by Harley Wylde
“Thank you, gentlemen, for keeping my daughter safe,” Bykov said.
Torch started laughing. “That girl doesn’t need anyone to keep her safe. She can handle herself.”
“Her mouth might get her into trouble, though,” Venom said. “Told a Prospect he had a tiny dick.”
Bykov remained impassive. He looked at his daughter, then back at Torch. “Well, did he have a tiny dick?”
At least Katya came by it honestly. It seemed she got that sassy mouth from her father’s side of the family. I had a feeling if the two had a chance to spend some time together, they would become rather close. Or as close as his position would permit. For her sake, I hoped he found a way.
“Let’s get down to business, shall we?” Bykov asked. “It seems my Katya took a life, one that belonged to the Bratva. It puts me in a precarious position. Of course, I don’t want to see my daughter come to harm, especially having just met her. However, there’s a price to pay.”
“What sort of price?” Torch asked.
“That depends on the Vor, but I’ll need some assurances before I can negotiate. We don’t typically have dealings this far south, or at least not in your state. Should that change, I’ll need to know that you’ll look the other way, or lend assistance if it’s needed.” Bykov steepled his fingers in front of him. “My daughter has already said no to anything pertaining to brothels, so be assured it wouldn’t include that sort of business.”
Venom cracked his neck. “Just what sort of business would it include?”
Bykov waved a hand. “Hard to say. Maybe a few extra men for certain, shall we say, business deals? Assistance cleaning some cash? A blind eye when it comes to Bratva authorized dealers in your town? Perhaps those sorts of things.”
“No,” Katya said, going stiff in my arms. “I’ll take the punishment. You’re not involving them in your dirty dealings. They have families. Sarge and I have a family. I won’t put them at risk. I avoided everything to do with the Bratva for as long as I could. I won’t let you drag them into it, and me along with them.”
Bykov smiled at her. “I see why he calls you kitten. Sheath your claws, daughter. This is between the men.”
And that’s where he went wrong and proved he knew nothing of his daughter. The man didn’t do his homework, and obviously hadn’t been listening. I didn’t even try to contain her. Torch and Venom leaned back, looking like they were ready to enjoy the show. I’d heard Flicker brought popcorn when she beat the shit out of Voronin. I half expected someone to show up with some this time too.
Katya shot off my lap, hands balled at her sides, and glared at her father. She bared her teeth and snarled at him, right before she launched herself straight for him. The chair went over with Katya straddling Bykov. She fisted his shirt and leaned down close.
“You may be related by blood, but you’re not my father. I don’t have one. Certainly not a criminal like you. So much for not being a monster. Just where do you think those drugs go? Into the hands of children!” She yanked on his shirt. “I won’t stand by and let you murder the children of this town.”
Bykov showed no emotion as his daughter yelled at him. He merely stayed in the chair, on the floor, and let her have her say. When Katya ran out of steam, she deflated, her shoulders drooping and her head hanging. I got up and lifted her into my arms, cradling her close. She buried her face in my neck and clung to me.
“I want to go home,” she said. “I never should have called him. He’s just as bad as the others. They’re all murdering bastards who care for no one but themselves. I wanted a father, but I’ll never have one.”
Bykov got up, dusted himself off, and heaved a sigh. “So much spirit. I’ll be sorry to see it broken.”
I met his gaze and let him see exactly what would happen if he tried to hurt my wife. I’d been in the military, and had served this club since getting out. There was blood on my hands. A lot of it. Adding his to it wouldn’t faze me even a little. No one would ever break Katya. I wouldn’t let them. If he thought for one moment I would let him take her, or anyone else for that matter, then he must not have taken my threat seriously. But I’d meant every damn word.
“The only one here who will break, is you, Mr. Bykov. Don’t come near my wife again. Any of your men try to get to her and I’ll fucking kill them without a second of hesitation. Do I make myself clear?” I asked.
Bykov looked at Torch and Venom. “And you agree with him? Your club is ready to go to war over Katya?”
“She’s one of us,” Torch said. “We protect our women and children, unlike the Bratva. If Sarge says he’ll kill your men if they come for her, I’d believe him. And if he doesn’t get the job done, the rest of us will.”
“So you won’t assist the Bratva when we call, and you refuse to hand over Katya for punishment. Is that correct?” Bykov asked.
“Damn right,” Venom said. “I’d suggest you leave while you still can.”
Bykov pulled a phone from his pocket. “Did you get all that?”
I froze and stared at the phone. He’d made a call? When? Had he been talking to them all this time? And who the fuck was he talking to? Had we just put Katya in more danger?
“It seems your daughter is well-liked and protected, Konstantin,” said a voice on the other end. “Gentleman, and Katya, my name is Vadim Ivanov.”
“The Vor,” Katya whispered.
“I apologize if Konstantin seemed a bit… cruel to his daughter. We had to be sure she was in good hands. If you’d agreed, then we’d have known you were weak. And if you had handed Katya over to avoid trouble, then Konstantin would have gladly taken his daughter with him, but your club would have had a string of bad luck for the foreseeable future.”
“You mean all that was horse shit?” Torch asked.
“I’m afraid so. It was my decision to test the lot of you, especially Katya’s husband. We had to ensure that she was safe,” Ivanov said.
“Finding out I had a daughter was a gift,” Bykov said. “If I had known that Katya was mine all these years, I’d have found a way to have her by my side. She’d have been treated like a princess.”
“And Voronin?” Venom asked. “The penalty for his death. Is that something we need to be worried about?”
“There are those who will continue to question his absence,” Ivanov said. “It’s a problem.”
Katya tugged on my beard, drawing my attention to her. She pressed her lips near my ear and whispered so no one else would hear. “What about the man who married us? If he can do that, could he do something about Voronin too?”
Smart girl. I’d actually thought of that before, but with Voronin’s men lurking, it didn’t seem like something that would actually work. They’d been determined to come in and search for him, or his body. We’d held them off, and now the higher-ups were involved. If the Vor and Bykov both agreed to let Wire lay a false trail, then maybe we could make it work.
“Voronin’s men keep coming by, asking about him. They know he came here, and I think they may know he never left,” I said. “But if the two of you tell your people that he’s left the country, perhaps they’ll listen. We have someone who could make it look like Voronin really did skip town. Wire could send those goons on a wild goose chase.”
“And you haven’t done this until now, why?” Ivanov asked.
“One of them claims to have seen Voronin come in here and never leave. He’s been hard to dissuade,” Torch said.
“Have your man plant the false information,” Ivanov said. “I’ll handle it from this end. Katya, I hope to meet you one day. You’re very fierce and loyal, two traits I admire. Please forgive your father for his deception. It was necessary.”
“Does that mean you’re staying for a bit, Bykov?” Venom asked. “We set up guest quarters for you. Just a small apartment, but it would give you privacy when you’re not visiting your daughter. I’m sure she’d like a chance to know you better.”
Bykov nodded. “Yes. I’ll stay for a few da
ys.”
“Konstantin, I’ll handle things here for a while. Stay longer than a few days,” Ivanov said. “You have memories to make with your daughter.”
“Thank you,” Bykov said.
He ended the call and stared at Katya with longing. I eased her down, and once I knew she was steady on her feet, I released her. She took a cautious step toward Bykov. When he opened his arms, she flung herself at him, hugging him.
Bykov ran a hand down her hair. “My daughter. My beautiful, strong, amazing daughter.”
I looked at Torch and Venom, who each gave me a nod. We walked off a short ways, keeping Katya in my view, but getting out of range for whatever conversation they were about to have. She needed this time with her father. I only hoped that he’d finally told the truth and he wouldn’t break her heart.
Torch called Wire and placed the order to make it seem as if Voronin had left the country, and Venom went to get us a few beers. We chose another table and sat while Katya and Bykov got acquainted. I still had a shit ton of packing to do and wanted in the new house tonight. It was past time to bring Theo home. As much as I’d loved the time I’d had with my wife, I needed my son to know that I wanted him, and that he had a place in my life and Katya’s.
“Why don’t you get your boy?” Torch asked. “You can take him, Katya, and your father-in-law out for the day. Maybe any lingering Bratva would see you have the support of Bykov and keep their distance. I’ll send Dalton, Sam, and Lief over to your place to finish packing. Except your special room.”
I flipped him off. He was always giving me shit about my comics and collectibles. As I liked to remind him, I’d been a geek long before I’d been a biker. I couldn’t argue about spending time with my family, though. I sent a text to Flicker and then sat back to finish my beer while I waited on my son to join us. I wasn’t sure what Bykov would think of Theo. He wasn’t technically the boy’s grandfather, but since Katya was now Theo’s stepmother, I was hoping he’d be willing to take on that role.
“Shit.” I pulled out my phone and stared at it.
“What?” Venom asked.
“I haven’t told my parents they’re grandparents. Again. My mom is going to fucking flip when she finds out I had yet another kid without knowing about him.”
Torch grinned. “Does this mean she’s going to start sending you those large envelopes full of condoms again?”
I groaned. “Probably. Although, once she finds out I’m married, maybe not. I’ll definitely get chewed up and spit out for not having a wedding she could attend. Maybe Katya will want to exchange vows.”
“How fast can your parents get here?” Venom asked.
“Why?”
He held out his hand. “Let me see your phone.”
I hesitated a minute, then gave it to him. He scrolled through my contacts and the next thing I knew he was talking to my mother and inviting my parents to the clubhouse for a special event tonight. I didn’t know what the fuck he was up to, but something told me to just roll with it. I only hoped that decision didn’t come back to bite me in the ass.
Chapter Thirteen
Katya
I’d been kidnapped. Well, maybe not kidnapped exactly. Pepper was watching Theo and Reed, and Venom had left with Sarge. Which left me shopping on Main Street with Ridley, and two other ladies I’d just met -- Darian and Kalani. I just didn’t understand why they insisted we go into some fancy dress shop. The place looked like it cost a small fortune for even something off the clearance rack. While I’d been told not to worry about cost, I couldn’t help it.
“Why are we here?” I asked.
Ridley planted her hands on her hips. “You’re going to ruin the surprise. Just go with it, okay? My man had an idea and I’m helping him carry it out.”
“And you two?” I asked Kalani and Darian.
“We’re here in case you make a run for it,” Darian said. “Ridley’s words, not mine.”
Part of me wanted to enjoy the day. The crisis with the Bratva was over, and I’d been informed our belongings were being moved into our new home today. I was getting a fresh start, but I felt like I should be spending it with Sarge and Theo. The man hadn’t even had a chance to get to know his son yet, and I missed Theo terribly. Kalani must have read the look on my face. She placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze.
“We’ll tackle this one task, and then maybe you can have Sarge and Theo meet you at the park. It’s not far from here and will get you away from the compound for a bit. We have a playground there too, but I think the three of you need some family time,” she said.
“The park sounds nice. I still don’t know why we’re at this store.”
“What size do you wear?” Ridley asked, eyeing me up and down.
“It depends on the cut and design. I’ve worn anything from an eight to a twelve.” Her eyebrows arched as a look of disbelief crossed her face. “I’m not as small as I look. My hips and ass require extra material.”
Darian snorted. “Yeah, because you’re just so huge.”
I waved a hand. “Not what I meant. It’s just that my sister wore fours and sixes. She was always fine-boned and delicate looking. I’m not.”
Kalani nudged me with her elbow. “I think that’s a good thing. Sarge seems to like you just the way you are. If he’d wanted your sister, then he’d have kept her.”
I nodded, knowing she was right. I let Ridley grab an armful of dresses, then she shoved me into a fitting room with orders to come out so they could see each one. I started to notice a theme by the third pale-colored dress. Each was either white, ivory, cream, or a pink so pale it was nearly white. What were they up to? And what was up with all these washed-out colors? They looked horrible on me.
“I need color,” I said. “I look like an albino in these.”
Darian snickered. “She’s not wrong.”
Kalani came over with a lavender dress draped over her arm and a pale aqua one in her hand. “Try these.”
“But…” Ridley snapped her mouth shut. “Fine.”
After trying both dresses, and modeling for the ladies, it was decided the aqua suited me the best. Darian added a pair of strappy silver sandals, making sure they were my size, and Ridley shooed me from the shop while she paid for everything. I’d have to find out how much it all cost so I could pay her back. When I stepped outside, Sarge was leaning against my SUV with Theo in his arms. They looked so much alike, I had to just stop and admire them a moment. My heart felt full to bursting.
“I’ve been told you’d like some family time at the park,” Sarge said.
“You haven’t had a chance to spend any time with Theo. And I’ve missed him.” Theo held out his arms, and I took him, hugging him tight.
“He said I can call you Momma now.” His soft voice, and the way he cuddled against me, nearly made me cry. I didn’t want him to forget his real mother, but hearing him call me that was one of the happiest moments of my life.
Sarge came closer, putting his arm around my waist. “Come on, kitten. Let’s take our boy to the park and have a little fun.”
We put Theo into his booster seat, then drove down to the park in town. The moment he was released from the car, he took off for the slide. Sarge pulled a blanket from the back floorboard and spread it on the ground not far from the play area. He tugged me down next to him, and we watched our son play. It felt right, thinking of Theo as mine. I’d taken care of him more than Liliya ever had, even if that hadn’t been her choice.
“We need to discuss a few things,” Sarge said. “For one, the club is working on a solution for Candy and the others. Torch isn’t too thrilled about having them here full-time, especially around the kids, but he agreed that we couldn’t leave them in a dangerous situation either.”
“If they can’t stay at the compound, then where?”
“There’s an old motel a little past the compound. It’s actually just outside the town limits. Been abandoned for years. It’s going to need a shit ton of
work, but the club is going to fix it into studio apartments. A few will be left vacant for people coming in to visit, ones that Torch doesn’t trust to remain inside our gates. The others will be rented to Candy and women like her who need a hand up. The rent will be cheap, but part of the deal is that anyone staying there helps keep the grounds and vacant rooms clean.”
That didn’t sound like a bad deal to me. I wondered if they’d already discussed it with Candy and her friends. But I didn’t understand what would keep the less savory types of people from trying to lure those women away. If they weren’t near the club, and weren’t in the town limits, weren’t they still vulnerable? I asked as much and Sarge kissed my cheek.
“Such a soft-hearted woman. Don’t worry about them, kitten. We’ll make sure someone rides by frequently enough, and never on an exact schedule, so that anyone watching won’t know when to expect one of us. Torch also mentioned assigning one of the Prospects as a contact for the women in case of an emergency.” He cuddled me closer. “They’ll be taken care of, kitten.”
“If they could barely afford a studio apartment in a bad area, and were starving, how is charging them rent going to help?” I asked.
“It won’t start right away. For one, we still have to renovate the building. Torch put the extra houses at the compound on hold to get that tackled first. He’ll give them a few months to get back on their feet before the rent kicks in.”
“They’re going to have kitchens?”
“Sort of. They’ll have a cooktop with two burners, a microwave, coffeepot, smaller-size fridge with freezer, and a sink. Or that’s what we discussed. Dalton may see the space and tell us that won’t work.”
I hadn’t been in a lot of motel rooms, but I remembered them all being on the small side. I couldn’t picture them being turned into a studio apartment. Not without making the living space even tinier. The women would probably just be grateful to be safe, but it didn’t mean they couldn’t be comfortable too.
“What about making one of the rooms into a full kitchen with at least two tables where they could have meals? Then the rooms could remain about the same and maybe just update them a little? You’d have less work to do overall. And…” I clamped my mouth shut. I’d already said more than I probably should have. I might be Sarge’s and therefore a part of the club, but I’d already learned I had no say in how things were done.