20. Tabitha
20
TABITHA
H udson’s chest rose and fell beneath my cheek. It was low and steady, and it grounded me in ways I couldn’t begin to explain. I curled in closer, breathing him in, and letting his warmth wrap around me like a blanket I didn’t know I needed.
Simply put, I felt safe.
Truly, deeply safe.
It wasn’t a feeling I was used to. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt it. I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt it, especially when Dimitri was alive. Back then, I’d always had to watch what I said, how I moved, what I knew . But now, lying in Hudson’s arms and feeling his strong, possessive hand on my hip, I felt like I could finally breathe.
More than that, I felt like I could live, truly live, and I could love and be loved. I could truly be happy. And I owed it all to Hudson. He’d been so patient and understanding with me, even when my past came rearing back, ready to rip us apart. He was willing to fight for me.
His was the kind of love that brought hope to the hopeless.
And I didn’t want to lose it.
I wanted to hold onto it with everything I had. In order to do that, I had to find a way to face my past. I had to face it head-on. With Vasili. With the Volkov name. With all the things we’d never been brave enough to speak out loud.
“I never really knew what they were involved in,” I said quietly. “I was taught early on that you didn’t ask questions, especially about money or things they tried to keep secret.”
Hudson didn’t say anything.
He just let his hand move slowly along my back, letting me say all the things I needed to say. Things I should’ve said from the beginning.
“I knew it was bad. I could tell by the way they whispered in corners. They tried to keep everything so quiet, but I saw things. Heard things. Dimitri never came home with blood on his clothes. He was usually hands-off. Took a lot of calls and gave a lot of orders.”
I glanced over at Hudson, and again, he didn’t respond.
He just laid there and listened as I said, “But there were nights when he didn’t come home or came in really late, and the days that followed, he would be even colder and angrier than usual. Those were the nights that me and the boys would steer clear. I always wondered what he was doing… What was awful enough to affect a man like him? It had to be pretty terrible.”
“It was… It is,” Hudson replied. “They’re into the worst of the worst. The kind of thing me and my boys don’t touch. Not ever.”
“That’s why I was so desperate to get my boys out of New York and away from those monsters.” I rested my head on his shoulder. “I didn’t want them spending their lives with blood on their hands or carrying around that kind of darkness inside them. I didn’t want them turning into their father or Vasili.”
“They didn’t,” Hudson said firmly. “They’re good, head-strong boys. They’re going to be okay, and you had a big part to play in that.”
“But now I’m worried I did it all in vain. Vasili will keep hammering away at us until he gets his way, and everything we’ve tried to do will…”
“Don’t.” Hudson shifted so he could look down at me, and his voice was low and sure as he told me, “It’s going to be okay. One way or another, we’re going to deal with Vasili and whoever else might come knocking.”
The conviction in his voice should’ve eased me more than it did, but the truth was, I’d spent years running from a shadow I didn’t fully understand. And now it was here, and just a few hours ago, it was standing in my barn, choking the breath out of me. I just wanted it gone. I wanted him gone.
I let out a deep breath as I shook my head and said, “I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”
“We’ll deal with Vasili.” He kissed the top of my head. “The family, too, if it comes to that. You’re not alone in this, Tabitha. Not anymore.”
And for the first time that night, I let myself believe him.
Just a little.
We both stayed silent for a moment,
“I learned a long time ago that the guy with the loudest bark is usually the one trying the hardest to hide something, and Vasili has always had a hell of a bark.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“The loudest.” I let out a slow breath. “And when you think about it, he had a lot of nerve showing up here like he did. Making demands himself instead of sending someone else.”
“I’m not following. What difference does it make?”
“None really, but normally, something like this would be brought before the family council, and they would send someone. As far as I’ve heard, that’s how it’s always been done. But I have a feeling that Vasili showing up here and threatening me wasn’t sanctioned. It was personal.”
“So, you’re thinking he acted on his own?”
“There’s always the possibility they sent him, but it’s doubtful.” I met his eyes. “He wasn’t one of their trusted. Dimitri was the favorite of the brothers, and Vasili always knew it. They tolerated him because of his bloodline, but they didn’t trust him to make the big plays.”
“How come?”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t privy to information like that, but from what I saw, he was a hothead who wanted everyone to think that he was the strongest and most powerful of them all. So, he spoke loudly and made the big threats, and everyone just bought into it.”
“Hmph.” Hudson gave a slow nod, and I could see the wheels already turning behind his eyes. “If there’s even the slightest chance that he’s been working under the table, we need to find it. But then what?”
“We find someone who can get it to the council.”
“And how the hell do we do that?”
“Very carefully. I have some ideas, but Sergei is more than likely our best bet.”
“We need to talk to him.” Hudson pulled himself out of bed and started getting dressed. “Now.”
I nodded as I threw the covers back and got up. I could still feel the warmth of his skin lingering against mine as I went to the bathroom and cleaned up. Once I was dressed, I grabbed my overnight bag and tossed in a change of clothes, some toiletries, and my phone charger.
By the time I was done, Hudson was fully dressed and was waiting at the front door. As soon as I made it over to him, he reached for my hand, and he didn’t let go as we walked down the stairs. He continued to hold it as we crossed the lot to the main house.
The wind had picked up, and it carried the scent of hay and something colder underneath it. I didn’t know if it was just the night air or the storm we were about to walk into, but the feeling had me holding onto Hudson even tighter.
When we made it up to the house, one of the guards opened the door and waited as we stepped inside. The house was quiet, but I knew the boys were still awake. Call it mother’s intuition, but I could feel it. They were just as tense as I was, and there was no way they could be sleeping.
Hudson’s grip tightened on my hand as we reached Sergei’s office. He didn’t knock. He just opened the door and walked in like he didn’t need permission. I knew Sergei had to hate it, but I found it sexy that he was so sure and confident. We walked in and found Sergei sitting behind his desk, with Viktor and Nikolai sitting across from him.
They all looked up, and while Sergei raised an eyebrow, he didn’t seem surprised to find me with Hudson. I should’ve known it wasn’t a secret that we were together. My boys were smart and could see the changes in me, just as I’d seen the changes in them.
I gave Hudson’s hand a gentle squeeze before pulling it back. “I’ll give you guys some privacy.”
I had barely turned when Hudson’s voice cut through the room. “Stay.”
I paused.
“This is your fight, too,” he added, his eyes locking with mine. “You’ve earned your seat at this table, Tabitha.”
It was just one sentence.
Just a few random words.
But they meant the world to me. I swallowed down the knot in my throat and gave a small nod before taking hold of his hand once again. Together, we walked into the room and over to Sergei’s desk. Hudson’s tone was unwavering as he told him, “We have things to discuss.”
“Okay.” Sergie stood and motioned over to the table in the corner. “Have a seat, and I’ll make us all a drink.”
Viktor followed Hudson and me over to the table while Nikolai and Sergei poured us each a glass of brandy. They brought the drinks over and sat down across from us. No one said anything right away, and it was like waiting for the first domino to fall. When I couldn’t stand the silence a moment longer, I turned to Sergei and said, “Hudson and I have been talking, and we have some thoughts.”
“Your mother has some thoughts, and you should consider what she has to say.”
With that, Hudson turned the conversation over to me. I told them everything I’d told Hudson, and they were able to understand in ways Hudson couldn’t. Even though I’d tried to protect them from it, they’d grown up in this world. They were part of it. I would always see them as my three precious boys with rosy cheeks and footed pajamas, but they were men now.
They were all grown up with minds of their own.
I had no way of knowing what they would think of everything I’d told them. I wasn’t even sure they’d believe me, but then Sergei gave that look. I knew it well. It was a look he gave anytime he set his mind to something, and I knew once he gave it, there would be no backing down.
“What do we need to do?”
“We need to figure out exactly what he’s been up to.”
“And how are we going to do that?” Viktor leaned forward with narrowed eyes. “I mean, hell, even if he is up to something, we have no way to prove it. We don’t exactly have access to Volkov financials.”
Hudson smirked as he swirled his brandy. “Actually, I think you might, and it’s a lot closer than you might think.”
Viktor’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Your little friend in the basement.” I had no idea who they were talking about. I’d never heard them mention anyone living in the basement, but Hudson seemed to know all about him. “He’s got the means to do just about anything when it comes to money.”
“You think he can get into Vasili’s accounts?”
“I know he can. It’s what he does.”
“Well, we’ve had him locked down tight for weeks. Figured we’d squeeze him for something eventually. Looks like now’s the time.”
Sergei nodded slowly, the idea settling in like a puzzle piece snapping into place. “If we can tie Vasili to an unsanctioned operation… if he’s skimming off the top or moving product without the family’s blessing...”
“Then we have leverage,” Hudson finished. “And a damn good reason to make a move without painting a target on your backs.”
He leaned back in his chair, eyes on the fire crackling in the corner. “Let’s get it done.”