Page 82 of Runaway Queen

The men exchanged cautious looks at my glib humor.

“I don’t know who you are, or what you did to be forced from your bratva, and I don’t care. From today, you have a shiny clean slate with me. If you work well and prove yourself, you’ll be given more responsibility.”

“Is the Chernov bratva expanding up here?”

“Maybe. If you want to belong to a brotherhood again, this is your chance. Take it or leave it. But we do things my way. I’m going to live here, and we have to respect it. Clean, honest drugs and arms running. That’s the plan.”

“Clean and honest drugs and arms running? You really are as crazy as they say,” Andrei said, finally cracking a smile.

“I sure am. We’ll work it out, if you’re with me.”

Andrei looked around at his men one by one. They communicated without speaking.

He turned to me and nodded solemnly. “It’ll be an honor to be brothers with thepalach.”

28

SOFIA

Monday at school felt like a dream. It was too normal after everything that had happened in the last forty-eight hours. My students didn’t get on my nerves, and the sun was shining. The sky was blue above the woods outside the back of the school.

Best of all, there was a car waiting for me by the door, in direct defiance of the strict no-parking rule. Nikolai Chernov, as always, had never met a rule he didn’t want to break.

He was leaning against the door when I left the main entrance and straightened up as I approached. He was drawing even more stares than Bran had. I could only imagine the interesting rumors that had to be flying around the student body by this point.

No one looked like Nikolai Chernov. In full daylight, I was finally about to see the changes that had happened in the seven years we’d been apart.

He was broader. His body had been lethal, even then, but seven years ago there had been a leanness to him that whispered of the remnants of youth. That was long gone. His hair was shorn close to the scalp. I’d always loved his tumbling dark waves. They softened a dangerous man. Now, there was no softness left to hold on to. His tattoos were dark against his golden skin, licking up his neck.

“Good afternoon, prom queen.”

I abandoned all hope of killing the rumors when Nikolai snagged my hip and pulled me close to him, kissing me deeply.

“That is not a workplace-approved kiss,” I reprimanded him.

He only grinned. “It’s after work. I’ve been counting the minutes. Besides, I’d say we’ve done worse on school grounds.”

“Oh my god,” I muttered, trying my best not to blush like I was a teenager myself. I felt like one. I’d never felt so light. I turned my attention to the car that sat at the curb. It was shiny and new, not to mention top of the line. “New ride?”

Nikolai nodded. “It’s for you. I already had the other one towed.”

“You did what?”

“Had it towed. Do you think I’m going to let the mother of my child, and my only son, drive around in an unsafe car? The only other option is that I simply drive you everywhere. I don’t want to put you back in a cage, Sofia. Be free, but be safe.” He tossed me the keys. “Here, you’re driving.”

We got into the new car. It was nice. Luxurious as hell. I melted into the leathery seat and pressed the ignition button. It purred smoothly beneath us.

“Do you really mean that? No security… nothing changing?”

“I can’t promise no security, but I don’t want you to live the life you hated with your father.”

“Life has been quiet without you, except for Edward Sloane, that is.”

“Hmm, you are quite the danger magnet, as always. It’ll get more dangerous, just through the fact of me being with you, but that will also make it safer. We will need to move, though.”

“Move? I like my little house in the middle of nowhere.”

“I like it, too, but we need something bigger, more rooms, and able to be properly secured.”

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