Savage Tracker by Maggie Cole

9

Obrecht

All day,I've been putting out fires. Adrian's ex-wife, Dasha, created issues with the Polish mob and they only seem to get worse. One of our trackers, Makar, is in a coma. He was following her and is in stable condition, but still not capable of speaking or writing. So we don't have any idea what happened. Dasha's disappeared, and the other trackers we assigned to her can't seem to locate her.

My tracker, Gavriil, is missing. I assigned him to follow Ludis Petrov, Zamir's son, who runs their territory between Michigan and the East Coast. No one has seen or heard from him in two days. His phone goes straight to voicemail. It's not the first time he's gone off the grid. It happens when you're on the job. But my gut is telling me something is off.

I don't like anything happening to my guys, but my trackers are dwindling fast. Our guys are highly skilled, trained by me, and aren't easy to replace.

The only highlight in my day is my dorogaya, who's surprised me with her naughty side. The voice in my head keeps telling me to stop while I'm ahead. There's so much I need to do to help her. Part of me wonders if giving her what she needs and teaching her how to be safe are the right moves. My conscience is telling me I'm a greedy bastard for getting the benefits from it. The devil in me won't let me stop. The more I'm around her, the more I'm drawn to her. It's like trying to expect a fly to get out of the honey jar. It just isn't possible.

Between all the craziness of the day, I can't seem to locate Carla. She's a member of the same club as me. She's also a therapist who's helped many people in the BDSM community who've been through trauma. Selena only went to two meetings with the therapist Kora recommended. The woman she went to specializes in domestic abuse. On the outside, it should be a perfect fit. Knowing what I do about Selena, she needs someone who understands the BDSM world. Selena may not be into pain the way many people in the BDSM community are, but she's a submissive. She was in an abusive Master-slave relationship, and a typical therapist won't understand it.

I need to find Carla.

I'm leaving the third place I've gone to track her down, but she's nowhere. She hasn't returned my call or text, either.

Selena should be out of her massage now.

I text her.

Me: Did you think of me during your massage?

My phone rings, and it's Carla. I answer it. "You might be the hardest person on earth to track down."

She laughs. "I just got off a plane."

"Hope you were somewhere good."

"I was. I went to Jamaica. The new club they opened is good. You should check it out," she says.

"Maybe I will. Hey, I'm on limited time, and I wanted to ask you for a big favor."

"Sure. What do you need?"

My chest tightens. "I have a friend...well, I'm kind of topping her right now."

"Kind of? You know there's no 'kind of,'" she states.

"Right. Okay. So, I'm topping her. She just got out of a non-consensual Master-slave relationship. I should also mention I promised her I'd mentor her so she can learn to be safe."

"She's lucky to have you."

No, I'm the lucky one.

I'm going to hell for so many reasons.

"She was severely abused. I don't know all the details, but what she told me was enough. She only lasted two sessions with one of the top domestic abuse therapists in Chicago."

"Tetter or Cascade?" Carla asks.

"Cascade," I reply.

"Well, Cascade would be the better option for this, but she still wouldn't understand," Carla admits.

"Right. I hoped you'd meet with her? I'm not sure how to help her how you can," I admit.

There's a brief pause. "Sure. You know I'll help anyone who needs it in our community. Did she say why she stopped seeing Cascade?"

Guilt eats me. I rarely feel guilty about anything I do. I'm unsure why my conscience is involved in this, especially when Carla can help her. "She isn't aware I know she was going." The line is quiet for so long, I wonder if she hung up. "Carla? You still there?"

"Therapy is a personal thing. Does she want help?"

I quickly reply, "Yes. Of course she does."

"Are you sure?"

For a split second, I question it, then adamantly say, "Yes."

Carla groans. "You've gotta be kidding me!" She sighs. "I have to run. My suitcase just showed up open on the baggage claim."

"Ouch."

"Have her text or call me, and we'll set something up."

"Great! Thank you! Good luck with your suitcase."

"Not the suitcase I'm worried about," she grumbles and hangs up.

I glance at my phone.

Selena: Yes.

My dick goes back to feeling like it's sixteen again.

Me: Did you think of my mouth all over you?

Selena: Yes.

Me: If I flicked my tongue on your pussy right now, would you be ready to come for me?

Selena: Yes.

Me: V your pussy and send me a photo. And don't forget to take one of your panties when you get home.

One photo after another comes over, and I stare at them, salivating. She's such an excellent little dorogaya.

I compare the picture of her panties from the locker room and home. The damp spot is larger.

Fuuuck. I need to get home.

I roll the divider down and say, "Home." I roll it back up, pull up the video she sent me, and watch it like a boy who just discovered porn until another message pops up on the screen.

Maksim: Need to meet ASAP.

What now?

Me: On my way.

I redirect my driver, studying every picture she sent me and our messages. All the things I want to do to her are spinning in my head. When I get to Maksim's, he drops another bomb on me. "Darragh and Liam are on their way over."

The hairs on my arms rise. "Why?"

"Something about needing to tie up loose ends?"

"What the fuck does that mean?" I bark.

Maksim comes closer. His eyes pierce into mine. "Did you take a job from Liam?"

I scoff. "You think I'd work for the O'Malleys? Is this an actual question?"

"Boris said you got information on a judge for Liam?" Maksim raises his eyebrows in disapproval.

I point at him. "Your brother needed info on Jack Christian. The only way to get it was to help Liam. Without him, Adrian and I were never getting in. Don't be accusing me of shit—"

"We're supposed to be the wise ones," Maksim claims.

"Do you think for one minute I wanted to do any favors for Liam?"

Maksim sighs. "No. But I'm getting sick of finding out about shit after the fact. You and Adrian should have told me. It doesn't help when Darragh comes to me to discuss something, and I know nothing about it."

I relax a tad. "I'm sorry. You're right. I wasn't thinking straight."

"All of us need to get back on the same page. The Rossi's body count isn't as high as we need it to be right now. We can't let them gain too much power."

We started a war between the two most prominent crime families, the Petrovs and Rossis. We're trying to have them kill each other off, and it requires us to step in from time to time to keep things balanced. Plus, the Polish mob Dasha got us involved in allied with Rossi, and it muddied the waters.

"Call the come to Jesus meeting, and I'll support you," I tell Maksim.

He pats me on the back. "Good. I don't know why we seem to be unglued right now."

"That's an easy answer."

He puts his hands in the air. "Please, fill me in."

"All your women are causing issues. Before all these women, we didn't have this problem. We always knew what everyone was doing," I claim.

The doorbell rings, signaling Liam and Darragh are coming up the elevator.

Maksim's eyes turn to slits. "We had issues before our women came into our lives."

"Yeah, but it's making things more difficult, isn't it?"

Maksim shrugs. "Maybe so, but I'd rather die than live a day without my krasotka."

"I'm just pointing out—"

"Are you ever going to get over Annika?" Maksim asks, which takes me by surprise. Until I recently told Sergey, no one knew the real story, except Adrian and Maksim.

"I am over Annika," I claim.

"No, you aren't. You're still letting her affect your life."

I snort. "No, I'm not."

"You are."

"Have you been speaking with my mother?"

He chuckles. "Actually, Aspen and I spent the day with your mom on Monday. She met Aspen's dad while she was volunteering at the home. They hit it off. She was playing cards with him when we got there and didn't know it was Aspen's dad."

"How's Aspen's dad doing?" He has dementia, and Maksim moved him from a Medicaid facility downstate to a high-end, private one in Chicago.

He smiles. "He has more good days than bad. The new medicine they have him on is working better."

"That's good. I'm glad my mom found another card buddy. It'll keep her away from the bridal magazines."

"Bridal magazines! Who's getting married now?" Liam's voice booms through the room.

I groan internally. I have a love-hate relationship with Liam. Right now, he's the cause of me not spending the next week killing Jack Christian in the slowest, most torturous death I've ever orchestrated.

"No one. You better have a good reason for asking me not to kill that bastard," I bark.

Liam scowls. "Hey, it's nice to see you, too, Obrecht."

"You're pushing your luck with me," I warn Liam.

He crosses his arms. "I don't like it any more than you do. If you think I give a fuck about letting that prick live, you're wrong. But until his company goes public, you can't touch Jack."

"What does that have to do with anything? Selena already got her money from him. The preliminary numbers on his company going public are average. It's not even an awesome investment."

Darragh snorts and then sits in the chair while going into a coughing fit. He takes out a handkerchief that already has splotches of red. I have a momentary guilt trip for not saying hi to the poor bastard. He's got lung cancer and is dying.

"Dad, you want some water?" Liam asks.

"I'll get it," Maksim says and goes into the kitchen.

I feel even worse seeing Liam's pained expression. He got early parole after serving fifteen years in prison. His old man is dying, and he's about to run the O'Malley clan.

He'll probably run them into the ground.

That won't be good for the Ivanovs.

Maksim hands Darragh a bottle of water, but he waves him off. He takes off his tweed cap and points at me. "No one makes a move on Jack Christian or Judge Peterson until I say so."

"You aren't our boss."

Maksim steps next to me, and we both cross our arms. He pins his steel gaze on Darragh. "What's going on, Darragh? If you want the Ivanovs to respect your wishes against a man we want dead, you need to give us a good enough reason to."

"His company has to go public. Once it does, then you've got free rein."

"You don't give us orders," I remind him.

Darragh rises off the couch. It takes him a moment, but he steps in front of me. His eyes turn to slits. "Does our alliance mean nothing to you?"

I don't answer. I never asked for an O'Malley-Ivanov alliance. Boris couldn't stay away from Nora. There wasn't a choice once she got pregnant. The Ivanov blood mixed with the O'Malley's, and the next thing I knew, we were starting a war between the Petrovs and Rossis.

"He didn't say that," Maksim replies for me, which is probably best since I'm about to lose my normal ability to keep my mouth shut.

Darragh points to me. "After his company goes public."

"Every day that bastard lives is another day he can come after Selena," I seethe.

"We're watching him," Liam states.

"Why?" Maksim asks.

"It's O'Malley business. The public launch is right around the corner."

So much rage swirls in my blood. "It's not for months! Selena shouldn't have to live in fear any longer."

"Put a bodyguard on her," Darragh states.

"She already has our guys on her. Doesn't mean that sick bastard should live."

"No, but we've got Finn on Jack. He knows his every move."

"Apparently not, since Adrian and I needed to get the dirt on your guys for you," I belt out.

Darragh points in my face again. "You better watch your mouth, son."

"I'm not your son," I seethe. "But it was your son who needed us to do your work for you."

"For real?" Liam asks. Betrayal is all over his face. "It's interesting how you see things. What I remember is you and your brother not able to get any information on Jack until I gave you the in."

It was a low blow, but I can't seem to think straight, knowing Jack's walking around while Selena worries about her safety. I hate Liam is right.

He pulls out an envelope from his coat pocket and slaps it on the table. "I thought you might want this. I'll meet you in the car, Dad."

My gut drops. I'm not sure what's in the envelope.

"No, I'll go with you, son." Darragh addresses Maksim. "Get your family in order, Maksim. I keep telling you this. If any of you cross us, the Rossi-Petrov war won't be what you have to worry about."

"Is that a threat?" I seethe.

A sad expression fills Darragh's face. "No. It's the truth. All of Chicago might as well burn to the ground. If the Rossis or Petrovs win because our families didn't work together, this city doesn't stand a chance. The war your family started, the one we're helping you keep balanced out, will change everything if one of them rises to the top and takes the other out. The shift in power will rattle every business, politician, and industry in this town."

"Killian was with us when we started that war. Careful who you blame, Darragh," Maksim reminds him.

"You made me a promise, Maksim. I expect all the Ivanovs to keep it."

Maksim scowls. "We've done nothing but keep our word in the alliance."

Darragh nods. "Let's keep it that way. Jack Christian doesn't get touched until his company goes public." He shakes his head and leaves with Liam.

When the elevator shuts, Maksim glares at me. "There a reason you're trying to piss Darragh off?"

"Don't get me started."

"Got something you want to say?"

"No," I grumble and pick up the envelope Liam dropped on the table.

Maksim sighs. "What's the deal with you and this Selena woman?"

"She lives in my building. We're friends," I say in a nonchalant voice, but my insides are on fire. Her ex needs to die. I rip into the envelope.

"For someone telling me women are causing issues in everyone's life, it sure seems like this woman is creating some in yours," Maksim states.

I don't answer him, and my gut flips. I mutter, "Jesus."

"What is it?"

The color drains from Maksim's face when I show him the photos. Timestamps of the last few days are on the pictures. Gavriil, my tracker I had following Ludis, is drinking with him and Mack Bailey. In several, they're sharing a girl I know is one of Petrov's whorehouse girls. My stomach twists tighter. The girl wouldn't have voluntarily gone there. All of the Petrov girls are kidnapped and broken in. Gavriil is paying Ludis money for her in another photo.

My guy. He's my guy.

Over a decade, he's been with us.

An Ivanov would never take advantage of any woman in a Petrov whorehouse. It can only mean he's on their side and not ours.

"Traitor," Maksim snarls.

"How did Liam get this?"

"We'd know if you hadn't pissed him off."

"Fuck!"

Aspen walks into the penthouse. "Am I interrupting?"

Maksim gives me a final scowl then spins. He walks over to her and kisses her. "No, my krasotka. Obrecht was just leaving to meet up with Liam. Weren't you?" He glares at me.

Shit.I stuff the photos back into the envelope. "Yeah." I kiss Aspen on the cheek.

"How do you like your new place?" she asks which leads to a full-blown conversation. A half hour later, I'm on the way out and pick up my phone. I call Liam. He doesn't answer and I call back. I get a text.

Liam: Give me a minute.

I wait for fifteen more minutes, stewing in my car, then call back.

"You'll have to wait. I'm busy now," he growls.

"Doing what? We need to talk."

"Oh! Oh! Please!" a woman's voice cries out in the background.

"That's it, little lamb," he says in a muffled voice. He replies to me, "Important stuff. You can wait. I'll call you when I'm free." He hangs up.

I punch the seat. "Damn it!"

I sit in my car, staring at the pictures, wondering how I could not have seen Gavriil for what he is.

He's a Petrov.

I put the pictures away when my phone rings. It's a telemarketer, so I send it to voicemail. I also realize I missed a text.

Selena: Will we be at your place or mine?

It's getting dark, and I'm getting more and more frustrated. I don't want her waiting around for me while Liam fucks whomever he's screwing.

God, I hope it isn't Hailee.

Was it her?

Not my business. I need to focus on my dorogaya.

I send Vlad a text.

Me: Did the faucet get changed out?

I saw Selena's body tense when she saw it this morning, so I had it replaced with the one she liked. I don't want her having any flashbacks because of my faucet. Plus, ever since she told me why she switched hers, mine has been bugging me.

Vlad: Yes.

At least something got done right today. I send Selena another text.

Me: My elevator code is 684538. Memorize it. Don't shower. Bring whatever you purchased with you, get dressed, and wait for me to come home.

Selena: You aren't back yet?

Me: No. Have a glass of wine if you want. I put a bottle of Pinot Noir out.

Selena: How do you know I drink that?

Me: I know a lot of things about you, baby girl. Now get your sexy ass up to my place.

Liam makes me wait over an hour, which only makes me angrier. When his car finally pulls up to mine, we roll down the windows.

"How did you get it?" I ask.

"I have eyes everywhere. You seem to forget I'm on your side."

"I don't have time for games, Liam. How long have you known about this?"

He scowls. "I'm getting tired of this. Did you see the date on the pictures?"

"Yeah."

"There's your answer. If you think I'd learn about a traitor in your house, when Nora's now an Ivanov, and not tell you, you think way less of me than I thought."

I hate how Liam keeps sticking it to me. "Where is he?"

Liam tilts his head. "You don't listen very well."

A chill runs down my spine. "Goddammit. We would have tracked him down and gotten every last piece of information out of him before killing him."

"Once again, you underestimate the O'Malleys."

"What did you find out?" I bark.

Liam's lips twitch. "A lot." He looks at his watch. "Too much to tell you tonight. I've got dinner plans. Maybe tomorrow we can talk."

"Liam—"

"Before I go. The next time you try to throw me under the bus with my father, or anyone else, we're going to have bigger problems than this."

I fall to my last resort. "Liam, he did horrible things to her. He waterboarded her for years, for Christ's sake."

He clenches his jaw. "After his company goes public, I'll deliver him on a silver platter to you. No one will touch him but you. But this event has to take place."

"Why?"

"We'll talk tomorrow." He rolls up the window, and I clench my fists.

I sit in the car for an hour, trying to calm down. I text Selena.

Me: I'm on my way home. I'm sorry it took me longer than I thought.

Selena: It's okay. Have you eaten? I made you dinner in case you didn't. I hope it's okay I used what you had?

I stare at the text. The last time a woman made me dinner, it was Annika. I swallow the lump forming in my throat.

Me: Yeah, baby girl. It's okay. You don't have to ask to use anything in my place.

Selena: So...you'll be home soon?

Me: Five minutes.

When I get inside the penthouse, something smells delicious. It's dark other than the glow of the city, fireplace, and candles that Selena lit. But the most beautiful sight I've ever seen is in front of the window.

She's kneeling, facing the city, head bowed, ass on her heels. She's wearing her new outfit and an apron. Her sexy ass is bare, except for a delicate piece of black lace over her hips and a black bow. It crisscrosses up her back and disappears under the apron over her chest. She's a magnificent piece of art with the city sparkling all around her.

She's mine.

For tonight.

She shouldn't be kneeling. We haven't negotiated.

"Stand up, baby girl, and grab your ankles."

I'm such a selfish bastard.

She rises, slowly moves her hands over her legs until she's holding her ankles. I step behind her and take a deep breath. I palm her ass cheeks.

"Did you enjoy your spa treatment?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why did you choose this outfit?" I drag my finger in a circle on her ass cheek then drop to my knees, inhaling the smell of her arousal. I rub my hands over her thighs.

She whimpers. "I wanted to be your gift, sir."

Fuck.My heart races faster.

"You did good, baby girl. You didn't shower, did you?"

"No, sir."

"Good. I've been waiting to see what you smell like after you've thought about me all day." I sniff hard and flick my tongue on her sex and groan. My chocolate-covered pretzel is tastier than ever.

"Obrecht!" she cries out.

I rise. "Stand up, baby girl."

She rises, and I spin her into me. Her face is flushed, and the green in her eyes swirls into the browns. Her lips are trembling.

I trace my finger over her mouth. "Why are you shaking, my dorogaya?"

"I don't know."

I fist her hair and tug her head back then lean my face over hers. "Are you scared of me?"

"No."

"I'm sorry I'm late and made you wait," I tell her again, even though I texted her earlier. It's true. I regret every minute not standing here with my gift.

My gift. Good God.

I study her face, trying to remember we haven't negotiated yet.

She needs to learn, or she'll get hurt.

No one else but me is touching her.

I'm a top, not a Dom.

She sweetly smiles, making my dick twitch. "It's okay. I'm-I'm glad you're home safe."

"You don't have to worry about me."

A tiny smile forms on her face. Those plump, pouty, goddamn lips I want all over me part, and she says, "I do. I was."

My chest tightens again. "What did you make for dinner? It smells good."

"Mediterranean fish."

I trace the middle of her neck with my finger, and she shudders. "Sounds good. Let's go eat and negotiate. I have a lot of things I want to do with you tonight."

She inhales deeply and opens her mouth then shuts it.

"Speak freely, baby girl."

"Thank you for switching the faucet out." She glances at my lips, eyes, then back to my lips.

"You're welcome. If there's anything else you don't like, tell me, and I'll fix it."

She furrows her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yes. Is there something else you've seen you don't like?"

She shakes her head. Her eyes glisten. "No. I just...thank you."

I dip down and kiss her, but I only give her a little. I pull back and slap her ass. It's harder than the one I gave her earlier today. She jumps, and I rub her cheek. "That's for kneeling before we negotiated. You don't do that until you've set your boundaries, understand?"

"Okay, I'm sorry."

"Do you know why you don't kneel before you negotiate?"

"No."

I tug her head back farther, keeping my eyes glued to hers. "You hold the power, my dorogaya. If you kneel before negotiating, you've given it away. Don't do that."

"But I want you to have all the power."

Jesus. I hold my groan inside.

It's wrong. She can't allow me to have it all.

"No, baby girl. And don't tempt me to take it."