Chapter 38 Sadie
SADIE
The next five weeks passed in a blur of activity. I thought I held a packed schedule as an agent, committed to my career. Now, I had no schedule as a new mother, committed to caring for Carina.
My schedule was to do whatever Carina wanted. Between her cluster feeding and making me insane to stick with the demands of breastfeeding, I felt like I had no chance to feel caught up. I couldn’t imagine holding down a job as a parent like this.
Fortunately, I wasn’t alone.
Emil promised I would never be alone again, and I wasn’t.
Living in the huge mansion that Luka and Gabriella called home showed me how it took a village to raise a child.
And it did. No nannies or official babysitters were hired, but we had everything covered with two newborn baby girls.
Emil, Luka, Ivan, and Alexsei were surprisingly hands-on with helping.
Lev and Misha made it a game to see who could be the most helpful, even taking it upon themselves to try to do the laundry on their own.
Allan didn’t appreciate the mess of the broken washer and the copious amount of suds and soap that overflowed.
But we all laughed about it. They weren’t punished since their intentions were good.
It wasn’t easy, adjusting to this life with a newborn, but I wouldn’t have traded it for anything else. I was happy, so content to belong and to bond with my baby. Emil’s proposal was sweeter yet, and the thrill of looking for a new home of our own was addicting.
Things slowly died down about the Obsidian Eye mission, too.
We all watched the chatter and picked up on what was being said or done about the proposed group’s failure to launch.
Some bosses were mad. Others mentioned relief that it wouldn’t become a reality.
In the news, many politicians weighed in on it all and discussed the horrible side of the criminal minds out there.
Since my last case was closed and I could breathe easier with that closure, I had more time to devote myself to Carina and Emil. Then with all the help from the family with my daughter, I was freed up to pay more attention to my wedding.
“I can’t believe it’s next week,” Raisa said, joining me on a trip to the store for me to pick a dress. “Your wedding is next week.”
I smiled and shrugged. “It’s just a ceremony.”
She huffed, shaking her head and smiling.
While I bonded with Gabriella and befriended her quicker because we experienced the same things with the pregnancies, childbirth, and having a newborn, I got along well with Raisa, too.
Gabriella wasn’t with us today because Helene insisted on clinging to her and Gabriella didn’t want to be away from her.
Plus, Andre was fussy and she worried it was because she wasn’t giving him as much attention.
I would’ve rather stayed home, too. But Allan and Alexsei were watching Carina while Emil was at a meeting with Ivan. Plus, I really couldn’t put off finding a dress for much longer. I was running out of time.
“I told you. I was never one of those girls or women who had big, grand dreams of a fairytale wedding. I just care that it’s Emil who wants to marry me.”
She nodded. “I was like that too. But then Gabriella decided she had to live vicariously through me.”
I heard about that, about how Gabriella had been in danger when her father was still alive and wanting to use her as leverage.
She and Luka married at a simple wedding with minimal guests for security purposes.
When Raisa and Ivan married, Gabriella handled all the planning and threw a huge party for them. Her motto was to go big or go home.
“Well, I think she’s pretty busy this time around.” I smiled at Raisa. “And I’m glad you’re here to help me figure out what needs to be done.”
“Oh, for sure. I remember all the little details that went into being a bride.”
At the dress shop, I followed her lead and gave my feedback about the gowns. Some were ridiculous. Others were stylish. I didn’t think that it would be this hard to decide, but I lost track of how long we were in there.
“The guards have to be bored,” I said as Raisa and I moved to the other side of the shop.
Two Dubinins were posted outside, and just one glance out the windows showed that they were there, as they should be.
Bodyguards would be mandatory from here out, and I liked that I didn’t have to worry about myself as much. Backup was… nice.
“Eh, they’re fine.” Raisa shrugged. “With how quiet everything has gotten since the last big attack, they’re probably glad to have something to do.”
I nodded. It wasn’t like we went out much either, everyone being homebodies to take care of the newborns.
“But hey, it’s a good thing you and Gabriella just had the girls.” Raisa smiled. “That way, when I’m due, Luka won’t freak out about more than one of us going into labor—especially on the same day!”
I gasped, turning to face her. A wide smile lifted my lips. “You’re pregnant? Oh, I’m so excited for you!”
We hugged, and she laughed about how it was a tradition now. When Gabriella was planning Raisa’s wedding and helping her get fitted in her dress, she confided that she was pregnant again.
“She hadn’t told Luka yet, and that was a big deal because she hid her pregnancy from him when she was expecting Andre.” She waved her hand as if to shoo that topic aside.
“Does Ivan know?”
She nodded. “He was with me when I took the test. We’ve been trying for a while. Sort of. It’s fun to practice that, no matter what.”
I grinned. I couldn’t wait to have sex with Emil again. That was why we planned the wedding for next week. Our wedding night would coincide with the all-clear from the doctor for me.
“You’re the first person who knows besides Ivan, though,” she added.
I glanced up at her and smiled. Then I frowned.
She noticed, furrowing her brow and glancing over her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
I shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
“No, no, no. Don’t be like that with me. If you notice something, it’s something. What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing,” I repeated.
She turned me to face her. “Try me.”
“I just…” I sighed, hating how much I was second-guessing myself. “I kind of got a feeling.”
“That someone’s watching us?”
I gaped at her. “You felt it too?”
“Um, yeah. I thought it was in my head because you didn’t seem like anything was off.”
“No, I definitely feel like someone’s watching us. It was just a funky thought but just now, it was like their stare was burning my skin.”
She frowned. “Why didn’t you admit it at first?”
“I don’t know. It’s been a while since I felt it. I guess I’ve lowered my guard being so safe at the house with Emil and everyone there.”
“Me too,” she admitted.
“Emil used to tease me about it.”
She arched a brow.
“When we were on the run together. He joked that I was a psychic or something.”
She rolled her eyes. “No. It’s called being a woman. We always know. It’s a gut instinct.”
I liked that she didn’t try to discount me at all. “Should we tell the guards?”
She shook her head. “What guards?”
I frowned, glancing out the window.
“Robert just texted me too. With an order to stay inside this shop until they return from checking someone who seems interested in spying on us.”
“Well, then that’s it.” I smiled. “They noticed the person and are on top of it.” We’d be safe in here. Besides, I had my gun in my purse since I promised Emil I’d always be smart about my safety.
“Yeah, but that text was from five minutes ago,” she replied. “I just saw it.”
I winced. “And I just had that feeling that someone was watching.”
“Here I was thinking it was all in my head. I’ve been nervous to lower my guard all my life.”
“But you are safe now. We’re protected. No one is going to get us.” She nodded once as if stamping it as fact.
“What if we were out to get them?” I asked, quirking one brow.
She blinked once, then gawked at me. A slow smile crossed over her face at last. “Really?”
I shrugged. “I’m carrying.”
“Duh.” She patted her purse.
“You’re not new to the need to be stealthy either,” I commented, recalling what she’d told me about how she had tried her best to hide for years, always looking over her shoulder for anyone to come after her.
“Nope. I most certainly am no amateur.”
“Then come on.” I didn’t want to wait around for the guards. Besides, figuring out who was spying on me gave me a little sense of my lost identity back. Like when I was an agent, on top of my game.
Raisa exited the back of the dress shop with me. Without our needing to discuss it, she let me take the lead. We turned to reach a side alleyway, but no one was rushing to grab us.
“How about you go to the west, circle that coffee place, and I’ll head to the east?
You can lead them your way, and I’ll sneak back to that area by those dumpsters.
” It was a hasty idea of a trap, but it would work.
A quick survey of my surroundings suggested this would bring whoever was watching us that way.
“Got it,” she whispered, still smiling like we weren’t talking about something else, keeping up the guise of an ordinary woman out shopping, oblivious and unaware.
I was damned glad now that she had come with me, not Gabriella.
Raisa wasn’t a weakling, and she had lived a tough life in and out of the Mafia.
I could trust her to keep her cool. Besides, I knew she was able to use her gun well if it came down to it.
At the next store, she walked in the direction I told her to, probably looking like she was going to get a coffee. I paused to pretend to fuss with my shoe before dipping lower to hide in the shadows and rush down the alley. I reached the dumpsters quickly.
Ducked down with my gun in my hand, I listened for the sounds of Raisa’s footsteps. When they came closer, I picked up the sounds of at least two people coming after her.
Gotcha.
I got my phone out and hit the button for the notepad to record the audio of what we’d say. Once an agent, always an agent. I would never attempt anything like this without securing proof.
I listened again, waiting for her to be closer.
And… now.
I gauged when I should reveal myself, springing up and aiming my gun on the man behind Raisa. She spun around too, holding up her gun at the other man.
Recognition flared instantly.
Anger spiked faster.
But it was annoyance that I settled on as Raisa and I trained our firearms on my former coworker and supervisor.
“What the hell do you want?” I snapped at Special Agent Hufford.
He sneered at me like I disgusted him. “What a pathetic waste. How’s life treating you as a traitor, bitch?”
Raisa wasn’t messing around. She removed the safety from her gun, which had them tensing immediately. Instead of shooting, she pistol whipped him. “Watch your mouth.”
Yep. I loved this woman. I focused, staring down Agent Jeffries and making sure he didn’t reach for his gun.
“You think you can get away with this?” Hufford said from the one-knee kneel he was in from dropping down at her hit. He spat out blood. “We know you’re behind that attack on the alliance.”
“Oh, the Obsidian Eye?” I asked. “Thanks for confirming you were in on it.”
“I’m sure my husband will appreciate that heads up,” Raisa said.
“You fucking bitch—” Davis didn’t finish his statement, too busy grunting in pain as I kicked him in the groin.
“You lost the privilege to talk down to me like that when you accused me of being a traitor.”
“You are!” Hufford shouted back. “Look at you, with the fucking Dubinins like this.”
I gripped his hair and yanked him down, pressing the end of my gun barrel to his temple. Raisa switched, covering for me with her gun aimed at Davis.
“Don’t disrespect my family,” I growled. “You set me up to fail. You sicced the Cartel on me. Firing me only gave me more motivation to finish that last job. The one you didn’t want me to succeed at since you’re just as corrupt as the leaders of that stupid group.”
“You’re lying. Fuck.” He cringed as I tightened my hold on his hair. I was glad it wasn’t a toupee after all, because I’d wondered about that for years. “Let me go.”
“Not a chance,” Raisa said with a laugh.
The sounds of more footsteps came closer, and I looked up to see the two Dubinin guards jogging down to reach us. Behind them was Emil. He strolled forward slowly, smiling slightly.
“I figured you were calling to tell me you missed me,” he teased.
“I didn’t call you,” I protested.
The guards took over, holding Hufford and Davis. I reached in my pocket and saw that I hadn’t tapped the note app but the contacts. I had called him. “Oh.” I gave him a sheepish smile. “Whoops.”
He kissed my cheek. “It’s not like you couldn’t have handled this yourself.” He glanced at Raisa, who set her gun back in her purse. She gave him a quick smile.
“It turns out I don’t want to,” I told him, giving him a cheeky grin. “I’ve got a dress to find.” I patted his chest as he set his arm around me. I smiled at the men who’d soon be dead. “You don’t mind dealing with them, do you?”
“Your wish is my command, my little agent.” He kissed my temple, sliding his hand to my ass before lightly smacking it once and releasing me.
Raisa and I strolled away, smiling happily as we resumed our business of shopping.
Now this was the life.
Having a man to count on to do the dirty work that he happened to excel at.
I’ve so got it made. I grinned, in a brighter mood than before.