Cruel Paradise - A Mafia Romance Chapter 62

“Guess what, kiddo?” I wait until I have his full attention, though I can’t keep the goofy grin from my face. “Ruslan’s gonna be picking you up from school tomorrow.”

His eyes go round and his jaw drops. “Ruslan? Really?”

“He wants to do something with you. And I think it might be fun. What do you say?”

“I-I… Yeah! Okay!” He runs towards me and grabs me around the waist. “Thank you, Aunt Em!”

That night, after all three kids are in bed, I slip into the shower. My tears are lost under the running water when I think about that worshipful look in Josh’s eyes when I told him about Ruslan. He used to look at Ben like that, once upon a time. Sienna would be heartbroken if she could see the state her family is in now.

I’m sorry, Si, I sob silently as the cold water numbs my skin. I’m doing the best I can.

43

RUSLAN

“… already got him set up with our most advanced security system. Remote-controlled CCTV cameras, complete with infrared sensors for all the doors and windows.”

I glance at my watch. It’s getting late and Vadim doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to wrap up this meeting. I’m about to crawl out of my skin with impatience.

“I’ve also suggested a biometric gun safe with rapid release.”

I nod distractedly. “Sounds great. So what’s the problem?”

My uncle scowls. “The problem is that this fucker is paranoid, nephew. Even with the audio-enabled cameras and digital keypad access, he’s not satisfied.” He raps a knuckle on the client file open on the desk between us. “He wants more. He wants—”

“What he wants will have to wait,” I snap, shoving the client file towards Vadim. “I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”

Vadim’s eyebrows fly up nearly to his hairline. “He’s requested a meeting with you.”

“I’m a busy man and I’m not in the habit of meeting every client we sign. He’ll have to make do with you.”

Vadim’s lips purse up, his eyes gliding over to the Rolex on his wrist. “We still have twenty-three minutes left in our meeting.”

“You might. I do not. Something came up last-minute.”

Vadim’s pinched scowl turns into a suggestive smile. “A woman?”

“With all due respect, uncle: fuck off.”

He twirls a pen between his fingers as he leans back in his seat. “I can’t imagine you would cut out on business for any other reason.”

“Then clearly you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”

I get to my feet and Vadim follows suit. “I’m hoping you took my advice the other day to heart.

Making the Oryolov Bratva heirs should be your top priority.”

My jaw clenches but I swallow the irritation. At this point, Vadim is just a thorn in my side. Easy enough to pull out, but easier still to ignore.

“I’m sure you can cinch this deal without my help. Or do you need me to hold your hand through the process?”

“Try not to use a condom.”

I shut the door on him and give Emma only a cursory nod when I walk past her desk. There are too many people milling around to justify a conversation, as bad as I want to stop and ask her about everything and nothing at all. How was your day? How are the kids? What are your deepest fears, your darkest secrets, the ones you’ve never told another soul?

Just before I get into the car, my phone pings.

EMMA: If you or Josh need anything, please text or call. Have fun today!

Three little typing dots appear and flash for a while before disappearing again. I can sense her anxiety through them.

I don’t blame her for being nervous. Adoptive or not, she doesn’t seem like the kind of guardian who’d just hand her kid over to a stranger. Although at this point, “stranger” seems a little off the mark.

I mean, fuck, I’ve had dinner in her home.

I’ve bounced her girls on my knees.

I’ve been inside her.

Still, the fact that she okayed this in the first place tells me that she’s just that worried about Josh. And she has no idea how to deal with it on her own.

The boy is standing outside by the school breezeway entrance when Boris pulls up in front. The brick facade is weathered and the concrete spiderwebbed with cracks. It’s seen better days. I open the door and Josh’s face lights up. But the smile only lasts a second before he runs towards the SUV.

“Am I late?” I ask when he slides into the back seat next to me, all business with his clenched jaw.

“No.”

“The girls?”

“Amelia picked them up already.”

“Good. How was school?”

He fidgets with the seatbelt. “Fine.”

He’s usually a little chattier than this, which gives me pause. Emma led me to believe that Josh liked the idea of spending some time with me, but he’s showing no sign of enthusiasm now. I’m starting to second-guess myself—which is the first time in my entire fucking life that that has happened.

I glance over. He’s pulling at his seat belt and avoiding my gaze altogether.

“Is there something bothering you?” I ask quietly.

I get nothing more than a fleeting glance and an evasive shrug before he turns his eyes back out of the window. Surreptitiously, I pull up my phone and text Emma.

RUSLAN: He’s quiet.

Emma’s call comes in almost immediately. I decide to put her on speakerphone. The moment Josh hears her voice, he perks right up. “Aunt Em?”

“Hey, buddy,” she croons, her voice staticky and indistinct. “How’re things going?”

He shoots me a wary glance. “It’s fine… When will you get off work?”

“Not for another couple of hours honey. Why do you ask?”

“It’s just—the girls are at home alone.”

“Alone?” Emma repeats. “They’re with Amelia.”

He keeps fidgeting. “Yeah, I know.”

Of course. I’m a fucking idiot. “Emma, we’ve got to go. I’ll let you know what time I’ll be dropping

Josh off.”

“Uh, okay?” She seems nervous to hang up, but she does anyway. Immediately after, I call Kirill and transfer the call to speaker once again.

“‘Sup, boss?”

“I need you to drop whatever it is you’re doing and stand guard outside Hell's Kitchen until I drop Josh off this evening.”

There’s a beat of silence on Kirill’s end. “I must’ve misheard you. You want me to drop what I’m doing and…?”

“Right now.”

“Even if it’s important?”

Josh is staring at me with his mouth hanging open. “It’s not more important than this,” I say without breaking eye contact.

“Alrighty then. You’re the boss.”

The moment I hang up, Josh blurts, “Why did you do that?”

“You were worried about your sisters, weren’t you?”

He nods.