Read Online Russian Mobster's Obsession by Bella Rose - Free Book Online
Authors: Bella Rose
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hear the other men behind him, calling for their comrade and blundering about in the dark. Viktor headed in the direction of the hospital. He could at least check there, even though it would be unwise to stir up curiosity.
The alley grew brighter as he approached the emergency entrance of the downtown hospital. Viktor slowed his gait to a rolling walk and strode through the automatic doors as though he belonged there, despite the filth coating the knees of his jeans and the front of his T-shirt.
“Sir?” The receptionist gave him a dubious once-over. “Can I help you?”
“Yes, thank you.” Viktor offered her a warm smile, trying to put her at ease and having mild success if her return smile was anything to go by. “Did you happen to be on duty last night?”
“Yes.” Her entire demeanor became guarded. “Why?”
Viktor had a sneaking suspicion that the gentleman he’d just encountered in the alley had been here a short time ago. “Were there other men in here asking you that question tonight?”
“Maybe.” She looked ready to call security on him.
Viktor pursed his lips. “I’m going to guess that they were asking after a group of women.” Viktor held up his hand. “Please give me a moment to explain?”
As he had hoped, his earnest expression and honesty had earned him some points with the receptionist. The hand that had been hovering over her phone relaxed to the countertop. She inhaled deeply. “Go on.”
“Let’s just say that I don’t want to know anything about where a group of women were taken, or where they went, or whatever,” Viktor told her cryptically. “Let’s just say that I was in a position to be in a lot of trouble if someone discovered that I knew anything about them at all.”
The receptionist’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Then she bit her lip. “So perhaps you were just wondering if a group of women made it to this hospital at all?”
“Exactly.”
The receptionist offered him a tentative smile. “Yes, sir. They’re going to be just fine.”
Viktor couldn’t have stopped the broad smile that crossed his face had he wanted to. The relief he felt was immense, though he hadn’t even realized how worried he had been. “Thank you, ma’am. I cannot express how much better that makes me feel.”
She reached up over the counter and patted his hand. “I’m glad to hear that actually. Very glad. And I never saw you here tonight, or any other time. And I don’t know anything about you.”
“Thank you.” Viktor had never before been so pleasantly surprised by the goodness of humanity.
Chapter Nine
Katie glared at Sasha as she sat on a leather couch in a well-appointed study. She could only assume that this was Karkoff’s home. It was a little odd to think of a mafia boss living deep in one of the city’s oldest and most prestigious neighborhoods, but the man most certainly had the money for such a place. The furnishings were expensive. The rooms she had seen as her captor had carried her through the house were packed with beautiful antiques and modern conveniences all rolled into one.
“I cannot understand what Viktor sees in you,” Sasha commented with derisive amusement. He was staring at Katie as though she were on display in a museum. “You’re ill tempered, have a mediocre body, and your personality is like acid.”
She snorted. “Did you ever consider the idea that I don’t give a shit if you like me? Maybe I’m not like this with Viktor. What a concept!” She didn’t bother to soften the caustic tone of her words.
“You should have stayed away,” Sasha said darkly. It would have been better for everyone if you had.”
“I have a feeling it would have been better for you ,” she told him thoughtfully. “But I get the impression that’s really your malfunction and nobody else’s.”
He snarled something at her in Russian, but an older man came striding into the study before Sasha could finish whatever insult he was giving
The alley grew brighter as he approached the emergency entrance of the downtown hospital. Viktor slowed his gait to a rolling walk and strode through the automatic doors as though he belonged there, despite the filth coating the knees of his jeans and the front of his T-shirt.
“Sir?” The receptionist gave him a dubious once-over. “Can I help you?”
“Yes, thank you.” Viktor offered her a warm smile, trying to put her at ease and having mild success if her return smile was anything to go by. “Did you happen to be on duty last night?”
“Yes.” Her entire demeanor became guarded. “Why?”
Viktor had a sneaking suspicion that the gentleman he’d just encountered in the alley had been here a short time ago. “Were there other men in here asking you that question tonight?”
“Maybe.” She looked ready to call security on him.
Viktor pursed his lips. “I’m going to guess that they were asking after a group of women.” Viktor held up his hand. “Please give me a moment to explain?”
As he had hoped, his earnest expression and honesty had earned him some points with the receptionist. The hand that had been hovering over her phone relaxed to the countertop. She inhaled deeply. “Go on.”
“Let’s just say that I don’t want to know anything about where a group of women were taken, or where they went, or whatever,” Viktor told her cryptically. “Let’s just say that I was in a position to be in a lot of trouble if someone discovered that I knew anything about them at all.”
The receptionist’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Then she bit her lip. “So perhaps you were just wondering if a group of women made it to this hospital at all?”
“Exactly.”
The receptionist offered him a tentative smile. “Yes, sir. They’re going to be just fine.”
Viktor couldn’t have stopped the broad smile that crossed his face had he wanted to. The relief he felt was immense, though he hadn’t even realized how worried he had been. “Thank you, ma’am. I cannot express how much better that makes me feel.”
She reached up over the counter and patted his hand. “I’m glad to hear that actually. Very glad. And I never saw you here tonight, or any other time. And I don’t know anything about you.”
“Thank you.” Viktor had never before been so pleasantly surprised by the goodness of humanity.
Chapter Nine
Katie glared at Sasha as she sat on a leather couch in a well-appointed study. She could only assume that this was Karkoff’s home. It was a little odd to think of a mafia boss living deep in one of the city’s oldest and most prestigious neighborhoods, but the man most certainly had the money for such a place. The furnishings were expensive. The rooms she had seen as her captor had carried her through the house were packed with beautiful antiques and modern conveniences all rolled into one.
“I cannot understand what Viktor sees in you,” Sasha commented with derisive amusement. He was staring at Katie as though she were on display in a museum. “You’re ill tempered, have a mediocre body, and your personality is like acid.”
She snorted. “Did you ever consider the idea that I don’t give a shit if you like me? Maybe I’m not like this with Viktor. What a concept!” She didn’t bother to soften the caustic tone of her words.
“You should have stayed away,” Sasha said darkly. It would have been better for everyone if you had.”
“I have a feeling it would have been better for you ,” she told him thoughtfully. “But I get the impression that’s really your malfunction and nobody else’s.”
He snarled something at her in Russian, but an older man came striding into the study before Sasha could finish whatever insult he was giving
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