I didn’t give a shit. Niko Popov had always been an enemy of the Orlov Family. They always would be. They’d get no sympathy from me—ever. But Ididcare to know what was going on out there. We had to always be aware of what threats were circulating, and never in the sense that the enemy of our enemy was our ally. We had none. Orlovs ruled solo and at the top.
“Since that activity has settled down, it seems like Niko’s looking to retaliate for your killing his men.”
I arched one brow. “The night they chased Natalie and Maisie?”
He nodded. “Word is that he’s escalating his threats. An eye for an eye and all that shit. My father’s informed about it, but I wanted to tell you directly that threats are mentioning Maisie by name now.”
“Fuck.” I gritted my teeth and paced.
“I’ve got my crew monitoring the situation.”
George cleared his throat. “And I’m ready to adjust to whatever else is necessary in light of this news.”
“Fuck.” I repeated it even though I knew how useless it was. Cursing would solve nothing. Raging wouldn’t either. But that summed it up. I damn well knew that stepping up and saving Natalie and Maisie that night would set up the Popovs—and any other criminal family—to associate her as one of ours. That was the situation we encountered when Mikhail fell for Claire, too.
“My father has stressed that I’ll direct the response to these threats,” Andre added.
“The hell you will.” I glared at him.
He shook his head, unbothered by the tension I couldn’t hide in my reply. “And he’s right. You’re too close, too emotional about protecting them.”
“Emotional?” I scoffed. He made it sound like I was hysterical and illogical. I wasn’t. Yet, I couldn’t deny the wisdom in my uncle’s decision to have my cousin lead the response to thePopov threats. At the moment, I couldn’t see past the rage of anyone targeting that innocent child.
Protecting Natalie and Maisie had become personal. It was no longer a duty. It was no longer a matter of keeping Natalie close because she was on my mind and I was curious. It wasn’t about wanting her and ensuring I wouldn’t lose a chance to have her.
I cared, dammit.
Too much.
Now, it was fine-tuned into a situation of survival. Somehow, despite Natalie’s reluctance to be here and to let me take control, she’d become family.
Not a friend.
Not even a lover—and we hadn’t even fucked yet.
The concern I had for her wasn’t skin-deep. Worrying about her and wanting her to be happy cut me right down to my heart.
“Are you certain you want to be this serious about her?” Andre asked.
I furrowed my brow. “What gives you the idea that I’m not?”
He held up his hand, as if to ward off my temper. “My father asked me to put you on the spot and get a final answer.”
“Yes, I’m fucking serious about keeping her safe,” I roared, glad that the walls were thick and they wouldn’t hear me outside this room.
“Serious about keeping Natalie in your life?” Andre asked. “As your woman?”
I exhaled through my nose, wishing I could growl out my frustration. The mere hint of someone wanting to harm Natalie or Maisie had me tense and volatile.
I hadn’t claimed her, not sexually or formally or any other way there was.
I hadn’t even found the time to discuss the future and what I wanted with her, too careful to go easy and slow with her, not to spook her or overwhelm her.
“Because if you’re serious about keeping her—them—and making her a permanent inclusion in the family, we need more intel about her, about her background, before she can fully be seen as family.” Andre didn’t raise his voice as he bluntly told me what I already knew.
“I understand that,” I bit out. “I’ve been wanting to approach everything slowly. Carefully. But…” I hung my head, annoyed with the ache in my upper back. “But I understand his perspective.”
If the boss of the Orlov organization was going to protect Natalie and Maisie from the full force of our enemies, something more than what I’d done that night on the street, he had every right to know that they were people who would not betray us. Who would stay for good.
