35. Natalia

35

NATALIA

"There is no way in hell she agreed to this," Katya announces loudly. "You're trying to get me killed."

I tuck the phone between my chin and shoulder. "I've told you a dozen times already: I cleared it with Mila. She has no problem with you hanging out in the manor."

"Right. Sure," she snorts. "More like, she's trying to lure me into her house so she can poison me while your back is turned."

"Dramatic, much?"

"She's a Bratva wife, Nat!"

"She's not like that."

"They're all like that."

"You ever consider that maybe it's you? ‘Cause I'm not a Bratva wife, and I kind of want to kill you right now."

She doesn't bite on my joke. "Seriously, Nat, I don't see the point in Mila and me meeting. We aren't gonna be all buddy-buddy."

"Mila is my friend and so are you. I would like for the two of you to get along."

"Um, I slept with her husband! Then crashed her wedding! She has to hate me. I'd hate me."

"Technically, you slept with him before he was her husband," I point out. "And she understands why you crashed the wedding."

"Just like I understand why she's letting me into her house." Katya lowers her voice to a whisper. "To poison me."

I roll my eyes. "Just trust me. Mila's cool."

There's a beat of silence on the other line. Then Katya lets out a frustrated sigh. "Oh, dammit, alright. If it means that much to you."

"It does. How about this Saturday?" I suggest. "We can have a girls' day. And you can finally meet Remi."

"Can Remi taste-test my food before I eat it?"

"Kat."

She lets out a dramatic moan. "You'll be sorry when I'm choking on arsenic. I hope you have a great eulogy planned. Those tears better be real, bitch."

"Don't worry: Remi actually is trained to sniff out dangerous substances."

"How reassuring," drawls Kat. "Guess I can look forward to a steak knife through the ribs instead."

I curl my fingers through the soft fur on Remi's head. He's currently tucked on the sofa next to me, his head nestled comfortably against my belly, like he's protecting both me and the baby at once.

"And what about the other alpha in your life?" Kat ventures. "How's he doing?"

My fingers stiffen on Remi's head and he gives me an encouraging whine. "He's, er… the same," I admit. "He's been a little more present lately, but I think that's for Remi's sake."

"How do you figure that?"

"He wants Remi to get used to him. And it's kinda working. Sort of. The last time Andrey joined us for a walk around the grounds, Remi didn't growl at him when he got too close to me."

"Ah, he's trying to get close , is he?" I can hear the eyebrow wag even over the phone.

For Kat's benefit, I pretend to find it amusing. "Oh, don't worry: he still gives me a wide berth."

"Hm. Do you think there's someone else?"

The mere question has my heart sinking. Remi seems to sense it. He lifts his head and looks at me with those deep blue eyes. I'll kill whoever's hurting you, that look says.

I kiss his nose and pet him until he drops his head again. "I have no idea. Andrey's life is a complete and utter mystery to me."

"Maybe you could, like, ask him out or something?" Katya suggests. "Just go in for the kill, you know?"

I bound off the sofa so abruptly that Remi yelps. "Andrey has made it very clear that I'm nothing more to him than the mother of his child. And I'm not about to chase after a man who isn't interested."

"But what if he is?—"

"Sorry, Kat," I interrupt abruptly. "Remi needs a walk. See you this Saturday!"

I hang up before she's even gotten her goodbye halfway out.

The mere thought of asking Andrey out on a date is enough to give me hives. Not that I haven't imagined a few different scenarios… especially since he gave me Remi. It was just such a thoughtful gesture.

"I want you to be happy," he told me. For once, I actually believed him.

There was this look in his eyes as he said it, too. Something suggesting that, beneath that cold, austere Bratva mask, is a man who has feelings just as thorny and unwelcome as mine.

He just hides them a little better.

Okay—a lot better.

I wear my heart on my sleeve whether I like it or not. Andrey, though? Andrey has secrets.

And I might just be one of them.

Ignoring Remi's leash, I open the door and let him bound freely out onto the grass. As I follow him out, I practice the Russian commands quietly under my breath.

‘Sidet means "sit."

Nyet means "no."

Bros ‘eto means "leave it."

Tikhiy means "quiet."

And ataka —I'm not a fan of this one, but Shura insisted I learn it—means "attack."

I'm trying to get my pronunciation of tikhiy right because I keep butchering it, when Remi lifts his head and freezes. His body is rigid with tension and a menacing growl emanates from his muscular chest.

"Rem—"

Before I can even finish his name, he bursts forward in a blur and disappears around the corner.

Then I hear three angry barks.

And a terrified, high-pitched scream.

Just like that, I forget I'm pregnant. I forget I hate running. I forget all the commands I've learned over the last few days as I sprint around the side of the house.

I find him hunched over someone whose legs are flailing helplessly between Remi's hindquarters. Remi's got a skinny forearm locked between his jaws.

"Stop, Remi!"

Remi growls louder while the person wails.

" Nyet, Remi!" I say desperately, all of the commands coming back to me in a rush. " Nyet! Bros ‘eto. ‘Sidet. ‘Sidet! "

He looks up at me, that pale arm dangling between his bared teeth. Reluctantly, he drops it, backs away, and sits.

I blow out a breath and rush to the man on the ground. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

The man is shielding his face with his forearms raised like shields. It takes a moment before he peers at me from between them.

"I'm sorry," I repeat. "I'm?—"

I pause mid-sentence when I realize this isn't a man at all. He's a child. He can't be more than twelve or thirteen years old.

"Are you okay?"

He glances nervously over at Remi, who's now licking at his fur like nothing whatsoever is wrong. "Will the dog attack again if I sit up?"

"I'll make sure he won't," I assure him, turning to Remi and giving him one more firm " ‘Sidet. " I reach over to help the boy right himself.

He flinches away from me the moment I touch him, but I ignore it and help him anyway. "I should have had him on a leash. It's just that I thought he'd been introduced to all the staff by now and?—"

"I'm not staff," he snaps. Remi growls and his tone softens. "I'm not staff. I'm?—"

"Misha!" Shura's angry snarl cuts through his answer. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Remi barks, though there's no threat in it. He and Shura have made their peace.

The boy, however, jumps to his feet and tries to limp away.

"Get your ass over here," Shura bellows, grabbing the still-shaking boy by the scruff of his shirt and twisting him around.

"Shura!" I exclaim. "Stop."

He ignores me altogether. "I give you trust and you betray that trust by sneaking out of your room!"

"‘ Trust ,'" the boy spits aggressively, matching Shura's tone. "You call that trust?"

"You can forget about your morning walks now." Shura wheels the boy around by his neck.

"Shura!" I explode, causing Remi to start barking behind me. "Let him go right now or I will set Remi on you."

That gets his attention. He spins back around, but he doesn't let go of the boy. "Natalia, this doesn't concern you."

My eyes narrow. "Let him go or I will give Remi the command. Thanks to you, I know it well."

He looks at me, waiting for me to take it back. When I don't, he sighs and drops the boy's collar.

"Thanks. Now—" I turn to the boy. "—what was your name again?"

"Misha." He massages the back of his neck and gives Shura a scowl.

"Well, Misha, I'd say you're lucky you weren't eaten, but I doubt you'd even make a filling snack for Remi. C'mon, Skin & Bones, let's get you a good meal."

Ignoring Shura's incredulous expression, I grab Misha's arm and pull him towards the manor.