Russian Boss’s Secret Baby by Bella King

Ch 16

SLATE

It’s been three months since Mia joined us, and we haven’t had sex since the last time. I was careless then, too eager and selfish to bend her mind and body to my desires that I began to feel something for her, and I backed off. I don’t need emotions clouding my judgment.

Though, I can’t say I haven’t wanted to repeat what we did since then. Part of me is upset with myself for having feelings at all. I see her walking around with her nipples hard under her shirt, pretending she has no idea what I’m staring at. She has been playing with me ever since that day in the dungeon.

Maybe this is a game for her as well; the slow burn versus the faster, more intense approach. I suppose we make an excellent team in that way. I pound the fuck out of her twice, and she invades my every waking thought.

Every night before I sleep, every shower, every long drive, there she is. I see her face just as it was the first time she came all over the toy I tortured her with. I can’t get her out of my head.

Today, I need to put her aside, because we’ve finally tracked down the guy we’ve been looking for, the one who has been selling bad drugs under my name. He finally got sloppy enough to leave behind a paper trail with witnesses to a drug deal where one of his customers died just an hour later. After that, he wasn’t hard to find at all.

Michael, Eli, and I are going to find him, drag him back here, and see how it goes from there. The last time I killed someone without a plan, I was pretty happy with the results, I can’t lie. Sadistic as it was, it was creative, and I enjoy the challenge.

I’m not sure how to keep Mia uninvolved with this mission. We need to bring him back here, as we haven’t been contacted or attacked at our home base, meaning it’s unlikely that anyone knows where we are.

I know I promised her that I wouldn’t let her see anything like an execution ever again, but I might not have a choice. That’s a part of the business, and she needs to learn that.

When she arrived today, I noticed that she’s dressed a bit more conservatively than usual. No mind, it will make it easier for me to forget she’s here while she works. I can’t be distracted by a woman today, not even her. If I fuck up, the whole operation could go to hell.

I walk past her casually, conscious not to make any eye contact. Women hate that, but I’ll have to explain my feelings later.

When she approaches me, though, I notice that she seems almost a bit sickly. “Are you alright?” I ask, noticing the bloat in her face, the dullness of her skin that is usually youthful and glowing.

“Yeah, I just felt a bit unwell this morning, I think it might be a new medication I’m on,” she says, seeming honest enough about the cause of her condition. Medication could explain the symptoms, depending on what she’s taking. I just hope she gets it cleared up one way or another, seeing her like this is just sad.

“Eli, Michael, we’ve gotta go now,” I shout to the upstairs where Michael and Eli are waiting idly for my instruction, likely sleeping or watching porn on their phones in one of the spare bedrooms.

I hear them emerge from the rooms, and they look at me with confusion. “Are you sure you want to do this today? We could probably make a better plan if we waited like, another week,” says Eli, blinking the light out of his eyes.

“Yeah, we need to do it today. If we don’t, he might figure out what we’re doing and leave town,” I reply, already annoyed at Eli for questioning me. Lately I’ve had an issue with Eli trying to undermine me, and I’m not sure yet how to correct him without cutting him lose or hurting him badly.

“Maybe just listen to me, just this once, man,” he continues. “I really think this could be a bad idea. We’ve been wrong before.”

I roll my eyes. “Eli, shut the fuck up and get down here so we can leave. Jesus,” I shout up the stairs. I turn around sharply, and I see Mia directly behind me, looking shaken.

Whatever, I can’t worry about her right now. Eli is going to get on my goddamn nerves if I don’t set him straight. Maybe I can make an example out of the Imposter once I catch him, just to remind Eli of my power and the lengths I will go to keep the balance.

As we leave, Mia doesn’t say goodbye in the same sunny, effervescent tone that she usually does. She is the opposite, actually – completely avoidant and curt towards me. I want to ask what her problem is, but I just don’t have the time right now.

Michael and Eli head out the door, and I look behind quickly to see if Mia is still in my periphery, maybe to catch her off guard and see how she acts when she thinks I can’t see her. It feels shitty, but her sudden change in demeanor has me concerned, not only for our working relationship, but for the safety of my operation.

If she’s feeling bold, she could end me very easily. People tend to turn on you when you least expect it.

Vasya meets us out front, and I claim the front seat while the other two are forced to the back. We’ve brought weapons in case we’re apprehended, but at a cost of space in the car. I can hear Michael and Eli shuffling uncomfortably in the back seat.

“Quit moving so much or you’re going set something off,” Eli says to Michael.

I’m annoyed by Eli’s voice since he’s been trying to circumvent my authority.

“You know what, Michael? Move as much as you want. Don’t worry about it,” I interject, feeling petty. I can sense Eli glaring at me from my periphery, and I grin to myself knowing he’s been unwittingly forced to participate in my stupid game.

“So, where are we going this time?” I ask Michael, knowing full well that Eli is the one who found the location in the first place.

“It’s the other side of the city, almost directly opposite from where we found the first guy. Not a super bright move on his part. He decided to stay within the area with the most college bars. Something was bound to go wrong for him,” says Michael, shocking me with his thorough understanding of where we were going instead of assuming the blunt force role like he always does.

Eli seethes next to him.

We continue driving in silence, and all I can think about is Mia.