Page 5 of Protective Phlox

“I’ll tell you when we’re out of danger,” I growled. As much as I still had this undeniable pull toward Savannah, I wanted to kill her at the same time. All of this could’ve been avoided if she’d told me about Cutter the moment she knew she was pregnant. Instead, she’d kept my child from me and made the two of them a target. I didn’t know if I could ever forgive her for that, but I was going to rectify the issue because Cutter was not growing up without his father. Not as long as I still had blood pumping through my veins.

It felt like we were on a fast-moving rollercoaster with the way the car was jerked one way and then the other, whipping around corners. I trusted Goran to get us out of this. He was the best driver I knew, and he was so dedicated that he sat on the plane—while we waited for customs clearance—memorizing all the roads for a ten-mile radius around the embassy.

“Hang on,” Goran yelled. I had just gripped the top and bottom of the seat when we hit a bump that tossed us airborne. My shoulder screamed at me as I held all three of us down. We landed hard, and I groaned, knowing that I was going to need my shoulder worked on when we got back. Stupid rotator cuff.

“Fuckers are trying to block us in,” Ivan said. “Go that way. My guy says they don’t have anyone to the East, and we can go around them.”

My muscles strained as Goran hit the brakes, and we skidded around the corner like we were on a race track. We were jerked to the left and then right before Goran accelerated on a straightaway.

“They’re coming from the other direction,” Ivan said.

“Doesn’t matter. We’ll make it. Is the gate open,” Goran asked. I hated not being able to see what was going on, but making sure Savannah and Cutter were safe was priority number one. “Hard right coming in three…two…one,” Goran counted down, and once more, I squeezed the leather in a death grip. “We’re good,” Goran said as he slowed the vehicle and finally came to a stop.

Pushing myself up, I looked up at the large building and had never been so happy to see the Russian flag before. I was born in the U.S., and it was my home, but our family allegiance was still to my father’s home country. Glancing out the side window, I watched our other cars pull in, keeping an eye on the few that stayed at the end of the driveway. Guards closed the gates, and I took in a deep breath. They wouldn’t dare storm in here, no matter what.

“It’s safe to sit up,” I said, and Savannah slowly pushed herself up. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, we weren’t hit,” she said, and it was way too tempting to move her hair out of her face so I could see her clearly. My hands itched to touch her skin.

“Can I stop hiding?”

“Yeah, you’re safe,” Savannah said. Those three words shouldn’t have affected me the way that they did, but I loved the idea of being their safe space.

Cutter unburied his head and looked at me. “Thank you, mister,” he said perfectly and casually as if he had just gotten a coffee at a café and hadn’t almost died. “What’s your name?”

And just like that, all the sweet fluttery shit that I had no business feeling was stomped out as rage choked off my air supply and came storming back. Savannah had never mentioned me.

“Nathaniel,” I said, getting out of the car before the rage had me wrapping my hand around Savannah’s throat.

“We’ll be safe here for now,” I said as Savannah got out, and I escorted the two of them into the building. The guards inside stopped us and took our guns, which I really didn’t like, but we weren’t in a position to complain. A female officer walked over to Savannah. She put Cutter down so she could be frisked and pulled two knives from hidden sheaths.

“No gun?”

“My job had me here as a housewife and a bookkeeper. You don’t see too many soccer moms packing,” she said, her tone defensive.

“Maybe, but that’s not what you were really doing now, was it? You should’ve been more prepared for a day like today.” Her eyes turned glacial, which made me smirk.

Before she could say anything else, I stepped away and spoke in Russian to the Consul General who was on duty. I waved Savannah over as she picked up Cutter, and I held out my hand, pointing for her to head into the massive office.

“You can stay in here for now. There are a few phone calls I must make.” I closed the door on her as she opened her mouth to speak. I needed the distance before I did something I would regret. Pointing to three of my best soldiers, I snapped my fingers, and they moved into position in front of the door like a solid line of muscle. They wouldn’t let her out or anyone in.

I turned to the Consul General. “I need an office and a priest.”

“Any priest? I’m sure I could have one here in twenty minutes,” he said, leading me to an office further down the hall. “Would you like anything? A meal, perhaps?”

“Yeah, any priest. I don’t need anything else, but please have something sent to my wife and son. Nothing that requires utensils, especially a knife,” I said, and he smirked.

“I will see to it. This is a secure line, and you’re free to use it.”

“Thank you. Hopefully, we will be out of here in the next couple of hours.”

He nodded. “You are free to stay as long as you like.”

I waited until the door was closed before I pulled out my phone and looked up the number I was after. Picking up the secure line, I hit the numbers and drummed my fingers on the wooden desk as I waited.

“Pronto? Chi parla?”

“Mr. Genovese, it’s Nathaniel Mikhailov calling.”