Let Me In-Dragan's Tale: The Mikhailov Brothers Read online

  “No!” I answered.

  I heard him panting behind me, trying to postpone the climax that was barreling toward him.

  He tried to punish me by bringing me down on his face again.

  I laughed and swallowed his cum as we came together.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  RAMPS

  Toni

  It became abundantly clear five minutes after Sergey left us in his kitchen that we needed to make ourselves scarce.

  It had been a long day and I wanted to go home, clean up and change before spending the evening with my mom. The orthopedic surgeon was due to visit her at six p.m. and I wanted to be there to discuss what the surgery to repair the deep cut on her arm would entail. The ER doctor had cleaned it and stitched it but we agreed that when her pain was under control a surgeon would have to access the extent of the damage to her tendons and muscles. She already had enough health concerns and we didn’t need permanent damage to her arm that could have been avoided if it were addressed right the first time.

  Just as Dragan had said, his friend Mike had delivered my car to me that afternoon. He said it needed a new battery and unfortunately I didn’t know enough about car repair to question him. When I got in the car and turned the engine over I was immediately struck with the ease. My car never started on the first try. Mike also said he had his guy wash it for me. But I knew that the tires on it weren’t just clean. They were new. Drive shitty, retreaded tires for five years and see if you can’t tell the difference.

  My radio worked too. And sometime between last night, when it died on the side of the road, and this afternoon when Mike delivered it, my Nissan Stanza had given birth to a new CD/MP3 player.

  Dragan and I had parted in the driveway at Sergey and Evie’s. Once he had me in my car, he didn’t wait around. He kissed me, smacked my ass, hopped in his car and drove away. I took two things from that behavior: he knew my car was safe to drive now and he knew I would question how much of a favor Mike the mechanic owed him.

  When I pulled up to my house, I hit the brakes, hard. Pretty sure they are new too, because I didn’t hear the telltale squeak. I looked around the neighborhood. Most of my neighbors were still at work. Their driveways, if they were lucky enough to have one, were empty. But sitting in my drive was a white work van and a long matching pick up with the words Orlov Construction painted on the side.

  I parked my car and made my way to the van in the drive. There were men pulling equipment out, ladders being hoisted up and over me.

  “Excuse me,” I said. A man who was ordering workers around my yard turned and gave me an appreciative look.

  “Hi, there!” He smiled. “I’m Joe Decker. Are you Miss Hume?”

  I nodded and jumped when a jackhammer started demolishing my front porch. “What’s happening?” I yelled. “I didn’t order work.” I waved my arms around.

  He smiled, looked behind me and pointed. I followed his gaze to the hulk of a man jumping out of a black F-150 pickup truck. I recognized him immediately and made my way to him.

  “Antonina, I am so sorry. I wanted to be here to greet you but we got tied up on the phone with Evelyn and Sergey.”

  It was Boris, Brenna’s husband. I shook my head. “I didn’t make the connection when I saw the name on the vans,” I yelled over the hammering.

  He shook his head and guided me to his truck. Swinging the door open, he lifted me in without a word and came around the front to climb into the cab next to me. When he shut the door, the din was muffled enough that we could speak with one another without screaming.

  “Boris,” I began. “I feel awful, but I didn’t order any work to be done. I think your men have the wrong house.”

  He laughed. And he had a great laugh. Really deep and sincere. “No, little Toni. Dragan texted me last night. Asked me to send one of my crews over to make your house wheelchair accessible.”

  I was stunned. Dragan hadn’t said a word.

  I started to ask about cost when Boris interrupted me. “Drago said your momma couldn’t move around in her home the way she should be able to. So, here we are! My boys will get this place where it needs to be for her. No problem,” he woofed.

  I fought to keep the lump in my throat from choking me. “Boris, this is incredible but I can’t afford—”

  “There is nothing to afford. You are family. Your momma needs something I have. So you have it.” He sounded angry. It certainly wasn’t my intention to anger the Mountain but…

  “Please, don’t be upset, Boris. This is just about the nicest thing,” my voice cracked and the bulge expanded behind my windpipe. “I…I’m just…” I started to cry and I felt like an idiot.

  Instantly Boris’s extra-large mitt reached out and brought me to his side.

  I totally lost it. The fatigue and worry that had plagued me for months hit me in the chest and I sobbed.

  “Little Toni,” the big man fussed. “Everything is going to be alright. Your momma will be fine. You are a strong woman. Bren and I, we saw this right away. We knew it and I said to Bren, I said, ‘Bren, that Toni, she is a good woman. Evie is lucky to have such a good friend.’ And my Bren, she agreed. And then Drago called us and told us what a good daughter you are. You take care of your momma. You keep her safe and well. And he said to me. ‘Boris, Antonina carries her momma around. I need that fixed.’ So here I am. I fix it. Okay, little Toni?”

  I swallowed my cries and nodded. “I’m sorry, Boris. Thank you so much.”

  He patted my back. “Never apologize for feeling my dear.” He gave me a squeeze and leaned back. “The boys are coming back tomorrow to start on the inside. Will eight a.m. be alright?”

  “I thought you were building a ramp?”

  “We are. A ramp… and we are replacing the cracked walkway and adding a ramp to the back porch. Then we widen Momma Hume’s bedroom door and outfit the bathroom to make it easier for her to use.”

  “I don’t know what to say, Boris. I… thank you so much. But I need to pay.”

  He ignored me and opened his door, the sound of jackhammers and nail guns spilling into the cab. “All paid up, little Toni. My Brenna wants you and your momma at our house for supper very soon. And.” He pointed and I saw Dragan parked across the street, watching us.

  I jumped from the cab before Boris could get to me and waved, making my way to Dragan.

  Walking to the driver’s side door, I stood waiting for him to acknowledge me. Even with the tint of the glass, his fingers wrapped around the wheel, I could see that his knuckles were white. Without looking at me, he opened the door and got out. Standing in front of me, his hands tucked under his arms. I think it was his version of the universal ‘fuck off’. I wondered if he just realized what a ramp from Orlov Construction was going to cost him.

  “Why did I pull up here to find you in my brother in-law’s arms?”

  Okay, that I did not expect. “What? That’s not seriously why you’re looking at me like you want to punch something?”

  “Is that your fucking answer?”

  I felt that tingle in my soft spot again. “Don’t talk to me that way?” I warned, low.

  “What way, Antonina?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t want to have this conversation out here. If you’re angry with all that Boris is doing, let’s stop it. I appreciate that you thought of it. It was nice. But it’s not a problem. I’ve looked into ramps and they can be really expensive. ”

  He grabbed my arm and pulled me across the street.

  “I’m trying to be appreciative goddamn it,” I yelled. “I suck at this. Stop pulling me.”

  We walked past Joe and he caught sight of my arm in Dragan’s grasp.

  He stepped up and blocked our path to the back door, “Everything ok here, Miss Hume?” He squared his shoulders and tossed Dragan a look that made me wince.

  I tried to smooth the tension from the situation. “Everything is fine, Mr. Decker. I think Mr. Mikhailov…” I pointed to Dragan. “…underestimate
d the resources needed to add the ramp. Maybe it would be best to suspend work for now.”

  The man raised his hand. “The boys have everything prepped. But that’s cool.” He thought for a moment and continued. “Look.” He winked. “If your friend here can’t afford the work, how about I come back this weekend and install the ramp for you.” He should have thought longer.

  Dragan had released me and was at the man’s throat before his movement had registered in my brain. Joe, the not so bright contractor, was on his knees. Dragan leaning down to him.

  “Whoa,” Boris came stumbling out of my backdoor. “Drago, my brother! Stіĭte! Stіĭte!”

  Dragan ignored him and pressed the man further into the ground.

  “Antonina,” Boris called. “Tell Dragan to stop!” he bellowed. “Stіĭte!”

  That thawed my muscles and I ran over to Dragan, forcing his face into my hands. “Mikhailov, listen to me.” His eyes were on me but he wasn’t seeing me. “Mikhailov,” I screamed. “Look at me Mikhailov.” That did it. His eyes narrowed and his focus was on me. I nodded my head and he released the man’s hand. He straightened to his full height. I watched him as he took a deep inhalation into his lungs and exhaled. “Let’s go in the house and sit down, okay. Everything’s fine.” I said this more to assure myself then him. He turned and said something to Boris in Russian and stepped up and onto the back porch. The crumbling concrete step had been removed. No wonder Boris nearly fell when he came out of the house.

  He reached out his hand and pulled me up to him and together we disappeared through the threshold.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  BOSS MAN

  The Dragan

  It was a series of events that led to me nearly beating the shit out of Boris’s employee.

  It started when I pulled up to the house, expecting some gratitude from my woman. Gratitude in the form of getting naked and riding my cock again. Instead I see her bawling her eyes out on Boris’s shoulder. Just like I caught her crying into Evelyn’s chest from the window of The Booth this morning. And like I heard her doing on the phone with David after we’d fucked. I got in the shower and she called her friend to unload her worries. Or when she called Rosa this afternoon to check on her. For fuck’s sake. Rosa’d just sold the bar right out from under her and Toni called to check on her. And cried to Rosa about losin’ the bar…to me.

  But when I’ve asked if she was cool. If she needed a shoulder, what does she say to me? ‘I’m fine Mikhailov. I’m always fine.’

  And then that little prick tried to dog me in front of her. And then winked! Oh, hell no!

  “Here,” she said. Standing in front of the sofa, Antonina had brought me in some water. I took it but didn’t drink. “You want to talk about what’s going on, here?” she asked.

  I looked down at the empty space next to me on the sofa. She took the hint and sat down.

  “You’ve done a lot crying the past twenty-four hours. You wanna talk to me?”

  She turned to me and gave me a face as if I was insane. “Are you nuts?” Like I said, she gave me a look.

  I explained in a different way, “I’ve been asking you for months. When I see you lookin’ low at The Booth. Asking if you needed help when you’re sittin’ at a bus stop in the rain. Done that like three times, at least. I’ve watched you grimace in pain bending over to put dishes in a dishwasher. I asked, ‘You okay?’ And what do I get from you? ‘I’ve fine Mikhailov. No worries Mikhailov, I’m not the type to cry.’”

  Her pink tongue came out and licked the corner of her mouth. Her eyes calculated, her nostrils flared. “So this is about me needing you?” she asked.

  I sat the glass of water on the end table and scrubbed my face with my hands. “Of course it is!” I admitted to her and myself. “I watched you cry your eyes out all over a man you barely know. Boris is great but…shit Antonina. Talk to me. I’ve been tryin’ to get to you however I could for months. You give me nothing. All hell breaks loose in three days. You fall apart over and over, from the stress, the fatigue, the burdens you carry.” I grabbed the glass, downed the water and continued. “Shit I watched you hug that prick I nearly ended in your front yard. I had my dick inside you. Today! But you still give me nothin’.”

  Antonina swallowed hard and looking away from me she answered. “Your dick was inside me, you got more than most do. As for needing you…No, I don’t need. I got friends for that. Just like every other man I’ve fucked; you think getting between my legs buys you a ticket to my soft fluffy center. Like you said just a few days ago, pussy is pussy.” I shuddered at my own words but said nothing. “I didn’t ask you for help. You gave and I really appreciate it. What you’re doing for my mom… here, with the ramp. That’s amazing. But I didn’t ask for it. Evie pointed out some silver lining for me today. I got money. There’s over 55,000 dollars in my savings account. I’ll ask Boris for an invoice and pay you back. I’ll find out whatever Mikey would have charged you and send you a check for my car. M’kay?”

  “Antonina…”

  “No, this is good, Mikhailov. I was getting carried away. I’m not going to lose myself in a man. So…” she smacked my knee and stood, taking the glass from me. “If you’ll excuse me, I want to get the smell of your soap off me, and change clothes. I got, like, 30 minutes to get to the hospital. I’m on schedule at the bar tomorrow, so maybe I’ll see you there, boss man.” She walked into the kitchen to deposit the glass and then headed down the hall to the bathroom. “Let yourself out,” she called over her shoulder.

  Toni

  I waited to hear the door close and let the air escape my lungs. Rushing to my closet, I pulled out a pair of jeans, a pink fuzzy short-sleeved sweater and my hot pink Teva flip flops and jumped in the shower. When the water hit my back I started to cry. “What a fuckin’ girl!” I pouted. I’d made a huge mistake. Got way too comfortable with that man too quickly. I washed my hair. I noticed it smelled like his cigars earlier today. I kept bringing it to my nose to smell it.

  I rinsed and let the water drain away all the suds before I turned the knob and hopped out and hurried to braid my hair and get dressed.

  I replayed the scene with Dragan in my mind. It was way too soon and I was way to unwilling to concede to a man. Saw my mom do it when I was little. That man, my dad nearly brought our family to its knees. Seeing Dragan bring that man to his knees made me sick to my stomach. I won’t live with that violence. My mom gave me a lot of wisdom over the years. Falling in love with a violent man was problematic. You never knew when he would turn that shit on you. Not happening.

  It was five minutes after six and I was running into the main lobby of Austin General Hospital. I hoped I hadn’t missed the orthopedic surgeon. There was no way Mom would ask all the questions. She was way too nice to doctors. Evie taught me a long time ago. All doctors want you to bow to them. She taught me to talk to all doctors as if they’re a little slow. And randomly throw facts that have no relevance into the conversation. It kept them on their toes. Unless they were psychologists. They’d offer their card and your best move was to back away slowly.

  When I entered Mom’s room I was surprised to find not only Davy but his mom and dad surrounding her bed.

  Mom was laughing at something David said. She looked really good.

  “Hey, sweetie,” she called. “Come give me a kiss.”

  I did as I was told and then made my way around the room to greet everyone. I haven’t seen Mr. and Mrs. Ross in months and guilt hit me hard when Mr. Ross wrapped me up in a big hug. The man gave great hugs. The best in fact. He did dad things with me when I was a kid, just like he did for Evie.

  At the Middle Ridge Junior High School’s annual Father and Daughter Dance, he escorted Evie and I. When I got into Tulane, I told my mom and then Mr. Ross in that order. I’d been so obsessed with doing everything on my own; I’d neglected some relationships that mattered to me.

  I sat between them in the hospital room while they regaled us with stories of al
l the trouble Davy and I used to get into. My mom looked relaxed and happy. Better than she’d looked in a long time. Mrs. Ross brought her homemade chicken and noodle soup and she ate every bite.

  It was a few minutes after eight when the orthopedic surgeon, who introduced himself as Brian Felton, finally showed up. He looked young. I had my list of questions in my binder but before I could start, the Rosses were all over him. Asking him about his qualifications and where he’d studied. He answered every question with a smile and even showed a little sense of humor.

  His assessment, after reviewing Mom’s records, was to use local anesthesia and make incisions around her skin over the damaged tendon, sew the torn ends of the tendon together, check the surrounding tissue to make sure no other injuries have occurred, like injury to the blood vessels or nerves. Then close the incision with stitches. All this and she would be able to come home a day later.

  After Mom and I decided to proceed with the surgery he offered his thanks for all the great questions and apologized for making us wait. This shocked the shit out of me.

  “Antonina,” my mom said as the door closed. He was really cute and I think he was flirting with you.”

  I laughed. “Momma, he was answering our questions about a serious surgical procedure. Not every man who meets me is hitting on me.” I patted her.

  The door snapped closed again and Dr. Felton was standing at the entrance. He smiled and walked around the bed toward me. “Excuse me for interrupting. I forgot to give you my card.” I thanked him and looked down. Nice card. Thick paper. Embossed in gold. “My cell phone number is on the back if you have any more questions or… anything.”

  I smiled again and tucked the card into my back pocket. And my momma laughed.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  BULLETS

  The Dragan

  I’d fucked things up with Antonina. I wasn’t sure what I did. But I was definitely out. And she wasted no time in making her point. By the time, I’d gotten on the highway, Mikey was callin’ to ask if Toni was unhappy with the car repairs. He said she had called and wanted an invoice listing everything he did to her car. We agreed on what the bill would say and he promised to mail it out to her right away.