CHAPTER 15
BAKER
I hate not being in Kirill’s office with him, especially with Richard due to arrive at any minute.
The only thing stopping me from being in there, gun drawn, is the fact that my job today is even more important than having Kirill’s back.
Being trusted to keep Oaklynn safe and occupied until she’s needed is an honor.
But part of me still wishes I was part of the action.
I reach over and slide my hand between our woman’s thighs, not seeking anything, just giving her comfort.
It wasn’t long ago that she was smiling and laughing, but her joy faded rather quickly all because we were watching the camera in Kirill’s office.
The moment Betty walked into the office, again, with more of her tits out than covered, I could feel the irritation and anger coming off our woman.
She did manage a small smirk of victory when Huck shut her down, but her mood was low.
Hearing the phone call with her father only made it worse.
I hate that our woman can be hurt by that man.
He should have protected her, nurtured her.
Instead, he used her and treated her like an accessory instead of someone of worth.
Which she is.
“Little bee,” I murmur.
When her gaze comes over and meets mine, the glimmer of pain there has me reaching for her and pulling her onto my lap because I know she needs to be close.
The monitoring room is right next door, but they don’t have access to the cameras in Kirill’s office; they don’t even know about them.
It’s better that way.
“I’m okay,” she whispers.
I hate the lie coming from her lips and I won’t stand for it.
Not a fucking chance.
“Don’t lie to me, Oaklynn,” my voice is hard and filled with a warning.
Her eyes turn glassy with unshed tears, and she blinks a few times trying to get her emotions under control.
“It shouldn’t still hurt,” her voice breaks.
“But it does?” I ask her softly.
“He’s never been a good father to me. Even before my mom died, he was more than happy to put all of his time and effort into work without caring about me. I’m not even sure he cared about mom. He was only focused on making money and appearances. That’s how he’s always been.” One tear slides down her cheek and I reach up to capture it with my thumb.
“How can I possibly think he’ll change? I know he won’t.”
I lean forward and kiss her forehead, wanting to give her comfort.
Maybe she can feel the love I have for her.
Already.
To someone else, it may not make any sense, but it’s right for me.
For us.
Time can be taken from you so quickly and when something is right, when you have a connection, it’s worth holding onto it and fighting for it.
“It’s okay to have hope, Oaklynn. If you didn’t then you wouldn’t be you. The fact that your father never saw the benefit of being the man you needed him to be, the father you needed him to be, is not on you. It’s on him.”
“Maybe it is on me,” she whispers, her voice full of so much pain I can feel it reverberate through me.
“No,” my voice is firm and insistent, “it’s not. Do you know what is on you?” She shakes her head slowly, a plea in her eyes to not shatter her further.
“That you survived. That you found ways to hold onto the freedom you could. That you stayed strong and were brave in a way no one can take away from you, not even him. You did nothing wrong.”
She swallows hard and nods, but I can see how she’s struggling to deeply believe my words.
I’m not worried, we’ll keep showing her how strong she is.
“You don’t need to stay here and babysit me you know,” she tells me.
“I can tell how much you want to be in there,” she nods toward the monitor where we can see the guys waiting for Chambers to show up, “for when my father shows up.”
I smirk and run my hand down my woman’s back in a soothing motion.
“The guys can manage themselves. Your father will be walking into a room with three of the most dangerous men in the city. I’m more than happy to be right here with you.”
“You’re just saying that because you like to bug Maxim,” there’s a tease in her voice that makes me smile.
When I nuzzle into her neck, I take a deep breath and feel myself relax just a little bit more.
She’s no longer steeped in sadness, even though I know it’s still there.
There’s nothing like having our woman in my arms.
“It does help,” I shoot back and wink making her giggle softly.
“But that’s not why I’m happy to be right here with you. Protecting you is the most important job there is in this family now. Do you know why?”
Oaklynn’s dark brown eyes are wide and full of wonder as she shakes her head.
“Why?”
“Not only would Kirill kill me if anything happened to you,” I wink and she giggles even though I’m not kidding, “but having time with you alone is getting under Maxim’s skin.”
She throws her head back and laughs.
The thrill that goes through me when I listen to her laughter is something I’ve never experienced before.
“He has been very pouty today,” she jokes, “it’s kind of cute.”
I snort out a laugh thinking about what Maxim would say if he knew our woman called him cute.
He would not be amused, but I sure as fuck am.
Before I can tease her more and take her mind off what is happening in Kirill’s office, the door slams open on the monitor and Chambers strolls in like he owns the place.
He’s clearly found his balls while making his way to the office, but his misplaced courage has made him stupid.
Kirill doesn’t flinch, just arches his eyebrow at the man of the hour.
“Showtime,” I mumble.
Oaklynn readjusts slightly on my lap to be able to watch what is happening better.
Her body is coiled tightly as if she’s waiting for the inevitable crash.
“Mr. Chambers,” Kirill’s voice is sharp and dangerous, “I don’t care if you are my future father-in-law, you will respect me and knock on a closed door in the future. Do I make myself clear?”
Chambers pauses, his face becoming a neutral mask, before he gives a curt nod.
“Of course, Mr. Volkov. I apologize.” Something sly slithers into his voice, “I had expected to be escorted in by your receptionist, but no one is at the desk.”
Kirill makes a humming sound and shares a look with Huck who gives a nod in understanding.
That issue will be dealt with.
Betty not being at her post can’t be a good thing and I’ll use the cameras later to track her movements.
She’s probably in a bathroom somewhere licking her wounds.
“Please have a seat,” Kirill magnanimously motions toward a chair on the opposite side of his desk.
Chambers clears his throat, his voice wary, “Oaklynn came to see you?”
“Yes,” Kirill clips.
He tilts his head to the side.
“How are you unaware of where your daughter is? Where she has been?”
Chambers flicks his hand as if dismissing the notion.
“My daughter is a grown woman. I can’t monitor her all the time. Normally she knows her place, I’m surprised that she came to see you.” He adds on, his eyebrow raised in question and challenge, “Or that you let her in.”
“My men intervened and made sure that she was able to meet with me,” Kirill’s response is smooth, and he lets go the nonanswer to his direct question.
“She shouldn’t have overstepped,” Chambers practically seethes.
“She should have let us come to an agreement and gone from there. I apologize for her boldness and stepping out of line.”
Kirill grins, but it’s not a nice sight.
It’s a predatory threat of violence.
Chambers doesn’t seem to notice.
“A strong woman advocating for herself is not stepping out of line,” Kirill fires back.
“Strong,” Chambers scoffs.
“My daughter is a lot of things, but she isn’t strong.”
“And here I was thinking you wanted me to marry your daughter,” Kirill mocks.
He leans over his desk slightly.
“You don’t see the value in a strong woman?”
Chambers scoffs but is smart enough to stay silent.
The two stare at each other for a long minute.
Only when Chambers shifts uncomfortably does Kirill sit back in his chair and put on a relaxed air again.
“It seems you don’t have control of your daughter the way you should,” Kirill muses.
My arms tighten around our woman and whisper against the shell of her ear, “He doesn’t truly believe that. He knows your worth, but it works in our favor if your father continues to underestimate you. And us.”
“I know,” she whimpers.
“It kills us for you to pretend to be less than the queen you are, but that’s what you’ll have to do when it’s time for us to go in there.”
“I know,” her voice is stronger this time.
“When this is all said and done, when your father is taken care of, you’ll rise from the ashes of his expectations. You will never have to hide your strength again.”
She turns and looks into my eyes, and I can see the fire deep in her soul.
I can also see her anger and her hatred for her father.
The man has oppressed her for her entire life.
She’s ready to fight back.
“I think we should talk about terms if you’re going to marry my daughter,” her father’s voice pulls our attention back to the monitor.
Oaklynn’s jaw clenches and I gently grip her hips to lift her off my lap.
I stand with her and lead her silently out of my office and down the hall.
Betty is making a racket at the reception desk by banging things around, but I only roll my eyes at her antics.
Our woman’s lips twitch into an almost smile and she shakes her head, but I can tell she’s not ready to deal with any of Betty’s bullshit.
I don’t blame her.
I can feel her emotions right under her skin.
If she’s pressed much more, I think she’s likely to snap.
Hopefully, she can play the role we need in front of her father.
My hand slides around her waist and I give her hip a firm squeeze.
Her eyes snap to mine and she gives a nod.
“I know what I need to do, Baker,” she whispers.
“I can do it.”
When I kiss her forehead, I murmur, “I know you can, but I hate it.”
“It’s just a show to throw him off his game. Knowing my men don’t see me the way he does is enough.”
“Your men?”
The smile on her face is full and it’s luminous.
“Apparently,” she sasses.
With a wink, I release her hip and open the door to Kirill’s office with a flourish.
Chambers turns with a thunderous look on his face at the interruption.
When he sees his daughter, I can see the threat in his gaze.
Oaklynn doesn’t pay him any attention.
Her eyes flick over to Maxim and Huck before she focuses on Kirill who is sitting behind his desk like the king of the castle that he is.
The only way I’m able to hide the smirk of satisfaction on my face is by running a hand over my mouth.
I almost lose it and let out a laugh when I look over at Maxim and catch him pouting.
He can be such a child sometimes.
But he’d slit my throat if I were to ever call him on it.
“Come,” Kirill’s voice is a command as he holds his hand out for Oaklynn.
To her credit, she doesn’t hesitate.
She glides across the office and slides her hand into his.
When he pulls her down onto his lap, she does so with grace.
Watching her father’s reaction and seeing his face go red is comical.
“Do you really think she should be here for this?”
Now it’s time for the real show.
Poor Richard.
He has no idea what is coming.