Mafia Boss's Fearless Lover (The Karzhov Crime Family series Book 1) Read Online Free

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 headed for the front door. She could see Nikolai talking with his bodyguards as she approached. After she handed the lockbox to the bouncer, Nikolai 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’ died, 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, “Dinner should be waiting for us.”
    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.
    The name Tsarsko had not surfaced on any of her Internet searches. Most information on the American-based Russian Bratva’s organizational structure and leadership was elusive. There were many different branches operating within the United States, many of them rogue groups that had no significant ties to the others.
    As the elevator came to a stop, she waited for the doors to open and when they didn’t, she glanced over at her companion to see him lounging against the wall of the elevator car, watching her like a wolf watches a rabbit before it pounces.
    She stared back at