Beautiful Russian Monster Read online

  BEAUTIFUL RUSSIAN MONSTER

  A Vancouver Mafia Romance

  ODETTE STONE

  Odette Stone Publishing Inc.

  CONTENTS

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty One

  Chapter Twenty Two

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Chapter Twenty Five

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty One

  Chapter Thirty Two

  Epilogue

  Note from Odette

  Books By Odette

  Excerpt from: Puck Me Secretly

  Follow Odette

  Beautiful Russian Monster

  A Vancouver Mafia Romance

  Copyright © 2022 by Odette Stone

  www.odettestone.com

  ISBN: 978-1-7782927-0-5

  First edition, January 2022

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, things, living or dead, locales or events is entirely coincidental.

  Edited by: Amanda Bidnall Editing and Writing

  Cover Design: Lori Jackson | Lori Jackson Designs

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to my readers, the most wonderful people in the world. You’re the only ones I want to please, to make laugh, to make cry. I wouldn’t be here and these books wouldn’t either, without you. My greatest wish is that you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it.

  PROLOGUE

  Friday, 11 p.m.

  VIKTOR

  I waited until the moon floated behind dark rain clouds before I left the safety of the tree line. I ran hard and fast up the wet, shale-covered mountain ridge. I didn’t slow down when my feet felt like they were encased in cement or when my lungs felt like they would burst into flames. I passed over the top of the ridge and then made my way down the other side, back toward the tree line. When my feet slid beneath me, I resisted leaning back to let gravity slow me down. I gave my body no mercy, no relief, until I reached the trees and could take cover in shadows. Quietly panting, I stopped and looked over my shoulder. I couldn’t see anything, but I felt something in the darkness behind me.

  Hating how the hairs on my arms were standing straight up, I pulled my thermal night scope from my rifle bag and systematically scanned the darkness behind me. My rifle scope was powerful, and if something out there had warm blood, I would see it from almost one thousand yards away. I did a slow scan, but no color registered in my scope. I stood, listening for a long moment, hearing nothing but silence come back at me.

  Get moving.

  I pushed into the heavy bush, slowing my pace to adjust to the pale moonlight that cast long silver shadows through the empty branches above my head. It wasn’t the best light, but it was enough that I didn’t need to turn on my night vision. I hiked my way down through the trees until I came to the edge of the steep ridge that overlooked a huge house.

  Using the night scope of my gun, I did a sweep of the property. The building was a monstrosity built of stone and logs. The two armed men at the gate guarded only the front of the home, erroneously believing that no one would climb over a mountain and down a ridge to gain access from the back.

  They don’t know men like me.

  I lay on the cold ground and got snug beneath a low-hanging bush to set up my high-powered rifle. The branches allowed me complete visual access in all directions but provided limited coverage from the icy rain. I loaded my rifle, attached my thermal scope, and did a wind and pressure check. The ground was slick with cold mud, and despite my high-grade military gear, dampness seeped through my pants. I forced myself to ignore the feeling that my nuts were on ice.

  I systematically moved my scope from window to window, taking surveillance of whomever I could find. Two staff members folded towels in the kitchen. One of them slipped outside for a cigarette while the other moved out of sight, carrying an armful of towels. Upstairs, a slight, elderly woman with long silver hair lay curled up on her bed beneath a fuzzy blanket. I searched the rest of the second-floor widows, but I saw no one else.

  On the other side of the gate, media trucks lined up like vultures, waiting for a glimpse of tragedy or pain that they could later sell as entertainment. Men stood around in small groups, smoking and chatting. A woman did her makeup while her cameraman checked his camera.

  Lights from a vehicle glimmered in the rain. My scope stopped momentarily at the front gate, and camera flashes exploded into the night. Through the windshield, I glimpsed a professional driver. In the back seat, a woman with oversized sunglasses and a cap of shoulder-length black hair ducked forward and covered her face.

  The car pulled in front of the house and out of view. Using the scope of my gun, I trained my vision through the window and onto the front door. She walked through the house, tossed her bags carelessly on the table. Without talking to the staff downstairs, she made her way up the massive staircase to the second floor. Despite her oversized sweater and long, flowing skirt, I could see she was almost too thin for her frame. Her shape was lost beneath the flow of fabric that seemed to move with her.

  I watched as the door to the older woman’s room opened. The older woman sat up and held out her arms. The younger woman flew into them, and they clung to each other in a silent embrace.

  I dialed the number on the cell they had given to me. “My target just arrived,” I murmured. “Slender, dark hair.”

  The voice I had come to hate spoke into my headset. “Stand by and wait for further instructions.”

  CHAPTER ONE

  Six hours earlier

  VIKTOR

  The weekend was approaching, and I had booked a week off to go fishing. I had packed my truck and was ready to leave. All I had to do was get through this one last meeting.

  I smiled noncommittally at our guest, not bothering to listen as he and my business partner, Andrusha, exchanged pleasantries. I rarely cared what someone said, but rather focused on how they said it. The man before us spoke with a glib tone and an insincere smile. I disliked him almost immediately.

  None too soon, Andrusha leaned back, switching gears. “Drake, what can we help you with?”

  Drake opened up his tablet and got down to business. “You are the two owners who run this security firm?”

  “That’s correct.”

  He checked his notes. “You both served in the Russian military and then you immigrated to Canada. Viktor, you were in special forces and then you were dishonorably discharged?”

  He glanced up
at me, but I refused to react. He continued speaking. “Andrusha, you recently served time in jail for racketeering but got out early for good behavior?”

  I watched as my partner reacted to that personal truth about himself. Andrusha didn’t hide these facts, but we buried them deep enough that few people figured it out. The ones who did… had big connections. Now he was reassessing our client. “We walk the straight and narrow. Every service we provide is legitimate and legal.”

  Drake didn’t bat an eye. “I’m not worried. I heard your business provides specialized services.”

  “That depends on the service required.” Andrusha spoke with an ease to his voice. He was far better at dealing with assholes than I was.

  Drake leaned forward. “A shipping tycoon has gone missing, and we think there is a connection with his granddaughter.”

  I studied him without letting on that I was watching. The guy was lying about something.

  Andrusha frowned and looked at his own notes. “You said on the phone you were federal government?”

  “We’re somewhere between federal defense and the military.”

  “Between?” Andrusha paused and looked up. “What department would that be?”

  “That’s classified.”

  “What do you need from us?”

  “We tend to contract out the drama so we can focus our energy on the bigger picture.”

  “I see.” Andrusha’s tone sounded measured and calm. Too calm.

  “And we’d like to keep this off the books.”

  “How far off the books?”

  “All the way.”

  Andrusha and I made eye contact for half a second.

  This job is complete bullshit. Andrusha read my thoughts loud and clear. We both had a say on new clients, but this time I didn’t have to say anything. He didn’t like this job any more than I did. “Like I mentioned, we’re trying to stay credible with the CRA.”

  “You’d still be working for the good guys. The only difference is… less paperwork.”

  Andrusha’s mask slipped slightly, showing his impatience. “All the same, we’re going to take a pass.”

  Drake stood up. “Suit yourself, gentlemen. You’re leaving a lot of money on the table.”

  Andrusha stood up but noticeably didn’t offer to shake his hand. “Let me walk you out.”

  What a dick. Andrusha and I wanted our security firm to stay on the right side of the law, no matter how much money was at stake. We knew firsthand how slippery the slope was to the other, less legal, side of business, and neither of us was interested in going back there. The sun didn’t shine in that dark place. I stood up and moved to bring Drake’s water glass to the kitchen, but habit made me start to clean up the room.

  Andrusha appeared in the doorway. “That guy was a turd,” he complained. “If I were going to break the law, I wouldn’t break it to work for a wanker like him.”

  “You find out what he wanted?”

  “Didn’t want to know.” He watched me clean. “Thought you were leaving for your weekend getaway.”

  “I am.”

  He stood there, looking perturbed.

  I knew all of Andrusha’s expressions. “What’s up?”

  “Something isn’t right with Drake.”

  “Not our problem,” I reminded him.

  “I have a bad feeling.”

  “He’s gone. We said no.”

  “You’re right.”

  “Don’t you have dinner planned with Olivia?”

  “I do.”

  “Then go. I’m almost done, and then I’m leaving too.”

  He stood there for another long moment. “Okay. Have a great weekend.”

  I took the garbage out back. I walked back through the kitchen and stopped short. Andrusha stood in the middle of the hallway with his hands laced behind his head. Behind him, Drake leaned casually against the wall. He was pointing a Glock at Andrusha’s back. I knew I could get a shot off and take him out before he fired, but I needed a cleaner angle.

  Drake sounded bored. “Before you go all hero on us, Viktor, you should know that my team currently has eyes on Olivia. If my men don’t hear from me in an hour, then they have their instructions.”

  Rage and fear washed over Andrusha’s face as we communicated silently. We would not take the chance of risking Olivia’s life to handle Drake the way I wanted to.

  I spoke for the first time to Drake. “What do you want?”

  “I already told you. We’re in a bit of a pinch, and you have some specialized skills we need.”

  “The shipping heiress.”

  “Now that her grandfather is missing, she’s the key to solving all our issues.”

  My stomach rolled sourly as I realized that he possibly wanted a targeted kill. I glanced over at Andrusha. He was staring at the ground. His honor didn’t allow him to ask me to do what needed to be done to protect Olivia, so he avoided my eyes, if only to hide how badly he needed me to keep her safe.

  My friend didn’t have to ask.

  I would do this and a hundred other unthinkable things to keep his wife safe. I had very few things in my life worth dying for, but Andrusha and Olivia were at the top of my list.

  “I need assurances that Andrusha and Olivia will walk away from this.”

  Andrusha lifted his gaze, his emotions a mixture of torture, apology and, most importantly, relief.

  “I’m a man of honor.”

  That I doubted, but it’s not like we had a lot of choice in the moment. I would show compliance until I had an opportunity to deal with Drake the way I wanted. “Where is she?”

  “She’s currently staying at her grandparents’ house in the mountains.”

  I motioned to the map of BC we had hanging on the wall. “Whereabouts?”

  He studied it for a moment and then pointed at a spot. “Past Whistler, just up Highway 99, northeast of Lillooet Lake. I’ll send you the exact coordinates of the road that connects to their property when you get closer. It’s about an hour north of Vancouver.”

  “You can guarantee she’s at the house?”

  “She’ll be arriving there tonight.”

  “Any other security?”

  “Two high-level guards posted at the gate of the property. Possibly one maid acting as shadow protection, but we haven’t confirmed that.” He paused and then pointed to the driveway. “The media are lined up along this entire road.”

  I frowned. “Why?”

  His tone was mocking. “Does it matter?”

  Not even a bit. “How many?”

  “Last count, about twenty-four trucks.”

  Jesus. “Is there any other way in?”

  “By foot, only from the back.”

  There had to be a reason Drake wasn’t sending in his own team, because even the most basic-trained man would be able to take her out without issue.

  I looked at his face, watching for any tells. “Who else is looking for her?”

  His eyelid twitched slightly. “No one.”

  “Bullshit.”

  He held up his hands. “Honest to god’s truth. As far as I know, we’re the only ones interested in her.”

  The man was lying. “I need at least twenty-four hours.”

  He also didn’t fuck around. “You have only twelve hours.”

  I glanced over at Andrusha. “I need to talk to my friend alone.”

  “Nice try. You have five minutes to pack up whatever you need.”

  He reached into his bag and tossed me a cell phone, which I assumed tracked my coordinates and was a convenient way to control me. “Let me know when our target is in your scope and wait for further instruction.”

  “You’re an asshole.”

  He smiled. “Your men here will be under the belief that you and Andrusha both went fishing. Any attempt to contact them will result in a bullet in Olivia’s head.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Friday, 11 p.m.

  BLAIRE

  “Oh, dear girl.” My grandmother s
queezed me in a hard hug. “Tell me some good news.”

  I rubbed her back with slow and steady strokes. I had no good news, so I remained silent.

  “Oh.” Her voice was muffled against me. “Oh, no.”

  Her husband, my grandfather, had gone missing three days ago. He had last been seen in Manila at a board meeting for the Asian offices of his shipping company. According to everyone, he left after the meeting in his town car. And it was like he had vanished.

  I had just landed in Paris for work when I received my grandmother’s panicked messages. Without taking a step out of the airport, I boarded a flight back home.

  My grandmother was beside herself. Despite being jet-lagged and exhausted, I spent the first night sitting up with her. And the next two days were a blur of dealing with all the authorities who were currently searching for him. The CFO of his company and I decided to hire an additional private team to search for my grandfather, and we worked together to deal with the day-to-day business of my grandfather’s shipping empire.

  “Tell me everything,” my grandmother pleaded.

  She didn’t want to know everything. She only wanted to hear that this would work out.

  I pulled back and looked into her brown eyes. “Have you eaten today?”

  “I wasn’t hungry.”

  “I’m going to change, and then we’re both going to have some soup, okay? And I’ll tell you everything.”