Chapter Three
Ranger watched Stephanie leave the restaurant and breathed a little sigh of relief. She looked unharmed, but somehow, she seemed a little shaken. Unease slithered through him. He would have sworn Viktor had smiled at her as she left, and that gave him with a hollow feeling in his stomach.
Hopefully Viktor was just smiling at a pretty woman. He prayed Viktor didn't know who she was, or why she was here. Viktor was a dangerous man and a powerful enemy. While Steph might think she could handle herself, when it came to Viktor, she was in over her head. Hell, Ranger was pretty sure Nikko was in over his head. He knew for a fact he was. You didn't mess with the bratva. Not if you wanted to live. Decades of blood ties, and tentacles everywhere.
Ranger wasn't sure he could handle another threat to her life. The last one had almost torn them apart for good. Montero and Reyes had kept her safe, but they had been lucky. Steph could have died, and Ranger had no idea what he would do without her. It was one thing to stumble into something, it was another to go out and blatantly yank a tiger by the tail, and somehow think it wasn't going to maul you just because you had been lucky once before. In Ranger's experience, luck always ran out.
Of course, Ranger knew there was a fight brewing. Steph would point out the fact Ranger was at a meeting with Viktor, like that made it all OK. It was one thing to be at a meeting trying to make a deal with him, and quite another spying on him in his own restaurant with the intent to take him down. Hopefully Steph understood that. Sometimes Steph's stubbornness and tenacity weren't good things.
At least she was out of harm's way for the moment, but they were definitely going to need to talk. He guessed it was inevitable that they would eventually be at odds over work. Nikko and Sasha needed Viktor's cooperation, and Steph trying to take him down as part of her task force wouldn't help. Maybe they could find some common ground, and Nikko could help address the human trafficking issue, but Ranger really just saw this as a giant cluster in the making. He didn't really want to be at odds with Nikko or Steph, but he had a bad feeling that's exactly where this was going. Steph needed to stay away from Viktor.
Not to mention Nikko was off tonight. Ranger didn't know what was wrong with him, but he was distracted and unfocused, and that was not Nikko. Ranger just hoped his off night didn't get them killed.
The server brought out several plates of appetizers and made sure everyone had what they needed. Ranger had a feeling Nikko was more focused on the server than the meeting, and gave him a hard kick under the table.
Ranger couldn't be sure, but he thought the server was actually a woman that worked with Steph. The hair was wrong and the eyes were wrong, but the bone structure was right. Ranger was pretty sure Steph wouldn't appreciate Nikko shagging her while she was working. Or, maybe not at all. Ranger was pretty sure Steph was in Kate's corner.
Finley hung close to the table hoping to ease drop on the conversation, but when it looked like talk was going to turn to business, Viktor waived her over.
"Finley, the service is excellent. Please take a thirty-minute break. We can manage." It was clear from Viktor's voice it was not a request, rather a command.
"Thank you" Finley nodded and left, giving Viktor what she hoped looked more like a smile than a snarl. Anger seethed through her at being dismissed, again. But then Viktor was cautious, she'd give him that. She had no idea why Steph had left, but it seemed like something had happened. She didn't dare call her, but her curiosity was high. Between Steph leaving and Ranger being at the meeting, it seemed like there was a lot more going on tonight.
Finley grabbed a bottle of water and went out back to get some air.
Declan, Nikko and Viktor talked business. Theo was somewhat subdued, for Theo anyway. He was still more obnoxious than he needed to be. Ranger breathed a little sigh of relief, Nikko seemed to be back on his game.
Surprisingly, Viktor seemed interested in an alliance that would carve up territory and lines of business. He'd obviously given it some thought and had an initial offer for Sasha to consider, which had stunned Nikko. Viktor wasn't needlessly posturing or wasting anyone's time, and he had no problem with the fact that he would need to work out the final details with Sasha. While there were some things that probably needed more discussion, Viktor's initial offer was fair. Nikko was impressed. Viktor's reputation as a business man was well warranted. They all acknowledged that a peaceful coexistence would mean more profit for everyone and less bloodshed. It would also mean more protection. The only thing bothering Nikko was the fact that Stephanie had been surveilling Viktor. If Viktor was trafficking in girls, all bets were off. Nikko would take him out himself.
Finley looked at her watch. She still had fifteen minutes on her mandatory break. She could only imagine what she was missing in there, but she didn't dare disobey Viktor. She still needed to find a way to get close to him. She'd need to talk to Stephanie about whether it made sense to keep working at the restaurant. It was taking up a lot of time and hadn't really netted much, not even a date with Viktor despite her best efforts, cleavage, and doe eyed looks thrown his way.
Finley heard the backdoor squeak and she looked up and Nikko was standing there. Silhouetted in the moonlight, he looked like a dark angel. Finley felt her pulse quicken, and she licked her lips. He was just staring at her and she could feel heat pooling between her thighs.
"How long do you have?" His velvet voice washed over her and Finley felt her nipples strain against her shirt. Everything about him felt like sex. From the way he looked at her to the sound of his voice.
"Long enough." Finley replied. All night would be better, but fifteen minutes would work just fine.
Nikko was in front of her in two strides. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. It was a crushing, demanding kiss meant to own her, to memorize her, to make her beg. She felt him nip her bottom lip, and then plunge his tongue back inside her mouth exploring and demanding.
She felt his hands on her shirt flicking open the buttons, and heard his groan of appreciation when he cupped one of her breasts in his hands, rolling her nipple between his thumb and his forefinger, tugging none to gently. Finley yelped her surprise, which quickly morphed into a moan as he sucked her nipple into his mouth and raked her with his teeth, quickly changing the pain to pleasure.
Need began to throb between her thighs. The need to be touched and filled. Finley reached for his belt and worked to undo it. Unbuttoning his slacks and pushing her hand inside she wrapped her hand around him. He didn't disappoint. He was long, glorious and thick. She felt her own arousal on her thighs as her body hummed with anticipation. As she began to stroke him, he made a guttural sound low in his throat that reminded her of a panther growling. And that is how she thought of him, like a sleek, graceful, very lethal panther.
She felt him reach down and pull her skirt up bunching it around her waist. Nikko pushed her back into the shadows against the wall, a stack of crates concealing them. His fingers teased along the edge of her panties. Finley made an impatient sound and pushed against his hand begging for more. She was rewarded when he pushed an exquisitely long finger inside her and his thumb started making lazy circles, causing the pressure to build to a fevered pitch.
Finley could feel the rough brick against her backside. God, what was she doing? Was she really going to fuck some stranger in alley? Her body was screaming yes, but her mind was saying this was a really terrible idea, and for some absurd reason Declan's face swam into her mind. Finley forcefully banished any thought of Declan.
All rational thought left her brain, when Nikko slipped a second finger in her hitting every sensitive spot at once. Nikko had magic hands, and her orgasm exploded buckling her knees. Nikko swallowed her hoarse cry with a rough kiss, and held her up. She felt like all her bones had melted and her legs had turned to jelly. She vaguely thought if Nikko could do this to her with just his hands, it was entirely possible she wouldn't survive an actual encounter with him.
A minute passed as she caught her breath, Nikko's fingers were still gently stroking her coaxing every last wave of pleasure from her. She felt him lean down and kiss her again. This time it was gentle, and she felt him slowly remove his hand.
Nikko's velvet voice was a whisper in her ear. "Love, are you sure you want to do this? I feel like I lost you to someone else there for a moment."
Finley's startled eyes met Nikko's. How could he possibly know that? "Yes, no, yes. God, I don't know." Finley sighed.
She was a mess of guilt, desire, and indecision. Yes, she wanted him badly. She ached for him, but somehow, she didn't want him. Not like this. Not in the alley with Declan just inside. And that was the real problem. Declan was just on the other side of the wall, and somehow that made it feel wrong to want Nikko. How the hell was Declan McShane fucking up her love life after all these years.
Nikko smiled at her. "Ok, love not tonight." Not in some dirty alley, he thought. That was low even for Nikko and she deserved better. "If you decide the answer is yes." His voice trailed off. Nikko stepped back and handed her a card. Nikko liked Finley, and not just because she was hot. Something about her called to him as a kindred spirit, or at least he thought it did. Hell, it could just be the damn cocaine. With some effort, Nikko tucked himself away, zipped his pants, and walked off. Nikko wasn't really sure what he was doing either. Maybe he was trying to destroy the last connection he had to Kate by screwing some stranger in an alley. Maybe he was trying to prove Kate didn't have any hold over him. No emotions, no strings. Just some quick and dirty, meaningless sex. But if that had been his goal, Nikko had failed spectacularly at that too.
Finley whacked her head against the wall. Seriously, what was she thinking. And what was up with the prince of darkness, being so nice to her? Why did he care if she was having second thoughts? In her experience, men like that just took what they wanted. And why was she thinking about Declan anyway? He'd looked at her like she was trash. Hell, he may as well have just called her a filthy whore. The look on his face when Viktor had touched her had been pure disgust. His message had been clear. Of course, given she had almost fucked some complete stranger in an alley next to a dumpster that smelled like rotting fish, Declan might not be too far off.
Seeing Declan after all these years had startled her, and brought back so many painful memories. It had thrown her off her game. She didn't even know Declan had been in D.C., and Finley tried to tell herself she didn't care. The reason she was humping Nikko in the alley was because he was hot, and had nothing to do with the fact she was trying to get Declan right out of her system. Trying to distract herself from her memories, and the fact that she didn't fit anywhere. She was no longer part of the family, and she definitely didn't fit in polite society. Finley was part of the in between, belonging to neither world.
Finley looked at her watch and sighed. She was one minute late back from her break. Shit, this night was all kinds of weird. Finley straightened her clothes and tucked Nikko's card in her bra. She wasn't sure why. It wasn't like she would ever call him or probably ever see him again, but she couldn't bring herself to just leave the card on the ground or throw it in the dumpster where it belonged.
She buttoned her shirt all the way up this time and went back in. She didn't think she could handle Declan giving her his disapproving look right now. She just hoped she didn't look like she'd just had an orgasm humping the prince of darkness in the alley. She figured that was probably too much to ask for. Declan had always been good at reading people.
Nikko went back in the restaurant and pinched the bridge of his nose. He needed to get it together before he got someone killed. Instead of focusing on business, he'd gone out looking for Finley like a randy school boy. His nerves were on fire, and he thought maybe if he could just take what she was offering and sink into her it would help calm him. Ease the fire that was streaking through his veins, making him crazy and reckless.
But no, the opposite had happened. Finley had certainly stoked his fire alright, but something had shifted in her. He had felt it. It was clear she had doubts. And the one thing Nikko was never going to do was have sex with someone without their explicit consent. Nikko knew all about dubious consent, and he would never do that to another person. Nikko had consented to have sex for money, but the truth was, it wasn't really consent. It had been survival. He'd done it because he had agreed to do it, not because he wanted to, and he knew how filthy and desperate that had made him feel. He wasn't going to do that to Finley. He didn't want her to regret being with him.
He had no doubt she had wanted him. The proof of that had been all over his hand, but something was holding her back. So, he'd done the right thing and walked. Now, instead of easing the storm in him, she had aroused him to the point of physical pain. It was taking all of Nikko's considerable willpower to wrangle his traitorous body under control. At least, Nikko thought, he'd answered one question this evening. Those breasts had been all hers and all real. Round and firm, he could still feel the weight of them when he palmed them in his hand. The feel of her taut nipple against his thumb made him ache. She had been so responsive; he could still remember the way her thighs had tightened around his hand when he teased them. God, Nikko was never going to get himself under control if he kept having thoughts like that.
Nikko stepped into the men's room and washed his hands, yanking the paper towels out with vicious force. He was pretty sure if he didn't get the scent of her off his hands, he was going to stay hard all damn night.
Nikko threw the towels away and fished out the little vial in his pocket. This was a mistake, and he knew it, but he needed something. Maybe he should have just fucked her up against the wall, and given them both what they really needed. It was pretty clear Finley had been fighting her own demons. But then Nikko figured he'd hate himself more for that, than what he was about to do.
Nikko unscrewed the cap and spooned a tiny mound of white powder on the side of his fisted hand just above his thumb. Nikko snorted it in and waited for the rush. Nikko felt the quickening of his pulse and then the spread of tingly warmth through his limbs. He felt the calm wash through his body.
Nikko screwed the cap back on and put the vial away and texted Sasha. He checked his nose in the mirror for any telltale white powder. He studiously avoided looking at his own reflection. He knew the man staring back at him would be full of self-loathing and regret. Sasha's reply was almost immediate. She trusted Nikko's judgement, which seemed ironic considering he was in the men's room snorting cocaine. Nikko looked at his watch. He'd been gone not quite twenty minutes. Still conceivably within the window of relaying information to Sasha and getting her blessing.
Nikko walked back to the table. Finley was already back, she looked up and gave him a completely polite and professional smile. If he didn't still feel the ache in his cock, he might have thought he'd hallucinated the whole encounter. Nikko would hand it to the girl, she could have been an actress. Something about her demeanor pricked at the back of Nikko's skull. Maybe if he wasn't quite so high, he could put his finger on it.
Nikko locked eyes with Viktor as he approached the table and gave him a nod, conveying Sasha had agreed in principle and the meeting was set. Viktor rose and shook hands with Nikko.
It took Nikko a split second longer than normal to register the screech of tires and the unmistakable sound of gunfire. He shoved Viktor to the ground. "Get down!" Nikko barked as chaos and gunfire erupted all around them. His eyes scanned wildly for Finley, but he couldn't find her.
Ranger sent up a little silent prayer of thanks that Steph had already left the restaurant, as he yanked Theo down. Theo had already been hit, but Ranger hoped he would live. Ranger knew there would be hell to pay if Theo died on his watch. Ranger thought he really needed to stop doing favors for Nikko as he yanked out his gun and scanned for Finley. Ranger was pretty sure Finley worked for Steph, and he was sure Steph would never forgive him if Finely got shot while Ranger was working security. It took too many precious seconds, but finally he found her. Declan had her.
Finley was a pretty good thief and she had been in some sketchy situations before, but she had never been in the middle of a drive-by shooting. As a child she'd been drilled on what to do if she was held at gunpoint or abducted, but never a drive-by. She should tell Declan they should fix that little hole in the curriculum for mob kids. Finely stood rooted to the spot, unable to move as gunfire erupted all around her. She saw the spray of blood, and explosion of porcelain as bullets riddled the table. She felt a sharp sting like a bee in her arm.
Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion as Declan tackled her. She hit the ground with a bone jarring thud. Her breath was knocked out of her and she struggled to breathe as Declan's big body wrestled her underneath him, crushing her. He used his arms to shield her head.
"Easy lass, just breathe." She heard his deep voice in her ear.
Finley thought that was great advice, and it might be easier to take if he wasn't crushing her. She'd tell him that if she could just catch her breath.
Instead, she snaked her arm up his side around to the small of his back, holding him to her. She could feel his hard muscles and the heat of his body. It made her feel safe. She felt a flush of heat go through her body as he moved against her. She wondered what it would be like if they were both naked. She vaguely registered she might actually be crazy, since he was on top of her because people were shooting at them, not because they were having an intimate moment.
Terror had ripped through Declan as the shooting started and he saw Finley just standing there like a deer in headlights. He realized she probably didn't even know what was happening. Only in his crazy world was this a normal part of life. He had been terrified she would be gunned down before he got to her.
He knew it was reckless to try and save her, but he couldn't let her get hurt just because she had the bad fortune of waiting on a table with a bunch of mobsters. She was just a woman trying to make an honest living, and she didn't deserve to die because of that.
Now that she was underneath him, Declan's thoughts had taken an entirely different turn. Now he was terrified she would feel the fact he was getting hard, and really what sick fuck got hard in the middle of a gun battle just because he was currently cradled between the legs of some hot young thing that was terrified for her life. Declan tried to use his arms to prop himself up and off of her, but she was making that damn near impossible, especially when her hand had snaked around to the small of his back and pulled him close.
He could feel her firm breasts pressed against his chest, and he would have sworn she had tilted her hips to better mold their bodies. Strawberries Declan thought. She smelled like strawberries. Some long-ago memory stirred, but he couldn't quite place it. She smelled delicious, she felt delicious, and he was pretty sure she would taste delicious too.
Declan was a hundred percent sure that if he didn't stop thinking about sex and strawberries, he was either going to embarrass himself like a teenage boy, or he was going to get shot. At the moment he wasn't sure which would be worse. He took a deep breath and her scent filled his nostrils. His battle for control was lost. Declan let his hard length press into her. Her felt her lips against his neck as she gasped and the tilt of her hips was unmistakable this time.
He didn't have much time to think about what that meant, as the gunfire stopped. He pulled her up to a crouch in front of him, as much to protect her as hide his obvious arousal. He looked around to assess the damage, which quickly tamped down any thoughts of sex. Finley's arm was bleeding and she had a superficial nick to her cheek. He ran his hands over her.
"Are you hit lass?" He asked. Her eyes were glassy and she looked a little dazed, but she managed to respond.
"My arm." Her voice trembled and then trailed off.
Declan took a quick look, and it appeared she had a shard of glass embedded in her arm. Declan reached up and grabbed a napkin from the table. He held her arm still as he pulled out the shard. She didn't even wince. Declan was pretty sure she was going into shock. He took the napkin and wrapped it around her arm and pulled it tight, tying the ends. She'd probably need a couple of stiches.
Declan took her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. "You're OK, lass. You're OK." Declan helped her stand and looked around at the carnage.
Theo had been hit in the shoulder, and was bleeding pretty bad. Declan figured he would probably live, not that he much cared one way or the other. They needed to get him to a hospital though. Sasha wouldn't be thrilled if Declan let him bleed out.
Ranger was unharmed and tending to Theo.
One of Viktor's goons was dead on the floor. He had a bullet hole between his beady little eyes that were now staring sightlessly at the ceiling. A crimson pool was spreading around his head.
Viktor was tending to his other bodyguard that had taken a round to the arm. Viktor had blood on him, but Declan was pretty sure it was from the bodyguard.
Nikko stood up. Declan watched him lock eyes with Finley, scanning her for injury. He gave a little nod and she nodded back. That was interesting. Maybe Finley was an informant for Nikko.
Declan didn't have time to ponder the thought. He realized Nikko had been hit. Declan moved to Nikko and barked at Ranger to help him.
Ranger looked over. Nikko had blood soaking the side of his shirt. Ranger didn't much care if Theo died, but if Nikko died, Ranger would have to deal with the wrath of Natasha, and that was not something he wanted to do. Ranger quickly moved to Nikko. Nikko was up and moving, but that didn't mean he wasn't seriously injured.
Ranger pulled up Nikko's shirt and took a quick look at Nikko's wound. He was going to need stiches, but he'd live. Ranger grabbed a napkin an handed it to Nikko to staunch the blood. He hoped it was somewhat clean. Nikko narrowed his eyes at him, and Ranger shrugged. It wasn't like they had a whole lot of choices at the moment.
Viktor and Nikko locked eyes. Viktor knew Nikko had probably saved his life when he shoved him to the ground. Viktor wasn't a man that liked owing favors, but he definitely owed Nikko. If Viktor had been gunned down, Nikko's problem would have been solved. At least in the short-term.
"The Rossis?" Viktor asked.
Nikko shrugged. The Lucianos, the Petrovs and the McShanes were here, that pretty much only left the Rossi family, but something felt off about that. How would they have known? The location had been picked at the last minute. Did someone here at the restaurant tip them off. Was it Finley? That dark thought crossed Nikko's mind. She was out in the alley. But then again, he was pretty sure she didn't have a phone with her, at least not when he was there. If it wasn't Finley that meant someone in Viktor's circle had betrayed him.
The only other possibility was one of the three drivers. All would need to be thoroughly vetted, but they were all long-time employees. Of course, in Nikko's experience betrayal could come from just about anywhere at any time. Nikko's head was starting to pound and his side was burning. The surge of adrenaline had burned into his high, and he was crashing fast.
It didn't make sense. Why declare war on all three families so publicly? The Rossis had to know that wasn't going to go unanswered. It practically guaranteed an alliance against them and bloodshed.
As far as Nikko was concerned, an alliance was even more important now. He looked between Declan and Viktor. "We need to talk before anyone does anything."
Both men nodded, and Nikko marginally relaxed. A bloody war between the families was the last thing he wanted. But right now, they needed to get out of there.
Finley was just standing there. She knew she should be helping, but it was like everything was way far away. She felt Declan take her hand and start to tug her along.
"No" came Viktor's authoritative voice. "She is my responsibility. I will take her." Viktor pulled Finley towards him.
Declan felt her hand as she tried to cling to his fingers as they were pulled apart. Her eyes were wide and dazed as they stared at him. She looked afraid. Declan watched as Viktor draped his jacket around her shoulders and pushed her and the bodyguard out the back towards his waiting car.
Something in Declan's gut clenched. He didn't want to let her go, and he sure didn't want to let her go with Viktor, but Viktor was right. She was his responsibility, not Declan's.
Declan forced himself to turn away from her terrified eyes as she kept looking back over her shoulder at him as Viktor pushed her out the door.
Ranger helped Nikko drag Theo to his feet and out the door with Declan on their heels.
They put Theo in his car with his driver. The driver would know what to do. They all had protocols for things like this. Where to go, who to call.
Ranger looked around for Finley. She'd been with Declan, but now she was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't sure where she had gone. He just hoped Viktor hadn't taken her. He should have made sure she was with them.
Declan's car was riddled with bullets and his driver was dead, slumped up against side of the car. Gun in his hand. Nikko figured that didn't entirely rule out Declan's driver, but it certainly put him at the bottom of the list.
Declan gave a shake of his head. His mouth set in a grim line. He took the gun from the dead driver and tucked it into his waistband.
"Come with us." Nikko barked. They all piled into the back of the limo and the driver went squealing down the street. The sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.
Nikko leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes. "What the fuck just happened?" He asked no one in particular.
Nobody answered, because nobody really knew. They all rode in silence for a minute.
"Do you want me to call Kate?" Ranger asked. Nikko was going to need stiches, and Kate was the chief of emergency medicine at the hospital.
"No, take me to Natasha's." Nikko replied.
Ranger winced. He had been afraid Nikko was going to say that. Natasha had always been Nikko's safety net, and it made sense that is where he would go now. Ranger wasn't really looking forward to this conversation though. Not only had Nikko been shot at a meeting with Viktor Petrov, but Ranger was pretty sure Nikko was high. Somehow Ranger figured that was going to be his fault as far as Nat was concerned.
Ranger texted Natasha that they were coming in hot. He didn't ask why Nikko didn't want him to call Kate. Nikko's personal life was none of his business.