Chapter 25 | Katia
Katia
Isat on the couch, biting the hell out of my thumbnail as I waited to hear an update on Leo. It had been an eventful morning, to say the least, and I was fraught with worry.
First of all, I’d discovered that Dmitry wasn’t in his bed once Leo left. I searched everywhere and called Leo, but I knew his phone was on silent. I’d been terrified that Dmitry had run away, or worse, gone to the meeting with Marco.
Sure enough, Nick showed up around eleven-thirty with Dmitry in tow. He looked sheepish, his eyes downcast as he apologized for lying to me. I hugged him for what felt like an hour straight, and made him promise never to scare me like that again.
When he’d gone upstairs to his room, Nick pulled me aside and told me that Leo had been arrested.
“What? How?”
“I got the call while we were driving Dmitry home,” Nick said. “Apparently, his boss has enough evidence on his work with Michael to prosecute him.”
“Shit,” I hissed, raking my hands through my hair. “How can we help him? Can I bail him out or something?”
“We need to wait until he’s questioned, which could take hours. I can stay here if you want.”
I shook my head as anger and fear warred deep within. “I appreciate the offer, but that won’t help. Go on and get back to work. You and Michael will call me if you hear anything, right?”
“Absolutely,” Nick said, rubbing my arm. “We’ve got our entire network on it and hope to hear something soon.”
And now, here I was, down one thumbnail and doing quick work on the other.
A shuffle sounded at the back door, and I rose.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I searched my brain, trying to remember if I had locked the door and the outside gate behind Nick when he left. Yes, I was sure I had...
Leo stepped through the doorframe, and I shrieked, running toward him and jumping into his arms. My legs wrapped around his waist as I pressed frenzied kisses to his face.
“Ohmygod,” I breathed in between kisses. “I was so worried. Did you get arrested?”
Leo carried me toward the couch, plopping down as I straddled his thighs. Grinning, he palmed my cheek. “Hey, don’t stop kissing me. It was just getting good.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, I shook my head. “Don’t you tease me right now, Leo Stabler. I was worried sick! And Dima’s upstairs, so no more kissing for now.”
Leo formed a cute pout. “Damn. I’ll definitely need a raincheck.”
“Leo,” I said, unable to keep the worry out of my tone. “What the fuck happened?”
He brought me up to speed on everything: the arrest, the offer from the task force, and his acceptance of it. After he’d laid out all the details, I exhaled a long breath as my lips fluttered.
“Wow. You had one hell of a morning.”
Chuckling, he leaned his head back on the couch. “No shit.”
His eyes filled with sentiment as he gazed at me. “I want you to take some time and think about if you can accept the changes I’m making. It’s going to create some instability as I acclimate to the job. But the good news is that it will fast-track Dmitry’s green card.”
“I’m in this, Leo,” I said, smiling. “As long as you’re safe, we’ll figure out the new job together. Also, I told Michael to rent out my apartment, so I kind of need to live here.”
The lines under his eyes crinkled in that handsome way as he grinned. “I like the sound of that. My woman in my house.”
Wrinkling my nose, I swatted his chest. “That’s pretty misogynistic, but I’ll forgive you.”
He traced a finger over my arm, causing bumps to form beneath. “If you marry me, we can put you on the deed.”
I bit my lip to contain my grin. “Is that so?”
He nodded as his smile deepened.
I’d been slightly holding back, and Leo had been incredibly patient as we navigated our new path together. Although I was all in, there was one more thing I wanted to take care of before I made the commitment to him.
“Let’s talk about that more at sushi dinner,” I said, waggling my eyebrows. “I think by then, I’ll be ready for the serious discussion. Sake will probably help too.”
“Then, we’ll order lots of sake,” he said playfully.
Aching to hold him, I slid my arms around him and buried my face in his neck, grateful he and Dmitry were both okay.
Tomorrow, I would take the last step toward creating the new life I was finally ready to live. Until then, I was content to hold my man in the house that would soon be ours.
The next morning, I told Leo I was heading to the local coffee shop because I needed a change of scenery. Instead, I walked to the corner and called a rideshare to Michael’s house.
When I arrived at the gate, Burns buzzed me in and met me at the front door.
“Ma’am, he’s just arrived home from the docks. Can you wait in the living room?”
“Sure, Burns, but only if you call me Katia.”
“Sorry, yes, Katia. Would you like some water?”
“That would be great. Are Alexis and Bianca here?”
“They’re attending Alexis’s Lamaze class. Bianca has been going with her when Nick has other commitments.”
“That’s sweet,” I said, entering the living room and sitting on the couch. Burns brought me the water and I sipped it as I waited for Michael.
“Uh, hi,” he said, breezing into the room. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were coming today.”
“It was spur of the moment,” I said as he sat beside me. “I need to talk to you about a few things.”
“Okay.” He leaned back, crossing one ankle over his knee as he extended his arm over the back of the couch.
Inhaling deeply, I began the conversation that would inexorably change my life. “I want to start by saying that I appreciate you more than you know, Michael. You’ve been an anchor for me for so long, and your friendship is extremely important to me.”
His eyebrows lifted. “But...”
“But,” I said, shrugging. “I’ve outgrown the life you helped me build. I didn’t see it coming, and wasn’t looking for change, but it happened anyway.”
“I agree,” he said with a nod. “You’ve evolved from that young woman who entered my club all those years ago, brokenhearted and lost.”
“Being your accountant has been an honor, and I’ll never be able to repay you for paying for my degree.”
“No repayment needed,” he said softly.
“Dmitry and Alexis are building some intense financial infrastructure for you,” I continued, “and as you transition from traditional banking to backend channels and crypto, you’re going to need someone more well-versed in those currencies.
I already struggle with the new encrypted program Alexis installed.
It’s one of the reasons I missed the fraudulent deposits at first. You need a new accountant who can take you into this next phase with confidence and expertise. ”
“I have no doubt you could learn if you try, Katia.”
“Yes,” I said, nodding. “I’m sure I could.
But I won’t be an expert at it, and honestly?
I think we both know it’s time for me to move on.
I’m going to marry Leo, and we’re probably going to try and have a kid or two.
I don’t want to be a mom who works for the mafia, Michael.
” Reaching over, I placed my hand on his thigh.
“I hope you don’t take that as a dig, because I love working for you and respect the job you’ve given me for all these years. ”
Sitting up, he squeezed my hand. “I don’t take it as a dig at all. It makes perfect sense. Plus, I doubt Leo wants your paycheck to come from me anymore. I know he was excited to get you out of the apartment I paid for.”
“He’s a bit of a caveman,” I said, playfully rolling my eyes. “And you are too. But it’s kind of charming in a weird way, so Bianca and I let you both off the hook.”
Michael chuckled. “I hear everything you’re saying, and I’m happy to honor your wishes.
I don’t relish finding another accountant, but you deserve to be free of this world.
” Taking both of my hands, he held tight as emotion filled his expression.
“You’re going to be an amazing mother. I can’t wait to see it. ”
“Thank you,” I whispered, feeling my eyes well with tears. “And I hope we’ll continue to be friends, and that you and Bianca will still have me and Leo over for dinner. I don’t want to live in a world where we’re not friends, Michael. You’re too important to me.”
He drew me into his arms, his hand rubbing my back as he spoke softly. “You’ll always be family, Katia,” he said solemnly. “You always have been.”
Drawing back, I swiped a tear from my cheek. “That means more than you know. And I won’t leave you hanging. I’ll spend as many weeks as we need helping you find a new, qualified accountant and training them on my procedures.”
“I appreciate that. Just find me someone loyal like you who can keep me out of jail.”
“On it, boss,” I said with a salute.
We rose and gave each other one last tight hug. He walked me to the door and insisted Chris drive me home.
When I arrived, I found Leo in the living room, setting up his new laptop and the encrypted email where the task force would contact him.
“How was the coffee shop?” he asked.
“Uh...good. Is Dima upstairs?”
Leo nodded. “Buried in his laptop. We should make him take a walk with us later. That kid needs some fresh air.”
“I love that idea.”
His eyes roved over my face. “You look...different. You okay?”
“Yeah,” I whispered. “I’m anticipating our sushi date and our serious talk.”
Grinning, he tilted his head. “Do you want to tell me anything now?”
“No. We can wait until our date.”
“All right. After sushi, I was going to take you to the beach to show you this cool place to stargaze before we head home. You down for that?”
“It is our first date, so yes, I’m down. You’re going to need to impress me if you want to get to second base.”
Rising, he stalked toward me and snaked his hand around my waist. “Woman, I’m going to impress the hell out of you.”
I laughed as he smacked a hard kiss on my lips. “I’ll hold you to it.”
Rapt with anticipation, I hugged him and allowed him to sneak a quick trip to second base right there in the living room.