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“You’re really dressed up.” I wave my hand down her body, hoping to distract her. Today she’s dressed in a trim white pencil skirt, a brown-and-white top, and a white jacket. Her high heels are expensive looking and pretty.
“I have a meeting with the board of directors today.” She pauses and turns to look down at me. “I’m worried about you, Sparrow. You’ve lost weight and look tired. Has Brett been gambling a lot again?” Her voice is quiet so others don’t hear her. She takes my hand in hers.
“He’s been on a kick for more money. He stole things from me.” I didn’t tell her about Andrei or the gifts. As it gets closer to my birthday, I wonder if it’s time for me to just leave and let Brett be. To finally get away from him and the mounting debt.
“Idiot.” She sighs, and we move out of the house to the front walk. I don’t notice any cars out of place as I look around us. I haven’t seen Andrei or his guards in a couple of months. Not since June. My birthday is in a couple of weeks, and I wonder if he changed his mind.
As we stand on the sidewalk talking, a long black limo pulls up, and a man steps out of the back. He has dark hair just like hers, but his eyes are a bright green like mine. I smile at him, somewhat at ease that he is obviously her father. I extend my arm to shake his hand, but his jaw tightens, and he looks between me and Lennon.
“Who are you?” His voice is demanding and gruff, and I don’t answer him right away. He repeats his question, but he doesn’t look angry, just curious.
“I’m Sparrow.” My voice is quiet, and I look down like I’ve been trained. This man intimidates me, and it’s not just the money, there is something else about him.
“Daddy, this is my friend, Sparrow. She comes and volunteers with the kids.” I look up as Lennon takes her dad’s arm, and I see the resemblance between the two of them. “Well, come on, we don’t want to be late.” She moves to the limo door and climbs in, but her father remains in his spot on the sidewalk. He keeps looking at me. His eyes move all over me, making me nervous. I reach into my shirt and play with the locket my mother gave me. His eyes shift to it and flare wide when he sees it. “Daddy, come on.” Lennon sticks her head out of the limo. Her father shakes from his stare and turns his back to me. He glances back one last time, and something in his eyes calms me for once. There’s something so familiar, but he’s gone before I can put my finger on it. I head back into the house to get my backpack so I can head to work.
Dinner is waiting for me, and I smile. Andrei’s still trying to woo me.
Andrei
I hate being away from her. My body has been rebelling against the distance I’ve put between us. Sitting in my office on the second floor of the Russian Cardroom and Yelena’s, I lean my head back and look at the images my bodyguards took of her today. She’s looking thinner. It’s why I sent her food again. I hate her brother for starving her so he can play a game. I notice there aren’t as many pictures as usual, and they stop with her walking out of the shelter. I’m about to go out and ask why when my office door opens.
“Boss.” Mikhail’s deep voice is loud, almost a yell. I watch as he walks across the room toward me. I nod my head, indicating for him to continue. “We have a problem. Sergei saw Bronwyn with your girl. This is getting complicated. Are you sure you should continue this?” I hold up a hand to stop him. He and I have discussed this numerous times. I know he’s not into relationships because every woman he’s ever been with is only attracted to his status.
“I will have Sparrow. One day you’ll understand.”
“But Bronwyn is Grayson’s competition, and he’s as connected as we are. The Italians and Irish give him respect.”
He’s correct. Mac Bronwyn is not only a casino owner, but it’s rumored he’s a former hitman for the Irish mob. His casino, just like Grayson’s, is legit. His daughter runs the shelter Sparrow helps out at.
“How do we think he’s connected to Sparrow?”
“I’ll do some digging, but what I’ve found out so far is nothing. Her father owed lots of money to different people before she was born. It was wiped clean for a bit before he buried them in debt again. Her mother died when she was young.” He gives me all the information I’ve already read in her background check.
“That’s good, but look again, just in case. I’m going to go downstairs and have dinner with Babushka. She should be here soon.” I stand from my desk and grab the jacket over the back of my chair. I slip it on, covering my shoulder rig, and move out of the room. Dmitri walks into the office waiting area.
“Babushka is here,” he says before he turns to Mikhail.
“I’m on my way down now.” I hear them discussing their dinner plans and decide to give them both a break. “Come have dinner with me and Babushka. She’d like to see you both.” Normally they try to separate their time so that one of them is always available, and they don’t have dinner with me often unless we are out at the house. They both nod and follow me down the stairs. We emerge in the kitchen for the restaurant, and our long legs move us toward the swinging doors that enter into the dining room.
I watch as one of my brigadiers steps through the door. He nods at me as he leads a couple men past us. We all stop to watch them as they approach the cardroom door. It is hidden next to the large walk-in refrigerator. If you didn’t know the entrance was there, you’d miss it. The man I’m focused on stops and turns to look me in the eye before he enters the room. Not many men have the balls to perform that action. I stare him down and watch as he eventually gives in and turns away from me.
Coward.
After they enter, I turn and walk to the table where Babushka is seated waiting for me. Before I sit down, I turn to Mikhail, who that brigadier is under.
“Find out why he is here,” I order him, and he nods. The man who tried to stare me down was none other than Brett McCall. I don’t know why he’s here. Yes, I put the word out that he wasn’t supposed to be extended credit except through me and my permission. For him to be going back there with that brigadier has me wondering. The Russian Cardroom will be hosting an exclusive high-stakes card game next month. I do it every year about this time. Since everything has been taken care of with Grayson, it’s business as usual. We found the man who was after him, but we still haven’t been able to locate the hacker.
“Hello, my son,” Babushka says as I lean over for her to kiss my cheek. “My other son.” She kisses Dmitri’s cheek. “Are you keeping him in line?”
Dmitri smiles. “That’s impossible, Babushka.” They both chuckle, and I smile at them.
“What is this?” Babushka waves at the suit I’m wearing.
I’ve made a few other changes to my wardrobe other than the green pocket squares. I’ve started wearing more than black. I look down at the blue suit that brings out more of the blue in my eyes, or so the tailor said. I thought Sparrow would want to be with a man who was less intimidating and wore more than black. I look over to see Dmitri looking down to avoid her eyes. She has always been able to weed out when we are lying.
“I thought I would try some color for a change.” It’s not a lie, but it’s not the complete truth either.
“Hmm.” Her cultured accented soft voice takes me in. She tips her head to the side as she purses her lips. “I’m heading to Eastport to stay with Grayson and Erika after the announcement.” Now that Gray and his wife, Erika, are safe, he’ll bring her back here for a dinner where all my brigadiers will be present, along with some other associates. For her protection, Gray has decided to go along with the presentation of her. She is married to him and expecting his child, so that does make her a part of the Bratva too.
