Mafia Boss’s Fearless Lover (The Karzhov Crime Family #1)

Karzhov1 After a lifetime of ordinary, Katya Miller discovers a world she never knew existed and a man who may be her undoing.

In the wake of her parents’ death, Katya’s search for answers reveals her family’s deep ties to the Russian Mafia. Now, determined to get revenge and take her place at the top, she’ll let no one stand in her way. Not even dark, brooding mafia boss, Nikolai, whose tantalizing good looks tempt her like never before.

Bratva mafia boss Nikolai Tsarsko is used to having whatever he wants, until a headstrong strawberry blonde becomes an intriguing challenge. Katya may be the key to reuniting the organization, and with that comes danger from every direction. To protect and possess her, Nikolai will have to use his most wicked ways.

In an underworld filled with unexpected enemies, Kat tries to take her rightful place, Nik fights to keep her safe, and a powerful passion ignites that may bring them both to their knees…

WARNING: Fiery sex scenes, lovable characters and intense dialogue. HEA.

Approximate length: 30,000 words (a novella)

Links

Available on GooglePlay

The Karzhov Crime Family series is also available as boxset on Amazon, iBook, GooglePlay, Nook and Kobo.

Excerpt

Zora Strip Club

The sound of glasses crashing to the floor echoed through the bar causing Katya to flinch and catch her breath.

Nikolai stood up and held out his hand to her, “Come.” He pulled her from the booth. “I assume you have other clothing backstage?”

The short robe she had donned after her performance barely touched the top of her thighs and was diaphanous to the point of being almost completely see-through. While he was thoroughly enjoying the sight, some part of him recognized she was unused to dressing in such a way and would be horribly embarrassed to be seen leaving dressed like this.

Kat nodded, casually glancing around the bar, hoping Danil might have arrived while she was speaking with Nikolai. She needed to find Danil!

Nikolai watched her scan the bar, definitely searching for someone, but whom? She’d just arrived from the Midwest according to her own words, and she knew no one in the city. Or did she? Not liking to be played the fool, he took her arm and then tipped her head back to his own.

“Who are you searching for?”

He was 6’4” so Kat had to tip her head almost all the way back in order to meet his eyes. She did some fast thinking before she replied, “No one. Really. I was just trying to see if the same guys were here, or if different men came in here throughout the night.”

Nikolai knew she was lying, but decided to save further questioning for later. When he had her alone and could call her on it.

“Go change and then meet me out front.”

“Okay, but you know you don’t really have to take me to dinner. I know you only offered because of my reaction when Mickey asked me to dance again.”

“Oh, you think you can read my mind after only knowing me for what,” he glanced at his expensive watch, “fifteen minutes?”

“No, but isn’t that why you offered?”

His smirk let her know he was teasing her. “Yes, but I was going to convince you to join me for dinner anyway. Mickey just took away the asking part.”

Kat shook her head at his logic. It was clear that it never entered his mind that she might have declined his dinner invitation. “You’re pretty confident, aren’t you?”

“Am I wrong?”

Kat sighed, “Probably not, but know we’ll never know. Will we?”

She knew she was playing with fire teasing him, but she couldn’t help it. The attraction she felt for him was something new. Her last boyfriend had been more on the friend with benefits scale. Sexual attraction to Jimmy hadn’t been anything special, more like a mutual way to relieve stress after a long grueling practice session or stellar performance.

She’d never known such overwhelming desire upon meeting someone before. Up to now rather than put herself out there for some real human experimentation she had contented herself with reading books and fantasizing about romance and sex. Not to say she didn’t have any experience, but on a scale of one to ten, most of her physical encounters in the past would rate no higher than a four.

Something told her that getting involved with Nikolai would be off the charts. She gave him a small smile and then headed to the backstage area. The other women were all out, either working the lounge area or the more private backroom. Kat removed the see-through bra along with the G-string and put on her own underwear, wondering how women could willingly wear such skimpy underwear and be comfortable. Going commando would be more comfortable than what she’d just taken off. She quickly donned her street clothes: worn jeans that hugged her body and lean legs perfectly, brown leather ankle boots, and a black jersey-knit off the shoulder sweatshirt that bared her pale skin beneath.

Normally she would have worn a leotard beneath the top, but that was for another time and place. The bra situation wasn’t to be, as she hadn’t worn one to the bar this afternoon. She adjusted the top several times, trying to hide the fact that her nipples were hard after having spent the last fifteen minutes in the presence of Nikolai. She was turned on, and without the benefit of a bra, anyone willing to look would be able to see that fact. Knowing there was nothing to be done about it she fluffed her hair up, wiped off the garish makeup and lip gloss, and then retrieved her tip money.

Tucking the bills into her back pocket, she grabbed her sling backpack and the lockbox and then headed for the front door. She could see Nikolai talking with his bodyguards as she approached. After she handed the lockbox to the bouncer, he reached out and took her hand, pulling her out into the night.

While they waited for his limo to be brought around, he spoke to one of his bodyguards in Russian, instructing him to wait for Danil to show up and bring the ledgers back to his penthouse.

Kat listened, trying not to let on that she could understand him, but she couldn’t help but look at him when he mentioned Danil’s name.

Nikolai felt her focus change when he mentioned his brigadier and wondered if she by chance knew how to speak Russian. Thinking he’d need to test his theory out later, he told his bodyguard he’d talk to him in the morning and then addressed Kat. “Come, dinner waits.”

He helped her into the limo, instructing his driver to take them straight to his penthouse. He also instructed the driver to call ahead and have dinner waiting for them. Replacing the handset, he raised the dividing pane, cloaking the back of the limo in soft blue light and securing their privacy.

“So, Katya, what brought a girl from the Midwest to Sin City?” Nikolai settled back against the plush leather interior and watched her fidget for a moment.

Kat took a breath and decided she needed to stick as close to the truth as possible. She was a horrible liar. Always had been, always would be. “After my parents’ deaths, I found some papers that indicated I might not be as alone in this world as I’d originally thought. I did a little research and it led me here.”

“So, you are looking for someone?” Nikolai asked, remembering how she had searched the bar as they exited his private booth.

“Kind of. I don’t think this person even knows I exist, to be honest. It seems my parents had some sort of a falling out with my mom’s side of the family.”

“What about your father’s family?” He watched as the skin around her eyes tightened – in fear, or in anger. He couldn’t read her yet, but he would be able to. Soon.

“I…,” Kat paused, not giving voice to the hatred that burned in her gut at the mention of her father’s family, who killed one another to hide their dirty secrets.

“Yes?” Nikolai prompted.

“I can’t contact them at this time.” She looked out the window as the luxurious vehicle came to a stop outside one of Las Vegas’ newest hotel casino properties. Looking back at Nikolai, she asked, “What are we doing here?”

“This is where I live.”

She looked up at the building, craning her neck to look out the window, and still she was unable to see the roof. She turned back around to see Nikolai smiling at her in a way that had her questioning what he might be thinking.

As Nikolai ushered Kat into the elegant lobby, he told her, “Dinner should be waiting for us.” he told her as he. He waved his hand in greeting to the uniformed employees who stood ready to serve and spoke briefly to several of them. When he led her to a private elevator and inserted a keycard, she raised her eyebrows, wondering about the man by her side.

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