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I don’t blame Mikhail for his hesitation. In our line of work, we’re better off being too cautious than dead.
Mikhail sighs. “If you can get in contact with her, I’ll allow it. But I want your guards with you at all times, do you understand? There’s no telling what she’ll do if she gets you alone.”
I huff. “Ifshe contacts me at all.”
“You think she won’t?”
“The last time we spoke… I sort of implied I’d kill her if I ever saw her again.”
My brother snorts. “Well, shit.”
I grimace. Yeah, definitely not one of my prouder moments.
* * *
I cradle my son close, rocking him gently back and forth to help him fall asleep. The new nanny I hired is terrible. She was thoroughly vetted and even came at the recommendation of my sister-in-law, but Alexandra is hardly the nanny Natalya was. Half of the time, I end up taking care of Simon myself. Not that I mind, of course. Getting to spend time with him after long, grueling hours at work is always the highlight of my day.
Alexandra yawns, seated comfortably in the white rocking chair in the corner of Simon’s nursery. She’s in her late twenties, but she has the maturity of a high school brat. Aurora assured me she was an excellent caregiver, but I don’t see it. Our chemistry just doesn’t work.
“He’ssocute,” she murmurs. “Thanks again for the break, Mr. Antonov. I don’t know why, but Simon always gets fussy when I try to put him down for the night.”
I don’t bother forcing a smile, can’t be bothered with faking pleasantries. Why did I hire her in the first place?
“You can go home now,” I tell her. “I’ll take care of him.”
Alexandra hops out of her seat with a gleeful smile. “Thanks, Mr. Antonov. I’ll see you and little Simey tomorrow.”
I cringe internally.Simey? Could she be any more obnoxious?
The silence that follows is a huge relief. I’ve got too much going on right now, and all I really crave is some peace and quiet with my boy.
Simon wriggles in my arms, little hands flexing as he watches the star-themed mobile above his crib spin around in circles. It was one of the few things Natalya purchased for him while she was here. There was a time when I considered getting rid of it, so caught up in my grief that I wanted to throw out any reminder of her, but I thought against it. Simon loves those silly little stars too much. I could never do that to him.
It isn’t long before his eyes drift close and he’s snoring softly. I set him down carefully, admiring the calm. Half a year ago, I would never have been able to picture myself as a father. Now, everything I do, I do for him. Regardless of the struggles I face, regardless of the threats… I push through because I need to be there for him. Simon is my motivation, my guiding star. Things might be tumultuous now, but every move I make is in the hopes that he’ll have a bright and prosperous future.
I pull up a chair and watch him sleep for a while longer. We’ve adjusted to our new home well enough. I didn’t feel comfortable moving back into my old estate. The halls felt haunted after the attack. I couldn’t walk through the entryway without imagining Natalya there, bleeding out in my arms. Mikhail graciously gave me the keys to one of his other properties located on the edge of the city, far from the ruckus. I never saw myself as a suburban man, but the prospect of a big backyard for Simon to play in when he’s older has a certain charm to it.
My phone buzzes.
I hold my breath.
It’s been three days since my run-in with Natalya, nothing but radio silence thereafter. Every time my phone goes off, I make the mistake of getting my hopes up. I regret what I said to her, how I handled things and froze her out. Maybe that’s the reason she hasn’t reached out. What if she’s scared of me?
I know what I said, but I didn’t mean it. I don’t think I’d ever be able to see harm come to her. An unknown number shows on my screen.
It’s me.
I suck in a sharp breath, my palms sweaty. Could it truly be her?
Are you somewhere safe?
It’s the only thing I can think of to ask. I have a million and one questions for her. Where has she been? What has she been up to? Has she been tracking Levitsky this entire time? Has she been thinking about me just as much as I’ve been thinking about her?
I am.
Her messages are blunt and to the point. It makes me shift uncomfortably in my seat. Does she hate me? I wouldn’t blame her. I was awful to her once I found out the truth. I ignored her for the better part of a week until she finally had enough and left me behind. I wish things had gone differently. If only we’d met under different circumstances, maybe we could have stood a better chance.
Can I come see you?
