Chapter 29
“I’ve been meaning to ask. What is it that Sergei calls you?” Cullen asked as he drove.
Mia turned her head to him. Dochenka Moya. It means daughter of mine.”
“And you thought he didn’t care?”
“I assumed he meant it like some people say ‘dear’ or ‘sweetheart’ without the soft meaning to it.”
Cullen shrugged. “I think he means it.”
It made her realize how fortunate she was to have three strong men looking out for her—her father, Orrin, and Sergei.
“You had a weird look on your face when you discovered that Dvorak was dead. Did you know him?”
She turned her gaze to the road. “I know of him, and none of it’s good.”
“I know that evasive tone. What aren’t you telling me?”
She shot him a surprised look. Damn him for learning her so quickly. “Dvorak has made waves throughout our country with his recent comments about US and Russian alliances.”
Cullen raised a brow and glanced Mia’s way.
She sighed heavily. “Also because he’s had some dealings with Sergei.”
That was all she was going to tell him. The rest was nothing.
But the longer he remained silent, the antsier she became. She tried to ignore him, but Cullen was patient as he waited for her to spill the rest.
She shifted in her seat, trying to ignore the expectant silence. No focusing on passing cars or the scenery helped. A quick look in his direction showed that he kept an equal eye on her and the road.
“Fine,” she said. “One of the favors I did for Sergei was getting cargo to the docks for Dvorak.”
“From Russia?”
“Yes, from Russia,” she said, exasperated. “I had a job that took me to Germany. There were men waiting for me. They loaded up the cargo while my client did his business. Then we returned to the States.”
“What was the cargo?”
“I was told not to look.” But it was her plane, and her ass on the line.
Cullen issued a snort. “What was the cargo?”
“Art.”
“You expect me to believe he used you to transport art simply because he didn’t want to pay the import taxes?”
She gave him a droll look. “Underneath the art were documents. They were all in Russian. I can speak it enough to get by, but I don’t read it well. Along with the documents were guns and ammunition.”
“Shit.”
That was certainly one word for it. “It isn’t good news that Dvorak was in charge of things.”
“He was well connected. Whether it was due to the Saints or not, doesn’t matter. He was a brutal killer.”
She crossed her ankles and considered Dvorak. “Don’t you think it’s odd?”
“What? That Dvorak was stupid enough to get taken by Owen and Natalie?”
“Yes, that. But also that he let Owen and Natalie know who he was. The Saints have remained in the shadows. Up until a few days ago, I didn’t even know they existed.”
Cullen kept with the flow of traffic so as not to draw any attention. “Dvorak might’ve been in charge of things in Texas, but he obviously isn’t in command of the organization.”
“I don’t know whether to be relieved, or more worried.”
“I’m more worried.”
Her stomach roiled. “Me, too.”
“We get just enough information to tease us, but never more. We know Ragnarok is dangerous with a marker that apparently is new, but we don’t know what it does.”
“And we know that Dvorak was part of the Saints, but not where in the organization he was,” she added.
“Every layer we pull back exposes dozens more.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’ve been thinking ever since Natalie mentioned the scientist, Jankovic. I read the papers and get updates on the news, but I’ve heard nothing about a defecting Russian.”
“Dvorak mentioned that they were looking for Jankovic. Which means the Saints don’t have him,” Cullen said.
She could see the frustration in the way he gripped the steering wheel, and could also hear it in his voice. “We’re the hunters now.”
“The Saints don’t know that.”
“Talking to Yuri will help,” she added.
“What if we can’t find him?”
“We’ll find him.” They had to. Because they needed some kind of win to gain the energy to keep hunting.
Cullen changed lanes to go around a slow car. “Groups like the Saints scare people. It’s their secrecy, and not knowing how large the organization is or how far it extends that prevents others from trying to take them down.”
“That’s not us.”
He turned his head to her for a moment. “It sure the hell isn’t.”
She reached over and put her hand atop his on the steering wheel. “How long do you think we have before they find us again?”
“If we’re lucky, we’ll get to Arlington. Once we start poking around there, it won’t be long.”
“We could use that to our advantage,” she said with a grin.
His lips tilted in a smile. “There is normally bait when hunting mankind.”
“Consider me your bait.”
“Us,” he corrected her. “We’re the bait.”
She dropped her hand from his. “You didn’t mention Wyatt while talking to Owen.”
“If there was something to tell me, Owen would’ve done it.”
“You didn’t talk to your father or brothers for years. This fiasco has brought you all back together. Don’t let go of that opportunity.”
His hand gripped the wheel tighter. “I said something very similar to Owen in regards to Natalie before I left.”
“So take your own advice.”
“That’s easier said than done when it comes to Wyatt. He’s . . . emotionally unavailable. He shuts out everyone and everything.”
“Was he always like that?”
Cullen shook his head. “Things changed after Mom’s murder. Wyatt became withdrawn. We all did for a time, but he never recovered.”
“He stays that way to protect himself.”
At Cullen’s questioning look, she gave a half-hearted shrug. “I did something similar when I was younger in regards to my dad and his ‘plans’ for me. It’s easier to stay withdrawn than to allow yourself to feel or be hurt in such a way again.”
“Wyatt is just an asshole to everyone.”
“What of your theory about him and Callie?”
He lifted a hand helplessly. “Wyatt doesn’t date.”
“Is he gay?”
“I don’t think so. Not with the way I caught him looking at Callie.”
She was intrigued now. “Then Wyatt must be interested in her. Whether it’s from something in the past or something new.”
“She used to follow Wyatt around like a puppy. He was kind to her for a short time, and then he became his regular jerk self.”
“Perhaps he began to feel something for her.”
Cullen snorted, his lips flattening. “I can’t imagine Wyatt caring for anyone.”
“He loves you and Owen. You’re his brothers.”
“We’re an obligation. He didn’t want to find Dad.”
Now that shocked her. She might want to throttle her father at times, but she would never consider not helping him if he needed it.
“Yeah,” Cullen said with a nod as he glanced at her. “Exactly. That’s the kind of man Wyatt is.”
“There’s more to it than that. There has to be.”
“He makes it impossible to want to find out. Or to even care.”
“But he’s your brother, your blood.”
“Because of that, I’ll always be there. Honestly, I can’t say he’d do the same for me.”
She wanted to get all of the Loughmans in a room and slap some sense into them. “I think you’d be surprised.”
He cut her a curious look. “Why is my family of such interest?”
“I don’t have siblings. I think you and your brothers are fortunate to have each other, to be able to count on one another. To know that, no matter what, you will always be there for the other.”
“I suppose so,” he said with a frown.
“You should call Wyatt.”
Cullen grunted. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll call when we reach Virginia.”
That made her happy. She settled back in the seat, her mind still on the Loughmans. What a unique family who had suffered tremendous heartbreak.
She’d never thought of herself as a “fixer,” but that’s exactly what she wanted to do for Cullen. Each of the Loughman men had scars from Melanie’s murder, and those scars shaped the lives they led.
Cullen may not have seen his mother’s body, but it didn’t impact him any less. In some ways, it had changed him more than either Owen or Wyatt.
She turned her head slightly to better see Cullen. She wondered what went on in his mind.
“Why aren’t you married?” he asked suddenly.
Shocked, she could only stare open-mouthed at him.
He grinned and gave her a quick wink. “I’ve been dying to know.”
She licked her lips to give herself time to think of an answer. “I had other things to do.”
“Did you ever come close?”
“Once.”
“What happened?” Cullen asked.
She tugged at the sleeve of her shirt down by the wrist. “He wanted me to stop flying.”
“Ah,” Cullen murmured.
Mia then asked, “And you? Why aren’t you married?”
“I never wanted it.”
“So you never came close?”
He shook his head.
She frowned, thinking of her initial assessment of him as being a love-‘em-and-leave-‘em type. “Have you had a serious relationship?”
“I never felt the need for any kind of relationship with women.”
Well, if she’d held out any hope of having something with Cullen, it was splattered like roadkill now.
Yet, somehow, his statement didn’t shock her. With the way his mother had been killed, and how devastated Cullen had been by losing her, he would shy away from anyone who might hurt him that way.
“No more questions?” he asked.
She wrinkled her nose. “I think your last statement said it all.”
“Don’t be upset.”
“I’m not,” she hurriedly replied. “You’re the one who started this conversation.”
“So I did.”
“Why?”
His hazel eyes met hers briefly. “You’re the type of woman a man looks for to spend his life with.”
It was too bad Cullen wasn’t that type of man.
Her heart tripped over itself at her thoughts. She wasn’t looking for marriage. But love? Yes. Who wasn’t? Everyone craved finding the other half of themselves, the person who was made for them—their soul mate.
She had started to think no one existed for her. Then she’d met Cullen.
Her mistake was giving in to the desire and taking a taste of his wickedly delicious body and the pleasure he could give. But Cullen would never be hers.
The sooner she realized that, the better.
He’d all but spelled it out. She wouldn’t be one of those women who hung on after there was no longer any hope for a relationship.
She’d seen it before. Hell, she’d done it before. But not with Cullen. She was older and wiser now. From the start, she’d known what type of man Cullen was. He would never change.
None of that made her stop hoping that she would find love however.
One day . . .