Page 4 of Sheltering Hollis

“Dimitri, what’s going on? Any updates?”

“Maxim is being a total dick, as expected,” I paused. Maddox had been my long-time friend and confidant, but he wasn’t familiar with Maxim and the pressures of the Bratva. Still, he was the closest I had to someone I could talk to. Finally, I admitted, “It’s hard being back here. He hasn’t changed much.”

There was a pause on the other end. I could almost see Maddox rubbing his jaw, considering my words. “He’s still your brother Dimitri, maybe not the best one, but Maxim cares about you. Not as much as we do, though. You’re the favorite.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. Maddox had always been a rock, someone I could rely on no matter what. He always helped me find perspective. “Well, truer words have never been spoken. I am the favorite. Thanks, Maddox.” It did help to talk about it. Returning here made me realize what a strange world I’d grown up in. This frozen and isolated mansion filled with guards. It was no place for a child.

“So, you heard from your military pal yet? I’m going to head down to Colombia tomorrow.”

“I did. My buddy Ames called this morning. He is pretty certain Bogota is the area you need to be looking. He didn’t specify why, but he sounded sure, and he’s never steered me wrong. But, Dimitri, several active cartels are there, so it will be dicey. I’d suggest you keep a low profile. In and out.” I could read the worry in his voice, and sure enough, the following words out of his mouth were. “I think I should come with you. It’s not a good idea for you to be going alone.”

“I won’t be, Maddox. I’ll take some men with him. I’ve got this, don’t worry. I’ll be in touch. Don’t annoy Helena too much.”

“Well, don’t die. That’d piss me off. Bye, fucker. Be safe.”

I hung up and felt better, having spoken to Maddox. When I met him, we immediately became friends, bonding over being orphans. Even though I had a brother left, I didn’t talk to him, so it was like I didn’t have one. Many men at the MC had estranged families for one reason or another.

We’d started our lives out very differently, but we had both been raised around violence. He was raised in foster care, mainly in violent homes. He hadn’t divulged all the details, but I understood what he hadn’t said. Maddox always seemed to get me and accept me for who I was. Even if now it seemed my friend was growing on a different path, I was pleased for him. He deserved it. For years, he’d watched Helena Marsh and wanted her. They were now on a path to be together, and it was everything he had wanted. He deserved happiness.

It was my privilege to ensure their happy future. My first job was to take out her sleazy boss. Colombia was the next stop. I needed to navigate this strange balance between the Bratva and the Iron Brotherhood, leveraging this connection.

I headed back inside. I needed to strategize with Maxim and kiss his ass a little, so I could borrow his fucking plane, which was going to hurt my pride. My brother might be an overbearing tyrant, but he had resources that I could use.

FIVE

Hollis - age 26 - Present Day

The soft glow of the early morning sun seeped through the thin curtains, casting a warm light across our tiny apartment. I stretched, and the stiffness in my muscles reminded me of the late night I’d spent balancing bills and paperwork. My eyes drifted to the clock on the nightstand—time to wake Olive.

I padded down the narrow hallway, my bare feet making soft thuds on the worn carpet. Pushing open her bedroom door, I found her exactly as I did every morning—sprawled out like a starfish, her curly blonde hair a wild halo around her head.

"Olive," I called gently, moving to sit on the edge of her bed. "Time to get up, sweetheart."

She groaned, rolling over to bury her face in the pillow. "Five more minutes, Mom."

I chuckled, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "You say that every morning. Come on, we don't want to be late."

Olive peeked one eye open, giving me a sleepy smile. "Okay, okay. I'm up."

As she slowly sat up, I reached over to ruffle her hair, and she giggled, swatting my hand away. "Mom, my hair is already messy enough."

"I know, I know. Let's get you dressed, Miss Messy Hair."

Olive hopped out of bed and dashed to her dresser, pulling out her favorite yellow dress with the sunflowers on it. "Can I wear this today?"

"Of course," I said, smiling. "You always look so bright and cheerful in that dress."

She beamed, quickly changing while I tidied up her bed. Moments later, she was ready, her hair only slightly tamed by a few brush strokes. We made our way to the tiny kitchen, the smell of freshly brewed coffee welcoming us.

"What's for breakfast?" Olive asked, climbing onto one of the mismatched chairs at the small table.

I opened the fridge, taking stock of our limited supplies. "How about some toast and scrambled eggs?"

"Yum!" Olive clapped her hands together. "Can I have some of the strawberry jelly, too?"

"Absolutely," I said, grabbing the jar from the fridge. "Strawberry jelly makes everything better."

As I whisked the eggs and put the bread in the toaster, Olive swung her legs back and forth, humming a little tune. Her carefree spirit was contagious, and I hummed along with her. Despite the financial strain and the endless to-do lists, these mornings with Olive were my favorite part of the day.

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