Declan nodded without looking at the other man, only having eyes for Fawn. “All good,” he confirmed distractedly.
The outcome of his meeting with Boris Koslov wasn’t perfect, but it was the best they were going to get.
Declan had spoken to Boris Koslov, explained the circumstances of his brother’s death, with the emphasis that Declan had been the victim, shot by mistake, and was not the perpetrator.
Declan had continued to talk to the younger man until he saw the veil of grief that had been the driving force behind Boris Koslov’s movements since learning of his younger brother’s death start to lift from the Russian’s eyes.
The conversation had become easier after that, Koslov acknowledging that he had known this might be his brother’s fate when he had left the bratva and come to England to work for Lev Yegorov. The money being offered was twice what they had been earning with the bratva family in Russia.
Declan knew this was because Lev Yegorov was the only son of the now-deceased billionaire oligarch, Andrei Yegorov, one ofthe men responsible for stripping Russia of a great deal of its assets and wealth before abandoning the country.
Boris explained that, with hispakhan’spermission, he had now also cut his own ties with Russia.
He had then apologized to Nikolai for behaving so badly on the Markovic territory, before asking if the older man would consider asking hispakhanto accept him into their London bratva.
Nikolai had been surprised and very reluctant to trust the young Russian. He had only agreed to that request after a private conversation with Declan, in which Declan had explained he liked this idea much better than the alternative.
Nikolai had finally agreed to take Boris, but warned that he would be on probation until Nikolai deemed otherwise. If he fucked up, Nikolai had warned the other man that he wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate him himself. Declan had no doubt that Nikolai would carry out that warning if it became necessary.
No, it really wasn’t the perfect outcome, but itwasbetter than the alternative.
“I’ll tell you about it later,” he told Magnus, totally concentrated on Fawn as she turned and saw him, and her face lit up with pure happiness at the sight of him.
That was exactly what Fawn now represented to him. Pure happiness.
It was very soon for him to feel that way when they had only met for the first time a week ago.
But not too soon, in Declan’s opinion.
It was impetuous for the same reason.
But not too impetuous, also in his opinion.
Even if it was either of those things, it didn’t matter, because Declan knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was totally in love with Fawn.
That helovedher, beyond all and every reason why he shouldn’t. She was too young and too innocent, with all her life still ahead of her.
Especially when those reasons could just as easily be turned back on him:hewas too old,hewas too jaded, with half his life already over.
None of those objections mattered after their perfect lovemaking last night. When just these few hours away from Fawn had proven to Declan what he had already known: he loved her with everything that he now was or had ever been, and he knew himself well enough to know that he always would.
He had accepted years ago that he had never been in love with Bridget. That he had been very young and in love with the romance of their situation: a soldier going off to war and having to part from his love.
Yes, his pride had been hurt when he learned of Bridget’s duplicity and her financial machinations with her lover, but he had felt nothing but anger toward her.
His heart hadn’t been broken because of losing her, but because she had taken Connall with her.
His heart had shattered completely, and remained that way, when Connall had disappeared a little over three years later.
Falling in love with Fawn, loving and wanting her, had finally put all those many pieces of Declan’s heart back together.
“I’m happy for you,” Magnus told him huskily, also looking at Fawn. “Angel.” He raised his voice so his daughter could hear him before Declan could think of a suitable answer. “We really should get back now and see if Mummy is feeling better.”
“Oooh, yes.” She jumped to her feet, her expression full of excitement. “I’ll just go and say goodbye to River and Danny.” She rushed out of the room, once again taking Henry’s see-through carrycase with her. Angus trotted patiently along behind.
Declan watched them go. “What are you and Sapphie going to do when Henry dies?”
Magnus grimaced. “Hopefully, find another spider who looks exactly like him.”
