Page 44 of Toxic Salvation (Krayev Bratva #2)

VESPER

I’m not stupid.

I know the only reason I can boss Kovan around is because I’m pregnant and he doesn’t want me stressed out and hurting the baby.

When I tell him to rest, he rests. When I tell him to eat, he eats. When I essentially put him under house arrest, he accepts that, too.

Not that he does it without complaining. The man can gripe better than anyone I know. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s where Luka gets his whining from. The pair of them have been attached at the hip since Kovan got shot.

It pisses me off every time Luka asks questions about the shootout. Only because he seems so damn excited by it.

I had hoped for fear and revulsion, but so far, no such luck.

The kid looks well on his way to wanting to join the Bratva. There goes my plan to slowly brainwash him into hating it.

Still, there’s plenty of time.

I’m thinking up new strategies as I head into the hospital for my shift when I catch sight of a familiar face. I double back, looking toward the staircase where I thought I saw a scowl and a hooked nose, but there’s no one there.

I turn to my security detail. “Did you guys see anyone over by the stairwell, staring at me?”

Nikolai frowns, scanning the area. “No. But we can do a sweep of the place. Who did you think you saw?”

“Never mind. It was probably nothing. Just paranoia. Forget I said anything.”

With another glance toward the stairwell, I take the elevator up to the pediatric ward to get ready for rounds.

As I pass the nurses’ station, Bessie and Courtney greet me with smiles. “Good evening, Vesper! Did your friend end up finding you?”

I stop short. “My friend?”

“There was a man who stopped by a few minutes ago asking for you,” Bessie explains.

“He was very charming,” Courtney adds, blushing.

“What was his name?”

“Oh, we didn’t ask,” she says. “We were busy with patient files and I forgot to ask. My bad.”

Okay, so maybe it’s not paranoia. I debate whether to tell Kovan. If I do, he’ll probably freak out and demand I come home. Or worse, he’ll ignore my orders for rest and come here himself. And the last thing I need is another shootout. Particularly in my condition.

I say goodbye to the nurses and head to the doctors’ lounge, keeping an eye out for Ihor the entire time.

By the time I’ve changed into scrubs and my white coat, I’ve managed to shake off that eerie feeling of being watched.

After checking in with Kovan and Luka via text, I start my rounds.

I expect to see Ihor in every patient room I walk into.

But I complete rounds without anything suspicious happening.

I’m hoping the new board president, Richard Lovell, will give me the reassurance I desperately need. I head into his office five minutes early for a preplanned meeting.

Nikolai is about to follow me inside when I stop him with a firm glare. “You are not going in there with me.”

“But—”

“No buts. This is a private meeting between me and my boss. And there’s nothing between us but this very thin wall right here. So mind your own business.”

Nikolai smiles. “You are my business, ma’am.”

“Put that smile away,” I snap. “You will wait out here for me.”

He hesitates. Then he looks over his shoulder at the three other men standing behind him. There’s some sort of silent conversation I’m not privy to because a moment later, Nikolai turns to me and sighs.

“We’ll be right out here if you need anything, ma’am.”

I wink at him gratefully and head into Richard’s office. It doesn’t look much different from when Jeremy was board director. The space still gives me creepy vibes. It doesn’t help that Richard Lovell has long white hair and the aura of a hippie at a love-in.

Whatever. I can forgive his appearance as long as he does the job well.

“Mr. Lovell, thank you for meeting with me.”

“It’s my pleasure, Dr. Krayev,” he says as he shakes my hand.

That one has me reeling. Dr. Krayev? It sounds so weird… but it’s the good kind of weird that makes my stomach flutter and my legs feel unsteady.

A few months ago, I would have thought it was farfetched. But ever since I heard Kovan mention marriage to my mother, it’s been an ever-present thought, sneaking around in the back of my head, ready to surface at the most inconvenient moments.

“It’s Fairfax, actually,” I correct politely. I take a seat in front of his desk. “But feel free to call me Vesper.”

“Of course, my apologies.” He clears his throat and I wonder if he’s naturally jumpy or nervous about this meeting. “So, you wanted to discuss a replacement for you while you’re on maternity leave?”

“That’s right. I plan on taking six months off and I want to make sure my replacement can handle my caseload.

I have several patients with serious complications that require close monitoring.

” I pull out the file I’ve been carrying around since morning.

“Here are the two candidates I think would be perfect to fill in for me. Dr. Patton has a stellar reputation and he’s currently between jobs.

I think he’d be willing to come work here if you make him the right offer.

The second option is Dr. Jennifer Walters.

We went to med school together. She was a few years ahead of me and completely brilliant.

You can’t go wrong with either candidate. ”

Richard accepts the files but doesn’t even glance at them. “Unfortunately, Vesper, I’m not sure we can go with your choices. The board has already decided on a doctor to take over for you while you’re on maternity leave.”

“Who is it?”

“Dr. Henry Fielding.”

“Henry Fielding…? I haven’t heard of him.”

“He’s a fellow at Boston General. He comes highly rec?—”

“No.” I cut him off. “I can’t have a fellow taking over my caseload. I need an experienced attending surgeon, Mr. Lovell. It has to be either Dr. Patton or Dr. Walters.”

Lovell sighs. “The problem is, we just don’t have the budget to hire either one of them right now. With the board overhaul and the number of administrative changes that have been made recently?—”

He is interrupted by my phone, which starts vibrating violently in my coat pocket. I usually wouldn’t check it, but I’m still worried about Kovan and his arm, which has been slow to heal.

Speaking of the devil, his name is flashing across my lockscreen.

“Excuse me, Mr. Lovell.” I point at my phone. “Do you mind?”

The moment he sees the name on my screen, he gestures for me to take the call. “Of course, please, feel free…”

I suppress a smile. Sometimes, Kovan’s name really comes in handy.

I pick up and walk to the corner of Lovell’s office. “Is everything alright?”

“Of course. Just wanted to check on you.”

“As if you’re not already getting hourly updates courtesy of the five stooges out there.”

“I can neither confirm nor deny.” He chuckles under his breath, then gets serious. “You sound tense. Is something wrong?”

The fact that he can sense that over the phone is amazing. And very inconvenient. For a moment, I consider telling him about the mysterious stranger sniffing around stairwells and asking for me. But that’s likely just going to freak him out and screw up the rest of my day at the hospital.

“The board is refusing to hire the replacement I’ve picked for my maternity leave.” I lower my voice. “Not enough funds in the budget, apparently.”

“Richard said that?”

“I’m with him now.”

“Tell him that he’ll have enough funds in the budget by tomorrow. Pick the doctor you want and I’ll have him make an offer immediately.”

“Seriously?” My jaw drops.

“I want you to enjoy your maternity leave,” says Kovan. “You’re not going to be able to do that if you’re constantly worried about your patients.”

I can’t believe him. “You’re amazing.”

“Does that mean I’m allowed to get up now?”

I smirk. “Fine… but no more shootouts, please.”

“I’ll do my best.”

I hang up and turn back to Richard, who’s watching me with obvious curiosity and what looks like nervousness.

“Good news, Mr. Lovell. It seems the budget issue has been resolved. You’ll have the funds to hire either Dr. Patton or Dr. Walters by tomorrow.”

His face turns white. “I… How is that possible?”

“Does it matter? What matters is that my patients will have the best possible care while I’m on leave.

” I can’t lie—I’m kind of enjoying his discomfort, though I worry that it makes me a bad person.

“I’d like you to reach out to both candidates today.

Offer them whatever it takes to secure one of them. ”

“Of course. Absolutely. Whatever you need.”

I stand up, smoothing my white coat. “Excellent. I knew we’d understand each other.”

As I walk toward the door, Richard clears his throat. “Mrs. Kr— Er, Dr. Fairfax?”

I turn back. “Yes?”

“Please give my regards to Mr. Krayev.”

“I’ll be sure to do that.” I step out of his office feeling victorious.

Nikolai looks at my satisfied expression and raises an eyebrow. “Good meeting?”

“The best.” I start walking toward the elevator. “Come on. Let’s go home. I have some celebrating to do.”

“What are we celebrating?”

“The fact that my boyfriend just proved why I fell in love with him in the first place.”

Nikolai grins. “He’s good at that, isn’t he?”

“The best,” I repeat, already planning how I’m going to thank Kovan for making my life easier. Again.

Some days, being Mrs. Krayev doesn’t sound so bad after all.