Ultimate Vengeance (Wanted Men Book 4)(32)

That was one of her greatest fears. If something happened to her, who would take care of her daughter?

As always, she’d forced the thought away as quickly as she could, and it wasn’t long before reality had intruded. Co-parenting Lekzi wouldn’t be about support and company. It would be about control and a lack of on her part. School events and dance recitals wouldn’t be enjoyable; they’d be painful and humiliating because Alekzander would likely sandwich himself between Sacha and his newest lover. How could she even think to subject her daughter to a constant stream of changing faces, none of them sticking around long enough to offer any normalcy or security?

Or worse. How would Sacha ever live through having Alekzander sit next to her in a stuffy auditorium while he held a hand he’d slid an engagement ring on the night before. To later sit and listen to Lekzi share how wonderful her father’s wedding was, how wonderful her new stepmother was, how in love the newlyweds were.

And all that was if Sacha was privileged enough to be allowed to remain in her daughter’s life once Alekzander learned the truth.

She bit at her lips as they passed by storefronts, apartment buildings, and pedestrians. By the time she’d done her usual route, they’d gone eight blocks. Just enough to work off the extra slices of bacon she’d eaten at breakfast. She turned, and so as not to appear rude since Grigori was only doing his job, she offered him a small smile.

“You do not have to walk behind me,” she said because she just couldn’t ignore him anymore. “It is not as if I am unaware you are there.”

“You will get used to me,” he responded in an accent even heavier than hers. He motioned her forward, but she didn’t move.

She switched to Russian. “You have recently come from home?”

His gaze moved around constantly. “Yes. One year ago.”

“Have you been with Alekzander’s family all that time?”

He briefly met her eyes but gave her no answer.

“I was in New York only eight weeks when I met him. When is he coming?” she snuck in.

“I have not been told.”

She tried not to let her shoulders slump. “It was nice to see Vasily last night. He was always very kind to me. Do you know if he will be with Alekzander?”

“I have not been told.”

Her mouth went crooked. She was sure if she asked what his favorite food was he would say the same thing. “Well, it was lovely talking to you, Grigori. You have been very helpful in putting my mind at ease. Thank you.” She pushed on the handle and hadn’t gone more than a half a block when a group of guys her age pushed out of a pub she was surprised was open this early. They served lunch, so that explained it.

The one with orange hair and an invasive stare caught her eye as she leaned forward to stop him from bumping into the stroller.

“Oh, fuck me,” he said. “Sor— Well, damn.” He slapped the back of his hand on his friend’s chest, drawing his attention from something the third one was saying.

Sacha simply pushed on and gritted her teeth when he skipped to stay even with her.

“Hey, baby, you wanna—”

That was all he got out before Grigori’s big hand slammed down on his scruff. That meaty fist latched on and jerked him back. “Leave her be.”

“What the hell are you, her owner? Get the fuck off, goof. She’s getting away.”

Grigori spun the guy so that he hit the brick wall next to them face-first. The hard thunk sounded awful, but not nearly as awful as what his nose looked like when Grigori pulled him back to repeat the slam.

“Did you not see the children in her care?” he growled as his free hand came up, his finger pointing from his extended arm. “Take one more step and you are next.”

Sacha, who had a hand slapped over her mouth, took just enough time to see the two friends freeze in place before she got the children moving. She quickly passed by two older gentlemen sitting on a stoop.

“It’s as good a morning as ever to learn better manners, miss. I’d shake your boyfriend’s hand, but I wouldn’t want him to eat me.”

They guffawed as she hurried along, her face burning, the children babbling happily, completely clueless as to what had just taken place.

“You do not travel this neighborhood again.”

Sacha jumped and barely swallowed a shriek. Grigori was once more behind her. His expression was no longer murderous. He wasn’t even breathing heavy.

“Why did you do that?” she whispered fiercely as she walked faster.

“Because men like him need their brain rattled. I would not like to see how he would have approached you if you were alone and it was dark.”