The Bastard's Bargain

by Katee Robert

  Her brother was a good man. She might throw the barb about him being like their father when it suited her, but it couldn’t have been further from the truth. Maybe one of these days he’d actually believe it. She went up onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

  “You’re in over your head.”

  Without a doubt. “I love you.” She turned on her heel and went in search of her husband.

  Chapter Ten

  What did you bring me, Uncle Dima?”

  Dmitri held out a hand and smiled. “You’ll have to come over here to see.”

  Hadley raced at him and threw herself into his arms. She was so tiny to contain so much energy, but then her mother had been the same at that age. He lifted her and spun in a quick circle before settling her on his hip and producing a book from his jacket.

  Her cherub face fell almost comically. “A book?”

  “Da.” He waited for her to take it and ruffled her hair. “Do you know that your grandpapa used to read these same stories to me when I was your age? You’ve never met him, but this is a piece of your history all the same.” He looked over her dark head as he said the words, meeting his half sister’s gaze.

  At first glance, Olivia didn’t look much like a Romanov. She was his sister by way of his father’s mistress, and they shared the man’s jawline and straight nose. Olivia leaned against the wall and watched him with her daughter. In the year or so since they’d made their deal, she’d relaxed enough that he knew she trusted him not to harm his niece, but that didn’t mean she trusted him.

  Nor should she.

  He pointed to the overstuffed armchair next to the fireplace. “Shall I read you one?”

  “Yes, please.” Hadley said it primly, the very picture of a pretty princess deigning to let her subject have his way.

  He settled in with Hadley on his lap and read her the first story in the book of Russian fairy tales—“Vasilisa the Beautiful.” Through it all, though he was focused on her, he kept one eye on the door for Keira’s return. Dmitri didn’t believe for a second that Aiden would steamroll his younger sister’s protests, but he didn’t allow himself to relax until she slipped into the room and took a position on the couch across from them.

  Hadley waited until Dmitri closed the book to leap to the floor and rush over to her. “Keira!”

  “Hey, Hadley.” She plopped her onto the same couch cushion as if they’d done it a thousand times before. “How’s it hanging?”

  “I have to have a tutor.” His niece said it like it was a dirty word.

  Dmitri raised his eyebrows at Olivia, who took it as her cue to move to the couch on the other side of Hadley. “We talked about preschool, but decided that bringing someone in would be the better choice—at least for now.” She set her shoulders. “She is going to a normal kindergarten, even if it’s a Catholic one.”

  Ah. Her words had the flavor of an old argument between her and Cillian, which was interesting. Dmitri wouldn’t use it as leverage to get what he wanted…for now. Olivia was happy here. More importantly, Hadley was happy here. Cillian looked at her as his own daughter, and he’d die for her if it came to that. Dmitri couldn’t have placed his sister and niece in a better location if he’d tried.

  Keira twisted to face Olivia, a frown on her face. “She needs to be around other kids.”

  “I agree.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “He’s harping about safety again, isn’t he? Just compromise and have extra security set up around the preschool.” Keira cocked her head to the side, and he swore he could actually see the wheels turning behind those beautiful hazel eyes. “In fact, we will supply the extra men if Aiden can’t spare them. Hadley is family, after all.”

  Olivia froze. “Keira, that’s sweet, but—”

  He saw it in the hesitance in his sister’s stance and the way Keira’s shoulders twitched as if about to droop. Whatever she was about to say wouldn’t be positive. Keira had offered a solution, and Olivia was going to shoot her down. Everyone in the room knew it.

  So he stepped in. “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Dmitri cut in smoothly. He spared a smile for his niece. “Hadley needs to be socialized with other children. You want that. You said as much yourself.”

  Olivia’s chin set in a stubborn line he knew all too well. “I didn’t say that.”

  “Not in so many words, but you do agree with it.” He pretended to consider, and switched to Russian. “Unless it’s me that you’re trying to protect my niece from.”

  She jumped like he’d reached over and struck her. “Nyet, of course not. If I wanted to protect her from you, I wouldn’t allow these visits.”

  “I’ve given you no reason to call them off.” Agreeing to her terms had been easy enough. He had no reason to manipulate Hadley into doing anything but caring for him. She wasn’t a pawn in his game. The girl may be illegitimate, but she was family—the only family Dmitri had left of this particular Romanov line. If the visits had the double benefit of getting the O’Malleys used to his presence, well, that was a different play in a different game.

  “Yet.”

  “Hey, guys, still sitting right here.” Keira waved a hand in front of Olivia’s face, breaking their staring contest. “Speaking Russian in front of someone who doesn’t speak the language is a dick move.”

  “You should learn,” Dmitri said.

  “Yeah, yeah, it’s on my list.” Keira sat back against the arm of the couch. “Take the help, Olivia. It gets you what you want, and it will be good for Hadley. There aren’t any drawbacks.”

  From the look on his sister’s face, accepting any help that came with a Romanov label was too much, but she was smart enough to know when she was backed into a corner. “I’ll talk to Cillian about it.”

  “Do that.” Keira pointed an imperial finger at him. “You. I’m pretty sure my brother needs to talk to you. Don’t get any blood on the carpet—or anywhere else.”

  The mantle of power looked good on her. She held herself like a queen, watching him with those witch eyes as he stood and crossed the room. Dmitri paused in the doorway. “I won’t be long.”

  “If you’re about to tell me not to get into any trouble, don’t waste your breath. I was born for trouble.”

  He gave her a sharp grin. “I know.”

  * * *

  Keira didn’t release a breath when Dmitri left the room, but Olivia did. Her sister-in-law slumped back against the couch cushion. “Hadley, why don’t you play for a few minutes before we hunt down some dinner?”

  “Okay.” Hadley hopped off the couch and scooped up the book Dmitri had brought her. Now that her beloved uncle was out of the room, she climbed into the chair he’d vacated and paged through the book in utter seriousness. Smart little cookie, playing hard to get.

  Olivia closed her eyes. “It never gets any easier dealing with him. He’s scarier when he’s being civil.”

  Scary.

  Scary didn’t begin to cover Dmitri Romanov, but he had been on his best behavior since they walked through the front door. Keira didn’t imagine for a second that he’d keep that up once behind the closed door of Aiden’s office, but his actions and words were above reproach up to this point. “He would never hurt you.”

  Olivia opened one dark eye and gave her an incredulous look. “What are you smoking? Of course he would. Not without a reason, but our being half-related wouldn’t stop him.”

  Keira knew that was true—she did—but a part of her rebelled at it all the same. Still determined to think the best of him. You never learn, you idiot. “All the same, the offer for extra muscle is a legitimate one. There’s no way Hadley’s identity will fly under the radar indefinitely, and having the showing from both families will make anyone assuming she’s an easy target think twice. It will keep her safe, which is what everyone wants.” She might not be able to divine the motivation for a good portion of the shit Dmitri pulled, but she was confident he didn’t want his niece hurt.

  “You’re right
. I know you’re right.” Olivia sighed and sat up. “I’ll think about it, talk to Cillian, and let you know.”

  That was as good as it’d get, so she said, “Okay.”

  Olivia narrowed her eyes. “Did Aiden take care of things?”

  Things meaning her running off with Dmitri. Keira wasn’t in the mood to keep defending him when it ultimately didn’t matter what anyone thought. Aiden wouldn’t move on Dmitri until he thought he had a good chance of succeeding. He didn’t believe that she was in love with the Russian, and for good reason—she wasn’t. She could bring her brother around eventually, but if she suddenly declared herself head over heels, he’d know it for the lie it was. “I’m sure he will.” She stood and headed for the door. There was one person she wanted to see while she was here, and with her time ticking down, she had to do it now. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Keira—”

  But then she was through the door and into the hallway. Keira made it to the entranceway when a female voice called from the top of the stairway. “I know you’re not leaving without saying hello to me, because I will kick your ass from here to New York and back.”

  “Charlie!” Keira took the steps two at a time.

  Charlie Moreaux stood at the top of the stairs, her white-blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, dressed in faded jeans and a tank top. She grinned. “Hey there, trouble.”

  “Me trouble? You trouble.” She grabbed Charlie’s hands and lifted her arms to get a better look at the cuts scabbing over her pale skin. They formed a neat little line up one arm and down the other. “Fuck, that bitch did a number on you.” Tortured. She wouldn’t say the word aloud. It made it all too real, and she didn’t think her friend would like the reminder.

  “I survived.” She said it simply—a fact—but her blue eyes were concerned. “I know you don’t want to be handled with kid gloves, so I’m just going to put it out there. Are you okay? Last anyone heard from you was Cillian frantically calling Aiden to say Romanov had taken you.”

  “He didn’t take me. I left.” It wasn’t quite the truth, but it was the only one that mattered. Keira took a deep breath. It was easier to play the pissed-off sister with Aiden. His protective instincts made him act like an idiot sometimes. Charlie wasn’t like that. She was Keira’s friend—or at least they’d been headed in that direction. “Look, not too long ago, you asked me if I was falling for him.”

  “Pretty sure you told me to fuck right off with that nonsense.”

  “Yeah, well.” Keira looked away and then back. “Maybe it was a case of the lady protesting too much.”

  “Keira…” Charlie pressed her lips together. “You’re a smart girl. He might be dangerous and kind of sexy in a murderous sort of way, but you have to know that you’re just a pawn for him.”

  “It’s not as simple as you think—or anyone thinks.” Keira shrugged, going for somewhere between nonchalant and angsty. If they thought Dmitri was manipulating her into giving them the answers he wanted, nothing would stop Aiden from going after Romanov with everything he had. “We meet each other’s needs. It’s a mutually beneficial agreement.” She could see the disbelief simmering in her friend so she held up a hand. “I’m sober, Charlie. Actually honest-to-God sober. I haven’t had a drink or a smoke since I left.”

  “Seriously?” Charlie frowned. “Doc Jones told Aiden you were through withdrawal, but it was hard to believe.”

  She very carefully didn’t think of the vodka she’d stashed in her bathroom cabinet. Keira was nowhere near out of the woods, but she’d only weaken her argument if she admitted it. “It was a bitch. I don’t want to go through that shit again as long as I live.”

  She still didn’t look convinced, but she sighed. “If you wanted out, you’d tell me, wouldn’t you?”

  Not a chance. “Yeah, of course. I might be the purveyor of bad life choices, but I don’t have a death wish.” Not anymore. Dmitri had effectively shocked her out of the numbness that had already started melting away with Charlie’s addition into her life, and she didn’t want to check out like that again. But that didn’t mean she had a clear view of where she wanted to go. She was Dmitri’s wife, but he only saw her as his possession.

  Keira was damn tired of being moved around like an inconvenient table lamp.

  Charlie nodded. “In that case, I’m sure there’s some shit you want from your room.” She made a face. “We threw out your drugs and did your laundry—gross, by the way—but everything else is untouched.”

  “Thanks.” There were a few things she’d left behind that she’d wanted, and Keira grinned. “While I pack, tell me what you’ve been up to since I left. And write down your number for me again. This whole not talking to you thing has been a bitch.”

  “You’re telling me.” Charlie followed her down the hallway toward her room. “We’re working on the Eldridge threat, but Aiden’s insisting on setting a June date for the wedding, so I’m having to deal with your mother for that.”

  Keira winced. “My sympathies.”

  “You’re telling me.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Give me one goddamn reason why I shouldn’t shoot you in the face and be done with this mess.”

  Dmitri sighed. “Again with this? You won’t kill me, because not only would it upset your sister, it would destabilize the power structure in New York and allow the Eldridges to capitalize on it—and become more of a threat than they already are. Then you really would have a war on your hands.” He pinned Aiden with a disdainful look. “But you already know that, don’t you? Don’t take your frustration out on me, O’Malley.”

  “It’s not frustration I want to take out on you.” Aiden’s entire body was tensed as if he fought to hold himself back from attacking. For a man who had renowned self-control, he wasn’t exhibiting much of it lately. He leaned forward. “You married Keira.”

  “I told you I was going to.”

  A muscle in Aiden’s jaw jumped. “You also told me that you’d give her a choice, or was that a goddamn lie, too? You had to have broken every single fucking speed limit to get to Boston ahead of me, and then you took her like a thief in the night.”

  “I did not take your sister. I offered her a choice. She chose me.” He waved a hand through the air, feigning nonchalance. “It’s a moot point now. She’s my wife. I will not relinquish her, and she has no desire to be relinquished. There are more important matters to discuss.”

  “There’s nothing more important than my family.”

  He and Dmitri could agree on that, though who they termed family varied significantly. “In that case, you’re about to renew our alliance against the Eldridges. Officially.” He paused. “Have you received any gifts from Mae?”

  Aiden hissed out a breath and sat back. “She sent me a set of women’s hands with a ring almost identical to the family heirloom Charlie has on her finger.” His gaze sharpened. “Why? What did you get?”

  “The head from the body I assume the hands were once attached to.” He waited a beat. “The dead woman bears a startling resemblance to your sister.”

  “Fuck.”

  “My thoughts exactly.” Just remembering the feeling that had coursed through him at the sight of that head—something akin to fear—pissed him the hell off. “She’s changing the game and isn’t playing by the rules. No one is safe, Aiden. Not Charlie, not your sisters, not your nieces and nephews. The only way to remove the threat is to remove it. Immediately.”

  For the first time since he’d walked through the door, Aiden looked at him like he was a person rather than shit on the bottom of his shoe. Progress. “I suppose you have a brilliant plan.”

  “You give me a lot of credit.” Credit where credit was due. He permitted himself a small smile. “I have my best man working to find them. Someone is running their business in their absence—either that, or they haven’t gone far.”

  “If they were close, you would have already found them.” No credit there, just a statement of fact.

&n
bsp; “Da.”

  “What do you need from me?”

  Now we’re getting somewhere. “Your man Mark is highly motivated to see Eldridge blood run.”

  “If you already know it for a fact, there’s no reason to say it out loud. I’m not going to pat you on the back for having spies in my house.”

  Dmitri snorted. “Please. There’s no need for spies when human nature is so predictable. Mae Eldridge shot Mark’s cousin, so he’s uniquely situated to want vengeance, and he’s got a skill set that makes him useful. Send him to New York to eliminate the person holding the power in the Eldridges’ absence, and I’ll have my men accomplish the rest after the first domino falls. If my man hasn’t found Alethea by then, the resulting events will draw her and Mae out.”

  Aiden drummed his fingers on the desk. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Think fast.” He rose. “We want the same thing, Aiden.”

  “No, Romanov, we don’t.” He didn’t move, just kept up the damn drumming. “My sister tells me that you’re fucking on every available surface.”

  Did she, now? He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “She’s a beautiful woman. We’re married. I would think it’d be stranger if we weren’t fucking.”

  Aiden’s expression didn’t shift. “You’ll be having a wedding reception.” Not a question, but not quite a command, either.

  You’re learning, O’Malley. “Invitations went out today. It’s set for next Saturday.”

  “We’ll be there.” He waited for Dmitri to take a step to continue. “All of us. O’Malley. Sheridan. Halloran. Every single one of us have a vested interested in Keira’s health and happiness.”

  Smarter to keep his mouth shut and allow Aiden to hold the high ground, but Dmitri couldn’t let that comment stand. It was all well and good to crow about family loyalty and their beloved youngest sister, but not a single fucking O’Malley had stepped in to stop her free fall after Devlin O’Malley’s death. Not one.