by Bella Rose
“Thank you.” Courtney felt a little shell-shocked. She didn’t even know what her new position was. She could only hope Toby didn’t have the sort of sick sense of humor that would land her on a toilet-cleaning crew, although she was in no position to argue.
“Right this way.” Trisha let Courtney through a door marked STAFF ONLY and into a long hallway.
“Can you tell me what this will entail? The lab work, I mean?” Courtney couldn’t imagine why she would need a blood test.
“Oh sure.” Trisha smiled and waved her hand as if it was no big deal. “It’s the standard blood and urine screen for drugs and alcohol, and then we do a basic metabolic panel for the health insurance plan.”
“Oh right. Health benefits.” Courtney realized that there was a whole lot of life that she was so very unprepared for.
* * *
Mikhail tried not to crack a smile as he watched the head of his security teams division try to digest everything that Mikhail had just told him. Frank Robins was a hulking black man with a clean-shaven head and the physique of a pro wrestler. Unlike a typical meathead, Frank had a very sharp mind and a fierce intellect that Mikhail had come to respect over the years.
“So you want us to start running covert surveillance on the local Russian mafia?” Frank asked again, probably just to make sure his employer wasn’t joking with him. “And you’re stressing the covert part because you’re pretty sure that they’re going to make a move against you personally?” Frank’s countenance darkened. “Which—by the way—makes me think it would be best just to take them all out and be done with it. I have two teams that could make that happen within twenty-four hours.”
“No.” Mikhail shook his head. “I generally hold the belief that if I don’t bother them, they won’t bother me. I grew up with those men. I have respect for them. And I understand that they are just trying to protect their investments because they chose to back the wrong horse in this race.”
“Creighton Kemper.” Frank supplied.
“Exactly.”
Frank snorted. “That pansy asshole is lucky his own family hasn’t taken him out.”
“Agreed, but Vasily doesn’t know that. Kemper isn’t part of Vasily’s world.” Mikhail thought it over for a moment. “I would suspect that Kemper went to them with a proposition, or he might be a regular client in one of their casinos who happens to owe them more than a little money.” Mikhail thought that over for a moment. “You know what? Add that to the work order. I want to know what the Russians have on Kemper or vice versa. It’s high time I got on the better end of the information train in this bullshit scenario.”
“Consider it done,” Frank said quickly. “And sir?”
“Yes?”
“We’re going to be doubling your personal security as well.”
Mikhail sighed. “I think I’ll head down to the gun range and brush up on my skills.”
“Good.” Frank gave a hard nod. “That was going to be my next suggestion. We can do a lot to keep you safe, but in the end you’ve got to have the balls to take matters into your own hands and own the results.”
“Maybe I should put you on my motivational-speaking task force,” Mikhail mused. “Although you might freak out some of the employees in the do not need to know departments.”
“Very true, sir,” Frank laughed. “Very, very true.”
Chapter Twelve
Courtney stared at her desktop and tried to process what the e-mail in front of her was saying. It had been a little over a week since she had started her job at Pinckney Industries. Toby had placed her in a data entry position, which considering her degree was in journalism was just fine with Courtney. It was far better than the toilet-cleaning position she had been afraid of filling. Human Resources had just sent her a few files regarding the blood work and other lab tests they had performed on that very first day. Most of it was pretty self-explanatory. This last bit was not.
“Pregnant?” she murmured.
The young woman in the neighboring cubicle popped up over the paper-thin wall that separated their desks. “What?”
“Oh, nothing.” Courtney forced herself to give the woman a pleasant smile. It hadn’t taken long to realize that Janie had a penchant for spreading gossip. And there was no way that Courtney wanted this juicy tidbit to get out just yet.
“Surely there has to be a mistake,” Courtney muttered to herself. “I’ll just go after work and clear this right up.”
She glanced at the clock and groaned out loud. It was only three in the afternoon. She had two more hours of work before she could leave. The waiting was already driving her insane and the e-mail had hit her inbox only three and a half minutes ago!
Forcing herself not to look at the clock, Courtney went back to work and managed to keep her mind on her tasks and not the bizarre possibility that she might be pregnant. Pregnant? It was preposterous! First of all, she hadn’t even had… Okay she had had sex with Mikhail that night after Bella’s wedding. But it was only once—er—twice. Surely that wasn’t enough to get her pregnant! People tried unsuccessfully for years to have children. How could it be that she and Mikhail just happened to manage it the very first time they were together?
And what would she do if she really was pregnant? She was already lying through her teeth to her father about what she was doing every day. Her father would never limit her contact with Bella since Bella was from and had married into two of the wealthiest, most powerful families in the city. Courtney had simple told her father that she was spending her days with Bella helping her with some project or another. It was odd that her father would have bought that excuse far more readily than he would have accepted the notion that she had a real job. But just as soon as Courtney found a little apartment to rent, she planned to tell her father everything. And she was going to enjoy it too.
Finally glancing at the clock around four fifty-five, she shut down her computer for the day and gathered her things. She’d make a quick stop by the women’s walk-in clinic down the block, and then she would go look at one more apartment before making her decision. It would all work out, and she would be fine.
* * *
Mikhail looked over the report that Frank had just set on his desk. “Shit.”
“Yes, sir, that’s pretty much what I thought as well.” Frank sat back in his chair, laced his fingers behind his head, and crossed his legs at the knee. He looked deceptively calm.
“And you’re sure whatever intel you used is reliable?”
“The best, sir,” Frank assured him.
“So Kemper got himself fired from his father’s business.” Mikhail mulled that over in his head for a moment. “How do you even manage that? Really. He got fired from a job that he didn’t even have to show up for in order to collect a salary.”
“Apparently they let him keep his office to keep up appearances, but he is persona non grata around there,” Frank said, gesturing to the report. “You can understand why really. The gambling alone is concerning, but when he started putting up company shares, that meant he was actually losing his family company to the Russian mafia. His father put his foot down, his brother—the tax lawyer, mind you—got involved and got the company out of hot water, and the mafia was down to trying to collect from their little cash cow in other more creative ways.”
“Does that bastard Gordon Piers-Cameron know about any of this?” Mikhail wondered. “He can’t intend to sell his daughter to this man when Creighton doesn’t even have any money.”
Frank seemed to think that over for a moment. “I can have the IT department dig around in their files—I didn’t actually say that, by the way—but from what I see, the Kempers have kept this really hush-hush. And why would they tell? It’s humiliating. So the possibility exists that Piers-Cameron has no idea that the future son-in-law he’s gone to so much trouble to acquire is really bringing nothing to the table and cannot offer them anything.”
Mikhail smirked as he realized something else. “And we all know t
hat Piers-Cameron hasn’t told Kemper that he no longer owns Pierson Security.”
“Obviously.”
“So the only thing that will happen is that the whole little wedding scenario will explode like a dirty bomb.” Then Mikhail thought of one more detail. “Unfortunately Courtney is the one who is likely to get caught in the middle of all this crap.”
“Likely,” Frank agreed. “We could always extract her.”
“Because what every woman wants is to be kidnapped away from her problems,” Mikhail said sarcastically. “No. Unfortunately I can’t step in until I’m forced to by my idiot cousin.”
“Yes.” Frank looked grim. “About that.”
“I already know that the Russian mafia doesn’t follow regular rules of engagement.”
Frank nodded. “That’s an understatement. They are most certainly expecting you to give them what they want.”
“Have you found a way in?” Mikhail wanted to know.
“Yes.”
“Then I think I’ll pay Vasily a visit and remind him of exactly why they have left me alone all these years.”
* * *
“Ms. Cameron, it would appear that you are nine and a half weeks pregnant.”
Courtney blinked at the doctor, almost certain that she had misheard the woman. “I’m sorry. Can you please say that again? I don’t think I heard you correctly.”
“You’re nine and a half weeks pregnant.”
“No. That’s impossible,” Courtney whispered. “It was only once! Once! People do not get pregnant after one time having sex with someone.”
“I beg to differ,” the doctor said in an almost belligerent tone of voice. “If you had unprotected sex with someone just one time, then it is absolutely possible that you could be pregnant. It happens all the time.”
“No.” Courtney shook her head.
“I take it this is neither anticipated or welcome?” The doctor looked tired. “I have some pamphlets about your options if you’d like to take them home and look them over. There’s a clinic over on Fourth Street that performs abortions in the first trimester if you’re interested in that option.”
“Are you serious?” Courtney looked down as the doctor shoved a few pieces of colored cardboard into her hands. “I just don’t know.”
“So go home and think it over. Talk it over with your friends and family and make a decision. The choice is yours unless you feel that the father has a right to be involved.” The doctor didn’t look like she particularly wanted to be having this conversation, so Courtney didn’t even mention that the father was an ass who didn’t deserve the time of day, much less a choice in what happened to the by blow of his one-night stand.
She left the clinic in a daze. Earlier that afternoon she had made plans to meet Bella for dinner at a café near the Pinckney Industries building. Now she was almost afraid to go. What if her friend decided she’d had enough of Courtney’s crazy drama? This was just one more thing to add to the pile of insanity that seemed to be Courtney’s life.
Courtney spotted Bella almost as soon as she walked into the café. Her friend was waving wildly from a seat in the back. Courtney sat down and was almost about to open the topic when Monique plopped down beside her.
“Surprise!” the two women shouted.
Then Monique gave Courtney a one-armed hug. “We thought you could use some cheering up. Margaritas for all!”
Courtney froze. She couldn’t drink alcohol. At least not until she’d made her decision. “Better make mine virgin,” Courtney said with false brightness. “I’m a working girl now and I can’t afford to be hungover in the morning.”
Monique rolled her eyes. “You were always such a good girl! But whatever you want. This is your night!”
If Monique only knew how not good girl Courtney had been lately, she would completely rethink that statement. But for now, Courtney was willing to pretend for a few more hours.
* * *
Mikhail slipped inside Vasily’s home with Frank and six additional men dressed for war in black fatigues and all with rifles at the shoulder. There was a skeleton crew on this time of day. It was just Vasily and his family. Most of the men had gone home to their own families or had headed off to their evening duties. It was only Vasily and two of his top enforcers on the property. Frank had done his homework, and it had paid off.
The men fanned out. Within seconds Frank signaled Mikhail that the two enforcers had been neutralized with sedative injections. They could now approach Vasily in the dining room. Frank and his team covered all the exits and stayed out of the dining room itself. Vasily’s two children were inside and Mikhail wasn’t trying to scare the little boy and girl to death.
Taking a deep breath, Mikhail sauntered into Vasily’s dining room and smiled. “Hello, cousin. How are you this evening? I thought I would stop by and have a chat. Would you like to step out into the hallway with me?” Mikhail gave Vasily’s wife—Maria—a warm smile. “There is no reason to bring Maria and the children into this little misunderstanding.”
Vasily curled his lip at Mikhail. “You bastard!”
“Actually. No. I’m not a bastard. That’s why we have this problem between us. You and I are related by blood, and you believe that means something more than the random genetic occurrence that it is.”
Vasily shot to his feet. “Excuse me,” he told his wife. “I will attend to this business and return soon. Please continue to eat.”
“Vasily,” Maria said uneasily. “Is everything all right?”
“Of course,” Mikhail assured her. “I just need a word with my cousin. He was nice enough to visit me in my office the other day. I’m returning the courtesy.”
Maria seemed to relax, which was bizarre given the circumstances, but Mikhail figured the woman must be used to strange goings-on considering what her husband did for a living.
Mikhail gestured for Vasily to lead the way into the hall outside the dining room. The Russian mafia man cursed in English and Russian when Frank’s men immediately crowded around him.
“You brought an army into my house?” Vasily snarled. “My house?”
“You came to my office and made personal threats,” Mikhail reminded him. “So yes. I did.”
Then Vasily snorted. “You wanted to show me your power.”
Mikhail shrugged. “Did it work?”
“Yes. Call them off.”
“No.” Mikhail knew that Frank wouldn’t leave his side anyway. “They stay with me.”
“Come to my office, then.”
“No. The front parlor is fine.” Mikhail already knew from Frank’s surveillance that Vasily had a gun stashed in a drawer in his office. In the parlor he would be defenseless.
Vasily sighed. This time he sounded resigned. He led the way into the front room where Maria did most of her embroidery work, receiving, and entertaining. Mikhail gazed at his cousin, wondering what would be the most perfect way to begin this conversation and make it quick and productive.
“There are some things that you think you understand, but you do not,” Mikhail told his cousin. “Allow me to enlighten you.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Okay.” Bella gave Courtney a sideways look. The two women were strolling down the sidewalk as the twilight shaded slowly into darkness and the city lights came alive around them. “Monique is gone. Now tell me whatever it is that’s bugging you. Obviously you didn’t want to share it with her, although I get it. Really.”
“Sorry.” Courtney felt bad, but she also wasn’t ready for everyone to know. “You know Monique has trouble with secrets.”
Bella laughed. “That is a really huge understatement. So what’s the big secret? Other than the job thing.”
“Yeah. I’m pretty sure my father is going to hear from someone that Monique knows that I’ve got a job, but I’m hoping he won’t believe it because of the source.”
“So what is it that you don’t want to tell her, then?” Bella looked concerned. “It must be serious.”
“I’m pregnant.” Courtney just threw the verbal bomb out there and let it be. She wasn’t sure how else to put it.
The two of them walked for another five minutes before Bella managed a response. They’d entered a corner park, and Bella chose a little bench to sit down. She settled her butt and then crossed her legs, obviously trying to decide how to proceed.
“It’s stupid and completely irresponsible, I know,” Courtney said quickly.
Bella frowned. “That wasn’t what I was going to say. Please don’t put words in my mouth.”
“Sorry, I guess that’s how I feel.”
“Do you?” Bella mused. “Because you just told me that you’re pregnant, but I wasn’t aware you were actually sleeping with anyone. So if you’ve got a case of immaculate conception here, I think we should call the news affiliates.”
“Oh ha, ha,” Courtney moaned. “It’s Mikhail. And don’t try to tell me that you didn’t know that already.”
“Wow! So you actually slept with him?” Bella sounded awed. “I knew that you had a thing for him. And obviously—considering how much he nags Toby about you—Mikhail has a thing for you too. I just didn’t realize it was so—well—advanced.”
“It happened after your reception actually.” Courtney felt a little sheepish about that. She quickly explained the whole running from Creighton and literally crashing into Mikhail scenario to Bella. Her friend listened wide-eyed and silent until Courtney was done.
“Wow. Just wow.” Bella sounded thrilled. “I don’t know why you’re so upset about this. It sounds like this could be the thing to really bring the two of you together.”
“What?” Courtney frowned. “Did you miss the part where I told you he was just using me to get to my father’s business?”
“Yeah, I don’t buy that part,” Bella admitted. “It’s too inconsistent. And what? Are you thinking he tried to get you pregnant as some part of a revenge scheme against your father? Doubtful. That whole thing between the two of you feels spontaneous, not rehearsed. Don’t you think?”