The Trader: The Beast, #4

By Jaden Wilkes

The long awaited Beast Series book 4, The Trader.

Return to the lives of Columbia and Dimitri. They're living in wedded bliss in Moscow when Dimitri's brother, Ilya, reappears.

Long thought dead, he's back for vengeance against Dimitri who he thinks sold him into slavery and stole his life.

And he'll destroy everything Dimitri loves and cherishes, or die trying.

But not if Columbia has her way.

**18+ due to graphic descriptions and language. Other books in the series must be read before this one.

***Written in Canadian English, so you'll notice extra letters scattered here in there in some words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jaden Wilkes
• Release date: Mar 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386584100

Jaden Wilkes

Jaden is the pen name of a girl living on the prettiest farm in BC. She shares her space with her husband, her children, and an Irish Wolfhound named Tiberius. She can now be found lurking in the dark corners of the internet looking for artful porn gifs, dirty poems and places to promo her work.

Book preview

Prologue

The girl was exhausted but she pushed on. She had to, or else they would kill her.

She smiled, shook her hips when they demanded it, and took money in exchange for quick sexual favours whenever one of the guests pulled her aside and requested something special.

It was never done in the privacy of a separate room, she wasn’t high enough on the illicit club’s food chain to command that kind of money. She was a low rent girl, her clients threw crumpled twenty dollar American bills at her for hand jobs, blow jobs, and access to all or any of her holes.

She wanted to fall down, to curl up and sleep, but she couldn’t.

If she did, they would kill her. The American men who were in the club tonight might seem nice, but behind their toothy smiles and blustery bragging, they didn’t care.

If they cared, they wouldn’t be doing the things they were doing to her, the kinds of things you didn’t do with the most skilled sex workers in high end brothels in Las Vegas, let alone in a dive bar off the beaten track in some third world south American country.

She wasn’t even sure where they were. She’d been away from her own family since before she could remember but she understood from the way people spoke about her that she’d been American at some point.

Now? She was without a country. Without a family. Without a past or a future or most nights, even a present.

So she smiled, and she did what they demanded and for some strange reason, she kept herself a live.

You there, girl, come here, she heard from behind her. A deep, powerful male voice with a strong Russian accent. Now!

She turned and found herself staring at a beast of a man, a gigantic muscled mafia type with an icy gaze and a cruel smirk playing across his lips.

She walked towards him on stilted legs, her fear an almost animal instinct, warning her to keep away. She fixed a smile on her face, aiming for warm and inviting but falling short as her fear kept her mouth in more of a grimace.

Here, sit, the man said, indicating a chair next to his. She wasn’t really supposed to spend much time with customers out in the open like this. Her current owners preferred her to get clients into the back rooms where they’d be more open to doing whatever they wanted, thus opening their wallets.

She perched on the edge of the black velvet chair and attempted to maintain some modesty in spite of the fact that she was naked but for a simple golden collar with a lock and clip for a leash.

She expected the monstrous man to attach something to her in order to drag her off somewhere, but he didn’t. He barely looked at her.

What’s your name? His voice rumbled from deep inside his massive chest, like earth sounds during a quake.

What do you want it to be?

Do you have one?

Not anymore.

He looked at her then, and she wished he hadn’t. His eyes raked up and down her naked flesh, she could feel the ice-cold blades of his judgement cutting through her defenses, leaving her feeling bloodied and drained of any will to live.

You look just like her.

Who? She didn’t know why she asked, she wasn’t supposed to ask questions.

His eyes narrowed and pierced her very soul. My brother’s whore.

She didn’t respond, her eyes dropped and she prayed to whatever tattered, neglectful god watched over wretches like her that he’d leave her alone then. That he would find her lacking and move onto the next morsel.

You do look like her, he pondered and reached out, dragging her onto his knee to face him. She hadn’t been a child for a couple years now, but in his grasp, she felt like one again. Tiny and insignificant, frail and helpless.

He stroked her cheek and she fought the urge to shudder in disgust. He smiled at her and it only made his appearance more fearsome.

You’ll do just fine…just fine indeed. I will call you Columbia. My Little Dove. I will call you that and I will destroy you…just like I will one day destroy him.

Tears sprung bright and hot behind her eyes and she felt all will to live flee her body.

She wasn’t going to make it through this. After everything that had been done to her over the years, since being stolen as a little girl from her family’s vacation condo in Milan to this very moment, she’d never considered that she would actually die.

But now she knew it. This man was going to take her life. He was going to call her Columbia and destroy her.

For in spite of everything horrible about him, she could tell he was a man of his word.

No matter how horrific that word could be.

1

Columbia

The waves crashed on the beach just a few feet from the gazebo and Columbia squirmed.

Hold still, seriously, you’re worse than a child. Ioana tried to braid Columbia’s hair with delicate tiny blue flowers, the ones that grew wild along the jagged coastline of the estate, but Columbia was in a vexed state.

What if things change when we get married?

Columbia had been thinking about this endlessly, worrying about anything unbalancing the perfect ecosystem of her relationship with Dimi.

What if a legal contract changed him? What if it changed her?

Are you serious? Ioana asked, pausing with her fingers tangled in Columbia’s thick curls. This is something you’re just thinking about now, on the day of your wedding?

I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, since he asked me.

That doesn’t make it any better. And it doesn’t make it any less ridiculous.

Columbia furrowed her brow and twisted to look at her friend. See? This is the reason I haven’t told you about it.

Because you know the moment you give it voice, you’ll realize how completely silly it is?

Columbia turned back around and let Ioana continue braiding the delicate little flowers in the tangled mass of her mane. She sighed and exhaled, a sound of frustration, like a horse snorting.

Fine. I hear it now. In my head it felt so much more serious.

It always does, my friend. It always does. This is why you need to bring dark thoughts into the light where they dissipate like so much smoke in the wind. You know it’s silly now because it is.

I know. Nothing will change, Dimi will still be Dimi and he will still stubbornly love me as hard as he already does. In spite of all my flaws.

Columbia’s eyes flicked to where Ioana’s son lay sleeping in a beautiful designer bassinet in the shade of a wedding gazebo.

That’s not a flaw and Dimitri will never judge you harshly for that. You should know that by now, deep in your bones, in every cell of your body. You know he loves you with the passion and commitment of a man who sees no other. You could give him a thousand babies or no babies and he will still see you the same, with unwavering love and devotion.

I feel so flawed though. My one biological task as a woman and it doesn’t seem to ever happen for us. And we try, every month, every day, we try.

So I’ve heard, Ioana laughed. The people around here talk about that, you know. You two are legendary in your love making.

Columbia actually blushed, a red heat flooded her cheeks and she laughed again. It’s more like sexual combat.

How do you mean? Ioana hoped to distract Columbia long enough to tame her thick curls into a pretty braid, it only had to last as long as the ceremony and for the photographer. After that, Dimitri could loosen it up as he took Col as his wife for the first time.

Ioana almost envied her friend, even though she’d been with her beast of a man for some time now, getting married would change things. It would make everything fresh and new for a while, give them the chance to start over in a way. Start something together, a life bound by law and witnessed by those who mattered.

Ioana sometimes felt like an old woman around Columbia, in spite of Col’s bloodthirsty nature and desire to fight, ultimately she was such a young girl.

He and I, we’re not often tender with each other. Don’t get me wrong, I love it like that, but sometimes I feel like we’re always going to fight for control. Our personalities are so similar in that regard, neither one of us knows how to back down.

How is it when you fight?

Columbia paused and chewed her lip in contemplation. Ioana jerked the last strands of loose hair into the complicated braid and stood back, admiring her work. Finally Col said, I guess I usually give in. I mean I don’t let him win, but I make the first move. If I waited for him, I would wait until the grave. So he’s just that much more stubborn than I am, I suppose.

Ioana laughed and leaned down on a sudden impulse and hugged her friend. She was surprised that Columbia didn’t pull away or react violently, in fact she leaned back into her embrace. You two will be fine. You balance each other and fit into each other’s cracks. There’s nothing better than all the pieces lining up, and it’s obvious the love you have for each other will rise above all other emotions.

I hope you’re right. I guess I’m just feeling all moody because of the wedding. You’ll have to excuse me, I never thought I’d be one of those bridezilla types, but once the big day got here I felt like a different woman.

Columbia stood and smiled, reached up to feel her hair. It’s wonderful, I can tell. Thank you so much…for this and for listening.

Always, any time, Ioana replied and the two of them left the beach in search of the bridal group who were waiting to prepare Columbia for the ceremony in a few hours.

Columbia felt as if a ball of snakes had taken up residence in her stomach, but Ioana’s steady presence and the love of her friends seemed to quell the nerves that threatened to send her into a panicked frenzy.

She smiled at each one of the women waiting for her, and had to laugh at her little sister and Iryna fighting over who got to carry her bouquet.

This is why I told you we needed a planner, Ioana whispered in Columbia’s ear.

No, this is why I didn’t need a planner, Columbia replied and grabbed the massive bouquet of rare orchids mixed with wildflowers from Dimitri’s home town. The two younger women stopped in mid argument, froze, and stared at Columbia as if expecting a slap or even worse, a lecture on behaviour.

You can each have half, Columbia said, feeling charitable on the day she was declaring her love for Dimi in front of God and nature and everyone she knew. That way I won’t have to kick your asses all the way up and down the beach for being bratty little bitches on my special day.

Eden pouted, being the younger of the two and determined to show it apparently. It was tough for her, the spoiled baby of the family, to give up any of the spotlight. Columbia knew this, but on this of all days, she just didn’t fucking care.

I wasn’t being bratty. I think I should carry it because I’m related to you. I’m the only one here under the age of forty who shares your blood, Eden said defiantly, shooting a smug look at Iryna.

Iryna is Dimitri’s niece, you know that, Columbia said and made to untie the gorgeous bouquet. It really would be a disgrace to ruin such a work of art, but Columbia suspected it would be the only way to settle this.

Not his real niece, Eden whined.

Please don’t, Iryna said, holding her hand up to stop Columbia. The florist put so much work into your bouquet, I’d hate to see it torn apart. Eden can carry it.

Eden puffed up like a smug little tart, her neon pink hair sticking every which way but down, and her thrown together torn black dress tattered and obviously second hand in spite of the millions Dimitri gave her every year.

I’ll take that, she said and reached for the flowers.

No you won’t, Columbia said and handed the bouquet to Iryna. You are still a spoiled brat, Eden. I feel responsible for this though, you have never wanted for anything in your life and I feel like you lack character for it.

I can’t, Iryna replied and stepped back, leaving the flowers in Columbia’s hands. I don’t want to get in between family.

You’re my family too, Columbia said with more determination as she saw the pout on Eden’s face get bigger. Please won’t you carry them, it will mean so much to me. And to Dimi.

At the mention of her Uncle’s name, Iryna’s face split into a grin and she took the bouquet. Fine, if you insist. She was pleased, Columbia could tell, but she still gave Eden a darting, guilty glance.

Iryna’s had everything given to her too, it’s not fair. And we were poor until you met Dimitri. It’s not like I grew up rich like she did, Eden whined. It’s so unfair.

This is your sister’s day, shut your fucking mouth or I’ll shut it for you, Ioana spoke up suddenly and stood in front of Eden, staring her down until Eden slunk away and flopped into a lounge chair in the corner.

Columbia chuckled. Thank you, it was getting heated.

Not on my watch. This is such bullshit, you put up with way too much from that girl.

I know, but you might not understand what we’ve been through together. It’s been a strange and terrible life.

Everyone has had a strange and terrible life in one way or another. You need to be harder on her, to teach her a thing or two about how the world works.

I think she just learned a lesson, but enough of that. This is my day, right?

It is! The day you officially become Mrs. Dimitri Sokolov. How does that make you feel?

Columbia Sokolov. It’s a mouthful, isn’t it? Columbia giggled at the length of her new name, the strangeness of another surname, especially because it was Russian. She never imagined in a million years when she was a teenager that she would end up married to a Russian mobster and living such a strange and wonderful life.

You’re a handful so I think it suits you, Iryna smiled and held the flowers close to her. Columbia wondered if she was imagining her own wedding day to Nico, since the two of them had become nearly inseparable over the past few months. It was inevitable it seemed, their love was so pure and complete.

Columbia no longer had any feelings at all about it, which meant she was on the right track with her own healing. So I’ve heard, she replied pointedly to Iryna and soon the women were laughing and enjoying the lead up to the ceremony as Columbia finally got the last of her preparations together and was ready to marry her man.

Even Eden recovered from her little tantrum and allowed Ioana to tame her hair and even talk her into a pretty dress that went better with the rest of the beautiful wedding party.

Columbia had to look around, as they left the little beach house and headed towards the platform that had been constructed on the beach just for the wedding, and let herself feel something that was still foreign and slightly scary to her.

Peace.

Love and happiness too, but most of all, peace.

2

Dimitri

T his is all such bullshit, I don’t know why I’m not allowed to see her before the ceremony. She’s mine, and I should be able to go fuck her on the beach like any other morning.

Dimitri practically snarled his complaint, but nobody would tell him where his Little Dove was holed up getting ready for their wedding. He hadn’t seen her since yesterday and his urgency was growing as quickly as his libido.

It was rare he went that long without having her beside him, and even more rare that he didn’t wake up with her riding his cock or with his face buried between her thighs, guided there by instinct as he slept.

Boian exhaled dramatically and Dimitri glowered at the younger man. It’s just tradition. It’s not my tradition and it’s not your tradition, but it means something to Columbia and her sister. Go complain to your wife’s friends that you don’t get to fuck her on the beach, but leave me out of it.

Dimitri narrowed his eyes and Boian backed up a step as if concerned that he’d find a fist to the face. But Dimitri simply tugged at the stubble on his chin, glowered at the door and said, Let’s just get this monkey show over with.

Monkey show? Good to see you’re in your typical mood, you grumpy old asshole.

Nico chuckled to himself and poured another glass of expensive whiskey, the ten thousand dollar a bottle stuff Dimitri had flown here just for the event. He knew when to keep quiet around his boss and mentor, but Boian was still fairly new to Dimitri’s moods and Nico seemed to enjoy it."

Laugh all you want, old friend, Dimitri growled at him and gestured for a glass of whiskey of his own. Nico obliged and as Dimitri held it aloft, just before he drank it, he said, You’ll be squeezed into your own monkey suit dancing for Iryna soon enough. And let me tell you, the more you laugh at me, the more money I’ll give her for your wedding. Keep laughing and you’ll be riding down the aisle on a pink pony if I get the idea in her head.

A pink pony? Why didn’t I think to mention that to Columbia? Nico replied and Boian roared with laughter at the thought of the huge man riding a little pink horse.

Oh yeah, keep laughing you bastards. You have to sleep some time, Dimitri grumbled again, but his mouth was turned up in a smile. As much as he hated the pomp and ceremony of his wedding, he couldn’t help but be happy.

How could he not be absolutely content with his life and how everything had turned out? Him, a scruffy thieving street urchin who became the most dangerous mafia assassin the bratva had seen, then tortured and misshapen…and finally saved.

Saved by the most incredible woman he’d ever known and would ever know. He still wondered how he’d managed to find her after all the sinning and killing and shit he’d done over the years.

What had he done to deserve Columbia? His Little Dove? What had he done to deserve this utterly perfect life with his perfect half?

He smiled to himself as Boian and Nico imagined all kinds of horrors