“If he’s anything like Braden, I’d hire him.” Jak, who looked apologetic, went down to the floor and patted his leg for Charlie to come for a visit. The dog danced his way over and started head-butting Jak’s arm before rolling onto his back and panting through a happy grin. “I liked the guy despite the bad temper. I hear he had a rough homecoming and is now singularly raising his five-year-old boy.”
Nika turned to V. “See? Likable family. Can I set up an interview?”
“Does he ride with your brother?”
She looked shifty. “Yeah.”
“Does Caleb like him?”
“He says he’s a good guy, and he’d vouch for him. Said Sean has two little girls and a wife just as tough as he is. But I told you that already.” She smiled.
“Fine. Set it up.” He grabbed the file before she could walk away with it and pulled out what looked to be a photo. “I want to be there,” he muttered as he handed it back.
Nika went over and slipped the file into her briefcase. Her smile was satisfied. Familiar. Alek wore the same one when he got his way during a business transaction.
“Quan,” V said as the Asian went to leave with the laptop tucked under his arm. “You been in mine and Nika’s room lately?”
Quan turned and gave Nika, then Eva a disapproving look. Both girls looked guilty. “You said you cleared it with him.”
Nika went and wrapped her arms around V’s midsection. She rested her head between his shoulder blades. “He was talking about bed placement affecting mojo so I thought he could give us some advice. You were in New Jersey, and I didn’t want to bother you.” She patted his chest. “I think it worked. I haven’t had a nightmare in three nights. Pretty sure that’s a record.”
Vincente and Eva exchanged a look. When Eva mouthed “Lie.” A muscle in V’s jaw ticked. He sent a hand back to stroke Nika’s hip. “It’s no big deal, babe. I like the changes.” He gave Quan a nod as Samnang came to the entrance.
“If anyone is hungry,” the Cambodian announced. “The table is ready.”
Seemed everyone had their issues, Alek thought as he joined the queue and headed for the kitchen. He didn’t think he’d be able to eat much, but he sat, and as everyone filled their plates with perfectly grilled steaks, mashed potatoes, and a variety of veggies, Alek looked around at his family and couldn’t help but wonder if he had a fighting chance at making this picture perfect. He was the odd man out as he sat here without a woman at his side.
One more chair filled. That was all he wanted. One less empty space and he’d be happy.
TWELVE
Sacha blinked her eyes quickly to dry her lashes and slipped the mascara wand back into the tube. She stood away from the mirror and looked at herself. She didn’t wear makeup like this anymore. And she hadn’t worn it this heavy since the beginning of her pregnancy when she’d attempted to hide how tired and sick she’d been. The morning sickness had only lasted a few weeks, but the heartsickness, the absolute exhaustion? That had stuck around. It had settled into her soul and hadn’t lifted until…
Last night.
Her stomach turned over as she closed the bathroom door all the way and got into her only formal dress. It was pale gold and clung in all the right places, and a few she’d rather it didn’t. On those final ten pounds of pregnancy weight she hadn’t lost, to be specific.
Alekzander would enjoy them.
Heat spread outward from her middle, warming her body. It was true. With Alekzander, she’d never had to worry he found her too heavy and wished she worked out more—or at all. He’d given her the freedom to feel beautiful and sexy just as she was because that was the way he’d liked her.
Just as she was.
She checked herself out in the full-length mirror on the back of the door. She’d borrowed Angela’s flatiron and straightened her hair so that it fell in a thick curtain to the middle of her back. Now she smoothed it down with an uncertain hand and met her eyes in the reflection.
He was the reason she was feeling like this. Her body, which had been in hibernation since they’d last been together, was waking. It had been reacting to thoughts of him all day, going from tingly to ferociously hungry.
“You saw him having sex with someone else, you stupid woman. Nothing will ever change that,” she muttered unhappily. “He couldn’t possibly justify why he did it unless the woman had a gun pointed at…him…”
She blinked, paling. Oh, God. That wasn’t something she’d ever thought of. Not even once.
I didn’t do it. What you saw that night in my office was fabricated.