Chapter Eleven
Raven was shaken as she stared after him. Finally, she turned to Nikoli and asked, “Has he always been like that?”
Nikoli smiled. “He has indeed.”
“What an arrogant prick,” she whispered.
Nikoli chuckled. “That may be true, but he’s your arrogant prick now.”
“That’s what scares me.”
He kept chuckling. “He will grow on you. He is a good man.”
Several hours later, Raven swore under her breath. Shooting her chair back, she got to her feet. The paper in her hand crumpled under her fingers as they tightened into a fist.
Nikoli looked up in surprise. “What is it child? What did you find?” He saw her deathly white face. Her eyes were huge and held a haunted glaze. She was trembling so hard, she was shaking. He grew concerned and his frown deepened.
Raven glanced in his direction but didn’t really see him. Shaking her head, she ran from the room.
Nikoli got to his feet and followed her.
She was standing at the window staring out over the city far below. Her hand was still clenching the crumpled paper.
Nikoli reached for it.
She let him take it as tears blurred her eyes.
He smoothed out the wrinkled paper. At first, he didn’t know what he was looking at, then it hit him. It was a birth certificate. Glancing over at Raven, he looked at the certificate again. His eyes widened as the names and dates began to make sense.
“Rebel Elayna Constantine. Mother: Joy Valenti. Father: Misha Constantine. Date of birth: July 4, 1991” Nikoli shook his head. “What does this mean?”
Tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn’t even think her mind was so troubled. Her head lifted and she stared at the paper in Nikoli’s hand. Slowly her own hand reached out and took the certificate from him. Smoothing the paper, she stared at it for a moment. Then she looked at him. “What does this mean?” she whispered. “I don’t know these people.”
Nikoli led her over to the sofa and helped her sit down. When he sat beside her, he took her hands in his own. “Have you ever seen this document before?” he asked her gently.
Raven shook her head. “Andria always told me I didn’t have a birth certificate. She said I was born at home and she never registered the birth. She said she didn’t want any record of the biggest mistake of her life.”
Nikoli felt a flash of rage. “What kind of woman would tell her daughter that?” he swore.
Raven glanced up at him. “I don’t know those people. Does this mean Andria isn’t my mother? That she lied to me my whole life?”
“I don’t know child,” he admitted. “The only one who knows the truth is the same one that has lied to you all your life. I don’t think she would tell you the truth now.” He hesitated then added as if an afterthought, “She might be willing to tell you if she got a deal out of it.”
Raven looked at him for a moment then shook her head. “No, I would never ask for that.”
“Why not? Wouldn’t you like to know the truth?” he asked.
“What’s to say she would tell me the truth? She likes to twist everything to make herself out to be the victim when most of the time she’s the one who did the wrong.” Raven got up and walked back to the window. Staring out of the city she said, “No I will not ask her for anything.” She held up the paper and shook her head. “This may very well be the truth but I don’t know these people. I have no idea who they are and they don’t know me. There is no one looking for me like you searched for Nicky all these years.”
“Maybe he didn’t look for you because he didn’t know you existed,” Nikoli reasoned.
Raven swung her head around to face him. “What do you mean?”
“You may not know who Misha is but I do. I met him a long time ago. We came of age together in Moscow. His father Sergi tutored us both into the Bratva. We all came over to America at the same time. Yuri and the others know him as well.”
“What are you saying?” she asked.
“Misha was a friend of mine. He still is but he went back to Russia a long time ago. When we first came over here, Misha was full of himself. He held a great office in the Bratva, he had the power and the money and it attracted a number of women to his side. For several years, he lived the good life, then he met his soulmate. Her name was Joy and they fell in love so quickly. He was going to marry her when she suddenly disappeared. Her family told him she ran off but Misha didn’t believe them. He searched for her for three years before he gave up. He was truly heartbroken. So much so, that he ended up going back to Russia. He said he just couldn’t stay here anymore.”
She turned back to the window. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It was a long time ago and no one cares anymore. It’s just one more lie to lay at Andria’s feet.”
“Don’t you want to know the truth about who you are?” Nikoli asked.
“The truth?” She turned to glare at him. “Yes, I would like to know the truth but you won’t get the truth from Andria. Not when she could lie to tell you what she thinks you want to know. She wouldn’t know what the truth is and I wouldn’t trust anything she had to say. Nor would I ask you to make her any kind of deal. It just isn’t worth it.”
“Maybe we could ask Misha,” he suggested.
Raven shook her head. “I doubt it would be worth the trouble. If he couldn’t find her after three years, he wouldn’t know about a baby she might have had. Besides, it’s been so long, he might not even remember her at all.”
“On the contrary,” he insisted. “I have a feeling Misha would be very interested to know he might have a child out there somewhere.”
Raven shook her head. She nodded at the paper in his hand. “That might be another lie. We found it buried deep in Carlos’s papers. It may just be another scam set up a long time ago.”
Nikoli cupped her chin and brought her face around to his. “All it would take to know the truth is a blood test. Misha would insist, if there was the slightest hope in his mind.”
“Which would only raise more questions.” She shrugged. “What really happened back then? Did Joy run away or was she kidnapped? Who might have kidnapped her and why? Is she still alive or did she die a long time ago?” She looked him in the eye and asked one last question, “Would Misha really care?”
“Yes, god yes, he would care if you were his daughter.” Nikoli growled. “It would mean that Joy did love him. She loved him enough to give you life and a chance to live. It would mean the world to him.”
“And if that paper is nothing more than a lie?” she asked. “That could break his heart all over again.”
“I believe he deserves the chance to find the truth.”
Raven didn’t say anything for a long time, then she whispered, “I’m afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”
“Of finding out my whole life has been a lie,” she finally admitted. “That nothing I know has been the truth.”
“Then for your own peace of mind, you need to know the truth as much as Misha does.” He grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. “Let me call Misha and tell him of this. He could be here in a few days and then the truth will come out.” Nikoli hauled her into his arms and held her close. “Be strong enough to let the truth come out.”
It took her a moment but she finally nodded. Looking up at him she asked, “Will you be there too? You and Nicky?”
“If you like.”
“I need someone on my side. Nicky and I have been through so much but we’ve always been there for each other. I’m going to need his strength to face this.”
“And you will face this head on,” Nikoli assured her.
Raven moved away and began rubbing her forehead. “It’s late and I’m tired. I think I’ll go to bed.”
Nikoli nodded. “Go ahead. I’ll just wait here for Yuri to return.”
Raven nodded and moved away. Nikoli watched her go into the bedroom and close the door. He went over to the bar and poured himself a drink. Going back to the sofa, he sat down and picked up the birth certificate again. As he stared at it, his mind was going a mile a minute.
He realized it could be nothing more than just another lie. It was found in Carlos’s things after all. Then his mind switched it up, what if the document were true? What if this was Carlos’s insurance if things went south?
He finished his drink and got up to get another when the front door to the apartment opened and Yuri walked in.
He looked at Nikoli and glanced around for Raven. “Where is she?” he demanded.
“She went to your bedroom,” Nikoli told him.
“Is she all right?” he frowned.
“No I don’t think she is,” Nikoli admitted.
“What the hell happened while I was gone?” Yuri turned and began walking toward his bedroom.
Nikoli called him back. “We found something tonight, something that greatly upset her.”
Yuri paused then turned to face the other man. “What did you discover?”
Nikoli handed him the paper and waited for him to understand it. When he looked up at Nikoli he asked, “What the hell is the meaning of this?”
Nikoli shrugged. “We aren’t sure. It could be nothing but it could also be very real. We don’t know yet.”
Yuri moved over and poured himself a drink. “What a fucking mess.”
Nikoli nodded. “I asked her if she wanted to make a deal with Andria for information but she refused. She said Andria would probably lie to save her own skin or words to that effect.”
Yuri took a sip of his vodka and nodded. “That’s possible. Carlos would probably do the same.” Pausing he asked, “What else did you discuss?”
“I don’t know if she really wants to know if this is true or not but I convinced her to let me call Misha and ask him about it. I told her he would want to know about the possibility of having a child. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.”
“And do you think he would be interested in knowing?”
Nikoli nodded. “I know you didn’t know him well but he was one of my best friends. He really loved Joy and if this is a possibility, he would want to know. She could be his child. She could be his last link to Joy. Believe me, he would want to know.”
“And if this was nothing more than a lie?”
“Yes, Raven asked that as well. Then that will come out too.”
Yuri looked at the door to his bedroom again. Turning to Nikoli he asked, “How did she take it?”
Nikoli sighed hard. “I don’t know. Everything she’s ever known is turning to dust at the moment. One lie on top of another would break anyone. She’s stronger than most but even she has a breaking point.”
Yuri put his glass down on the table and moved toward his bedroom but Nikoli put his hand on Yuri’s arm to stop him and he looked at the other man.
“What you do now will either make or break her spirit. Be gentle with her.”
Yuri searched the other man’s eyes for a moment then nodded. “I don’t want to break her.”
Nikoli nodded then released his arm. “Then go to her and hold her close. She needs to know she matters to someone.”
Yuri walked to his bedroom and closed the door behind him.
Nikoli finished his own drink and put the birth certificate down on the table. He went to the front door and let himself out of the apartment then walked down the hall to his own rooms.
Letting himself in, he went over to the sofa and sat down. He didn’t bother turning on the lights, instead he sat there in the dark and went over the event of the last few days. Then he reached for his phone and placed a call to Moscow.
Yuri leaned against the bedroom door and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. He saw her lying on top of the covers on the bed. What broke his heart were the sounds of her heart wrenching sobs. He pushed away from the door and laid down behind her. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close to him.
Raven sobbed harder for a while and when she stopped, he still held her. She laid her head on his chest and just listened to his heartbeat for a long time. Then she broke the silence with a whisper, “Did Nikoli tell you what we found?”
“Yes, he showed me the birth certificate,” he murmured. “Do you think it could be true?”
She shrugged. “Who knows? I certainly don’t. Nikoli asked me if I wanted to make a deal with Andria but I told him she wouldn’t tell me the truth anyway so why bother.”
“It could tell you who you really are,” Yuri pointed out.
She shook her head. “I’m just me, nothing more or nothing less. It doesn’t matter who my parents are, or were or whatever. My life has been turned upside down and I don’t quite know what to do right now.”
“No matter what happens next, I want you to know you are safe here. You belong to me now and I protect what’s mine.”
Raven raised her head. “I don’t know where I belong anymore. The other day I had a brother and a life, now my brother isn’t my brother anymore. The woman I thought was my mother suddenly isn’t and I find my whole life is nothing more than a lie.” Shaking her head, “I just don’t know what the truth anymore. I don’t even know who I am.”
“You are my woman,” Yuri insisted.
“Am I?” she whispered softly.
“Yes, you are,” Yuri assured her.
“Then prove it.” She challenged him. “Show me I’m your woman. Make me believe it. I need something right now to give me value.”
Yuri smiled. “Your value is more to me than all I have built over the years.” He lowered his head and covered her mouth with his own. He pushed his tongue in. His hands went to her clothing and he pulled her shirt over her head. Her fingers went to his clothes and when the material covering his chest separated, her fingers touched his skin.
Yuri groaned when her fingers brushed over his pants. He pulled away from her and quickly pulled the rest of his clothes off. Then he joined her on the bed and pulled off the rest of her clothes. When they were both naked, he pulled her underneath him. Pushing her legs apart with his knee, he settled himself in the cradle of her core. His hands cupped her full breasts and he lowered his head to suckle on her nipples.
Raven arched her back and whimpered. When his fingers slipped down her body and began caressing her clit, she raised her hips off the bed. Raven grabbed Yuri’s head and hauled it up to meet hers. Pressing her lips to his she begged, “I want you. I need you inside me right now. Please…”
Yuri growled and pushed himself into her core. He growled as he slipped inside her like a glove. “You feel so good.”
“Please don’t stop,” she begged.
He surged deep inside her, over and over again. Each stroke went deeper and harder than before. Before long, he felt heat rushing through his body. He could feel Raven’s body tighten as she neared her release. When her pussy began to pulse, he felt the rush of his own closing in on him He pushed in deep and roared as he came inside her. She ground her body against his as she shattered in release.
Sweat beaded and ran down the side of his face. A drop of sweat fell and splashed on her chest. Yuri groaned and collapsed on top of her for a moment then pushed himself off her and rested at her side.
“Wow,” she murmured. “That was amazing.” She turned her head and stared at him. “Is sex like that all the time?”
Yuri shook his head. “Only with you. It’s never been like that with anyone else.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
“What do you suppose that means?” she wanted to know.
“It means that you belong to me. You are my woman.”
“How about I belong with you and not to you.”
“What is the difference?”
“The difference is that I have a choice in the matter. It means that you don’t own me and I chose to be here.”
“Semantics.” He shrugged. “The fact is that you do belong to me and I’m claiming you as mine.” He nuzzled the back of her neck. “It doesn’t matter. You are here with me as you are meant to be. It’s been a long day and we both need to rest.”
Closing her eyes, Raven relaxed. “Tomorrow is going to be another long day.”
Yuri was awake long into the night. So much had happened but there was much more to come. He gazed down at her and was stunned by what he felt. He hadn’t known her long that much was true but when he was with her, his life felt complete. She filled a hole in his soul that he’d been unaware was even there. Now that she was in his life, he couldn’t imagine life without her.
He resented the rest of the world and the problems other people were causing. He wanted his problems to just go away, so he could show her what she meant to him but he knew life wasn’t always that easy. They had more than one mess to clear up now, and that would come before Yuri would be free to really claim her as his own but once he was free to do so, he would. Until then, he would keep her close to him, so she would know she was safe and protected. She would never have to fear the likes of Carlos Lopez or his friends again.
A few hours later, Yuri awoke to his phone ringing. Raven was snuggled in his arms with her head on his chest. As much as he wanted to ignore the phone, he knew he couldn’t. He moved her off his chest and found his phone. “KAKNE?” he growled. In his frustration, he began speaking in Russian. “What?”
“I just wanted to warn you we are going to get a visit from Moscow sometime later today,” Nikoli told him.
“Why and who?” Yuri had a sudden bad feeling in his gut.
“I had to call Misha. He had the right to know he may have a daughter he didn’t know about.”
“Why didn’t you talk to me first?” Yuri growled.
“He was very excited about the news,” Nikoli assured him. “He seemed to think the fact that when Joy suddenly disappeared all those years ago, she didn’t go willingly. He just never knew who took her. He admitted freely that she could have been carrying his child.”
“We haven’t had the chance to verify anything yet.”
“I told him that but he didn’t care. Unfortunately, when I called, he wasn’t alone.”
“Who was with him?”
“Sergi was there as well.”
“And?”
“They are both on their way. By this time, they are half way across the ocean. There is no way to stop them.”
“Someone will have to be with her every minute. If she finds out they are coming she’ll run. So much has happened and she’s afraid,” Yuri warned him.
“When you can’t be with her, I will be. Everyone else is going to be busy setting up Grigori’s little trap.”
“We still need to finish going through all the files we found at Carlos’s safe house.” Yuri reminded the other man. “No telling what else we’re going to find in those files.”
“I doubt anything else we find will be as important as last night discovery,” Nikoli commented.
“Probably not, but we still have to deal with Carlos, Andria, Joshua and his boss Joseph Polancov. All before we can deal with Grigori.”
“If the girl turns out to be Misha daughter he or Sergi will deal with Carlos and Andria. As much as I want to be the one to deal with them, I will step aside if Misha and Sergi wish it. If that’s the case, I’d almost feel sorry for Carlos and Andria. They will take them back to Russia and show them real Bratva revenge.”
Yuri couldn’t help it. He smiled. He almost hoped that scenario would play out. He would give anything to see the look on Carlos’s face when he realized he was going to Russia to face Sergi’s wrath. “Give us an hour and we’ll meet you for breakfast.”
“I’ll be ready. Nicky received the items he needs to wire the fort and he left with Kosta to start the job. By tonight, we’ll have pictures and sound,” Nikoli told him.
“Good, he can link them to the security room in the basement of the hotel.”
“I’ll let them know.”
Yuri ended the call and when he looked over at Raven, he found she was awake and listening to his conversation. He knew she didn’t speak his native language, so he wasn’t worried about her knowing the gist of it.
“How are you this morning?” he asked her.
“I’m doing ok.” She shrugged. “I am a little hungry though.”
“I did notice you didn’t eat much last night for supper.”
“I don’t eat red meat that much. I just don’t care for the taste.”
“I wish I had known that. I could have ordered you something else.”
“No worries. I’ll eat a good breakfast.”
“We need to shower first.” He grinned. “And to save water and time, we can shower together.” He wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.
Raven burst into laughter. “Then get your lazy butt out of bed. I’m hungry.” She slapped his ass as she jumped out of bed and ran for the bathroom.
Yuri chased her, cornering her against the shower door. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to hers.
When he licked her bottom lip, she gasped and he pushed his tongue into her mouth. Wrapping his arms around her, he lifted her off her feet and pressed her against the shower door. When he pressed his hips against hers, he could feel his cock hardening as it sought her wet core.
Wrapping her legs around his hips, Yuri slipped his cock into her. Rocking her gently he pushed his way deep inside her. Raven gasped as she felt him fill her up. Moaning, she began to move her hips and then it was Yuri’s turn to moan.
He twisted her around to back her against the wall, instead of a wall of glass then he proceeded to pound into her. Each stroke was long and hard and it didn’t take long before Raven went over the edge and came. Yuri followed with a roar of pleasure.
Moments later, he slid from her sheath and before he broke away, he kissed her gently. When he moved away from her, he started the shower, then grabbed her and pulled her under the spray of warm water. She giggled as the water cascaded over her bare skin. Yuri soaped up a washcloth and washed her body. Then she took the cloth from him and washed his. When they rinsed off, Yuri pulled her under the water again and kissed her.
She laughed as she wiped the excess water from her face then scooted out of the shower and grabbed a towel. After drying off, she got dressed.
Yuri watched her the whole time.
When she noticed, she frowned. “What are you looking at?”
Yuri smiled. “I’m looking at you. You are so beautiful.”
Raven blushed and ducked her head. “You’re crazy.”
Yuri wrapped his arms around her. “You are very beautiful and I am a lucky man.”
“I’m the lucky one,” she murmured. “For as long as we’re together, I’m the lucky one.”
“That was Nikoli on the phone this morning.”
She stilled then stared at him. “And what did he have to say?”
“He called Misha last night.” He had to tighten his hold on her to prevent her escape. “Please just listen to me before you react.”
“Why? Why would he do that before he spoke to me?”
“Nikoli knows the pain of missing a child. Misha is his friend,” Yuri explained.
Raven peeked up at him. “But what if that certificate is a lie? What if this Misha isn’t my father? Wouldn’t that be giving him false hope and breaking his heart unnecessarily? Besides, who’s to say I want to know this man?”
Yuri shrugged. “And what if the certificate is true? Misha deserves to know one way or the other. If you are his child, you have rights too.”
“But I don’t know this man and I’m not sure I want to know him. All my life, I’ve had no one to depend on. It’s only been me and Nicky and now, I don’t even have Nicky.”
“You’ll always have Nicky. He’s always going to be your brother.” Yuri reassured her. “You’ll have to take on Nikoli too. Now that he’s found you, he isn’t going to let you go.” He brought her closer. “And you’ve got me. I’m crazy about you. I’m never going to let you go.”
“So when is Misha coming?”
“He’ll be here tonight. But there’s more.”
“More?” She jerked away from him. “What’s the more?”
“Sergi was with Misha when he heard the news.”
“And who is this Sergi character?”
“Sergi is Misha’s father and probably your grandfather. He’s also the head of the Russian Bratva.”
Raven backed away from him slowly as her face went white. “The head of—of…”
He could see the panic in her eyes. Her whole body tensed and he could almost see the urge to run gaining momentum. He tried to wrap his arms around her again, but she turned and rushed toward the door. He grabbed her around the waist and held on while she struggled against his hold. “Please stop.” Yuri demanded.
“Let me go!” she yelled. “I have to get out of here.”
“No you don’t. You don’t have to go anywhere.”
“But you don’t understand.” She struggled against his hold.
“Then stay right here and talk to me,” Yuri urged. “Tell me what you’re so afraid of.”
Raven tried to calm down. When she pushed his arms away, he broke his hold and allowed her to move a step or two away from him. She went over to the bed and sat down on the edge. Pushing a strand of dark hair behind her ear, she glanced at him. “I probably don’t take change very well. Before I met you, I only had one other person in my life. We grew up quickly and I got quite good at self-preservation. I knew what I had to do and just did it. I also knew Nicky had my back. Then you came along and my life changed. My whole world was gone, Nicky wasn’t my brother anymore, and everything I knew and was comfortable with was gone. I found out the woman I called my mother was a murderer and a kidnapper.” She suddenly stood up.
Yuri watched her closely.
“Now you tell me that I might have a father and a grandfather out there and they both belong to the Bratva? I don’t know these men and I’m not sure I want to know them! It’s too much. I can’t even go home. I don’t know if there’s someone out there waiting for me with a gun. It’s just all too much.” She suddenly looked like she might pass out as she sat back down.
Yuri came toward her and knelt in front of where she sat. Cupping her chin, he raised her head and gazed at her. “I know you’re afraid and I’m telling you that you don’t have to be. I would never allow anyone to hurt you. Neither would Nikoli. Maybe he didn’t think this all the way through but he was concerned for his friend. He knew Misha cared about Joy and when she disappeared, it about killed him. He searched for her for three years before he finally went home. He couldn’t stay here anymore because everything reminded him of Joy. When he found the birth certificate, he wanted his friend to know there was a possibility he had a child. Misha was surprised in a good way. Sergi was there and he’s delighted by the news. If it turns out that you are Misha’s daughter that would be a good thing. You’ll have more family. A family you can call your own.”
“And if the certificate is a fake?” she asked. “Then what? He should have asked me what I wanted to do about this.”
Yuri nodded. “Perhaps, but it’s too late now.”
“Do I have to meet them?”
Yuri chuckled. “I think it would be a good idea. Not too many refuse to see Sergi.”
“But there’s no way to know without a blood test if they are my family. I think we should get the test done before I meet them. That way, we would know for sure, one way or the other.”
Yuri nodded. “I’m sure Sergi and Misha will insist on the test.”
“Good, then maybe we can wait for the big meeting until after the test.”
Yuri shook his head. “I don’t think that will work. But Nikoli and I will be there the whole time. You don’t have anything to fear.”
“So says you,” she mumbled under her breath.
“Come along, Nikoli and breakfast is waiting.” He held out his hand and when she took it, he pulled her out of the bedroom and into the living room where Nikoli and Nicky were waiting for them.