Page 39 of Savage Boss

“Da!”

“Yeah, yeah, we all know you’re a daddy’s boy.” Jane rolled her eyes, but a happy smile caressed her lips. Joseph’s first word was for his father, and though Jane pretended to mind, she didn’t.

“No, he’s a mama’s boy all the way. Kid is a tit man, and, as a fellow tit man myself, I have to respect his dedication,” Vlad insisted, standing behind Jane.

Jane laughed and blew a raspberry on Joseph’s cheek. “Who’s my little tit man?”

Joseph giggled and wiggled wildly in her arms.

Joseph was ten months old and celebrating his first Halloween. Dressed in a baby dinosaur suit, he was clutching a plastic hollow pumpkin, which he was going to use to bilk their friends out of candy. Though Jane was dying for the real door-to-door Halloween experience, never having gotten a chance to do it herself, Vlad insisted Joseph was too young.

Jane had finally agreed to a back-yard party with all their friends as long as everyone brought candy for the baby. Jane hefted him a little higher on her hip and muttered, “Let’s do this, kiddo. Collect that candy and make this mama proud. Remember, candy is currency.”

Vlad laughed and pushed the back door open. They emerged into a large laughing, chattering group of their friends and family. Heads turned and greetings began peppering the air. Mack and Lucy were the first to approach.

“Joey!” Lucy cried, rushing toward them with her arms out, Mack following behind, his gaze sweeping the crowd as though the bushes were preparing to jump out and attack them all.

Predictably Joseph reached for his favourite aunt, kicking Jane in the ribs as he tried to go to Lucy. Jane let him go and turned toward Vlad who was already reaching to tug her against his side. She grinned up at him as their child began making the rounds, shouts of ‘Happy Halloween’ rising up all around them.

Vlad could hear the rustling of treats dropping into his bucket and knew their baby was doing his mother proud. Joseph couldn’t eat all that candy, not at his age. He was going to have to share with Jane, so she’d been careful to make sure everyone knew what kind of goodies ‘Joseph’ preferred.

Vlad wrapped his arms around Jane from behind and bent over her so he could press his cheek to hers. “He looks happy.”

Jane watched the giggling baby as Claudia King made funny faces at him and praised his dinosaur suit while her husband dropped the equivalent of a grocery store worth of candy in the bucket.

“That billionaire better not have cheaped out,” Jane grumbled. “I said I wanted quality chocolate.”

Vlad chuckled in her ear as they stood together, united, watching with pride as their yard filled with food, laughter, and friends. The patio lanterns strung through the trees cast a soft glow over the participants. Mack’s sister, Tawny, had brought her two children, who were also taking advantage of the candy dispensing adults. Tawny’s husband sat on the grass next to his wife, and they laughed together as the children dragged their grandfather, Abel, from person to person, shouting ‘trick-or-treat!’ at anyone who would listen.

“Sitnikov.”

Vlad tensed and both he and Jane reached for their weapons at the sound of a stern male voice behind them. Neither relaxed when they saw who was crashing their party.

“DeLuca,” Vlad said carefully, stretching a hand out in greeting.

Much to Vlad’s relief DeLuca didn’t hesitate but took his hand and shook it. He wouldn’t have accepted the greeting if he’d intended trouble for the Russian mobster.

“What brings you to my city?” Vlad asked carefully. It was an unspoken courtesy that the two mob bosses travel in each other’s territory only with the blessing of the other. Vlad hadn’t heard so much as a rumour that DeLuca would be in his city, let alone crashing his son’s first Halloween.

“My apologies, Vladimir,” DeLuca said, his deep voice serious. “I’m following up on a lead. My wife is missing, and this is where she was last reported as being seen. I was going to come through your territory quietly so as not to spook her, but she’s wily. Heard I was coming for her and left town.”

Lucy, who had been standing nearby, gasped in concern. “Maria is missing?”

“Not me.” Maria joined her partner, stepping up next to him, her soft eyes on their laughing guests. “Cassandra took off.”

Lucy and Maria embraced, having grown closer over the months since their joint abduction. Each had thought the other dead and once the dust settled and the people responsible hunted down, the two women connected again, forging a close friendship.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Lucy said, her arm around Maria. “Is she in trouble?”

“No,” Maria said shortly, narrowing her eyes at Nic. “She’s just fine, but this controlling jerk wants her back under his oppressive wing.”

“Her life might be in danger.” Nic’s tone made it clear that Maria needed to stop talking.

Of course, the fiery Maria did not stop talking. She jabbed her finger into his chest. “Cass is having the time of her life, experiencing the first bit of freedom she’s ever known. Why can’t you just let her disappear for a while?”

“Because.” He grabbed her fingers, crushing them in his grip and pulling her against his chest. “She isn’t capable of taking care of herself. You know this, belleza.” His cold gaze flickered to the concerned faces surrounding them. “Cassandra can be reckless, and she is pregnant.”

Vlad frowned his concern. He didn’t know the missing woman other than visually from having attended Nic and Maria’s confirmation ceremony. Theirs was an unusual relationship. Nic and Cassandra had been wed at a young age. Their marriage had been one of convenience and there was no jealousy between them. Cassandra had been thrilled when Nic had brought Maria home, embracing the other woman as a good friend.

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