Chapter 23

POV ILYA KRAVTSOV

Of all the worst things that could happen, Alejandra and I falling in love was undoubtedly the most fucked up.

It wasn’t hard for attraction to happen because, from the beginning, I knew there was chemistry between us, and since we were forced to be around each other, it was only natural. But getting emotions involved was a twist neither of us probably expected.

I controlled myself as much as I could to keep her untouched, but her argument about not wanting another man to take her virginity if she were found and taken to Pavel got to me.

She had spent many years confined and being prepared for a future where she had no say over her own body. When she was given freedom, that should have been an important decision: to say yes or no. To ask to be “fucked” by a man she desired.

And yes, I could still hear the sound of her voice saying that word echoing inside my head. Every time it happened, my restless dick pulsed inside my pants like I was a damn teenager.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the sliding door being opened after Hunter pushed it aside.

We were in the back of one of the shops in the complex where the Wildfire lived, and not everyone had access to that area. So, when he opened the door to what was essentially a basement and turned on the light, the first thing I saw was an arsenal of weapons worthy of an army.

I knew they sold these weapons, acquired exclusively from an Arab manufacturer, but I had never seen them all together, neatly aligned, organized, and displayed with a code underneath—probably for identification.

"Pick one," Hunter said, pointing to the place, which was undoubtedly paradise for anyone who enjoyed shooting from time to time.

I was going to buy one of those weapons, of course. That’s exactly why it was so hard to choose among so many options.

There was an entire section just for pistols, and as much as I wanted to admire them, we needed to be practical. I already had three with me, and there was no need for another.

Besides, one of the things I needed to put into practice was teaching Alejandra a few things, especially how to shoot.

That was better than just taking the girl to bed.

I stopped in front of a glass-protected wall that showcased a true exhibition of rifles. I had been trained to use them by the Bratva itself, and I knew very well the range and power of each one.

They were all very tempting, but a stunning Ass 5.56 rifle caught my attention the most. It was large, heavy, black, with a scope. Maybe a little excessive for the kind of urban work I would be doing as a mercenary for the Cosa Nostra, but it was love at first sight.

"That one," I pointed, and Hunter didn’t even question it. He just unlocked the glass case with the key in his hand, took the rifle from its mount, and handed it to me.

The moment I held it, I felt like it was an extension of my arms.

"It’s expensive," he stated as I tested it in different positions.

"You know money isn’t my problem." I didn’t even look at Hunter, too hypnotized by my new toy. "I think I’ll call her Catja."

"Why?"

"This beauty needs a name. Weapons are as temperamental as women and need to be well cared for."

"Interesting," Hunter said. "I wonder what señorita thinks about your opinion."

It was only a matter of time before the subject came up.

"Hmmm," I muttered, still not looking at him, keeping my focus on my new weapon.

"You two didn’t come back to the bonfire last night."

"Do we owe anyone an explanation?"

Hunter chuckled.

"No need to get so defensive. I’m not going to crucify you for it. The girl is gorgeous. I just want to remind you how complicated this is."

"I don’t need you to remind me of anything," I grumbled.

"Don’t need or don’t want to hear it?" Hunter shifted, starting to tie his hair up with the elastic around his wrist. "Listen, you’re like a brother to me, and you’re welcome here with the Wildfire for as long as necessary..."

"What does that mean, Hun? Are you going to warn me about putting the community at risk?"

"No. We accepted you here knowing the risk. But the problem is that I care about you, and by being around, you’ll have to understand that people will worry and end up getting involved. We’re a family."

"And you don’t like gossip one bit."

"No. But it’s different when it comes to the guy who saved our asses once and to whom we owe a lot. In Caleb’s name, I think we need to know what kind of risk we’re facing. One thing is you protecting the girl, innocently, like a guardian. Another is turning her into your lover or girlfriend when she is the pakhan’s promised bride. You know what the punishment for that is."

I took a deep breath.

"It’s too late now," I stated, my voice rough and heavy. "I’m not sorry. It wasn’t planned."

"It never is." Hunter glanced at the rifle, shrugging. "Maybe it’s a good thing you have a fucking rifle this big with you."

The way he said that made me a little uneasy.

"I won’t stay with you guys for long. I don’t want to bring danger to this place."

"Our walls aren’t that high for no reason, Ilya. We have our enemies, and we’re prepared to fight. The only thing that worries me is how much you’ll suffer if she’s taken from you."

I punched the wooden counter in front of us, feeling stress eat away at my veins.

"No one is taking her from me. That’s not an option."

Hunter raised his hands in surrender, almost as if I was threatening him.

"They won’t. No need to get so reactive."

"Then I think we should change the subject. What can I expect from this job?"

Hunter had managed to get me into the ranks of those who worked for the Cosa Nostra. It was a select group of people, and he had earned the trust of Giovanni Caccini, the boss of the Chicago mafia, and Dominic Ungaretti, from New York.

He explained some things he usually did. He wasn’t always called, only when it was really necessary. It was always more complicated, secret, or personal jobs that the Cosa Nostra men couldn’t handle themselves.

He gave a few examples of past jobs, and I just listened, believing I could handle everything easily, especially partnering with Hunter.

"Whatever we do, I want you to keep in mind that you can’t show our friendship to any of them," I explained my only condition.

"Don’t start with this shit, Ilya!"

"I’m serious. If anyone finds out about my connection to the Bratva, you’ll get off the hook and say you knew nothing. I’ll stick to that story too. You need to think about the people of Wildfire. They don’t need this extra complication because of me."

Hunter laughed again.

"You overestimate yourself, Ilya. You weren’t here for all the shit that happened with Josh. You only showed up afterward and saved everyone. We create our own messes. You know that."

"Which is exactly why you don’t need more."

"Focus on your Alejandra. By the way, I heard from my mother that she got excited about the idea of working at the daycare."

"I think we'll have one more helping hand."

"It'll be good for her to have a distraction. But I'm also thinking about training her. Making her less defenseless."

"If that makes you feel more at ease, I think it's a good idea. We have the training center. Caleb won't mind if you use it."

Hunter made a face as he said that, and I knew it had to do with his strained relationship with his stepfather. It was easy to see in the way they spoke to each other, as I had already seen them argue.

Caleb had always been the hero of Hunter's life, especially for the way he freed them from his violent father and the terrible leader the Wildfire once had, but something had happened.

I could have asked, especially since he had been so indiscreet about me and Alejandra, but I chose not to bring it up. That would open too many doors, making our personal matters more complicated.

Everyone had their own problems, and I already had plenty to deal with.

The biggest one would be in my bed that night, and I had no idea how I was going to resist.