AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s more slang. It means she could punch your lights out.”
“But I do not have lights to punch out.”
Letting out a long breath, Cal said, “Lights is another word for being conscious. If she cold cocks you, you will be unconscious after she hits you with her fist.”
“Oh…,” he mumbled. “But I was honest with her. I told her I would no longer treat her like a piece of meat.”
“No…,” Cal groaned, “you TOLD Lauren that?” and his eyes rounded with disbelief.
“Yes. Why?”
Cal drew in a deep breath. “Listen, you need to stay the hell away from her, okay? She’s not like other women at all. You’re damn lucky she didn’t break your nose or put your lights out.” He rubbed his face and then shook his head in disbelief.
“She did not seem as angry with me this time. Perhaps I amused her instead?” Alex had seen laughter in her eyes even though it hadn’t translated to Lauren’s sensual lips in the form of a smile.
Sky came wandering down the hall from the kitchen, hearing them talking. “What’s going on?”
Cal gave her a grim look and told her about Alex’s apology to Lauren.
Sky brightened. She grinned up at Alex. “That was really sweet of you to apologize to her. That was a good idea.”
“Sweet?” Cal muttered. “I’m surprised Lauren didn’t get out of her Jeep and deck ’em.”
Laughing, Sky said, “Give Lauren some credit, will you? I think she saw Alex was struggling to be sincere with her. Like I said before, she has a bullshit meter, and she can peg someone’s intentions real fast.” She tapped Cal’s shoulder, seeing the amazement in his eyes. “Alex did the right thing. Lauren knows that. That’s why she didn’t let him have it. Consider it progress, Sinclair. Give Alex a gold star.”
“Well,” Cal grumped, “when he called her a piece of meat again, that must have gone over well.”
Sky chuckled. “You guys. You’re so entertaining to us women. You give us a good laugh.” She looked up at Alex. “How was your run?”
“It went well,” he said, grinning. “Beautiful country. Reminds me in some ways of the Carpathian Mountains in southwest Ukraine.”
“Good,” Sky murmured. “Grab your shower Alex, and then come join us out in the kitchen for a beer and some chips and avocado dip afterward?” She slid her hand beneath Cal’s arm. “Come on, big guy, you can help me make spaghetti sauce for dinner tonight. That will wipe the shock off your face,” and she laughed lightly, shaking her head. Men!
CHAPTER 4
June 3
“We have news,”Ivan Orlov told his boss, Yerik Alexandrov, bringing in a sheet of paper with him. The walnut-paneled office was located in mid-town Manhattan, a respectable place, upscale, providing them a convincing cover. To the casual visitor, it was a global import company with ties around the world, Yerik’s legitimate business that fronted his drug-running trade that fueled the millions of dollars he made daily.
Yerik looked up from his large mahogany desk. “Yes?”
Orlov halted and gave the young male assistant a look that told him to leave and shut the door behind him. Although thin and short in comparison to Alexandrov, Orlov was respected as a geek or the bean counter for the organization. Few suspected the power he carried, except those in the very highest of circles of their Russian Mafia group that ruled New York City. He was their number two man. Orlov unbuttoned his four-thousand-dollar grey Italian suit coat, straightened his conservative dark blue silk tie, and sat down when Yerik pointed to a chair nearest his desk.
“Ah,” Yerik said after quickly reading the paper, “this is good news. They’ve gathered intel on Sky Lambert and where she lives.”
“Well,” Orlov cautioned, holding up a thin hand, “it is news. Not necessarily what I’d consider GOOD news.”
Scowling, he read the rest of the report. “The cabin she lives in is a security nightmare. And the team is suggesting we don’t try and kidnap her at that location?”
Steepling his hands, Ivan said, “She’s marrying an ex-SEAL by the name of Cal Sinclair on June sixteenth. I’m sure that name is familiar to you.” He saw his boss make a face, his fingers tightening on the report.
“He was the bastard who rescued Sky from my son.”
“Exactly.”
“He’s marrying her?”
Shrugging, Ivan murmured, “It appears so. I’ve had my people in Coronado and San Diego snooping around, dredging up information here and there. According to their report, the two are going to get married on the island of Coronado, at the SEAL Team Three base. Of course, there’s no way we can crash that party.”
