Chapter 8
Chapter
Eight
Chloe
I shouldn’t have left him. I shouldn’t have left him.
Self-recrimination hammered me hard; I didn’t know how I'd ended up riding in Kolya’s SUV.
All I remembered was rushing from the hallway and being at the top of the stairs leading to the exit before becoming aware that I had no way of calling Hudson because I’d forgotten my purse, which had my phone.
In frustration, I turned around, only to see Kolya behind me, and he’d twisted me back around and ushered me outside. I blocked out the harsh words exchanged between him and Daniel. All I cared about was who could get me to my son the fastest.
“It’s my fault,” I finally whispered when Kolya was done with his phone conversations.
“Wasn’t Dora with him?”
“Yes.”
“Were there bodyguards?”
“You already know the answer to that,” I snapped.
“Then how is it your fault?” His tone was matter-of-fact. I should be pissed he sounded so calm except I heard his terse phone calls and he was white-knuckling the steering wheel, weaving through traffic just shy of reckless driving without getting flagged down by a cop.
In fact, it was the blasting of the horn that broke me out of my self-flagellating thoughts.
“Was it you?” I asked.
Kolya chuckled darkly. “No, but that’s a fair question.”
My chest screwed tight. “I don’t know what to think anymore. I thought I was protecting our son. I trusted my brother, the De Luccis’ security—”
“Let’s just get to the scene before we jump to conclusions.”
Every red light or traffic delay scraped my anxiety raw. And the only way I could keep from screaming was to dig the nails of one hand into the palm of the other hand.
I could feel Kolya throwing quick glances at me. Despite what he said about not blaming me, it didn’t mean he didn’t think it. I turned to face the window.
“Hey.” His fingers slowly wrapped around my left wrist, pulling it away from the abuse of my nails, and intertwined our fingers together. The warmth of his hand calmed the spiraling fragments inside me. “We’re here. See?” He tipped his chin ahead. “Sebastian is with Dora, and he’s fine.”
They were standing in front of the building’s awning, surrounded by men in tactical gear.
“Oh my God.”
“I’ll drop you off.”
Kolya’s vehicle barely stopped when I jumped out and hurtled toward my baby boy.
“You’re okay. You’re okay.” I hugged Sebastian. We were both crying and oblivious to all activity around me. I managed to form a garbled thanks to Dora for protecting him.
“Girl, I thought that panic room was overkill, and thank God I paid attention when Hudson was giving us the rundown.”
Ensuing activities blurred. We moved to the lobby of another De Lucci-owned building across the street. Dom, Kolya, and Trevor were in a heated discussion about security.
Theo walked in, saw us, and immediately headed our way. “Are you all right?”
“Someone tried to take him.” My voice cracked.
“Has someone looked him over?” he asked.
“Sloane,” I said. “Dom wasn’t taking any chances. Everyone is a suspect, and he’s having Sloane make arrangements with people they know.” It was a measure of relief and luck that Dom’s wife was a nurse who had experience in the ER.
Theo offered a slight nod, jaw clenched.
“I’ll be back.” He walked over to join the guys in their discussion.
I’d taken care of myself most of my life.
When things deteriorated out of my control, I left the situation and disappeared.
But I didn’t want that for Sebastian. I wanted him to have the stability I didn’t have.
Dora was able to run into the panic room with Sebastian and call for help. The intruders fled when they realized it was impenetrable. One of them was disguised as a maintenance crew member who had access to the building’s machinery, and that was how they knocked out the guards with sleeping gas.
Luckily, the panic room had its own ventilation.
They waited until I went on a date, knowing it would split up the security detail. If Kolya found out that I was meeting Daniel, then the perpetrators had access to that information too.
That was a topic the guys had been arguing about.
When Kirill showed up and became part of the guy huddle, Ivy asked if I wanted to go to Hell’s Kitchen, but after my initial relief, anger set in. At this point, Dom was talking to law enforcement, but the men I wanted to talk to were embroiled in a heated discussion.
Theo, Kirill, and Kolya.
I marched over to them. “Who among your enemies has the audacity to do this?”
“We’re still figuring it out,” Theo said.
“Is it for ransom?” I asked.
“Or it could be an enemy of the bratva,” Theo said.
“There could be several possibilities.” Kirill faced me. “Your takeover of the NGO has left employees disgruntled and former city officials have lost their kickbacks.”
“Knock it off,” Kolya snapped.
“I’m just stating the facts,” Kirill responded coolly. “Not that getting rid of inefficiencies and corruption are the worst things.”
“You’re one to talk about corruption,” Theo shot back.
Kolya clasped my arm and moved me to the side. “How are you, Chloshka?” His eyes softened with a tenderness that made me feel safe. Why wasn’t I afraid of the bratva’s hit man? His finger slid down my cheek in a gentle caress.
“I’m fine. I’m just…” I inhaled sharply.
“I don’t know what to do anymore. The apartment was supposed to be safe.
And you can’t tell me I didn’t bring this down on myself instead of simply going away and being a mom to Sebastian.
I could have just asked Dom or Theo to give me a new identity and go away. I just wanted—”
“More for yourself,” he finished. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting more.”
“And you, Kolya? Do you want more other than being known as—”
“Kolya the Killer. The bratva’s hit man?”
Sloane approached. “The hospital’s ready for you. Trevor can take you.” Despite checking out okay, with the nature of the attack through the ventilation and the unknown substance, we wanted a doctor to give the all clear.
“I’ll be driving Chloe and our son to the hospital.”
“Kolya…”
“That’s nonnegotiable.”
“You’re not leaving with her,” Theo said.
Sloane raised her brows and glanced around to search for her husband because, like her, I was sensing a throwdown.
“You know what else I’m doing.” Kolya went toe-to-toe with my brother. “I’m taking them home with me.”
Not one to back down, Theo leaned closer. With both men at the same height, barely an inch separated their faces. “I’m Sebastian’s legal guardian.”
“And I’m his father.”
“You haven’t claimed him.”
“I’m claiming him now.”
“Kolya,” I started. “We should talk about this. We can’t simply move in with you…the arbitration.”
“Fuck the arbitration.” He spun on us. All tenderness was gone from his eyes, and in its place, a chilly determination set in.
“Someone tried to hurt my son. If I can’t protect him, then who am I?
I’m nothing. Can’t you see that? I’ve given you the chance to protect Sebastian, and, no, I’m not blaming you.
You’re his mother. You nurture him. I’m his father.
Let me protect both of you. It’s not duty, it’s nature.
Instinct. Can’t you see that?” he repeated fiercely.
“I can’t bury what’s in my nature anymore because of a goddamn piece of paper. So yes, fuck that arbitration.”
“I…”
“That’s the most words I’ve heard him speak in one breath,” Kirill said with amusement. “You better go along with it.”
“That sounds a lot like intimidation,” Theo warned. “Are you ready for sanctions, Zahkarov?”
“Guys,” Sloane interjected. “Park your egos for later. This kid needs to get to the hospital.”
“I’d listen to her.” Dom quirked a brow at Kirill. “Or should I call Lucy?”
Kirill narrowed his eyes and compressed his mouth into a thin line, a muscle working in his jaw.
My mood lightened briefly. These men at least knew when not to act like morons and listened to their women.
I turned to Theo. “Kolya and I are taking Sebastian to the hospital.”
Sebastian was given a clean bill of health.
Many of the De Luccis met us at the hospital.
I’d gotten to know most of them during my stay at The Grindhouse—the building that was the heart of the De Lucci crime family located in Hell’s Kitchen.
Renz, who was Nico’s youngest brother, ran a café, and I was around him and his wife the most.
“You can come back,” Renz told me. “Don’t you miss my cappuccinos? Liz and Sam miss you. Sebastian can be Sam’s little brother.”
“If only that were so simple.” I glanced over to where Kolya was holding Sebastian and giving instructions to one of his men.
Come to think of it, the man he was talking to looked familiar, and I’d seen him around in the building's lobby or outside the shelter. I shouldn’t have put it past Kolya to post his own man to guard us whether I agreed to it or not.
But what struck me the most was how commanding he appeared despite having a baby in his arms, clapping his face.
Ugh, my ovaries stirred at the most inappropriate moments.
It didn’t escape me how the women in the waiting room were swooning over Kolya and Sebastian, and I wanted to claw their eyes out. It was an irrational reaction, especially since Kolya and I weren’t in a relationship.
“Just know you have a home with us,” Renz said.
“Thank you.”
Next to give me a squeeze was Ivy. “Wow, that dinner turned interesting.” She handed me the purse I left at Quorum. I was so glad she picked it up instead of having something else to worry about.
I glanced around for Daniel. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think—”
“Petrov was going to go all caveman?” She sighed. “We’re used to that, believe me, and it’s looking like you’re going to experience it too.” She glanced at where Nico was talking to Renz.
“What do you mean?”
“Chloe!” Lucy came rushing towards us. “Oh my God, where…” Her eyes fell on Kolya and Sebastian. “Aw…they look so cute.”
She glanced at Ivy. “When are you and Nico planning little ones?”
“And you?” Ivy shot back.