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54
MISHA
LATER THAT NIGHT
Aspen’s screamsstirred me from sleep like usual, so I curled her against my chest and started stroking her hair.
Myzaychonukhad worse nightmares than I did, and after a childhood on the streets of Moskva, with only Maxim and Nikolai at my back, I knew what it was to suffer.
Knew how fear could fill the belly as much as food could.
She settled under my care, my fingers tracing the bony sections of her shoulders as I attempted to soothe her while I let my mind race.
This was complicated.
More complicated than I’d intended.
I hated complications.
Here I was, sharing a roof with a Five Pointer, his death threats still ringing in my ears from the night before. In fact, I wasn’t just sharing a roof with him; I was directly below him in the mansion.
Always a light sleeper, his presence only exacerbated that trait.
Every single one of my instincts declared that I was in danger. Yet those same clamoring instincts were at peace with Aspen around.
I’d never been this torn before, couldn’t afford to be now, but here I was—sleeping in the home of one of my idols, sharing a bed with his daughter, finding peace with her, wanting more, craving a future when I’d only ever been concerned about the present…
Da, I was in danger. It just wasn’t the kind that came with a knife to the throat.
Although, Aidan O’Donnelly would probably disagree with that belief.
Gradually, I became aware of the thudding upstairs.
At first, I thought they were fucking. Then, I realized it was more like pacing.
Curious, I tucked Aspen on her side and climbed out of bed.
A light flickered on in the hall, and as I reached the door and pulled it open, I saw the guards Aidan had brought with him storming toward the staircase that led to the upper floor.
Concerned now, I followed them, which was when I heard Savannah shrieking, "You have to do something, Aidan! Cassie wouldn’t send me a goddamn text message saying she feared for her fucking life if she didn’t mean it. You need to kill him. You need to take him out."
"I have no ties down here, Savannah," I heard Aidan growl. "If we were in New York, you think I’d fucking hesitate?"
"So you’re just going to let him get her?"
"Of course not," he snapped.
With the silence I was known for, I climbed the stairs and headed down the hall. As I peered into their room, I watched Savannah throw a cell at Aidan and demand, "Conor needs to find her."
"The second you got that message, he was on it. Conor will find her and we’ll go to her. I just have to be careful. You know what shit we’re pulling down here. There are bigger games at play in Florida—"
"We can’t let her get hurt."
"And I won’t allow that to happen, little one. I just need time."
"She doesn’t have time."
When Savannah started sobbing, much as Aspen’s tears always kicked me in the gut, I could no more hold my tongue than I could leave Aspen to cry herself silently to sleep:
