Chapter One
Elena
Crack!
I heard it before I saw it.
The sound of shattered glass reverberating through the air sent a chill through the bar. Jaxson Volkov had just slammed a man’s head against the polished marble bar, and his large fingers dug deep into the man’s neck as he leaned over to whisper something in the cowering man’s ear before he slid him down the marble.
The guy squeezed his eyes shut and begged for his life as Jaxson shoved him in my direction, his cheek scraping and catching on the broken glass. Several customers grabbed their drinks and hopped back from the bar to get out of the way. Blood leaked from the man’s lips, but I stayed rooted on the barstool.
I took another swig of beer before putting the bottle down.
I wasn’t going anywhere.
Tonight had started innocently enough. I wandered into the bar, hoping the tip I’d received about Jax coming in later would pay off. What I found was a bar filled with regulars who knew one another, an active pool table, a friendly dart competition, and absolutely no sign of the Volkovs.
I was already in a rough neighborhood and didn’t want to make my night worse. I’d given it twenty minutes and was about to leave when it happened.
Jaxson Volkov walked inside and beelined for the man who was now getting his face bloodied.
I was nursing a beer when I saw Jaxson. It was like the room stood still. Men straightened up and women did the opposite. I turned my attention back to the bartender and ordered another beer.
There was no doubt about who Jaxson Volkov was. He owned wherever he walked. His dominance skimmed over the weaker men and beckoned the women with impossible promises. His broad shoulders filled out his black suit jacket and his slacks skimmed his muscular thighs. There was a reason the women forgot who they’d walked into the bar with. They hoped they’d walk out with this guy.
It only took a minute or two from the time Jaxson walked into the building to the moment when a man’s head was driven down the bar in my direction at lightning speed. I wanted to feel a little spark of fear or an adrenaline rush, but I felt neither.
I only felt determination.
When Jaxson realized I had no plans to move, he stood in front of me with his fingers still digging into the man’s neck.
“Excuse me?” His piercing blue eyes connected with mine, and I felt an unexpected flutter. “You’re in my way.”
“Did it occur to you that maybe you’re in mine?” My brow arched, and I crossed my leg, taking another sip.
“Never crossed my mind.” He looked down at the man, who was still whimpering. “It’s gonna get messy.”
“Hasn’t it already?” My brows pulled together as my eyes fell to the bloodied marble near my beer. The smell of spilled alcohol wafted through the air.
I saw Jaxson push down a smile and grab the man off the bar, but rather than let him go, he hauled him around me, smacked his head back down on the marble, and shoved him to the end of the bar. I was pretty certain the last crack involved his nose breaking.
Jaxson leaned over again, whispering something more to the guy, who appeared almost lifeless.
When Jaxson straightened up, his body language suggested he wasn’t thrilled with whatever answer the guy did or didn’t give him.
“Who are you?” I asked, pretending I didn’t have a clue.
Jaxson turned to look at me. His startling blue eyes connected with mine, and I took in a steady breath as I waited for his answer.
“His worst nightmare.” He flashed a wry grin before turning his attention back to the man.
“I didn’t mean it,” the man whimpered, and Jax shook his head just as he cracked his elbow on the man’s neck.
I watched him drop like a rock but turned my attention away pretty quickly.
“Would you like another beer?” the bartender asked as he wiped the bar down with cleaner and a bar rag, quickly removing all the crimson.
“I’m good.” I looked around the bar and saw a few eyes on the scene next to me, but most knew to keep their gazes down.
“I’ll take a whisky on the rocks,” Jaxson said, sliding next to me as the man lay on the floor.
“Aren’t you worried he might get up?” I asked, leaning against the bar.
“Not particularly.”
The bartender slid the drink to Jaxson.
“I’m Jax.” He stuck out his hand. “And you are?”
“A woman determined to get in your way.” I smiled and shook his hand.
“I gathered that.” His gaze fell to my lips. “Do you have a name?”
“Elena.”
“Well, Elena, you’ve got some nerve.” He took a sip of his drink.
“I just don’t appreciate having my evening interrupted by some drunken bar brawl.” I shrugged. “That’s all.”
“Elena, dear, do I look drunk to you?” The way he said dear made my toes curl in a way that hadn’t happened since high school.
I’d turned my attention to a television over the bar, but I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye.
“No, not particularly.”
His voice lowered. “Did you see a fight?”
“Can’t say that I did.” I shook my head. “In fact, by the looks of it, I’d say you came in looking for trouble, and the guy never had a chance.”
He smiled. “You know. . . I think you’re right.”
Two men walked into the bar and saw the man on the floor. Rather than turn around and leave, they walked over to the body, picked it up, and pulled the near-lifeless man out the front door.
“I did come here looking for trouble, and that loser was nothing but trouble.”
“How so?” I asked, letting my curiosity get the better of me.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Would it make me feel better about seeing a grown man get beaten up?”
“Beats me.” He took another swallow, and this time, my eyes fell to his full lips. I quickly ripped my gaze away.
“Okay. I’ll take the bait. What made you come here to kick his ass?”
“He stole something from me.”
“Who would be stupid enough to do that?”
His eyes widened. “Exactly.”
“So what did he steal?”
“Does it matter?”
“I never really thought about it. I suppose it doesn’t. Stealing isn’t a good thing.” Feeling all eyes on us, I glanced around the bar. I was right. Everyone was watching us, and I didn’t blame them. What was I doing talking to this lunatic?
“Want another whisky?” the bartender asked.
Jaxson looked at me, and I tilted my head. “Don’t look at me. I’m headed out as soon as I finish this.” I shook my bottle in the air.
“I think I’m good. I’ve got a long night ahead.”
My brows knitted together. “Wasn’t this enough?”
“If only you knew.”
“On second thought, I think I’d like to know what he stole.” I nodded. “If he stole a box of paperclips from the supply closet where you work, that’s one thing. If he stole a car. . .”
“I wouldn’t do this over a box of paperclips or even a car.” Jaxson laughed. “But you had your chance.”
“Had my chance?” I asked, perplexed.
“I asked you if it mattered what he stole. You said no.” He cocked his head and moved closer.
“I didn’t know I only had one chance.” I shrugged, adjusting on the stool.
“Why didn’t you move?” He narrowed his blue eyes on me, and instead of being annoyed, my breath caught.
“Why would I?” I cleared my throat.
His brows shot up and he shook his head. “Exactly. Why would you?”
“You seem like you’ve got a chip on your shoulder, and I don’t have time to deal with jaded people.” I took my last swallow of beer as I spun to get off the stool.
His hand grazed my leg and an unexpected spark shot through me. A spark of what, I wasn’t sure, but I forced it away.
“I didn’t know I was asking for your time.” He slid his empty glass away and dropped a hundred-dollar bill on the bar.
“You offered to buy me a drink.”
“No, I didn’t.”
I placed my hand on my hip. “Yeah, you did.”
“No, I really didn’t.” Jaxson smirked.
“I was here. I know exactly what went down. Just because you’re used to women fawning all over you and accepting drink offers, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen because one turned you down.”
He stood up from the stool and cocked his head to the left.
“I don’t offer women drinks. It’s not my style, kitten.” Jaxson’s eyes narrowed. “Jordan, the bartender, asked if I wanted another whisky. I glanced at you to see if you were staying or going. You said you were going, so I declined another drink.” He smiled. “But I certainly didn’t offer to buy you a drink.”
Oh. My. God.
He was right.
My cheeks turned scarlet, but I wasn’t going to let a Volkov push me around, especially not this one. I straightened up and looked into his eyes.
“I might have been wrong about the drink, but I’m certainly right when it comes to your having a chip on your shoulder.”
His lip curled slightly. “From one meeting?”
“Not a hard one to put together.” My arm slid to my side. “Anyway, I’m headed back to my apartment where I can get the image of some poor bleeding man out of my head while I take a nice, long bath.”
I glanced around the bar and realized most eyes were still on us, and while it made me extremely uncomfortable, it didn’t seem to do a thing to Jaxson.
“Elena.”
My gaze flashed to his.
“That man wasn’t a victim.” He slid his fingers along his cheek, where a day’s worth of scruff shadowed his jawline. “Far from it.”
“Good to know. It was a pleasure meeting you and your friends.” I spun around and closed my eyes for a brief second before making my way to the exit.
“You didn’t ask my last name,” Jaxson said, coming up behind me.
I stopped right in front of the door and turned to look at him. “Why would I?”
His lip curled slightly as his gaze fell to my mouth, and I recognized the devastating—if not downright alluring—charisma that had tricked so many.
“Why wouldn’t you?” His dark brows pulled together.
“Because. . .” I sucked on my bottom lip for a split second, and I caught his gaze dipping once more. “How do I put this gently? I don’t care to know men who are so violent.”
His expression fell.
I’d expected a lot of reactions but not flat-out disappointment. I spun around and walked out the door to see a black SUV waiting at the curb in the clearly marked No Parking zone.
The frigid air nipped at my skin, and I walked past the car on the way to my apartment while trying to pay attention to my surroundings. This wasn’t the best area in the city and cabs rarely made an appearance. It didn’t help that I had one of the most notorious members of the V Mafia right behind me.
The leader.
I’d waited a long time to come face-to-face with Jaxson Volkov. But I never expected him to prove my theory so quickly.
He was a bad man.
“Elena,” Jax called out, but I kept walking straight ahead. “Elena.”
Jaxson came up behind me and walked quickly by my side. “I’m sorry for being such a jerk.”
I glanced at him but kept walking. “From what I can tell, you’re just you being you. No need to apologize.”
“I don’t spend all of my days making men—”
“It’s none of my business,” I interrupted, walking away from the man I’d spent my grown life determined to meet.
The very same man who’d killed my cousin and never saw the inside of a prison for his crime. That’s the Jaxson Volkov I was walking away from, but he was the very person I was determined to expose.