I hear a shout and spin to see a large man storming toward me.
“Are you the mother of the baby?” the new man roars at the top of his voice.
“Hold on, Grigory—” Viktor starts to speak.
“Y-yes, I am,” I stammer as this man, Grigory, towers over me while next to him is another man holding Leon.
Grigory’s nostrils flare. His eyes narrow to slits. Viktor was clearly irritated with me when we met a few minutes ago, but this second man is something else altogether. His body radiates fury and pure danger. I involuntarily recoil from him like I’m bracing for him to hit me or something.
“Do you always dump your baby on poor unsuspecting strangers so you can go gallivanting off on vacation?” he yells at the top of his voice.
“What…?” I rasp in confusion.
Grigory strides closer to me. He’s like a bull ready to charge. My hand instinctively moves to my ribs—old wounds that have never quite stopped aching. Panic and fear rise in my chest. But Sofia is behind me watching. And I can’t let her see me crumble.
“Knock it off!” Viktor growls, stepping up to Grigory, his fist clenching and unclenching at his side like he’s getting ready to swing.
They’re both large. Both burly. But Viktor looks furious, a loaded spring ready to unleash at any time. I look between the two, inching closer to the car and Sofia.
There’s some unspoken conversation going on between them. It scares me more than I want to admit. And my brain whirls with how to get Leon and Sofia out of here if the worst happens.
Viktor might be attractive, but all that seems to evaporate. I promised myselfno more dangerous situations. Geliy taught me that much.
Ex-military, strapped with guns and God knows what else beneath his jeans and black shirt, Viktor is exactly the type of man I need to stay far, far away from.
But Grigory’s accusation causes a mixture of embarrassment and anger to wash over me. And for once, I let the sunny smile slip from my face as the stresses from the last few days catch up with me. My spine stiffens. “First off, I didn’tdumpmy baby here. Geliy did. Secondly, I didn’t gogallivantingoff on vacation. I went to Russia for work after I got laid off from my last job. And lastly, you and your merry band of men certainlywouldn’tbe my first choice for babysitters.”
“What? Why? What’s wrong with us?” Viktor blurts out.
I merely quirk an eyebrow at him as I flip my hair over my shoulder.
I can feel my face screw up as I look between him and Grigory who is still practically foaming at the mouth. Isn’t that obvious? Who in their right mind would leave a baby with men like this?
My ex apparently.
CHAPTER NINE
VIKTOR
I notice her flinching as Grigory glares at her. I get that the Pakhan has a domineering manner, but her reaction is unwarranted.
At the same time, I groan inwardly. Why on earth did Grigory just snarl at her in such a hostile manner?
As I stare at her, confusion rolls over me. Why am I suddenly feeling a little protective toward her? But I shake off that thought as soon as it hits me.
No. I’m just mixed up because the baby’s nonstop crying has my sensory system malfunctioning and sent my stress levels through the roof. I need peace. I need quiet. I needcalm.
She straightens her spine. “If you can just get Leon and his things, we’ll be on our way.”
I hate the way her beautiful smile has disappeared. I swallow hard. “Stay.” The word blurts out like an order. “For dinner.”
Grigory and she stare. Alarm ripples across her face, fear edging her wide green eyes behind her glasses. The glasses have a turquoise frame and make her eyes even more intense and even more beautiful.
I swallow again. What the hell made me say that? I’ve never invited someone—and definitely never a woman—to stay for dinner. My gaze darts around. The baby is crying again. He must be hungry. Yeah, that’s why I said it.
My voice softens a little. “Stay for dinner. Please.” The baby’s crying is making my head pound, but I push it down. “Your little girl must be hungry too.”
She shifts, doubt flickering. “I don’t want to put you out any more than I already have.”
