Page 60 of Possessive Vows

“Is Zoya too young for jewelry? Have Artur or Maksim ever worn watches? Or maybe we should get them new phones? Tablets? Toys? I know buying gifts isn’t the way to their hearts, but they’re coming to the United States for the first time since—”

She gasps as I lift her hand to my mouth and brush my lips over her knuckles before sneaking my tongue between her fingers.

“You are magnificent. We will get them whatever you want,” I say.

Tears swim in her eyes, but she chuckles and gives her head a small shake.

“I know nothing about them. What do they like? Is there anything they want but don’t have yet?”

Shame slithers through me. I have provided them with the best money can offer, but I have not stepped in to fill the hole Anastasia left with her passing.

Camilla presses her palm to my chest.

“Don’t worry, Dimitri. We’ll figure this out together.Capisci?”

She reads me too well. I nip her knuckle and nod. Her pupils dilate and a blush rises from her chest, but she gives my hand a squeeze and leads me back toward the attendant.

Less than five minutes later, we exit the shop empty-handed, but Camilla pulls her phone out of her purse and makes a phone call before putting it to her ear. I guide her through the busy street and settle her into the backseat before dropping myself behind the wheel and locking the doors.

“Hey, Aurora! I noticed Tristan was wearing a watch the last time we met. Can I ask you about it?”

As she talks, Camilla searches the sidewalk and nearby buildings while avoiding looking at the front seat.

Moyaso´lnyshkahas many fears, and she will face them one by one. Her bravery today proves it, but until she’s ready to get behind the wheel again, I will drive her wherever she needs to go.

Her eyes narrow on a car parked on the other side of the street. A glance reveals Vilen, a man I brought from Russia with me, sitting in the driver’s seat. His partner Sergei occupies a table on the sidewalk in front of the coffee shop three doors down. Camilla gives him a second study as well before meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror.

She pulls the phone away from her mouth before whispering, “Do you know those two men?”

At my nod, she relaxes and returns to her phone call.

Whatever nuances she noticed will serve her well in the future. Whether earned from a life in the mafia or recently gained from her experience, she will always be mindful of the danger lurking in each person.

I wait until she hangs up and passes me her phone with the directions on the screen before I shift into drive and pull out onto the busy road.

“Where are we going,so´lnyshka?” I ask.

She sneaks her fingers into my collar again. Lust simmers in my veins from the casual yet intimate touch. I lean into her digits, encouraging her to take as much as she wants.

“A specialty shop for jewelry with GPS tracking. Aurora recommended them. Tristan has several sets he loves to wear, so he’s never without an extra layer of protection. They’ll be able to find him no matter where he goes,” she says.

When I stop in front of a building with a nondescript storefront, I decide to circle the block a few times before parking. Camilla sits in silence the entire way, caressing my neck and regulating her breathing.

The nervous energy emanating from her as I usher her into the store isn’t from our surroundings. Her mind no doubt runs through every horrible thing that could happen as she meets my children. Words will not comfort her, so I off her my silent support as a woman wearing a black suit and white gloves greets us. After introducing herself, she leads us to the back of the room where multiple jewelry display cases sit on black cloth covered folding tables.

“What ages are you shopping for?” the woman asks.

When Camilla answers without hesitation, delight pulses through me. It may not be easy, but she’ll be the perfect mother figure my children so desperately need. She is already looking out for them, even though she hasn’t met them yet.

Their plane lands in less than four hours, but I don’t rush Camilla. Between shopping, self-defense with Loretta, and traveling to the airport, I plan to keep her as busy as possible so she doesn’t have time to overthink her way into panic.

As the saleswoman continues down the list of features each set of items contains, Camilla listens with rapt attention.

“What are their favorite colors?” Camilla asks me.

“Maksim loves any shade of green. Artur does not have one and Zoya will not say,” I respond.

Camilla taps her chin with a finger and peruses the first few boxes before lifting a matching watch and pair of shoelace tags from the case. Maksim will love the green accents. When she looks over the rest and doesn’t seem to find what she wants, the saleswoman steps forward and asks how she can help.

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