Polar (Prequel): The Turnagain Arm Read Online Free Page A

for her delicious breakfast fare and hot coffee. One morning Vasyl had locked eyes with Lara as she handed him his plate, and he’d been in love with her ever since. After he’d confided in her about his plans to open his own saloon and stop working on the rails the two had pooled their money at the same time they’d exchanged marriage vows and opened the saloon together.
    While the saloon was hard work, Vasyl had never been happier than he was with Lara. And now they were finally going to complete their family and have a little one to love. Perhaps that was why he felt so uneasy about the Russian bartender who seemed to be the perfect employee. His anxiety over Lara and his unborn baby had left him paranoid.
    But in his heart, Vasyl knew it was more than that. Regardless of whether anyone else could see it, he knew there was something off about Aleksei Nechayev. The arrival of the Russian had dredged up memories that Vasyl had long buried. Not even Lara knew of the secrets Vasyl kept about his family back in the Ukraine. He’d put all that behind him when he’d taken the job working on the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. But now Nechayev had brought it back to him again.
    Vasyl didn’t want his past to darken his present here in Alaska. But he also didn’t want to turn a blind eye to Nechayev. If push came to shove, he’d do whatever it took to protect his family and the life he’d worked so hard to build. He only hoped Lara would understand why he’d kept his secrets if it ever came to that.
    He turned onto his back and stared at the canvas ceiling of his bedroom. He could hear the sounds of Nechayev manning the bar below him. The howls of drunken men as they regaled each other with tall tales of their various adventures before the rail. The flirtatious laughter of the whores as they set their sights on their tricks for the night.
    All seemed well in his beloved Turnagain Arm. Vasyl would make sure it stayed that way.
    ***

Chapter 5
    Aleksei wiped down the bar with a wet towel while he watched Rebecca out of the corner of his eye. He had felt her sullen, accusing eyes on him all evening, just as he did each night he worked. He had hoped she would get over her obsession with him as more time passed, but it was clearly not to be.
    In truth, Aleksei had known from the second he’d walked into the Turnagain Arm saloon and the wretched woman had assaulted him with her incomprehensible ranting that he’d need to get rid of her. The saloon was turning out to be a better opportunity than he’d ever imagined, and there was no chance in hell that he would allow her to make things difficult for him. He would have preferred to ignore her, as he had no use for whores and didn’t see her as worthy prey, but Rebecca had left him no choice. At least she would be an easy kill.
    He smiled at the few remaining patrons in the bar and clapped his hands to get their attention.
    “Time to close up now, gentlemen.” He turned towards Rebecca and gave her his best smile. “And ladies too, of course.”
    “Please take your leave,” Aleksei said as he returned his attention towards the room at large. “Mr. and Mrs. Dzubenko will have breakfast for you bright and early in the morning.”
    Aleksei stood stock still and kept his smile tight as the drunken men stumbled from the saloon without an argument. It hadn’t taken Aleksei more than one night to convince them that arguing with him was not a good idea. Even drunk fools could understand the menace behind his glare when he chose to show it.
    “I wish you all good night,” he called out to the backs of the men.
    The sound of a glass slamming onto the bar caught his attention. He didn’t need to look to know it was Rebecca.
    “I must ask you to take your leave as well, ma’am,” he said.
    “You can ask all you want. Doesn’t mean I’m gonna do it.”
    “I think you will.”
    Rebecca leaned towards him and allowed her hefty breasts to dangle against the bar in