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He stole my keys and took off."
"Got ugly?" Santos' lips settled into a grim line. "Did he hit you?"
I shook my head. "No, it didn't get that far. It was an argument over selling the
house and the building. That's all."
He didn't look convinced. Dimitri brushed his lips against my temple before he
headed toward the kitchen to start coffee. He kept an eye on me as he worked and
reassured me he was right there if I needed him.
Detective Carson pulled his cell phone from his pocket and tapped at the screen. "Is
this your car?"
I moved closer and gasped. "What the hell happened to my car? Is that was it on
fire?"
Santos nodded. "It's lodged in an empty storefront ten blocks over, Benny. It's been
shot up and, yeah, it caught fire. It's a total loss."
His information stunned me. Johnny walked or ran ten blocks after being shot and
surviving that gnarly crash? "My brother was driving that car last night. Is he okay?"
"We don't know." Santos narrowed his gaze in suspicion. "You're sure you haven't
seen him?"
"No. You would have found me in the emergency room if he'd come to me." The
fact that I found it so easy to mix truth and lies made my stomach churn. What the hell
kind of person was I becoming? "Did you check the ERs around town? Is he in one of
them?"
Santos shook his head. "No one with his name or fitting his description came into
any emergency room in the city." He hesitated. "I checked the morgues, just in case. He's
not there either."
"Well where is he?" I didn't know the answer so it was an easy thing to ask.
Santos shrugged. "That's why I got you out of bed at six on a Sunday, Benny. I
figured if anyone knew where he was, it would be you."
I shook my head. "We aren't as close as we used to be, Santos."
Detective Carson turned to Dimitri. "And you, Mr. Stepanov? Do you know where
Juan Burkhart is?"
Dimitri didn't miss a beat. He finished rinsing out the cast iron pan from last night
and tugged the dish towel from his shoulder. "Johnny and I don't get along. I don't agree
with the kind of life he leads. He wouldn't come to me for help. You'll probably want to
ask some of the thugs and lowlifes he calls his crew."
"He's not the only one who has friends who are thugs and lowlifes," Santos
grumbled as he jotted something down in his notebook.
Dimitri heard the snotty remark. Holding Santos' gaze, he said, "I'm sure you meet
all kinds in your line of work, Detective."
Santos issued a short laugh and stuffed his notebook back into the pocket of his
jacket. "Benny, I don't have to tell you how serious this is. This shooting? It could tip off a
gang war. If you see Johnny, you've got to call me. He's not safe on the street."
"If he contacts me, I'll call you."
Santos stared at me. I could tell he didn't believe me. With a jerk of his head, he
indicated his partner should head for the door. Dimitri got there first and smiled at them
as he ushered them out of his place.
Pausing at the door, Santos extended one of his business cards to me. "You should be
getting a call about the car soon. There's going to be a lot of paperwork so brace yourself,
Benny. This isn't going to be a pleasant experience. Honestly, you probably need a
lawyer. That building owner is going to want to sue."
I groaned and took the card from him. Could this morning get any worse?
Santos and Dimitri exchanged a look. Finally, Santos said, "You're friends with Ivan
Markovic, so I know you're fully aware of the kind of shit these street gangs are willing to
pull to save face. You better keep a close eye on Benny."
"I don t need anyone to tell me how to protect the woman I love."
Santos left without another word and Dimitri shut the door. As soon as I was sure
the two detectives couldn't hear us, I hissed, "Did you know about my car?"
Dimitri rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced. "Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you can't fake surprise, Benny. The way you looked when that detective
showed you the picture? They know you're in the dark now."
"But I'm not totally in the dark, Dimitri." I exhaled raggedly and wiped at my face. "I
just lied to the police. The police! I'm going to go to jail!"
He clicked his teeth. "You're not going to jail. You don t know anything. You haven't
done anything. Hell, even Johnny didn't do anything truly criminal last night. He drove
his car into a building but he was also trying to escape a barrage of bullets. He wasn't
drinking. He probably wasn t doing drugs. And I know he wasn't carrying a weapon
because I confiscated his yesterday. At most, he could get charged with reckless driving."
"Then why can't we bring him in, Dimitri? You heard Santos. He can keep him safe."
"Where? In protective custody? If Johnny survives to testify at a trial, what then?"
"I don't know!" I threw up my hands and shouted at Dimitri. "I. Don't. Know!"
His expression softened and he embraced me. "Come here, baby. I'm sorry. I didn't
mean to upset you."
"It's not you. I just I don't know what to do. I always have a plan. Lately, I feel like
I'm screwing up everything. First, it was the business. Now, it's my brother."
"You didn't screw up the business. What's happened with the bakery is a
combination of factors beyond your control. Are there things you could have changed?
Maybe, but that's how you learn, Benny. We'll move the bakery and start over and you'll
apply these lessons to the new venture." He swept his fingertips down my cheek. "And
Johnny? He did this to himself. He's old enough to know right from wrong. Now he's
paying the consequences."
"It's not just Johnny I'm worried about, Dimitri. What about you? What about
Kostya? You two stuck your necks out last night. You helped Johnny because you love
me. What kind of girlfriend am I to drag the man I love into my brother's gangster
bullcrap?"
"Don't," Dimitri chided softly and traced my lips with his thumb. A teasing smile
curved his sexy mouth. "You're the best girlfriend in the whole world."
I chortled and rolled my eyes. "Be serious."
"I am."
"No, you're being silly."
"I thought we could use a little silliness. The mood in this room has grown way too
serious."
"There's a reason for that."
Cupping my face, he nuzzled our noses together. "Benny, everything I've done for
you, I'd gladly do all over again." Before I could protest that he'd done too much and
risked too much, he silenced me with one of those sensual kisses that made me a little
loopy with desire. "Now, we're going to take a shower and have breakfast. Then I'm
taking you home so you can get some clothes."
After being kissed like that, I couldn't think of a single reason to argue with him.
Inside the steamy confines of the shower, Dimitri used those skillful hands and that
sinfully talented mouth of his to make me forget all about the problems plaguing me. I
slipped back into my dress from the night before but didn't have any clean undies. Of
course, Dimitri loved the idea of me going without panties every day&
When we finished breakfast, I waited for Dimitri to grab his keys and wallet and
phone. In the rush to make out last night, I'd left my clutch in his truck. As we came
downstairs, I could hear the morning crew opening up the bakery for our short Sunday
hours. I fought the urge to duck in and greet them. By now, they would have heard the
news about Johnny. I didn't think I could face them right now.
Dimitri seemed to understand my hesitance so we took the long way around the
building, ducking around the back. As we rounded the corner to the parking lot, my steps
faltered at the sight of five Hermanos gang members loitering near a dark blue SUV.
Always strong and so courageous, Dimitri didn't even slow down. He interlaced his
fingers with mine and gave me one of those reassuring smiles that made everything
better.
"Hey, uh, Benny?" One of the tattooed guys stepped forward but didn't dare get any
closer. His nervous gaze jumped to Dimitri who smoothly moved just in front of me, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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He stole my keys and took off."
"Got ugly?" Santos' lips settled into a grim line. "Did he hit you?"
I shook my head. "No, it didn't get that far. It was an argument over selling the
house and the building. That's all."
He didn't look convinced. Dimitri brushed his lips against my temple before he
headed toward the kitchen to start coffee. He kept an eye on me as he worked and
reassured me he was right there if I needed him.
Detective Carson pulled his cell phone from his pocket and tapped at the screen. "Is
this your car?"
I moved closer and gasped. "What the hell happened to my car? Is that was it on
fire?"
Santos nodded. "It's lodged in an empty storefront ten blocks over, Benny. It's been
shot up and, yeah, it caught fire. It's a total loss."
His information stunned me. Johnny walked or ran ten blocks after being shot and
surviving that gnarly crash? "My brother was driving that car last night. Is he okay?"
"We don't know." Santos narrowed his gaze in suspicion. "You're sure you haven't
seen him?"
"No. You would have found me in the emergency room if he'd come to me." The
fact that I found it so easy to mix truth and lies made my stomach churn. What the hell
kind of person was I becoming? "Did you check the ERs around town? Is he in one of
them?"
Santos shook his head. "No one with his name or fitting his description came into
any emergency room in the city." He hesitated. "I checked the morgues, just in case. He's
not there either."
"Well where is he?" I didn't know the answer so it was an easy thing to ask.
Santos shrugged. "That's why I got you out of bed at six on a Sunday, Benny. I
figured if anyone knew where he was, it would be you."
I shook my head. "We aren't as close as we used to be, Santos."
Detective Carson turned to Dimitri. "And you, Mr. Stepanov? Do you know where
Juan Burkhart is?"
Dimitri didn't miss a beat. He finished rinsing out the cast iron pan from last night
and tugged the dish towel from his shoulder. "Johnny and I don't get along. I don't agree
with the kind of life he leads. He wouldn't come to me for help. You'll probably want to
ask some of the thugs and lowlifes he calls his crew."
"He's not the only one who has friends who are thugs and lowlifes," Santos
grumbled as he jotted something down in his notebook.
Dimitri heard the snotty remark. Holding Santos' gaze, he said, "I'm sure you meet
all kinds in your line of work, Detective."
Santos issued a short laugh and stuffed his notebook back into the pocket of his
jacket. "Benny, I don't have to tell you how serious this is. This shooting? It could tip off a
gang war. If you see Johnny, you've got to call me. He's not safe on the street."
"If he contacts me, I'll call you."
Santos stared at me. I could tell he didn't believe me. With a jerk of his head, he
indicated his partner should head for the door. Dimitri got there first and smiled at them
as he ushered them out of his place.
Pausing at the door, Santos extended one of his business cards to me. "You should be
getting a call about the car soon. There's going to be a lot of paperwork so brace yourself,
Benny. This isn't going to be a pleasant experience. Honestly, you probably need a
lawyer. That building owner is going to want to sue."
I groaned and took the card from him. Could this morning get any worse?
Santos and Dimitri exchanged a look. Finally, Santos said, "You're friends with Ivan
Markovic, so I know you're fully aware of the kind of shit these street gangs are willing to
pull to save face. You better keep a close eye on Benny."
"I don t need anyone to tell me how to protect the woman I love."
Santos left without another word and Dimitri shut the door. As soon as I was sure
the two detectives couldn't hear us, I hissed, "Did you know about my car?"
Dimitri rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced. "Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you can't fake surprise, Benny. The way you looked when that detective
showed you the picture? They know you're in the dark now."
"But I'm not totally in the dark, Dimitri." I exhaled raggedly and wiped at my face. "I
just lied to the police. The police! I'm going to go to jail!"
He clicked his teeth. "You're not going to jail. You don t know anything. You haven't
done anything. Hell, even Johnny didn't do anything truly criminal last night. He drove
his car into a building but he was also trying to escape a barrage of bullets. He wasn't
drinking. He probably wasn t doing drugs. And I know he wasn't carrying a weapon
because I confiscated his yesterday. At most, he could get charged with reckless driving."
"Then why can't we bring him in, Dimitri? You heard Santos. He can keep him safe."
"Where? In protective custody? If Johnny survives to testify at a trial, what then?"
"I don't know!" I threw up my hands and shouted at Dimitri. "I. Don't. Know!"
His expression softened and he embraced me. "Come here, baby. I'm sorry. I didn't
mean to upset you."
"It's not you. I just I don't know what to do. I always have a plan. Lately, I feel like
I'm screwing up everything. First, it was the business. Now, it's my brother."
"You didn't screw up the business. What's happened with the bakery is a
combination of factors beyond your control. Are there things you could have changed?
Maybe, but that's how you learn, Benny. We'll move the bakery and start over and you'll
apply these lessons to the new venture." He swept his fingertips down my cheek. "And
Johnny? He did this to himself. He's old enough to know right from wrong. Now he's
paying the consequences."
"It's not just Johnny I'm worried about, Dimitri. What about you? What about
Kostya? You two stuck your necks out last night. You helped Johnny because you love
me. What kind of girlfriend am I to drag the man I love into my brother's gangster
bullcrap?"
"Don't," Dimitri chided softly and traced my lips with his thumb. A teasing smile
curved his sexy mouth. "You're the best girlfriend in the whole world."
I chortled and rolled my eyes. "Be serious."
"I am."
"No, you're being silly."
"I thought we could use a little silliness. The mood in this room has grown way too
serious."
"There's a reason for that."
Cupping my face, he nuzzled our noses together. "Benny, everything I've done for
you, I'd gladly do all over again." Before I could protest that he'd done too much and
risked too much, he silenced me with one of those sensual kisses that made me a little
loopy with desire. "Now, we're going to take a shower and have breakfast. Then I'm
taking you home so you can get some clothes."
After being kissed like that, I couldn't think of a single reason to argue with him.
Inside the steamy confines of the shower, Dimitri used those skillful hands and that
sinfully talented mouth of his to make me forget all about the problems plaguing me. I
slipped back into my dress from the night before but didn't have any clean undies. Of
course, Dimitri loved the idea of me going without panties every day&
When we finished breakfast, I waited for Dimitri to grab his keys and wallet and
phone. In the rush to make out last night, I'd left my clutch in his truck. As we came
downstairs, I could hear the morning crew opening up the bakery for our short Sunday
hours. I fought the urge to duck in and greet them. By now, they would have heard the
news about Johnny. I didn't think I could face them right now.
Dimitri seemed to understand my hesitance so we took the long way around the
building, ducking around the back. As we rounded the corner to the parking lot, my steps
faltered at the sight of five Hermanos gang members loitering near a dark blue SUV.
Always strong and so courageous, Dimitri didn't even slow down. He interlaced his
fingers with mine and gave me one of those reassuring smiles that made everything
better.
"Hey, uh, Benny?" One of the tattooed guys stepped forward but didn't dare get any
closer. His nervous gaze jumped to Dimitri who smoothly moved just in front of me, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]