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I nod. I’ll let him sweat for a few months, then he’ll be able to get back on his feet.
“Did you visit him?” I wish I could have gone with, but a promise to Billie must be honored. I won’t break the trust she’s given me.
Maxim nods. “Yeah. He knows to stay the fuck away from any of your properties and Billie.”
“Good.” Sending Maxim ensured Brian remained unharmed. If I’d seen his smug face, I couldn’t be sure I wouldn’t have thrown my fist through it.
“I need to pick Mandy up from her class.” He gets to his feet. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah.” I wave to him, opening the file again and pulling out a picture of Billie. It’s her college graduation picture. So much time wasted because I didn’t want to give her or us a chance. I should have been at that ceremony, but my stupidity kept me away.
All of that has changed now. She’s not going to be able to get rid of me.
Billie
“Areyou sure this dress looks all right on me?” I run my hands over the shimmering silver dress he picked out for me. It had been odd, finding him in his bedroom holding the dress when I got out of the shower this afternoon. It had been just like him to order me to wear it tonight and drape it on the bed before heading to his own closet to get dressed.
He glances at me from the driver’s seat. “Why wouldn’t it look all right?” He pulls into the parking lot behind the large banquet facility where the Kozlovs are having their party.
“It’s very expensive, for one. I’m not used to such fancy stuff.”
“Well, you’ll get used to it,” he grumbles and parks in front of the valet service. He climbs out of his side before I can respond and is at my door just as my fingers wrap around the handle.
“It’s slippery, careful.” He wraps an arm around my waist, holding me at his side while he gives his keys to the valet.
“You should have a warmer coat,” he mutters when we finally make our way up the half dozen steps into the venue.
“It was a ten-foot walk. I’m fine,” I assure him, walking past him as he holds the door open for me.
“Oh, thank god!” Mandy is at my side the second we’re in the lobby. Roman helps me out of my dress coat, made more for spring, and takes it to the coat check. Maxim is close at her heels, and a dark shadow casts over his expression.
“Don’t run,” he orders her. “I swear I’ll take you home right now, Amanda, if you aren’t going to be careful.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “I’m so glad you’re here. Now Roman can keep him busy and you and I can have some fun.” She links her arm through mine. “They have trays of snacks in there.” She gestures to the open double doors leading into the party.
“Not yet.” Roman gently puts his hands on my hips from behind me. “We need to say hello first. Get it over with.”
Mandy groans and unlinks our arms. “Fine.”
“Come here,moy malyshka voin.” Maxim crooks his finger at his wife. She sighs hard enough to part the sea, but shuffles over to him. He leans down and whispers into her ear. I try to hear, but it’s too soft.
“Don’t eavesdrop, it’s rude,malyshka,” Roman mutters into my own ear.
“I’m not.” I wave him away.
“I can punish you here just as easily as at home.” His warning sends a warm current straight to my clit. It’s getting easier and easier for my body to react to his voice without so much as checking in with my brain. “And that’s probably what he’s telling her, too,” he adds with a pinch to my hip. “Are you ready?” Roman wraps his hand around mine.
“As much as I can be.” I take a deep breath, and he leads me across the foyer to the entrance. Maxim and Mandy are behind us.
I press my hand against my stomach, suddenly nervous at what I’m going to come up against in this room.
“They’re just people,” Mandy whispers from behind me. “After tonight we won’t have to see them again.”
I look over my shoulder to give her a grateful smile. She’s right. I don’t know them, and I’ll never have to see them again. Especially since after this family gets on their private jet back to Russia, I’ll be going back to my regular life.
Roman leads us to the front of the room. Immediately, I recognize the mammoth of a man who started all this mess: Zakhar, from the nightclub. Squeezing Roman’s hand, I step a little closer to him.
“It’s all right,malyshka, I’m here,” he says firmly. “Daddy’s here, remember that.” My face bursts into flames; he didn’t even try to keep his voice down. I try to give him an admonishing glare, but his eyes are trained forward. When I follow them, I see the man of the hour. Yefim Kozlov. I take a steadying breath, suddenly all right with having a daddy with me tonight.
