Bratva Beast by B.B. Hamel
Fiona
We took Connor to a safe house that Juan had right on the edge of Temple University’s campus. He parked out front of a beat-up row home.
Next door, college kids sat on the stoop and smoked cigarettes and drank beer out of brown paper bags.
“Don’t worry about them,” Juan said, waving to the young guys. They waved back awkwardly. “They don’t care about a damn thing so long as I never call the cops on them when they have loud parties.”
“Do you live here?”
“Sometimes, when I need a place to hide out. Mack knows where we’ll be.” Juan looked back at Connor. “You holding up okay?”
“I think so.” Connor did seem better. More lucid at least, though still in bad shape.
“Let’s get you inside.” I climbed out of the car and helped him struggle out of the back seat. The college kids watched impassively, flicking their ashes onto the sidewalk and slugging back their drinks. One of them kept quoting Anchorman, and the others laughed every time.
Juan got the door open. The place smelled like it’d been empty for years, musky and a little cold. I put Connor down on an old brown couch and he sighed with what sounded like genuine pleasure. I put my hand on his forehead and he blinked at me rapidly.
“How’d you do it?” he asked quietly.
“I had a lot of help.”
“Come on, that can’t be it. Did Dad help?”
I clenched my jaw and shook my head. “Nobody in the Doyle family knows you’re still alive.”
His eyes widened. “Really?”
“It was always just me.”
“Wow. I thought… I guess I assumed they’d try to blackmail more people, or that maybe you’d tell someone.”
“I didn’t want them to hurt you.”
“Right. They did anyway.” He closed his eyes.
“I’m so sorry.” I felt tears in my throat.
He opened his eyes again and smiled.
“Don’t be. You saved me. That’s all that matters.”
“Yeah, right, you’re right.”
The sound of a car screaming to a stop outside yanked me up to my feet. Juan stood at the front window, gun out again, and started cursing in Spanish.
I joined him.
A big rental truck idled in the middle of the street and Mack stood next to it, grinning like a maniac.
“I think that’s your ride,” I said.
Juan looked at me, frowning. “You sure the kid’s okay?”
“He’ll be okay.”
“Look, about what happened in there, I tried to keep you safe, right? You’ll tell Mack that?”
“I’ll tell him you did good.”
He looked genuinely relieved. “Well, it was a lot of fun.”
“Good luck with all your drugs.”
“Thanks. Good luck with your psycho killer boyfriend and your brother, I guess.” He hurried away. I watched him exchange words with Mack, then he climbed into the cab and drove off.
I walked to the front door.
Mack stepped inside. He was splattered with blood all along his shoes and pantlegs.
But he was whole and he was grinning.
“You did it.”
“Yeah, I did it.”
Then I ran to him and threw my arms around him tight.
He hugged me back and a rumble ground down in his throat.
He smelled like heaven. Blood and musk and him. His arms felt so good wrapped around my body and for the first time in so long, I felt like I could finally touch him without worry.
I smashed my lips against his and kissed him in a frenzy. His tongue lapped against mine and he held my hips so hard, I thought he might break me.
I hoped he’d try, at least.
We held that kiss, my head light and wild, until Connor cleared his throat.
I broke it off and blushed. “Uh, Mack, this is my brother, Connor.”
“Nice to meet you,” Mack said.
“You too. I guess you’re the one that helped save me?”
He nodded. “Your sister did all the hard work though.”
I leaned against Mack’s chest and closed my eyes. I wanted to enjoy this for a few seconds before I asked the question I’d been wondering since I got Connor out of that house.
“What now?”
Mack chuckled. “Now we get the hell out of this city.” He paused. “I killed a lot of men today. And I think I ran over Evgeni.”
I pulled back. “You ran over Evgeni?”
“Maybe. I’m not sure.”
“How aren’t you sure?”
“It’s hard to see out the windows of that truck. I should’ve warned Juan, but he’ll be okay.” He touched my cheek and kissed me gently. “You’re all mine now, little princess.”
Connor cleared his throat again. “Sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt, but what do you mean, you killed a lot of men today?”
Mack didn’t look at him. It was like he couldn’t take his eyes off me.
“Connor, I’m going to offer you a choice. It’s more than I was ever offered.”
“Uh, okay.” Connor sat up on the couch.
“It’s okay, you can trust him.” I tried on my best smile and realized it still fit.
“You can stay here and return to your family, but be aware that your father is dead and I recently killed about fifteen of your cousins and uncles.”
“Holy shit,” I said, slapping his chest. “Fifteen?”
“I think. Maybe more. I didn’t count.” He gently waved me off. “Don’t distract me.”
“Sorry. Wow. Fifteen. I should be upset, but I’m pretty sick of those assholes.”
“Okay, I’m sort of freaking out here.” Connor tried to stand.
Mack peeled himself away from me with difficulty and approached him. “Your family will be in shambles. So will the Lionettis. My family, the Morozovs, will step in, assuming they don’t fall upon each other like wolves trying to take over Evgeni’s position, which is possible. This city will be very dangerous for a long time, no matter what. I am offering you a choice.”
“Right. A choice.” Connor looked dazed again. “I thought I was safe now.”
“You’ll never be safe. You’re a mafia man.” Mack tilted his head. “Unless you take some money from me and leave this place forever.”
Connor blinked. “Huh?”
“Your choices are simple. Stay here, return to your life, and never speak of me and your sister again. Or take a large sum of money and go live a normal life somewhere far away from all this madness. I hear Seattle can be nice.”
“Seattle,” he echoed.
“Trust him, Connor. He’s serious.”
Connor frowned at me, stared at Mack, then slumped back against the couch. “Well, shit. I guess Seattle can’t be worse than that basement.”
I felt a swelling excitement in my heart. “That’s the right choice.”
He smiled at me weakly.
“Now we have to leave. I have a car nearby. Can you walk?”
Connor nodded and struggled to his feet. Mack caught him before he could topple over again. “I can walk-ish.”
“I’ll help you.” Mack moved him around the table and toward the door. He paused to look at me with eyes that literally smoldered. “And as for you, little princess, I’ll help you later.”
I turned bright red. “Not in front of my brother.”
“Seriously. Not in front of me.”
Mack only grunted and got Connor outside. He had a truck parked halfway down the block. Connor sat slumped in the back seat against the window and I sat in the passenger side. I grabbed Mack’s hand as he turned the key and the engine roared to life.
He looked at me with so much devotion in his eyes.
“I love you,” I said and leaned across the seat to kiss him.
He grabbed my hair and pulled me against his lips. I melted into it, and realized that I could taste this as much as I wanted for as long as I wanted from now until forever.
We broke apart. “I love you too, little princess. Now, where do you want to go?”
“Let’s take Connor to Seattle, get him set up, and then after that? I think you promised me somewhere warm.”
Mack grinned savagely. “Sounds like a plan.”
He put the truck into gear and we left the city.
