Captive of the Hitman: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance Novel by Alexis Abbott, Alex Abbott

and hope for the best as I get out of the car. Mikhail wouldn’t take me to someplace we were both in danger, would he? Maybe he assumed the wrong things about these people...
    This new guy cracks his knuckles, drawing my eye to the many rings on his fingers. Mikhail moves a hand towards his hip where a gun is hid, and then, in a flash everything is going down! The new thug moves his elbow up to smack Mikhail in the nose, and Mikhail jabs right for the kidneys.
    I shriek!
    Both guys are frozen though, stopping just short of impact on one another before they wrap their arms about the other and embrace. Meanwhile, my heart is racing like mad. Great first impression, Allie .
    “Leon! You’re quicker than ever,” Mikhail says with a smile.
    “Quick enough to put a fright into your Old Woman,” Leon says, shooting a half-smirk over towards me before breaking the embrace with Mikhail. “My most sincere apologies, ma’am,” he says, sounding rather contrite for a gangster.
    “I was just the audience,” I spit back, embarrassed by my own fear. This whole situation has me more on edge than I want to admit.
    “Sorry, my timid kotika ,” Mikhail says, releasing the other guy and stepping around the car to extend his hand to me. “Come, meet Leon—he is a brother to me. Leon, this is Alicia,” he says, putting his arm around me, holding me close.
    “Ahh, she is indeed a pussycat,” Leon says, taking my hand, and despite his gruff appearance, lifting it up and kissing my knuckles like a prince. “Welcome to Bayonne, Alicia,” he says so dashingly.
    I’d probably have a schoolgirl crush on him if it weren’t for the fact that Mikhail is finally showing some affection back. All I can think about is the sensation of his arm draped around me, and I can feel the flush rising to my cheeks.
    “Thanks,” I say to Leon before smiling up at Mikhail. “I’m excited to meet some friends of Mikhail, let alone a brother.”
    “Now hands off of her,” Mikhail says in a lower voice, pushing away Leon’s arm, though the two clearly are being playful with one another. My guardian leads me inside as the other bikers clamor around while we head on into the club. A few of them grin and cheer excitedly for Mikhail’s return, others look on as if watching a very important person arrive for a political stop.
    The energy in the room is strange. It’s similar to when I was working for Mr. Gallego in some ways, but with him, I never felt people were truly happy to see him. It was more like they needed to see him but wished they didn’t have to.
    With Mikhail, these people want him to be here, even if they are being respectful. He’s being treated like an important person, and I have to admit... I like it. It makes me feel proud to be on his arm.
    “Some people you know?” A pretty but somewhat unkempt woman asks, stepping close to Leon’s side, draping an arm over his shoulder. But hey, I’ve not had a chance for a good sprucing up in a while either, so who am I to talk?
    “Yeah,” Leon chuckles, “it’s been a hell of a long time, but I like to think I know him. He’s the walking, talking reminder of my past, in more ways than one, but dammit, he’s family. You two, meet my gal, Cherry.”
    She looks like a Cherry, all fiery red mane and soft features.
    “You mean…” Cherry murmurs.
    “Yeah,” Leon replies, stepping forward to give Mikhail a tight hug. “This towering giant is my brother, both by blood and by the Bratva,” he says, looking back at Cherry with a rugged smile.
    “She’s a beauty, I can see why you want to keep her safe, brother. We both have excellent taste,” Leon says, slapping Mikhail’s shoulder and smiling pleasantly over at me.
    “You should see me when I haven’t been locked up for an eternity without a lick of makeup or a decent shampoo,” I say with a grin, though I feel far more flattered than I’m letting on. Leon’s definitely a ladies’ man.
    But the warmth coming from Mikhail