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Chapter 15

SCARLET

Thane’s phone pings on the bedside stand. “Thane, your phone.”

He calls from the bathroom. “Who is it?”

“I don’t know. It’s your phone.”

“So, look.”

Seriously. He wants me to look at his phone. “What’s your code?”

“Three, six, five, nine, nine.”

I tap in the numbers and the message pops up.

The message is from Marco. He’s the Latino from the rescue. My mind rattles around the question. Which ‘she’ is he talking about? As I open my mouth to tell Thane about the message, another one pings.

Is he talking about me? I stand up with his phone in my hand and walk to the bathroom, throwing open the door. “What the hell is this?”

He tosses his towel over the towel rack. “What?”

“Is this woman with an ‘A’ on the end of her name supposed to be me?” I hand him his phone. The raised eyebrow confirms the truth. Color drains from his face, and my heart squeezes in my chest. “Let’s just not worry about it.”

“Fuck this, Thane. What is Marco talking about?”

“It’s nothing.”

I shake my head. “It’s something. You’re keeping secrets from me.” My head starts to pound. “You know something about my father, don’t you?” I point to his phone.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“The fuck it doesn’t. You and your cartel buddy have some secret about me, and I want to know what it is.”

His face falls. “It’s going to hurt you, and I don’t want to do that. Please pretend you didn’t see it.”

“I can’t do that.”

He drops his head, and the frown pulls at his handsome face. “I order you to forget it.”

I shake my head. “Ordering me around in bed works. In our life, not so much. Tell me.”

He takes my hand and leads me into our bedroom and motions for me to sit down. He walks to the painting he bought for me and pulls it forward exposing his safe. Opening the door, he pulls out a file. He hands me the file and sits down next to me.

I read about my father and my mother and my brothers’ deaths by the hand of Marco’s father. My father was a former friend of Thane’s dad. He belonged to a rival bratva and betrayed him and tried to kill the whole Bravikov family. My fist goes to my mouth to stifle my gasp. “He tried to kill you.”

Thane nods. “Yeah. Greed makes people do bad things. He wanted what my father had.”

I keep reading and learn the details. I’ve always wanted more information about my family’s death. “Why my mother and brothers?”

“Executing the entire family makes it less likely there is someone to get retribution.”

I bow my head. “I want to.”

“I know, Red. I can’t blame you. Your family was innocent. My father wasn’t told.”

I nod. “But you kept this from me.” I want to beat him with my fists for keeping this secret.

“I did. It doesn’t matter.”

I stand up and toss the file at his chest. “It matters to me.”

“I’m sorry.” Thane’s eyes implore me to understand. “None of that was in our control. You were a baby, and I was a kid. I’m sorry you had to find out this way. I should have told you.”

I stare at the man that’s become my everything and taste bile in the back of my throat. “I need a little time. I’m going back to my grandmother’s.”

He stands. “What? Now wait a minute.”

I wave him off. “If you love me, you’ll give me time. Let me process this.” I step back. “And I can’t do that around you.”

An hour later, I walk into my grandmother’s house with both she and Mrs. Abashin staring at me as I close the door.

My grandmother points to my suitcase. “What’s this?”

I hold it up and shake it. With a sarcastic tone, I answer. “This is a suitcase.”

Mrs. Abashin laughs. “Piss and vinegar today.”

“I’m not in the mood.” I walk down the hall to my room. The walls still hold the posters I had up in my teenage years. My lavender bedspread still covers the simple single bed. I set down my bag and kick off my shoes, climbing into the bed of my childhood, needing the simple comfort of innocence to return to me once again.

Knock, knock. My eyes ping open. “Yes?”

“Want some dinner?”

I glance around my darkened room. “Yeah. Be right out.”

I step out of the room and proceed into the dining room, where my grandmother and Mrs. Abashin giggle like teenage girls. “What’s so funny?”

Mrs. Abashin smirks. “I’ve decided to join a dating service.”

“Oh.” My brows raise. “How’s that going to go over with the Pakhan?”

Both of the women cringe as I scoop stew onto my plate.

My grandmother clears her throat. “Thane called. He explained that you found out more about your father.”

I set down my fork, feeling the anxiety and stress from the last weeks bubble up inside. “About that. Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you share that my father was a bad man who tried to kill families?”

“Oh honey.” She reaches for my hand, and I pull it away. “You know. Maybe staying here isn’t any better than staying at Thane’s.” I stand up.

Mrs. Abashin stands. “Sit.”

Her tone reminds me of Thane’s, and I do as she says.

“Your father didn’t start out as a bad man. He was a good man until he decided he wanted more. So, he went after Thane’s father and his family. Families are complicated. Yours was no different. Your mother and brothers shouldn’t have been executed with your father. In the Bravikov Bratva, families aren’t blamed for the sins of the father. No one consulted Thane’s father before they went after your family, so you can’t blame Thane.”

I sigh. “I don’t blame him for that. I blame him for not telling me who my father was and who I am.”

She shakes her head. “He was trying to protect you. You need to think about what you’re doing.”

I scoff. “And what am I doing?”

“You’re putting a target on yourself with that cartel. Now that you know what happened. You’re a threat.”

My stomach flips. Is that the baby or me? I can’t deal with this right now. I wave my hand and skulk off to my bedroom.

Four hours later my eyes ping open. “I need to get over myself about this whole thing. It’s never been in my control. Thane loves me. I need to wrap my head around it all so I can go home.” Growling at myself, I get up and throw my clothes back on. I trudge out into the living room to see my grandmother, Mrs. Abashin, Thane and Wystan sitting around the table playing some card game. “What the fuck is this?”

Wystan scoffs. “What is it about beautiful young ladies and their filthy mouths?”

I open my mouth to snap back and catch my grandmother’s expression. Her pursed lips and wide eyes make me regret my attitude. Shit. “Sorry.”

Thane smiles softly. “How are you feeling?”

I put my hand on my hip, standing akimbo. “Fine. Why are you here?”

Wystan stands. “It’s my idea. I drove.”

“Oh?” I walk by them and stroll into the kitchen and pull out ingredients for a sandwich. Wystan follows me into the kitchen.

“We’re worried about you.”

“I’m good. Thanks. Why are you here?”

“I wanted to express my concern that you’re not staying at Thane’s?”

My brow lifts. “Isn’t this far below your management level?”

He laughs. I’m caught off-guard by his reaction. “You’re funny. Thane needs that. He’s too serious. I can’t protect you if you’re here.”

Cocking my head, I smirk. “That’s not exactly true, is it?”

His eyes widen.

“You could post a guard or something. You could have someone sleep on the sofa and keep an eye out. Right?”

He shrugs. “Yes.”

I slap the mayo on the bread and place cheese slices on the bread, followed by sliced chicken. “What you want is for me to ignore the fact that Thane knew information that he shouldn’t have kept from me and just forgive.”

He nods with his arms across his chest. “Exactly.”

I put the other piece of bread on my sandwich and slice a knife to cut it, picking it up to take a bite. I realize I’m starving. I’m always hungry now.

Wystan’s face softens. “He loves you. He kept the information to protect you. You had just been rescued and were injured. What man dumps crap on you when you’re tired and vulnerable?”

He’s got a point. I’ve missed him more than I ever expected. I’ll talk to Dr. Kemmerer about this at my appointment on Monday. I’m just so damn tired. Looking around Wystan, I see Thane staring from the card table. Three more bites as my head and heart war for supremacy, and I just cave. “Sure. Fine. I’ll move back in.”

“Thank God.” Thane mutters from the doorway behind Wystan. He’s on me so fast, with his arms wrapped around my waist, touching my baby bump. He whispers as Wystan walks to the ladies. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’ll get my stuff together, and we can go back to your place.”

He rests his head on mine. “Our place.”

I shrug. “Eh.”

TWO MONTHS LATER

THANE

I’m sitting at the curb at the university. This isn’t where I want to wait, but she demanded I not come to the door. It’s been eight weeks since she lost her trust in me. Fingers and Marco have assured me that the Morejons have more pressing things to worry about than Red. Marco also made it clear they aren’t worried about Red knowing Arturo killed her family. I still see the pain in her eyes, and I’m struggling with my bratva responsibilities and not wanting to leave her alone. Papa still hasn’t allowed me completely back into the family fold. My jobs consist of online work and late-night management of his clubs.

Red strolls up to the SUV, and I run around to open her door. I kiss her cheek. “Good morning?”

“Yeah. I’ll be glad to be done.”

I nod. Two men walk by and double take as she’s getting into the vehicle. My blood boils, and as I get into the driver’s seat, a bright light bulb clicks in my brain. I put my hand on her leg and beam. “Marry me.”

Red stares. “What?”

I add a little more lilt to my voice. “Marry me.”

“Why?”

“You’re carrying my child. My name gives you protection. We’re already living together.”

A tear drops from her eye, down her cheek, and the bottom falls out of my moment. “Red?”

“Just take us back to the penthouse.”

I search for a place to pull over and grab a parking space at the little bookstore she likes and walk around to the passenger side. I open her door and kneel down, taking her hands in mine. “I’m sorry. Let me redo that.” I kiss the backs of her hands. “Scarlet Petrova. I love you. You are my life and my future. I’m a giant screw up in the relationship department, but I want to make you happy for the rest of our lives. Please make me the happiest man on the planet and be my wife.”

She scrubs her hand across her face to swipe the tears. “Really?”

I kiss her gently with the full emotion I feel for this woman and put my forehead against hers. “Yes. Really.”

She nods slowly. “I’ve changed my mind. I want lunch.”

I run around and get back into my seat. “Your wish, my command.” My mind runs through scenarios I can do to fix this cluster fuck of a proposal. Papa has been out-of-town way too much over the last four months. I’ve hesitated bringing Red around the estate for fear he’ll say something about her father that will bring about her anger and resentment about what I did.

I turn because I can sense her staring at me. “Thane?”

“Yes, Red?”

“Shouldn’t you be taking care of Cynric’s security?”

I open and close my mouth like a guppy and she smirks. “I want to be close to you.”

She turns to face me and leans against the seat. “I get that. But you should be doing your job. I’m sure you’ve got some bratva guy that can drive me back and forth to the penthouse.” She twists her hands in her lap. “Or I could drive myself.”

My head snaps to frown at her. “Uh. No. Would you feel comfortable with Wystan driving you?”

“Wystan would be fine. I’m going to get busier as the semester progresses and the baby’s not due until mid-August.”

I don’t like it, but she’s right. Cynric’s security is my responsibility, his and Isabella’s.

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