Page 48 of Defiant Devotion

“Because I didn’t know who you were or if you’d be able to help me. At that time, you were still Ben the one-night stand, Ben the stranger who was my baby’s daddy. After that, I tried to figure out how to get ahold of someone back at the house, but when I was going to the store to buy bread, I felt so weak and nauseated that I knocked into a shelf. The woman working at the store thought I was shoplifting, and she called the cops.”

I sighed. “Let me guess.”

She rolled her hand as though to saygo ahead.

“The cops contacted the Ilyins and they captured you again.”

“Yes. And that was where you found me. How did you, though? I know you said Lev was considering hiring you to find me after you did this hit, but…?”

“I was trying to find a lead—for how I could get close to my hit and how to find you. O’Malley was injured at that shootout at the strip club, and I couldn’t get close to kill him. But I noticed some Ilyins were hanging around the hospital he was in, so I followed them and overheard them talk about going to help with a woman they’d recaptured. Which was you.”

“Clearly, the Ilyins are getting around. They have the cops working for them,” she replied.

“Not just the cops, but the next governor. O’Malley will be sworn in soon. I think the Ilyins are one step ahead of Igor Petrov in allying with power.”

She was quiet for a moment as she raised her brows. “Is that why Lev wants O’Malley taken out?”

“Yes. O’Malley seems to be favoring one family over the other, and the Ilyins seem to want to be his favorite. And that’s also how I first heard your name and wondered if my sexy virgin was someone of more importance. I spied on Igor Petrov and Geoff Ilyin after Boris died because I wanted to know if they’d killed him.”

“You really do like being in the know, huh?”

“I have to be. Geoff and Igor made it no secret that they want to end your family. Geoff told Igor that he had it covered. He’d hadyoutaken. They took you to save as a forced bride for Eric Benson, who is a congressman waiting to be sworn in. The Benson family has always been involved with certain families, and it seemed that the Ilyins figured they would rule at the top by forcing a Baranov to be married to a Benson. So that once Eric was in office and you were his leverage as his wife…”

“Then he’d be able to attack my family through the connection to me.” She narrowed her eyes. “It won’t happen.” Again, she laid her hand over her stomach, protective without realizing it.

“No, it won’t,” I agreed. “Benson isn’t getting near you.”

“And they will not weaken the Baranov legacy. I won’t marry him. Eva won’t be forced to either.” She sat up straight. “I’m devoted to my family, and as soon as I can get back to them, I will ensure that Benson is killed.” With her free hand, she slashed through the air. “He won’t threaten me again. He won’t threaten this baby.”

Releasing her hand, I leaned in to frame her face and kiss her. “He’s dead,” I promised.

She let out a shaky breath at my words, probably seeing them as a vow. And they were. As I helped her onto my lap, she huggedme close. “He’s dead, Sonya. No one and nothing will endanger you or our child. I will see to it.”

Nodding slightly, she nestled against me. If this wasn’t the ultimate demonstration of her trust, her words were.

“Take me home, Ben. I’m ready to see my family and stand with them again.”

Consider it done.“All right. Tomorrow.”

“I’m ready to be reunited with my family,” she added. “Since my other family seems to be right here where I want it.” Taking my hand to hold it, she lowered it toward her baby bump.

I didn’t want to misinterpret her words, but I was elated at the idea that she could seemeas someone in her family. That the three of us could be a family within the Baranov legacy.

19

SONYA

Ben drove us back into the city the next day.

It still felt like it was too soon. It seemed like I was venturing into the unknown and embarking on a dangerous mission that could go so wrong. But it wasn’t. I was simply coming home.

I’d dreamed of it all those years I was gone. That fiery need to come back to the house I grew up in was never extinguished, but with time, I lost hope. It was inevitable that my hope would falter the longer I was stuck on the Ilyin property, but I hadn’t given up.

Now that the time had come and I was being taken directly back there, I was nervous. Tension claimed me, and I struggled with realizing that I could view this trip as something bad, as something negative to brace for.

“What has you so worried over there?” Ben asked calmly. He didn’t take his gaze off the road, and his tone was calm and neutral. He wasn’t teasing, nor was he demanding.

“You think I’m worried?” I huffed a little laugh.

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