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I jump off his lap and start pacing, then spin to look at him. Anger wins over all the emotions brewing inside me. “What did my father do to my baby? My beautiful baby cannot just be gone. He promised me that the baby would be okay, and you're telling me it doesn’t even exist.”

Nikolay stands from his chair, wrapping me in a hug for a long time as I sob. For the first time in way too long, I shatter. I let the tears fall, let Nikolay hold me together as I allow myself to break. Nikolay stands there holding me, not rushing me, not pushing for more, just letting me be a shattered person. It takes longer than I like to admit to finally hold myself together, then I pull back and look up at this man who has no idea what he stepped into. He bends down, picking me up bridal-style, carrying me out of the office and into the living room. He sits on the large black couch, holding me close and saying nothing, just giving me the time to process.

My father lied, and now I’m done. “I need three things from you.”

“Anything you need,” he kisses the side of my head. “Truly, anything.”

Nine

Nikolay

LeeAnn is shaking in my arms. It’s taking every ounce of my hard-won self-control to not leave her there and deal with the men that have caused this kind of pain in such a precious person. Right now, she needs me, and I’m going to give her whatever she asks for. No matter what it takes or costs me, she is all that matters to me.

“I want,” she starts before shaking her head. “No, I need you to do what you do and deal with my father.”

Pride surges through me because, as sweet and precious as she is, she has venom in her veins. I tuck my knuckles under her chin, turning her head up to look at me so I can make sure she understands what she is asking for.

“You cannot take this request back. When it is done, it is done and it will be,” I make sure my words are clear and concise. “I will kill him. Know that, and make sure you can live with it. Most importantly, that you will live with the fact that I am going to be the one who does it.”

LeeAnn sits there in silence for so long that I get nervous that I might have actually lost her. It’s not easy to handle the loss of someone, much less spend your time with the person who killed your family member. Without thought, I run my finger up and down her spine, soothing her as much as soothing myself.

She inhales deeply, her voice stronger and surer than I would have thought she would have. “I want to never have to think about that man again. And as long as he is still breathing, I’ll always be looking over my shoulder, waiting and wondering.”

“Then it will be done,” I assure, her plans are already spinning.

What I don’t tell her, and what she’ll never really know, is that I was going to remove his option to breathe without her request. Now I don’t have to act shocked or like it's a surprise when it happens.

“That is one. You said you had three stipulations, what are the others?” I question, needing to know what I will need to do to make sure that she is happy and here with me.

“The second thing I need is to find the baby. I didn’t want to give it away, but my father forced me to. I’m aware that information about the pregnancy and what happened after didn’t come up on any of your reports. I can walk you through why that might be and guide you through everything that happened right after. Please, I just need to know if it’s okay.” As LeeAnn gets done talking, her words aren’t as strong at the end of her statement.

I do not know how, but I will find the baby for her. I just hope it doesn’t take me years to do so.

“We will find the baby. No matter how long it takes or what I must do, I will find it,” I tell her, meaning every word.

She turns, throwing her arms around my neck. “Thank you. Thank you!”

I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss the side of her head, holding her close to me, soaking in this moment because I know without a doubt these moments will not last forever. There are very few things that I can count on, and one of them is that nothing good ever stays good. My phone in my office starts ringing, breaking our moment, but I’m not willing to let her go just yet, so I ask her what her last request is. I can’t help but smile because in the last day and a half I've seen a lot of emotions on her, but true embracement isn’t one that I’ve seen present on her face. Watching her work up the courage to ask me for the last thing she needs.

“Last, when things are done with my dad, I’ve got no idea what will happen with all his stuff—businesses on both sides of the line, or the men that work for him. I’m asking if there is any way that you can find somewhere for Miles. I would like to keep him as my personal bodyguard but will accept whatever you can offer him. He just means so much to me and—”

I kiss her to stop the word vomit. When we’re both in need of oxygen, I pull back. “Miles will have a place anywhere he chooses.”

LeeAnn gives me the sweetest smile that makes me want to lay her out on this couch and worship her, but just as that thought takes hold, my fucking phone rings once again.

I plant one more kiss on her lips before moving her onto the couch beside me. “As much as I would love to spend the rest of tonight continuing to learn all the places that make you needy as hell, I’ve got to answer that fucking phone and see what’s so damn urgent.”

“I know you're busy. You go and do what you need to. I’m going to lay here and watch some trash TV for a bit,” she says, shrugging.

“Do you need anything?” I ask her.

She shakes her head, leaning over to grab the remote before snuggling into the corner of my large sectional. Leaning down, I kiss her one more time on the top of her head before turning to walk away. Just as I make my way into my office, the damn phone starts ringing again.

I pick it up, placing it to my ear as I answer, “Someone better be fucking dead with how many goddamn times you and yours have called me today.”

“Is that anyway to say hello? Were you Russians not taught any manners?” Orel chastises me.

Growling, I plop down into my office chair. “The fact that you think it’s a good thing to chastise my manners then no one that matters to me is dead. So, again, what the fuck do you want?”