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“This place is something else,” York said.

“Yeah, we could have used this type of place in the service when on a mission. Maybe you wouldn’t have gotten that damn infection, Zin, that nearly fucking killed ya,” Weston added, and they all mumbled about that.

Storm chuckled. “We’ve been through a lot together.”

“We sure have. And w

e always come through in one piece,” Winter added.

“But the question is, what will you do now that you have this woman to protect?”

They turned to see Nicolai Merkovicz and his guard Karlicov Lenvick heading toward them.

They all stood straighter and bowed their heads toward the head of the Russian mafia family. Storm’s team knew that his own family were connected to the Merkovicz family.

Nicolai smiled as he placed his hand on Storm’s shoulder. “Your woman is good? She’s tough, handled herself well as she bought you time to save her.”

Storm nodded his head. He knew that the Russian had knowledge of the answers already. They didn’t even have to explain what happened.

“I owe you so much, Nicolai.”

He nodded his head and pulled his hand away from Storm’s shoulder.

“You have great decision to make, Storm, for your team and your woman. Dmitri has some ideas. Things may be able to be worked out differently.”

“Differently?” Storm asked him.

“For family,” he said and began to walk toward the room where Aspen was.

“Family, Nicolai? What do you mean? My team and I don’t have a choice. Andrei took off. He gave up possession of his territory and the members of the family have already denounced him and placed my name as the new owner.”

“It is not final yet, Storm. There is more at stake here. More decisions to make. Come, I want to see for myself that Aspen is okay.”

They all followed Nicolai into the room. The moment he entered the medical staff bowed their heads and the doctor winked and nodded at Nicolai.

They exited the room leaving Storm, Winter, Zin, York, Weston, and Nicolai gathered around Aspen.

Karlikov stood by the doorway on guard even here.

Nicolai walked closer. He cursed under his breath and then moved closer and caressed her hair.

Storm’s gut tightened and one look at the others and he felt their concern, too.

“Nicolai?”

“She is very beautiful. The bruises will heal,” he whispered and then lifted his hand to his lips, kissed them, and then placed his hand to Aspen’s forehead.

He turned to look at all of them. “I will give you time to discuss your options with Aspen. You’re a team, a family, and I know that you will do what’s best for her. But don’t be surprised if she doesn’t want you to give it all up for her. It may just be in her blood to be the wife of made men. Oh, and marry her as quickly as possible. That will keep enemies at bay. There will be a lot of conflict still. People who worked for Andrei and Iakov who want to remain in their positions and power. But again, you take the time to decide what is right for you.”

“Nicolai, what do you mean by saying it’s in her blood?”

He looked at each of them and then at Karlikov and back to Aspen.

He touched her hand and squeezed it.

“She has my blood running through her veins. She will make an exceptional wife.”

* * * *