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“Sorry, I have to get this. Hello?”
“I’m sorry to interrupt your date, Nickie,” Aunt Gina said. “But I think you need to come home right away.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked, concern washing away all traces of desire and happiness. “Is Max okay?”
“He’s not hurt, but he’s running a slight fever and he keeps complaining that his ear hurts.”
“I’m on my way.” There was no hesitation. If Max needed him, he was going to him.
He hung up the phone just as the waitress dropped off the check. Nickolay pulled a wad of cash from his pocket as he stood, tossing enough to cover the bill and a generous tip onto the table.
“I’m going to have to cut our date short,” he explained. “My son is sick.”
Alice’s spine straightened and her lips parted, a look of surprise on her face. Her eyes narrowed for a second, an unreadable emotion flashing there. But her reaction only lasted for a second or two before she gave him a smile that didn’t quite ring true.
“That’s fine. I understand.”
Nickolay’s stomach twisted with unease. She could just be disappointed that the date was ending, but if there was more to it than that, if she was upset about learning he had a child, this whole thing could be over already.
Not knowing what to say, he placed a hand on the small of her back and led her out of the restaurant. She was quiet in the car, and it wasn’t a comfortable silence. Tension filled the car and he was sure that she was having an issue with the fact that he was a dad.
But when he pulled up in front of her building, she didn’t get out right away, turning to him instead. “Tell me something. How do you know Alek?”
He was so surprised by her question that it took him a moment to respond. She waited patiently, her eyes studying him with a confusing intensity.
“We’re old friends.”
Something about his answer made her frown.
“What is it?” he asked, wanting to figure out how this date had gone wrong. “What’s bothering you?”
“Nothing. Everything is fine. Good night.”
Now, she did open the door, and he had the crazy urge to stop her from leaving the car, to hold her hand again and refuse to let go until she was honest with him.
But he didn’t do that. He just watched her get out of the car, and walk into her apartment building, refusing to leave until she was safely inside. He would have rather walked her to the door, maybe kissed her and promised that they’d try this again someday, but the vibe between them had changed in a way that he didn’t understand.
Maybe that mysteriousness that drew him to Alice was more of a problem then he realized it would be. He couldn’t figure out what she was thinking, and there was no time to deal with it now. He had a sick child to go take care of. With that in mind, he drove home, shoving Alice to the back of his mind for now.
7
ALICE
She wasn’tsure why she was so freaked out when she learned that Nickolay had a son. The date was going so well. She could feel her walls coming down, whether that was a good idea or not. When he suggested that they go somewhere private, she was ready to throw caution to the wind.
For just that one moment, she let herself forget that she was an FBI agent and Nickolay was probably a criminal. Her attraction to him overrode everything.
And then he got that phone call.
Not only did the interruption snap her back to reality, but then he told her about his son. The look on his face showed how much he cared about the child and the concern he felt about his illness. It was endearing for about a second. But the spell had been broken for her, and she couldn’t stop thinking about him as a bad guy. She was sure that he was a part of the Bratva, whether he loved his son or not.
Single father. Criminal.
It was hard to reconcile the two. Alice usually saw things in black and white. She had to, in order to do her job. Bad people needed to be put away. End of story.
But she liked Nickolay.
Sitting alone in the apartment the FBI provided for her, she shook her head at herself. Liking the man was so wrong. She knew that, but when she was around him, she couldn’t seem to hold onto that feeling. She wanted him too much.
