Chapter 28 #2
Liam didn’t even react to my statement, but Halle did, throwing me a look that was laced with her signature fury, amusement, and a hint of excitement.
When Mario opened the door, she half laughed. “Don’t hurt him, Alexsey. My little girl deserves to have an uncle. I won’t dare take away something so precious.” As she’d done before, she touched my arm and we both experienced an entirely different level of closeness.
I could feel her reliving heartbreak from losing her husband, but at least she knew Liam had nothing to do with his death. She had such an incredible heart and soul and all I wanted to do was to take care of her.
Once the door was closed, I put my weapon away, shoving one hand into my trouser pocket while I rubbed my jaw with the other.
“Did you have anything to do with kidnapping her child?”
“Are you fucking crazy! I would never hurt Emily. Never.”
Since he almost came at me, I believed him.
“What about the fire at Alexsey’s house?” Mikhail stood with his hands clasped in front of him, not bothered in the least.
Liam was nervous. “I orchestrated it. I had to prove my worth. It was a damn test.”
“Do you know that Halle came close to losing her life to save mine?” Yes, I was having difficulty keeping my anger in check, but I tried to think about Halle’s sweet smile and her request.
“Not at first. Fuck. How would I know that her engine company would be called? Besides, the fire got out of hand.”
Mikhail laughed. “Liam certainly didn’t give a shit about your life, brother.”
“I told you,” Liam hissed. “The fire got out of hand! I’m no arsonist. Okay? But it worked. Viktor trusts me.”
At least that added credence to the plan I’d mentioned to Mikhail and the others.
“You’re lucky that beautiful woman cares about you or I wouldn’t have any issue removing you from this earth.”
“What do you want me to say?” he was stupid enough to ask.
I laughed. “You don’t need to say anything, Liam.
But you are going to do something for me.
Now, if you do so without hesitation then we’ll consider the debt you owe to this family paid.
You will have the settlement funds returned to Halle and at some point, you will pay her back, but you get to live. ”
“What do I need to do?”
Smiling, I closed the distance between us until he was forced to look into my eyes. “It’s simple. You’re going to make a phone call and engage in a final meeting.”
He nodded, realizing he had no other choice.
I wrapped my hand around his throat simply to make a strong point. “But if you fuck with me, you will die. It truly is that simple.”
“You defied me,” I told her.
“I did what I needed to do. That’s the kind of woman I am, Alexsey.”
I pressed down on the accelerator, driving more erratically than I should. The woman could anger me like no other.
Seconds ticked by.
Five minutes.
I wasn’t used to not knowing what to say.
The silence in the car was suddenly deafening.
It didn’t matter if the engine was rumbling or the radio was on. All noise seemed to be blocked out.
Maybe because she’d refused to say anything since I’d returned.
“You’re not going to say anything else? You’re not going to chastise me or promise a spanking?” she finally asked as if possibly reading my mind. Which I honestly wouldn’t put past her. She was far too talented for her own good.
And she had no idea what I was thinking.
“I’m sorry about Liam and I’m very sorry about Sean.” My response seemed to surprise her.
“I am too. I think I always knew he was killed. I just didn’t want to believe it, I guess. I’m so angry with Liam, but I’m pleasantly surprised he was trying to do the right thing even if he did so the wrong way.”
“We all keep ourselves protected using whatever mechanism we have in our arsenal.”
She half laughed. “Including you, one big strappin’ Russian.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing to be.”
Every lilting if not nervous laugh was driving me crazy. I was aching all over just to hold her in my arms. “Not bad at all. You came after me. You knew where I’d gone. You came to protect me.”
“Of course I did, Halle. I’d do so with my life. Do you honestly think I will ever allow anyone to hurt you ever again? I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
“Why, Alexsey? Why would you do that?”
“You know why.”
“No, I guess I don’t. It’s crazy,” she insisted.
I’d had enough of both of us tiptoeing around the subject of how we felt about each other. Noticing a sign up ahead, I made a quick decision, making a sharp right turn into the park.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“You’ll see.”
I pulled out my phone, dialing Mario. He was lucky I hadn’t beaten his ass for failing me. Maybe a little of Halle’s good-natured soul was rubbing off on me. “Hang back.” That was all I needed to say.
In a few seconds, I headed to one of the many parking lots. The small plot of land was one of the few green areas in the city, a well-maintained park complete with hundreds of trees and grassy knolls, flowers, and even a small manmade lake.
The setting was perfect for what I wanted to say.
Cutting the engine, I immediately ripped off my seatbelt. “Now, you’re going to listen to me, Halle O’Leary, and listen good.”
“O-kay. What?”
God, I adored her demanding voice and attitude. “I’ve almost lost you a couple times. When I heard somehow you’d managed to escape, I was pissed off. Then I had to remind myself that you’re a very naughty girl.”
“You need to listen to me.”
I turned toward her, immediately placing my hand across her mouth. “No. You will let me finish. If not…” I gave her one of my stern looks. “Now, tell me you’ll be a good girl.”
After tossing me one of her rather venomous looks, she nodded.
“I mean it,” I growled. “As I was saying. I was pissed off for about two seconds. Then I was frantic with worry. I couldn’t get to you fast enough. All I could think about was what I’d do to anyone who dared hurt you.”
When I took a breath, she opened her mouth and I held out my finger again.
“You’ve grabbed a part of me, Halle, that no one else has.
I think that happened the very first moment you opened your mouth telling me what a horrible person I was.
You just had me. You defied me. You surprised me.
You captured my heart. The thought of losing you or Emily sticks a knife directly into my heart.
And don’t you dare try and tell me I don’t have a heart.
I do.” I looked away briefly. “It was just dormant, incapable of feeling much of anything until I met you. Do you know what it would have done to me had I not been able to protect you, to save you?” I groaned and glanced out the window.
“What are you trying to say?” she whispered.
“I’m trying to say if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I will keep you chained in the house.
I’m saying I cannot and will not lose you.
No matter the cost or danger. If anyone does try and harm you or Emily, you’re damn right I’ll go napalm.
That’s what I am saying. And that we’re going to get fucking ice cream when we return to the condo.
I always keep my promises. One last thing.
If you’re a good girl, which is very difficult for you, I have a surprise for tomorrow night. A concert I think Emily will love.”
Huffing, I rubbed my jaw, realizing my entire body was aching.
She was silent. Really? The silent treatment? Perfect.
I heard a sound and realized she’d unfastened her seatbelt. Somehow even in the small front compartment of the Porsche, she managed to straddle my legs, sitting on my lap. With her arms hung over my shoulders, a wicked smile crossed her shimmering face.
“I’m curious, big boy,” she purred. “Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?”
“No one who lived.” I rubbed my hands down her back, yanking her even closer.
“Mmm… Well, I must be special then. You won’t hurt me.”
“A spanking doesn’t count?”
“Not even a little bit. Are you sure that’s what you’re saying?” She lowered her head until our lips were almost touching. “You have me curious. Is that the way you ask a girl to marry you, by just telling the world?”
“I don’t think I told the world. Just a few people who needed to hear if they fucked with you, they wouldn’t survive.”
“Ah. I see.”
“Do you have something to say?” I could easily become inebriated from her incredible scent. Already, I was lightheaded.
She nodded and opened my lips with hers just a few centimeters. “I think I do.”
“What is it?”
“What kind of ice cream do you like?”
She had me aching deep inside. “Double chocolate.”
“Mmm… My kind of man.”
“What else? I know you have something else on your mind, my sweet captain.”
When she darted her tongue past my lips, I almost lost control. “You know me too well. All I was going to say is that you’re one hardheaded man, but I’m falling hopelessly in love with you.”
As she crushed her lips against mine, I pulled her even more tightly against me.
I’d been the one to say I never wanted a family, that it was too dangerous and I wasn’t the kind of man who could tolerate having family responsibilities.
But I’d been wrong.
So very wrong.