Page 35 of Surrendered Innocence

“It’s being taken care of.” Roman’s shoulders raise a fraction. “The girl you’re protecting, the one looking for her brother.”

Now my shoulders roll back and my jaw tenses. “Mandy. What about her?”

“There’s a chance her brother’s back to dealing. We have a lookout for him.” Roman lowers his voice.

“He was warned, Maxim. If he’s back on the street dealing—” Nikolai flicks his lighter again. “I can’t have my warnings go unheeded and then unpunished.”

“If he’s dealing again and you find him, he’s gone.” I nod that I understand. And I do. Getting away with such an insult would open the door for others to do the same. The Romanov family would be seen as weak. And with their father already causing trouble and being sent back to Russia, they have enough on their hands to deal with.

“Your girl. Will she cause trouble if he’s… dealt with?” Arman asks. “She had enough balls to show up at my place with that fake gun. I don’t doubt she’s going to keep going until she has all the answers she’s looking for when it comes to that brother of hers.”

“Would you stop?” I’m quick to defend. “If Nikolai went missing, when would you stop asking questions?”

His eyebrow quirks. “I wouldn’t,” he concedes.

“If you find him and he’s dealing again, I’ll deal with her.” A frown tugs at my mouth. She’s been through enough these last three years looking for him. Losing him after finding him could be too much for her. I’ve never met a woman built with stronger fiber than my Mandy, but even she will crack beneath too much pain.

“Good.” Roman nods.

“Before you deal with him, though, I want to know. Don’t end him until you talk with me.”

“Why?” Nikolai tilts his head.

“She may want to say goodbye.”

“You can’t think to let her know what’s coming to him.” Arman steps forward. “That’s cruel, Maxim.”

“She’s been looking for him for three years, and for years before that, she took care of him like he was her own. Just… let me know before anything final is done.” I can admit to myself I have no plan here. He’s right. Letting her see him knowing that he’s going to die will be more traumatic than if she finds him gone for good. It would be beyond cruel, and she doesn’t deserve it.

She doesn’t deserve any of this heartache. Or the burden she’s been carrying on her own for too long since she was too young.

The brothers share a glance, but it’s Roman who gives the final nod.

“If we find him before you do, and he needs dealing with, we’ll bring you in. And you’ll assure us that you’ll bring him to us if you get to him before we do.” Roman doesn’t have to add anything else to his statement. My loyalty has always been to the Romanov family. My father worked for their grandfather back in Russia. When I was old enough to take jobs, I worked for them as well. I moved to New York when I was barely twenty. The last twelve years of my life have been dedicated to this family.

“I will.” I check my watch. Nikolai had postponed our meeting this morning at the last minute. Mandy will be getting off of work soon. “I’m taking her to the halfway house her brother entered after the rehab facility. I’m not sure they’ll be any help, but it’s the only lead I have.”

“Keep her out of trouble and let us know if you find him. Maybe he wised up, and he’s not touching our shit. For his sake, and hers, I hope so,” Arman says.

Nikolai pulls out his phone. “I have to go.” He taps on his phone with his brows pulled together in a tight knot.

“Charlie giving you trouble again?” Arman pokes at his brother.

“If you don’t stop calling her that, your new bride won’t recognize you when you crawl home tonight for dinner,” Nikolai shoots back after tapping out another message and shoving his phone into the inside pocket of his suit.

“Is she all right?” Roman steps between them to ask.

“She’s fine for the moment. The doctor told her this morning to take the next few days off because her blood pressure was a little high, but Viktor just informed me she’s at the damn deli.” Nikolai’s jaw tenses.

“I doubt you’re going to help lower her blood pressure when you barge in there threatening to light up her ass,” Arman remarks.

“Chaining her to the bed is my goal at this point.” He raises his gaze to me. “I hope you have better luck with your woman.” With a nod he stalks off through the warehouse to where his car is parked.

“If there’s nothing else, I need to meet her,” I say.

“Nothing else.” Roman shakes his head. “I hope you find him first, honestly,” he says as he falls in step with me as we head to the parking lot behind the warehouse.

“I’m hoping he has nothing to do with the De Lucas’ new business adventure. I’m hoping he’s kept his ass clean. Because if he breaks her heart again, Roman…” I clench my jaw. “I won’t let her be hurt, not even by her own brother.”

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