Page 54 of The Bratva King

Nikolai is a good bad man.

I hate that I like him for it.

I hate that my son ate cereal next to him and looked more at ease than he has in months.

I hate that he makes me feel safe.

“I’ll have an agency send over nanny candidates,” he says. “You’ll interview them. Choose the one you trust with Luke. When you find someone acceptable, you’ll go back to work.” He glances up. “You have the next week. Use it.”

“Use it for what?”

“Whatever you need.” He stands, slides his phone into his pocket, and looks at me. “Rest. Get the boy settled.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“It is simple.” He moves toward the kitchen doorway and stops. He doesn’t turn around. “You’re not a burden, Miss Collins. If you were, you wouldn’t be here.”

And then he’s gone.

I stand in his enormous kitchen and allow myself a second to freak out, staring at the doorway he walked through.

You’re not a burden, Miss Collins.

I pick up my coffee and drain the rest before I stand here any longer and talk myself into believing him.

Then, I go find my son.

14

Nikolai

Pasha drops into the chair across from my desk and props one foot on his knee.

“So,” he says. “How’s your adopted kid doing?”

I don’t even look up from the inspection report I’m reading.

“The wiring inspection,” I say. “Where are we?”

He accepts the redirect without comment.

“Expedited,” he says. “I made some calls this morning. Inspector will be back on site by tomorrow afternoon. We’ll be cleared by the end of the week.”

“Good.”

“Going to cost us.”

“Everything costs us.” I set the report down. “The Italians. Have they responded?”

Pasha’s expression shifts. “There was an incident last night. They tried to get into the casino. Three of them. Back entrance near the loading dock.”

“Tried.”

“Security stopped them before they made it past the second door. No shots fired. They left.”

I lean back in my chair and look at the ceiling. It wasn’t about damage. It was about testing the perimeter. Seeing what we have. Seeing how fast we respond.

“They’re mapping us,” I say.