Page 4 of Sweet Child of Mine

Chapter 2

Nikandr

I often dream about the first time I saw Leilani. She was sitting under a tree, the sunlight creating a magical halo of sparkling light around her. I knew right then that she would always be mine. Thoughts of her were the only thing that kept the darkness inside from consuming me. In truth, I needed her more than I needed air to breathe.

I was the devil my father created me to be. I still saw the pain in her eyes as I said goodbye to her. She thought it would be forever but I knew that one day I’d come back for her. The bratva taught me every way to kill someone in every situation.

My older brother Konstantin was now pakhan and I was his Executioner. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the pending alliance with the Italians but it wasn’t my place to question it. The silver lining was getting to know Dante Zima. He was almost as deadly as I was and quite creative. To see a blood eagle done right was a thing of beauty.

“What are you doing?” my brother Daniil asked as I drank a glass of vodka.

Konstantin chuckled from the desk behind me. “He’s watching Leilani Mattheson working the bar.”

“Wait, didn’t he take her home last night?”

“She kicked him out this morning.” I glanced behind me with a glare at Kostya.

Daniil smacked my shoulder hard and he pretended to console me. “That’s gotta hurt.”

“Mudak.” Calling my brother an asshole didn’t change the fact that it did hurt. I was used to pain and I knew my leaving right before her parents were killed broke her in ways that still haunted me.

“Nik, I know you don’t like her working here, but she’s one of the best bartenders we’ve ever had working for us, and this way we can protect her,” Kostya explained as he stood up to come stand next to me at the observation window.

I nodded as my eyes never left my flower. I would have to give her time to come back to me. While I was patient I would watch over her and keep her safe.

~~~*~~~

Leilani

The weeks that followed the disaster of our reunion were busy but normal. I knew that Nik was watching me at work but I ignored him and his bratva like I’d always done and just did what they paid me to do. It wasn’t always easy, when he sat at a table and stared at me I wanted to run back into his arms.

Fortunately, I’d had a reprieve the last couple of weeks as the pakhan and his brothers were gone on business. Rumors were running wild that Konstantin had come back married. “Hey Lei, did you hear the pakhan married an Italian girl from the Zima Family?” Andrei asked as he worked the bar with me.

I rolled my eyes at him. Staying far away from gossiping about the boss was always the best course of action. “Yeah, I heard. You’ve only been talking about it nonstop.”

As Andrei laughed I blinked several times suddenly feeling faint. “Hey Lei, you alright? You suddenly went really pale.”

Before I could answer him, the room started to spin, and everything went dark.

~~~*~~~

“I’m fine,” I said for the third time as Andrei looked at me worriedly standing next to the hospital bed I was currently lying on in the emergency room. “This is ridiculous.” I started to sit up because I was ready to leave, but he pushed me back down.

“We’re not leaving until we find out what’s wrong,” he told me.

“I didn’t eat today. It’s no big deal.”

“You’ve never passed out before, Lei.” Amelia, my best friend, signed from where she stands near my feet with one hand resting against my leg. She has trouble speaking so it was easier for her to sign at me. It was something we learned together as kids. “We’re not taking any chances.”

“Come on,” I pleaded, hoping to convince them. “It’s been a crazy month and you both know I’ve been dealing with a stomach bug. It’s seriously no big deal.” They both stared at me like I was a wounded animal, waiting for the moment I kicked the bucket.

“I don’t know what Amelia told you, but I agree with her. The boss said to make sure to get you checked out. We’re staying here until we hear back from the doctor. I’m not risking the pakhan’s anger just because you’re being stubborn.”

“Pussy,” I mumbled as the doctor finally returned.

“Ms. Mattheson,” the doctor said as he pushed aside the yellow curtain that had concealed us from the chaos of the hallways. “I have some test results back.”

“What’s wrong, Doctor? Is she okay?” Andrei asked worriedly.

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