Page 34 of Savage Boss

“Of course you can,” she reassured him. “But this is not just your family, Vlad, it’s our family. Ours together. What threatens you threatens all of us and I can’t allow that to happen. Not if there’s anything I can do about it.”

Gradually, as she spoke, Vlad’s anger dissipated. “You are the best tracker I know. Better than anyone in my employ. You were a damn good homicide detective and an even better PI. I’m not surprised you were the one to find Petrov.”

She threw her arms around him and hugged his neck tightly. “I knew you would understand.”

Vlad gently disengaged her arms and held her in front of his face so she could see how serious he was. “I’m still not happy about this.”

She tipped forward and kissed his nose. “Of course not. You wouldn’t be you if you weren’t grumpy about something.”

Vlad grunted a noncommittal response and dragged her in for a longer kiss. As soon as his lips left hers, she reached past him for the door. “Come on, let’s go unwrap your package!”

Before she could jump out of the vehicle, Vlad caught her and dragged her in for one more kiss. “Ya lyublyu tebya, malysh.”

Jane grinned against his lips. “I love you too, husband.” She pulled away from him, threw open her door and hopped out. “Come on!”

Vlad followed her out, marvelling at her energy. It struck him how alike they were. Like him, she was ambitious, driven, intelligent. Hunting was in her blood. She would never stop digging, chasing and tracking, and he realized he didn’t want her to. She was perfect just the way she was. She wasn’t just his wife; she was his soulmate. His other half.

They stood together looking down at Petrov. Vlad felt a vicious glee rise up in him. He wasn’t even sorry that he hadn’t been the one to find Petrov. He would have, given more time. Instead, Jane had shown him another level of loyalty by giving him a man she knew he planned to kill.

“It is time for you to leave,” Vlad said quietly turning to face Jane.

“But why?” she asked, her expression crestfallen.

Vlad nearly relented. Nearly. But he couldn’t allow her to see this side of him. She may be his other half, but she wasn’t even close to as brutal and bloodthirsty as Vlad. He didn’t want her to look at him differently. Even if she forgave him, she would always know what he was capable of.

He took her head between his palms, cupping her face. He tilted her head up and kissed her, his lips hard on hers. “You are so fucking beautiful. I would fuck you on top of your car right here, but then I’d have to kill my own men for witnessing it.”

She relaxed under his hands and begged, “Please let me stay.”

Vlad shook his head. “I will never cut you out of any part of my life again, but this is one thing I can and will protect you from. You’re not a killer, and I don’t want you seeing me commit this act. I don’t want you to see the joy in my soul as I spill his blood. It would break me if you looked at me differently.”

Tears sparked in her eyes, but she smiled through them, gripping his face in return. “I already know that you’re a brutal, bloodthirsty bastard.” When he opened his mouth to argue she interrupted him. “But I’ll do as you ask and leave so you can do your job and protect our family without worrying about me.”

Vlad picked her up and set her inside his SUV. “Give me the keys to your car, I’ll drive it home when I’m finished. I want you to go with Leo so I know you’re taken care of.”

She tilted her hips as she fished for the keys in her pocket and handed them over. Vlad kissed her one more time and closed the door. He gave Leo a look, silently telling him to take good care of Jane. The big Russian dipped his head and climbed into the driver’s seat. As they drove away, Vlad turned back to his remaining men.

“Your job will be disposal. Until then, give me some space.”

They stood back a respectful distance as Vlad approached his target, still whimpering on the ground in front of Jane’s car. It was a pathetic sight.

“You are a coward, Alexandr. Already snivelling and I haven’t touched you yet,” Vlad said coldly. “Your son held up better than this when I beat him to death.”

Petrov stiffened and Vlad thought he would spew his rage and hatred at Vlad, challenge him over the death of the younger Petrov. Instead he took a different tactic.

“Please, Vladimir, I will give you anything,” he begged, trying to push himself onto his knees at Vlad’s feet, a task made difficult because his hands were behind his back. “I will give you wealth beyond imagining.”

“I have wealth.”

Petrov nodded emphatically as though agreeing with Vlad. “I will give you my properties, but you must promise not to kill me.”

“I don’t want properties.” Vlad went down to one knee in front of Petrov, confronting the old man on his level. He reminded Vlad of his father. Old, weak, pathetic. A vicious criminal from a time better left dead and buried. “I want to ensure my family’s safety. I want my son to grow up without the threat of my enemies hanging over his head. Can you give this to me, Petrov?”

“Yes, yes, I can. I promise that you and your family will live free, without any threat from my quarter.”

“Da,” Vlad agreed. “We will. Your death will ensure this.”

The blood drained from Petrov’s face as he realized that Vlad was resolute in his stand that Petrov must die.

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