Vicious Protector by Maggie Cole

1

Adrian Ivanov

Several Months Prior

"Cat's Meow,"Hailee announces.

I turn from the passenger's seat. It's not a place I expected Hailee and Aspen to frequent. Hailee seems way too innocent to go anywhere near the co-ed strip club. Maksim won't like Aspen there, but my job isn't to stop her from going places. Maksim didn't give me orders to report to him her whereabouts. Plus, it's Dmitri's rehearsal dinner, so I'm not interrupting. My assumption is they're in the middle of a lover's tiff, or she would be there with him. Whatever their situation is, it prevented me from going to the dinner and having a night off, so I'm not overly excited to be babysitting two women who have no business stepping foot inside the seedy bar. I raise my eyebrows. "Cat's Meow?"

"Is your job to judge me or guard me?" Aspen snaps.

Great. Looks like I'm going to have an awesome night with Ms. Pissy Pants.

What the hell happened between her and Maksim?

I snort at her, biting my tongue, and she rolls the divider glass up.

As we approach the heart of Chicago's south side, the metal bars covering every window and door don't give me any comfort. I'm not worried about my safety. I can handle myself in any situation. But these women don't stand a chance of surviving in this neighborhood if they were to be out of my eyesight. Now, I don't only have to watch Aspen, I have to make sure Hailee is okay as well.

We pull up to the building. There's a line snaking around the corner. I get out of the car, holding in my groan. It's packed, which means my job got even more complicated.

I open the door to hear Hailee say, "At least we have Mr. Russian Badass in case things get dicey."

Neither of you should be here.

Why are you voluntarily choosing to go somewhere that could put you in a bad situation?

I stay quiet and reach in the vehicle to help Aspen out, but she pushes past me. She's been angry all night about me following her. Hailee ignores me as well, and they go to the back of the line.

Good thing I know everyone in this city.

I make a clucking noise to get under Aspen's skin. If she's going to be nasty all night, I'm not going to sit back and take it without a bit of push back. I place my hands on both their backs.

"What are you doing?" Aspen accuses.

"Not standing in the cold. Let's go inside," I direct.

"Do you not notice all the people?" She motions toward the line, which is at least fifty feet long.

"Yep. But I'm a man who makes things happen. Let's go."

"We better not lose our place in line," she grumbles but lets me lead her toward the front.

We pass her friends, Skylar Scott and Kora Kilborn halfway to the bouncer.

And my night just got more interesting.

"Ladies, you come, too," I demand while checking Skylar out. It's not the first time she's looked me over like a hungry wolf. I've only seen her one other time. It was during a lunch Aspen had with her friends. Her long, curled, magenta hair made me notice her. All the women are beautiful, but Skylar has a flair to her. Nothing about her looks ordinary, including her bee-stung lips I want all over my body.

She blinks her long lashes a few times. Her deep-blue eyes meet mine. Her lips twitch, and she confidently eyes me over.

She takes Kora's arm and saunters in front of me, swaying her hips.

"You might want to keep your eyes on our surroundings instead of my friend's ass," Aspen hisses.

I smirk and refocus on Skylar's backside again.

When we get to the front, I high-five the bouncer, then speak Russian. "Pavel, how are you?"

"Good, man. Long time since you've been here."

I grunt. The Cat's Meow isn't my cup of tea. It's one of those places I only go to on an as-needed basis. "Mind letting us skip ahead?"

"Not at all. Nice entourage you have there." He scans the ladies then motions for us to go in. There's a cover charge, so I slap cash down.

"You need to go," Aspen orders.

Trust me. The last place I want to be is here with you tonight. Your friend, on the other hand, I'll give you points for inviting.

"Wasting your breath," I bark out above the music.

She stomps off into the club, and I follow, hoping the women don't decide to split up. Then I can't watch them as closely.

A red glow illuminates the dark bar. Poles, cages, and small stages surround the perimeter. A dance floor is in front of a bigger stage. Private booths, VIP areas, and bars are expertly laid out. Three floors get more exclusive as you go up.

Topless strippers, both male and female, dance in cages and swing on the poles. A new show starts every half hour on the main stage. Shot girls wearing lingerie so skimpy they might as well have nothing on roam through the club. Several of them I know and say hi to, while Skylar sneaks curious glances at me.

The women find a table and Skylar orders shots. She asks me, "You want one?"

Only if I'm licking it off your body.

I let my eyes trail over her, lingering on different parts of her anatomy. She blushes, and I lean into her ear. "Not while on duty." I pull back and study her some more.

"Go away," Aspen orders.

Skylar smiles. "What time would you be getting off?"

I lick my lips. As soon as you all decide this isn't the place for you to be.

Come to daddy.

Aspen rises and jabs my chest. "Leave. Now."

"Aspen, cool it," Skylar says.

She angrily accuses, "Are you here for him or me?"

She scrunches her forehead. "You, of course."

"Then he goes, or I do."

I hold my hands in the air. "I'll be against the wall if you need me."

"I won't," Aspen assures me.

Maksim needs to give me a different job after tonight. This is getting old.

I walk away, but I'm only several feet from their table. I still don't know what happened between her and Maksim, but she's obviously taking out some of it on me. If Skylar wasn't here, I might give Aspen a bit more lip.

Aspen orders several rounds of shots, and the four women pound them hard. She motions for a male stripper to come over.

Maksim is going to be pissed when he finds out she's here.

He didn't say to update him.

It's Dmitri's rehearsal dinner.

I debate for several more minutes but decide if he wanted updates, he would have told me or texted me.

More male strippers join the table, which doesn't amuse me. Aspen, Kora, and Skylar stuff dollar bills in their pants while Hailee smiles politely, looking mortified.

How is she even friends with these three?

Typically, I would peg Aspen as more reserved than her actions tonight display. Kora and Skylar are more free-spirited. Hailee reminds me of a goody two-shoes. It's almost as if they are corrupting her in front of my very eyes.

After several lap dances and more drinks, Kora, Aspen, and Hailee move to the dance floor.

Skylar steps in front of me. She's a bit tipsy. The scent of salted caramel and pears mixes with the sweaty bar air.

Jesus, this girl has it going on.

I could smell her all day.

She reaches for my face and drags her finger over my jaw. "Do you always look so serious?"

"Only when I have to watch over four women in a bad part of town and in a seedy establishment."

"Seedy?" she repeats, looking amused.

"What would you call it?"

She purses her lips and leans closer to my face. "Are you a prude?"

I study her facial features, the way her chest rises and falls, then pin my gaze on her eyes until her cheeks turn red. "What do you consider prudish? Nakedness? Sex? Porn? I can guarantee you, printsessa, I have no issues with any of those."

"Is that your way of calling me a snob?"

"What?"

"Printsessa?"

I grunt. "No. What makes you think that?"

"The way you said it. It sounds like the word princess."

"It is. Something wrong with princess?"

She furrows her perfectly plucked eyebrows. "I always get the sense a man is being derogatory when he calls a woman princess."

"Why?"

She shrugs. "I just do."

"Well, I didn't say princess. I said printsessa, which is Russian. And it's anything but derogatory in Russian."

She bites on her plump lips. I resist grabbing her and taking her outside to the car.

I'll show you exactly how not prudish I am.

The truth is, she's crossed my mind a few times since I met her a few days ago. It didn't help my wandering thoughts when Aspen got a text from her asking if I was single. She clarified it was Skylar and not Kora or Hailee, so I told her I was single. Kora and Hailee are nice, but I don't have a problem getting a date or laid. Hailee isn't a woman I think would be able to handle the things I'm involved in, not that I tell my women anything personal regarding my criminal activities. I'm sure Kora would be a good time, but I'd probably spend most of my time arguing with her. Her strong personality and mine wouldn't last more than a few fun nights.

Skylar seems like the perfect mix of fun, able to stand up for herself but not as apt to butt heads as I assume Kora might be. Plus, she's smoking hot in an eclectic way, right down to her earrings.

She suspiciously assesses me. "Do you call all women printsessa?"

"Did you hear me call your friends it?"

"No."

"There's your answer."

Her lips twitch, torturing me. She's got the most amazing pair I've ever seen. All I've thought about since meeting her are those naughty lips.

I spin her so her body is flush against mine, put one arm on her waist, and my other arm flat across her shoulders. She inhales sharply. I brush my cheek against hers and nod toward one of the strippers. "See that guy you got a lap dance from?"

She turns her head slightly. Her lips are so close to mine, I can taste her breath. She teases, "Were you jealous?"

"No. I'm confident enough about my dick and my abilities."

Her face heats with a blush and she glances at my mouth. I cup her jaw and turn her back toward the stripper. "He was in jail for armed robbery. See that stripper." I motion to a woman wearing nothing but a thong.

"Yeah."

"She got caught hooking six months ago."

I turn her chin to the corner of the room. "See the guy in the hat?"

"Yeah."

"He'll sell you whatever drug you want."

"How do you know all these things?"

"That's the wrong question to ask."

Amusement passes in her face. "What's the right one?"

"Why am I telling you this?"

She smiles. "Okay. I'll bite. Why are you telling me this?"

I rub my thumb over her lips, unable to hold myself back. She closes her eyes briefly. I position her mouth right next to mine, and her hot breath tempts me further. "I don't think this is the type of place for you, my printsessa. You're here for fun, but you should be careful where you look to amuse yourself."

She reaches up and pats my cheek. "Appreciate the concern, but we can handle this place."

I'm not happy she isn't heeding my warning. The other women come over. I release her and step back.

"Are you allowed to grope my friends when you're harassing me?" Aspen slurs. She glares at me, hands Skylar another shot, and downs hers.

"Might want to slow down on those," I advise.

"Whatever, Dad." She turns, grabs another four from a server's tray, and passes them out.

"Aspen," Hailee quietly says.

"What?"

"Maybe we should—"

"Don't, Hailee!" She clinks the tubes with Kora and Skylar, and they down them. When Hailee doesn't drink hers, she grabs it out of her hand and takes it.

"Aspen!"

She puts her arm around Hailee's shoulders. "Come on, Hailee. Let's go dance and shake your amazing little booty."

"Yes! Shake your ass and show us what you got, Hailee!" Skylar eggs her on.

"Twerk! That's what we need to do. Let's all go see if Hailee can twerk!" Kora adds.

"What? No!" Hailee's face turns the color of a beet.

They pull her out to the dance floor, continue to take more shots, and a combination of bar guests and strippers join them on the floor.

I need to get them out of here. Being in the Cat's Meow is dangerous enough. Downing shot after shot is a recipe for disaster.

My phone vibrates.

Maksim: Is she at her apartment?

Me: No. She went to her friend's, and they went out.

Maksim: Which friend?

Me: The blonde. But now, all four of them are together.

Maksim: Where?

Me: Cat's Meow. They aren't in the best shape, either.

The phone rings, and I send it to voicemail.

Me: Too loud to talk.

Maksim: What did you mean?

Me: They're pretty hammered. I think I'm going to need some back up to get the four of them out of this place. Aspen is pissed I'm here, and the more she drinks, the more I can't do anything right. I'm pretty sure if I have to drag her out of here, it's going to get super ugly.

Maksim: Don't leave. I'm on my way.

I look back at the dance floor. The four women are suddenly in different parts of the bar. I try to keep my eyes on all of them, but it's too hard. I reprimand myself for spending most of my time watching Skylar and attempt to keep cool over the drunk college student trying to get in her pants.

Suddenly, I can't find Aspen or Hailee. I scour the bar looking for them, but they are nowhere. When I focus back on the dance floor, Skylar and Kora are gone as well.

Panic sinks its claws into me and grows. When I look up and see all four women on the third floor, I avoid the elevator and run up the stairs. I use the VIP card to get past security. I always have it on me for the times I have to do business here.

When I get outside the suite, they are walking in. My stomach flips. Wes Petrov and his thugs each have a woman on their arm and are maneuvering them in. Aspen and her friends all look like the alcohol has hit them. I yell for them not to go in, but the music is loud. They don't hear me, or maybe they just aren't listening.

Filled with rage and worry, I pace until Maksim, Sergey, and Bogden arrive. Maksim barks, "How could you let this happen?"

"There are four Petrov thugs, plus a bodyguard and four women. I'm not Superman. I do have some limits," I seethe, pissed off his woman is causing me to be anywhere near a Petrov and boiling that Skylar's in there.

Sergey snorts. "You should have called for backup."

"It just happened. They've only been in there for two minutes."

Maksim steps closer to my face. "How did you let my woman get near a Petrov?"

"Your woman? She seems to think she's not," I point out.

Sergey steps between us. "This isn't the time for this conversation."

Maksim seems to realize Sergey is right. "Take the bodyguard, Adrian. Bogden, get your gun."

I release a big breath and open the door to the VIP room. As soon as I step in, I headlock Wes's bodyguard in one swift move.

The next few minutes are an intense exchange of threats, with knives and guns pulled. I try to contain the fury I'm feeling from everything regarding this situation. Watching Skylar sit on a Petrov thug's lap with his grimy hands all over her only adds to my anger.

Somehow, we get all four women out of the room until only Sergey and I remain. We each have a gun aimed at the Petrovs. I still have their bodyguard in a headlock.

Wes smirks. "I still think about Natalia. No one's ever sucked my cock as good as her."

Sergey steps closer to me and puts his arm on my biceps to stop me from flying at Wes. "Let's go."

"Ah. It's the boy who is branded with the devil but doesn't want to claim him," Wes taunts.

Sergey sniffs hard. "Your day is coming."

Wes laughs. "Is that a threat from an Ivanov?"

"Let's go," I tell Sergey. I push the bodyguard away from me, and Sergey and I keep our guns aimed in front of us. We leave the club as quickly as possible. Maksim and Aspen take off, and we get in the back with Kora, Hailee, and Skylar.

The alcohol seems to be in full effect. Kora is hitting on Sergey, but all I can concentrate on is Skylar. She's got her hands all over my body and even changes positions, so she's straddling me.

She was on a Petrov's lap.

She went into the room of her own free will.

She leans into my ear and whispers, "I think you should show me what you got, Mr. Bend Me Over."

Jesus.

Before I know it, she has half the buttons on my shirt undone. Her hands slide over my chest, and I grab her wrists. She's drunk, so I wouldn't have done anything with her tonight, but the fact she went into a Petrov suite and let one of them touch her ruins any possibility of us being together.

"Don't," I warn her.

She giggles and strokes my dick.

"Stop touching my cock," I tell her and hold her wrists again.

She kisses my neck and starts circling her hips on my hard erection.

For crying out loud.

When the car stops, I've never been so happy to drop a woman off. She stumbles out of the vehicle even though I help her out of it. I consider carrying her, but she straightens up, and we make it into her apartment.

How many shots did they each have?

I'm worried about her falling and hitting her head, so I take her to her bedroom. I put her on the bed, and she spins on her knees and throws her arms around my neck.

My heart beats faster. I wish I could turn off my attraction toward her, but there's something about her pulling me in.

"I thought you were going to kiss me earlier," she admits.

"When?"

"At the club."

"Before or after you decided to sit on a Petrov's lap?" I seethe.

A line creases between her eyebrows. "I didn't want to. He pulled me in and wouldn't let me go."

"Sure."

She tugs my head toward her. "Let's forget about it."

Her mouth brushes against mine. I put my fingers between our lips. "You lost your chance. I'll never be second to a Petrov."

"Adrian, I didn't—"

"You made your choice loud and clear. Have a nice life, Skylar." I step out of her grasp.

"Adrian!"

I ignore her attempts to convince me it was an innocent mistake. I hit the lock on her door and leave.

No matter how much I want her, it'll never be. She thought it would be fun to get attention from a Petrov.

If Aspen and her friends only knew what Petrovs do to women.

Wes's words about my sister Natalia burn me further. Her face plagues me. She was only sixteen when they took her. When I get in the car, I grab Sergey's bowl from him and take a hit. I don't usually smoke weed, but I need something to calm the rage I feel.

The Petrovs are the scum of the earth. Our Natalia is dead because of them. Zamir kidnapped her and gave her to Wes as a gift. She spent her last year of life in his whorehouse. They brutally defiled her, and we didn't know where she was until she passed. The Petrovs threw her body on our doorstep with a videotape of what they had done to her.

Hailee blurts out, "Sorry. Skylar drank a lot."

"I know. I was there," I bark.

"Easy," Sergey reprimands.

I sigh. "Sorry, Hailee."

I take another hit, trying to drown out the thoughts of Natalia and Skylar, with Petrov hands all over them, but nothing is strong enough to kill my ghosts.

One thing is sure. I was wrong about Skylar. I need to stay far away from her.