Page 74 of The Den of Sin

“Yes, just hard to think of her being Lombardo’s daughter and my mother’s daughter.” His reply was in Russian too. It was one thing he and I agreed on, we’d keep her safe.

He disappeared through the door, and Isabella slowly strode to me, her bare feet soundless against the marble floor.

I opened my arms and she walked right into them, her small arms snaking around me. We stood there; two hearts beating to the same sound and the soft beep of the machine the only noise breaking the silence.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Isabella

I’m so tired.

Through my sleep deprived brain, I heard men’s voices speaking Russian. Or was I dreaming about it? I was in that spot between sleep and barely coming to awareness. Deep men’s voices, a warm chest underneath me.

I buried my head into that chest, inhaling deeply the scent. “Shhhh,” I mumbled, sleepily.

A strong, warm chest rumbled under my cheek. The scent was Vasili’s. I pulled the blanket over my head, trying to ignore what was going on around me even as my whole body snuggled closer to him.

Sasha.The thought pierced through my brain, and I jolted up, almost falling off the couch and onto the floor.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Vasili’s hands wrapped around me, holding me steady, so I wouldn’t fall off the couch.

“Is Sasha okay?” My eyes darted around and found Alexei sitting in the chair next to Sasha’s hospital bed. Sasha was propped up, his color good.

“I’m good,” he answered. “Thanks to your expertise.”

He tried to move his shoulder but winced.

“Don’t move that shoulder,” I ordered him. Placing my feet on the floor, I quickly stood up

I leaned over Sasha, and in quick, careful movements checked on his bandage. It looked good, no signs of infection. He would heal up just fine; I just had to make sure he didn’t move that shoulder.

Sasha grinned like he had the best night of his life and not gotten shot. “What’s the verdict?”

“No infection, and it looks good,” I told him. “But do not move that shoulder. Understood?”

“So bossy.”

“I’m serious,” I scolded him. “If you want to go around with a shoulder that hurts for months, be my guest. Move it. Otherwise, listen, and you'll be back to normal in a month.”

“Sasha will listen,” Alexei grumbled. Why was he always so grouchy?

My eyes darted out the window to find the sun high up in the sky. “What time is it?”

Vasili chuckled. “It’s almost noon.”

My eyes snapped to him. “Why didn’t you wake me?” I complained.

“You needed sleep.”

“Shit,” I mumbled. “I have an interview today.”

“You do?”

He raised his eyebrow. “Yes, I have to be there in two hours.” My eyes traced down my state. “Shit, shit, shit.”

“Say shit one more time,” Sasha teased. “And it might actually become shit.”

I rolled my eyes and spat right back. “Shit.”