Page 153 of Emerald Malice

“Who, me? Why would I worry?” My voice shifts up a couple of octaves. “I’m sure it’s perfectly normal to go to meetings armed. Remind me to clean my bazooka for the board meeting next week. Oh, and I’m getting tea with Annie next weekend, so I should probably make sure my AK-47 is?—”

“Hey.” His hand curls against the side of my cheek. “My normal is different than yours. And just because I’ve got guns on me doesn’t mean I’m going to need them.”

“But there’s a chance you might?”

He hesitates. “Only a very small one.”

“What’s this meeting about?”

It’s the first time I’ve asked him a direct question about his work. I half-expect him to shut me down and tell me to go back to the pool house. Part of me thinks that might be the right call. The less I know, the better.

“You want to know?” he asks.

I nod, trying to convince us both.

“I’m meeting with some investors to discuss a cross-country expansion. It’s just a logistics chat.”

My gaze flickers back to the guns on the table. “Will you be going alone?”

“Shura, Efrem, and Yuri will be with me. Vaska might join, too.”

I chew on my bottom lip. This is exactly why I can’t fall in love with a man like Andrey. He’s always walking into danger, dodging death, ducking enemy fire. I wouldn’t survive being worried about him all the time.

“Don’t worry, little bird.” He presses a kiss to my mouth. “I’ve handled a lot worse with a lot less.”

I watch, terrified as he tucks the guns away—one in the waistband of his pants, the second in his jacket pocket. Then he turns and points to the takeout container. “You brought me something?”

“Uh, a sandwich from the restaurant… You usually work through lunch and I…”

Andrey is looking at me like he’s just figured something out. His eyes are bright and my heart is thrumming, and—shit.

It’s already too late.

“Wait here,” I order, whirling out of his office and running down the hall.

He calls after me, but I keep moving. I rush to the pool house, retrieve what I need, and then fly back to the office as fast as I can.

He’s still waiting by the entrance for me. “Where’d you go?”

“I went to get this.” Grabbing his hand, I fold something into the center.

He stares down at the golden necklace in his palm. “This is your locket.”

“My mom’s locket, yes. I want you to keep it with you. Think of it as… as a good luck charm. A protection amulet.” I shrug. “Whatever you want to call it.”

He lifts his gaze to mine. “This is your amulet, Natalia.”

“And I’m giving it to you.”

Because it’s all I can do. As stupid and ultimately useless as this gesture is, it’s the only thing I can do for him. It’s still more than I got to do for my parents.

“And you should know…” My voice trembles. “… it means a lot to me. So, you have to bring it back for me. I want the necklace personally delivered. By you. In one piece.”

His smile is knowing as his fingers close around the locket. He fastens the chain around his neck and tucks it out of sight beneath his shirt. Then he kisses my forehead before he dips down to kiss my belly, as well.

“I’ll bring it back safe and sound.”

Then Andrey is gone.

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