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“You get my help. This isn’t women’s work.”
“Women’s work. Ha! I suppose that all of the bodyguards who failed to keep up with me prove how much more capable men are than women?”
“You’ll bring the captives to me by sundown this evening. You have no idea what kind of danger you’ve put yourself in.”
“I’m not the one in danger. You...” I turn and face Erik, “and him are the only two people who know I did this. And it was your choice to include him.”
“I trust him.”
“Great. So, if I’m going to hand them over to you, what do I get for doing what no one else in our family managed to do?”
My father ignores me and turns to Erik.
“You are now responsible for keeping Lilia in her place.”
I choke on his comment, then clear my throat, playing it off. How am I going to function with Erik by my side? At some point, my drool will be obvious. Or, maybe not, if he turns out to be as much of a macho prick as all the other meatheads. My attraction to him can wither and die.
Erik stammers, “I’m… You want me to be her bodyguard?”
I angle my head to the side and smile sarcastically. “You heard the Pakhan.”
I storm out of the room and as I’m passing through the doorway, I tell my new bodyguard, “Grab my purse, and keep up.”
At least they’re good for something.
Three
Erik
Iwalkedintoahornet’s nest.
Lilia’s the kidnapper? Nikolai won’t believe me.
She spars defiantly with her father. She inherited his fiery temper and determination, and I can’t help but consider as I watch him completely disregard her that Nikolai might be right. We should try to convert her. But now her hands are dirty. She’s a goddamn kidnapper.
They’re deadlocked when Fyodor drops the bomb that I’m now her bodyguard. I guess I’ll have plenty of chances to feel her out as I’m clutching her purse.
Fyodor yells at the guard who sits outside of his office and says, “Igor, you’re a backup bodyguard.”
That complicates things. Igor stands without question, falling in line behind me as Lilia rushes down the hallway, navigating her way to the front door when she makes an abrupt turn for the bathroom.
She takes her purse from me then locks herself inside. It’s one of the places her bodyguards aren’t supposed to follow. Igor and I stand on either side of the doorway. It’s a shame that she doesn’t get more privacy. Even if she did, it wouldn’t give her freedom to live the life she so desperately wants. Everything she’s been exposed to is through the curated lens of her family.
I’ve noticed that she makes the best of it, hanging out nearby when the men are talking. She’s observing and learning even if they don’t recognize it. She knows the crimes her family has committed.
My time in the military showed me plenty of horrors. I came up through the ranks as a linguist, listened in on so many secret conversations, I lost track. Russian was my specialty. And when I wanted more direct involvement, I went undercover with the FBI.
For a few years now, I’ve been infiltrating the Solonik Bratva. Being trusted as the bodyguard for the Pakhan’s daughter is gold. I’ve practically reached my ultimate sense of duty as an outsider, but I can’t let my affection for this nineteen-year-old cloud my judgment.
When the time comes to take down these criminal assholes, I can’t hesitate.
I won’t stop until I bring an end to the Solonik Bratva. The younger Lazovskis are already converting to less violent practices, and we’ve infiltrated agents there too. If I could convince Lilia to be an informant, we’d be months ahead.
When she exits, she slams her purse against my chest and continues out the front door.
Lilia rounds the black SUV and grabs the driver’s door handle. When we’re on their family compound, the drivers leave the keys in the vehicles. She’s not supposed to drive, but I’d expect nothing less from her, as upset as she is right now. She jumps into the seat.
I reach for her arm and she startles. Did she feel the electricity that zapped me? Was it real? I relax my grip, but don’t let go.
