Page 27 of Sold to the Russian Bratva Boss
For the first time since he’d stashed me at the safe house in the Keys, I missed Dimitri’s presence. It had started the moment he’d burst out of the room after getting the call from Enrico. Our activities the night before had left me more than tired, but my mind wouldn’t quiet enough for sleep to find me.
The warm spot on the bed that I’d taken over when he took the call held a whiff of his scent. That distraction only helped keep sleep away. After a few minutes, I gave up and rolled to the edge of the bed.
I tried to follow my normal routine, at least the one I’d kept to in the last few days. The books couldn’t hold my attention. My thoughts drifted. I realized it was worry mixed with hope. For the first time, I worried if he’d be okay out there. Whoever was gunning for me had to have him in his crosshairs too.
The hope came in the idea of going home. Only a week into my exile and I found myself missing home; the familiarity of it along with the convenience of being able to come and go whenever I wanted. You never knew how much you’d miss the ability to just go for a walk until it was taken away.
After a few hours of restlessness, trying several times to get back into my current book, the tablet next to me beeped. Dimitri had returned. A moment later, one of his British security men said as much through the speaker. They’d been nearly invisible but I couldn’t help feeling like they were watching. Maybe that was part of what kept me so scatterbrained today?
I bound from my chaise longue on the deck and rushed through the house. That Dimitri had returned helped wash away the worry. That left the hope to bubble up. Was it time for us to go home?
“So, did Enrico get the bastard who tried to kill me?” I asked before he’d even stepped out of the car. He winced slightly and my hope shattered.
“Sorry, it was a false lead. We need you to stick around here for a little longer,” he replied, then held up a takeout bag. “But I brought lunch.”
“I’m sick of takeout,” I huffed, not caring that I sounded like a petulant little girl. I shook my head and sighed. “I was really hoping to get out of here. Can we at least get rid of the security team? I don’t like feeling like I’m being watched.”
His lips pressed tightly together, eyes narrowed. I braced for another bit of bad news, but at least he gave it some thought instead of dismissing it out of hand.
“There hasn’t been a single attempt to infiltrate the property, I guess I could let them off duty if their being here is upsetting you,” he replied.
His tone of voice told me it didn’t sound like he thought it was a good idea him. That almost had me changing my tune. It was a startling revelation that I trusted him so much, but I held my tongue. Why not let myself have one little win?
We sat down at the outside table to enjoy the takeout meal he’d brought. Just burgers and fries, we ate in silence for a few minutes. The last time we’d eaten out here, he’d been on the far end, but sat to my side today, close enough that our knees brushed under the table.
“You mentioned last night my father helping you protect your mother,” I said. My curiously had finally gotten the better of me. “You hadn’t mentioned her before. Is she up in New York? Back in Russia?”
Dimitri’s head tilted and he winced. Great, I’d just stuck my foot in my mouth. Having just lost my father, I should have realized how raw and painful such a question could be.
“After your father helped her, offered her protection, she went back to Moscow,” he replied but then shook his head. “She passed away last year, had a heart attack. When your dad first wanted to meet with me, to discuss this… situation, I lied to him about her, said she was still alive. Only time I ever lied to the don.”
“Why did you lie to him?” I asked, forgetting about my remaining fries.
“I don’t exactly know.” He shrugged and stared out at the water. “He’d just been diagnosed, he didn’t look sick yet, but maybe I sensed it somehow, didn’t want to bring up another death. He’d helped me by protecting her, maybe I didn’t want him to know that she’d ended up dead anyway.”
Dimitri’s eyes remained on the water. They glistened with unshed tears. I’d never seen him express such vulnerability. My hand covered his on the table. His other covered it a moment later. He blinked and those eyes found mine.
“I’m sure my father would have understood,” I said, fighting my own tears as my thoughts turned to my father.
“Well, I aim to keep my word to him in every other way.” His hand squeezed mine. “That includes keeping you safe.”
Just days ago, the idea of feeling safe in Dimitri’s presence would have sent me into a fit of outright cackling. That I not only accepted his touch but reveled in it would have turned my stomach. Even now, there was a little part of me revolting against my desires, pushing those old thoughts, even though I’d realized just how wrong I’d been about the man I’d only thought of as the Russian Thug.
“You really have changed.” I sighed and closed my eyes, shaking my head. “I’m sorry I was such a bitch when my dad sprung his idea on me. I should have given you a chance.”
“He said you’d come around, you know.” Dimitri chuckled and gave my hand another squeeze. “But I’m the one who should apologize. I never realized how much I hurt you back in the day… not until I saw just how much you hated me.”
“If you had said that earlier, maybe we could have celebrated our wedding night right,” I teased.
“I’ll add that to my list of mistakes.” He gave as good as he got, mock groaning.
“Don’t worry about it, I’ll give you my notes for once.” I fell into giggles, remembering his demand for my notes in one of the few classes we’d shared at our boarding school.
“You know, this might sound crazy, but I kind of had a crush on you back then,” he admitted with a shake of his head.
“What!” I cringed at the shriek of my voice and jerked my hand away, staring at him.
He’d been my tormenter for those first few semesters in Thun. I thought back to those days, picturing his bullying behavior. None of it gave any hint of him having a crush.