Page 28 of Savage Boss

Her shoulders gave a little shake and he thought she might be silently laughing.

“You’re right, they’re pretty good at staying hidden. But I’m better. Caught onto those guys the first day you set them on me.” She fell silent for a couple of seconds then nodded. “Okay, they can stay, but I want cell numbers. If they’re going to hang around me, they may as well be useful.”

Vlad chuckled, but he was relieved. It seemed impossible that his wife would actually allow him to assign bodyguards without one hell of a fight first. Perhaps she was learning the art of compromise.

“It goes both ways though,” she said, tilting her head to the side, her gleaming eyes meeting his. “I keep you informed; you keep me informed.”

Vlad narrowed his eyes. She couldn’t possibly mean what he thought she did. She hated that he worked in the shadowy underworld of the mafia. “Explain what you are saying.”

She smirked, her lips flirting mischievously, catching and holding his attention.

“Obviously you don’t have to tell me everything,” she assured him. “There are certain details I don’t want to know about your business interests, but I do want to know if my husband might be in danger. I want to be able to keep you as safe as you’re always keeping me. Maybe tell you to take Leo if you’re heading to a meeting with a new client, or whatever you call those guys you meet with. Drug dealers?”

Vlad let out a bark of laughter, startling their son, who jerked against Jane’s breast. Vlad placed his hand over Joseph’s head and ran his fingers through the soft tufts of black hair, soothing the baby until he settled again.

“I’m not into drugs, malysh. I hope you know that.”

She shrugged, but amusement danced in her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re into. You’ve never talked business with me.”

Vlad thought over her request. “Da, I can agree to your terms. If it will ease your mind, I will tell you where I am going and who I am meeting with. I will not discuss some of the details of my business activities, but I can give you this much.” He caught the argumentative look in her eyes. “This is for your safety. The less you know, the more you are protected.”

She nodded and lowered her eyes. “That’s why I followed you and took those pictures. I just wanted to make sure you were safe. I… I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you and I know you’re into some dangerous stuff.”

Vlad was surprised by her admission. Guilt pierced him. Once again, he’d underestimated her. He thought she’d been trying to prove his criminal activities, a favourite hobby of hers that spoke to their origins. When they met, she’d been a homicide detective whose entire focus was on putting him behind bars. He didn’t believe she would ever turn him into the police now, but Jane just had to be correct and she’d spent years trying to pin a crime on him.

He touched his fingers to hers where they rested against Joseph’s blanket. “Spasibo, your care for me warms my heart.”

A quick grin stretched her mouth. “You once told me you didn’t have a heart.”

He took her hand, pulled her arm across the baby, and placed her hand over his heart, pressing it with his own hand. “This block of ice beats only for you.”

Her expression reflected her joy at his words. “What about Joseph?”

His eyes dropped to their son, snuggled against Jane’s breast, Vlad’s hand curved protectively over him. “Our son is the light that will guide us forward. We will do everything we can to make sure he knows nothing but a peaceful and happy home.”

Together they watched Joseph fall asleep, his mouth going slack against Jane’s nipple. The sun dropped completely below the horizon, the darkness of night taking over.

Vlad pushed himself away from the wall, crouched next to Jane and gently took the baby from her arms. She tucked her breast back into her nursing bra while Vlad placed Joseph in his cradle and turned the lamp off. He reached for Jane, helping her to her feet.

Together they walked hand and hand down the hall to their room.

“What about Boris?” Jane asked unexpectedly.

“What about him?”

“Well, you love him too, right?” she insisted. “You call him your brother.”

Vlad chuckled. “Da, I suppose you must share this icy heart with him too.”

“And your sister?” she pushed. “Anya would be pissed if she knew you didn’t want to share your heart with her too.”

“This game is quickly getting old, malysh.”

“Okay,” Jane agreed with a giggle. “But if I have to share, I want your right ventricle. It’s the sexy one.”

Chapter Fifteen

One month later

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