Page 41 of Unbreakable Vow

“What did you hit?”

“Hit? Nothing. I grazed a light pole when I was making a turn.” She sounds so damn casual, like it’s an everyday occurrence to sideswipe a pole.

My insides clench. This woman is going to be the death of me.

“All right. Let’s get home.”

“I can drive this one if you?—”

“Absolutely not.” I grab her hand and pull her along through the parking lot to my car. Once I have her inside, buckled in, I get my phone out and make all the arrangements to have her mother moved, and the Denali brought to our mechanic.

“Sergei, I’m not sure you should bring Mom to the house. She needs a lot of care?—”

I grab her chin. “Give me your eyes, Cora.” I demand.

Slowly, she raises her pretty eyes to mine. Her cheeks are flushed, and a thin veil of tears lines her bottom lashes.

“When I am dealing with someone, never argue with me. Do you understand?”

She swallows. “You mean that guy?”

“I mean anyone. If I’m dealing with someone, you wait until we’re alone to argue.”

She thinks for a moment. “All right. That’s fair.”

“And no arguments about this move. That place is a shithole. I won’t have your mother there anymore. It’s taken care of. I have a whole guest wing that’s not being used. She will have her own space with the best medical team. And you won’t have to run off whenever the nurses page you.”

“Is that what this is? To keep me from leaving?”

I squeeze her chin. Why must she argue every point?

“I take care of my family. And you. Your mother. Are family.” I release her chin.

She bites down on her lower lip like she wants to argue, but she’s not sure what to say.

Good.

I’m not in the mood.

Between the news Viktor had for us, finding her missing, and then seeing this rathole, I’m not in the mindset for any arguing.

“Thank you,” she whispers as I pull onto the street.

“Don’t thank me yet,” I say. “There’s a price for my kindness.”

The guest wingis a two-bedroom living space attached west of the main house. Mom will have her own room, her own living room, and a kitchen. Though it’s been ages since she’s been able to cook for herself.

Sergei wasn’t lying about a full medical team. In the last five hours I’ve gone over every speck of her medical history with two doctors and three nurses. They will all be taking shifts staying with Mom. She’ll never be left alone, and she’ll be well cared for.

None of them will be wearing medical clothing so as far as Mom’s concerned, she’s just made five new friends.

I can’t help but feel I’m taking advantage of Sergei. We made a deal, and it had nothing to do with bringing Mom to live in his house. Or all of this medical care.

To say he’s being generous is a gross understatement and a part of me wonders why.

While I’ve been talking to the medical team and making sure Mom was settling in all right, Sergei has been in the main section of the house working.

He mentioned getting married would help him settle business issues, and whatever they are apparently took effect right away. I haven’t seen him since Mom was brought into the guest wing.

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