Chapter 8 #2
“Hey, I just got married,” Lucy protested.
“Didn’t stop Chloe.”
“All right, ladies, I don’t recommend unplanned pregnancies because the drama…” I sighed.
“I heard what happened at arbitration,” Lucy laughed. “I told Kirill I should have been there. Anyway, I was late because I’m so excited that you’re staying with us!”
“Wait, that’s a done deal?” Ivy demanded.
“Of course!” Lucy said. “I don’t see Theo around? Did he go home?”
Yes, after almost losing his temper with Kolya, who was insisting Sebastian and I come home with him, I stepped in, because what the hell, it was my choice.
I told my brother to go home after I’d extracted a promise from Kolya that me going home with him wasn’t equivalent to joining the bratva.
That it was just temporary until we discovered who attacked the apartment.
Kirill and Dom also put in their two cents that Lucy was in charge and she wouldn’t let the bratva steamroll us.
“He’s worried about Gage,” I said.
“That’s Theo’s son, right? Have you met him?” Lucy asked.
“He brought him over twice to meet Sebastian.” I couldn’t read the boy.
He was an introspective eight-year-old. Spoke one-word answers as if he were bored, but seemed generally interested in Sebastian.
But then again, one of the reasons I was more inclined to go with Kolya was the lonely state of the King family.
Scanning the waiting room, I saw it was filled with De Luccis and bratva and not a single King around except for Theo’s employees.
It was so sad, really. I remembered the mansion where Jeremiah had held Aralina.
Massive and teeming with the grandeur of the roaring twenties, but it left me chilled as though a ghost had walked over my soul.
It probably didn’t help that the entrance had been littered with two bodies, killed by the rage of an unstable mind.
Kolya saw Lucy and approached us.
Sebastian reached out to me, so Kolya handed him over.
“Is the carriage house ready?” he asked.
“Yes,” Lucy said. “You can trust Sorcha to look after Sebastian while the guys double-check your nanny’s background.”
Everyone was under scrutiny.
“I don’t think I’ll be at the foundation offices soon.” All I wanted to do was hug Sebastian and not leave his side after a confirmed threat.
“Take your time.” Dora joined us. “I can handle operations. Sebastian comes first.”
I hugged the woman whose quick thinking saved my son. “Thank you. But you should rest, too. It was quite a scare tonight.”
“We shouldn’t let whoever did this intimidate us,” Dora said. “I’ll be at Renewed Hope tomorrow, but might go in late.”
“You show them who’s boss,” I quipped.
If there was any doubt about the security of Kirill Zahkarov’s compound, then the black iron gates and the guards lining the entrance dispelled it.
“Jesus,” Dora whispered behind us.
We grabbed a few items from the apartment, mostly Sebastian’s comfort blankie and toys. Kolya told me we could return tomorrow or just buy new stuff.
We drove around the mansion to the smaller structure behind it.
“This one has three bedrooms,” Kolya said. “I’ll use the smallest room. You ladies can have your pick of the other two.”
“I can sleep with Sebastian in the room.” We had grabbed the bedside sleeper. Sebastian had started sleeping in the nursery on his own for the last two weeks, but he had slept with me prior to that. I wasn’t sure how this change could affect his sleep cycles and mine.
Lucy and Kirill followed our vehicle. I unbuckled Sebastian from the child carrier, and with my arms around him, I surveyed the house.
Lucy came to my side. “Mi casa es su casa.”
She glanced at Dora. “We have plenty of rooms in the main house just in case you’re feeling like a fourth wheel.”
“Dora is staying with me,” I informed Lucy.
“As long as you need me.” My friend winked at Lucy.
Seriously? Were they playing Cupid?
Kolya and Kirill headed inside with the overnight provisions.
I hung back and pulled at Lucy’s elbow. She quirked a brow.
“This is just temporary.”
She laughed lightly. “It’ll be easier if you give in now.”
“Not funny,” I grumbled. But when we entered the house, I was struck by how welcoming and warm it looked versus the apartment.
“You did all this?” I asked.
“I was already fixing this up for guests,” Lucy said. “But credit goes to my mother and Kirill’s black card.”
Kirill walked over to his wife and kissed the top of her head. “It’s your card, baby.”
She grinned at her husband. It was hard to imagine that this was the same woman who shot Kirill to defend me. And I’d done enough research on her and their marriage to know Lucy wasn’t a pushover.
“We also have an army of house staff with an experienced housekeeper—Sorcha, you’ll meet her tomorrow. I don’t know what I’d do without her.” She glanced at Dora. “You’ll like her.”
Sebastian was trying to wiggle out of my arms. “No, not yet.”
“He’s excited,” Kolya said. “Here, hand him to me.”
Sebastian went willingly and started clapping Kolya’s face again.
“This is still like an alternate universe,” Lucy whispered to me.
“I’m not used to it,” I whispered back.
“Why don’t you all get some rest?” Kirill said.
“It’s way past his bedtime.” Dora approached Kolya and Sebastian because he was trying to get out of his father’s arms as if he couldn’t find relief from what was plaguing him. He fell into Dora’s arms willingly.
“It’s not the sleeping gas, is it?” I asked, worried.
“No. He’s just overstimulated. Come on, let’s give him a bath,” Dora told me.
Lucy and Kirill made their exit. “Breakfast at ten? I want to introduce you to everyone.”
I smiled, suddenly exhausted. I couldn’t wait to get out of my cocktail dress. Sebastian had drooled over it.
“Sounds good.”
I startled awake. I turned over immediately and reached for a sleeping Sebastian. He was dozing off peacefully.
But my heart was pounding erratically. Was I still having a delayed reaction to what happened tonight?
There was a gap in the shades of the windows, with creepy moonlight streaming in. Was someone outside? I got out of bed and drew the curtains tighter.
Maybe it was one of the guards making the rounds? I wished this wasn’t a one-level house.
I slipped back into bed, but sleep eluded me.
What happened tonight was my fault.
My gaze fell on Sebastian. No kid deserved to be in danger because of his mother’s choices.
I grabbed my phone and scrolled down to Marena’s number.
Shit. It was one a.m.
I should call her tomorrow morning and schedule a session, especially after what happened. Also, get more of that chamomile tea, but it didn’t seem to help tonight. I even included it when we grabbed the necessities before we came over.
Maybe I needed something stronger.
Only for a little while.