The following Friday evening, after putting on my sharpest dress suit, I call Yuri to meet me with my Mercedes SUV. Cars are a weakness of mine; I have more than I should but what the heck; not like I have a wife and kids to support.

We pull up outside Vadim's swanky restaurant. Yuri gets out of the Merc with me and hands the keys to a valet. A woman comes to stand in front of me, a beautiful woman in an elegant white halter-neck evening dress, nipped in at the waist with a full skirt that reaches just below her knees. Her long, dark hair has been styled in a classy chignon; she looks like she's stepped out of the pages of one of those glossy fashion magazines.

Holy shit, it's Eva.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I jerk my head back and glare at her. "Shouldn't you be at Lure?"

"I came to this dinner because I was invited." Her voice is calm, as if she's explaining something to a child.

"You are not going inside." I flex my arm muscles. "I call the shots, remember."

She shakes her head. "Only in the club." Her smile is so fucking annoying I want to shake the living daylights out of her. "What I do with my own time is my business," she adds.

I snap my fingers and Yuri appears from the shadows. "Escort Ms. Petrenko back to Lure. She's contracted to work tonight. I'll manage alright on my own."

"No," Eva says sharply. "Please, listen to me." She goes on to tell me she'd like to pretend to be my girlfriend. That Vadim will be reassured, after which she'll befriend his woman and wheedle information out of her.

"It's a stupid idea. Far too dangerous. I can't let you do it." I pause. "And why would you want to, anyway?"

She leans in close, so close I breathe in her fresh apple scent. She opens her pouty mouth, clearly about to give me more sass.

Except, before she can say a word, Vadim steps out of the restaurant.

Dammit!

I guess I'll have to play Eva's game for now.

Whatever that is...

She loops her arm through mine and beams a mega-watt smile at the fucker.

"Come with me," he says, leading us through double doors, through the main dining area, to a private room at the back.

The table is set for four. White linen cloth, starched napkins, silver cutlery and crystal glassware.

We leave our guns by the door and take our seats. Natasha, wearing a low-cut black gown, joins us and shoots Eva an appraising look.

Kiska moves her chair closer to mine, takes my hand and lifts it so everyone can see our fingers entwined. She leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek. I just sit there like a damn fool, feeling regret this isn't for real but, at the same time, unable to stop my dick from throbbing.

Eva is only play-acting. She still hates me. Fuck knows why... I'll get to the bottom of it eventually... and in the meantime we need to get through this damn dinner together.

It begins well, we make small talk while we eat, starting off with Beluga caviar served with Blinis and washed down with Vodka, which I notice Eva drinking with relish. Borsch follows, and I admit it's delicious, almost as good as Mama used to make. Beef Stroganoff arrives as the main course. Eva has already reached her limit with respect to food intake, she barely touches it, but Vadim's waiter leaps forward to refill her glass with rich red wine. I'm not sure she realizes how much she's imbibing. Before coffee, the ladies disappear to the rest room and I'm left alone with Vadim... except for our men, of course, both of whom are in position behind our respective chairs.

Time to get down to the nitty-gritty.

"Ten years ago, when I set up in this city, you were more than happy to split the turf 50-50. We both know why.” I fix Vadim with a firm look. "Nothing has changed now," I lie.

Vadim points to his man, a burly dark-haired monster built like a Sumo wrestler, and sends him out of the room.

I rub my chin, eyebrows furrowing and releasing.

Sumo man returns with a small, middle-aged guy I recognize immediately. It's Oleg Vasiliev who came to me a couple weeks ago for a loan to meet his repayments to Vadim.

"I believe you two know each other," Vadim gives me one of his vile smirks. "What you don't know, however, is this piece of shit, who borrowed money from you to pay me back, has not given me one penny."

"Is that true, Oleg?" I make strong eye contact with him.

"Y... y... yes," he stutters. "I had to cover the rent." He gulps in a shaky breath. "I lost my job, my wife is sick, and our kids needed new shoes."

I'm about to tell the poor man he should have come to me, I'd have helped him find another job, but Vadim gets in first.

He signals his boyevik.

Without warning, Sumo man grabs Oleg's hand.

Before I can do anything, he bends Oleg's index finger back against the joint, touching it to the top of his wrist.

Oleg releases a howl of pain.

I leap out of my seat, ready to go to his aid. The man is an innocent; he doesn't deserve this.

Yuri places his hand on my arm. "Not now, Boss."

He's right. Vadim's agenda isn't just to intimidate Oleg, but also to intimidate me.

I sit down again, and Vadim indicates to his henchman to remove Oleg from the room.

My fingers itch to grab hold of my piece, but it's where I left it by the door.

"You will not poach my clients," Vadim's voice is a low growl in his throat. "I can take you out any time I choose."

I nearly laugh out loud. Not going to happen, motherfucker.

He squirms forward. "I would be prepared to cut you some slack, however," his tone has turned smarmy, "if you sell Eva to me."

I'm out of my seat again, ready to launch myself at Vadim and throttle him. But, instead, Eva and Natasha come through the door, smiling and chatting like they're suddenly besties.

No doubt about it, Kiska has worked her charm like she said she would.

She sits next to me and pecks me on the cheek.

I push back my chair and take her hand. "I've remembered there's something I need to check on at the club," I say to Vadim. "Thanks for dinner. It's been... interesting."

He waves us off, saying he'll be in touch.

Asshole.

I collect my gun and keep Eva's hand in mine as we exit the restaurant. She doesn't pull away while we wait for my car. Instead, she allows me to put my arm around her. She's still play acting, of course, but I don't give a fuck. Just holding her close has a soothing effect on me.

I fully expect her to move away when we get into the Merc. Only she doesn't. We lock gazes and I could drown in her golden amber irises they're so beautiful. Her breathing is ragged, her tits rise and fall with it. "Natasha wants us to have lunch together soon," she grins like the cat that's gotten the cream. "Is that okay with you?" Her words slur slightly.

Christ, she's more than a little tipsy. Even so, I want to get some things straight with her. "This shit is real, Elousha. Fucking dangerous. You have no clue what you'd get yourself involved in. And I still don't get why you even want to do this."

She lifts her hand and places it on my mouth. "Shush. It will be fine." Again, the slight slur. "We'll meet in a public place." A flush blooms up her lovely cheek.

Fuck it, I've got to kiss her.

I bend and nuzzle my way up her neck, enjoying the softness of her skin and the scent of apples. I nibble her earlobe and whisper, "If I don't fuck you again soon, Kiska, my balls will turn blue." I kiss the left-hand corner of her pretty lips. "You don't want that to happen to me, do you?"

Her laughter rings in my ears as she turns her head to face me. "Don't exaggerate, Gleb."

"A known medical condition, my sweet." I assume a serious expression. "My balls could swell to the size of coconuts. It would hurt like hell."

She extricates herself from my arms and moves over to the other side of the back seat. "Sorry, Gleb. I'm not a cock tease." She giggles. "I'll keep my distance from you in the future."

Christ, how I want to make a grab for her. Except, I don't. It wouldn't be fair to Eva; she's had too much to drink.

She sits staring out the window, twirling a lock of hair that has come loose from her chignon.

Suddenly, she releases a frustrated groan and slides back across the seat toward me.

Holy shit!

She cups the sides of my face, her thumbs stroking my beard, and presses her lips to mine.

Hard.

Her mouth opens, and I dart my tongue inside. Our tongues tangle together; the kiss turns brutal and needy as we moan, biting and sucking. I pull her into my lap, and she straddles my erection, her knees resting on the leather seat each side of my hips. She grinds against me, her fingers threaded into my hair, her lips parted with lust. I place my hands on her ass cheeks, and I could come right now I'm so fucking hard.

I stare down at the pucker of her nipples under the soft silk of her dress. "Jesus, Eva," I lean into her. "When are you going to get the message that it's me who calls the shots?"

She smirks mischievously, then lets out a gasp as I lift her and spin her around. I press my chest against her back and circle my hand around her tiny neck. I feel her throat bob as she swallows, but she doesn't beg me to stop.

She's at my mercy.

Good.

This is where she should be.

The Merc is slowing down as Yuri pulls up in front of her parents' building. I release my hold and she shuffles from me. "Good night, Gleb," she says smiling a smile that tells me more than words ever could. Maybe the drink gave her Dutch courage, but she's orchestrated everything that happened between us this evening.

Me, Gleb Sokolov, also known as the Beast.

I've heard what they call me, and I do everything I can to keep my bestial reputation intact.

When I arrive home, I'll need to check if I still have any balls... blue or not.

It's only when I step through my front door that I realize I forgot to ask her if she has siblings.

Fuck!