Page 17 of Dangerous Liaisons
She overheard Sergei chuckle in the background. “Did he now?” she laughed. “Be a good boy and letme speak to your uncle.”
He disappeared, and seconds later, Nikolai’s oldest brother appeared in the camera frame. She paused at hearing her front door open and shut.
“Isabella?”
Blinking, she refocused on the screen. “You are well?”
His gray eyes studied her. “We are fine.”
Five years older than Nikolai, he was the most serious of the three Romanov brothers. She accounted for it because of the responsibility he had always carried for the family, losing his brother affecting him as it did her. He barely spoke about that night, not one to share his feelings or dwell on his misfortunes. The only thing that seemed to outweigh his grief these days seemed to be his anger.
“I take it that things are going well with the Crimson Legion,” he remarked. “Kira informs me there was little push back to our proposal.”
It wasn’t surprising that Kira had been keeping Sergei updated. He was the oldest and last remaining Romanov outside of Mikhail. When Nikolai died, it was his right to take over the family, but in a move that shocked her, he settled for vengeance instead of duty. Sergei had passed the seat onto her in a move she knew was from the expectation his drive for revenge would end his life. It was something that she refused to allow to happen, unwilling to lose yet another person she cared for in her life. Using his connections to gain power, she joined his quest for vengeance, but maintained a steady holdon the Romanov seat at the table. The immediate push back from such an unlikely move had ended in bloodshed. In the end, she allowed Sergei his rage, and in return, he served her without question.
“We’ve come to an agreement.”
“And Diego Martinez?”
“Unhappy but alive.”
“He will need to be dealt with, Isabella.”
“He is not a problem.” She settled back into her chair with a sigh. “If he becomes one, I will deal with it as I always have, Sergei.”
“I will deal with him when it is time. You will not trouble yourself with such matters.”
There was no arguing with him, so she nodded. She glanced over at the clock on the wall. “It will be Mikhail’s bedtime soon. You’re still scheduled to arrive in one week?”
“Da, you will keep me updated on business.”
It wasn’t a question; they both knew that.
“Kiss Mikhail goodnight for me and tell him I love him. I will see him soon.”
He nodded at the instructions. “If you have any problems with the MC or Martinez, I will expect to be notified immediately.” He stroked his trimmed beard. “Is there anything you wish to tell me, malen’kiy zayka?”
“No, and I do not care about that nickname.” The affectionate term for ‘little bunny’had been a favorite of Nikolai’s. He had teased her when they first met that her soft appearance hid sharp teeth. “How many times must I tell you this?”
“It suits you. Dasvidaniya, Isabella.”
He disconnected the call, and for several minutes, she stared at the dark screen.
A soft knock on the door frame snapped her back to reality where Kira stood. “We need to go if we are to be on time.” The Russian’s gaze lingered on the laptop. “Sergei means well.”
“I know this.”
“There was a time I thought you and he…”
“Do not speak of that.” Isabella pushed from the desk and rose to her feet. “I will not allow you to dishonor my husband’s memory by speaking of such things.”
“I mean no disrespect, but neither am I blind.”
“I won’t entertain such ideas. We have too much at stake, too much to worry about outside of trivial matters.”
“I know you found comfort in this biker, but Sergei would be the safer choice.”
Isabella snorted. “For whom?” she questioned as she came from around the desk. “We have talked of this before; this is the last time I will speak of it. My choices are that of my own, only mine to allow someone in my bed, but it will not distract me from what I must do for this family.”