Kostya by Roxie Rivera

Author:Roxie Rivera
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: mob romance, mafia romance, alpha male, multicultural, bwwm, interracial, secret baby, pregnancy, Russian mafia, Russian hero, fighter romance, mma
Publisher: Night Works Books
Published: 2019-08-12T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Yawning, Kostya pulled into the private driveway along the rear of Nikolai’s home and punched in the gate code. He parked in his usual space and killed the engine. Worn out and desperate for sleep, he polished off the last few gulps of lukewarm and too bitter coffee in his travel mug before grabbing his leather jacket to cover his sidearm. Nikolai’s rule around the house was that all weapons had to be hidden. As far as he was concerned, it was a pointless stipulation, but he complied out of respect. Nikolai’s castle, Nikolai’s rules.

Stepping out of his car, he glanced at the gray sky and wondered if there might be rain. As he opened the wrought iron gate that separated the carriage house from the yard, he heard the unmistakable slap of paws against wet grass and cobblestones. It didn’t take him long to spot the oversized and rambunctious puppy barreling toward him. Acting quickly, he closed the gate to keep the dog from escaping the yard.

While the dog ran circles around him, he stood still and let it get used to his scent. Seeing the puppy made him think of Holly’s Christmas gift. She hadn’t mentioned it again, but he knew he had hurt her feelings by not picking out a dog yet. He didn’t like the feeling that gnawed at him for disappointing her.

Crouching down, he rubbed between the puppy’s ears and scratched its chest. He guessed the dog was forty or forty-five pounds. The huge, muddy paws that slapped at his boots and jeans suggested this dog would grow to be very large and very loud. Judging by its happy temperament, this would be a good family dog, one that would keep prowlers and other miscreants away while also being gentle and playful with the dozen children he expected Vivian to give Nikolai.

“Come on.” He whistled high and sharp at the dog to get its attention before leading it down the cobblestone path.

Nikolai waited on the back porch, leaning against a freshly painted white column in only his pajama bottoms. It was rare to see him like that, his dark tattoos stark against his paler skin. There were only a few inches of skin that lacked decoration. His body was a roadmap of misdeeds and glories, of regrets and successes, of blood and honor.

Here, in the comfort of his home, Nikolai didn’t have to hide the truth emblazoned on his skin. But it was more than a man feeling comfortable in his own home. They never spoke of the trauma Nikolai had endured as a child. That was a dark, evil secret that Nikolai would kill to keep contained. Even before he had dredged up those old secrets and discovered what had happened to Nikolai as a little boy, Kostya had always wondered if he’d been hurt.

There had always been clues in the way he carried himself. Aloof, alone, cold, distant. Those expensive suits he wore were like his armor. The tattoos he had earned doing hateful, terrible things were like his spiritual shield.

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