Ringing pulled me from a dreamless sleep.
I fumbled for my phone on the nightstand, and my hand hit the bed. I never slept in the middle. I cracked my eyes open and blinked at the empty mattress beside me, my phone flashing furiously from the bedside table. I shuffled to it, my muscles aching in all kids of places.
“Hello?”
“Good morning! Dinner today? I thought I could meet you at St. Mary’s, and once visiting hours are done, we can go out. Just the girls.”
I took a deep breath, trying to force my brain to work. Last night felt like a dream.
“Okay, sure. Let’s do it.”
“What’s wrong? You sound weird.”
Chiara knew me far too well.
“Nothing. I’ll catch you up later. Girls’ night sounds good.”
“Okay, great. Now I can’t wait. I can just tell it’s something juicy.”
“You sound way too excited about that.”
“Girl, I’ve been waiting for something juicy from you for years. I’m due.”
I hung up and put my phone back. As I did, I noticed a shine on my hand. My ring had returned to its place on my finger.
Nikolai had to have put it back on.
Where the hell was he? I glanced around the room. There was no trace of him. Had I imagined it all? No, the ache between my legs proved that he’d been very real.
I laid back and stared at the ceiling. I had to get up and get to work. I had to shower. I must smell like him. I had to get it together. I would, for sure. I just needed five more minutes to linger on the memories of last night.
School had dragged by as I tried to reassure myself that I wasn’t waiting to hear my phone ring. It hadn’t rung, in any case, not for a call or a message. Not that I was fixated on the fact that I had bared my entire soul last night to Nikolai, and he’d disappeared immediately after, and not called or texted. Nope. I didn’t care.
When the last bell of the day rang, I’d never been so ready to leave. I headed out early. I just wanted to get to the hospital and see Leo.
Kids spilled out across the parking lot, and I powered through in the direction of the staff lot.
A black Jeep pulled up in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.
The door opened, and a tall man got out. He was broad and tattooed, like a blond-haired, green-eyed Nikolai, except this one managed a smile that didn’t look murderous. Students scattered and stared. Of course they did.
It was the Irish guy from the coffee shop. I narrowed my eyes at him as he leaned against his Jeep and looked me over. Bran. His name was Bran.
“Taxi service.” Bran smirked. “In you get.”
He opened the passenger-side door for me, ignoring the curious looks of passers-by. Several girls had their phones out, snapping discreet pics of the bad boy.
“Excuse me, do I know you?”
“Ouch, I thought our coffee shop encounter was very memorable.”
I studied him. “If I was going to remember you for anything, I think it would be for chasing me through the school in a mask the other night. That was you, right?”
“A gentleman never tells.”
“Do you know Nikolai Chernov or not?”
“Only as well as a brother.”
“I guess you also gave him my number to terrorize me with?”
“You look fine to me. His terrorizing must have gotten lighter since prison. The Palach is losing his touch.”
“The Palach? What does that mean?”
Bran shrugged with perfect nonchalance. “I don’t speak Russian, love, I have no idea.”
“Sure you don’t. Why are you here?”
“I told you. I’m your taxi service. Point me in a direction, and I’ll go.”
“I have a car here, you know.”
“Yeah, I’m familiar with that piece of shit. You won’t be driving it again. Let it rust in the lot or get towed for all I care.”
“Excuse me?”
“Nikolai doesn’t want you driving that death trap. He wants me to drive you.”
“Babysit me, you mean? Where is he anyway?”
Bran lounged with indolent grace. “Why, you missing him already? He’ll like hearing that.”
“I’m not—” I bit off my words. What was the point in denying it? “I can drive myself.”
“But I’m not going to let you, so just do us both a favor and let me take you to see your son.”
“And my car? I can’t just leave it here.”
“Have it towed, like I said. Or I’ll get it taken to your house, whatever you want.”
I sighed, checking my watch. I really needed to get going to the hospital. “Whatever. Just this once, and only because I’m going out for dinner with Chiara after, and she’s driving.” I got into the car. It was quietly expensive inside. The kind of luxury I hadn’t experienced since I’d left the De Sanctis lifestyle.
Bran settled into the driver’s seat. “Chiara, is that the little firecracker from the coffee shop? The one who was talking about her husband, spitting, and daddy in the same sentence?”
“You shouldn’t hit on her if you value your life.”
“Hit on her? I was thinking I could hit on both of them. Their bedroom sounds like an interesting place.”
“Fair enough. So, where is Nikolai, and why has he sent you here?”
Bran handled the car expertly through the crowd. “Niko’s in New York. He had some business to see to. And the reason why he sent me here is obvious, love. The man’s obsessed with you and always has been.”
That probably shouldn’t warm my heart like it did.
I traced a circle on my knee. “So, you mentioned prison.”
Bran grinned at me. “If you want to grill me, go ahead, love, I’m an open book.”
I hesitated. It seemed wrong somehow to go behind Nikolai’s back and try to find out what the last seven years had been like for him.
Bran nudged me with his elbow. “We never slept together. We were roommates, not bunkmates, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
My cheeks flushed with the vivid image that jumped into my head at Bran’s words.
“Well, that’s not my business, I guess.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. That man lived like a monk in your memory. I’d say that was your business. You need to make up for that lost time. Wear him out, he needs that. I’ve never seen him as relaxed as he was this morning.”
“You saw him this morning?”
Bran chuckled. “Jealous again? Don’t worry, I told you, you’re the one he loves. He never stopped, you know, not even for a second. Not even when he nearly lost his damn mind inside.”
The hospital came into sight ahead. My mind was swimming with Bran’s insights, and I couldn’t lie to myself that it wasn’t exciting to hear anything about Nikolai at all. After a day of waiting to hear from him, Bran’s overprotective taxi service soothed my ragged nerves.
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning to take you to work.”
“It’s really not necessary,” I said, stepping out of the car.
“Yes, it is, because your car is at school, Miss Rossi, if you’ve forgotten.”
“Right. Okay, fine.”
“Your enthusiasm is infectious.” He grinned at me.
Man, I’d bet many a lady had fallen for that grin.
I took a step toward the hospital before pausing. “Is Nikolai going to be gone long?”
Bran’s knowing smirk made me roll my eyes.
“I just want to know what to expect.”
“With the youngest Chernov, it’s best to expect the unexpected at all times. He’ll be back very soon, don’t you worry.”
