Page 13 of Shielded Secrets

I sat, shaking my head. “I have minor issues with my arm healing. I’m not an invalid.” I picked up a roll from the bread basket and waited before biting into it. “But it’s just as well that Eva asked me to follow up on her friend because I happened to hang out around some security guards who were talking about something interesting.”

“What’s that?” Oleg asked.

“A Petrov was killed on campus recently.”

He huffed. “Not by a Baranov.”

“So, what? We won’t care if an Ilyin is killing the competition there?” Lev asked.

“No, no.” Oleg put his napkin down. “We most certainly do care. But I care most about it not being a kill that I’ll need to claim or worry about.”

“If the Ilyins are killing or attacking the Petrovs, then it means they won’t be focusing on us,” I added. “Or you.” I gave the Boss a pointed look, to emphasize how he’d been the latest target to be shot at of the Baranov Family.

“I agree. I feel like this is something that we should stay on top of.” He looked me over and nodded. “Are you feeling up for it?”

Yes!I nodded. “Absolutely, Boss.”

“Wait a second here,” Lev argued. “He’s still recovering.” He shook his head, ready to make my hopes fall flat. “I know you’ve been bored since you were hit, but nothing good will come of your thinking you’re stronger than you are, if you rush getting back into action when your body isn’t ready.”

“But if I’m just keeping an eye on things, scouting it out and seeing what’s going on, then I won’t have to act on anything or put my recovery at risk.” I hated that I had to feel weak or held back at all. Yes, I understood that I needed to give my body a chance to recover, but I hated to have to do it when I was desperate to be in on the action—even from a distance.

“We’ll have more men there,” Oleg said, not going against what Lev stated or my wishes to be included in this effort. “If you see something and need backup, it’ll be there. But I believe it is in our best interests to be watching these situations more closely.”

Oleg got up and left the room, already busy on a call with someone in Russia. He tucked his phone between his shoulder and ear as he lit a cigar. A trail of his signature cigar smoke hung in the air after him.

Facing Lev and Eva, I waited for the backlash. He wouldn’t appreciate my not doing as he said, but as of yet, he was only the second in command, not the boss at the top of the organization.

“I’m glad,” Eva said.

Lev shot her a hard look.

She patted his hand and smiled sweetly. “Rurik won’t overdo it.”

I finished eating the bite of the roll and nodded. “I won’t.”

“I’m glad that you’ll be there to also keep an eye on Kelly.” Eva turned her smile to me. It wasn’t as appeasing and saccharine as it was for him, but sincere and worried. Maybe appreciative too. “If she sees you, you’ll at least be a recognizable face. Someone she was familiar with.”

I couldn’t help a laugh. “When did we have a chance to get familiar?”

“She saw you with me and the other guards on duty,” Lev said. “Of course, she’d be familiar with you.”

Not as familiar as I want us to be with each other.

“I did see her,” I told Eva. “She fell asleep studying at the library.”

Eva allowed another slight smile with a little chuckle. “Probably a math exam.”

“She woke up startled,” I admitted. “Maybe she’s still dealing with a little bit of post-trauma stress from when she was drugged.” I hated to recall that incident, wishing stupidly that it never could’ve happened.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she were,” Eva said.

“Maybe not,” Lev argued. “I doubt that Kelly’s a delicate flower who’s going to be sensitive and withdrawn from a trauma. If she survived a childhood in the system, she had to have seen some cruel truths about the world early on.”

“I agree, but she definitely looked…” I shook my head, sad to report this to Eva, who seemed to still want to be her friend. “Weary. Tired.” I shrugged, unable to describe it in any neutral way. “Beat down.”

Eva raised her brows. “Physically?”

“No. Just like she’s stressed and overwhelmed by all that’s happening in her life.”

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