“Okay.” His brows went up a little, but he nodded. “What changed your mind?”
“A couple things. The security. The freedom from Big Tony and his cranky wife dropping by. Making it harder for the Russians to find me. And I’m suddenly feeling like I should fully embrace this new life. I mean, go feetfirst into the deep end. And just to keep the whole foot metaphor going, how do I do that if I still have one foot in my old life?” She took a deep breath. “What do you think?”
He nodded, a slight smile on his mouth. “I’m all for it. If that’s what you want, then by all means, go for it. Your reasons are all valid and great points for making the move.” He glanced over. “You’re going to be amazing as governor.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” He was so good to have around. Good for her ego and her confidence, but also great company. He was the kind of level-headed sounding board she’d always wanted in a partner. Instead, she’d ended up with a man who thought everyone was out to get him. Or he’d been working on a way to get them. “I want to sell the house anyway. It’s too big for me and has too many memories I’d rather let go of.”
“You’ll have to buy a second place at some point.”
She let out a little laugh. “You mean in case I’m suddenly not governor anymore like Claudette?”
He shrugged. “I don’t think anything remotely similar is going to happen to you, but you should still have a place that’s exclusively yours. Just so all your eggs aren’t in one basket. And so you have a place to escape to if the need arises. There might come a time when you don’t want to be as accessible as the governor’s estate makes you.”
“Good point. And I agree. I was going to buy a condo in the Florida Panhandle, but I think something closer makes more sense. Something I can get to in a couple hours, tops.”
He nodded. “Exactly. You’ll easily be able to afford it, too, when you sell the house.”
“And Joe’s cars, which I’d like to get rid of as well.”
“That should be easy to do. They’re nice cars. I could take care of that for you, if you want. Did he keep them well maintained?”
“Yes. He was anal about it. Especially the Ferrari. If you want to handle that, I’d be grateful.”
Pierce’s fingers drummed the steering wheel. “You know, I’m pretty sure I could get more for those cars than they’re worth.”
“How?”
“Make a big deal about who they belonged to. If you’re all right with that.”
She thought about it. About cashing in on her husband’s status as an infamous mobster. “I guess that would be okay.”
“I don’t have to. I just thought—”
“No, it’s a good idea. And why not? About time Joe did something positive for me.”
“I’ll get to work on it first thing in the morning.”
“Thank you. And speaking of money, I don’t even know what my salary is. Or yours.” She looked at the welcome packet on her lap. “You think that info is in here?”
“Open it and see.”
She slipped her nail under the flap and opened the envelope, then slid the contents onto her lap. A welcome letter was on top of a small bundle of papers. She scanned it. “Blah, blah, blah, nothing here about salary. Let me dig.”
She found what she was looking for on the next piece of paper. And gasped. “This can’t be right.”
“What’s it say?”
“My assistant makes three million a year.” She looked at him. “I hope that’s enough. I’m sure you make more than that as an attorney.”
“Actually, that’s a little above what I cleared last year.” He was smiling. “And I’m okay with that. But I don’t think that’s what made you gasp.”
“You’re right, it wasn’t.” She stared at the paper in front of her, at the number there in black and white. “I get ten. Ten million. A year.” The words didn’t mean anything. The sum was too large to grasp.
She’d thought the five million she’d found in her late husband’s stash room had been a fortune. But this was twice that. And it was all clean. Unlike the cash Joe had squirreled away, which she’d come to find out had been given to him by the Russian mob for a deal she knew nothing about.
This was legit. A salary.
“Wow,” she whispered.
“You’ll earn it, I’m sure,” Pierce said. “And I’m glad for you. You won’t have anything to worry about this way, which is probably the point of that money. Artemis doesn’t want you to struggle. She wants you to focus on being governor.”
“I don’t think I’ll earn ten million. I mean, how many meetings would you have to take to even come close to them being worth that amount? It’s crazy. But amazing. I’ll be set for life. Or immortality, as the case may be.” She shook her head. “This just isn’t sinking in. I’m sure it will. But wow.”
“You’ll be able to buy yourself a place in Florida and a second place nearby.”
“I will. You’re right.” She took a breath. “For that kind of money, moving in full-time seems like the right thing to do. The only thing to do. I can’t be part-time and accept a salary like that. Not with any kind of clear conscience.”
“I agree.” He glanced at her quickly before looking back at the road. “Are you sure you want me in the same apartment as you?”
“I think you should be. Sure, there might be occasions when I need some alone time, but we’ll work that out.”
“Maybe we could set up a schedule with a day off for me each week. That would build in some alone time.”
“Maybe.” She appreciated how concerned he was with her well-being. “Let’s figure out a routine, see how busy I’m actually going to be, and then we’ll tackle that. Not that you can’t have time off when you need it. I know you still have to take care of your own place.”
“I do, but in light of this, I might sublet it.”
They rode in silence for a few more minutes, giving Donna time to think. Living with Pierce wouldn’t be hard. She’d had a few days of that already since he’d stayed with her to help her prepare for the trial. They’d been together constantly, too, and he’d been very easy to be around.
But keeping her secret about being immune to the sun might get tricky. She didn’t necessarily want to have to hide it. Not in the place she was going to call home. “Do I have attorney-client privilege with you?”
He made a funny face. “Yes, but why are you asking?”
“I’m thinking about telling you something, but it’s the kind of secret that vitally needs to remain that way.” They were nearly back to her house. “It could be a life-or-death thing for me.”
“Belladonna. I am willing to protect you with my life. You are my queen. I would never reveal to anyone something you told me in confidence, but a secret of such magnitude? I’ll take it to my grave.”
“You swear?”
“On my life.” He turned onto her long, winding driveway and headed for the house.
“Okay. So here’s the thing—” She leaned forward. “Hang on. There’s a strange car parked on the curve in front of the house.”
He slowed. “Any idea who it might be? Rico?”
“No, he would have told me he was coming by. And that Chevy Tahoe?” She shook her head. “That’s a lunk car. Could be the Russians again. Or worse.” It was difficult to see through the vehicle’s heavily tinted windows. Even vampire eyes had limitations.
The Tahoe’s brake lights came on, then it peeled away in the opposite direction down the other side of Donna’s horseshoe drive.
The driver was wearing a hat and sunglasses and had his hand on the side of his face. Donna whipped around in her seat to follow the vehicle with her eyes as it sped off. The light above the license plate was out, making the numbers impossible to read. Probably on purpose.
“Anyone you know?” Pierce asked.
“No. But definitely a man. And he clearly didn’t want to be recognized. Kind of firms up my decision to move into the governor’s crib.”
Pierce pulled into the driveway. “Who do you think it was?”
“My best guess is another Russian. They have to be curious since the lunk they sent never came back. And I’m sure Boris wants his money.”
“Boris is the equivalent to Big Tony, right?”
“He is. Boris Reznikov. And he and Tony aren’t what you’d call best friends, which makes the fact that Joe was dealing with the Russians so odd. The idea that Joe, and possibly his sister Lucinda, would work a deal with the Russians behind Big Tony’s back is crazy. Although that’s the first word that comes to mind when I think about Lucinda.” Donna sighed. “I really don’t want anything to do with all that.”
Pierce turned the car off and looked at her. “So why don’t you just return the money? With your new salary, you can afford to.”
She thought about that for a moment. “True. It would take a little time. I don’t have it all anymore. I donated a significant amount of it, so I’d have to come up with a million to replace that.” There was enough cash on hand to cover the shopping spree she’d been on, but it would leave her with very little. Except she now had the governor’s credit card.
“Maybe you could broker a deal. Not that I want you dealing with the Russian Mafia, but you’re a lot less vulnerable as a vampire than you were as a human. If you could get them to agree to, say, half the money in exchange for leaving you alone…” He shrugged. “That would be worth it.”
“It would be. Except I’d still like to know why they gave my husband the money in the first place. And what my ex-sister-in-law, Lucinda, had to do with the deal. Whatever it was.”
“I bet if you offered them the money, they’d pony up some information.”
“I don’t know. If they still think they can work something out with Lucinda, they aren’t going to tell me what was going on.” She sighed. “I never thought I’d say this, but I guess I need to meet with the Russians.”
“I could probably take care of setting up the meeting. But you need to bring backup with you. At least me and Temo. Because you know Boris isn’t going to come alone.”
“You’re right about that.” She pondered the idea and who else she might bring. “Backup is a necessity.”
“Are you thinking about Charlie or the First Fangs Club women?”
“Neither, but that’s not a bad idea about reaching out to the girls. A little more vampire backup couldn’t hurt. Although of that crew, I think Neo would be the best choice. I can’t see rolling into a meeting with Francine and Bunni.” Although her new friends from the therapy group would probably love to meet the Russian Mafia. They were crazy like that.
“If not them, then who are you considering?”
“Rico.”
Rico Medina was the FBI agent she’d been working with to bring down the Villachi family. He’d been a pretty important part of her plan to safely escape the mob life. That plan had changed a bit after Joe was killed in a car accident, but the end goal of taking the Villachis down remained the same. And Rico was the key to that.
Pierce shook his head. “As your attorney, I’d advise against involving him. The less he knows about your contact with the Russians, the better. I realize he’s a werewolf, so you think of him as a supernatural ally, but his position as an FBI agent means he’s going to abide by human laws first.”
“You realize he’s the one who helped me out when I accidently killed Yuri.” Yuri was the Russian lunk who’d been sent to collect the outstanding five mil she’d found. The same Russian lunk she’d inadvertently drained to death when the hunger of being a newly turned vampire had gotten the best of her and driven her to the point of no control.
Yuri was the pivot point upon which all her vampire troubles had turned, too, because killing the first human she’d ever drunk from had severed the psychic tie between her and Claudette and given Donna the ability to see the memories of those she drank from. All of which the Immortus Concilio, the vampire ruling council, considered against the rules. Like, big-time.
Hence the trial.
“I do,” Pierce said. “I also realize that if we don’t go inside soon, the sun’s going to come up. And you might attract the fae.”
She grimaced. “Good point. Let’s get inside. I could use a glass of wine.” She’d seen one fae so far in her short vampire life. Based on that experience, she’d be fine never seeing another one again.
Chapter Four
Pierce fed Lucky, then got the fireplace going while she opened a bottle of red and poured two glasses. They settled in front of the gently crackling fire and stared into the flames, both quiet and seemingly content just to be.
Donna certainly had a lot to think about. Despite the incredible upheaval of the last couple of weeks, things were somehow looking up. She’d wanted her life back for so long, and she’d started to think the freedom she’d gained because of Joe’s death was slipping away again due to becoming a vampire, but now…now she saw a bright, shining light at the end of this new and interesting tunnel.
Being governor was like a fresh start. Sure, it was a whole new set of responsibilities, but only the responsibilities were new, not the weight of carrying them. That part was nothing new. She’d raised children, essentially by herself. She knew how to balance work and family duties with social obligations.
What came with the job of governor—the salary, the staff, and the penthouse—was life-changing. Those things would allow her to truly shed her connections to the Villachis. It would take some doing, but she wasn’t in it alone.
She smiled at Pierce. He was quite the find. She owed Neo, one of her new friends in the First Fangs Club, for that meeting.
He caught her looking at him. “What?”
She shook her head. “Just thinking how amazing it is the way things work out. You, especially.”
He laughed and smiled. “I’m glad you think of me that way.”
“I do.” She sipped her wine as she pulled her feet up underneath her. “When I was first turned, I thought it was the worst thing in the world. Now, I’m starting to see it as a gift. Not the whole vampire bit so much as the life that comes with it. Being governor, in particular.”
He nodded. “I can certainly understand that.” His brows bent. “Say, what were you about to tell me before you saw the strange car?”
“Oh right. That.” She stared into her wine. Should she tell him? She felt like she had to before he found out accidentally. She also didn’t want there to be secrets between them. “You confirmed that whole confidentiality thing, so here goes.”
He waited with obvious interest.
She took a breath. “Sunlight doesn’t affect me.”
His eyes narrowed, and he stayed silent for a moment. At last, he spoke. “What happened that makes you think that?”
“I had to run out to my car to get something one morning, and I hadn’t parked in the garage. It was just a quick dash. I figured if I suddenly burst into flames, I’d duck back into the garage and put myself out. But nothing happened.”
Lucky walked in and jumped up onto the hearth to clean himself in front of the fire.
She shrugged. “Then I tested it out for real on a bright sunny day. And I was fine.” She was keeping the part about the crucifix being the source of that protection to herself for now. That was the most important part of the whole thing and the one secret she wasn’t ready to divulge.
“That’s amazing.” He scooted forward on his chair. “But you’re right to keep it a secret. I don’t think you should tell another living soul. Or nonliving. This gives you a serious advantage over other vampires. It could make you a target.”
She nodded. “I know. And I don’t plan to. But I figured you’d find out sooner or later once we’re living under the same roof.”
He nodded. “That would be a hard thing for you to hide. Especially when that penthouse has rooftop access.” He laughed. “A vampire who’s impervious to the sun. I’m sure it’s happened before, but wow, that kind of makes you a superh
ero.”
“I don’t know if I’d go that far.”
His grin remained. “Any idea why?”
She knew exactly why, but she shook her head all the same. “The planets were all aligned in the right way at the right time? Who knows?” She shifted a little, tucking her legs under her even more. “No one knows. Not even my sister the nun, who knew about vampires before I did, by the way.”
“Your imperviousness to the sun has to be a difficult thing to keep from her, but considering the Church produces more vampire hunters than any other organization, it’s probably also wise. Not that Cammie would turn you in. It’s just probably better she doesn’t have to keep that secret for you.”
“I agree.” Donna watched the flames flicker over the ceramic logs. “That reminds me. I still haven’t told my kids what’s happened. About me becoming a vampire.”
He nodded slowly. “Are you going to do that in person?”
“I’d like to. But traveling isn’t easy. Not when I’m supposed to only move at night.”
“So bring them here. After you get moved into the penthouse. Bring them for a weekend.”
“That’s a good idea.” It really was, even if her response didn’t convey much enthusiasm.
He swirled the wine that remained in his glass. “But you’re still worried about what they’re going to think.”
“I am. Can you blame me?”
“Not in the slightest.”
She leaned back. “Their mother is a vampire. How do you begin to process that? And right after their father died. It’s a lot.”
“It is. But they’re adults. And even though I don’t know them, you’ve told me a lot about them, and they sound like very well-adjusted kids.”
“They are.”
“I bet they’ll take it better than you think.”
She sighed. “I hope you’re right. But I have to tell them. Putting it off doesn’t help anything. Maybe I should just call them.”
“I support whatever decision you make.” His gaze shifted to a point behind her. “Sun’s coming up.”
“I can feel it. Hard to explain. It’s kind of like when you’re being watched.” She drained the last sip from her glass. “I’m going to bed.”
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