Flames of Redemption Read online

Sergei froze. Every thought suddenly evaporated from his mind. He stared at them, wondering how he could have possibly missed the truth. She'd always been affectionate with Nikolai, but the small touches, the intimate looks… it had all been so convincing. People had been whispering for years about them.

  “You put her in danger just to keep a foothold on your power base?” Sergei roared, leaping forward and tackling Nikolai to the ground. Sergei reared back to swing at him, but a sharp blade pressed against his neck.

  “Release him,” Valentina ordered, her dispassionate voice like a cold bucket of water over him. “I would rather not slit your throat, but I will if you force my hand.”

  Keeping his movements slow and deliberate, Sergei did as she instructed. Nikolai stood and moved away, but Valentina still didn't lower the knife.

  “All of this has been my choice,” she said in a low voice. “Out of all of us, Nikolai is the best leader. Neither Yuri nor I have Nikolai's patience or skill at diplomacy. We all have our strengths and played our little parts.”

  “Then this has all been another facet of your game to keep Nikolai in power?” Sergei glanced at Nikolai out of the corner of his eye. “Why didn't you tell me?”

  “You have been gone a long time, Sergei,” she said with a sigh. “The rules have changed, but the game remains the same. Your loyalty has not been with us for many years. We could not trust you with our secrets.”

  The truth in her words hurt, but he couldn't argue it. “Why are you telling me now?”

  “Nikolai believes you are still one of us,” she admitted. “But Yuri does not.”

  His heart thudded in his chest, hope unfurling inside him. “And what do you believe, Valechka?”

  Valentina pulled the knife away and took a step back from him, her expression shuttered. “It does not matter what I believe. Nikolai wished you to know the truth, so now you know.” She gestured to the door and added, “Go away, Sergei. It is late, and I am tired.”

  She handed the knife to Nikolai and headed back into her room, the door closing softly behind her.

  Chapter Ten

  Sergei stared at the door for a long time, warring between the desire to go after her and to give her space. If he went in there now, there was only a small chance he'd walk out with all his body parts intact. Even with that threat hovering in the forefront of his mind, he took a step toward the door.

  Nikolai's voice broke through his thoughts. “Join me for a drink, Sergei.”

  Sergei turned to regard him, and Nikolai shook his head in warning. Nikolai was probably right, but having her so close and out of reach was another kind of torture. He gave another last longing look at the door before turning around to follow Nikolai down the hall.

  Nikolai led him into his office, motioned for Sergei to sit, and pulled a bottle from a small cooler in the corner of the room. He poured two glasses and sat in a chair across from him. Sergei picked up one of the glasses, holding it in his hand but not drinking.

  “She needs time,” Nikolai advised, reaching for his drink.

  “She's had three years,” Sergei said, looking into the glass and wishing it held the answers he sought. “In all that time, she never hinted your relationship was a lie. Neither did you.”

  “Would you have believed it?”

  Sergei hesitated and then swallowed the cold liquid. In all honesty, he wasn't sure. He'd known for years about Nikolai's attraction to her, but she'd never reciprocated. “I've always known she loves you. I thought it had turned to more once I left.”

  “She does love me, just as she loves Yuri,” Nikolai agreed. “We have always been family to her.”

  Sergei lifted his head to regard his former friend. “Why did you not tell me? If you believe my loyalty still lies with you, why keep this from me?”

  Nikolai sighed and leaned back. “It was not my place. You hurt her when you left, Sergei. If I had told you the truth back then, she never would have forgiven me.”

  “I had to leave,” Sergei said, reaching over to refill his glass. He downed it, the warmth from the alcohol doing little to alleviate the chill inside him. It was a poor substitute for what he really wanted—she was asleep a few rooms away.

  “I agree. You had your orders and your reasons, but your choice in timing was poor. Valentina woke up, and you were gone. You owed her at least an explanation.”

  Sergei lowered his gaze to the glass again, remembering how pale and lifeless Valentina was the last time he’d seen her. He'd carried that image with him over the years. Even now, the thought of a world without her in it filled him with despair. The memories from that night would forever haunt him, and not just because he'd walked away from her.

  “You know why I did it,” Sergei said with a sigh. “You had just been appointed to your position. I thought she would be safer remaining behind with you than accompanying me on another takeover. I couldn't risk anything else happening to her.”

  “That wasn't your choice to make,” Nikolai reminded him. “Our Valentina has always been strong-willed. You treated her like a fragile doll, and she's spent the last three years proving you wrong.”

  Sergei put the empty glass on the table. “Am I too late to fix this?”

  Nikolai shrugged. “I don't know. She still cares for you, but she is not the same girl we grew up with.”

  Sergei knew that, but she still possessed that playful spark that had always intrigued him. It had a darker, sharper edge than when they were younger, but for some perverse reason, that thrilled him even more. He wanted her, as much as he ever had, maybe more. “I will not leave her again, Nikolai.”

  “It may not be up to you,” Nikolai replied, leaning back in his chair. “It's her choice now, as it should have been back then.”

  Sergei studied him, wondering about Nikolai's motivation in all this. “Will you interfere if I try to win her back?”

  Nikolai was silent for a long time. “No, but I will not help you either. I have already done too much. She will not forgive more, and I will not risk losing her.”

  Sergei nodded. It was fair, less than what he hoped, but he could understand Nikolai's position. “If I am successful, this will affect your subterfuge.”

  Nikolai waved off his warning and leaned forward to pick up his glass again. “Valentina will probably come up with some other ruse. We all knew this plan wouldn't last forever.”

  “She always has enjoyed a challenge,” he agreed, wondering what inventive idea she'd come up with next. At least with Nikolai not opposing him, he might have a chance to convince her—a challenge in itself. “And what of Yuri? Will he interfere?”

  Nikolai frowned. “Yuri has not forgiven you, and I do not know if he will. We don't speak much about you, but he is protective of Valentina. They have always been close, but the first year without you was particularly bad. Their fights got more than a little heated, especially when your name was mentioned. He was furious when I ordered Valentina to accompany you back to OmniLab.”

  Nikolai fell silent for a moment and then added, “To answer your question, yes. I believe he will do what he can to warn her away from you. She values his opinion in most things, but I don't know how she will react to his interference when it comes to you.”

  Sergei nodded. Most likely, she wouldn't react well. At least he had that going for him. “What do you know about what happened earlier at the meeting with OmniLab? Do you know who attacked us?”

  Nikolai's eyes narrowed, revealing a trace of the dangerous man Sergei knew lurked beneath the surface. It was a stark reminder that under the polished veneer, Nikolai was just as deadly as any of them. “No, but we will find out. We sent a team back to the area after it had been cleared. They determined the weapons used in the attack were ours. I have reached out to the other chairmen and facility managers to determine who is operating within the area. Unfortunately, we have over a thousand people nearby with too many different agendas.”

  Sergei frowned. “I would offer my aid, if you are willing to acce
pt it. Valentina was the shooter's target, and I do not want to see her harmed any more than you do.”

  Nikolai nodded. “Your assistance would be welcome, especially if you can act as a liaison with OmniLab. Their surveillance may have picked up on additional clues. I will also need the names of all our people within the area who have been working under your direction, especially those who have raised objections in the past with either my leadership or with Valentina.”

  “I'll send over the information right away,” Sergei agreed. “Lars accompanied me here, and OmniLab is also determined to find out who is responsible. It would help deepen our alliance if we work together to accomplish our goals.”

  Nikolai leaned back, regarding Sergei with a calculating gleam in his eyes. “Interesting. I did not know you had political ambitions.”

  “None of us are the same as we once were,” Sergei reminded him with a small smile.

  Nikolai chuckled and stood. “Come. Let me show you and your companion to a bunk. You can remain here tonight and begin helping us tomorrow.”

  Valentina was yanked out of sleep by a hand covering her mouth. Before she could draw a weapon, another hand grabbed her wrists, yanking them up over her head. A heavy body came down on top of her, pinning her with its weight.

  “Shh, Valechka,” Sergei's voice whispered in her ear. “You do not want to wake anyone.”

  Valentina jerked her wrists, but he held her tightly. She glared at him, mentally kicking herself for not barricading the door. Although, she'd assumed he would have been tossed out of camp on his ass. She'd strangle Nikolai and Yuri for letting him stay and not giving her fair warning.

  He slid his leg between hers, resettling his weight over her body. Trailing his nose against her neck, he inhaled deeply and placed a small kiss behind her ear. “You smell like cookies. I haven't been able to eat one in three years without thinking of you.” He flicked out his tongue, tasting her skin. “You taste as sweet too.”

  She swallowed, her heart thudding in her chest. These were not words she wanted to hear from him. Maybe she had once upon a time, but things were different now.

  Sergei nipped at her earlobe, and she quivered. He chuckled and murmured, “I have missed you, Valechka. You have always been so responsive.”

  She started to move, trying to upset his weight, but he pressed his body even deeper on top of hers. “I am not leaving. Not until you talk to me.”

  Valentina's eyes narrowed at him, asking with her glare how she was supposed to talk when he was covering her mouth. He grinned and kissed her nose. “If I remove my hand, will you call for anyone?”

  Ha. As if she needed anyone's help to exterminate a rat. She shook her head, making her intentions clear. His grin deepened at the implied threat, and he removed his hand but didn't release her.

  “Get off me, you oversized oaf,” she hissed.

  “I thought you appreciated my size,” he teased, shifting slightly to make his meaning clear.

  “Release me and I will show you how much I appreciate it,” she suggested.

  “I think you are far too dangerous to release just yet.” Sergei ran his free hand along her arm to the knife strapped against it. He removed the arm sheath, tossing it aside on a nearby chair, and slid his hand downward along her side, and then up, under her shirt.

  His movement was a sensual caress, trailing along her skin until it found another of her knives. He removed that sheath as well, tossing it into the chair with the first. Grabbing her wrists with his other hand, he stroked her other side, looking for any other hidden weapons. It was a slow, seductive exploration, and her breathing became a little more rapid. Each of his movements was intended to stimulate, and he was most definitely a master.

  “We are getting closer,” he murmured, pressing a kiss against her jawline. “Shall I see what else I find?”

  Valentina closed her eyes. His scent and the feel of him pressing against her was its own form of sensual torture. He continued running his hand along her body and cupped her breast. Her breath hitched, and she whispered, “I do not think you are still looking for weapons, Seryozha.”

  “Is that what I was doing?” he murmured, nuzzling her neck again as he gently pinched her nipple. “You have distracted me again.”

  Her mouth curved upward. “You have always been distracted easily.”

  “Only with you,” he said and kissed her.

  His lips were gentle, a teasing exploration, both tasting and sampling. She could taste the hint of liquor on his tongue, and underneath was a richer, deeper flavor belonging only to him. It was one she craved, a dangerous addiction, and she wanted more. She pulled her wrists downward, and he released her.

  Valentina reached up to draw him closer, running her fingers through his hair. He found her breast again, and she whimpered, arching into his hand. Deepening their kiss, she hooked one of her legs around him and pulled him tighter against her. It still wasn't enough. She broke their kiss, panting softly and looking up into his passion-filled eyes.

  “Take off your clothes, or I will cut them off you,” she warned, the threat not an idle one. He'd taken the knives she had on her but not the ones she'd hidden in the bed.

  Sergei chuckled and sat up enough to pull his shirt over his head. When he tossed it aside, she sat up with him, running her hands over his muscular chest. She frowned at the sight of the bandages marring his skin. It had been too close. A few more inches, and he would not be with her right now.

  Valentina leaned forward, pressing a kiss against the place where he'd been shot. He inhaled sharply and threaded his fingers through her hair. She lifted her gaze a fraction to meet his eyes and ran her fingers over the bandage on his shoulder where she'd stabbed him. Leaning forward, she pressed a soft kiss against that one too. He swallowed, looking down at her with eyes filled with longing and some other unnamed emotion.

  “Valechka,” he whispered, “I have missed seeing this look in your eyes.” She started to pull away, but he stopped her. “Please don't turn away from me. We don't have to speak of this tomorrow, but I want to see you. No games. Just for tonight. Let me love you.”

  She shook her head, panic rushing through her. “No. You should go. I cannot do this with you again.”

  He squeezed his eyes shut, a look of agonizing pain on his face. “I shouldn't have left you. I have regretted it every day.”

  Valentina lowered her gaze, memories from the past rushing back. Before she could stop herself, she asked the one question that had been plaguing her for years. “Why didn't you ask me to come with you?”

  “I thought it was my only choice. I wanted to protect you, but I never dreamed how much it would hurt.”

  “I don't want to love you again,” she admitted, wrapping her arms around herself to protect against the rush of emotion. “Please do not ask it of me.”

  “Valechka,” he murmured, lifting his hands to cup her face, “I will try not to ask for more than you are willing to give.”

  “Then what do you want from me?” she whispered, her heart aching all over again.

  Sergei was quiet for a long moment, searching her expression. “Will you let me love you?”

  Wasn't it the same thing? Valentina lowered her gaze again, taking a deep breath. She wanted him. She missed what they used to have, but it wasn't possible to recapture the past. There was only the future, and it was wild, unpredictable, and just as full of potential heartache. But if she didn't try to grasp this small amount of happiness, the regret of what might have been would always plague her.

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  Sergei's eyes shone with unmistakable elation, that flame around his irises even more brilliant in the dim lighting of the room. He placed a kiss against her lips and pulled her shirt over her head. Tossing it aside, he allowed his eyes to roam over her body. “I did not believe you could get any more beautiful. I was wrong.”

  She leaned back on the bed again, watching as he trailed his hand over her stomach. He brushed against h
er hip, tracing over the scar she'd received before he left. The injury had been bad, but it paled in comparison to the pain of his leaving. He lifted his gaze again, an apology in his eyes before he bent down to place a kiss against her hip.

  Valentina reached down, running her hands through his hair again. It was much longer than he used to wear it, not altogether unpleasant but different.

  He cocked his head, studying her thoughtfully. “You don't like it?”

  “I am not used to it.”

  “It was a means to assimilate into OmniLab,” he admitted, lying beside her and looking down into her eyes. “I will cut it if you prefer it shorter.”

  She ran her fingers through the blond strands. “It is soft.”

  “Not as soft as you,” he said, placing another gentle kiss against her lips. He rested his hand against her hip, holding her in place while his mouth leisurely teased hers.

  She ran her hands down his chest, his strength and unyielding hardness a tantalizing contrast to his kiss. Lowering her hands to his belt, she started to unbuckle it, but he grabbed her wrists.

  “If you do that, I will not be able to take my time with you. I am already at the edge of my willpower being this close to you.”

  Valentina leaned forward to nip at his bottom lip. “I want you now, Seryozha. Stop teasing me.”

  Sergei chuckled and allowed her to yank off his belt. She unhooked his pants, and he assisted, shifting himself so she could pull them off. “Always so impatient, Valechka.”

  “Only with you,” she whispered, repeating his earlier words.

  His gaze became smoldering, and he lowered his head, claiming her mouth once again. All earlier traces of leisurely tenderness were gone and replaced with scorching desire. No one else had ever brought her close to this insatiable need. His scent and taste clouded her mind until nothing else existed but him.

  She wrapped her arms around him, wanting more. Each fervent touch only heightened her already unbridled passion, and she hooked her leg over his in a wordless demand. His hardness pressed against her, and she arched into him. He gripped her leg, hiking it even higher as he sought entrance. With one hard thrust, he penetrated deeply. She gasped and grabbed his face when he froze.