Page 45 of Inked in Devotion

Movement at the door had me spinning around with my gun drawn.

Marena Rodriguez.

She shrieked.

Of all the fucking people to walk in here.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded.

Chloe rushed out, split a look between Marena and me, specifically at the gun by my side, before saying, “I asked her to come.”

“I sure hope Sebastian isn’t with you, Mr. Petrov.”

“For fuck’s sake.” I stalked toward her. “I’m her bodyguard. I’m my son’s bodyguard. Do you even know what the fuck happened here?”

“Kolya!” Chloe gasped. “I’m sorry, Marena.”

Chloe should have told me, but we hadn’t established the rules of me being her protector. Besides, she was sleep-deprived. See, I could be an understanding partner.

Chloe ushered the other woman into one of the rooms. The attack yesterday obviously affected her psyche and she needed counseling.

She’d been in there with Marena for about half an hour, and I’d already moved the items to the threshold of the apartment for my men to pick up when Kirill texted me several news links.

A few were tabloids, but at least three were legitimate financial media sites.

The financial news: Former serial killer suspect seen with illegitimate King heiress and a baby.

Tabloid headline: Illegitimate King heiress and Bratva Butcher have a baby.

Fuck.

I called Kirill.

“What the fuck?”

“You and Chloe weren’t exactly discreet last night,” Kirill said dryly. “That photo is from the hospital.”

I should have known better. I’d been an assassin. But after my exposure last year as the suspected Mistress Strangler, my face had been splashed all over the news. Hell, I even continued to receive fan mail.

Proof that we lived in a fucked-up world.

“Just a warning,” Kirill added. “The compound is getting swamped by reporters.” I heard an alert that came on his phone. “Fuck.”

“What?”

“Sending you the link.”

King stock plummets.

“Goddammit,” I muttered. My thoughts immediately went to Chloe. There was no hiding this.

“Maksim texted me he heard from a reliable source that the King board is calling an emergency meeting.”

“Chloe and I are leaving now.” I would instruct the men to pack up the crib. I hoped Chloe finished packing the necessities.

“I’ll make sure there are enough guards at the house.”

“Thanks.”