Chapter 23

TWENTY-THREE

Hollis

The sky was a brilliant blue, fluffy white clouds sitting on the horizon that seemed almost too perfect. Olive sat in the back seat, humming a tune I didn't recognize, her excitement contagious. Dimitri drove, his fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on the steering wheel. I could feel the tension radiating from him, but he'd been evasive about what was bothering him. I decided not to press, hoping a day out would lighten the mood.

"Are we almost there?" Olive leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with anticipation .

"Almost," Dimitri replied. "Just a few more minutes."

Haverboro was the kind of small town that felt like it had been plucked from a storybook. Quaint shops lined the main street, their brightly painted facades welcoming as we parked the car. The town square boasted a fountain surrounded by benches and neatly trimmed hedges, a perfect spot for a lazy afternoon. A few newer businesses were sprinkled here and there on the edges, but it was a cute little town. It was much less "strip mall" than Santee, although there were a few smaller versions along the edges.

Olive practically bounced out of the car. "Where to first?"

"We need to get your mom a phone first. She lost hers," Dimitri winked at her. I was upset to lose my phone. There were photos on there that I couldn't recover. I'd had a plan for one of the cheaper carriers, but it wasn't backed up. However, there were things I could change and things I couldn't. This was one that I couldn't. Lesson learned .

After the phone was purchased and set up, Dimitri took us to the diner Helena had mentioned, the Odd Duck. Olive laughed at the little goofy one-legged duck on the sign. We sat by the window, the sun warming our faces as we chatted, laughed, and stuffed ourselves full of burgers and malted milkshakes.

It was an adorable diner, bustling and full of life. I'd thought about what Helena had mentioned. "So, the club owns this?" I asked.

"Yeah," Dimitri answered, dragging a fry through his ketchup. "The previous owner was going to sell it, but it has always been a real mainstay in the community for jobs and traffic in the town. If it closed, it would have been a real issue. So, the club bought it, and we have a local running it." He pointed out a young redhead that I'd spotted earlier. "Daisy over there does a bang-up job. We had our doubts at first, but she's amazing."

I looked over at the girl who balanced trays while talking a mile a minute to every person she passed. "Helena mentioned that I could potentially get a few shifts here. "

"If you worked here, could I come after school and get milkshakes, momma?" Olive was interested now. She was used to me swapping jobs but liked it best when food was involved. I winked at her, but I wasn't confident about our arrangements yet about getting her to school or how I would get her home.

"You absolutely can if you'd like to, malysh ." Dimitri had an arm sprawled over my shoulders, toying with my hair as he finished his food, lazily rubbing his fingers over my neck. "You don't have to, though. Don't be in a hurry. You have Olive to get to school."

"That doesn't take all day, Dima," I frowned. "I need to find out about the bus schedule too. And after school care …" There was so much to do. I never wanted to put Olive in extra programs, but if shifts were available, sometimes overlapping programs would need to happen. I appreciate Dimitri's offer, but I felt weird about not working.

"No bus. No after-school program," he said. I looked over at him sharply. "If you can't pick her up, then I will. "

I opened my mouth to argue that he couldn't speak for me or make decisions for my daughter like that, but he had caught my mood. His eyes darkened, and his lips went flat, but he forced a smile in Olive's direction.

"Now that our bellies are full, do you think you want to go and get that kitten you've been talking about?" Dimitri suggested.

"Yes!" Olive's face lit up even more if that was possible.

As we walked, I glanced at Dimitri. He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. Something heavy still weighed on him, but now wasn't the time to pry. We also needed to talk about what was going on with all this talk about no bus and no after-school programs.

The pet store was small but charming, filled with chirping birds and the soft mews of kittens. Olive was in heaven, darting from cage to cage, trying to decide which one to take home. Finally, she settled on a tiny orange kitten with big green eyes.

"I think I'll name her Luna," Olive declared, cradling the kitten gently, rubbing the fur gently. It was a long-haired cat, and I wondered if that was okay with Dimitri. It was going to get everywhere.

"Good choice," Dimitri said, ruffling her hair. The worry lines on his face smoothed out momentarily, and he looked almost relaxed.

"She's perfect," I said, watching Olive's face glow with pure joy. Moments like this made everything worth it.

Dimitri quickly swept through the store with Olive, loaded up a litter pan and all the essentials, then had Olive pick an assortment of toys and a tiny cat tree. They giggled, discussing building cat ladders and cat things in her room. He bent his head close to the kitten, letting it rub against his stubble that had grown in the hours since he'd shaved .

"It likes you," she declared definitively.

"Only if you say so, moya milaya. "

We moved outside after Dimitri paid and Luna was secured in a carrier. Dimitri was quieter than usual, eyes scanning the street outside more often than necessary. I reached out, placing my hand over his. "Are you okay?" I asked softly.

He nodded, squeezing my hand. "Just a lot on my mind."

"If there's anything I can do..."

He smiled a little more genuinely this time. "Just being here helps."

The afternoon passed in a blur of happiness. We visited the town's small park, where Olive ran around with Luna on a leash that Dimitri had her buy, the kitten's tiny bell collar jingling merrily. Dimitri and I sat on a bench, watching her play. It was peaceful, a bubble of tranquility that I wished could last forever.

"Who knew you could leash a cat?" I mused. He shrugged and winked at me.

As the sun began to set, we made our way back to the car. Olive was yawning, and Luna was asleep in her carrier. The drive home was quiet, Olive dozing off in the back seat. Dimitri's tension seemed to return, his eyes flicking to the rearview mirror frequently.

"Whatever it is, we'll handle it," I said softly, not wanting to wake Olive.

He nodded, but I could see the doubt in his eyes. Something was brewing, something he wasn't ready to share yet.

Holli s

The house was enveloped in a quiet calm. Dimitri had pulled straight into the garage and closed it. Today was the first time I'd gotten a look at his motorcycle, a sexy-looking Harley. I wondered when he'd take me for a ride, but I hadn't asked yet. Today, he'd worn his MC cut and explained to Olive that he was in a special club. Olive had cocked her head at him and nodded and then asked if she could wear one too. I could have told him that would have been the outcome. Special club? Olive wanted in.

Dimitri had set up the kitten's box in the mud room, and Olive had exhausted herself following the tiny thing around. I wasn't sure it could climb the stairs, but Olive had Luna practicing all night.

Olive was sound asleep, with Luna, her new kitten, nestled at her feet. I gently tucked the blanket around them, watching them sleep peacefully. The sight warmed my heart, a tender moment of serenity amidst the growing unease I sensed around us.

I closed the door softly and walked back to the living room. Dimitri was there, staring out the window, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. His silhouette looked tense as if the weight of the world was pressing down on his shoulders.

"Dimitri," I said gently, approaching him. "What's going on?"

He turned to me, his eyes reflecting a storm of emotions. "I'll tell you."

We moved to the couch and sat down, a palpable tension hanging in the air. I reached out, taking his hand, offering a silent assurance that I was here, ready to face whatever he had to share. Or … was he over this? I didn't think that was it …but what if?

"There's something important you need to know," he began, his voice tight with concern. "Maddox talked to me last night. There was a body found in the next town over."

"Okay." Did he have something to do with it? Was he going to jail? Was he worried ?

"No, I had nothing to do with it," he reassured me, reading the look on my face. "I'm relieved that's your first concern, though. I think." He winked. "But, this town has another MC, the Cobras. We are allied with them. The leader, Pike — the police suspect him."

His grip on my hand tightened. "I've found out some of the details. I don't think he had anything to do with it, but I'm still concerned. I didn't want to worry you, but I need you to be aware and prepared."

I swallowed hard, trying to steady my racing heart. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I was trying to figure out what to say," Dimitri admitted, his voice full of regret. "I didn't want to tell you, honestly. But it's too dangerous not to have all the information. You need to know about it. I can't have you only having half the story. I won't live in a relationship with secrets."

"Agreed. Tell me." This was what I wanted. A relationship that had a strong foundation. I didn't want to live with secrets, even if they were scary or uncomfortable.

Dimitri nodded at me. "The body was found naked in Morinrock, just one town over. It was an older man, Michael Porter, naked, eyes missing, throat slit, and an ‘x' carved in his forehead." He swallowed hard. "I couldn't bear it if something happened to you or Olive."

Holy fuck. That sounded bad. I squeezed his hand, feeling the urgency in his words. "Should we be worried? You seem worried. What do we do?"

"This isn't normal." He cast a look at me. "When I said it was safe here, I meant it. The MC operates outside the law, but we have strict codes. We work in a certain way. We don't drop bodies in the middle of town. Our home turf is sacred. The Cobras operate similarly, so this is an anomaly that doesn't smell right at all. We stay vigilant," he said firmly. "And you'll have someone with you whenever you go out if you aren't with me. It's non-negotiable, Hollis. I need to know you're safe. "

The thought of someone following me around unsettled me, but I understood the necessity. "Okay. I trust you. We'll do whatever it takes to stay safe. Will you send for Luka?" Despite his somewhat alpha-hole personality, I liked him.

Dimitri's expression softened, a mix of relief and gratitude. "Thank you. I can't take any chances with you and Olive. You'll have me or someone from the club, Tiny."

"We're in this together," I said, my voice steady. "No keeping things from each other. Promise me."

"I promise," he replied, his eyes sincere. "No secrets. We have good security here at home." He kissed me gently. "The windows here are bulletproof. The closets lock from the inside and are double-lined Kevlar. So if anything happens, you and Olive lock yourself in a closet. There is a gun safe in our closet. The code is your birthdate. Malysh , I can't lose you. I love you." Yanking me to him, he tangled his fingers into my hair, tearing it from the clip, pulling my legs around him, kneading my thighs so hard I knew I'd have bruises. "I fucking can't. "

"You won't. You won't let anyone take me." I knew it from the inside of my soul to the tips of my toes. "I love you too, Dima. It's crazy, but I do."