The Bratva King's Kidnapped Bride - Page 40

This never would have made me feel guilty in the past, but it did now. Coupled with the tension that she was somehow going to find out about her father and me, I had to make a break for the bathroom. I heaved a few times but didn’t get sick, and calmed down enough to go back to the table before she came looking for me.

Nat had ordered a salad and big turkey sandwich that should have had me drooling since I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, but my stomach was still in knots. I ordered something light so she wouldn’t worry and forced myself to take a few bites while we caught up. I wanted to enjoy this rare time with my oldest and best friend, but the giant lie looming over my head made it impossible. I was nearly in tears when we hugged goodbye, but so was she. Her tears were honest, though, because she was going to miss me. I felt awful, eager for her to go and not come back for a long time.

On the way home, I tried to swear Sergei to secrecy, but he shook his head at me in the rearview mirror.

“No secrets from the boss,” he said, at least somewhat apologetically.

That meant it was up to me to confess. I wasn’t even sure what I’d done wrong anymore, but I was still riddled with guilt about it.

Thankfully, Aleks had also taken a lazy day and was still home when I returned. I found him in his office and threw myself into his arms, needing the comfort of his embrace.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as I clung to him with all my might.

“Nothing,” I said miserably. “Nat had a layover, so I just spent a few hours with her.”

“Oh?” he asked, his arms tightening.

I pressed my face against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and breathing in his masculine scent. Already, I began to feel the weight lightening. “I don’t want to talk about it, though. Okay?”

“Whatever you want,” he assured me, tugging on my freshly conditioned, super silky hair.

I tipped my chin back, thinking he might try to argue, but he only lowered his head to kiss my troubles away. He could always make everything better. At least for the moment.

Chapter 22 – Aleksandr

Things still weren’t settled with the rivals. Not completely. More than a month had passed since our failed diplomatic meeting. After we’d made an example of one of them and dumped the leader in front of his most popular establishment, tied up, humiliated, and furious, things settled down. The last week, in particular, had been quiet.

Almost too quiet. They were certainly plotting their revenge, but I had also been ramping up security at all our places that they might hit next. It seemed like a waste of energy to be on edge when there was no word from any of our spies that anything big was underway. All I could do was wait and try to enjoy the peace.

I was doing just that one afternoon, catching up on some accounting at my club during the off hours. An electrician was fixing some of the lights over the bar, and the work sounds combined with someone using a polisher out on the dance floor had lulled me into a flow state as I signed papers and double-checked the monthly accounts.

My rumbling stomach drew me out of my work daze, and I realized it was almost three. It was well past time to eat something. Remembering that Katie had packed me one of her lunches to take with me that morning, I reached for it in the mini-fridge behind my desk. Smiling as I peeled away her signature sticker, I recalled her mischievous grin as she told me it had something special in it, so I wasn’t to give it to anyone else.

As if I would have shared any gift she gave me. Inside, nestled between the bacon and brie sandwich and the couscous salad, was a small, square envelope, sealed with a bright red lipstick kiss.

I glanced up at the security camera in the corner of my office and refrained from pressing my own lips against the mark. I had a reputation to uphold. People needed to be at least somewhat afraid of me. If anyone knew how important Katie was to me, it could quickly become a problem.

With my heart swelling in my chest, I took out her note and read it.

Have a great day. I’m always thinking of you. I’ll wear this lipstick tonight and get it all over you. Deal?

There was another red kiss mark underneath her handwriting, and the front of my pants tightened. If I had been even close to finished with the paperwork I’d let pile up, I would have been in the car on the way home already. I was about to let it rot when I recalled what time it was. She had taken full advantage of her freedom and was out most afternoons, either with my sister, taking her cooking class, or volunteering.

Sinking my teeth into the sandwich, I let my thoughts wander to what we might get up to later, and was irritated when my phone rang. Sighing, I answered Lev’s call.

“One of your wife’s delivery drivers never checked in at the end of his shift,” he said, voice tense.

I checked the time. They usually started delivering at around eleven and finished up by two at the latest. It was now almost four. “Have you tried to contact him?”

“We’ve been trying for the last hour,” Lev told me. “His phone’s off.”

Everything in his tone was trying to tell me not to worry, but the fact he was calling was worry enough. “Give me the rundown,” I said, carefully tucking Katie’s note into my pocket and wrapping up the lemon butter cookie before throwing away the empty box. Her cookies were transcendent, but my appetite had waned.

“The last location we were able to track was near one of the buildings on La Brea that he regularly delivers to. I sent some guys to look for him, but there’s no sign. No one of his descriptions or names turns up at any of the local police stations or hospitals, either.”

I nodded, groaning. Lev had covered his bases before reporting to me.

“It could be nothing,” he tried to reassure me. “He could have pulled a runner, got sick of the job.”