Nanny and the BRATVA BOSS

by Daiko, SC

  Shit, I could hear a woman sobbing.

  “I’ll charter an airplane for you.” The pain at the back of my throat was making it difficult to speak. “Zoe needs you here as soon as possible. In the meantime, I’ll inform you if there are any changes…”

  I gritted my teeth.

  Zoe wouldn’t die.

  SHE COULDN’T.

  I signed off after explaining that the plane charter company would be in touch with details of their flight.

  With a deep groan, I pushed the heel of my palm into my aching chest. I’d felt Luke’ Addison’s animosity crackling through cyberspace. He hadn’t accused me of putting his daughter at risk; he’d behaved like the archetypical uber-polite Englishman. But the unspoken accusation had hung heavy in the atmosphere between us, and no doubt harsh words would be said when he met me in person.

  I fucking deserved his hatred.

  Clenching my jaw, I steeled myself to go and face Emma. How to explain last night’s events to an innocent twelve-year-old?

  The purr of a motor alerted me to Oleg’s arrival. Demyan carried out the prescribed risk assessment, checking there was no one suspicious in the vicinity, and shielded me as I climbed into the back of the car.

  I pulled out my cell again, put through a call to my attorney. I spoke in code, my voice low-pitched… you never knew who’d be listening in… and arranged a meeting with him. Damage limitation would be the name of the game. I tightened my fists and licked my lips.

  The fucking Polombo were going to pay, and pay dearly, for their sins.

  * * *

  Later, Emma and I were sitting on a dune, having come out for a walk after I’d gotten back and showered. Noisy seagulls wheeled and cawed in the thermals above us and the salty scent of the ocean was in the air. Semion’s men were keeping watch. Armed security was prevalent at the Abramoviches, and something my daughter was used to at home. She’d never questioned it and didn’t question it now.

  She picked up a handful of warm sand, let the grains trickle through her fingers, and I noticed the sadness of her expression. I wished Zoe was here to tell me how to console her. Being a hands-on father was completely new to me.

  “Papa, will Zoe be alright?” Emma tilted her chin toward me.

  “I hope so,” I sighed. “Zoe won’t give in to this. She’s real tough.”

  I put my arm around Emma and gave her a hug. Such a blatant show of affection wouldn’t have come easily to me only a few short weeks ago. Now it seemed as natural as breathing.

  She squirmed out of my hold and threw me a quick glance. “Why did that man shoot her?”

  I rubbed my hands down my pants, tried to come up with an answer.

  “It was an accident,” I lied.

  How could I tell her that Zoe had been targeted because of me? I didn’t want to scare her. She’d worry she might also become a target.

  Emma’s bottom lip trembled, and her eyes filled with tears. “Can I come to the hospital with you later? I want to see her.”

  She was killing me. Fucking killing me. Hot tears welled up in my own eyes. I brushed them away with the back of my hand.

  “The next three days will be critical,” I held her close again, kissed the top of her sweet head. “And Zoe’s family will be spending as much time with her as the doctors will permit…”

  “But we’re family too, aren’t we?” Emma’s voice wavered. “Alyona told me her mom said you were gonna marry Zoe. That makes us family.”

  My heart felt like it would rip in two. “You are right, Emmochka. Together with Zoe we are family.” I couldn’t find it in me to tell her I hadn’t proposed yet. That I’d told everyone at the hospital Zoe was my fiancée. It gave me next-of-kin rights at a crucial moment when I signed the consent form for her procedure.

  I took Emma’s hand. “Are you happy for Zoe to be my wife?”

  “I’d LOVE her to be.” A sudden frown creased her brow. “I know I already have a mom, and Zoe is kinda young to be a mom to me. She’s more like a big sister. A bossy big sister.”

  I laughed at her perceptiveness, squeezed her fingers. “Do you remember your mama?” I came right out with it.

  We hadn’t spoken about Nina since that terrible event seven years ago.

  Emma’s frown deepened. “I remember she was always so sad.”

  “She loves you, Emmochka. But she’s very sick. Too sick to be with you.”

  My daughter nodded sagely. “Yeah. Mrs. Konin explained that to me.” She shrugged. “It’s okay. I don’t miss her anymore.” A soft smile spread across her lips. “Especially now I have Zoe.” She huffed out a breath. “Promise me she’ll be okay?”

  It was time to be truthful. “I can’t promise, myshka. There is every chance she’ll pull through. But nothing is guaranteed in this life.”

  “That’s why I wanna see her.” The tears spilled from Emma’s eyes and ran down her cheeks. “Please, take me with you when you go to the hospital? I couldn’t bear it if I never saw her again... I love her so much.”

  What could I say? She’d ripped me into shreds, and I had to agree. “If the doctors allow, it will only be for a couple of minutes, okay?”

  “Sure. I understand,” she smiled weakly. “I love you, Papa.”

  “Love you too, myshka.” I got to my feet, pulled her into another hug and kissed the top of her head again. “You and Zoe make me complete. Now, let’s get some lunch. I need to make a couple of phone calls and have a meeting with Mr. Abramovich. Then we’ll go visit Zoe.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  I’m floating.

  Everything is dark around me, but there’s light in the distance.

  I dream I’m walking toward the light, but I can’t open my eyes.

  I hear a voice. “Zoe, can you show me two fingers?”

  The voice is gentle and sounds kind, although I have no clue who’s speaking.

  I concentrate hard, manage to do as asked.

  It takes everything within me to make the effort.

  Exhausted, I spiral back into the cocoon of darkness.

  Taras

  Heat shimmered from the asphalt driveway in front of the hospital. I was waiting for Oleg to arrive with Zoe’s family. They’d landed a short while ago, had said they wanted to come here before going to the hotel rooms I’d booked and paid for in advance.

  I stared down at my feet and thought about yesterday evening. Dr. Patterson had kindly allowed Emma to spend five minutes with Zoe, five soul-crunching minutes during which she’d soaked Rybka’s hand with her tears. It had torn me apart as I’d held my daughter close, trying to ease her distress. Emma and I had kissed Zoe’s fingers, wished her good night, our hearts breaking as we’d left her behind in the trauma unit, a tube down her throat and IVs attached to beeping machines.

  In the corridor outside, Emma had asked the doctor what the tubes were for, and he patiently explained they were to help Zoe’s breathing, drain excess fluid from her brain, monitor her vital signs, and keep her hydrated and under sedation.

  “We’ll wake her from the induced coma for a few minutes tomorrow morning,” he’d said, “So we can run some tests. She’s doing well so far. Stay positive.”

  During the ride back to the Abramoviches’, I’d reassured my little mouse that Zoe was in good hands and we could only hope for the best. My words had sounded like platitudes to my ears. I’d gone online earlier and had read that ninety percent of gunshot wounds to the head turn out to be fatal. The odds against Zoe pulling through were stacked against her. I wasn’t a praying man, had never gone to church in my life, but I prayed.

  God, how I prayed.

  And I urged Emma to pray as well.

  She’d put her hands together in the backseat of the car, and the childlike gesture of faith had broken me. It was all I could do to hold myself in check and not break down in front of her.

  The sound of my SUV’s motor purring to a halt jolted me into the present, and I prepared myself to face Zoe’s family.


  I was a powerful man; nothing scared me. But my imminent encounter with her parents and sister made me feel uneasy.

  Four people exited the car. They introduced themselves and we shook hands. Olivia looked somewhat like Zoe; both sisters resembled their mother and had her dark hair and olive skin. However, Olivia had also inherited Luke Addison’s green eyes, whereas Zoe’s eyes were blue. I shot a look at Gabe Aldridge. Yep, same color as Zoe’s, only more indigo. Eleri Thomas’ eyes were hazel.

  I stepped backward, surprised. Luke Addison wasn’t Zoe’s biological father, even though he’d given her his surname.

  My little fish’s family dynamics certainly took some getting used to.

  “Did you have a good flight?” I asked no one in particular.

  Eleri gave me a smile of such sweetness, my chest panged. “The jet was really comfortable. Thank you for looking after us so well.”

  “The least I could do,” I met her warm gaze.

  In the periphery of my vision, I caught Gabe Aldridge’s nostrils flaring. “Nothing you could do would make things right,” he said under his breath.

  I pulled at the collar of my dress shirt. “I’m so sorry for what happened to your daughter. I should have protected her better.”

  “You failed her,” Luke Addison growled, stepping toward me.

  Demyan leapt into the space between us and reached for his gun.

  “Let’s focus on Zoe, okay?” Olivia looped her arm through her father’s, drawing him away before Demyan drew his weapon. “What’s the use in recriminations? They won’t change anything. I just want to see my sister.”

  “First, we need to meet with her neurosurgeon,” I explained calmly. “Dr. Patterson ran some tests on Zoe earlier and wants to fill us in.”

  “Please,” Eleri lilted in her charming Welsh accent, “can you take us to him?”

  I led Zoe’s family to the elevator, and we rode up to the trauma floor. Dr. Patterson was waiting for us in his office. We took seats and stared at him expectantly.

  He smiled, and I saw that as a good sign. I held my breath and waited for him to continue.

  “Zoe can respond to a verbal command to show two fingers, indicating that she is not paralyzed and that the portion of her brain responsible for processing such instructions is intact.”

  Dr. Patterson cleared his throat. “She’s still under sedation, in a medically induced coma, designed to help her brain heal. The day after tomorrow, we’ll reduce sedation until she wakes up completely. By then we should be able to give you a favorable prognosis.” He spread his hands wide. “She’ll need more surgery to remove bone fragments and relieve pressure from fractures in her left eye socket.”

  I took in a deep pained breath.

  Jesus Christ, how my little fish was suffering. ALL MY FAULT.

  “What about rehabilitation?” I heard Gabe ask. “I mean, if she survives…”

  I looked at him, discerned the pain in his haggard expression.

  His pain reflected my own. A knife piercing my gut.

  “The road to full recovery will be a long one,” Dr. Patterson continued. “We’re not looking at months; it will be more like years before she recovers one hundred percent, and even then, nothing is certain.” He shook his head. “Both Zoe and her caregivers will need a lot of patience and the ability to focus on one thing at a time.” Dr. Patterson inclined his head toward me, as I was the person who’d be paying his fee. “Your fiancée is still in a critical condition, but she’s stable.”

  “Fiancée?” Luke and Gabe roared in unison.

  “Zoe never mentioned anything about an engagement,” Eleri gasped, her eyes wide. “When did this happen?”

  I had the grace to look sheepish. “Last night, just before…”

  “I suppose congratulations would be a little out of place, given the circumstances,” Olivia chipped in. “But Zoe told me she loved you...”

  “I don’t believe it,” Luke crossed his arms in front of his chest and glowered at me. “She’s far too sensible to fall in love with someone like you.”

  “I agree,” Gabe snarled. He got to his feet and took a step toward me, his fierce eyes crashing into mine. “If this is true, our daughter has behaved totally out of character.”

  Fuck, did he think I’d coerced her?

  I stood toe-to-toe with him. “I swear to you that we are in love. I plan to marry Zoe and I’ll protect her until the day I die.”

  Demyan made a move toward us, but I signaled to him, stand back.

  “Fat lot of good you did with respect to protecting her the other night,” Luke muttered from his seat.

  “Please, now is not the time for this discussion,” Eleri interrupted. “We are here to see Zoe. What’s done is done and can’t be undone my mother always said.”

  “I will look after her. I love her and will do everything I can for her.” I sent Zoe’s mom a beseeching look. “She will be safe with me. I will pay for the best people to help her. Believe me.”

  Eleri stood and came toward me. She placed a consoling hand on my arm. “Let’s wait until Zoe wakes up, shall we? Then we can ask her what she wants. It will be her decision, and hers alone, whether she wants to stay with you to recuperate or we can make arrangements for her to return to the UK.”

  I wanted to throw my chair across the room in frustration. But, instead, I fixed Eleri in my gaze and said, “Zoe loves me and my daughter. She won’t want to be parted from us.”

  Holding onto that hope, I waited in the corridor with Eleri and Olivia while rybka’s daddies visited with her. I talked with her mom and sister about my little fish, her love of children and music. How she gave so much of herself to help others but could be extremely bossy at the same time.

  When Gabe and Luke exited the ward, I prepared myself for them to carry on berating me. Except, tears ran unabated down their tired-looking faces; they could barely speak other than to utter her name and how much they loved her.

  Guilt. Guilt. Guilt.

  I’d tainted her with my darkness.

  She would be better off without me.

  No!!! I loved her. I could never let her go.

  Eleri was right in saying the decision was Zoe’s. After what had happened, she might want to go back to England, put as much distance as possible between herself and my dangerous world. It would kill me, but I would accept it if that’s what she wanted. I would never force her into doing something against her will. I owed her that, after failing her so badly.

  Presently, Eleri and Olivia came out of the trauma ward. Zoe’s mom looked as if she’d aged ten years in the space of ten minutes, and her sister was twisting her hands together, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed.

  I wanted to comfort them, but I didn’t know how.

  “Oleg will take you to your hotel,” I said. “I’ll go see Zoe and he can pick me up afterward.” I gave them a brief smile. “Let’s keep in touch over the next couple of days. Emma said she’d like to meet you.”

  “We’d enjoy meeting her as well. Zoe spoke very highly of her.” Eleri wiped her eyes with a crumpled tissue. “Let’s liaise about visiting times and be here together when Zoe is woken up, perhaps?”

  I agreed to Eleri’s suggestion and stayed rooted to the spot until my little fish’s family had stepped into the elevator.

  With a deep sigh, I went into the ICU. Zoe was lying in the same position as I’d seen her yesterday.

  Nothing had changed.

  Of course.

  I pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed, taking her hand in mine. “I can’t wait for you to wake up, rybka. I miss you so much.”

  Taking care not to touch any of the tubes and lines running into her, I leaned across and brushed a kiss to her warm lips. “I’ll be back tomorrow, my sweet, and the next day and the next until I can take you home. I’ll look after you, I promise. I love you so much. No one will ever harm you again. I’ll make sure of it.” Another kiss. “Sleep well, Zoe. You are getting better, I know you are.
In no time you’ll be bossing me and Emma around in your Mary Poppins voice.”

  I sobbed my heart out as I left the unit, hot wet tears, and I didn’t care if anyone saw them. Jesus, I was such a fucking mess. I lurched down the corridor to the rest room, stared at my sorry face in the mirror.

  Evil.

  Evil is as evil does.

  I was soon to carry out an act of unspeakable evil.

  And I would relish it.

  Relish my revenge on those who had hurt my Zoe.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Taras

  “Justin Ward’s real name was Antonio Giustiniani,” Felix Nikolaev, my attorney showed me a screen shot of the shitass’s passport as we sat in Semion’s den. Fuck knows where Felix had obtained it and fuck if I cared. All I cared about was the squealer had given us the supposed location of the Polombo’s secret meetings, a room above the Da Fazio restaurant in Little Italy. The motherfuckers would be in situ at lunchtime today, if he hadn’t lied.

  The cunting bastard would have said anything to save his worthless life; there was only one way to find out if he’d told the truth and that was to pitch up and take the Italians down… or not, as the case might well be.

  Demyan had relayed the info to me yesterday, after he’d finished Ward off and had given orders for him to be dumped out at sea in a cement overcoat. We’d been making logistical preparations ever since.

  And I’d instructed Nikolaev on personal matters.

  “Have you redone my will?” I asked him.

  He reached across the desk and handed it over. I quickly read the codicil dividing my assets equally between Emma and Zoe as well as making lifetime provision for Nina. They would lack for nothing should anything happen to me, although I was confident that I’d be okay. After all, I had enough Kalashnikovs and automatic pistols, not to mention bullets, to defeat a small army. With Semion’s men swelling the ranks of mine, the Polombo would be sitting ducks.