was young once, and knew many people. There was a particularly cruel one that I remember well.” He takes a slow nibble before his dark eyes meet mine. “He looked an awful lot like you.”