Page 65 of Ruthless Commander

I held myself still as Lazarus turned to his bodyguard. “What makes sense?”

But Freddy didn’t want to spill. He just shook his head and turned away.

“Whatmakes sense,brother?”Laz strode forward and grabbed his arm.

“Nothing.” He tugged his arm free. “Forget I said anything.”

But there was no forgetting a damn thing when it came to Laz and Katerina VanHalen. He stepped in front of his bodyguard.“Tell me,Freddy.”

He licked his lips and cast a nervous glance at Logan, who just nodded, urging him on. “I don’t know for sure, okay?”

“Just fucking spit it out,”Lazarus snapped.

“She denied it, laughed it off like I was imagining things.” Freddy looked away.“But I wasn’t imagining things. Not things like that. I saw the way she moved when she forgot I was there, saw the way her hand cupped her belly, and saw the way her fingers traced the fluttering. It was the exact same way Connie did. She lied to me when I confronted her, but I know without a shadow of a doubt she’s pregnant.”

Lazarus stumbled backwards like the guy had just been shot in the chest. There was a tiny shake of his head as though he wanted to deny what he'd heard. But Freddy was already turning to him.

“What the fuck did you say?” The deep snarl came from the open doorway.

Hale took a step inside, his gaze fixed like a predator on Freddy. “MyKaterina is pregnant?”

SHIT…

That flaming turd just smiled as he stepped further into the room, and Lazarus looked like all he wanted to do was throw up and commit murder, probably at the same time.

“Then congratulations are in order,” Hale murmured, but there was no one wishing him anything but a quick, violent, and painful death. “It looks like I’m about to be a father.”

“I came to tell you I’ll be taking command.” Hale seemed to grow larger by the second, swelling and consuming, eating the space around us with his presence as he glanced toward Logan. “I understand you have men on the ground on the mainland, and I want their details. You will report to me…andonlyto me.Everythinginvolving Katerina is now mine.”

Lazarus looked fucking gray. His lips curled, and that glint I’d seen so many times was now shining in his eyes. But Hale didn’t seem to be aware of how close to death he actually was. If anything, the bastard met Laz’s gaze when he gloated, before he turned and strode from the room.

I hadn’t liked the rich scumbag before…I liked him a whole hell of a lot less now.

Lazarus took a step after him, hate seething in his eyes.Not here.I wanted to speak the words.Not yet, at least.Hell, when the time came to take that rapist slimeball down, I might even help.

“Laz,” Freddy called from behind him and reached out, placing a hand on his arm.

“Laz, I’m sorry,” Freddy murmured, pain flashing in his eyes.

“It’s okay, Freddy.” Lazarus stared at that empty doorway a moment longer, then left.

The moment he did, I breathed a sigh of relief, until I remembered the text on my cell…the one waiting for me from Kurti.

I yanked it free and stared at the message.

Kurti: Besnik home and quiet. It’s not them, brother. Stay safe.

“It’s not them?” I scowled and reread the message as my pulse thudded heavily in my chest.It’s not them…

I lifted my gaze to the empty doorway as the communications asshole worked around me unraveling cords. “Commander,” he called my name, forcing my attention back to the room.

“Blake?” I growled, and met the bastard’s stare.

All I could see in that moment was his hand on Xael’s arm back in the airport and his eyes on someone he shouldn’t have been staring at.

“Are you finished with the equipment, or did you want me to leave it set up?”

I turned away. “Leave it,” I answered, and headed for the door.