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The view changed, the drone sweeping the grounds outward from the house, traveling along the perimeter of Ivan’s property, then over the trees immediately surrounding it.
He continued in a circle, then moved back over the house once the circle was complete.
“I count forty,” Markus said.
“Forty-two,” Alek corrected. “There are two under the pergola. You can see their legs if you look closely.”
“Alek’s right,” Lyon said. “It’s forty-two.”
“And they’re heavily armed,” Alek said. “He must have enlisted the rest of Vadim’s men.”
It would have been the easiest way to gather an army. Vadim’s high-level men had been killed at the water crib, but he’d had countless men on the street terrorizing the bratva’s business interests.
Those men would have been happy to stay and continue getting paid, and it’s not like Ivan needed big thinkers to hold a gun.
“It’s too many,” Markus said. “Most of our men aren’t ready to take on an army this size.”
Lyon studied the screen, a seed of memory coming to life as he looked at the house. “They won’t have to.”
“Why?” Markus asked.
“Because I know something Ivan doesn’t know I know.”
41
“This is the cutest thing!” Annie exclaimed, her cheeks pink as she held up a tiny sleeper decorated with puppies.
Kira looked over at her and smiled. “Isn’t it? Believe it or not, I think Lyon picked that out.”
Annie laughed. “That’ll be our little secret.”
Lyon was outside, securing the Lake Forest property ahead of the move to get Ivan, and Annie had insisted on keeping Kira company. Kira didn’t want to pace the penthouse while Lyon was facing off with Ivan. She wanted to be here, in the house that would be their home when it was all over, a reminder of the good that was to come.
She wouldn’t allow herself to consider any other possibility.
“I think I want one,” Annie said, tucking the sleeper into the chest of drawers Lyon and Kira had bought on their shopping spree.
“A sleeper?” Kira asked with a grin.
Annie rolled her eyes. “A baby.”
“You’d make an amazing mother,” Kira said as she arranged the bird mobile over the crib.
Annie sighed. “I have to find the right man first, I suppose.”
“He’s out there,” Kira said. “Probably where you least expect him.”
She thought of Lyon, of their wild and unexpected journey from enemies to reluctant allies to soulmates. It was the most surprising and wonderful thing that had ever happened to her.
“Yes, well, I hope he’ll get his ass moving,” Annie huffed. “A girl doesn’t have forever.”
“Am I interrupting?”
Kira turned toward Lyon’s voice. Her heart stuttered at the sight of him, leaning against the doorframe, watching her with an expression that looked almost sorrowful.
She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Never.”
“She’s lying,” Annie said, straightening and closing the dresser drawer. “You were definitely interrupting, but I’ll allow it.”
