Fixing Broken Hearts Read online

  She slowly began to realize that with Viktor, everything was always so easy. He was extremely dominant. Because she wanted to be with him, she had been forced to accept that about him. Days like this, she genuinely appreciated that aspect of his personality. Where some men would have expected their women to spend the day performing backbreaking labor, Viktor demonstrated that he was loving, kind, and generous by just arranging to get it done by professionals.

  No sooner had they gotten the little one down, he was pulling off her clothing for a long, hot both. He literally gave her no reason to be anything other than extremely, deliriously happy with him. Her rough and tumble lover worked hard all day, played hard all night, and seemed forever enthralled with his new chew toy. He was one devilishly handsome man who genuinely knew how to please a woman, in bed and out.

  She could still remember the night he ripped through her virginity. It was a night of wild, unbridled passion. She definitely woke up the next morning feeling like a woman. He had started out tender and loving, then slowly worked them up to a kind of animal passion she never imagined herself capable of enjoying, much less craving. She was so hot for him, it was unreal. That had not changed in all the months they had been together.

  Falling asleep in his arms after a passionate bout of lovemaking literally made her day.

  ***

  Sagrin stayed in the posh hotel room with Viktorija their first night in New York while they went to the formal dining room for a relaxing meal. Viktor consoled her with a tired smile. “Jet lag always hits the smallest ones the hardest. She will be bouncing around again in the morning, I guarantee it.”

  Yawing, Cassandra nodded. He leaned his head into his gigantic hand. Leaning over with his elbow propped on the table, he looked ten kinds of adorable in his nice dark designer suit. The watch she bought him was gleaming in the soft candlelight. The lopsided smile on his face was an interesting counterpoint to the slight scar marking his right temple.

  “I’m loving the sexy smile, big guy. Want to tell me what’s up?”

  His other hand came out, gesturing to a waiter. Cassandra smiled at his lazy mood. Clearly, it was time for dessert, or perhaps more wine. Either would be a pleasant ending to a perfect dinner with her favorite man in the entire world.

  Turning to the waiter, she found a tiny boy sitting alone on a tray. Trying not to jump for joy, she knew it was a ring box. Reaching out, she snatched it away, placing it on the table in front of her. Wiggling her nicely manicured nails like ten little worms, she tried to decide where on the gorgeous bow to start plucking.

  Viktor’s deep, rich laughter filled the space between them. “Go ahead and open it, my sweet. See if I know you as well as you know me.”

  Sliding the bow off, she cracked the box open. Inside was the perfect ring. A giant diamond with alternating emeralds and sapphires running down each side. “It’s beautiful, Viktor.”

  Reaching over, he plucked it from the box and slid it onto her finger. “I chose the secondary gemstones because they are Viktorija and my birthstones. Now you will carry a small reminder of us with you always.”

  “I can’t wait to show it off to your mother…and my mother…and…everyone.”

  Viktor’s response was cut short by his phone ringing. It was the ringtone of doom. Not really, but Viktor had programed a his phone with a certain ringtone that she had unconsciously linked to life threatening emergencies. The man had actually pulled out and crawled off of her to answer that particular ringtone before. He was always discrete in answering and it always meant trouble.

  He turned to take the call. By this point, Cassandra was well versed in Russian, and tensed when she heard Ivan’s name mentioned. Viktor gave quick and decisive directions to get his little one to safety. God, they were leaving the hotel already?

  He came quickly to his feet. “We need to make our way to the heliport on the roof immediately. Demetrius will see that Sagrin and Viktorija meet us there.”

  Jumping to her feet, she slipped her hand into his. The moment they turned, she saw him. Ivan was moving slowly through the crowded room towards them, and fanned out every few feet were men in dark suits moving in formation. Cassandra wasn’t fooled by the fact that they seemed to be moving casually and smiling at the other guests.

  Stopping in front of their table, he murmured quietly, “Sit, we will talk like civilized men.”

  “We’d be short a man for that,” Cassandra muttered.

  Viktor gave her hand a small squeeze and they both melted back into their seats across the table from one another. Ivan sat down with his hand in his jacket. Viktor reached for the pocket he kept his phone in but Ivan stopped him with a warning. “Keep your hands were I can see them, Viktor.” Pulling back his dinner jacket for a brief second, Cassandra caught sight of cold blue steel. It was semi-automatic.

  Viktor motioned to a waiter. “Bring coffee, please.”

  “Are you always so polite and gentlemanly?” The snide overlay in his tone told her Ivan didn’t see much benefit to everyday politeness. A thousand nasty retorts floated through her mind, each fighting for space on her tongue. Don’t antagonize the crazy trigger-happy gangster who’s been threatening to kill you months, Cassie. It was good advice, and damned hard to follow at the moment. Clenching her mouth shut, she picked up a large white napkin and began twisting it in her hands.

  “Aww, don’t be frightened, my dear. I have no intention of killing you while you’re sitting there in your pretty velvet gown.” Waving his hand, he asked casually, “What do they call that color? It is odd.”

  “I believe it’s called ecru.”

  “It looks lovely against your smooth brown skin.”

  “Says the guy who’s been sending me death threats.”

  Glancing around, a smirk slipped onto the man’s face. “Those were more for Viktor’s benefit than yours.”

  “Do not speak to her,” Viktor gritted out

  More smirking from Ivan lit a white hot fury in Cassandra’s gut. The crazy idiot was using her to get at the man she loved and that just wouldn’t do. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Glancing over, she saw Tony sitting on a barstool, back against the bar, with his arms spread wide. He had a toothpick in his mouth, chewing it nervously. The waiters were passing flyers out to the diners. They were thinning out at a leisurely pace, laughing and joking as they paid their checks. The waiter who brought their coffee slid a flyer on the table. It was an elegant reminder that the hotel was hosting fireworks over the Hudson River, which was viewable from the back promenade.

  Viktor replied smoothly, “I’m afraid I have business to attend to and therefore no time for such amusements. Perhaps my fiancée would like to—”

  Ivan interrupted Viktor’s attempt to send her away. “No. She will stay, for our business concerns her as well.”

  “Very well, sir. Would you like some biscotti to go with your coffee?”

  “No. Leave us in peace.”

  Interesting words for a killer to use. Cassandra spread out her napkin, smoothing out the wrinkles.

  Ivan’s cruel voice sounded low and hateful. “So you like to keep your pretty hands busy, do you. I will remember this for when we are alone.”

  “Ivan, you are here for a reason. Speak or leave, but leave my fiancée alone. She had no part in whatever grievance you have with me.”

  Gathering the starched cloth up again, Cassandra wadded it up and twisted it some more. Playing the nervous female didn’t sit well with her but she there was method to her madness.

  “Timur has seen the light, my friend. Why should those of us in America pay homage in the form of money we’ve shed our blood to acquire to the gray-haired Vory? Your father has had his day.”

  “I agree. Now that I am here, the East Coast operation will belong to me.”

  “I am not sure your family’s new business model is the way of the future. It leaves too much money on the table.”

  As the men talked, Cassandra kept her eye on the room
, most of which was behind Ivan’s back. She didn’t much care for what she was seeing. The huge blinds were being drawn by the servers, who then seemed to vanish. The bartender left. A couple of Ivan’s men left the room and didn’t return. She calmed somewhat as her family’s thugs began to meander in. One walked behind the bar, put on an apron, and began serving shots.

  Though she felt like rolling her eyes, she didn’t dare since Ivan still had his weapon trained on Viktor. Finally, Demetrius wandered into the room and sat beside Tony. He wouldn’t have come unless Viktorija was totally safe somewhere.

  She slid the napkin down into her lap and kept wringing at it.

  “You are annoying me with that napkin. You’re going to rip it to shreds if you keep going at it like that.”

  Careful not look up at him, she mumbled submissively, “You’re making me nervous with your hand in your jacket. Can’t we just talk like normal people.”

  Leaning over towards her, he stated firmly, “No, now cut it the hell out.”

  Viktor’s eyes turned curious as he gazed her. A hint of a smile was gone so fast Cassandra thought she may have imagined it. Twisting his head back to Ivan, he spoke. “Can you get your head back on business instead of the bitches?”

  Ivan frowned. “The bottom line is your business model leaves too many opportunities unexploited.”

  “Keeping the focus on lucrative white collar type jobs makes sense. If you want to get dirty moving drugs and pimping prostitutes, fine. I refuse because that kind of crime draws too much of the wrong kind of attention.”

  “All money is green. You don’t need a college degree to work that shit out.”

  “It is not about making the most money. Forgoing high-risk crimes is a risk management decision. Would you risk a multi-million dollar electronic phishing scheme over a fifty dollar a trick prostitute?”

  “You’re too stubborn for your own good, Viktor. It does not matter because you are also obsolete to the East Coast operation.”

  “That is where you are wrong. I am the East Coast operation.”

  “You never had a chance and were too stupid to know I have already compromised your operation.”

  Viktor answered him in English with a thick accent, revealing that his emotions were heightened. “You are overreaching, I think. Beware that you do not make a decision at this table you cannot take back.”

  Having heard the conversation in the restaurant dying down to nothing, Ivan felt brave enough to lay his weapon down on the table in front of him before leaning towards Viktor. “Always so dark and cryptic, aren’t you? The difference between me and your little female is I’m not all infatuated with you or impressed with all your bullshit. Know this, Viktor, I just took over your operation, turned or killed your most loyal, and tonight I’m going to kill you. Then I’m going to fuck your pretty little girlfriend into the next century.”

  Grandstanding men in pissing matches with each other just might be her least favorite thing in the entire world. No, ignorant mobsters screwing with her family and threatening to kill her fiancé was definitely her least favorite.

  When Ivan reached for his gun, there was a light pinging noise. The man looked down to see the front of his shirt staining with blood.

  Viktor looked down at Cassandra. She could see the shock registering on his face. He watched her slide the tiny 9mm gun back from underneath the napkin and slide it into the holster on her thigh. Moving her dress back to cover the small bulge, she dropped the napkin over Ivan’s gun.

  Viktor placed his hand over hers and pulled the bulge from the table, depositing it into his jacket.

  Tony’s sarcastic voice sounded from nearby. “Well, ain’t that just the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. It’s almost like you two don’t even need me.”

  Tossing her brother a glare, she watched a couple of men come forward and wander off with the groaning Ivan.

  Dusting off the chair, Tony flipped it around and dropped down into it. Leaning on the back, he took a sip of his whisky sour. “So you leave a virgin and come back a stone cold killer.”

  “Go to hell, Tony. You have no idea what we’ve been through. Besides, he’s not actually dead.”

  Choking on his drink, Tony pointed at her with his glass. “Please tell me the woman does not think we’re rushing that dude to the hospital or anything crazy.”

  “That would not be prudent under the circumstances. Demetrius…”

  “I’m on it boss.” Making for the door, their stocky bodyguard didn’t even look back.

  Cassandra looked up at him and said, “Sorry about that.”

  Viktor reached for one of her hands and pulled it to his lips, dropping a gentle kiss on her knuckles. “You saved my life. Thank you, princess. I am proud to have you watching my back. I hope you do not feel devastated by what you were forced to do tonight.”

  “Yeah, well, I never really liked him anyway.”

  Viktor snorted a laugh. “He was not going to survive coming here tonight in any event. He is the worst sort of criminal and the world is better off without him. That you were the one to take him down seems like poetic justice to me.”

  “I had an advantage. No one really thinks of someone like me as being dangerous.”

  He turned his head slightly to one side and stated, “In your case, they would be very much mistaken. You’re a strong woman.”

  Tony lifted his glass to be refilled. “You two are all kinds of cute, but we’ve got a limo outside. Best head for the fortress until we sort this mess out.”

  “Fortress?”

  “Our parents’ place. It’s about as secure as Fort Knox.”

  “I will go if you think it is safe.”

  Nodding, she said. “I think Tony already sent Viktorija there.”

  Chapter 21

  Wedding Bells

  ~ Viktor ~

  Viktor spent the better part of the next three months earning the privilege of standing at the altar with the woman of his dreams. Sorting out his family business was turning out to be more complex than he had anticipated. The Russian in charge of their East Coast operation had fled, but Viktor had rounded up most of the others.

  Tony grumbled, drawing him from his thoughts. “What’s with women? They take for freaking ever to do everything.”

  Viktor frowned at the foolish man. “You would begrudge a woman a few extra moments on her wedding day?”

  “I’d begrudge them the entire fucking wedding if I didn’t think my stepmom would beat me in my sleep.”

  Demetrius, who was standing between them, hissed a word of warning. “Quiet, even the walls have ears.”

  “Dude, we’re out-freaking-side.”

  Viktor whispered, “Demetrius is correct. Lower you voice. We are drawing unnecessary notice.” For some reason, he couldn’t get the image of Tony’s petit stepmother sneaking into his room with a big stick out of his mind. He didn’t doubt she would resort to that if it meant keeping her daughter’s wedding day progressing smoothly.

  Tony’s irritated voice sounded yet again. “Jesus, you two are supposed to be fucking mobsters, not choir boys.”

  The music began and Viktor looked back to see his beautiful bride walking towards him on her father’s arm. The man was doing his best not to glare, but doing a poor job of it. Cassandra looked absolutely stunning in a gown that hugged every curve and drooped off each lovely brown shoulder. The bottom was full and swayed seductively when she walked. He could see her smiling face beneath the filmy white veil and it hit him square in the heart.

  When they stopped in front of him, Viktor couldn’t believe he practically had to peel her out of her father’s grasp. Tony was right about him outliving his usefulness. Carefully pulling his little love forward and draping her arm through his, Viktor gave her father one swift jerk of his chin before turning his back on the man. It was a bold move, considering the older man was actively looking for a good place to stick a knife these days. Today was not the day to nurse old wounds between the older mobster a
nd himself. This was Cassandra’s day and he’d do everything within his power to make it special for her.

  They flew through their vows and Viktor couldn’t keep the smile off his face when it came time to exchange rings. Some might thing it was the kissing of the bride that he looked forward to, but they’d be very mistaken. It was the finality of knowing they were married that sent a thrill snaking through his gut. Lifting the veil and claiming his first kiss as her husband was much more satisfying than he’d though possible.

  Having bird seed thrown all around him must be some bizarre American custom that had escaped his notice. Most of the remaining ceremony he recognized from attending American weddings in the past and from watching romantic comedies. Their respective parents beaming from the sidelines was heartwarming. Even Mr. Nash giving him the evil eye on the sly when they walked by wasn’t enough to spoil Victor’s good mood.