Sophie Oak - Found in Bliss

Alexei tried to relax. Maybe this would go better than he’d expected. He was surprised to find himself so nervous. He hadn’t been thinking about finding a legitimate job all those years before when he’d thrown away the majority of his youth to pursue revenge. Now he had to pay for all the years he should have been in college or starting a career. He had to find a way to make a living in the legitimate world.

“Gene tell me you are looking for good worker.” Perhaps once he got settled in, he would find some training school and learn a trade that went beyond racketeering.

Long-Haired Roger’s bald head nodded. “Yep. I need a new mechanic because my last guy ran off to join the pro-wrestling circuit. I don’t think that’s going to work out for him, but he wouldn’t listen to me. You don’t happen to watch wrestling, do you?”

He asked the question with a serious look on his face, as though the answer to the question would affect Alexei’s ability to be hired. Alexei decided to go with honesty. “No.”

He preferred hockey. One day he would sit in his own home with a big-screen television and watch hockey games with his friends. And Holly. Hopefully she liked hockey because he didn’t think he would allow her out of his lap once he had her there.

Long-Haired Roger sat back, seemingly satisfied with his answer. “Good. Because I don’t need to lose another mechanic to that. Now, do you have experience with cars?”

His brother had taught him much about cars. Mikhail had been forced to learn how to fix his car because they couldn’t afford a mechanic. His brother had been armed with only a how-to book and their father’s tool kit. After Mikhail had been killed, Alexei had found working on cars to be soothing.

“I am self-taught, but I know what I am doing,” Alexei explained. “I will take whatever test you like.”

“Do you know about brakes?”

He spoke without really thinking, the words rolling from his mouth. He’d spent so many years hiding his true feelings that now he often said far too much. “Oh, yes. I have worked with many brake systems. I know how to cut the brake lines of many different types of vehicles. And I was forced to learn how to blow up many mobsters’ vehicles. I always studied the different models to know where to place bomb.”

Long-Haired Roger’s eyes got really wide, and he sat back up straight again. “What?”

Alexei pushed on. He wasn’t going to hide his past. Honesty was what worked in America. “It is very important to know how to blow up car and only take out intended target. I was best in Russia. Ten cars blown and not a single innocent victim.”

“You just blew up cars without anyone in them?”

Alexei shook his head. “Nyet. No innocent victims. I did, however, manage to take out some of worst criminals in Russia. Luckily they had pissed off my boss, and that gave me shot at taking them out. They were drug pushers and slave traders. There are many slave traders in Europe and Asia. They look to sell womens to brothels. These womens do not want to go to brothels.”

“I can see why not. That sounds like something out of television. And you blew up these fellows’ vehicles?”

“Yes, it is best way to take out a person if you do not wish to shoot them. Shooting can get messy, and sometimes people need a bigger demonstration to make them believe you will do what it takes. An exploding car will get many people’s attention. But I am careful and always use a device I can control because I do not want the ignition to be turned by innocent person and then they get killed. Only the bad person. My partner make fun of me for spending many nights hiding in bushes waiting for my target, but I say it is better to have bad back than bad soul.”

Long-Haired Roger’s fingers drummed nervously on his desk. “Uhm, I can see you were a very thoughtful assassin. What does your partner think about you now that you’ve come to the States?”

Ivan had always thought Alexei was an idiot, but then Ivan had been a hard-boiled killer. Ivan had never been his friend. “He does not think at all. He was one of the peoples I killed to save the women of Bliss.”

“Okay, then.” Long-Haired Roger’s face took on a pained expression. “I think you might be overqualified for this job. I really think you should look for something bigger.”

Alexei sat forward. “Oh, no. I like small business. I work very hard.”

“I…I just don’t think you have quite the level of experience I was looking for. Sorry. I really hope you don’t blow up my car.”

Alexei left with a heavy heart and the sad knowledge that his job hunt was not going to go well.

Caleb winced as the phone rang, wondering why the landlines couldn’t be as crappy as cell service was here in Bliss. The phone just kept ringing. Why wasn’t a man allowed to drown in his misery in relative peace and quiet?

“And why do I have to be the only doctor?” Caleb asked the only other living thing in the building. Yep. He was now talking to a plant. That was how pathetic his life had become. He was talking to an ivy instead of laying Holly out on his exam table and proving just how thorough he could be.

He could still feel that soft, curvy body pressed against his. He could feel the roundness of her breasts crushed to his chest. If he’d had a little more time, he would have been able to get his hands on them. He would have eased her on to the exam table and pushed her clothes off. The table was a nice height. He could have spread her legs and finally gotten a taste of her pussy. Sweet. She would be sweet with a just a hint of tangy bite to her cream. That was his Holly. Sweet with just enough sass to make it all interesting. He would eat that pussy. How long had it been since he’d enjoyed a woman that way? And he wanted Holly. He wanted her so bad his cock was in a constant state of need.

When he’d eaten his fill, when she’d come all over his tongue, he’d take her. He’d spread her legs and let his cock have its way. He’d fuck her until he didn’t have an ounce of cum left in his body. Then and only then would he be satisfied. And not for long.

The phone started up again, an annoying insect that wouldn’t let up. It was just going to keep ringing. With a growl of frustration, he picked up. “Bliss County Clinic. Who’s dying?”

“Caleb?”

Caleb froze at the sound of his brother’s voice. “Eli?”

“It’s good to talk to you, brother.”

He closed his eyes and forced himself not to hang up the phone. He hadn’t hidden his location from his family. He’d just assumed Eli would know he didn’t want to talk to him. “What do you need, Eli?”

He could practically hear his brother’s frown. He would be tense, his brows coming together. The older he got, the more Eli looked like their father. Damn, sometimes Caleb missed his father with an ache that seemed endless. And sometimes he was happy his father had died before he could see what had become of his middle son.

“Do I have to need something to want to talk to my brother?” Eli asked.

“You know damn well we have nothing to say to each other.”

“Damn it, Caleb, you have to forgive me at some point. You have to talk to me at some point. I know I fucked up, but I don’t want to lose my brother, too.”

Then maybe Eli shouldn’t have fucked his wife. Caleb held the words in. Arguing with Eli wouldn’t do a lick of good. “I’m still alive, Eli. Don’t be such a drama queen. I’ve been gone for over a year and you haven’t needed to talk to me. You know you were the one who asked me to leave.”

Eli’s voice softened. “And you sound more animated than I’ve heard you in years. I would push you out a thousand times if I thought it would save you from whatever dark hole you fell down.”

His hand tightened around the phone. “It wasn’t a hole. I was kidnapped, Eli. Tortured. I’m sorry that inconvenienced you.”

“Damn it, Caleb. That is always your answer. You think I don’t know what happened to you? I’ve read every report. I had to read the reports because you wouldn’t talk to me. You wouldn’t see a counselor. You wouldn’t try antidepressants. You wouldn’t do anything except slowly waste away. I couldn’t handle it. I love you, Caleb. Whatever our differences are, I love you, brother. I had to try something. I was just lucky your friend had a place for you to go. Tell me you don’t like it there, and I’ll come pick you up myself.”

Yes, Senator Eli Sommerville would fuel the jet and have a limo meet him at whatever airport he landed in. Eli was good at using his position. A little wave of guilt assaulted him. It had been Eli who had the power to send a SEAL team in after him. “I don’t want to leave.”

Eli sighed. “I know. You like it there. I’ve talked to Lieutenant Meyer.”

That was news to Caleb. “Since when do you talk to Wolf?”

“Don’t get mad. All he’s told me is that you’re settling in and you’re working. I was so glad to hear that you’re working again. I told you it would help.”

“What do you want, Eli?” He didn’t want to sit here and talk about his life with his brother. There was too much between them. Eli was from a different time. Eli was from “before.” Everything was

“before” or “after.” It was the way he divided his life.

“Fine. I was calling to see if you could come home for Thanksgiving.”

And be reminded of all the ways he’d failed his family? No. “I have patients here. I can’t leave.”

There was a long sigh. “All right. It’s still a couple of months away. We would love to see you. If you change your mind, you know the way home.”

Eli hung up. Caleb wouldn’t go home for the holidays. He would spend them alone. He would try to ignore the whole season. Colorado winters were different from winters in Chicago. Chicago winters were brutal, but there was a softness to the season in Colorado. A beauty that didn’t exist outside the mountains. And Holly always looked adorable bundled in a parka.

“Are you going to continue talking to me?”

Caleb looked up and saw Wolf’s massive form taking up all the space of his doorway. The big cowboy stood there staring at him. He wore his typical uniform of dark-washed jeans and a T-shirt. His boots were worn, but the hat was new. It was still a little odd to see Wolf out of uniform. “Why wouldn’t I talk to you? Oh. You heard me talking to Eli. I don’t care if you tell my brother I’m alive. It’s fine, Wolf.”

Wolf walked in, his eyes going immediately to the plant. “He just wants to know you’re okay, you know. Did you make a friend?”

Caleb took a long breath as he zipped up his bag. “It was a present from Nell. She’s trying to liven up the clinic. Or she’s planning on using it to kill me. I don’t know which.”

“Interesting.” Wolf turned his keys in his hand. “So, why exactly do you need a ride? Something wrong with your truck?”

“I loaned it to Holly. There was a diner emergency.” Caleb closed his files and shoved them into the proper folders. He grabbed his keys and led Wolf out the door, locking it behind him.

“Oh, did that matchbox of hers finally give up the ghost?” Wolf asked.

“No. She loaned her car to Alexei. I need to run Alexei’s blood work and all the other samples in to the hospital for testing. If I’m lucky, he picked up your mom’s Ebola.” That was a pleasant thought. Alexei’s organs liquefying before his inevitable, painful death put Caleb in a much better mood.

Wolf’s lips pursed. “So Alexei has Holly’s car and you gave her yours. Very interesting.”

“No, it’s not.” He took the steps quickly, eager to get out to the hospital and get back. He had rounds this afternoon.

“Yes, it is interesting. The man is only in town for a day, and you’ve already been pulled into a three-way.”

Caleb rolled his eyes and prayed for patience. He hoped that rumor wasn’t going around. Bliss ran on gossip, and the citizens lived to get in each other’s business. “It’s not a three-way. It’s a friend helping out another friend who happens to have horrible taste in men. I didn’t advise Holly to let Alexei borrow her car. Now are you going to help me out? I promised Holly I would get these in today.”

Wolf opened the driver’s side door and got in. “Hey, I got nothing better to do, and now it’s a four-way. Awesome.”

Wolf’s sarcasm was one of his flaws. Caleb let it go as he buckled his seatbelt. “Thanks, man. It shouldn’t take too long. I already talked to the lab. They’re waiting on me. Are you sure James can spare you?”

Wolf had been working with his childhood friend, James Glen, at his huge spread. James had inherited the ranch and herd from his father, but Caleb had heard he was struggling. Wolf couldn’t have come home at a better time.