Page 47 of Drawing Dead

“Lennon,” she calls out as if she feels like I’m lying about her being here and trapping her.

“Here, Ains,” Lennon says, and Ainsley rushes down the hall toward her.

“Oh my God, Lenny, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” Her voice cracks and I see real emotion. She’s not as hard as she wants others to think she is. The sisters hug. “Lyric is with the enemy,” she spits out. “I’m so sorry, but I have to do this.”

Ainsley stands up away from her sister, letting her hand drop away. She turns and faces off with me. I’m now standing with my back to the patio and facing the front door. She doesn’t see him barreling down on her.

“I know what you did.” She points at me. “You killed my father, and I’ll prove it. You’ll go to jail, or you’ll die in revenge.” She advances on me, and Lennon tries to move, but I shake my head at her. She stays seated, but her eyes are wide.

“I didn’t kill him.” I’m not afraid of either of her threats.

“I did, and I’ll tell you why soon enough,” Mikhail growls before he grabs her by her hips and throws her over his shoulder. “You’re mine now.”

He storms toward the door.

“Don’t hurt her. She’s my sister,” Lennon calls after him.

“I know,” he says, and the door closes behind them.

“Is he going to hurt her?” She turns to me, and I drop to my knees at her side.

“No, my love. He’s claiming her to protect her.”

“She’s his?”

“Well, not exactly, but she will be soon enough.” I can’t stop the chuckle.

Mikhail thinks he’s taking one for the team, but I saw how he looked at her. I’ve seen him staring at her on his laptop. She is his. He just hates to admit it.

Epilogue

LENNON

Between Sinyand the twins, I’m going crazy. The boys are almost two and into everything. I have a hard time keeping up with them. Having a puppy and toddlers was not a good idea, but Sinytakes care of the boys as if they are his. He sleeps in their room between their cribs. When we first brought them home, he would notify me before they even cried that they needed me. Dima helps when he’s home, which is a lot more than he used to be. He’s a very hands-on father. His parents came to stay with us right after the boys were born.

All three of the men still run the Cardroom, but they do it from home more now. Andrei is still the head of the Las Vegas Bratva and is feared more today than before he married Sparrow. The other families know not to mess with the Morosov family. My father and I are working on mending our relationship. Having the twins did something to him. He said he wants to be a part of their lives.

I’ve hired a full-time manager for Clare’s House and only sit on the board now because my family takes up too much of my time. Dima has been insisting that it’s time to have another baby, but I’m not ready. These boys are wearing me out lately.

“Lenny?” I hear the voice yell from the front of the house. I groan from my position on the lounger in the backyard. I’m outside watching the boys and Siny play in the small pool Dima set up for them.

“Out back,” I holler, and Sparrow steps out carrying her son, Daniil. He’s only a month younger than my boys, and they have the same relationship that our husbands have. They are brothers.

“Dany,” my boys holler.

“Ily, Ani,” he calls, and she sets him down to toddle over and climb in the pool too.

“You know you could have come over and gotten in the kiddie pool at my house.” Sparrow chuckles.

She’s right, but I didn’t want to leave the house. I turn my head, letting it flop to the side.

“I’m too tired to move.” I whine.

“Are you pregnant again? Because this was how you were with the boys.” She laughs.

“I better not be. I make him wear a condom because I don’t want another baby yet.” I pause as a thought hits me. “Well, except…” I can’t finish that thought. I’m going to kick his ass.

“Kukla, I’m home.” I hear his gruff voice from the patio door. I roll out of my lounger and jump up.

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