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RHYS
Shoving two confused and terrified kids onto a plane would have been funnier if it wasn’t such a dire situation. The constant questions of what, when, where, and why exploded from both of them, mostly Tia. I was pretty sure that Tia’s inquisitive nature was rubbing off on Paval because although he liked to explore and observe, I had never heard him so verbal.
Dmitri was a saint as he pacified them with the Wiggles, Tia staring at him wide-eyed for several seconds before declaring that he was her favorite. I’m sure that would change in time with whoever gave her what she wanted next but the smile it put on Dmitri’s face warmed my heart. Valentyn took up the seat beside me across the aisle as we watched the two kids we loved most in the world.
“I can’t give her back, Valentyn,” I whispered. I didn’t know why I had voiced my fears but they needed to know I wouldn’t leave Tia. I couldn’t.
He tugged me closer to him, pinching my chin before twisting me around to meet his gaze. His deep blue eyes showed understanding that I wasn’t expecting. “I promised you before that Tia would be safe. If that means she stays with us until we figure things out, then so be it. Rhys, it’s too soon and it’s messy and it’s definitely complicated but you have become something special to all of us, even Paval. You were never going to be a one-night stand.” Then he kissed me, two little ‘ew’s sounding from the kids.
I chuckled as I pulled away, smiling up at the man who had stolen my heart the first day I met him. Who knew that a botched kitchen renovation would lead to a new family?
“Go ahead and rest. By the time we get back to America, we’re going to hit the ground running.”
“Do we even have a place to stay? I can’t go back to my place and your-”
Valentyn kissed the bridge of my nose. “We do this for a living, remember?”
By the time we landed the next day in the same port in America that we left from over a week ago and found our way to a cute little house, I was worn out and done with whatever fuckery I had signed up for six years ago.
“Where are we?” I asked as we stepped inside. Tia was curled into my arms, Paval whipping his head around as he surveyed the surroundings. Gianni scooped him up before he could run through the place, silently handing Paval to me before all three of my men did a general sweep of the one-level house. I stood there in the doorway, holding two kids, watching as these armed men threw silent conversations between them. It wasn’t until they were strutting down the hallway back to me that my cheeks heated.
Glorious blue and green eyes stared at me, more muscles than I could count rippling as each step seemed to shake the housea little. These weremymen. These weremykids—for the most part—and a little fantasy of the six of us enjoying life far from this chaos slipped into my mind. Where I spent my days as a professor, sharing my numeric knowledge as my men found other less violent ways to take out their anger. A gym trainer. Construction work…
“Mhmm, I know that face,” Gianni purred as he stole Paval back. I blinked several times as I followed Gianni to the living room, not sure why I was shocked that every room was fully furnished. The TV was once again switched on, this time to Peppa Pig and I immediately grimaced when Tia squealed in my arms and scrambled toward the couch. Paval was a little more apprehensive as he stared at the pink little pig prancing across the screen before searching for Valentyn.
“Daddy, are we safe now?”
Silence fell across the room, Tia even twisting around to look at me. I swallowed nervously, hoping someone would answer so I didn’t have to. Dmitri leaned against the entrance to the living room, his jaw pulled tight, his hand resting across his stomach and fingers splayed across his side. I had no fucking clue how that man was standing.
Valentyn started to nod and then stopped. The tortured storm in his eyes thickened as he searched for the right words to say. He stepped closer to Gianni, cupping his son’s face in his hands. “Almost, Paval. We’re so close.”
“And Tia can stay? She’s my friend.”
My heart broke a little, realizing that both of these kids had had abnormal childhoods. Paval hadn’t been able to make friends his age for as many times as he moved and Ada had never truly let Tia hang out with anyone. They were both hurting for comfort that none of us could provide. I bit my lip and then nodded. “Tia can stay.” Even though my men had validated my concerns, I knew it wasn’t a permanent solution.
Paval clapped his hands and climbed down to join Tia on the couch. They seemed to forget the world around them as Peppa dragged them into a trance. Valentyn turned to me. “There’s a lot of things you don’t know and I hope we never have to explain but we have people working with us that help prepare places like this. We usually move cities but for this particular job, we need access to what’s familiar.”
I nodded. That all made sense. What didn’t make sense was the fact that Dmitri was starting to pale because he was still fucking standing up. Not waiting for anyone else to address it, I stalked over there and then yanked him toward the couch, ignoring his protest. “Sit.” He opened his mouth to fight me on it when I placed both hands on his shoulder and leaned him back in the chair. “I almost fucking lost you that day. I can’t lose anyone else. You trying to be all macho and shit doesn’t work for me. I see you hurting and I don’t like it. Justsit down.”
A smirk played on his lips as he raised his head to kiss me, drawing a soft moan from my lips before pulling back. “All macho and shit?”
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Gianni threw out behind us. “You’re the first person who’s ever gotten him to take a load off. You wouldn’t have even met him that day in your kitchen if he had been resting like he was supposed to.”
I narrowed my gaze at Dmitri, demanding and pleading he stay there with the same look. He didn’t budge and I sighed, relieved for the moment. The mood soured as I remembered that we weren’t exactly in our happy ending. “What now?” I prodded.
Valentyn and Gianni approached, keeping their voices low so that we didn’t disturb the two kids who were slowly inching closer to the screen. Paval had locked onto explaining right angles to Tia, pointing out every triangle he could find. Apparently, giving him something to fixate on had helped butit also meant that we had a terror on our hands. Smartandobservant? I was not excited about his teenage years.
If this relationship lasted that long.
“First things first. Hawk International—well, Umar, wants Ada’s head on a platter. I intend to give him that for the most part.” Valentyn hissed, his eyes darkening. “Rhys, I can’t… your sister-”
“I already told you that she’s not my sister anymore. She ruined my life, thrust me into a career she knew I wouldn’t approve of, and then put her daughter in danger. My niece. Mysix-year-old niece.She has to pay for her crimes and while I’d be more comfortable with her in a jail cell, I just want this over with.” I didn’t mention the bruises darkening my face because it didn’t matter in the larger scheme of things. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I tried to calm my breathing but that didn’t change my conviction. Ada was a rotten piece of fruit that needed to be disposed of. Liam as well but I hadn’t seen him in action the same way I had with Ada.
Valentyn nodded as he continued, Gianni moving a little closer to place his hand on my back for comfort. “I still want you to speak with Tia to see if she wants to meet her mother. There won’t be another time and I would rather Tia find her answers from the woman herself rather than at school or the news or anything else.”
A twinge of fear ripped through me as I pulled out my phone. It had been off most of the plane ride and I had cuddled Tia against my chest the entire drive over here. The familiar start-up screen stared up at me, a confused expression replacing my frown as several unread messages from Liam popped up. I swallowed carefully, debating on whether or not to read them.
So far, my men had taken care of this but curious and a glutton for punishment, I swiped up, my heart dropping into my stomach at every word I read.
