Free Undercover Lover by Jamie K. Schmidt Page A

took two quick puffs.
    There was crying and broken glass. Oksana snarled orders at a bunch of men.
    “You, get out there! You, get them. You, show them the meaning of respect!” Blood covered half her face as a gash in her scalp dripped down her forehead.
    Stefan sat in a daze on the floor, but looked unharmed. Slowly, Pam’s breathing returned to normal. There were a few more gunshots, as a group of Oksana’s men filed out of the bar. They got into a car and tore off down the street. Her eyes closed as a part of her wanted oblivion.
    “Pam!”
    Andrej was shaking her shoulder. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed. The gunfire had stopped, and the Tasting Room seemed mostly empty.
    “I’m awake. I wasn’t hit.”
    “Can you stand? Or do you need a few moments?”
    Pam let Andrej help her to her feet. She was unsteady, and her head pounded like someone was inside it firing off rockets.
    “You,” Oksana screeched. “This is all your fault.”
    The din in the room quieted as everyone looked to where Oksana was pointing. Pam shook her head when she realized Oksana had singled her out.
    “That’s enough,” roared Drake.
    He had his service pistol out and was climbing over people and debris. Mark was behind him, talking on a cell phone. Pam noticed Drake’s sunglasses were gone, and his eyes were an angry shade of green. Recognition tickled at the back of her head. She had seen him before. Was it just when they were kids?
    “Who were those men?” Drake asked.
    “Ask your girlfriend,” Marishka said, coming out of the back with a shot gun. “She’s got connections.”
    Pam flinched. Oh no. Not again. It didn’t have to be Darren. She hadn’t spoken to her brother in over ten years. As far as she knew, he had taken the drugs and run far away.
    “Put that away. They’re gone,” Drake said.
    “First, they take apart Nikolai’s house. They kill him when they can’t find it. Then they attack here,” Oksana said.
    “Who?” Drake snarled. “What were they looking for?”
    “You figure it out, Mr. Tough Cop.”
    “You can answer me, now, or I will cuff you and haul you into the station myself.”
    Oksana reared back as if he slapped her. “I will sue.”
    “I’ll add resisting arrest to the charges, and you’ll still sit the night in jail.”
    “What are we paying protection for if you can’t provide it?” Marishka said.
    But when Drake whirled around to look at the chef, she was staring hard out the door. “Who are you paying protection to?” he asked.
    Marishka just shook her head as tears streamed down her face. Sirens blared in the distance. People started filing out of the door. Others were clutching each other and waiting for the ambulance.
    Andrej brushed some debris off Pam.
    “It’s not your fault,” he said.
    “Let’s go, Mama,” Stefan said and pulled Oksana’s arm toward the door.
    “I’m going to need you to hang around for the uniforms to take a statement,” Mark said, pocketing his phone.
    “I am going home. You know where to find me if you want to talk. If you want to stop me, I’ll give you a case of resisting arrest that they’ll be laughing about for the next ten years.”
    “We’ll be by later,” Mark said, with a wary eye on Drake, who looked like he was prepared to haul her away despite the threat.
    “You can talk to my lawyer,” she said, slapping at her son’s hands when he tugged her toward the door.
    “Come on, Pammy. I’ll take you home,” Stefan said over his shoulder.
    “Not in my car, you won’t,” Oksana shrieked.
    Stefan gave Pam an apologetic shrug and followed her out.
    Pam swayed on her feet. The adrenaline had pushed the mellow buzz right into hangover territory. She didn’t think she could drive, but she didn’t want to stay here either. Somehow, she figured she’d have to give her statement to the uniforms, and unlike Oksana, she didn’t have it in her to make a fuss. Andrej guided her to a booth that had managed to escape