Chapter 15
Allison found she was getting used to the varying emotions since becoming involved with Dimitri.
They stopped off at the farmhouse on her way to work to share the news with his grandparents and Elizabeth wept openly.
Alvin tried valiantly to control his response, but the tears were glittering in his eyes.
"My dear." Elizabeth rushed over to hug them both, overcome and unable to articulate.
"You've made us both so happy," Alvin told them. "Is there time for you to stay a little bit?"
"I'm afraid not," Allison apologized. "I have to be in court first thing and am already running late." She glanced over at Dimitri who lifted a brow at her.
"This one here is insisting on transporting me to and from work. I've been trying to tell him that I'm perfectly capable of driving myself. I'm not the first pregnant woman and certainly won't be the last. He's not listening." She ended on a note of exasperation.
"I explained to her that the roads are icy, and I know she has a tendency to speed."
"Dimitri—"
"The matter is as you say it, done and over with." The determination was stamped on his handsome face, and she knew it was futile arguing.
"And when I'm finished at court?" She demanded, rounding on him, her hands planted on her hips, eyes blazing. "What then?"
"You take a cab. You said you had no other appointment for the day. And it's going to snow."
The older couple watched them in fascination, smiles on their faces.
"You're not going to control every damn thing—"
"Just the ones I am able to." Looking over at his grandparents, he nodded, before crossing to take her arm. "You did say you are running late."
"Dimitri—" She tried another tack and planted her feet. "Be reasonable, darling." She saw when he started at the endearment and knew she was getting through. "I promise to drive extra careful, observing all the posted speed limits. I just need to have a vehicle at my disposal at all times."
"Good try." He actually smiled. "You use your wiles and my weakness perfectly, but I'm still driving you."
Her eyes glittered, and she abandoned all pretense at seduction. "For how long?"
"As long as the weather is like this."
"Fine." She huffed. "I hope you enjoy your role as chauffeur."
"I intend to," he told her calmly.
Spinning out of his hold, she nodded to his grandparents and marched out of the room.
"She's upset," Elizabeth observed, tongue in cheek.
"Yes, she is. I'm going to enjoy talking her out of it." He tugged on his gloves and flashed them a smile.
"You're a very brave man."
"Just a prudent one. She's how do you say it?" He twirled a hand in the air. "Reckless behind the wheel. I won't lose her. I shall get out there before she finds a way to drive the vehicle without the key fob."
"Doesn't she have the key for her vehicle?" His grandmother inquired, eyes twinkling.
He held up another key fob. "I confiscated it when she was not looking."
"You're going to pay for that," his grandfather predicted.
"I'm certain I will." With a wave, he strode from the room.
Alvin crossed over to wrap his arms around his wife, tucking her into the curve of his shoulders as emotions overwhelmed her.
Outside, Dimitri unlocked the car and watched in resigned amusement as his stubborn and willful fiancée yanked the back door open and got in.
"Chauffeur it is then," he murmured lightly as he went behind the wheel.
Adjusting the mirror so he could look at her, he smiled when she studiously ignored him and opened her briefcase.
Whistling softly, he called up a famous Russian opera singer and let the melody flow through the vehicle.
A grin touched his lips when he noticed the displeasure on her spectacular face and wondered what she would have to say if he told her he had been briefly involved with the singer.
He decided it was information best left unsaid.
Allison could not concentrate on the brief she was studying. She was furious with him and the damn music was making her crazy. But she was certainly not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was affected. Oh no! She was going to suffer in silence.
She gritted her teeth when he slowed down at the amber light. If it were left up to her, she would have breezed through.
Clamping her lips shut, she trained her eyes on the words that had become blurry. When she looked up again, he was slowing down at another light that had just turned amber. At this rate, she was going to arrive at the office when she was ready to give birth. The man was aggravating her.
"Something wrong?"
She had been so mired down in frustrated anger; she had not noticed him watching her through the mirror.
"Just wondering how much slower you're going to go."
"I am observing the rules of your roads," he pointed out and eased into traffic.
"The light was just turning amber," she snapped.
"Which means it's time to slow down. We're not in a big hurry."
"You might not be, considering you get to go to the farm and start to do whatever it is you do there. I'm on the clock and the judge usually frowns on us being tardy."
"Replanting."
Her gaze snapped up to meet his in the mirror. "What?"
"You said, whatever I do at the farm and I'm telling you. We're replanting some herbs—"
"I don't give a damn! The bloody light is green. It means go."
"You're upset. Such negative emotion is certainly not good for the babe you're carrying."
Her expression turned murderous, and he considered it was fortunate that he was now turning into the parking lot of the courthouse.
"I'll tell you what's not good for the babe." She shoved open her door before he could get out and do it for her. "It's having his mother murder his father in the parking lot with officers in full view."
"You think it's a boy?"
She did scream then and would have flounced off, if he had not caught her by the arm. Easily avoiding her flailing hands, he clamped his arms around her waist and hauled her up against him before seizing her lips in a kiss that left her weak and had her anger draining.
"Give them hell," he whispered against her mouth, before letting her slide down the length of his body. It took her a minute to gather her composure and be able to feel her legs.
Taking a deep breath, she eased back and shook her head.
"I'll be waiting for you when it is time to leave. I love you endlessly."
Her lips parted, searching for words but finding none. The intensity of his gaze lingered, settling the turbulence in her chest. For a moment, the world outside—the courthouse, the waiting judge, the ticking clock—faded into the background, leaving only the silent promise between them.
Her fingers gripped the lapel of his cashmere jacket as she tried to steady herself. "Damn you for making it so difficult to stay mad at you."
He smiled at her. "That's the plan. Go baby and watch your step."
"Are you going to stay here and watch me enter the building?"
"There are too many steps to count, so yes."
Shaking her head, she leaned up and kissed him lightly. "See you later."
He watched her hurrying away, holding his breath when she reached the steps. As he had promised, he waited until she was at the top. Turning around, she gave him a wave, before entering the building.
If he hadn't been so caught up in her, he would have noticed the woman watching her as well.
*****
She was exhausted. The session in court had lasted longer than she anticipated. Her throat was parched from the long summation and arguments, and her feet were killing her. She was going to have to cut back on wearing heels for the time being and wasn't looking forward to it.
Stepping out of the courtroom, she took several deep breaths of the clean icy air and was about to pull out her phone to call an Uber when she decided against it. Dimitri did not need to know that she would be walking a few blocks to her office.
It was cold, but not unbearably so and even though her feet were aching, she wanted to stretch her legs.
Tugging her jacket around her, she descended the steps carefully, her briefcase and tote slung over her left shoulder. This was something she was going to have to rethink as well. A briefcase and a tote bag was beginning to be too much.
She had just descended the last step and was walking across the almost empty parking lot when she glimpsed something out of the corner of her eye.
It was that slight turn that saved her from a greater injury.
She barely had time to duck before she felt the butt of the gun slamming into the side of her head.
Before she went down in a heap, she clearly saw the woman standing over her with the gun pointed to her head. Betsy Blake, face red with deadly intention, was about to pull the trigger when they both heard a shout.
With an unearthly scream, she spun away and bolted.
"Ms., are you okay?" Her good Samaritan knelt down next to her. "I've called the cops. Can you stand? You're bleeding. Your head is bleeding."
She was losing consciousness, and the nausea was rising inside her chest. Clutching his jacket, she fought the darkness. "My phone. In my briefcase. Call Dimitri." Was the last thing she said before fading into oblivion.
Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion.
The cold air stung her cheeks as she struggled to stay upright, vision blurring at the edges.
The world seemed to tilt, the sound of footsteps echoing around her, distant and hollow.
Thoughts of unfinished business and Dimitri flashed through her mind as the darkness threatened to pull her under.
*****