Page 76 of Thorns of Lust
TATIANA
Another beep. Another text message.
I sighed and picked up my phone sitting next to me. It was Konstantin. Of course it was the Pakhan. It has been two weeks since D.C. and the freaking guy was so goddamn demanding. Did I figure out the cryptic message? Did I find the chip?
As if I would tell him if I had.
“What made you decide to move?” Isabella asked as we unpacked boxes in my old home. It had been years since I'd been here. After Isabella had been attacked there, Adrian took me to his place and Vasili took Bella to his compound. I hadn’t been back since, but this was my home. It made sense to come back here.
So here I was. Back at the beginning.
I shrugged. “Figured it was time,” I muttered as I reached for another box. This one contained remnants of Adrian’s gadgets. Three laptops, five external hard drives, and a server. I’d gone through every single item in that box. My husband clearly recorded things that shouldn’t have ever been recorded. Those things clearly didn’t belong to me nor my late husband and shouldn’t be in my possession. The problem was, it looked like they were backed up somehow, and I didn’t know how to destroy it.
Of course, there was always the old fashion way. Bonfire here we come, but I feared that it would push those items to the cloud. I was a dummy when it came to IT, but I knew backing up any data to the cloud would be a mistake.
So here I was.
Jesus, Vasili better have the whole goddamn army surrounding my house. The shit in that box would have a shit ton of people after me. Was that the chip? My gut told me no, but I wasn’t sure. Maybe I should ask Konstantin to look it over. Except I didn’t know how much I could actually trust him.
He could view it as something against my family and that I couldn’t risk. Storing the box in the safe room that Vasili had installed here, I headed back to the dining room for more unpacking. That was where I was while Isabella was unpacking a box in the kitchen, little Nikola dragging a pot and pan, one in each hand, over my fancy and expensive Italian tile.
I shook my head. She let my nephew play with all the dishware. She was a great doctor, but a horrible homemaker and an even worse cook. God knew what we ate when we visited Isabella.
I sighed. It made no sense to scold my little nephew. If a single tear glistened in his eyes, I’d feel guilty about it. I’d just wash all the dishes after they left.
The movers just brought in the last box, and we had another three hours’ worth of unpacking to do. With little Nikola, it might be six hours. I swore everything we put away, that little kid pulled back out and scattered all around.
“How about we go get something to eat?” I suggested. I’d rather unpack the rest later when I’m alone.
Isabella’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?” It had been a while since I recommended we go out together. My stomach grumbled in answer. Her whole face lit up. “Yes, yes. Of course. Let’s go to Nola’s.”
I raised my eyebrow in surprise. “Did Vasili buy Nola?”
She shook her head. “No, but I’ve heard their food is great. Maybe they’ll share a recipe?”
My brows met my hairline. I’d never understand why she insisted on figuring out the whole cooking thing. It was clearly not her strong suit. Frankly, it wasn't even her weak suit. I wasn’t an expert, but at least I could scramble eggs. Even make decent pasta. But Isabella managed only to burn food - best case scenario. Worst case was burning down the house. She came close once. Maybe twice.
Lowering to my knees, I met Nikola’s eyes. “Hungry?” He nodded. “Then let’s go,” I said in a light voice for the first time in almost a year.
Isabella’s eyes watched me with hesitation while Nikola eyed me curiously. It had been a while since I’d been his aunt. Since I played with him. Since I smiled.
Maybe I graduated from the five stages of grief,I thought proudly.
“Are you all better now?” he asked, his blue eyes never wavering from me. The concern I had seen in everyone’s eyes since Adrian died mirrored my nephew’s gaze too. It always hit me the worst seeing it in little Nikola’s eyes.
“I am,” I murmured softly.I think, I added silently.
“I’m going to be six soon,” he declared, drawing a smile out of me. “My baby sister will be two.”
“I know,” I said, brushing my fingers over his cheeks. “And I am so proud of you for taking care of her. We always protect our own, don’t we?”
He nodded with a big smile on his face. I bet Vasili had told him those same words a few times.
God, I loved my family. I loved my niece and nephews. I’d kill for them. I’d fucking burn down this world for them. I shouldn’t have kept away for so long. It was what made us stronger - Nikolaevs stick together. And I’d protect them with everything I had. If getting on the Pakhan’s good side was what it took, I’d do it.
Besides, it wasn’t a terrible inconvenience. My body still remembered him. Every inch of my skin craved him since that day. Replacing one addiction with another wasn’t smart. So I’d take it easy.
Good plan.
