Page 60 of Shielded Secrets

Eva tilted her head to the side. “Are you convincing us of that? Or yourself?”

“Both.” I shrugged. I was ready to put my past completely behind me and focus on the future with Rurik. Sometimes, I wanted to pinch myself and make sure I wasn’t dreaming. That was how well we’d settled into being a happy couple. When I’d let my mind wander, I’d struggled with the lingering guilt I’d suppressed about my crime from so long ago, but I wouldn’t have to worry about that anymore.

If I dropped out of school or if I simply quit and didn’t sign up for anything in the fall again, I wouldn’t have to risk seeing Jerome, the only other person in the world who knew what had happened to O’Malley and how horribly I’d sinned.

“So, no,” I told Eva. “I’m good with this being it. Rurik and I will go return the things I owe the library, and then that will be the end of my college experience.”

It felt damned good to say that.

“We sure didn’t last long,” Irina said.

Eva laughed lightly at her joke, and soon enough, I joined in too.

“I made it for one semester before falling for my bodyguard,” Eva said around laughter.

“And I caved after a semester and a half because I fell for my professor,” Irina added, making us crack up even more.

I held my hands up triumphantly. “And I almost made it for two whole semesters!”

With laughter and smiles, we teased ourselves about choosing our Mafia men over staying on campus. It was more than enough time spent there on my part.

I was done. Done with struggling to work and pay rent for a lousy apartment. Done being alone and avoiding anyone and all forms of small talk. And done with juggling too many classes and labs just to someday achieve success with a degree.

The sooner I could avoid any involvement with someone from my past, the better. It was also that much sooner that I could focus on simply moving on and being happy with my protective husband who would never let anyone bother me again.

26

RURIK

Word spread of my marriage, and it seemed to have the impact that we hoped it would. If any cop or personnel from the college were interested in talking to Kelly about those drugs planted in her locker, or anything else about her time on campus, they’d have to come to the Baranov mansion to find her. And no one got past the guards at the gate.

When she was at home with me, at my penthouse, we could rely on the same distance from the law. No one would just breeze up to the door and arrest her. We’d already contacted the legal team to be prepared for any pending arrests. Not a single cop would interrogate her on my watch.

Still, she had to tie up loose ends on campus. For that matter, we kept her apartment as is. The lease wouldn’t be up for a couple more months, so it could just sit there as a decoy. Our cameras would show if anyone broke in, anyway, but for all other purposes, it would provide the illusion that she was still reachable there.

“So we just need to return these books to the lab instructor?” I asked her after I parked and then walked toward the building with her.

“Yes.” She nodded, seeming to look around with a new filter. No longer stressed and weary, she stood tall and proud, healthy and rested. It pleased me to no end to see her thriving and so much more at peace to not have to struggle for money to eat or time to sleep around working overtime.

“Are you sure you’re not going to suffer from whiplash at how quickly everything is changing?” I asked her. “You won’t regret not finishing your degree?”

She smiled, holding my hand as we walked in the warmer, yet still chilly, spring air. “No. No regrets.”

“None?” I had to check with how quickly our relationship progressed once we were reunited that night I saved her. “Eva wanted to go to college to feel like a ‘normal’ woman. She wanted some independence before she would be arranged in a marriage. But you started your classes to get a job.”

She looked at me seriously. “And why would I want a job if you and I are going to try to start a family?”

“Start a family?” I teased. “We already are one.” I squeezed her fingers for emphasis.

“But we’ll try to have children soon,” she said with a smile. “Thatis what I’ve always dreamed of. Having my own family. Something I’d never experienced before. Yes, I know. Your family and organization arethefamily, but I mean a little family.Ourfamily.”

I would do all I could to make that happen for her because it was a dream of mine too. Just so long as she wasn’t sad to lose her independence by just being a mother and wife.

If she starts to seem like she’s upset about not graduating and having a career, then we’ll adjust later.It wasn’t like there was a rule prohibiting her from being a mother and a career woman.

“I’ll be happy not to be here on this campus anymore, though.” She snapped her fingers. “Ah, crap. I’ll still need to return my employee badge.”

“Do we need to do that tonight?” I asked. It would make sense to, since we were here.

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