6. Veronica

Chapter 6

Veronica

M axim’s voice crackled through the speaker, low and authoritative like always. He wasn’t the type to ask for opinions unless he actually cared. So, when he started the conversation by asking if we were okay with Luca and Enzo heading back to San Diego, I knew he was worried about the change.

“Are you sure you’re fine without them there?” Maxim asked again. Even though I knew he meant well, his light Russian accent coated every word. “I could send another rotation if you are still concerned for your safety.” He cleared his throat, and it occurred to me that maybe he was having issues in his territory. Perhaps that was why he was recalling Luca and Enzo.

Natasha and I shared a glance from across the room. She was sitting at the kitchen counter, legs crossed, pretending to sip her tea like this conversation wasn’t as important as it really was. I could see the slight flicker of impatience in her eyes, though. She wanted them gone.

“It’s fine, Max,” Natasha answered first, her voice smooth and controlled like she was speaking to a client in the courtroom. She was good at this, knowing how to sound professional without giving away too much. "Pike’s here now, and things have quieted down with Victor out of the picture. I think we’ll be fine."

I nodded, chiming in quickly so Maxim wouldn’t read too deeply into my silence. “Yeah, we’re good, Max. The extra security was more for when things were… intense. It’s not like that anymore, and we’ll have Dimitri here if needed.”

“Yep,” Natasha chimed in. “If we need a detail, I’ll call Dimitri or Pike and have them set it up.” We could hear Maxim grumble over the line, but our eyes met across the counter. Natasha and I were on the same page with this topic.

It wasn’t entirely a lie. Victor was dead and gone, killed by Eli. If I minded my own business, things would probably be relatively uneventful. Of course, that wasn’t who I was. Also, I couldn’t help it if Eli was dropping presents at my door. Hopefully, Luca hadn’t reported that I’d had him drive me to some dude’s house I found on the dark web to get a computer a few weeks ago. Maxim would have a cow and never let us be alone.

I thought the computer would hold some secret information on Victor, but it was a dead end. Still, I’d gotten out of the house.

Maxim’s silence on the other end told me he wasn’t completely sold. He could be a controlling bastard when he wanted to be, but that came with being pakhan. Everything was about control, about power. And right now, he was calculating whether or not pulling the guards would leave us vulnerable.

“What about you, Ronnie?” Maxim asked, his voice going softer. He always did that with me, like he needed to shield me from the harsher side of things. “You’re okay without the extra eyes on the house? What about your appointments?”

I forced myself to sound casual, leaning back against the counter and crossing my arms. “I’ll be good. I’ve updated the security system. Cameras are everywhere now, sensors even on the roof. I know how to drive, Max.” I reminded him. “You taught me. I’m excited about driving myself to my appointments. ”

That was the other half-truth. I had tweaked the security but wasn’t as concerned about keeping people out. No, I needed more freedom to move around undetected and allow Eli freedom to come closer. The guards had been a constant obstacle, and with them around, it wasn’t easy to do anything without being watched.

Maxim had taught me to drive to the doctor appointments I had coming up, but I was lying when I said I was excited to drive myself. The thought scared the ever-living shit out of me. I’d always had a driver before, or Natasha had taken me. That made me sound like a spoiled brat, but I’d never had to go alone. That didn’t mean that I didn’t want to. Sitting up straight, I told myself I was an adult and capable.

I glanced at Natasha again. She was already smiling, probably imagining all the time she’d get alone with Pike once Maxim pulled the plug on the security detail. That was her real reason for wanting them gone — she and Pike were practically inseparable these days. Not that I blamed her. If anyone deserved a little peace and privacy, it was Natasha. She’d been dealing with Maxim’s overprotectiveness for years, and now that Pike was in the picture, she didn’t need another set of eyes following her every move .

But me? My reasons were a little more complicated.

Maxim cleared his throat on the other end, clearly weighing his options. “If you’re sure,” he said slowly, as if he was giving us one last chance to change our minds. “I can’t say I like the idea of leaving you two on your own. But if you’ve got Pike and the others, I’ll call back the security team. They’ll head to San Diego in the morning,” he paused. “But I’ll be leaving the Range Rover for you, Ronnie. I know you don’t have a car. It’s just like the one we used here. Let me know if you need something different.”

“Okay. Thanks, Max.”

Natasha gave me a slight nod, and I knew we’d won this round. Luca and Enzo would be gone, and we’d both get what we wanted — Natasha, her freedom with Pike, and me, the ability to move without being constantly monitored.

“Thanks, Max,” Natasha said smoothly, giving him that practiced, professional tone again. “We appreciate everything. But we’ll be fine. Are you okay? Is there anything you need help with?”

I could practically feel Maxim’s hesitation through the phone. There was something … I could tell .

“I’ll be sending you some information I need help with. There are some case files there for you, Nat. Ronnie, if you’re up to it, I want you to find everything you can about Matteo Spato. Only if you have time.” My heart leaped, and I almost jumped for joy. Was Max going to officially let me help?

“I’m up to it,” I said in my most unaffected tone. He wasn’t the kind of man to let go of control easily, especially not when it came to family.

“If anything changes,” Maxim said, his voice firm, “you call me. No hesitation, do you hear? Call me if anything starts looking out of place in the search.”

“Of course,” Natasha replied, smiling like she’d just closed a deal.

“We will,” I said dutifully, knowing Maxim might catch on to my eagerness if I spoke too much. He was sharp like that — always noticing what you didn’t want him to. If I seemed too ready, he might ask more questions, and I wasn’t prepared to explain why I was so damn eager to be left alone.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Maxim said his goodbyes and hung up. Natasha set her phone down and exhaled, leaning back against the counter with a satisfied grin. “Well, that’s that.”

I nodded, biting the inside of my cheek. “Guess we’re on our own.”

Natasha smirked. “Just like we wanted.”

I didn’t say anything but felt a weight lift off my chest. Now I had room to breathe, to dig deeper into Eli’s life without someone constantly looking over my shoulder. There were some places I wanted to check out — people I wanted to question. I’d spent the last few weeks finding little breadcrumbs — traces of his presence online, hints of where he’d been. I knew he was watching me, and for some strange reason, that thought didn’t terrify me like it probably should.

I wanted him to keep watching. The thought thrilled me in some dark place that I didn’t want to examine too closely.

“You okay?” Natasha asked, breaking through my thoughts. “If you aren’t okay with them leaving, I can call Max back.”

I blinked, pulling myself back to the present. “Yeah. Fine. Just thinking.”

She raised an eyebrow. “About what?”

I shrugged. “Just… everything. You know. It’ll be weird being here in a house alone. ”

Natasha studied me for a moment, then smiled knowingly. “It’s nice, right? Just us. I’ll be able to spend more time with Pike without Enzo and Luca constantly hovering.”

I nodded, but my thoughts were already somewhere else. They’d be gone by morning. I couldn’t wait to tell the girls. Man, they were going to go bonkers.