Corrupted Love
Mackenzie Book Two
Elizabeth Knox
Contents
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue One
Epilogue Two
Corrupted Love
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons, organizations, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Corrupted Love. Copyright © 2020 by Elizabeth Knox. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in articles or reviews. For information contact E. Knox.
Cover design: Clarise Tan, CT Cover Creations
Editing: Kim Lubbers, Knox Publishing
Proofreading: Jackie Ziegler, Knox Publishing
Formatting: E.C. Land, Knox Publishing
Photographer: Reggie Deanching, RplusM Photography
Model: Alex Michael Turner
Created with Vellum
Series: Skulls Renegade
Reign
Redemption
Revenge
Relentless
Reckoning
Reclaimed
Reckless
Reclusive
Retribution
First Generation: A Skulls Renegade MC Boxset
Series: Steele Bros.
Tough as Steele
Stripping a Steele
Protecting a Steele
Steele her Heart
Stolen Hearts: The Complete Steele Bros Boxset
Series: Reapers MC
Scarred
Blackjack
Here Kitty, Kitty
Booger
Widow
Kade
Hawk
Bull
Cobra
Mouser
Dixon
Zane
Amara
Grim
Chaz
Frost
Series: Iron Vex MC
Enraged
Series: Royal bastards Mc: Baltimore/Knights of retribution mc
Bet on Me
Rely on Me
Series: The Clans with Iris Sweetwater
Promised
The Trade
Cherished
Deceit
Love is War
Defiant
Shattered
Ruthless
Covert
Heretic
Venomous
Flawed
Demise
Series: The Mackenzie & Volkolv Duet
Deceptive Love
Series: The Mackenzies
Forbidden Love
Corrupted Love
Sin City Fets with Linny Lawless & Aubree Valentine
Switched
Surrender
Full Throttle with Erin Trejo
Against All Odds
Coming in 2021 From
Elizabeth Knox
Twisted Steel: An MC Anthology
(Second Edition)
The Elites: A Dark Secret Society Collection
Playlist
You Don’t Even Know Me – Faouzia
Bloody Valentine (Acoustic Version) – Machine Gun Kelly
Everything at Once – Mothica
Sorry – Mali-Koa
Wake Me When It’s Over – Faouzia
Acknowledgments
My Alpha Team: Courtnay, E.C., Jai, Chas, Tania, Janet, Taneesha, Kim, Isabelle, Heidi, Cynthia, Jojo, Vikki, & Lisa—Thank you ladies so much for your honest feedback when it came to this anthology portion. I was so nervous readers wouldn’t like the direction I was taking it, but you all eased my worries.
My Cover Designer, Clarise—Thank you for being not only a great friend, but a kick ass cover designer.
My Blogger Team—Thank you all so much for the massive amount of patience you’ve had when it comes to me writing this book. It’s been years in the making, and it’s finally here.
My Editor, Kim and Proofreader, Jackie—Thank you both so much for fixing my silly mistakes and my asinine sentences when I decide to start writing at 4 a.m. I appreciate you both so much!
Rae B. Lake, E.C. Land, April Canavan, Jen L. Grey, and Iris Sweetwater—You ladies rock, and I love y’all dearly.
To the ones who struggle because of their families.
It’s okay to stray from the path—even if they don’t want you to think it is.
You have to do what’s right for you, in your heart, and in your soul.
So, do it.
Make the change.
Follow your path wherever it may lead you, because it’s only paved by one person—you.
Trigger Warning
This book is intended for mature audiences only. If darker books are not for you, please do not move forward. After re-adjusting my trigger warning system, I will not be giving any spoilers. Please understand that this is not your run of the mill romance and tough subjects will be spoken about in this storyline.
Timeline Note:
This book takes place before Steele her Heart in my Steele Bros series, and after Forbidden Love in my Mackenzie series.
The Mackenzie Family:
Desmond, 60 (m.) Sofia, 62
Liam, 32 (from Desmond’s previous marriage)
Sloane, 24
Greer, 24
The Volkolv Family:
Valentin, 62 (m.) Natalia, 53
Aleksei, 36 (stepson, previous wife)
Aleksandr, 32
Ivanna, 26
Maxim, 26 (Valentin’s bastard / out of wedlock child)
Darya, 22
Tamara, 17 (Valentin’s bastard / out of wedlock child)
Glossary:
Brat – Brother
Sem’ya – Family
Da – Yes
Sestra – Sister
Prologue
I will celebrate this life of mine, with or without you. The moon does not need the sun to tell her she is already whole.
~ Lang Leav
Aleksandr
New Year’s Eve . . .
Yerbogachen, Russia
“It is not like you to come visit us this time of year. You typically avoid it.” I was beginning to think I was going to be able to look out onto the river by myself, but alas one of my siblings has found me.
Turning my body to face her, I see the youngest of my six siblings, Tamara. She’s just turned seventeen as of two weeks ago. The youngest, and the most innocent of us if you ask me. “Your English is getting good.” I smile in her direction, happy she is making it a point to focus on her studies.
She smiles briefly, “You did say it would help me in the long run. I oft
en think I sound stupid.”
“Why would you think that?” I question her, taking a few steps through the hard snow until we’re about a foot apart.
“My accent. It’s horrendous.”
I let out a chortle. “You will get better with time, Tamara. Keep practicing. That is the important thing.”
“I hope you are right, brother. I prefer to speak Russian with you.”
I roll my eyes, “We’ve gone over this many times. We will speak in English to help you practice.”
Tamara huffs, “Yes, but why all the time? I need a break you know.”
“No, you don’t. You know who takes breaks? Those who do not wish to truly succeed. Tamara, I think you are smarter than the rest of us combined, so I know you can do this.”
Her expression shifts into a look frozen with shock. For a minute I think I’ve upset her, and since she doesn’t speak, I inquire. “Did I upset you?”
She shakes her head from side-to-side. “No, not at all. I . . . I’ve never been told such a thing by anyone. It took me a moment to process it.”
I feel sorry for Tamara. While she’s the youngest, she’s also the one who’s had the least attention. I pull my sister against me and hold her close. Her curly blonde hair flies in the air and before I realize it, I feel her chest rising and falling rapidly. I release her to make sure she’s okay and see she’s crying.
“I’m so sorry. I . . . I don’t know what’s gotten into me all of a . . . fuck, what is the word.”
“Sudden. No need for apologies, Tam’.” I call her the nickname I gave her as a youngster.
“I hate it here, Aleks. Natalia loathes the fact Maxim and I even exist and she’s sure to make it a point to show us that. Sometimes I worry she’s digging her evil nails into Ivanna and Darya’s heads.” Tamara and Maxim are the product of my father’s mistress, Yelena. Oh, the irony. Natalia weaseled her way into my father’s bed when he was set to marry someone else, and karma has come around in a full 180 for her.
“Don’t worry about such things. At the end of the day, we’re all siblings. Even Aleksei loves you all as if you’re his own sisters.”
“Father doesn’t want us to—”
“Ignore what Father says. He knows that Aleksei will always be my brother, and thus he will be by my side. Who else would I trust to be my head of security? Only family, dear sister. Trust someone who is as close as family. In a year you will have to make your choice, so start thinking about it now.” It’s tradition in the Volkolv household to have someone with us constantly whenever we leave the grounds. Though unlike most families, we are the ones who choose who has the pleasure of spending almost every waking moment alongside us.
“Yes, and I’m sure he and Ivanna are already arguing inside. I was supposed to come and fetch you so they can break open the wine. A new year awaits us tomorrow after all.”
“Ah,” I glance up from where I stand on the edge of the riverbank and spot my father staring down at us. “The old man will have to wait a bit. You and I need to have a few more minutes to chat. We hardly ever get the opportunity without prying ears.”
Tamara’s face falters, “Aleks . . . you’ve done a splendid job at avoiding the subject . . . but why are you here? Aren’t you normally with Mischa’s family?”
I was hopeful I could get through this trip without speaking about my wife. I should’ve known I wouldn’t be so lucky.
“You look so sad, Aleks. What has happened?” Tamara is about the only person in our family who’d ask from a good heart. Everyone else would only try to be digging for information.
I take in a deep breath, “Nothing much, sister. Time has . . . changed us. We’re no longer the same people anymore. She asked me for a divorce yesterday.”
“That is why you came here to see us.” Tamara declares, and I nod.
“I didn’t want to be alone in our house, looking at everything we built together. It would’ve been too much.”
“Who could blame you.” She murmurs, her expression faltering again. She’s pitying me and I know it. This is the exact opposite of what I wanted.
“These things happen all the time. Don’t be upset for me.”
“Is your heart hurting?”
I don’t answer her.
“Then I will be sad for you, brother, because I love you. This is what family does. We hurt when you hurt.” Tamara hugs me again, and I give into the small amount of comfort she can give me.
When my father told me, I would have another sibling coming and that it would be a girl, I hated him. I lashed out and called him an animal, told him he was trying to create an army and a plethora of other things. But as Tamara grew up, I regretted feeling so filled with hate.
She’s been the only good thing to come out of this family. The rest of us are as corrupt as they come, but not her, she’s our only shot at redemption if we so choose to seek it.
Chapter One
Worry does not take away tomorrow’s troubles. It takes away today’s peace
~ Unknown
Aleksandr
New Year’s Eve . . .
“You two are lucky you haven’t been frostbitten.” Darya snickers from the purple velvet chair she’s sitting in. Everyone has moved from our living area into my father’s library. It’s the deepest purple, reminding you of an eggplant. A chandelier from the 1800s hangs in the center of the room, with the original molding from when the house was built over 200 years ago. Purple, gold, and black are the only colors that adorn the room. The busiest of my father’s typically modern style. However, we’re not in Moscow. The Moscow homes reflect the city he usually calls home.
Yerbogachen, Russia is his humble abode. Securely tucked far away from Moscow. A five-hour time difference between the two cities and a few hours private jet ride. This is where he kept my half-siblings and raised them. At least, it’s where he kept Natalia, Ivanna, and Darya staying here with a full staff. My father keeps his mistress with him. Thank God Yelena won’t be here to celebrate this holiday with us. Her children, Maxim and Tamara are, though. We usually are whenever there’s a major holiday. Most of us will try to see one another.
“I forgot how snarky you are,” I retort, planting my ass in one of the armchairs far away from Darya. I don’t have the patience for her attitude. It reminds me far too much of her mother and I’ve never been a fan of Natalia.
“How could you? She’s wretched.” Maxim chuckles from beside me. He seems to have already been a few glasses in for tonight. Not that I can blame him. I’m sure it’s making our family much easier to deal with.
“Eat shit, Maxim.” Darya snarls.
“Darya!” Natalia whips her hand out and strikes her youngest.
Natalia isn’t someone we like, but I’ve never witnessed her physically harm one of her daughters. Darya pulls her hand up to the cheek her mother hit and rushes out of the room in the blink of an eye.
“Was that really necessary?” Aleksei barks over to her.
She grumbles under her breath. “You’re only here because you’re a hired hand, Aleksei. Best not push buttons.”
“Watch your tongue, woman. We all know you can be replaced. One word from us and he’ll find another Yelena and toss your ass out the door.” I threaten, angered by what she just did to Darya. I glance behind me and motion with my head for Aleksei to go check on my dear sister. Thankfully the two of us have an unspoken language after all these years and he heads out of the library to check on her.
“We’re missing one of my young. Where is Darya?” My father belts as he comes inside. Always the one to make a grand entrance.
“Your lovely wife decided to strike her.” I’m quick to inform him, quietly seething from my seat.
“Is this true?” Father asks.
“She and that . . . that . . . bastard child of yours got into a fight again. She spoke in a low-class manner and I had to berate her.”
Father crosses the space between them rather quickly and sneers down at his wife. “Touch one
of my children like that again and I’ll put your head on a spike in the middle of the city. You know better than to test me, Natalia.” He tears himself away from her space and goes to one of the empty armchairs in the circle.
Maxim is to my left while Ivanna is sitting directly across from me. Tamara is on my right, looking extremely nervous.
“I’m so glad you’re practicing your English, sweetheart. What a splendid idea your brother had.” Father applauds me.
“Tamara isn’t a huge fan of it, but it will help her excel.”
“Can we please talk about something else?” Tamara whines.
“What else is there to discuss? We’re proud of you practicing after your struggles with the language for so long.” Father tells her.
Tamara and I lock eyes for a moment and I catch the way she’s pleading with me to take the focus off her. She’s the only one of my siblings who prefers to stick back in the shadows. It’s ironic because Ivanna and Darya prefer to have the spotlight focused on them. The more attention they get, the better.