Page 124 of Scarlet Promise

“Chtob tebe deti v’sup srali,” Demyan curses.

Then he motions me outside the room. With a sigh, I let go of her hand and follow.

“Like hell he will,” Demyan says. “Listen, spend a few minutes with my sister, and then we’ll go and sort Santo out. Maybe get rid of Simonov at the same time.”

“How is that even possible?” I ask him.

Demyan smiles coldly. “You’ll see soon enough.”

I trust Demyan in this. And no matter what thoughts have flitted through my head, I know I always have.

He’s given me his blessing with Alina—as much as Demyan will out loud—and in Demyan style, I know we’re back on track.

But regardless, there’s still one big issue I need taken care of.

“And Melor?” I ask. “I need him taken out. I need him found. We’ve tracked down a burner, but we don’t know his location. I have access to his accounts?—”

“Then cut them off.”

“If we do that, we risk losing any way to track him if he’s gone underground.”

His smile grows slowly. “I’ve missed this. That thing that adds balance.”

“And I’ve missed your laser focus and masterful sledgehammer.”

We both look away.

“Go spend a few minutes with my sister. I’ll call my wife and get back in her good books…” This time, his smile is fast and private. “Erin might not look like she can handle more than a stiff breeze, but she’s formidable.”

“Like your sister.”

He eyes me. “Yes, but she’s of Yegorov blood. Erin is American.”

I pat his shoulder and grin as I walk back into the room to my woman.

She looks at me. “What’s so funny?”

“Your brother. He’s proud his American wife could give good Russian stock a run for its money.”

She giggles and takes my hand, kissing it. “It’s true.”

“I love you,malyshka,” I say, coming in to kiss her deep.

Christ, I could lose myself in her and never need to breathe. She’s divine. I break the kiss but don’t straighten.

“I love you, Ilya.”

My heart swells to bursting.

“I wish I could climb in there with you,” I murmur, tracing the curve of her throat with my finger. “Are you sure you and the baby are okay?”

She rolls her eyes. “We’re fine, me and our dividing cells.”

“I bet it’s the cutest bunch of dividing cells on the planet.”

“Obviously,” she says.

I frame her face with my hands and drop kisses on her cheeks, her forehead, her chin, her lips. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier. Forgive me.”