Page 4 of Walking Red Flag

Would it have killed him to just wait until I got back?

Apparently.

I searched through my purse and found all my stuff where it belonged, even my ringing cell phone.

I smiled when I saw it was Vivi.

“Hey, Vivi,” I said. “What’s up?”

“Can you come watch me for an hour or so? That way I don’t have to go to the doctor with Jessa and Mama,” my niece pleaded.

“Of course,” I said without thought. “I’ll be there in ten.”

I was there in fifteen, but Vivi didn’t hold it against me.

Brecken came out of her bedroom, Jessa, named after my grandmother, in her arms.

Jessa was screaming her head off, and I raised a brow at her.

Brecken frowned at me and said, “What are you doing here?”

“This one called me.” I threw Vivi under the bus.

Brecken sighed. “She didn’t want to come, because she’s afraid she’ll get sick, and she won’t be able to play in her soccer game on Saturday.”

That was a valid reason…

“I got her,” I reinforced. “What’s going on with Jessa?”

“Ear infection. Again.” She groaned. “It’s the third one in two months.”

I winced. “You do know that ear infections run in our family, right? You lucked out with Vivi here. But I had to have tubes. Maven had to have tubes. And so did Dima.”

“No.” Brecken rolled her eyes. “But one would think that would be something you’d talk about when your daughter gets back-to-back ear infections.”

I patted her on the shoulder as she passed and said, “Shasha is adorable in his own way, sis.”

Brecken snorted. “I’ll be back in about two hours or so. I have to stop by the store. Are you taking her to your place or staying here, so I can let the boss know?”

“I’ll stay.” I laughed. “We’re going to boat watch.”

By boat watch I meant people watch, because it made my day to see all the crazy drunks on the lake waltz around on their fancy boats and tie one on.

“Make sure that she doesn’t swindle you into another dip. Shasha still doesn’t have the path clear yet, and he said he’s seen a snake crossing the trail for the last three mornings.”

“Ew.” I shivered. “We won’t leave the deck.”

“Awesome. Artur, Ivan, and Bogdan are here. If you need them, call.”

I barely contained an eye roll.

My brother, Shasha, was the head of the Russian Bratva.

He was an important person, and there were quite a few people that would like to see him harmed.

That’s where his men came in, always around, and always protecting.

If Shasha had his way, I’d have a constant bodyguard, too.

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