Now she surveyed the boxes in her new living room. It wasn’t like the apartments she’d been looking at, but it was okay for now. No security in the building, but she didn’t need that now.
Next was her resignation letter. She’d never written one in her life. She’d always worked at Alman Enterprises. Working somewhere else would be odd, but she had to do it. Protecting her heart was important.
Before she could start, Derek began to fuss. He’d been hard to settle down today. Maybe there was too much going on around him. She picked him up. His diaper was dry so she heated up a bottle. He wasn’t hungry.
Every time she put him down, he fussed. “Guess you just need to be held today.”
So she juggled the baby while she tried to type on her laptop. She wasn’t sure what to say in her letter. She’d already sent out a few resumes for other jobs. The most promising one was at Yorisky Corporation, but she didn’t think she could work for Nikolai’s competitor. That would be a slap in the face to him. She wasn’t mad. She didn’t want revenge.
She just wanted to move on with her life, build a new one with Derek and her grandmother. It was probably a time for a change anyway. She’d been stuck in a rut at Alman Enterprises.
Now she was going to find something new and different and maybe go to school. She’d found a daycare for Derek already. He was due to begin on Monday. That way she could look for a job without him around for a few hours each day.
Her phone rang again. Nikolai left a message. Again. She hadn’t listened to any of them. He didn’t want children. She understood. There was no reason to prolong their relationship. They were going in different directions.
Derek started to outright cry so she walked him around the apartment, bouncing him all the way. He wasn’t hungry. She tried a bottle again. She changed his diaper. He was inconsolable.
“This part isn’t going to be fun.”
Finally, Derek cried himself to sleep. She put him in his newly-delivered crib in her room. He was quiet for all of five minutes. She had to pick him up again. At this rate, she’d never get the letter of resignation written. She wanted to spend time on it, but her attention was drawn to Derek instead.
He needed something and she didn’t know what.
For once, she actually wanted Nikolai here. He seemed to be able to calm the baby down easily. Heck, he could calm Destiny down, too. Or arouse her, which she shouldn’t be thinking about.
It would be a long time before she would have sex again. Babies didn’t lend themselves to dating.
She sighed. This was her life, but she wouldn’t change a thing.
***
Nikolai sat on the front porch of his cottage. The day was cold, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t spend another day inside. Not without Destiny. He couldn’t find her. He hadn’t used his police resources, but he was tempted.
Why wasn’t she answering her phone? Her apartment had been rented to someone else. He sighed.
She’d taken a few days off from work. He couldn’t even intercept her there. Monday he’d be back full time and he hoped she would show up then. He needed to talk to her. He’d changed his mind. About everything.
He loved her. He knew that. He even loved Derek. The little boy had wrapped himself around Nikolai’s heart. He wanted to do everything for him. Give him the best of it all. Now that he was taking over his father’s company, he’d have the stability to have a family.
If only he could find Destiny.
His phone rang. Sacha.
“Hey, Sacha.”
“Hey, Nik. Just wanted to let you know that Kendra had the baby. Natalia Gwen Kozlov entered the world.”
“Natalia. That’s beautiful.”
He suddenly longed to be able to tell someone that news. Who would have thought?
“You hear from Destiny?”
Nikolai sighed. “No. Not yet. I’m thinking I have to use my cop skills and track her down, but she’s made it clear that she didn’t want me to find her. She’s made it tough enough. I was hoping that she’d come in to work on Monday.”
“Then you can talk to her.”
“I hope so.”
“You’ve got it bad.”
He rubbed a hand down his face. “Yes, I do, and I was an idiot for not telling her.”
“I’m not going to argue with you on that. I almost lost Kendra because I was a jerk and didn’t tell her how I felt.”
“You did. I remember. Wish I was smart enough to learn from your mistake. I get to sit here all weekend. Alone. Wondering where she is and what she’s doing,” Nikolai said.
Not how he’d like to spend his weekend.
“Kendra will be home tomorrow. Come see the baby. It’ll cheer you up. She’s so beautiful.”
Nikolai tried to imagine what his kids would look like if he had them with Destiny. He hoped they would get her eyes. She had such beautiful eyes. “I will. I’ll call first before I come over.”
Not that he was excited to see Kendra and Sacha and their child. He knew it would hurt to see them so happy when he’d had happiness in his hands and let it go. He hung up with Sacha.
His father called next.
“I know where she is,” he said.
Nikolai perked up. “Yeah?”
“Yes. Come pick me up. We'll go there now.”
Nikolai hung up then fished his keys out of his pocket. His phone rang again. “I’m a popular guy tonight.”
He answered. It was John Winters who had been looking at the books.
“What’s the good news?”
“I’ve traced the account to someone.”
“I’m guessing his name is Krevchenko?”
“Yes. You figured it out?”
“I did,” Nikolai said.
“Well, I have the paper trail you’ll need for conviction. I’ll e-mail it all to you.”
“Thanks, John, I owe you.”
“A beer, buddy. It was kind of fun doing it.”
Nikolai laughed. Only a forensic accountant would enjoy the task he’d given him. “Promise. I should be down in DC in a few weeks.”
He’d have to clean out his apartment and his office. He was staying in New Jersey. He hadn’t thought about retiring from the FBI, but he was glad he was going ahead with it. He wanted more than chasing bad guys. He wanted to be able to go home at the end of the day.
He also wanted someone to be there. That was a major change.
He hopped into his car and drove over to his father’s house. His stepmother answered the door.
“For the record, I don’t agree with your father going with you. He shouldn’t be around the baby, especially if he’s in day care. You don’t know what he’s carrying.”
“Have you tried to talk him out of it?” Nikolai said.
He didn’t want to come between his father and his stepmother. She could be quite tough, but she had to be to deal with Yuri. The man was as stubborn as a mule.
“Of course I did. He insists on talking to Destiny.”
Nikolai sensed this had more to do with Destiny than his father. “What’s going on? You don’t like Destiny.”
His stepmother looked around then moved in closer. “I think he had an affair with her.”
Nikolai shook his head. “He didn’t. I know this. It was a rumor, but it wasn’t true.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive. I asked her myself.”
“She didn’t lie?”
“She wouldn’t lie to me. I know.”
“If you say so. Why did she leave you?”
“Because I’m a jerk who wasn’t willing to accept Derek into the equation.”
She looked him up and down. “You are now?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t let your father hold the baby. He loves kids, but it could be disastrous with his compromised immune system.”
“Got it. I’ll do my best.”
Yuri entered the living room. “Nik. You ready to go?”
“I am. Let’s go to se
e Martin first. The cops should be there by now,” Nikolai said.
His father nodded.
Martin Krevchenko lived in a neighborhood almost as nice as Yuri’s. Without the gate around it. One step below. A police car sat in front of the house where Martin lived. Yuri and Nikolai climbed out of his car.
The cop was bringing Martin out as they reached the porch. His face lit up. “Guys, help me here. They have a warrant for my arrest. I didn’t do anything.”
“We have evidence to the contrary,” Nikolai said.
“What are you talking about? I didn’t do it. Destiny did it. She masterminded this whole thing.”
Only Yuri’s hand on his arm stopped him from punching Martin. Nikolai took a deep breath. “Destiny didn’t do anything.”
“You just think that because you fucked her.”
Now he really needed to punch the man. He didn’t fuck Destiny. He’d made love to her. He just hadn’t known it at the time. He hadn’t realized his feelings for her. “What Destiny and I do is none of your business.”
“What does she see in you Almans?”
Nikolai put a hand on Yuri’s arm as he stepped toward Martin.
“Not worth it, Dad.”
The old man sighed. “You’re right. You’ll rot in jail, Martin. I had thought we were friends.”
“I’m innocent,” he yelled as he was shoved into the police car.
Nikolai and Yuri watched the police car drive away.
“You have Destiny’s address?” Nikolai asked.
“Yes.”
He followed his father to his car. The man slid into Nikolai’s car. “Where am I headed?”
He put the address in his phone’s navigation system then handed it to his father. “You’re my co-pilot.”
“I want to make sure she’s okay,” Yuri said.
“I understand. We need to reassure her that she isn’t getting arrested,” Nikolai said. He also wanted to bring her back to his place. She belonged there. She was his. Not his responsibility, but his partner. Who he wanted to spend time with.
In and out of bed.
The apartment was in a nicer neighborhood than she’d lived before, but not as nice as the apartments they’d looked at.
But it would do for now.
*
Destiny had just put Derek down when her doorbell rang. Who would be at her door now? It was a Friday night. Wasn’t everyone out?
She probably would be if she didn’t have a baby to care for. Not that she’d been a big partier. The last time she’d been to a bar, she’d picked up Nikolai. Look how that turned out.
No, she was safer at home with a glass of wine.
She looked through her peephole. Then she sighed. She opened the door. “You found me.”
Yuri laughed. “Of course I did. I still have ties to my company.”
He brushed past her. Nikolai stayed in the hallway. “Can I come in?”
“Of course.”
She didn’t really want him to, but to leave him out there would be rude. He kissed her cheek as he went by. He was looking pretty sexy in his faded jeans and button-down shirt. Good thing Yuri was here. Who knew what they would get up to? Nikolai could be pretty persuasive.
She closed the door then leaned on it. “So to what do I owe a visit from two generations of Almans?”
The two men looked at each other. Nikolai cleared his throat. “We wanted to let you know that the rumor at work is that you’re going to be arrested for embezzling money from the company.”
“So Martin wasn’t lying.”
“Martin?” Nikolai said. “When did you talk to him?”
“Two days ago. He showed up at my old apartment. He told me he wanted to help me hide.”
Nikolai’s face went red. Hopefully he wouldn’t try to beat the crap out of Krevchenko, but he certainly looked as if he wanted to. “He was at your apartment?”
“Yes, but I turned him away.”
Nikolai fisted his hands. His father put his hand on his arm. “We’ll let the cops deal with it.”
Nikolai nodded. “We have enough evidence to convict him. He’s going to get arrested tonight.”
“Not at work?”
“No, not at work. I don’t like making a scene,” Nikolai said.
“That’s nice of you. Not that he deserves it. I’d like to see him rot in jail for some of the things he’s said to me. He spread that rumor that Yuri and I were having an affair,” Destiny said.
Yuri’s face went red. “My wife heard that. She was sure we did.”
“I told her that you didn’t,” Nikolai said.
Destiny rubbed a hand down her face. She wasn’t being charged. That was good since she hadn’t done anything wrong. These guys could leave now. She brushed past them and grabbed her wine glass. A few weeks ago she never kept wine in her house. Now she always had at least one bottle. Nikolai’s influence.
“You’ll be free to go into work on Monday. The story will be out,” Nikolai said.
“I won’t be going into work on Monday.”
“Why not? You sick?” he said.
She wondered about the concern in his voice. Where was that coming from? She was safe now. He didn’t need to protect her. He could go back to his job. “I’m quitting. I was in the middle of writing my resignation notice when you guys knocked.”
Nikolai’s eyes widened. Yuri looked at her as if she had two heads then turned to his son. “What the hell did you do to her?”
Nikolai hung his head. Destiny wanted to smile. It was funny to see big, brave Nikolai chastised for once. He was still someone’s son. “I’m here to make it up to her.”
What? What had he said? She didn’t dare get her hopes up.
Yuri approached her, taking her hands in his. “You will have to excuse my son. He can be a butt-head.”
Butt-head? That sounded even funnier than usual with a Russian accent. “Yes, I’ve noticed.”
Nikolai frowned. “If we could have some privacy.” He handed his keys to his father. “Drive home. I’ll get the car tomorrow. Destiny and I have a lot to talk about.”
She wasn’t so sure about that, but she’d give him a chance. He had made the effort to find her. The least she could do was listen. Yuri kissed her cheek then left. She poured some more wine, plopping onto the couch to hear what he had to say.
“I’m sorry, Destiny. I haven’t been honest with you,” he began.
No surprise there. “About what?”
“About my plans for the future. I’m taking over my father’s business.”
She didn’t want to be pleased, but she was. At least he was sticking around. Yuri should retire. “Your father has earned a few years of not working.”
“He did. He’s a good man who built a solid company. I hope I can step into his shoes.”
Nikolai doubting himself? How odd. “I’m sure you can.”
He rubbed a hand down his face. “This is all new territory for me.”
She sipped her wine. He moved a little closer to her on the couch. She let him. He smelled good. Like soap and man. She had to resist him.
“You aren’t going to make this easy are you?”
“Nope.”
He sighed then moved closer to her. He took her hand in his. “I was premature in stating that I didn’t want a baby in my life.”
“Oh?”
“I’ve fallen in love, Destiny. With you. With Derek.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“It does. I never thought I’d want the whole picket fence thing. I liked the darker side of life, putting bad guys away, but I’ve had a taste of domesticity and I like it. Who knew?”
She wasn’t sure what to make of this Nikolai. He did seem very different. He seemed, settled. Content even. Should she believe him?
“This seems like a sudden change of heart. How can I believe that you won’t want to go off and chase bad guys again?”
“It isn’t sudden. I just wasn’t admitting it to myself, De
stiny. I couldn’t admit it to you, but spending time with you and Derek has changed my attitude. Changed my mind. This is what I want. Right here.”
She cocked her head, studying him. She’d never known him to lie to her. Never. He’d been brutally honest at times. She was trying to figure out if he had an angle here. She couldn’t see one, so what he was saying must be true. He was putting himself out there when she hadn’t told him her feelings. He had no idea if she was going to take his heart and give him hers.
She swallowed, then looked down at their hands. His large white ones and her smaller black ones. They worked together. They worked well together, not just as hands, but as two people who understood each other.
“What are you asking me for?”
“I want a chance to prove how I feel. To show you that I can be here for you. That I love you and I love Derek and that I want to be everything for both of you,” he said.
That was a large promise. One that had never been made to Destiny by anyone. She wanted to believe him, but part of her had never expected to hear these words from anyone.
“I love you, Nikolai.”
Once again her mouth engaged before her brain was done deciding. He smiled, then pulled her into a kiss. “I had hoped that you loved me, too. You think you can forgive me for being a butt-head?”
She laughed. “Yes, I can forgive you.”
“Good, because I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. You’re it for me, Destiny. This is the life I want. No looking over my shoulder. No pretending to be someone else. Me, Nikolai Alman, from now on.” He pulled her closer. “I love you, Destiny Brown. Please marry me so we can adopt this little boy and raise him in the love we share.”
She nodded, her throat too choked up with emotion for her to form words. Nikolai glanced around. “The baby’s asleep. I can’t promise you long days in bed, but we could fit in a quickie.”
She laughed. Of course Nikolai would think of sex first, but her body had missed his. “I think in the future, Derek will have to have his own room.”
Nikolai nodded as he captured her lips in a kiss. The baby didn’t wake up until they were done.
THE END
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