Chapter 41
Not Today
LaSalle
I sit scrolling through reports and drinking coffee as Tasha sits in my lap eating the bagel and fruit I had brought over to her. Placing a hand on her back, I begin to rub it absently.
“You have plans for today?” I ask as I turn my full attention to her.
“The girls have been talking about a volleyball game. The water is calling me. One way or another, I’m going to be out on the beach.”
“Sounds good. Maybe the guys will want in on the game. I’m game if I can get a team going.”
“Oh, you shirtless on the beach in shorts? I’m all for it,” Tasha says and wiggles her brows.
“In that case, I can’t wait to see what you bless my eyes with. I love these braids on you and the girls, by the way,” I say and reach to brush the little hairs at her temple.
I think she called the style boho braids after she and Karen got their hair done with them. Jess and Meg begged to have theirs done the same.
It’s cute how they have been coming to her to tie them up at night so the style will last. Although I don’t think theirs will be in much longer.
“Thank you. Jess and Meg are going to be heartbroken when I tell them they need to come down soon.”
“You warned them they wouldn’t last the entire trip and that you and Karen would have them for much longer than they would. If they give you any trouble over it, let them know I promise to bring someone in to do them again when we get back. That should keep the pouting to a minimum.”
She gives me a huge smile and nuzzles my nose with hers. “Have I told you what a great father you are?”
“I do my best,” I reply and bury my face in her neck. “How am I doing as a husband?”
“Um, you might be my favorite husband.”
“I’m your only husband, woman,” I growl against her skin, causing her to laugh.
“Good morning,” Sammy sings as he appears with Lovie.
“Good morning,” I say as I look at him.
“I would like to go to the mainland with Lovie. There’s a card trading store we would like to visit.”
I knit my brows. I have Maldonado on a project for me today. He won’t be able to go with Sammy.
I haven’t missed that Sammy has been spending more time with Lovie lately. I look to Tasha, and she shrugs.
Before I give Sammy an answer, he begins to hum. The tune catches my ear, but I’m not certain I know what it is right away. Tasha has locked in on him as she seems to have caught the tune too.
“Are you humming “New York” by Jadakiss and them?” She questions.
Sammy looks up at her through his lashes and gives her a small smile. He nods his head and hums. “A hundred guns, a hundred clips. Yup.”
“What do you know about that— You know what? Never mind.
“You said it’s a card trading store? Lovie, are you okay with this?” Tasha says.
“Yeah, it’s cool. I have a few rare cards I’m trying to find. It might be fun. I’ll take him.”
“Where’s Jamie? Is he going?” I ask.
“He’s getting dressed. He’ll be here in a minute.”
“What’s with the matching backpacks?” Logan asks as he walks into the dining area.
I narrow my eyes, homing in on the backpacks both Lovie and Sammy are wearing. I’ve never seen Sammy with this bag before. Before they can reply, Misha walks in with his wife and two of their children.
“Hey, Auntie, you want to come with us to the mainland?” Sammy asks.
I lift a brow. A smile comes to her face. “I do need to look for a new bear for Mishutka Mishyenka. He dropped his in the water and now he’s having a fit over it.”
“Dad, can we go?”
“Yes, you can go. I want you to stay close to Lovie and Jamie. Call me if you run into any issues.”
“Okay, thanks. I’ll be good.”
“Can I go too?” Milanie asks with a smile on her face as she moves to place her hand in Sammy’s.
I watch and wait for him to flinch away. I nod my head and pull a face when he doesn’t. Instead, he doesn’t look at her, but he does give her hand a squeeze.
“Yes, you can come with me. You wanted a new swimsuit, right?”
“Yes, Mommy. The one I have is too small.”
I can see that. Milanie has been getting tall and she’s not as thin as she once was. Misha might have a problem in the making.
“Let me go grab my purse.”
“Mommy, no,” Mishutka Mishyenka whines as his mother tries to hand him over to his father.
“Come, spend time with Popa,” Misha croons.
“No, I want Mommy,” Mishutka Mishyenka says.
“It’s okay, babe. I’ll take him with me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Da, I’ll leave the twins here. Ksenia has been following Vlad around all morning. When he picked her up, she was a goner.
“I’ll get my baby back when we return home. For now, those two are attached as she wraps him around her little finger. She’s not going to want to leave with me today. Your other son will be happy to hang with Popa.”
“Fine, I want you armed, da.”
“Always.”
Misha palms the back of her neck and kisses her possessively. It’s clear he loves her and has become a different man because of her. It’s good to see.
“Eww,” Tasha teases.
Misha looks at her and narrows his eyes. “You chose the Italian over all this. Don’t be jealous. You have right man for you,” he says with a dark grin.
“Time to go,” Sammy sings.
We all laugh as he drags Lovie from the room with him by the hand. I tug Tasha into my chest and start to recruit for the volleyball game. This should be fun.
Sammy
“Why would you ask her to come with us? Is that wise?” Lovie whispers as we go to walk out of the house.
“It will be fine. You are about to gain the Russian’s loyalty for life. Besides, what will happen today will make sure the future works in our favor. I need this to happen. It is a win in the grand scheme of things.”
“You’re something else, kid.”
“Why, thank you.”
“You know I meant that with sarcasm, right?”
“Yes, I did. As did I,” I say with a grin.
She places a hand on my head and ruffles my hair. “Don’t get hurt today. That will only piss me off. No one wants to see me pissed off.”
“Got it. I can assure you no one with me will get hurt. You are to stick to me until I give the signal.”
“And what’s the signal?”
I give her a little smile. This is one of those times when nothing can look like it has been planned. Uncle Misha won’t like that.
“You will understand when it happens.”
“Right,” she says and rolls her pretty eyes.
Lovie has a very pretty face and smile, even with the piercing running through her septum. I think the piercing brings attention to her beauty and glow.
“There you guys are. You ready?” Jamie asks as he comes out of the house behind us.
“We are missing a few in our party,” I reply.
“What? I thought we were the only ones going.”
“My visions have changed. This is how it must go.”
“Sammy,” Milanie sings as she runs over and takes my hand.
“We’re ready. I hope we aren’t holding you guys up.”
“Sammy,” Jamie drags out as he sees the rest of our party.
“It will be fine. Trust me.”
Jamie sighs and nods. “Let’s go.”
***
“Mikhail, enough. I’m not having this today. Get your butt up before I take you into the bathroom and give you something to cry about.
“Where do you even get this mess from? I’m tired of it. Stop embarrassing me. Now.”
Mikhail looks up at his mother with tears in his eyes and trembling lips. He gets angry and stands up from the floor where he was having a tantrum.
He stomps his foot and the look that comes to his mother’s face says he’s in trouble before she grabs him by the arm and drags him off.
Milanie looks between her mom dragging her brother out of the store and me.
I haven’t been talking to her much, so she gets a sad look on her face and turns to run after them at the last minute.
“No, stop,” I say with little volume and without the urgency I should give.
“Oh, kid. You’re on some bullshit,” Lovie says to me but takes off after Milanie, knowing that’s her cue.
I look around for Jamie and smile. He had to go take a call, so he’s going to miss most of this. I pull my earbuds from my pocket and pop them in.
I cue my music to drown out my visions so I can focus. “New York” begins to play as I take my backpack off and head to the window. I get there just in time to see Milanie standing frozen in the middle of the street as a van comes to a halt and a man jumps out in front of her.
Lovie pulls her backpack from her back and pulls the golden gun chassis that was hidden inside her bag and quickly readies it. The man has grabbed Milanie and thrown her into the van, but Lovie takes out the man before he can get back in the vehicle.
I pull the gun chassis Lovie designed for me and begin to ready it as I head out of the store onto the street. Another guy jumps out of the front passenger seat with his gun drawn.
I put two in his chest as Lovie heads to grab Milanie from the back of the van. Someone inside the vehicle kicks Lovie back. It’s hard enough to cause her to stumble back and fall to the ground.
The van tries to take off. I blow out the back window and then take out the tires. The van swerves, telling me I hit the driver as intended. The vehicle comes to a slow stop not too far away.
Lovie is in the middle of a hand-to-hand fight with the guy who jumped out after kicking her. He should have remained in the van.
He’s no match for Lovie. She plants a boot in his chest, sending him flying. He straightens quickly and charges at her. Lovie sidesteps him, grabs him by the waist and turns her body as she lifts him in the air and slams him to the ground.
She gets to her feet quickly and takes a stance as the guy struggles to his feet. Shaking his head as if to clear it, he looks like he starts to take Lovie more seriously. While they fight, Milanie climbs out of the van, sobbing.
I run to Milanie and grab her hand. Another man stumbles out of the van with his head bleeding. Milanie begins to scream and tighten her hold on my hand.
“Shh, I’ve got you,” I say.
I aim and take the bad man out. That’s when another vehicle speeds up. Before they can climb from the car, Jamie appears and kills them right where they sit.
Lovie has the guy she was fighting pinned on the ground with his arm twisted behind his back. Jamie walks over to them and puts a bullet in the guy’s head.
Milanie releases my hand. Lovie gets up and turns to lay eyes on her. Lovie opens her arms and Milanie runs to her, still sobbing.
I look to Jamie and Lovie. “It is done. We can go back now. There is one still in the van. Bring him. Uncle Misha will want to see him.”
“What the hell just happened?” Milanie’s mother says as she comes running from the store she’d taken Mishutka Mishyenka to so she could whip his butt.
“Lovie saved Milanie from the bad men,” I say. “I couldn’t have done it without her.”
“Mommy, she fought the bad man for me. I was so scared. It happened so fast; they were going to take me,” Milanie sobs.
I grin as Jamie comes to my side. I cut my music and place my earbuds back in my pocket. Dad isn’t going to allow me to go anywhere without Maldonado anymore, but this is for the greater good.
“Did things go as you needed?” Jamie asks.
“Yes, I can tell you and Lovie your new roles later tonight.”
“And I still get my revenge?”
“Of course. You will get everything you want. You will be free soon.
“Another king will take his throne. New York will have all its royalty. No more guilt for the crown.”