Chapter 33: Chapter 33

The next day after work, I stop over at Elsa’s and Hades’ place to meet baby Bella in person. We managed a quick FaceTime weeks ago when she was first born. But they were exhausted, plus Elsa was dealing with some painful new-mom mastitis.

Now, though, even though they’re in the thick of it, and they do still look utterly exhausted, it’s like entering a world of smiles when I stop by. Elsa is all glows. Hades, figurative king of the underworld that he is, can’t stop grinning, or nuzzling his newborn daughter. It’s a miracle he even lets her out of his arms long enough for me to hold her.

Their place is pure chaos, but it’s a loving chaos. Plus, Elsa’s much younger sister, Nora, is on-hand playing the very proud, excited aunt, and helping out wherever she can.

Elsa, of course, wants to talk business immediately, and tries to tell me she’ll be back in the office full time by next week, latest.

I tell her if I see her inside the Crown and Black offices before two months from now, I’ll formally ask the board to fire her.

Hades grins and gives me a big thumbs up from behind his wife’s back.

I get home late, and cranky. Not at all because of the adorable baby girl I’ve just had sleeping soundly against my shoulder, and all the feelings that stirs up. Okay, maybe. But also, Drazen’s just called to let me know it’s looking more like a three- or even four-day trip.

With Milos here watching me—even though I don’t need that at all—Drazen’s had Zoran, one of his other top guys, with him as they zero in on the head of the Belov Bratva. They had Vadik’s whereabouts pinned at a safe house in Slovenia. But when they broke down the door, it was clear they’d just missed the fucker.

“We’ve got a lead that he’s in Serbia now,” Drazen growls into the phone as one of his men opens the front door of the massive penthouse for me. “We’re headed there now.”

“I just miss you,” I blurt, feeling like a complete dork. “I mean, I know it’s stupid, you’ve been gone for like one⁠—”

“I miss you, too,” he growls.

I feel myself smile. “What are the odds.”

Drazen chuckles. “Where are you?”

“I just got home—” I pause. “I mean, your place.”

“Keep calling it home,” he murmurs. “I like it.”

I smile. “Me too.”

“Are you alone?”

I feel heat throb in my core. “Yes…” I murmur quietly, sucking my lip between my teeth.

“Then I’d like you to walk into the living area.”

I giggle. “Which one?”

Drazen’s New York penthouse is massive. It’s at the very top of one of the newest ultra high-rises on “billionaire’s row” by Central Park, looking out over all of Manhattan from near cloud-level.

And by “Drazen’s penthouse”—singular—I mean penthouses, plural: Drazen bought three of the mega-expensive units and had them renovated and merged into what has got to be one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in the city. There are literally three “living areas”, and they’re each almost as big as my entire apartment.

And I’ve got a nice apartment.

“The one with the piano.”

I walk through the stunning home with the sky-high views until I get to the concert grand Steinway sitting near a massive double-height wall of windows overlooking Manhattan.

“I’m there,” I whisper.

“Good. Take your clothes off, get up on top of the piano, spread your legs, and send me a picture.”

My pulse thuds.

“Of?” I tease.

“Of your pussy. My pussy.”

Something dark and heated throbs in my core, followed by the loud, gnawing rumble of my stomach. It’s so loud that I actually giggle into the phone.

“What joke am I missing?”

“No, it’s…” I sigh. “I’m sorry, but can my photoshoot wait until after I’ve eaten something and freshened up a bit? I was over at Elsa’s and Hades’ seeing Bella after work and I’m starving.”

He chuckles. “Of course, love.”

My pulse skips.

I really, really love when he calls me that.

“Give me half an hour,” I purr. “I’m going to feed my stomach and then shower. And then…”

“I’ll be waiting,” he growls.

“Good,” I grin.

When I hang up, I wander into the massive, professional-grade kitchen. I mean I’m pretty sure I have all the tools in here to make the most complex, sophisticated Michelin-starred cuisine I could possibly want.

I slap together a turkey and cheese sandwich with avocado and spicy mayo.

I stand at the kitchen island, wolfing down my food. My phone dings. I glance down and grin when I see the texts from Elsa: a heartwarming photo she took of me cuddling with Bella.

ELSA GUIN:

SO FREAKING CUTE!! OMG! Thank you so much for coming over!!

I grin as I pick the phone up.

ME

Literally ANY time! She’s so beautiful! If she goes missing, you know who to question first 😛

ELSA GUIN

Yes officers, this text message right here

ME

LOL

ELSA GUIN

So, I didn’t want to get into it with Hades right there, but…I heard a rumor about you… 😉

I groan. Yeah, I was wondering how long it would take Alistair, Gabriel, Fumi, or Eloise—those who are “in the know” so far about Drazen and I—to spread that news a little wider. It’s not like I wasn’t going to tell Elsa, either. I just…haven’t yet.

ME

Lol….oh boy. Who squealed?

ELSA GUIN

My lips are sealed

I roll my eyes.

ME

Fumi.

ME

Final answer

Elsa sends back a gif of Roy Kent from Ted Lasso zipping his mouth shut.

ME

It’s….complicated?

ELSA GUIN

Lol, preaching to the choir, lady. Don’t I know it. Are you guys just having fun? Or…?

I flush as I chew on my lip.

ME

Or.

ELSA GUIN

YAY!!! That makes me so happy for you!

She sends another picture of me holding Bella.

ELSA GUIN

Babies. When.

ME

Lol, down girl

But as I put the phone back down and go to roll my eyes, something stops me. I mean, it’s not like I’ve never thought about the idea of having kids. Especially after I turned thirty.

Thanks, fucking biological clock.

But I had, and still do very much have, my career. More importantly, I never had anyone I could even remotely think of as a life partner or something to raise a family with.

My brows knit.

Do I, now? With Drazen? The brutal Bratva kingpin that other hardened, scary Bratva leaders fear?

The thought simmers in my head as I exhale slowly. I might need a drink if I’m going to continue this line of thinking.

After I text goodbye and another “thanks for having me” to Elsa, I shove down the last of my sandwich. I’m about to text Drazen a teasing cleavage shot with a note about wishing he was here to help me shower to get ready for my photoshoot when the lights go out.

At first, it’s pure fear that I feel exploding through my veins. But then I hear the soft click of the front door, and a man’s steps coming slowly and quietly down the hallway from the foyer into the kitchen.

A grin pulls at the corners of my lips, and a heated throb tugs at my core.

That fucker.

My face floods with heat as I turn to press my back against the counter, waiting for Drazen to make his dramatic, scary entrance. That dick totally had me believing he was on his way to freaking Serbia. Instead, he was probably already in a car in Midtown.

The footsteps pause just around the corner. My core clenches and tightens, my pulse sizzling.

The silence and the stillness drag on, until I just can’t take it anymore.

“Gee,” I giggle. “I thought you had business to take care of.”

Even though I know it’s him, my pulse skips as the dark, silhouetted shape steps from around the corner, backlit by the lights of New York.

“I do.”

Everything jangles and curdles. My blood turns to pure ice as the words sneer from the shadowy figure.

It’s not Drazen.

I scream as he lunges at me and whirl to bolt away. But he grabs my ankle as he dives for me, yanking and twisting. I cry out as I crash to the floor, flailing and hitting and punching as the man slams me to the ground, pinning me there with the weight of his body.

“I do have business,” the man snarls. “The unfinished kind.”

Suddenly, the lights hit him, and my heart seizes as I stare up in horror at Milos’ leering face.

“With you.”

He stuffs a damp rag in my mouth. I fight back, slapping and clawing at his face. I manage to get a good gouge in, raking my nails down one of his cheeks as he hisses in pain.

But my head is already spinning. My vision is darkening at the edges from whatever is on the rag.

The last thing I see is the pure malice and fury in his eyes. And the last thing I think of before it all goes dark is Drazen.