"I'm focused." He captured her ankle, raising her leg, his other hand on her waist, securing her. "I'm not going to die, Brat." He kissed her. She leaned against his hard body, wanting to believe him. "I need you to trust me."
She trusted him. She worried, but she did trust him. "I'm in your arms naked, aren't I?"
"You are." He kissed her again. "And you love me."
He kept repeating that. Had he not known? "I do." She kissed him back, focusing all her love in that kiss.
Another damn early morning. Nik paced within the small room, a pack of his best men watching him. "Chan done with his preparations?"
"Yes, Boss." Pavel folded his massive arms.
They had a copy of the floor plans, a map of Chan's land. The men knew where they'd be positioned. They'd have snipers and ground crew and even a man in the air. Was there anything they missed?
"Have a team look over the grounds as soon as we arrive." Nik didn't trust Chan. He didn't doubt that the house would be locked down. Chan was paranoid, lately doubly so, fearing the assassin was after him, not Tatyana. What concerned Nik was that protecting Tatyana wouldn't be Chan's first priority.
She was his first priority. She loved him. Him. Not his wealth, that didn't impress his Walmart-shopping girl. Not his family, she saw them as much of a pain in the ass as he did.
But him.
He wouldn't lose her.
"You have the vests?" Nik asked again. The bullet proof vests weren't much protection against a trained killer, but they were better than nothing.
"Yes, Boss."
"Grandfather's limo?" Grandfather's vehicle was a moving safe room. So secure it could possibly survive a nuclear bomb. That he offered it for Tatyana's transport signaled how concerned he was.
"Guarded and waiting by the private entrance, Boss."
His phone hummed against his hip. Nik glanced down at the screen. A text message from Boris. Tatyana was ready.
Time for the pep talk. He stood, hands folded behind his back. "Today, we face a threat to our family," Nik addressed his men. "A serious threat. You are the best of the best and this best will be tested. We cannot make mistakes. If we make mistakes, family members will die." He paused, allowing that thought to sink in, before continuing. "Our goal is to stop this asshole and we will stop him. But not by putting our women at risk. Our first priority today is to protect my fiancee, is that clear?"
The men rumbled uneasily. Did they have a problem with those orders? "What the fuck is it?"
Pavel stepped forward as spokesperson. "Sergei communicated that you were to be protected at all costs, Boss."
That interfering old man. "You report to me, not to my grandfather. I would protect your wives before I protected you. I expect you to protect my fiancee before you protect me, understand?" He looked at each man, ensuring they nodded agreement before his gaze settled on Pavel.
"Understood, Boss." The big man's eyes glittered.
He was laughing at him. Because his feelings for the brat showed. Nik glowered. "I can protect my own damn self." And he'd protect Tatyana, too.
"Yes, Boss."
Eight
"The best protection a family has is preparation."ȄSergei Kaerta Perched on Nikky's knee, Tatyana squirmed. "This vest is uncomfortable." It was hot and heavy.
"A bullet in your gut is more uncomfortable, Brat." Nikky surveyed the collection of guns on the limo's leather seat.
"I could move faster if I didn't wear it." The vest had to weigh at least ten pounds. She wouldn't be able to run with it on.
He strapped the harness with a holster and ammo carrier around her shoulders. "If you don't wear yours, I won't wear mine."
He'd used that threat on her all morning. She sighed. The problem was...it worked. "You're a bossy man, you know that?"
"But you love me." He picked up a small gun, balancing it in his palm.
"But I love you." If she was to be so open about loving him, just once she'd like to hear 'I love you' from him. She wouldn't hear those words. Tatyana glanced across from them.
Pavel talked into a phone. Boris grinned at her. At least, not now. Not in front of his men.
Nikky set the gun down and picked up another. "One gun or two?"
"One. If you want me to remain upright, I can't carry much more." She already had her bra stuffed with plastic wrapped dressings laced with hemostatic agent, her pants pockets full of gauze and bandages. "And I'd like it to be the gun I used in the shooting range. I know where the trigger is on that one." Some of the weapons looked too complicated to use.
Boris chuckled.
Nikky's head snapped up. "You think this is a laughing matter?"
The laughter stopped. "No, Boss."
"Because this isn't. People are going to die today." Tatyana shivered at the certainty in his voice. "One of those people better not be my fiancee." Nikky picked up the gun she was familiar with. "This is loaded and ready to go, so be careful." He tucked it into the holster.
"I'll try not to shoot your ass." It was only half a joke. Her aim was good with a target, but she doubted the man coming after them would be standing still.
"Language, Brat." The car slowed. They were already there. Tatyana had hoped the drive would go on and on.
"Nikky."
"No need to worry." He gathered her hair up in his hands, moving it to the side, kissing her exposed neck. "I'll protect you."
But who would protect him? Every loved one had faced death and died. Everyone. Why would Nikky be any different? "Nikky." Her grip on him tightened.
"You'll be fine." Nikky gently extracted his hand. "Stay here.
