1. Nikita #2
The rest of my day is spent following this same routine.
Me tracking her movements from camera to camera as she goes to her lectures and then working on my own stuff while she’s in class.
Unbeknownst to her, we have lunch together, just like we do every day.
I grin and enjoy my sandwich while watching her wolf down two slices of pizza from a small kiosk on campus.
Then it’s back to class for her and back to work for me.
She’d probably get a good laugh out of how much I enjoy our days together.
I’m watching her walk back to her sorority house when my phone vibrates and I see Damien’s name on my screen.
The text is quick, nothing but a cheeseburger emoji and a question mark.
Damien’s always found ways around his dyslexia, and it never ceases to amaze me at how inventive he can be.
He thinks his brain is defective. I think he’s a goddamn genius.
I respond with a thumbs up, the number one, and the hourglass emoji, letting him know I can meet him in an hour for supper.
After he gives me a thumbs up, I set my phone aside and watch Savanna disappear into her sorority house.
I really need to sneak in there one night and set up a few more cameras.
I’ve been reluctant to do it for obvious reasons.
Getting caught sneaking into a sorority house to install hidden cameras is not a good look.
I could get my ass out of it, but I’m not sure I’d ever be able to convince Savanna I’m not a perv who was just trying to see her naked.
For the record, I really do want to see her naked, but I would never spy on her to do it.
I’d much prefer if she willingly undresses in front of me.
Since it’s Monday, I stand up and stretch, knowing she won’t be leaving again tonight.
Her study group meets at the Kappa house, and they always have Chinese delivered, so she won’t be leaving again until her class tomorrow morning at ten.
Feeling confident she’ll be safe, I leave my room and head down the hall to the home gym I set up.
Wanting my own space, I’d moved out of my parents’ penthouse apartment, but I hadn’t gone far.
My apartment is one floor below them, but it still gives me the freedom I’d been looking for.
Stealing the money to buy the place had been so easy it almost made me feel guilty.
Almost.
I’m still grinning at the memory when I step on the treadmill that’s facing the floor-to-ceiling windows, giving me an amazing view of the city as I start my run.
I push myself hard, because my job requires me to sit on my ass for long periods of time, and if I don’t have a physical outlet, I start to go a little crazy.
After a grueling four miles, I force myself to sprint another half mile before allowing myself to call it quits.
Sweat covers me and I have to towel off so I don’t drip all over the place as I grab a bottle of water and head for my shower.
By the time I pull my bike into the diner’s parking lot, I’m clean and starving.
I park next to Damien’s motorcycle before pulling off my helmet and walking inside.
We found this place about six months ago.
We’d just finished handling a problem with one of our suppliers.
Both of us had been pumped full of adrenaline, and after wiping off the blood, we’d decided we needed something to eat.
This was the closest place we could find that was still open, and I can still remember exactly how good that cheeseburger had tasted. We’ve been coming here ever since.
Stepping inside, I’m greeted by the mouthwatering scent of very unhealthy food. This isn’t the kind of place you come to for a salad and veggie burger. Sasha’s wife would be appalled. I don’t know how she manages to remain a vegetarian when bacon exists. She has way more willpower than I do.
I spot Damien at our usual booth in the corner and quickly make my way over to him.
The menu on the table is still folded, but even if his brain could untangle the very tiny script, it would be unnecessary.
I read him the menu once, and that’s all it takes with him.
His memory is impressive, and he usually only needs to hear something once before it’s locked in.
The worn, leather messenger bag I always carry around with me because I can’t tolerate being separated from my computer is slung across my chest, and I pull it off and set it down on the bench seat before scooting in after it.
My fingers brush the soft leather bag—a long-ingrained habit that I’m guessing I’ll have for life.
As soon as I’m sitting, he grins and asks, “Did Savanna have a good day?”
I ignore my own menu and say, “She did, yeah. She was smiling when she left her educational psychology class, so I’m guessing her test went well.” I can’t help but grin, because as crazy as it sounds, I’m damn proud of my girl.
Damien grins. “Maybe one day you can let her know that you’ve been watching her nonstop for weeks.”
“Yeah, I’m sure she’d love that,” I say right as the waitress comes over to take our orders.
We’ve seen her here before, and I can tell by the blush on her cheeks that she recognizes us.
My family usually draws attention when out.
Aside from our cousin Evgeny, who has to hide his tattoos under his clothes so he can fit in at the university as he studies to become a lawyer, we’re all very tatted up.
Thanks to a bet I lost with our cousin Mia, I’m also sporting a nose ring that I’ve surprisingly grown to like and decided to keep.
Damien and I both order bacon double cheeseburgers with fries and Cokes, and when neither one of us makes any attempt to flirt, she tries to hide her disappointment as she takes the menus and leaves.
“So?” Damien asks, picking right back up where he’d left off. “You going to tell her one day?”
“I think the fact that I’m even doing it is sad enough. I’m not so sure I want to admit it out loud in front of her.”
Damien shrugs a shoulder and leans back. “She seemed pretty into you at the wedding. I’m not so sure she’d mind.”
The thought of Savanna finding out I’ve been spying on her is an embarrassment I’d very much like to avoid.
I’m doing it for my job, but everyone knows it’s more than that.
It’s why I didn’t just assign a few guys to tail her.
I don’t want them watching her. I want to be the one to do it.
Plus, I have control issues and the truth is I just don’t trust anyone else to do it as well as I can.
Wanting to change the subject, I ask him what he did today.
He starts telling me about how his older brother Luka convinced him to babysit his niece and nephew while we wait for our food.
Our dads grew up with shit families in Moscow, so they decided to ditch them and become a family by choice.
They’re brothers in every way that counts and my cousins have always been more like siblings to me, with only Damien’s dad and our Aunt Alina being blood related, which is a good thing since two of our cousins decided to fall in love and get married.
I’m laughing at the dirty diaper story Damien is in the middle of telling when our food arrives, and then we’re both quiet as we chew.
I’ve always loved the balance our family has between work and play.
I’ve never been able to fully grasp it, and Sasha loves to kill too much to ever be able to really let that part of himself be silent, but everyone else is a master at it.
The levity helps keep us all sane. Most Bratvas are harsh, not only to the people they rule over but also their families, but that’s not how our family does things.
For us, family is everything, and they’re to be protected and loved, not terrorized and used.
I know we’re in the minority, but we’re not the only ones.
My older brother married into the Medvedev Bratva, and they seem to be a lot like us.
Max spends half the year in Oregon so Talia and their daughter Lyra can be near her family.
He splits his time working between the two Bratvas, and so far it’s worked out well for them.
I try to visit every month or two when they’re there.
I’ve grown close to her brothers, especially Bran, and we’re all learning ASL so we can communicate with him.
He and his cousins have been trying to teach me to surf.
At this point, it’s an exercise in humility and patience.
While we work our way through a couple of slices of cheesecake, I get a text from Sasha.
“What does he want?” Damien grins and adds, “Help with disposing of a body?”
“You know he gets the newer guys to help with that,” I say with a laugh. I read the text and say, “He wants me to come over there for supper tomorrow night.” I meet Damien’s dark eyes over my phone. “Am I the only one struggling to get used to a domesticated Sasha?”
“No, definitely not,” Damien admits. “I still can’t wrap my head around it. Although, I’m not sure I’d call him domesticated. Maybe lightly tamed when he’s around Cindy.”
I nod my agreement. “Yeah, that’s much closer to the truth,” I say while I respond and tell him I’ll be there.
“He’s up to something,” Damien says.
“What do you mean?”
Damien hands his card over before I can give the waitress mine, and says, “I’m just saying don’t be surprised if someone else has been invited over, like a certain blonde someone.”
“Well, that’ll be Cindy’s idea then,” I say, already dreading it. I know she means well, but it makes me uneasy, like Savanna is being forced to spend time with me.
Damien takes his card back and then scribbles out a messy signature before taking out several bills for the tip.
The waitress is still hovering around, so he sticks to Russian when he says, “Niki, if she didn’t want to see you, there’s no way in hell her best friend would set this up.
Cindy would never do that to Savanna. I’m guessing she begged Cindy to do this. ”
“Yeah, right,” I say with a laugh, trying to imagine the girl of my dreams begging her best friend to arrange dinner with me. I’m still shaking my head at the outrageous thought when I stand and slip the messenger bag across my chest again.
Damien shrugs. “I’d say we could bet on it,” he says while pointing at my nose ring, “but you’re obviously very bad at that.”
I laugh and tell him to fuck off before saying, “It’s a good thing I lost that bet anyway. Mia found a key piece of info that night. At least now we know Cupid used to be an Alpha.”
“Yeah, it’s also a good thing she’s humble and never rubbed that in your face,” he says with a laugh as he follows me out and then smacks my back before grabbing his helmet. “Let me know how it goes tomorrow night.”
“Maybe I’ll make up an excuse and skip it,” I say.
“He’ll just come and get you,” Damien warns and we both know it’s true.
“Yeah, but I’m family, so I’m on the no-kill list,” I tell him, knowing Sasha would never go back on rule number one.
“No, but he will drag your ass back to his place and force you to eat supper. That would be way more embarrassing than just showing up.”
He’s right, so all I do is grimace at the thought and then shove my helmet on. Damien laughs and puts his own on before starting his bike. He gives me a quick nod before pulling out and racing into traffic.
I guess I’ll be shoving all my insecurities and nerves aside and going on a forced double date tomorrow night.