Blood And Roses (Tainted Hearts) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Epilogue

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  BLOOD AND ROSES

  Tainted Hearts Series #3.5

  By Lylah James

  BLOOD AND ROSES

  Copyright © 2018 by Lylah James.

  All rights reserved.

  First Print Edition: February 2018

  Limitless Publishing, LLC

  Kailua, HI 96734

  www.limitlesspublishing.com

  Formatting: Limitless Publishing

  ISBN-13: 978-1-64034-310-8

  ISBN-10: 1-64034-310-5

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  Dedication

  To Lyov, because once an Ivanshov man speaks, there is no stopping him. He wanted his story to be told. And then Maria started to whisper too.

  I am powerless when it comes to them.

  ***CONTENT WARNING***

  Not intended for readers younger than 18.

  This book contains dark—and sometimes violent—depictions of the world of organized crime and sexual assault. Certain events might be triggers for some readers.

  Author’s Note:

  Lyov’s and Maria’s love story was only meant to be a short story, but once they started to speak to me, I couldn’t stop them. Their story turned out much longer than expected, and here we are. Blood and Roses should be read after The Mafia and His Angel. This is the fourth book in the Tainted Hearts Series

  Blood and Roses is a tragic love story. If you have read The Mafia and His Angel, then we all know how this story ends. Maria’s and Lyov’s love isn’t sugar-coated, and their ending is written exactly how it is meant to be.

  Tainted Heart Series Reading Order:

  The Mafia and His Angel: Part 1 (Now Available)

  The Mafia and His Angel: Part 2 (Now Available)

  The Mafia and His Angel: Part 3 (Now Available)

  Blood and Roses

  The Mafia and His Obsession: Part 1 (Coming Soon)

  The Mafia and His Obsession: Part 2 (Coming Soon)

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Epilogue

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  Chapter 1

  Lyov

  The gun went off, loud in the silent night. His screams were heard as another gunshot sounded. Blood seeped on the cold, hard ground as he writhed in pain.

  “You are really stupid if you thought you would make it out alive,” Isaak growled behind me. I chuckled, because my bleeding captive was really stupid.

  “Please…” he begged.

  I tsked at the coward…and thief. Stealing more than tens of thousands of dollars from me would only lead to one end.

  And his end would ultimately be death.

  I squatted down beside him, tapping his head with the back of my gun. He stared at me with wide, frightened eyes. Poor thing. I wondered if my cold heart felt bad for this bastard’s ugly demise.

  I cocked my head to the side, thoughtful. Do I feel bad?

  Ha. Fuck no.

  I enjoyed his fucking pain. Best thing that could happen after a shitty day. Maybe I could sleep better tonight.

  “I don’t know if you’re lucky or unlucky that I caught you in Russia. Did you think Solonik would help you escape?” I asked, pressing the barrel harder into his temple.

  He winced and shook his head. Well, tried to shake his head. I had him pinned against the hard ground. He couldn’t move even if he tried.

  “I’ll go for unlucky then. Because I can kill you, have your blood splattered all over the ground and wall, and nobody would care. Nobody would bat an eye,” I hissed in his ear.

  I huffed at the thought. What a stupid little thief.

  My eyes followed his twitching legs, where the two bullets had pierced the skin. I was tempted to torture him some more. Unfortunately, I had a meeting to go to. Something more important at the moment.

  “I’ll let you go this time,” I said with a shrug. Standing up, I nodded at the end of the alley. “Go on, now. Run before I change my mind.”

  As expected…he did.

  He limped toward the end of the dark alley, his legs mostly useless. I could almost smell his fear from where I was standing.

  So pathetic.

  I glanced at Isaak, who was leaning against the wall, a cigarette between his lips. He smirked and shook his head. I smiled too because the best part was finally here.

  Raising my gun, I pointed at the back of the boy’s head, my sight secured on the spot. He didn’t notice the gun. He didn’t see his death coming.

  Only because he was desperate to live—to escape.

  Too bad for him.

  My finger latched against the trigger, and I pulled it without a second thought. He dropped to the floor soundlessly, his body unmoving.

  I walked over to where his dead body lay and kicked his feet. Nothing. His face was turned toward me, his eyes still open, looking at me lifelessly.

  The fear in them was still there. I could also see the shock, the way his pupils were wider than before.

  His mouth was opened, and trickle of blood dripped past his lips. Shaking my head, I turned away from the man. Isaak pushed away from the wall, coming toward me.

  “I’m surprised they always fall for that line,” he said mockingly, staring at the unmoving body. “Can’t decide if they are either cowards or just plain stupid.”

  “I would go with stupid.” I stuck my gun back inside my waistband and pulled my suit jacket over it.

  Isaak scoffed before calling for clean-up. He rattled the address quickly before cutting the call off. “They’ll be here in five.”

  We walked back to the black bulletproof Mercedes-Benz, its windows tinted for privacy. Absolutely nothing could be seen from the outside. Pretty useful when you had enemies on your case every day.

  “To the Royalis
t,” I snapped as I got into the car. With Isaak in the front, the driver drove away without a single word. The drive wasn’t long, the club just a few blocks away.

  When the car stopped and my door was opened, I stepped out into the fresh air. The dark, cold night masked our faces as we entered through the big doors of The Royalist.

  At the entrance, the guard nodded his head and slightly bowed in respect. It was something given to me freely, without even asking.

  They knew exactly how to greet a Boss. As he straightened, his eyes glanced around us, making sure we weren’t followed.

  I walked inside with Isaak following closely behind. Several guards were stationed in the entrance hall. All of them nodded in my direction as I walked by.

  The hall was lit by several really fucking expensive crystal chandeliers. We finally stopped in front of another door.

  I raised an eyebrow at the guard, waiting for him to let us in. He swallowed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

  He was obviously new.

  “Is it only you?” he said in Russian, nodding behind me at Isaak. “And him?”

  I glared and then snapped, “Yes. Do I need fucking permission before entering my own club?”

  His eyes widened, his feet taking him a step back. “M-Mr. Ivanshov?” he stuttered.

  “The one and only,” I growled, taking a menacing step forward.

  He shook his head fervently. “I’m sorry, Boss. I…”

  With a flick of my wrist, I shut him up. His mouth closed quickly, his jaw almost snapping. His body trembled slightly as he opened the door. I could see trepidation on his forehead when he realized who he was actually talking to.

  Did Solonik really hire this boy? What a joke.

  As soon as I walked through the door, warmth filled my body. The room wasn’t chilling like the halls. No, it was warmed by the fireplace and a heater.

  The large banquet hall was designed for royalty. Couches, chairs, and tables were around the room. The middle was empty, a huge gap. The biggest chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling, making the entire room glow.

  The men talked and laughed amongst themselves, glass of wine in their hands, expensive suits adorning their bodies.

  Without a second glance, someone could tell that these men were the wealthiest ones, made from filthy money. And I was amongst them.

  Not just part of them…I was the Boss. The King.

  Everyone’s attention was drawn to me as I walked further into the room. Valentin Solonik came forward with a huge smirk.

  “Lyov, finally!” he said loudly, clasping me on the back as if we were old friends.

  Instead of speaking his mother tongue, he spoke English, so everyone in the room could understand. We were a mix of Mexican, Russian, Japanese, and American. I could also spot a few Middle Eastern men.

  “I almost thought you weren’t coming,” he continued in the same thick English accent. He tried hard, but his Russian accent was still present.

  “And miss the event of the year? I don’t think so,” I replied drily. Unlike Valentin, my English accent was perfect. While Solonik took care of the business in Russia, my base was in the States. I sat on my throne in New York, where I had ruled for years.

  Valentin nodded, handing me a glass of wine. “Enjoy the evening then,” he said with a wink before sauntering back to the guests he was attending.

  I took my seat on one of the couches, facing the middle of the room. Isaak sat down beside me, finishing his glass in two large gulps. “I’m going to need more than one glass if we have to get through the night,” he muttered.

  I huffed, taking a sip of the expensive wine. I would have chosen vodka or whiskey, but these were the nights we turned classy. Or we tried to.

  It was all about appearance. At the end of the night, most of us would walk away with a couple of million in our pockets, while others with the goods in their arms.

  My eyes flitted over to the door across from me. It was closed…for now. Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was close to midnight.

  A few more minutes and those doors would open. That was when the fun began.

  Chapter 2

  Lyov

  “Gentlemen, welcome. The evening is about to start. I am honored to have all of you here. Tonight, surprisingly, is hosted by me,” Solonik said with a small laugh.

  Each year this event is hosted by a different group. This year it was Solonik’s turn. I had never hosted it before. And never fucking would.

  I was snapped back into the present when the door opened. There was utter silence for a moment, and then the murmurs started.

  Men laughed, some snickered, others smirked at the sight in front of them.

  The Royalist wasn’t just any type of club. Not just anyone could get in.

  Actually, it wasn’t even a club.

  More like a ring. The most well-known and successful sex and slave cartel ever established. One that nobody could bring down even if they tried.

  Many did, but only their dead bodies made it back home.

  Removing my eyes from the men around the room, I glanced at the door. My gaze found the women piling in.

  I counted in my head. Twenty-five in total. The girls were between sixteen and twenty years of age.

  All of them were naked, their bodies on full display, stripped bare of their dignity. They had nothing left.

  Only a black lace mask adorned their faces. They wore their hair down, falling behind their back as they entered the room.

  All twenty-five of them stood in the middle of the room, their backs straightened rigidly.

  Solonik clapped his hands, and they fell to their knees almost instantly, mere puppets to this game.

  They knelt on the floor, their arms stretching out in front of them with their palms on the cold, hard ground. They arched their backs as they pushed their asses up in the air in total surrender.

  “The slaves have joined us, so our evening can begin. We have a wide collection—different colors and sizes,” Solonik introduced.

  He walked to the first girl, his shoe touching her bare ass with the softest touch. She didn’t dare move or even flinch. She stayed completely immobile, like a frozen statue. “The finest ass and pussy you will ever find. All of them well-trained. You can sample some of them before the bidding starts.”

  This was where our money came from. Our largest revenue. We could make up to more than ten million dollars in one night. The exchange went so fast—in the blink of an eye.

  Buy and sell. Use and then discard.

  That was what happened during these trafficking nights.

  The slaves would do anything at our bidding. We were the Masters. They were the pets. Plain and simple.

  “Enjoy the night,” Solonik finished with a slight bow to his guests. Turning his head toward me, he nodded and walked back to his chair.

  That was when I noticed the single girl, kneeling at his chair in the same position as the others. The only difference was that she wasn’t with the rest of the slaves. She was with him.

  “Are you bidding tonight?” Gavrikov asked, coming to stand beside me. He was another boss, part of Bratva. Someone else I trusted with my life.

  “You know damn well I don’t. I’m here to watch and make sure everything stays under control,” I hissed.

  “Just asking, man. You attend these events every year, yet you leave without a single bid. Nobody questions you because you’re The Boss. But be careful. You don’t know when the snake will strike,” he replied back, tipping his glass against mine before leaving.

  My gaze moved back to the girl beside Solonik. I couldn’t see her face. Her cheek was pressed against the marble floor, her dark hair cascading around her shoulders and face.

  For a brief moment, I wondered what she looked like. All the other slaves had stood up and were parading around for the salivating men.

  But she…she stayed kneeling and hidden, an exquisite statue. It tempted me to get a closer look.

  Fi
nishing my wine, I placed the glass on the table before standing up. A woman came in front of me, her head bowed down. She started to kneel at my feet, but I quickly stepped away, pushing her toward Isaak.

  He grunted in annoyance but caught the girl nonetheless, almost gently wrapping his arms around her. Women were his weakness.

  I walked over to Solonik, whose eyes were trained on me. His fingers wrapped around the girl’s neck in a possessive hold. I huffed, fighting the urge to roll my eyes at his weak show of possession.

  You could possess someone without even touching them…they could be yours with a single gaze. You did not have to have a hold on to them to show ownership.

  As I got closer, he cocked his head to the side in question. I nodded toward the kneeling slave. “She is not up for bidding?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  Solonik chuckled. “Not now. She will be last. But not for sale. She is only available for the night, under some strict rules.”

  “She is yours?”

  “For now. Until I can get the highest buyer. For now, I’ll just enjoy her until I decide otherwise,” he muttered drily, his fingers trailing down her spine.

  She stayed unmoving, which only made me step closer. I wanted to see a reaction from her. Anything…just a small glimpse. Not a frozen sculpture.

  “Are you bidding tonight?” Solonik asked, crossing his ankles. He lounged back against the couch, tugging at his tie.

  “No,” I snapped back.

  Yes.

  Fuck! Frustrated at the sudden thought, I raked my fingers through my hair. I tried to suppress the growl that threatened to escape.

  My gaze slithered back to the girl. Solonik noticed, and he smirked.

  “You are boring, Lyov. Enjoy the night for once. There are plenty of samples for you to choose from,” he said, waving his hand around the room.

  I followed his movement, my eyes finding all twenty-five girls, but none of them had my attention.