by Apryl Baker
Delia raised her head, tears running down her pale cheeks. “Promise?”
“I promise, malyshka. You will always be safe with me, even when I’m angry. And I probably will get angry, but it will never be directed at you or your mama.”
“Okay.” Delia sniffled loudly but didn’t budge from where she was wrapped around her mother. “What does maly…maly…”
“Malyshka?” he finished for her.
She nodded. “What does it mean?”
“It means ‘little girl’ in Russian, but it’s more a term of endearment.”
She looked at him quizzically not understanding.
“It’s more a term of affection.”
That, she understood, and a ghost of a smile graced her face. It endeared her even more to him. This kid needed more reasons to smile, and he promised to do what he could to achieve that. One smile a day. That was his goal for her.
“I’m sorry.” Sara hugged her daughter close. “I…”
“Don’t be sorry.” Viktor laid his hand over hers, a spark of electricity jolting him, but he didn’t move away. “You have every right to your feelings, and it will take time for you to learn to trust me. I understand, but you must accept that your safety is all I care about, and that means I am going to tell you what to do when it’s necessary. I won’t budge on that.”
“No.” Sara shook her head, pushing her fear back. “I won’t ever allow anyone to tell me what to do. Not ever again. You can advise, and if I think it’s acceptable, I will be more than happy to take that advice.”
“That’s not how this works.”
“It’s how it’s going to work.”
“No.”
Sara pursed her lips. “Then you’re fired.”
His lips tilted upward into a devastating smile. “You can’t fire me.”
“Oh, really?” She narrowed her eyes.
“Yes, really. Dimitri hired me, and until he fires me, you’re stuck with me.”
Son of a dog biscuit. “I refuse to have this conversation. I have a signing to get ready for, and Delia’s had enough stress for one day.”
He smiled, and she wanted to throw the rest of the yogurt in his face, but she refrained. Just barely. Mostly because the victim in her was afraid of what he might do in reprisal.
“Let’s go, poppet.” Sara stood, collected her daughter’s hand, and walked away from the table, aware of the burning gaze boring into her back. Sweet Jesus, that man.
Sara muttered as she pulled the collapsible cart through the hallway heading to her room. It had been a hell of a day, especially with the whole Becca incident. Dimitri’s crazy ex attacked the girl in the bathroom and nearly beat her half to death. Props to Becca for fighting back and coming out the victor. She and Dimitri were still at the hospital. Poor Dimitri. He’d been inconsolable.
He'd asked her to deal with the rest of his pre-orders and break down his table while he went to the hospital with his girl. She’d agreed, but it had taken her twice as long to wrap things up. Not knowing what to do with his things, she’d had the hotel store them and then sent him a text letting him know where everything was.
When she finally managed to dig out her room card and swipe it, she was ready to scream in frustration. She’d been fighting this cart from the second she’d gotten in the elevator. Things kept falling off.
“Mommy!”
She barely had time to brace herself before the flying hairball that was her daughter barreled into her. All her anger and stress melted away with those tiny arms around her. Her daughter was the one thing that brought her any peace these days.
“It’s good to see you too, poppet. Where’s Nana?”
“In the bathroom. Her tummy hurts.”
Sara frowned, worried. Her mother had been having stomach problems all weekend. When they got home, she was going to make an appointment with the doctor if she wasn’t any better. Stomach bugs were no joke, especially at her mother’s age.
“Well, I guess we’ll order takeout for dinner so Nana can rest. We all need a good night’s sleep before we go home tomorrow.”
“Is Viktor coming with us?” Delia tugged at her hair so hard she winced. “He promised to keep Daddy away.”
She hoped he was, because the truth of it was she needed his help with her ex. The goal was to catch Roger violating his restraining order so he could be thrown in jail, and to keep them safe while they tried to do that. Delia wasn’t the only one afraid of Roger. He’d often threatened Sara with what he’d do if she ever left him. None of it pleasant.
Instead of letting herself think about that, she started looking for lounge clothes. “Yes, honey, Viktor will be coming home with us. Maybe not on the plane, but he’ll meet us back in Virginia.”
“Why not on the plane?”
“Because he has a car and will be driving there.”
“Can’t we drive with him?”
Sara turned and looked at her daughter. The hopeful expression on her little face was almost too much to destroy. Delia had always been anxious around strangers, but she’d taken right up with Viktor. It was so unusual, Sara had talked to her mother about it before the signing began. She’d been just as shocked as Sara.
“Honey, we have plane tickets.”
“So?” Delia wiggled down off the bed to find her coloring books.
“Plane tickets are expensive, poppet. We can’t just throw them away.” Sara had already opened a new bank account and had her royalties switched over from her old account she shared with Roger to the new one. Thank God she’d done it before Amazon and iBooks paid out. It was the only reason she had any money right now. Not that she had a lot, but there was enough to make it until next month.
Delia pouted, but she didn’t argue, recognizing her mother’s tone of voice. While it wasn’t harsh, it did convey the conversation was over.
Sara yawned and changed into her own pajamas. The day definitely called for a relaxing evening in with some much-needed peace and quiet before the bustling airport tomorrow.
Her mother, Sue Anne Grafton, emerged from the bathroom. It amazed her that the woman didn’t look a day over fifty, even though she was in her early seventies. She kept her hair dyed a light brown to hide the silver of her aging locks. Her mother loved jewelry, and it was quite evident when she waltzed out of the bathroom, rings on her fingers, tennis bracelet on one wrist, watch on the other, with her earrings shining from beneath the pixie cut of her hair.
“Nana!” Delia’s cheerful greeting pulled her grandmother’s attention to her. “Feel better?”
“Yes.” Sara noticed how pale her mother was, and her worry worsened. There had been a bug going around back home before the signing. It appeared her mom hadn’t escaped it.
“Is Nana’s baby hungry?”
“Uh huh.” Delia shifted impatiently from foot to foot. “Mama said we could order in. I want pizza!”
“You always want pizza.” Sara ruffled her daughter’s bangs. The French braid from this morning was still holding up. “How are you feeling, Mom?”
“I’m fine, sweetheart.” Sue Anne brushed it off. “So, we’re not going out to eat?”
“Not after the day I’ve had.” She sent Delia back to her coloring books and told her about the signing and then the whole crazy ex situation. “Seems I’m not the only one with a violent ex.”
Sue Anne shook her head sadly. “What is wrong with people?”
“Your guess is as good as mine, Mom.”
The knock at the door startled all three. They stood there for a moment, a mixture of fear and trepidation holding them still. It was Sara who finally shook herself free and strode over to the door, looking out the peephole. If it was Roger, she’d call hotel security.
Much to her chagrin, Viktor Kincaid stood waiting outside the door. He looked even hotter than he had this morning, if that was possible. Viktor was dark and broody, his Russian accent thick, and those black eyes of his set all her girly parts tingling. He’d inspired a few fantasi
es since they’d met, but his overbearing attitude tended to cool her raging lust. She’d had enough men in her life telling her what to do, thank you very much.
If it weren’t for Delia, she’d tell him to fuck off. Dimitri assured her his brother was one of the best in the business, and what he did wasn’t meant to demean, but to protect them. Didn’t make it any easier to accept, though.
She unlocked the door and opened it, forgetting she had on a ratty tank top and her bunny pajama bottoms. Only when Viktor’s mouth tilted into a smirk did she remember. Looking down, she gasped and almost shut the door in his face, but Delia’s squeal of delight stopped her.
The six-year-old came barreling at Viktor, who caught her and twirled her around. She and her mother both gaped. He was a Delia whisperer.
“Hello, malyshka.”
The accent was thicker than she remembered, but it sent a shiver down her spine all the same. Her mother’s quick intake of breath wasn’t missed when Viktor came into the room, Delia swinging off his arm like a little monkey. Sue Anne’s eyes widened, and she took a step back.
Viktor was a big man, his face hard despite the softness of his expression when he grinned down at Delia, who babbled about pizza. Dimitri said he tended to scare kids, but not hers. At least not after his promise. Why Delia accepted it as gospel, she didn’t know, but the child did.
It seemed he frightened her mother, though. Not that she could blame her. Despite the lust currently trying to overtake every cell in her body, she could admit Viktor was a scary man. She shook her head. Best to get the whole lust idea out of her head. She was not going to jump from a failed marriage where she was demeaned into a rebound fling. She needed to focus on her daughter and helping them both heal.
“Mom, this is Viktor Kincaid. He’s the personal security I told you about.” She finally found her voice and skirted around Viktor. “This is my mother, Sue Anne Grafton.”
“Ma’am.” Viktor tipped his head toward her mother and swung Delia around again, the child squealing with delight. “Mrs. Riley, I thought you and I could go discuss your situation more fully now that your signing is done for the day.”
“I, ah…well, we were just about to order pizza and…”
Her mother finally found her voice. “I can do that, Sara Jane. You and Viktor go talk about the things you need to. Delia and I will be fine here.”
Sara glanced at her mother. She didn’t look nearly as frightened as before, but who could really be afraid of a man swinging a child and making silly faces at her every time she swung upward?
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to get dressed.” Sara didn’t miss the glint of amusement in Viktor’s eyes when she grabbed the clothes she’d discarded and fled to the bathroom. It was a relief to hide out for a second and regain some composure.
She’d bet all the Kincaid men were gorgeous, judging by Viktor and his brother. If she remembered correctly, Dimitri said he had five brothers. Sweet Lord, she pitied the women whose hearts they’d broken. And she had no doubts they’d broken hearts. She’d talked to Dimitri about his manwhoring ways, and he’d assured her he wasn’t the only one. His brothers felt the same. They made no commitments, just had good old-fashioned fun.
Until he’d realized he loved Becca, something Sara had known for over a year. She was glad the two of them finally figured out they were meant for each other. Thinking of Becca made her wonder why Viktor was here instead of at the hospital with his brother and Becca. Surely, that was more important than babysitting her for the night. Roger wasn’t even in town.
Splashing cool water on her very heated face, she took several deep breaths then brushed her teeth. She couldn’t abandon her mother out there forever. Hopping on one foot, she yanked on her jeans then hastily pulled on the same green blouse she’d worn to the signing. Giving her hair a quick brush, she piled it up into a messy bun, using the hair scrunchie she’d left on the sink last night.
When she finally stopped procrastinating, she opened the door and walked back into the room. Delia had settled herself on the bed, her mother retreating to the opposite end of the room from where Viktor lounged against the window frame, looking out over the view of the city.
Viktor felt her come back into the room. It was the strangest feeling. He’d never been so aware of a woman before. He’d often heard his father say he always knew when his mother walked into a room, but he’d dismissed it as his old man just being nostalgic. Now he understood the feeling. And it was a feeling he pushed down. His job was to protect this woman and her family, not get sidetracked by feelings he had no business entertaining.
But he did lust after her. Since he’d laid eyes on her that morning, all he could think about was getting her into bed. Those gray eyes of hers had almost knocked him on his ass. Sara could be his undoing without even trying.
He buried all that and put his game face on. Business and pleasure did not mix. That was how things slipped past you and people got hurt.
Viktor crossed his arms and turned to face her, aware of how intimidating his stance was. He knew she’d just come off an abusive relationship, but this was his own way of putting distance between them. The woman and her child needed stability and protection. That was what he was here for.
“Mommy, can I watch Adventure Time?” Delia asked from where she lay on the bed, one knee on top of the other, her foot bouncing.
“No, you may not, young lady.” Delia leaned down and kissed her daughter’s forehead. “You know that show is off limits.”
“But, Mommy,” Delia whined, “Jessi’s mommies let her watch it.”
“And since when do I care what Jessie’s mothers do or do not do? You can watch SpongeBob and eat pizza.”
“Two slices?” She turned her face up, hopeful.
“Two slices, and then a bath if I’m not back. No sassing Nana.”
Some instinct stirred to life inside Viktor that was so fierce it made no sense. He’d done a few domestic violence cases since he opened his security firm, but he’d never felt this strongly before. Seeing Delia, sweet and happy, her mother laughing and being very motherly flipped a switch like nothing in his life ever had. It scared him.
“Are you ready to go?” It came out harsher than he’d intended, and Delia’s entire body hunched in on itself. Dammit. He needed to tone his shit down.
“Yes.” Sara picked up her purse and grabbed her phone off the desk. “We’ll be back as soon as we can, Mom.”
“Take your time, honey.” Sue Anne settled into the chair with her book. “We’ll be fine.”
Sara Jane fidgeted a moment longer before she finally gave up and walked toward the door. “I’ll see you soon, poppet.”
“See ya, Mommy.”
Viktor walked behind her, his eyes appreciating her ass for two seconds before he reminded himself to behave. The sooner they talked, the sooner he could escape to his room and away from the temptation that was Sara Jane Riley.
She should have known he’d be a foodie. Dimitri was obsessed with food, even though he had the most finicky stomach known to man. Viktor took them to a place close to the hotel. At least she wasn’t far in case she was wrong about Roger not being in town and he showed up at the hotel.
The ride to the restaurant had been awkward and uncomfortable. Neither of them spoke. She kept stealing glances at him, but he hadn’t taken his eyes off the road once. The silence made her even more nervous than she’d already been. Being around a six-year-old who asked a thousand questions a minute didn’t leave room for quiet.
“Have you been here before?” Sara took the menu from the waitress and asked for water. The sugar from soda would only aggravate her nervousness.
“No.” Viktor looked through his own menu. “Dimitri beat me to it and wasted no time in gloating. He doesn’t even follow the show.”
“The show?”
“Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” He scrunched his nose as he studied the menu. “He texted me earlier with a snapshot of his food.”
&nb
sp; “Is this the same place where Dimitri was earlier?” She looked around, curious. “He was eating Becca’s duck fries.”
Viktor burst out laughing. “He’s going to be shitting his brains out by the end of the night.”
“What?”
“He can’t eat duck. It does bad things to his stomach. I hope the bastard ate at least half of them before she stopped him.”
“That’s a little cruel and unusual, isn’t it?” Why would he wish that upon his brother?
“Fuck, no. He deserves it. Last time we had chili, he laced all ours with laxative. Now, that was cruel and unusual.”
“Why on earth would he do that?”
“Because we laughed at all the bathroom memes of him running off stage.”
She shook her head. Thank God she didn’t have boys.
“I’m surprised you’re not at the hospital with Dimitri and Becca.” She flipped through her menu, trying to make up her mind. It all looked so good.
“I was,” he admitted. “Scared the shit…fuck, I shouldn’t have said…” He broke off and frowned. “Sorry, I do try not to curse around women, but sometimes it just slips out. I’ll apologize for future slip-ups now.”
Sara smiled. She remembered Dimitri telling her about Viktor’s sense of morality and how he almost always failed. At least he tried.
“Once I was sure Becca was going to be okay, I headed back here. She’s in good hands. My brother loves her and will make sure she doesn’t overdo it. About time he figured it out.”
The waitress came and took their order, interrupting what she was going to say. Viktor settled back against the booth and took his tablet out of the briefcase he’d brought in with him. A Windows Surface Pro. She’d often wondered about those. The commercials for them always looked so cool. She had an iPad herself, but only because her laptop was an Apple, as well as her phone. It was easier to be able to sync everything.
