From Russia With Claws Read online

Galina snuggled deeper into the covers and tried not to smile.

  7

  Water Conservation Measures

  GALINA AWOKE SLOWLY to the feel of arms around her. She stayed still, letting her sleep-dulled mind catch up to the waking world. Andrey’s scent wrapped around her, like his arm clung to her waist. It made her feel protected, a new feeling for her. None of her partners had been long term and she’d never let one spend the night. She preferred her space to stay hers.

  Even when she’d been growing up, she’d never felt this way. Her father cared about her safety, of that she had no doubt, but it was a sort of absent care due to what she was. Being a rare female Alpha made her a valuable commodity, treasured by her father for what she could bring, not for who she was.

  And then there was Alexei. Galina was positive that if her elder brother could have gotten away with hurting her more when they were kids, he would have. He’d been the oldest and had attention, love, and care lavished on him. But when Galina was born, some of that attention was transferred to her. He’d never forgiven her for it, and had made her pay for existing in a hundred different little ways. Her father turned a blind eye to his elder son’s torments.

  But lying here with Andrey, Galina felt like nothing could touch her. It was a dangerous feeling, and a strange one. She didn’t want to get used to this. Relying on anyone just led to disappointment. And she knew she couldn’t have this, not really. Andrey was Romani. Despite being an Alpha, or maybe because he was, Galina knew her father would never allow her match to be wasted on someone he thought unworthy.

  It didn’t matter that Galina might think otherwise.

  She brought a hand up and touched her forehead. The lump was there, but not nearly as large as it had been. She imagined she was bruised, but it barely hurt when she pressed on it. She tried moving her neck and felt only a faint twinge.

  Andrey’s hold on her tightened. Galina rolled over slowly so she could see his face. His eyes were open, watching her, his grey-blue gaze open and frank. “Good morning,” he said, his voice a low rumble in his chest.

  “Morning,” she murmured. She lifted a hand to his face, feeling the stubble beneath her palm. He turned his head into it and pressed a kiss there.

  “How are you feeling?” Andrey carefully touched her forehead.

  “Better than expected,” she admitted, feeling herself flush. “Thank you for staying.”

  He nuzzled her hair. “Like I said, there was nowhere else I’d rather be.”

  Galina slid her palms against his chest and stared at the buttons on his shirt. She wanted him, more than anyone she’d ever met. It wasn’t something she could explain. And it wasn’t something she should pursue, no matter how much she may want it.

  “I’m going to put on some clothes.” That was probably the safest course of action. Galina was keenly aware that she was wearing nothing but a pair of panties and a ratty T-shirt.

  Andrey dropped flat on the bed. “Now that’s a damn shame.” He pillowed his head on his hands.

  Galina climbed out of bed, taking a moment to stare at Andrey. He looked good lying there in her bed, even if he was fully clothed. Plus it gave her a moment to make sure her legs would support her without going all bendy as they had the night before. When she was sure she could walk without staggering, she headed to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

  In the mirror, she surveyed the damage. A small bump decorated her forehead with lovely purple and yellow bruising surrounding it. She had dark circles beneath green eyes that were still dull from sleep. Galina leaned forward, pushing back her hair to get a better look. She could probably cover the worst of it with some carefully applied makeup. She’d heal up completely in a day or so.

  She turned on the shower. She brushed her teeth as the water heated, desperate to get the morning breath taste out of her mouth. Steam soon filled the bathroom and Galina stripped, tossing her clothes into the hamper. She wanted to feel clean.

  The water was just shy of skin blistering and Galina sighed in pleasure as the heat of it went to work on tired and sore muscles. She soaped her hair first, then reached for the body wash and bath poof. Cool air hit her back and she turned around in surprise.

  Andrey closed the glass shower door behind him, joining her in the steaming water. It glistened on his tanned chest and stomach. Galina’s eyes traveled over his body, learning it by sight before she even thought about touching him.

  His torso was well-muscled, broad shoulders tapering down to a lean waist. His stomach was flat, and the planes of his chest held a smattering of dark hair. Her eyes dipped down, following the line of hair down to his cock. He was half erect already and a more than adequate size. Galina swallowed and continued her perusal.

  Everything about him was perfect. His legs, his ass, even his feet. It was like he’d been designed just for her. She finished her mental inventory of his parts, sweeping her gaze back up to his face.

  “Mind if I join you?” Andrey asked, a slow smile sliding across his lips.

  “If I said yes, would you leave?” Galina countered, tilting her head up to look at him when he stepped closer.

  His arms reached out to wrap around her waist, pulling her into him. “But you’re not going to say yes,” he whispered before capturing her mouth with his.

  Galina leaned into the kiss, opening her mouth beneath his. Andrey’s tongue slid along hers, drawing it into his mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him until they fit together without any space between them.

  His mouth left hers only to press kisses across her jaw to the spot right above where her pulse beat. With the flat of his tongue, he licked a line from the base of her neck up to that pulse point, and stayed there, pressing against it as if he wanted to taste her heart. “No bites,” she managed to gasp out around the heat coiling inside her that was making her stupid. As much as Andrey turned her on, there was no way she was risking a mating bite right now.

  Werewolves mated for life, and in order to have viable offspring, they first had to administer the mating bite. Even a were/human combo needed the bite in order to have children, but the subject had to be willing to accept the bite. And that was a complication that Galina didn’t need in her life now.

  Andrey growled against her throat but relented. “Fine,” he said, “and the same goes for you.”

  “I have no interest in biting you,” she answered, shoving him back against the tile wall of her shower. He allowed her to move him with just the pressure of her fingertips on his chest, giving her a dark chuckle as she did.

  “What, pray tell, do you have an interest in?” The smile stuttered off his face when she gripped the base of his cock.

  “I think you can figure that out for yourself.” Galina slowly lowered herself to her knees, keeping eye contact with him while she did so. “You’re a smart boy.”

  Galina didn’t take him in her mouth right away. She pressed kisses to the outside of his shaft, then licked it from the tip to the base. He grimaced and she grinned up at him. “Don’t tease,” he ground out, hands clenching against the tile wall.

  His words ended on a gasp as Galina took him in her mouth. He tasted of man and musk and something indefinable that was uniquely wolf and uniquely Andrey. She lowered her head further until her lips met the hand that was holding him. She fell into a rhythm, sucking on the upstroke, her tongue teasing the head of him.

  Andrey moaned deep in his chest. Galina felt hands in her hair, lightly holding her but letting her set the pace. She placed her free hand against his thigh to better brace herself. She hummed around him, earning another groan in response. She increased her pace, lingering on the downstroke when Andrey’s hands tightened in her hair.

  Galina heard the faint noises he was making, felt the involuntary twitches in his hips. She slid her hand from his thigh to cup his balls, fingering them lightly. When she sucked hard on the upstroke, Andrey cried out as if he couldn’t help himself, banging his head against the
wall. Her jaw ached—she hadn’t done this in a while—but it was nice to see she hadn’t lost her touch. She wished she could watch him as he came undone.

  A spasm passed through him. Galina felt him shudder. He was always so serious, so buttoned up in his dealings—she’d seen him out and heard the talk about him. Always so controlled. It was a joy to see him lose himself in her like this, that he allowed her to do this to him.

  “Galya,” he gasped out, his voice hoarse.

  She hummed in encouragement, wanting his release. Andrey’s hips thrust forward as he cried out, spilling himself down her throat. Galina swallowed everything. His fingers flexed and released against her head. When he’d spent himself, he dropped his hands to her arms and pulled her upright.

  “Jesus, woman,” he said, after swallowing heavily. “I’d ask where you learned to do that, but I’m not sure I should ever know. There have to be state secrets involved.” He pulled her into his arms, then stepped them into the stream of hot water.

  Galina laughed, nuzzling his neck. “As much as I’d love to stay here all day, I have to check on my sister.” And talk to my father, but she didn’t want to say that aloud while naked in the shower. Her father would kill her if he knew what she was doing with Andrey.

  Andrey slipped his hands under her ass and lifted her up. He wrapped her legs around his waist. “If I didn’t have a previous appointment, I would take you back into your bedroom and let you know just how much I appreciate your oral skills.” He kissed her deeply. “But since it sounds like we both have prior engagements, I will have to wait.”

  Digging her fingers into his hair, Galina bit at his earlobe. “Damn shame.” She unwrapped herself from around him and stood on her own two feet once more.

  “It is,” he said, eyes roving over her appreciatively. “I wish I had more time to properly acquaint myself with your naked body.” His hand skimmed down her side, lightly brushing her breast before coming to rest on her hip.

  Galina stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, sucking his bottom lip into her mouth. He tasted of mint and she wondered if he’d brushed his teeth in the guest bath using one of the spare toothbrushes and toothpaste. She’d kept them there in case Irina had needed to spend the night. She supposed her sister wouldn’t have need of a safe haven any more.

  Andrey pulled away, blue eyes dark with lust. “If you keep doing that, we’ll be in here until the hot water runs out.”

  “And I wouldn’t want to make you late,” Galina countered slyly, knowing the devious look on her face turned her words into a lie. But she had an appointment of her own to get to and so she stepped back and finished rinsing her hair. She handed Andrey a bar of soap and then stepped out of the shower.

  She dried herself quickly, and then pulled out a towel for him. Galina found she didn’t mind him in her space first thing in the morning, which was an odd thing. She typically hated sleeping with anyone beside her, hated being touched or held at night. But he’d spent the night and had joined her in the shower and instead of the expected warning bells and tension in her gut, all she felt was a sort of low grade satisfaction that he was still here.

  She pulled on a robe and squeezed out the excess water in her hair. When Andrey exited the shower, she was waiting, ready with the towel. He thanked her with a light, wet kiss and then began to dry himself. When he was finished, he wrapped the towel around his waist and turned to her. She’d watched him the entire time, enjoying the sight of his naked body. Again, she marveled at just how well he was put together. And she was reminded of how much she wanted to explore him with hands and mouth.

  He stood in front of her, the towel riding low on his hips. Galina’s hands itched to remove it, meetings and responsibilities be damned, and just enjoy the gift that he was. But she did have responsibilities and so did he, and the easiest way to get caught was to forget that.

  “Galya,” he said softly, his hand brushing her chin. “When can I see you again?”

  She met his eyes, studying what she saw there. She had several very great reasons to stop this right now, her father’s anger and disapproval chief among them. All of the families had heard the rumors, dark gossip really, of what Papa had done to her elder sister. No one talked about Elena, but Galina had been listening to what people didn’t say as much as what they did. Elena had rebelled and she had been punished for it.

  Then there were her brothers. Alexei was a loose cannon, unfit—at least as far as she was concerned—to run the Sudenko family. He’d have a field day if he found out she was…doing whatever it was she was doing with Andrey. Her plans to oust him from his position and put someone more suitable in his place would be ruined if he had that kind of leverage over her. And Nikolai was wonderful, but she doubted he would understand what it was like to go against their father’s wishes for them. He was loyal and dutiful and intelligent: the perfect son. He would never dream of disappointing their father.

  Galina shook her head, at war with herself. “I don’t know,” she said. The part of her that wasn’t a slave to her familial obligations didn’t want to let him go. Andrey was a secret that was hers alone. She didn’t know how long she’d be able to keep him, but she did know that she wasn’t ready to end things yet.

  “Can I call you later?” she asked, making up her mind, at least for the moment.

  He nodded, pressing a finger against her lips. His black hair hung in his face. “If you promise me something.”

  She raised one pale eyebrow at his words. His face was serious, no half smiles, no mirth snapping at the back of his blue eyes. Galina waited for him to continue. She wasn’t going to promise anything until she heard exactly what he wanted from her.

  He put his knuckles beneath her chin, lifting her head up and holding it there so he could stare down at her. “I want you to tell your father about what happened last night and to accept whatever protective measures he offers.”

  Galina tried to draw back, but his hold on her chin tightened. “I’m serious, Galya. I know you think you can handle this yourself, but you need to tell your father what’s going on. It may be related to your sister’s husband’s shooting.”

  She narrowed her eyes, feeling a complicated surge of emotion flow through her. She’d already thought that the two attacks might be related. And her protection detail going missing was something that needed an explanation. That was the first item on her agenda for the day.

  When she didn’t reply immediately, Andrey frowned. “Promise,” he ordered in a tone that made her thighs clench. “Or I’ll put a detail on you myself.”

  “Do you have a death wish?” Galina countered, not bothering to keep the annoyance out of her voice. “You’re right, I do think I can take care of myself. And you know how I know that? Because I’ve done it before.” She pulled away from him, not liking being told what was going to happen in her own life.

  “I’m trying to protect you,” he ground out, his voice getting deeper as his temper flared to life.

  “Here’s a newsflash: I don’t need your protection.” She inhaled sharply, picking up his prickly scent of pine and amber. “You don’t get to dictate what I do just because you’ve seen me naked.”

  Andrey’s nostrils flared and his eyes turned even darker. He stormed out of the bathroom. Galina sat on the edge of the tub, listening to the sounds of him getting dressed. The urge to go out there and apologize to him was nearly overwhelming, but she stayed where she was. This was the problem with the males within the Volk Organizatsiya. They had that unbending habit of thinking they knew what was right for everyone else, most especially their women. Well, Galina had been away from the family for years and had experienced how good it felt to make her own decisions.

  Andrey didn’t say good-bye. The sound of his shoes on the wood floor, followed by the click of the front door as he closed it behind him told her he was gone. Galina sat for a few moments, missing his presence with a dull ache that surprised her. Then she pulled herself up and began to get ready to face her father.
/>
  8

  How to Succeed in Smuggling without Really Trying

  SHE DROVE UP TO HER FATHER’S HOUSE, her detail—suddenly reappearing after their conspicuous absence—following her through the gates. They’d been waiting for her when she drove out of her garage. The question of where they’d been the night before still required an answer. She intended to get one when she spoke with her father. And then she intended to replace them with guards that could be trusted.

  Galina had dressed carefully this morning. For ten minutes, she’d sat in her car, steadying her breathing. On the outside, she looked cool and untouchable, but that wasn’t how she felt on the inside. She was getting ready to do something no Sudenko woman had done before.

  She was going to ask for a line of business of her own. Not a business like the Red Crown, the jewelry shop where Irina worked, passing along stolen gems. What she was asking for was a venture of her own, that she would run, from planning to execution. Leading, eventually she hoped, to voting rights within the Volk Organizatsiya itself.

  Not right away, of course. These things had to be approached delicately. But she intended to lay some groundwork, to prove that she was more than just a pretty face and breeding stock. She knew her father’s organization needed to diversify and she had some ideas.

  Now she just had to get her father to listen.

  Nikolai would help. He didn’t want to see Alexei in power any more than she did. If Papa was old school, then Alexei was living in the Mesolithic age. His ideas for furthering the family business involved more gunfire and a lot of dead bodies. He’d drown the family in blood if he were left to run the business unchecked.

  She stepped out of the car, brushing imaginary lint from her tailored Armani pants. She’d gone with what she hoped was corporate chic—nothing outwardly sexy but still feminine enough to remind everyone she was a woman. She didn’t want to disguise or hide her gender in the hopes of running the business, but she didn’t want to be taken lightly either. She’d chosen a dark cashmere sweater and a patterned wrap over one shoulder. The only jewelry she wore were her favorite onyx earrings and a huge steel cuff chased with heavy Celtic engravings of wolves. Might as well remind them of who and what she was.