Page 9 of Drawing Dead

“I need to go get my woman.”

“Bronwyn isn’t going to let you.” Andrei still has a big grin on his face. I’m sure he thinks this is funny after all the times Mikhail and I made fun of him for his crazy behavior with Sparrow.

“How is our queen?” I distract him.

“She’s sore and tired but healing.”

“When’s the wedding?” I’ve almost reached my suite when I stop and turn to look at him as he prepares to go up to his.

“I told her she has six months, but she’ll be lucky if I hold out another six weeks.” He laughs.

“I’ll be back,” I say.

I slam my doors closed and wish I had thought to install a lock along the top so she couldn’t escape. I look around my room as the loneliness of her being gone weighs on me already. Andrei’s designer had insisted I design the room the way I’d want to live, but I’ve never used the restraints until today. I’ve never had a woman here until Lennon. I didn’t want a woman until her. She is everything.

I stomp through my bathroom then over to the large walk-in closet. I dress in dark jeans, a black pullover, and a light leather jacket. It’s October in the desert, which means it gets chilly at night. I move to my dresser and start arming myself up. When I have everything on, I grab the keys for my Aston Martin DB11 from the bowl by the bedroom door and move out of my room.

“Dmitri,” Andrei calls from his office.

I hate stopping, but he’s my boss. I’ve earned my position in his establishment. I’ve earned the right to lead all my brigadiers. But I’m willing to give it all up for her.

I step into his office. At his nod, I close the door behind me. I move across the room to where he’s seated behind his large desk. I take a seat next to Mikhail. Of course, he would be here too. We are Andrei’s top two generals. We make sure he is safe and that no one single brigadier gets too much power. We are the buck. It stops with us. As his personal bodyguards, it’s also our job to not only protect him but to take a bullet for him if necessary. That’s where it gets a little gray. I want Lennon in my life. I want to be her everything, but I can’t give Andrei all of myself if I have her. I’ll always think of what I need to do to get home to her.

“I’m not going to stop you from having Lennon.” Andrei’s words give me pause for a moment. In the Bratva they are the family, you don’t have anyone above them. But when Andrei’s grandfather took a wife first, the tradition went to the wayside. I’m not surprised but wonder at his method. “In our family, we have our loves. Loves we would willingly give up the family for. I know what you are thinking. I thought it myself. But I learned the family makes me stronger, gives me more eyes and people to protect my woman. It will be the same for you.” He pauses. I don’t give him anything because I’m not sure what I should say. “What I’m saying is that it is natural to feel like you are being less of a guard if you think of not jumping in front of that bullet for me because of her.”

My head jerks back because I was thinking exactly that. How could he know?

“I’ve known you a long time, my friend. I trust you to do everything to protect me, but now you’ll do so because it’s more important for us to come home. We have women. Hopefully someday Mikhail will understand.”

“But,Pakhan.” I pause. “I’m willing to walk away from all of you for her.”

Instead of him getting upset, he nods his head. “That means she is yours.”

“Andrei, I know its soon. I know it’s new and,” I scoff, “she did just run from me. But she’s everything. She could be carrying my child now, and I worry about her getting hurt.”

“Then bring her back here. Her sister will be wanting to speak to her.”

“I’ve got the boss,” Mikhail says, and I nod at them as I make my way out to the four-car detached garage.

I open the door and walk to the bay with my car. As the garage door rolls up, I rev the motor and take off fast. The guards open the gate, and I speed out onto the street. I think about where she could have headed. She has a condo at her father’s casino. She also has a personal condo off-site. Plus, there’s Clare’s House, the shelter she owns and runs. I decide the casino is where I’ll find her. She’s avoiding her father and thinks he’s still at the house. She’ll be shocked when he corners her, and I want to be there to help her. I’m positive she’s not sure what she’s going to say to him. I still don’t know who she wanted to call.

I dial one of my soldiers, who is an amazing hacker.

“I want a full dossier on Lennon Bronwyn,” I bark into the phone before I hang up without hearing his response. He’ll do what he’s supposed to do, and that’s all that matters.

I pull up to Bronwyn's casino and am shocked to see Lennon rushing out the doors. She’s dressed in a pair of green leather pants that hug her curves. Her matching green wool diagonal zipper cowl neck jacket covers her arms and upper body. Her long hair is in a low ponytail with whisps hanging around her face. She’s in full makeup and has dark sunglasses covering her eyes. I can’t believe she got ready so fast, but I shouldn’t be shocked.

“Lennon,” I yell her name as I rush out of my car, and she turns to look at me.

A valet grabs her arm, and I watch her cringe and her brows lift. I know her reaction is because of the car accident yesterday and also from everything else she went through, including the guard grabbing her earlier. My girl doesn’t hesitate. She uses one of her spikey heels to stomp the valet’s foot and then takes the key from his hand. She rushes to the white two-door Audi A5 and jumps in.

Before I turn back for my car, I rush up to the valet and deck him.

“Don’t touch my woman ever again,” I bark at him.

I take off after her but lose her in traffic. I decide to go to the office and wait for the call from Leo, the hacker I set on Lennon.

Four

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