When I wake up a few hours later, Conor is no longer in bed with me, and I can’t help but feel a little sad. It was nice falling asleep with his arms wrapped around me. I miss spending time with him. I don’t have time to dwell on why he left, because Liam shifts beside me and groans loudly.
“Morning, handsome,” I say, stretching and rolling out of bed. “How are you feeling?”
“Like a truck rolled over me in the night,” he winces as he rolls his shoulders and stretches before hoisting himself into a sitting position.
“I’ll grab you something to eat, and then you can have some of your pain meds.”
“Thanks, baby,” he says with a grimace as I walk around to his side of the bed and start clearing his nightstand.
“Conor fucked you, didn’t he?” he arches an eyebrow at me.
I bite on my lip. “Yes,” I whisper. “Sorry.”
He chuckles softly. “No need to be sorry, baby. I just didn’t want to hear you coming down my ear, is all. I mean, usually it’s pretty fucking hot, but not while I’m out of commission.”
I sit on the bed beside him. “How did you know?” I frown at him.
He places his hand on my inner thigh, and stretches out his index finger. “Your panties are wet,” he says with a devilish grin as he runs the tip over the fabric at the apex of my thighs and the blush creeps over my cheeks. “I mean, you’re pretty much always wet, baby, but they are soaked.”
“Oh,” I breathe.
“I can’t wait to be the one to soak them with you again,” he winks at me and I laugh.
“I’ll just clean up and then I’ll go make you some breakfast,” I say as I climb off the bed and walk to the bathroom.
“No rush. I’m not that hungry,” he yawns.
Liam has fallen back asleep by the time I’ve taken a quick shower. He looks so peaceful and pain free when he’s sleeping, but I will have to make him some breakfast and wake him soon so he can take his pain meds. I grab my cell phone and walk out of his bedroom, taking a quick detour to my own.
I sit on my bed, and my stomach is in knots as I dial the number. I’m not even sure if he will have kept the same number, especially now that he’s had a significant promotion. The phone rings out and I swallow hard as I wait for it to be answered. I am about to hang up when I hear his distinctive Russian voice.
“Jessica?”
“Jessie,” I remind him.
“Of course,” he clears his throat. “What can I do for you?”
“I…” I take a deep breath. “I still have so many questions, Vlad. About my parents. About Alexei. About the Wolf. I have tried to move on from my past, but I can’t let it go.”
“I understand that,” he replies softly.
“Do you have any of the answers I need?”
There is a few seconds’ silence before he replies. “About your family? Perhaps. About the Wolf? No.”
I suck in another deep breath. “Do you think we could meet?”
“Are you sure that is wise? I’m not sure your new family would be too happy about that,” he warns, and I know that’s true. But he is my only link to my past, and I have to understand who I really am and where I came from.
“You’re right. But they’ll understand. Please, Vlad? I’m just asking for one hour of your time.”
He sighs deeply. “I will be in New York later today. Perhaps we could meet then?”
“Yes,” I reply almost before he has finished speaking. “Where?”
“Somewhere out in the open,” he says.
“Of course,” I agree. He is the head of the Bratva now, and for all he truly knows, this could be a trap. “Central Park. Near the zoo?”
“Yes. Just you?”
“Yes,” I reply. “I’ll come alone.”
“Lád-na. I will be there at noon.”
“Lád-na.” Deal. I smile. “And thank you, Vlad.”
“Pozhaluysta.” You’re welcome.
