“My son, my beloved son,” my father says as he leans down to kiss my forehead and cradle my face in his hands for a moment. It never ceases to amaze me how a man as cold as my father can be so tender and loving toward his wife and family.
“I got shot,” I rasp. That means I may be in this bed for a couple of days. Suddenly I think of Logan. The possibility that she may be dead slams into me with such force that I jerk up and blurt out, “Logan!?! Where is she?”
The pain in my shoulder forces me to fall back against the pillows.
“She’s on her way to see you. You saved her life,” he says, pausing briefly before adding solemnly, “and she saved yours.”
I breathe deeply, willing away the searing aftereffects of the sudden movement. My father doesn’t have to ask me. I start talking, giving him information I know he will need—vengeance is a given. Nothing sends a message to our adversaries like swift judgement and retribution toward those who dare to move against our cell.
“We came out of the house and I saw the blast of gunfire from the backseat of a dark sedan. I didn’t get a look at who it was. But there is one thing I know for sure.”
“And what is that?” My father’s voice drips with all the malevolence of a man bent on revenge.
“They weren’t gunning for me. They wanted Logan.”
Chapter Twenty Six
Logan
I take a moment to slip into a pair of jeans and flip-flops after tying the oversized shirt of Kodiak’s in a knot in the front. I pad over to a mirror and pull my hair back in a ponytail. I don’t want to upset Kodiak by letting him see me looking like death warmed over. The dark circles and swollen eyes are a giveaway to just how upset I’ve been, but there isn’t anything I can do about that. I finish just in time to see Roksana standing in the doorway. I think she’s just as excited about seeing her brother as I am.
“Okay, that’s about all I can do, considering what I have to work with.”
“You’re beautiful, Logan. Trust me, Kodiak will like what he sees.”
“Like you aren’t stunning with that mane of red hair.” It feels easy talking to her and I know this tragedy has brought us together.
We leave the bedroom and head down to the library. This time I pay more attention as she pulls the book back and the secret wall opens to the hospital corridor. It’s remarkable how much care went into the construction of the mansion. A smile crosses my face as I think about how the workers probably had to sign a confidentiality agreement before they were hired. Having the blueprints to the house of a man with Glazov’s power would be priceless inside information to an enemy or even the police. Geez, I wonder if he killed everyone after they finished. As over the top as the thought is, I’m learning not to be shocked by much of anything that goes on around here. And I doubt he would do something like that. I’m pretty sure, anyway.
We walk by the nurse’s station and the nurse on duty looks up from her paperwork. “He’s awake, but he’s heavily sedated. Please don’t talk about anything that will upset him.”
I’m shocked when Roksana says, “Yes, ma’am.” Though the nurse sounds bossy I understand her reasoning; she wants to keep him stable. Rest is always the best thing for any patient, and talking about going after whoever did this isn’t something he needs to be dealing with right now.
Roksana taps on the door and awaits her father’s instruction to come in before we enter. I rush to the bed and look down at Kodiak, the flood of emotion that courses through me has me feeling a little lightheaded as it sinks in how very close I came to losing him. I pull up a chair and sit next to him holding his hand. He scowls and tugs on my hand until I stand and lean over to give him a peck on the lips. That just leads to another scowl as he yanks me down for a deep, hungry kiss that tells me everything I need to know. Glazov clears his throat and we break apart. “Oops,” I whisper as I pull away from him and sit back down.
“I must leave, son, I have things to discuss with Novak.” I’m shocked to feel Glazov’s hand on my shoulder and I look up into a face that could have been hewn out of granite. He looks down at me steadily, as if assessing me and coming to a decision. “I understand you threw yourself on top of Kodiak after he was shot, when there was the possibility of more violence. You did well, and I am forever in your debt. Welcome to the family, Logan.”
I beam with pride, shamelessly pleased to have his approval at long last. Kodiak’s father knows now that when the chips are down, I won’t run. In this family no man gets left behind and I proved my allegiance when I put myself in harm’s way during a gun fight. In fact, if I’d had a gun I wouldn’t have hesitated to shoot to kill, right between the eyes. I feel a sense of belonging that I’ve never felt with my own family. This is what family is supposed to be, a unified force for a common goal.
“Thank you, sir. It means more than you could ever know.”
“Very good,” he says with a nod. He turns to address the others in the room. “If you will excuse me, there is much to be done.” He and Kodiak share a long, silent look that speaks volumes before he turns abruptly and leaves the room without another word. He’s a man on a mission to avenge his son, and I don’t feel one ounce of pity for the target of his reprisal.
Chapter Twenty Seven
Glazov
When I enter my office to see my cousin Novak waiting for me, I can tell that he’s as furious as I am. Pissing Novak off isn’t something even I would want to do. He’s had a close bond with my son from the moment Kodiak became mine all those years ago. We’ve all watched out for Kodiak because of the loss he suffered at such a young age. He is like a son to Novak. And Novak is the only man I would permit to have that kind of bond with my son.
I get right to the point. “There’s something that keeps coming up that has me questioning who the hit was really intended for.”
“What do you mean? Wait...Logan?” he asks. Novak and I think a lot alike and, in our case, two heads often are better than one. After growing up together and years of working together, we know what the other is thinking and we feed off of it. Getting to the bottom of this hit is only a matter of time. “Daaaamn,” he mutters. “Little Miss Innocent might have a hit out on her, huh? Talk about a damned curve ball. What, does she have some kind of secret life or connections to street thugs that we need to make Kodiak aware of?”
“Nope, I’d see through that. Somebody has it in for her and she doesn’t even realize it. The problem is, we don’t know who it is either.”
“You need to put that girl on lockdown.”
“She has agreed to move in with Kodiak in the pool house. Until then I don’t think she’ll stray far from his side and I imagine he’ll keep close tabs on her, to say the least,” he says with a smirk. “While he recovers, she’s in the mansion when she’s not at his bedside and will only be allowed to leave on authorized excursions under the personal protection of family.”
“A chaperone for a grown woman? I know she’s not Bratva, but wish I could be there when she hears about that. Well, so it is written, so it is done, bro. Look, you’re doing the right thing. She can’t protect herself, and now Kodiak can’t protect her either. What do we do when a brother’s family members are put in a vulnerable situation?”
“We step in and take up the slack,” I say with pride.
“Exactly. It’s time for you to step in and do what you know how to do. Is she family?”
“After tonight, yeah, she is. Kodiak’s serious about her and she showed undeniable courage by protecting him from additional threats. Put herself at risk without thinking twice. You and I both know your true colors come out when the bullets start flying. She surprised me, Novak…no, she impressed me tonight.”
“You are Pakhan for a reason, my friend. Your wisdom sustains us all. It is good that you take control. After all, we are talking about his rodstvennaya dusha here. I heard him that day and so did you. No harm can come to her now.”
That isn’t going to happen. I won’t allow it. Kodiak and h
is brother, sister, and mother are my world.
Chapter Twenty Eight
Logan
The last couple of days have been spent getting Kodiak well, which has meant a lot of rest on his part and a lot of visiting on mine. Luckily the bullet somehow managed to go through a space between his collar bone and shoulder. So he lost a lot of blood but will recover. It could easily have been so much worse if the bullet had hit another area of his chest that would have shattered bone or, worse yet, hit his heart and killed him.
I can’t help but be proud to be walking the halls of the mansion by myself. The Glazovs don’t often allow outsiders in their home and they most certainly don’t allow them to walk the halls of the mansion alone. As silly as it sounds, I feel a sense of pride as I pull the book back that opens the hidden wall so I can go see Kodiak. This mansion has hidden coves and hallways that are like something you’d find in a fairy tale or a fantasy fiction novel. I liken it to a castle on the seashore but this mansion is built on the shores of secrets. To be included in those secrets isn’t something to be taken lightly.
I stop at the nurse’s station to talk to the head nurse, whom I’ve gotten to know quite well over the last week.
“How’s he doing?” I ask.
“He’s antsy, which I’m sure comes as no surprise. He keeps saying that he’s ready for you to take him back to his room,” she says with a raised brow.
I blush and clear my throat. “So…do you think he’s okay to go home today?”
She sets her pen down to give me her full attention. “He should be fine as long as he doesn’t overdo it. That’s where you come in. He’s going to want to do a lot more than his body’s ready for,” she says pointedly. “I’m sending pain meds home with him, but the making him rest part is going to be your job. I presume he can be quite…persuasive.” Again, I blush. “No exertion of any kind. It’s for his own good. I don’t want those sutures breaking open or we could be looking at infection.”
“Oh, I’ll keep an eye on him, scouts honor.” I lift my hand, making the scout’s honor sign with three fingers. The nurse still looks skeptical but allows me passage through the electronic double doors after she gives me a wheelchair to transport my patient.
I roll the wheelchair into Kodiak’s room where he’s pacing the floor. “Boy, somebody is ready to get out of here, aren’t they?”
He turns at the sound of my voice and strides over to me to take me in his arms. After a thorough kiss from him, I wonder if maybe I might need that wheelchair more than he does, my knees are suddenly weak. He looks toward the door and hisses, “Anything! I’ll do anything, just get me away from Nurse Ratched.”
I chuckle as I direct him into the wheelchair. “Don’t let her hear you say that.”
“Just get me the fuck out of here, baby.”
“Your wish is my command.” I say as I maneuver the wheelchair and its precious cargo backwards out the door.
“That’s what I’m counting on. I’ve got a serious case of blue balls.”
“I’m sure you’ll be fine,” I say quickly when the nurse’s head whips up from her paperwork. She narrows her eyes at Kodiak as we approach and I wonder if she heard his comment. I think he must wonder the same thing because he doesn’t say another word as we pass her desk. I know the last thing he wants is a lecture about abstinence from “Nurse Ratched”.
“Remember what I said,” she calls out as we hightail it toward freedom.
“Yes, ma’am,” I reply, not bothering to turn around but still making the effort to wave goodbye over my shoulder. I have to admit I’m glad the woman has been so vigilant in the care Kodiak has received. There’s been no difference in the medical expertise here than what you would expect of a real hospital. It’s pretty impressive.
I wait until I’m out of earshot to speak. “Man, she acts like this is a real hospital.”
“This is a real hospital. When my father does something, he goes all out—he demands excellence, only the best. I feel safer in this hospital than I would at General.”
The same way Alexander Glazov goes all out with this hidden hospital is the same way he will pursue vengeance for his son. But no matter how hard I try, I just can’t shake the feeling that the shooter was gunning for me. The only reason I can think of for someone wanting to shoot me down is my father. I’m beginning wonder if he owes some gangster money and they’re using me to get to him. Too bad they don’t realize that they’re wasting their time. My father’s a bastard who couldn’t care less about me.
Chapter Twenty Nine
Kodiak
I can’t help but stare at her as she gets me set up in bed. Everything in me wants to reach out and grab her. I want to pin her body beneath me but my body won’t allow me access to my woman. Fucking sutures. When I find who did this to me, they’re going to pay. Not being able to fuck my woman is just another thing that’s pissing me off.
I pat the bed next to me and gesture for her to sit down. “Come here. I’ve got something for you.”
“Oh, really,” she drawls skeptically and slowly shakes her head. I roll my eyes. “Reach into the bedside table drawer and get the small box out.” She gets the box and sits next to me, grinning like a kid waiting for permission to open a Christmas present.
“Go ahead, open it.” She opens the box with fumbling fingers and squeals with delight as she throws her arms around my neck. That smile right there makes me feel like a goddamn caveman – and hard as a fucking rock. The simple pleasure I get from making her happy is new to me, something I’ve never found with any other woman.
“A Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Oh, Kodiak, this is so generous and thoughtful of you. I’ve wanted a good phone forever.”
“Yeah, well, full disclosure: It has a tracking device on it. I’m not taking any chances with you.”
“I wouldn’t care if it was bugged, I love it.”
“You said it, baby, not me.” If she ever realizes it’s bugged, she can never say I didn’t let her know. The only guy she better be calling is Gilbert, although I hear through the Bratva grapevine that he’s had his hands full with Dominika. More than likely, she’s had her hands and God knows what else full of him. The thought of what she’s probably doing to the poor guy makes me laugh out loud. Hell, I’m happy for the kid. He’s learning from one of the best.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, just wondering how Gilbert is faring with his Amazon bodyguard.”
“Now that is funny. Knowing him, he’s beyond saving at this point.”
“Talk about an odd couple.”
Her phone ringing pulls us from our conversation. “Mother, how are you? Yes, I got in a few minutes ago, Logan’s just putting me to bed,” I say as I shamelessly leer at my woman. Logan seems confused that I answered her phone and even more so when she realizes who’s calling. I’ve already programmed Mother’s number into her contacts. Bratva women need each other, even I’m smart enough to realize that. God knows I had plenty of time to program her phone and download apps for her while I was stuck in bed for a week.
“Sure. We’ll meet you there. Yes, Mother, I know, it’s girl’s day out. I’m just dropping her off and picking her up. I’ll be fine. I swear, if I don’t get out of this house…I’m going stir crazy.”
Logan waits until I get off the phone before she starts in on me. “Are you trying to get my ass kicked by ‘Nurse Ratched’?”
“She’ll have to get through me first. Now help me get dressed.”
She approaches the bed with a shy smile and I wonder what she’s up to. But when her gaze lingers below my waist, I know what she wants to do. Blow jobs are something we haven’t done yet, and I’m pretty sure it’s something she’s never done before. But my cock is a great guy and springs to attention, completely on board with the idea. She looks at me expectantly, biting her lip nervously, and I have to close my eyes to keep my dick from saving her the trouble.
“I know you’re not supposed to exert yourself, but I thought, i
f I do all the work then you--”
“On your knees,” I bite out. I’ve been going crazy without any real contact with her this week, the endless parade of nurses and visitors making it damn near impossible to have a private conversation, much less anything else. I lower my pants and gesture for her to take me into her hands. I show her how to handle me the way I like. I let my head fall back on the pillow. She’s a fucking natural. “Look at me,” I rasp as I lay my hand on the back of her head, holding her gaze as I direct her mouth down to my waiting cock. I’m so desperate to have her mouth on me that this probably won’t take long. As her lips dance on the head of my cock and the slick, velvet heat of her mouth sheaths me all the way down to the root, I swear I’ll make it up to her
It’s the best goddamn minute and a half of my life.
Kodiak
Logan helps me dress, a task that just days ago was so simple for me to do alone. I’m not used to depending on people, but if I have to I’m glad it’s Logan. She goes about the task as if it’s something she’s used to doing. Makes me wonder how many times she had to help her drunk of a mother. The woman better leave Logan alone and pray to God I never meet her, because if I do I’m going to make sure she understands what happens to anyone who makes Logan unhappy.
In the Russian culture being a bad mother is worse than being a mass murderer. As far as I’m concerned, that bitch abandoned Logan as a child when she forced her to grow up faster than she should have had to. You don’t have to leave a child to abandon them, ignoring them can be just as bad. Without speaking a word, you’re telling them on a daily basis that they aren’t worth your time.
Chapter Thirty
Logan
I expect Kodiak’s mother to give him a hard time for leaving the house, but I don’t expect Kodiak to put the two ladies through the third degree.
Expose' (Born Bratva Book 3) Page 14
