“You need to get here as soon as possible!” he yelled, which was totally unlike his usual calm demeanor.

  “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “I heard shots in the distance and went to investigate. Your house looks like a shooting gallery.”

  His answer floored the fuck out of me. Who the hell would be so damn brazen? “And Walker?”

  “So far, no one has found the playhouse,” he answered, his heavy breathing indicating he’d been running. “But there had to be a half dozen of the fuckers from the looks of it.”

  “Then get her out the hell out of there.”

  “Where the fuck am I supposed to go? I can’t tell if the assholes are still here.”

  “Get to the park.”

  “You’re serious?” he asked, taking gasping breaks. He was definitely outside by the noise in the background.

  I’d used a certain park on two occasions. One for a drop-off. The second for a particularly nasty elimination. “Do as I say. I’ll meet you there in twenty minutes.”

  “Okay, boss. Whatever you say.”

  His hesitation was voiced in his tone, another aspect that angered me. However, at this point, I wasn’t going to make any rash judgments. One thing remained very clear in my mind.

  Not only had I been compromised but whoever was responsible had been given help.

  Now, all I could concentrate on was getting Walker to safety. Whether or not she was the intended mark, or if I was didn’t matter at this point. Our lives were intertwined by circumstances if nothing else.

  Yet the term of ‘subterfuge’ continued to rattle my mind.

  So did other thoughts, the adoration I felt for her agonizing.

  As I sped down the road, my anger only continued to increase exponentially. I would hunt down the fuckers involved, and they would pay dearly. I floored the accelerator, ignoring the speed limit, racing around curves. Everything in the back of my mind told me that if I didn’t get to her quickly, she would be dead.

  That wasn’t going to happen.

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

  The park in question was rarely used, especially this time of year. Brick knew exactly where to go. As I swung into the location, slowing in order to scan the perimeter, my nerves remained on edge. Seconds later, I noticed his SUV, Brick standing by the driver’s door. He seemed antsy, shifting from foot to foot as he continually scanned the area. His behavior only intensified my concern. Was it possible the man I was supposed to trust with my life had sold me out?

  I rolled beside his vehicle, stopping short and immediately jumping out. Brick offered a single nod, but I could tell he had something on his mind.

  “Were you followed?” I snarled, pressing my hand on the glass as I stole a look inside, realizing I was breathing a sigh of relief just seeing the fact she was still alive. As I yanked my weapon into my hand, I checked and snapped the ammunition clip in place. I had enough bullets to take out whoever was necessary.

  “Not that I could tell but I heard a few additional shots as I was getting the hell out of there. I called for reinforcements,” Brick stated, giving me a curious look.

  “Good. Hunt the bastards down.”

  He nodded, shifting his gaze toward the passenger side of his SUV. “She didn’t fight me, but she’s scared.”

  “That I can understand. Walk me through what happened,” I demanded.

  “I have no fucking idea. I heard gunshots and when I reached the house, the front door was still open. All I had to do was walk in. Thousands of rounds were used. It was crazy,” he breathed as he raked his hand through his hair. “What the hell is going on?”

  “I think whoever is playing games is about to make an appearance. Anything else disturbed?”

  He snorted. “Not that I could tell. I admit it to you, Maksim. I got the hell out of the place pretty fast.”

  Exhaling, I shifted my attention to the interior of the SUV. “Was she hurt?”

  “No. She’s fine. Asked a lot of questions though. What are you going to do?”

  “Locate a secure place to take her.”

  “Do you want me to find you one, boss?” he asked. Why did I feel like his question had a far too eager tone?

  “No. I’ll figure something out. What I need you to do is get with the other men. I need quick and detailed information on who the fuckers were. Gun them down but not without extracting information. Do you understand me?”

  When he shot Walker a look through the glass, I was forced to yank back my still increasing rage. “Sure. I’ll have the guys search all the usual spots.”

  “It’s possible they’re going to make another significant hit, Brick. Cover all the casinos, the warehouses and put our corporate clients on notice but do it carefully. Whatever happens, I want information by tonight. Do you hear me?”

  He could tell by my tone that I refused to accept anything less. “Yes, boss. You’ll have something.” When he started to walk away, I moved in front of him.

  “Brick. You and I are going to have a chat about what I expect out of my closest men.”

  Exhaling, he nodded only once, realizing now wasn’t the best time for him to be arguing with me.

  I narrowed my eyes, studying him for a few seconds before moving around to the passenger seat. When I opened the door, Walker seemed shocked I was standing in front of her.

  “Are you alright?” I asked as I gathered her into my arms.

  She threw her eyes in Brick’s direction, doing her best to shove me away. “I’m fine. What the hell is going on? I heard gunfire. I thought… Anyway, what is happening?”

  At least my Capo had allowed her to dress. “We need to leave. I’ll explain later.”

  “Why?”

  “As I said, we’ll talk later. Let’s go.” As I pulled her by the hand, leading her away from the SUV, the goosebumps raised on the back of my neck. I’d always been damn good at knowing when an attack was going to occur and right now, I had no doubt my location had been compromised. In my mind, there were two ways that could have happened. One was being followed. Two was Brick.

  While I loathed what I was thinking, I couldn’t ignore anything, including my instincts.

  “Listen to me. Get in my car and get as far onto the floor as possible. Do you understand?” I dragged her away from the SUV, moving toward my car as I continually scanned the area.

  “Now you’re scaring me.”

  “Good. You need to be scared.” After opening the passenger door, I heard a series of sounds.

  “We have incoming,” Brick snarked.

  I shoved her inside, slamming the door then moving to the end of the car, crouching down on the ground, my weapon in both hands.

  Within five seconds, two vehicles came roaring down the gravel path.

  Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

  As the gunfire peppered in our direction, I got off several shots before racing toward the other side of my Mercedes.

  Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping.

  At least three bullets slammed into the area just behind the driver’s door. Goddamn it. I shifted, emptying the entire clip, cutting down the first asshole who’d exited the huge black truck before peppering enough gunfire both windshields were shattered. As one of the drivers slumped over the steering wheel, I reached for another round of ammunition, snapping it in place, prepared to fire again.

  Pop! Pop! Pop!

  The assholes refused to stop.

  “What the fuck?” Brick yelled, dropping and rolling before getting off several shots.

  “Get the fuck out of here,” I yelled before jumping onto the driver’s seat. The fuckers likely thought they had us boxed in, but I knew the park like the back of my hand. I’d been here hundreds of times, the peaceful location providing tranquility when nothing and no one else had been able to do so.

  Out of the rearview mirror I was able to see that Brick had followed my orders, still able to get off several shots before following behind me. I slammed my foot down on the accelerator, the rear fishtailing as I shot off through the trees, able to find the second exit within seconds.

  I took a quick glance at Walker as she hunkered on the floor, her breathing ragged but she was a hell of lot calmer than I would have expected.

  “We’ll get out of this,” I snarled.

  “Then what?”

  “Then we go somewhere safe.”

  “There’s nowhere safe around you.”

  Walker

  Fear and confusion.

  That’s exactly what I was feeling, uncertain of what the hell was going on. My captor had been shot at, almost killed? A powerful mafia man? Nothing really made any sense and it hadn’t since I’d opened my door, finding a body inside.

  I leaned against the door of Maksim’s incredibly expensive car, shivering even though the heat was on full blast. He’d said almost nothing since we’d left, driving north for over an hour. I’d grown weary of asking him any questions, realizing that he was going to tell me nothing until we’d reached our destination.

  However, he continued to glance into the rearview mirror every few minutes, taking side roads whenever he had the chance.

  When I noticed a sign, I almost laughed. I’d heard of the place, a little vacation spot a lot of the nurses had gone to.

  Union Pier. From what I could tell, the small town was settled with hundreds of pretty little cottages nestled against Lake Michigan. His choice was curious, but if I had to venture a guess, I’d say he was disturbed as hell at what had happened less than two hours before.

  He finally pulled into a small driveway, immediately heading for the little garage located behind the bungalow, slowing down and shoving the gear into park and grabbing a set of keys from the glove compartment. “Stay right here, Walker. I mean it.”

  I had no energy to run from him at this point.

  After climbing out, he shoved one of the keys into a lock, scanning the area before opening the garage door. Returning, he wasted no time in moving the car inside.

  “Stay close to me until we get inside,” he growled, quickly exiting and opening the trunk. Then he moved to my side. When he opened my door, I noticed he had his weapon in one hand, keeping it low but his hold was firm. In his other he held one of my little suitcases. What the hell had he taken from my room?

  “What did you bring?” I asked.

  “Things I’d thought you’d want, Walker. Just stay quiet right now.”

  He lowered the garage door, locking it then ushering me toward the back porch, sliding another key into the lock. As soon as we were inside, he pressed his index finger across his lips, shaking his head. He dropped the suitcase beside me, now holding his weapon in both hands.

  He didn’t need to tell me to stay exactly where I was until he checked the premises. Only two minutes later he returned, taking a deep breath.

  “We should be safe for now.”

  Safe.

  He’d used the word enough times I knew he meant from whoever the assholes were who’d been shooting at us. Someone was waging a war with his great empire.

  I stood exactly where I was, shivering from the air temperature as well as what the hell was going on. This was crazy, just another layer to the nightmare.

  “Will you tell me what’s going on now?”

  “Why don’t I start a fire first? The kitchen is through there. See what you can find as far as provisions.”

  “Provisions?”

  He didn’t bother answering me, moving toward the stone fireplace and grabbing wood that was already positioned on the hearth. I stood watching him for a full minute before willing my feet to follow his orders. As I turned on the light in the small kitchen, I realized that this was indeed a vacation home for someone. I had to admit, it seemed like a strange choice for a man like Maksim.

  I rubbed my hands before blowing on them, finally curious as to what I’d find. After opening several cabinets, I realized that the place had been well stocked, but mostly with cans and other food items that wouldn’t go bad. I hated to admit that I was glad to see several bottles of wine. At this point, I could use a drink.

  At least we could find something to eat, even though I wasn’t in the least bit hungry. However, I did grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator, moving quietly into the living room, studying Maksim as he sat on the hearth, staring at the fire. I wasn’t certain why I gave a damn that he was troubled, but I did. Still, I knew if I engaged in a conversation, he’d grill me again, determined that I was hiding juicy details from him when he was the one keeping ugly secrets.

  I moved away, heading down the short hallway, finding two rooms and a single bathroom. When I walked into what appeared to be a master bedroom, I couldn’t keep myself from snooping. There were feminine touches everywhere, which continued to add to my curiosity. I also noticed a single picture on the nightstand and nowhere else. After glancing over my shoulder, I moved closer, gingerly picking it up in my hand.

  The photograph couldn’t have been taken that long ago, the older couple standing behind a young girl on a swing. They had to be her grandparents. The find only added a layer of perplexity to the entire situation.

  Seconds later, I felt his presence, the bolts of electricity shooting through me creating a wave of vibrations. I put the picture back in its place before turning around, unable to read the expression on his face.

  He glanced all the way down the length of my legs, the look of hunger from before returning, but there was more—an unreadable emotion.

  “I didn’t mean to snoop. I just…” I had no idea what the hell I wanted to say.

  “Friends of mine own this place. They mostly use it in the summer months. This will be an efficient and safe location to stay for a couple of days until I figure out my next steps. However, keep in mind that you are never to leave this house under any circumstances unless I’m by your side. I don’t want to be forced to tell you this more than once.”

  With that, he disappeared. No other explanation and no admonishing words for looking at the picture.

  He had to know I’d trail after him, refusing to allow him to get away with telling me nothing. Before I headed out of the hallway, I glanced into the second bedroom. A kid’s room. Pink adorned the walls, the furniture meant for a toddler. There was even a rocking chair in the corner. “Talk to me, Maksim. Who was shooting at us? Why do we need to stay here? Don’t you have an army of men who can protect you?”

  After giving me another hard look, he walked into the kitchen.

  What the hell was he doing? I followed him, folding my arms as he grabbed a bottle of some liquor from one of the bottom cabinets. He’d certainly been here before. He had keys, for God’s sake.

  “Maksim. Please.”

  “What is your full name, Walker?”

  “What?” The question confused me.

  He shot me a look over his shoulder, lifting a single eyebrow. “Your full name. Walker is an unusual name for a woman.”

  Christ, the man was infuriating. “That’s my middle name. My mother had a favorite author or something. My first name is Rafaella, but I haven’t gone by that since I was a child. Why does it matter?”

  “Everything matters at this point. Would you like a drink?”

  Laughing, I walked further into the room, shaking my head as I tried to figure out what to say to him. “Why the hell not? I’m cooped up with a brutal killer in an adorable little cabin on the lake. Why not have a drink with him like we’re buddies.”

  “We’ll never be buddies, as you told me before.” He pulled down a rocks glass and a crystal stem, finding a wine opener without having to search.

  I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off him as he opened the wine, taking his time to pour just the right amount.

  “Let me see if I can figure you out,” I said quietly. “You were on your way to becoming a doctor but decided that a savage lifestyle better suited you, so you dropped out. Still, it’s obvious you’re well educated and not just with regard to whatever time you spent in college. You speak fluent Russian but you’re American through and through. You know how to open a bottle of wine and you have what appears to be very nice normal people who allow you to have a set of keys to their place. You dress nicely, not like some thug, and your decorating style is comfortable and serene. Who the hell are you really, Maksim?”

  He finally lifted his head, bringing both glasses closer. When he handed me the stem, he made certain our fingers didn’t touch, but dear God, his eyes penetrated every inch of darkness I had inside, filling me with the kind of energy and desire that didn’t make any sense.

  “I didn’t drop out of Harvard, Walker. I changed majors from medicine to business. And yes, that pissed off my mother and father, the man I barely knew basically disowning me. My mother escaped the brutality of Russia, falling in love with my father when she was in college. That’s why I speak fluent Russian, although I also know several other languages. I appreciate the finer things in life, including excellent wines and good food. Yes, I have friends that have nothing to do with my lifestyle, including the couple who own this location. Is there anything else you would like to know at this point?”

  “I feel like I should say I’m sorry, but I can’t. You’re just a man who threatened and kidnapped me.” His credentials were impressive, which added to the confusion about why he’d sacrificed his life to become a criminal.

  A wry smile curled across his lip as he inched closer. “Is that really all I am to you?”

  I took a purposeful step away, still struggling to find the right words. “Who were the men chasing us?”

  “The truth is, I’m not certain, but I think it has everything to do with you.”

  “There you go again. I’m nothing but a nurse trying to better herself.”

  “We need to talk, Rafaella. Let’s go by the fire.”

  “Don’t call me that. I don’t like the name.”

  “The name suits you much better. It’s beautiful, just like the woman.”

  While there was more emotion in his voice than I was used to, I still shuddered from the uncertainty of what I was facing. Maybe he’d taken me up here to dump my body in the lake where no one would find me after the long winter.