Chapter 21
Chapter
Twenty-One
GORAN
Kaylani insisted on going to see her father alone, and Nathaniel had asked me to look into an issue at Shameless. Of all the clubs he owned, it was his favorite. So here I was at two in the morning playing cards, when I should have been asleep.
Shameless after hours was a different animal.
The bright flashing lights were dimmed. The rock music no longer vibrated through my bones.
The air that had once been thick with fake fog, sweat, and spilled liquor felt almost normal.
Almost. I preferred the mosh pits, the live bands, and the raw edge of this place over the body glitter and entitled assholes that filled the more exotic clubs.
A few tables were pushed together near the bar. Cards were spread across the surface, glasses tipped on their sides like casualties of the night. This was the hour when the staff cleaned, and the off-duty guards kicked their feet up.
“Bullshit,” Ivan said, tossing a chip at Marko. “You’re fucking cheating. There’s no way you got four aces two hands in a row.”
Marko grinned, unrepentant. “Hey, I didn’t even deal that hand. Besides, you always fall for the same crap.”
“That’s rich coming from someone who blinks every time he lies,” I muttered, taking a sip of my drink.
Someone whooped from the other side of the room, where Sergey was making out with a waitress against the bar. Her legs were wrapped around his waist like the rest of the world had ceased to exist.
“Hey! Get a room, for fuck’s sake. No sex on Nathaniel’s bar, or you can tell him why he’s paying extra for biohazard cleanup,” I yelled when I heard a zipper.
Sergey grinned and carried the waitress toward one of the VIP rooms. I shook my head. That wasn’t what I meant, but at least those rooms were already scheduled for a deep clean.
“How long have you been with Nathaniel now,” Niko asked. He was our newest addition to the rotation.
I smirked as he finished shuffling the deck. “Too fucking long.”
Ivan snorted. “He means they grew up together. Known each other since they were in diapers.”
“Seriously? Now I’m picturing Nathaniel in a diaper? Fuck, that’s something I didn’t need burned into my brain.” I said, cringing.
The guys laughed as I rubbed my eyes.
Ivan leaned back in his chair. “You’ve been here forever. Ever think about doing something else? You’re not exactly hurting for options. You could sign on with one of those high-paying public security firms and make a mint.”
I didn’t answer right away.
My mind went to Kaylani in the sand arena that morning. She was so focused and radiant. She had ignored me on purpose, which I loved about her. The way Atlas responded made it clear she was the only person who mattered.
I understood that instinct.
“I’m where I need to be.” I glanced at Ivan. “Where I want to be.”
Ivan raised an eyebrow. “You’re a sucker for punishment.”
“Maybe. But Nathaniel is family.” I let my gaze sweep the club. “And this job makes me happy. Leaving for more money doesn’t appeal to me.”
“Not like we could leave if we wanted to.” Niko tossed his cards on the table. “I fold.”
“What do you mean?”
Niko hesitated, then glanced around the room. Everyone was focused on him now.
“I just mean a job like this isn’t something you walk away from. Look at that guy, Ray. Worked for Mr. Mikhailov for fifteen years, tore his rotator cuff, and retired.” He laughed humorlessly. “He retired, all right. They pulled him out of the river with the rest of Dimitri’s castoffs.”
I hadn’t heard about that.
What the hell was Dimitri thinking?
“Nathaniel is not like his father,” I said, the anger at the insinuation burned my gut.
Niko shrugged. “Hope you’re right. I mean, what do I know?” He forced a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.
I tossed my cards down and leaned forward, planting my hands on the table so Niko had to stare me in the eyes.
“You know nothing.” My tone held a hard edge.
He swallowed and nodded.
“I’m out.”
“Ah, come on, man,” Ivan said. “Don’t leave. We don’t get to do this often.”
I plucked my suit jacket off the back of the chair and shrugged it on. “Long day tomorrow.” I walked away, lifting my hand in the air. “Night.”
I stepped outside, but Ivan followed and grabbed my arm.
“Hey.”
I turned slowly. “What’s up?”
He dropped his hand. “You good?”
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Ivan shuffled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. He only did that when he didn’t want to say what was on his mind.
“Just spit it out.”
“Shit. Don’t shoot the messenger, man,” he muttered. “Some of the guys have come to me worried about…”
My eyebrow cocked. “About?”
“The amount of time you and Kaylani spend together. They’ve seen the way she looks at you.”
I stiffened, my muscles flexing.
“Look, I’m just saying, do what you want, but be careful. Dimitri is a scary fucking dude. If he catches wind—”
“There is nothing to catch wind about,” I cut in, stepping into Ivan’s personal space.
He lifted his chin, but there was no defiance in his stare, just concern.
“Listen to me very carefully. If you hear anyone saying that again, give them a choice. They either shut up or they get shut up, permanently. You understand?”
“Yeah, of course. I’ve got you.”
I stepped away and gripped his shoulder. “Thanks.”
He walked back inside, and the door shut behind him with a dull thud.
“Fuck,” I grumbled.
The phone in my pocket buzzed as I crossed the lot to my SUV. I pulled it out, hoping it was Kaylani.
Nathaniel’s name glowed on the screen.
Brushing aside the disappointment, I unlocked the armored truck and climbed inside before opening the message.
N: Hey, I just saw the video. What the fuck is going on?
My jaw tightened, and I typed back quickly.
G: She just needed to blow off some steam. All is fine. I called Titus, and he took her to his house.
Three dots appeared almost immediately.
N: If Dimitri sees it, she won’t be fine.
I stared at the screen longer than necessary.
G: He’s already seen it. Apparently, Titus told him off when he tried to call her.
N: Good. The fucker. I should’ve seen this coming. I honestly thought he would worry about Ronan before turning his attention to Kaylani. She is young. She should be having fun and exploring what she really wants out of life. Not worrying about marriage and shit.
My thumb brushed the ring on my hand.
G: She’s not a kid anymore, and she’s tough. Tougher than Dimitri gives her credit for.
N: Doesn’t matter. She shouldn’t be forced into a marriage she doesn’t want. Knowing her, she’ll do something reckless like run off and marry some random guy just to get under Dimitri’s skin. Keep an eye on her for me.
I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath. She was way ahead of him on that. Although, I didn’t fall into the random guy category.
G: Always.
N: I knew I could count on you.
I dropped the phone in the cup holder and started the truck, swearing under my breath.
The drive to Dimitri’s estate was muscle memory. The guards waved me through the gates, and I grabbed the paperwork off the passenger seat. It wasn’t really for Dimitri, but the guys working tonight didn’t need to know that.
When I parked, I noticed there were far fewer on duty than normal. I hopped out and headed for the door. Geoff was working tonight, and we had always gotten along.
“Hey Geoff, what’s going on? Where is everyone?”
“Dimitri took most of the men with him. Not sure why.”
He was on the hunt, but that worked in my favor.
“Huh. Okay, well, I’ve got some things to drop off. But I’ll stick around and lend you a hand.”
He nodded. “Appreciate the help.”
Heading in, there was literally no one around. The gaps were glaring. Seriously, this man needed his head examined. In one breath, he had ranted about how important and precious Kaylani was, and in the next, he left town and stripped his own house of protection.
That told me what mattered most to him.
Jogging up the stairs, I headed for Kaylani’s room. I tried the handle and muttered more profanities under my breath when I found it unlocked.
I pushed it open just wide enough to slip inside, then locked it behind me.
She was sound asleep, curled on her side beneath the pink and white, flowery comforter that matched her personality. Bright, bold, and unapologetic. Her hair spilled across the pillow like golden silk, and her breathing was slow and steady.
I didn’t touch her. I just stood at the foot of the bed and watched. I cataloged and memorized every rise and fall of her chest, every tiny twitch of her body, and the flutter of her lashes as she dreamed. As if my presence kept all the monsters away. Including her father.
It was as much of an illusion as the dream itself.
Who the hell was I to keep Dimitri Mikhailov at bay?
This was my job and my curse. To watch and not touch. To love and never fully claim. I hoped that Nathaniel would be happy for Kaylani and me. That he would see me more than some guy looking to take advantage of his sister. But after tonight, I wasn’t so sure.
Unable to stay away, I moved to the side of the bed and leaned over my beautiful, sleeping wife.
My fucking wife.
She was right. I needed to prove my loyalty. Not just to her, but to us. And I would. I was not letting her go without a fight.
Gently, I brushed a strand of hair from her face and leaned close to her ear.
“I will always fight for you, wife,” I whispered.
Her lips twitched, the tiniest of smiles turning up at the corners.
“Wuv yous,” she murmured.
I kissed her cheek and crossed the room to the large reading chair. Drawing my gun, I sat down, resting it on my lap. From there, I watched my wife and the door.
No one was getting past me. Not now, not ever.
Tomorrow, the storm would move closer.
Tonight, she was safe.
And for now, that was enough.