Page 17 of Royal Bargain

“Y’know,” I whisper, brushing a hand over her fuzzy head, “I’ve done a lot of dumb stuff. But you? You’re the best thing I’ve ever had to figure out without instructions.”

She exhales a soft little sigh, sinking fully into sleep. I hold her a moment longer, just watching her. The quiet wraps around us now, and this time, I don’t hate it.

Placing her in her bassinet, I go back to checking my phone, hoping that Ana has finally sent me an update, or at least let me know she’s arrived safely at the meeting place.

Slamming my phone next to me on the couch, I throw my hands up in the air and shake them, shouting silently as myfrustration bubbles over. I don’t want to wake Lily, but I can’t help the knotted feeling in my stomach.

Why can’t Ana just let me in a little more? Why does she have to be so damned independent all the time?

Before I can let myself sink deeper into those thoughts, there’s a buzz at the door.

Rushing over to answer it, I curse under my breath when I see who it is.

“I came over to discuss some of the new protocols with Blackthorn Security,” Lucky says, glancing over my shoulder to spy the new additions to my house. “Damn. I guess you truly did move your little Russian girlfriend and her kid in, didn’t you?”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” I tell him, crossing my arms. “She’s my ex, and that’sourkid. And she’s here under my protection.”

Lucky pushes past me, stalking through the entryway to look at Lily in her cot. He whistles, a low sound that still makes me wince.

“Hey, careful. I just got her down for a nap,” I warn him.

“She’s cute,” Lucky says, a genuine smile on his face. “Looks just like the Brannagans. Guess there’s no doubt who her daddy is, hmm?”

His smile turns mischievous at the corners, a twinkle in his eye. “Daddy duty suits you, Bro.”

“Forget about Lily,” I snap, my voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s go over this shit so you can get out of here.”

Lucky rolls his shoulders, craning his neck to crack it once before sitting down on the couch. “I brought doughnuts too. Just as a bribe, in case you didn’t feel like my charming presence was enough.”

“Show me the security protocols,” I tell him, ignoring the way my stomach growls at the word “doughnuts”. I’m not about to give my little brother the satisfaction of knowing that he’s been successful in his attempt at bribery.

We sit together, going through a checklist of new protocols as Lucky makes sure I’m up-to-date, and by the end, the tension has disappeared from my spine and I’ve fully relaxed into the couch.

“You know, it seems like you’ve taken on a lot lately,” Lucky comments as I stuff my face with an Old-Fashioned. “Between your job with Burns, working with me to keep things running while Rory is away, and now you’re taking on the whole fatherhood thing. I can’t imagine how you’re doing it. Hell, I feel like I’m barely keeping it together.”

I brush the doughnut crumbs off my shirt and take another, a blueberry sour cream this time. “I know. I don’t think I’ve slept properly in days. It’s only been a week with Annika and Lily living here, but it feels much longer.”

“I gotta be honest with you, Bro… I don’t envy Rory’s position. I thought being in charge would be so cool, and I could finally show them what I can do, but it’s…”

“Exhausting,” I supply, a wry smile on my face.

Lucky snaps his fingers. “Exactly. When Rory gets back, I’ll be glad to hand over some of the responsibility again.”

“I get why Kellan took a step back to spend more time with Darcy and the kids,” I admit. “Juggling fatherhood, plus everything else? It’s been a fuckin’ test of my willpower, let’s just say.”

Just as I’m reaching for another doughnut, something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye.

I turn my head a few degrees to see a car parked just outside my building, idling away. It’s unusual to see any cars parked on my street like this, so something about it sets alarm bells off in my head.

“Do you see that car?” I turn to Lucky, tilting my head toward the nondescript vehicle. It’s a Honda Civic, from the looks of it—maybe 2003 or 2004, and there’s a dent just below the rightbumper. I study it for a moment, trying to ascertain whether the person inside looks familiar.

“The Civic?” Lucky asks, raising an eyebrow in confusion. “Yeah? What about it?”

I can’t tell since they’re facing away from me, but there’s a pit in my stomach that’s sending warning bells off. It could be a member of the Bratva in there or someone looking to hurt Lily.

Glancing at her, I breathe easy knowing she’s still asleep, still tucked safely away in her bassinet.

“Do you think maybe the person in there is a tail? Do you think they might be tailing Annika?” I ask, my words laced with the tension I feel inside.